Page 23 of The Billionaire's Christmas Baby Surprise

“I was happy to help.” Max got to his feet. “Let me know when you need me again. For more charity work.”

“I will. Have a nice evening.” Billie pushed to her feet and smoothed her shirt. “Do you want me to walk you out?”

“That’s quite all right, I know the way.” And the cold air outside would do him good. He couldn’t think of Billie as a potential romantic interest. It wasn’t good for either of them.

As Max headed out, he waved to a few straggler children who were just leaving. They waved back enthusiastically, and Max thought of what Billie had said about children. Then he tried not to think about Billie at all.

As a distraction, Max went back to the office. It was getting late, and most people were on their way out, but there was always more work to be done. The more Max could focus on his work, the less Billie would slip into his thoughts, and the easier it would be to put the memories of their night together out of his mind.

CHAPTER 11

BILLIE

Billie was having trouble focusing.

A few days ago, Max had come over to help her wrap gifts. It had seemed innocent enough, until they’d been kneeling on the floor beside each other, wrapping a plush cow. The next moment echoed in Billie’s mind over and over — Max’s eyes had met hers. They’d looked at each other for a long moment, and Billie had felt attraction stirring inside her. She’d wanted to lean forward and kiss him. She’d wanted to feel his broad hands on her back and his warm lips against her own. She’d wanted to inhale his masculine shaving-cream scent and feel the brush of his five-o’clock shadow against her cheek. She’d wanted him to pull her against his firm chest and whisper in her ear.

And that was out of the question.

Billie didn’t evenlikeMax that way. She’d enjoyed the night they’d spent together (it still sneaked into her mind sometimes, right before she fell asleep), but they were just too different. A relationship would never work. And worse, it could jeopardize the funding for Sweetest Surprise’s Christmas program. Billie couldn’t let that happen.

Most likely, the attraction had been one-sided. Max probably hadn’t felt the band of tension that seemed to be pulling her towards him. That was for the best. They needed to work together again in a few days, when Sweetest Surprise would visit the local children’s hospital to give out gifts to hospital-bound kids, and Billie needed to act normally. She couldn’t be thinking about kissing Max or about the night they’d spent together — no matter how fresh it was in her mind.

Billie sighed and looked down at the new year schedule she’d been trying to sort out. One of her employees wanted to offer a dance class, but it was at the same time as the afterschool program and they both needed the big room. Billie chewed the end of her pencil thoughtfully. This was the problem she should be wrestling with instead of thinking about Max.

Unfortunately, Billie’s attempts to distract herself over the next few days invariably went off the rails. At least she was supposed to meet her sister, Jamie, for dinner, which she’d been looking forward to. It would be a good opportunity to distract herself from all thoughts of Max and focus on something else for a change.

They met at a local pizza place, where Jamie had already ordered them a large ham-and-black-olive pizza, their joint favorite, to share. Billie slid into the booth across from her sister with a grin.

“Jamie, how are you? It’s been too long since we’ve seen each other in person.”

“I know, things have been a little busy.” Jamie wiggled a little in her seat, then leaned forward. “I wanted to wait to tell you until after dinner, but I couldn’t hold it in. I’m pregnant!”

“Oh, my gosh!” Billie slid out of her seat and came around to hug her sister. “Congratulations! You and Stewart must be thrilled.”

“Absolutely. And you’re definitely going to be the favorite aunt.”

“I’m not so sure.” Billie pulled back to smile at her sister. “Our sisters-in-law are pretty amazing.”

“Yeah, but they’re distracted by their own kids and husbands,” Jamie said with a shrug. Billie was sure she hadn’t meant it as a cutting comment, but it still stung to be reminded that she was single and childless. Still, it was Jamie’s day, and Billie wasn’t about to get offended.

“Well, your baby’s best aunt is here.” She sat back down and leaned her elbows on the table. “How far along are you?”

“Seven weeks,” Jamie said. “We found out yesterday, and I wanted to tell you first.”

“Thank you.” Billie beamed. “I really am so very happy for you.”

“I’m happy for me, too.” Jamie beamed back. “And I’ve already started thinking about names. I’m only worried that I won’t be able to get Stewart on board, although he says he’s pretty open.”

“What are you thinking about?” Billie leaned forward. “Tell me absolutely everything.”

Only after she’d gotten back home did Billie realize that she was sad for herself as well as happy for her sister. Billie was thirty and no closer to children than she’d been five or ten years ago, while her younger sister would become a mother at twenty-eight. For some reason, that made her think of Max again and the conversation they’d had about kids. All roads led back to Max, even thoughts about children. It was completely unavoidable now.

The next day, Billie filled in for a missing volunteer during the afterschool program. Almost immediately, she heard Eloise talking to her friend Sierra about Christmas gifts.

“Why would you want a donation to charity?” Sierra asked skeptically.

“I want to help people,” Eloise replied earnestly. “I just hope Santa understands that.”

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