Page 20 of Starting Over with Her Billionaire Boss

On top of that, how could she ever find it within herself to open up emotionally to a man again after her high school sweetheart had left her just six months prior? How could she ever trust her heart with another?Especially with her boss.That man, she imagined, couldn’t care less about her mental or emotional wellbeing right now. All he cared about was his company and gettingherhouse.

Only once her eyes were dry and her thoughts were clear did Kinsley grab her keys and head toward the airport. The guest bedrooms were outdated, but her friends didn’t care. They were excited even to hear that a contractor, Tina’s brother Brian, would be dropping by during their stay. Cameron and Brienne had been wanting to visit since she’d arrived, but now Kinsley needed them more than ever.

Within a few hours, they were sitting around Kinsley’s dining table. The wine they selected had a deep, rich aroma. It mingled with the faint hint of rosemary from the roasted chicken that still lingered on their plates. The dining room was warm and cozy, lit by the soft glow of the overhead lamp, but Kinsley felt an unsettling chill seeping into her bones. It was as if the warmth in the room had no power over the frost gathering around her heart.

Kinsley had spent the bulk of the car ride and dinner catching them up on what had just transpired between herself and Daegan Westerhouse. She knew she was talking in circles, but her friends were happy to listen.

After complaining about “that selfish bastard” for the umpteenth time, she noticed something. Her eyes dartedbetween Cameron and Brienne. “Are you two playing a drinking game?”

Her friends kept straight faces. “Why would you think that?” Cameron asked, tucking an auburn curl behind her ear.

“I just feel like whenever I talk about Mr. Westerhouse—” Kinsley started before stopping short, noticing her friends both taking a sip of wine simultaneously.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Brienne chimed in, her finger delicately tracing the rim of the glass.

“Me neither,” Cameron confirmed before shoving the last of her green beans in her mouth.

“I said Westerhouse and?—”

Her friends took another sip. Despite being caught red-handed, the two of them kept straight faces.

“If I say his name, you sip,” Kinsley hissed.

Brienne leaned back in her chair, swirling her wine with a smirk. “For someone that acts like she hates the man so much, you sure seem obsessed. His name’s been on your lips more than that glass.” Brienne motioned toward Kinsley’s nearly full glass of wine. Her green eyes shot Kinsley a knowing look.

“Just tell him you aren’t selling the house and be done with it,” Cameron said. The chair squeaked as she eased back.

“If you’re going to keep talking about him all night, then we might as well get tipsy to put up with it,” Brienne added before receiving a stern glare from Cameron. “What?” she mouthed to Cameron.

Kinsley wanted to laugh at their antics; she likely would have if she didn’t feel so hollow. The lingering wine tasted bitter on her tongue as her friends’ words sunk in. Could Mr. Westerhouse really get to her enough that he could possibly win this fight?

“For real, Kins,” Brienne said, raising her wine glass, “how many times did you say his name tonight? Ten? Fifteen? If itweren’t for this drinking game, we’d be stone-cold sober.” Her smirk softening, she threw Kinsley a look of pity.

“I think what our lovely Brienne is trying to say,” Cameron shifted her eyes back and forth between them, “is that you just need to say you’re not entertaining his offer and you don’t want to be harassed about it.”

“Oh, that’s a good one. Throw around the wordharassand he’ll be sure to take you more seriously.” Brienne nodded, eating her last bite of chicken.

“I told him I don’t want to sell and I’m not going to sell. I said no more discussions about it,” Kinsley replied taking a long swig from her wine glass.

“Don’t let him try to win you over though,” Brienne said in a sing-songy voice. “He seems like he could be a sweet-talker.”

“A womanizer, perhaps,” Cameron added.

“Mr. Westerhouse?” Kinsley asked. The thought of him trying to win her heart to win her home was sickening. What kind of man would have the audacity to try something like that?

Her friends took a sip. Kinsley unashamedly joined them.

“He’s not like that,” Kinsley finished her thought.

“I thought that Oscar guy was great,” Brienne laughed under her breath, “but all he wanted were my playoff tickets. Some guys just use you to get what they want.”

“How do you know he isn’t like that, Kinsley? I’m asking as a genuine question,” Cameron said. “He’ll sweet-talk you. He’ll take you to dinner. Invite you over.”

“Sleep with you,” Brienne interjected. Cameron shot her a quick glance.

“And thenhe will win your trust to some extent and you’ll think ‘oh gee, he won’t do me wrong’ and then sell the house to him and get screwed.” Cameron locked eyes with her and wouldn’t break it. Kinsley knew she meant every word she said.

“Maybe quite literally get screwed, too,” Brienne added, the quiet clink of her glass coming to rest on the dining table.

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