Page 4 of Quarantined with the Billionaire

So on Friday morning, thanks to a couple of Skype chats, having realized that half my female colleagues hadn’t been putting on makeup throughout the week, I decided to go without as well. It matched my mood.

On Sunday, I was on the phone with Elise, appreciating our connection. She always managed to make me feel better—even when she was talking about dating apps. “I know it sounds weird, Bailey, but I’ve been able to spend a lot more quality time checking out their profiles.”

“I suppose there are worse things to do.”

“I need to get in my dating licks now, ‘cause they’ve been saying we might get a shelter-in-place order.”

“A what?”

“You haven’t been watching the news, have you?”

“It’s too depressing, Elise. My head’s already in a bad place. I can’t do it.”

“So they’re saying they’re going to make it where we have to stay home. We won’t be able to go anywhere except for, like, the store or the hospital.”

“That would suck. I have to say I’m having a hard time limiting where I go. I never realized I would hate not going into work every day.”

“God, I know. I’m even missing the commute.”

“I’m not quite there yet. I actually enjoyed walking to the office everyday.”

“Give it time, my friend.” Elise gasped, making my ears perk up. “Oh, my God!”

“What?”

“I got a message back from one of the guys I was hoping to get to know better.”

My phone beeped and I pulled it back from my ear to peek at it. “Oh, crap. My mom’s calling.”

“I’ll let you go.”

“No, I’ll call her back later. I don’t feel like—”

“Bailey, you should talk to her. The way things are going right now…”

I sighed. “You’re right. Fine.”

“And try not to frown!”

“Yes, ma’am. Talk with you later.” I tapped on my phone a couple of times to answer my mother’s call. Mom was…different. I loved her, but I’d never looked back once I’d broken out on my own. I’d graduated high school, escaping to college and adult life, and never regretted leaving so soon. “Hi, mom. What’s up?”

“How are you, Bailey?”

“Fine.” I’d just spoken with her three days earlier. Not much had changed with me, other than my mood. “What about you?”

“Well, I’ll probably be laid off for a few weeks.”

“Oh, no. Can you apply for unemployment?”

“I think so. What about you, honey? Are you in danger of having your hours cut or losing your job?”

“No. Not yet, anyway.” But, up until recently, an unemployment check would have sounded nice. Now, I was almost grateful I still had my job, much as I had grown to hate it.

“I need to tell you something, sweetheart.” Oh, God. The last time mom had used that tone was when she’d left her second husband for her third. Had she found another man? And here I was, not having dated in six months. Or maybe longer. I’d lost count. “It’s about your dad.”

Icy shivers shot down my spine. We hadn’t talked about my father in years. When he and mom had divorced, he’d remarried and his new wife had given birth to a son. Kyle, I thought his name was and, about now, he’d have to be in his teens. My mom knew that man was dead to me. Why the hell was she bringing him up? Letting out a long, slow breath to keep my voice steady, I spoke as calmly as possible. “What about him?”

“I talked to Eleanor yesterday. They think he has the Chinese virus.”

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