Page 33 of Flirting with my Billionaire Boss

“A thief?” He shakes his head. “Callie? That doesn’t sound like her at all. She’s the girl who won’t let you fill your cup with soda when you get the free water cup at a fast-food place. The one who makes you go back to the register and pay for it. Callie’s a rule keeper. What makes you think she stole from you?”

“I found my grandmother’s ring in her purse.”

“What were you doing in her purse?”

“My dog found it in her purse.”

“I don’t care if that ring was in her purse. All I can tell you is Callie wouldn’t steal from you. There’s plenty about her that I don’t like, but she’s not dishonest.”

“And what is it about her that you don’t like?” I know I probably shouldn’t go down this road in the middle of a business meeting, but I can’t help myself. I’m asking for trouble.

“Callie is the most selfish person I’ve ever met.”

That doesn’t sound like Callie. “How’s that?”

“She chose a tiny mass of flesh over our marriage. She threw away everything.”

“Mass of flesh? What are you talking about?” Realization dawned on me. “You mean her baby?” I want to punch his face, but I don’t. How does he have so much control over my emotions? But it’s not him really, is it? It’s Callie. I feel a powerful urge to protect her, and she’s not even here. Because I love her.

“Whoa there.” Markus scrutinizes my face with his eyes narrowed, and then a light dawns in his eyes. “Wait a second. You’re in love with her. It’s in your expression.”

Tearing my gaze away from him, I say, “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Am I really that obvious?

Markus suddenly looks furious. “I need to go.” He closes the folder he had open on the table, gets up, and storms from the room.

So much for that business deal.

15

CALLIE

After submitting yet another job application, I lean back in my desk chair and breathe out a sigh. I’ve updated my resume ten times in the last two weeks and have gone in for a few interviews, but I’m pretty sure my huge pregnant belly is just scaring off potential employers. I don’t have the best job history either. Before my work with Weston, I hadn’t worked in years because I didn’t need to with Markus paying for everything.

I’ve moved in with my parents, and while they’ve been great, I miss working. Especially for Weston. I was good at that job. I even saved him a few clients who were about to walk away. It was more than just grabbing his coffee or running paperwork around. I loved what Weston was doing. I wanted to work at the company to help find new properties.

Maybe I need to stop applying for jobs as an assistant and instead go get my real estate license so I can sell commercial real estate on my own or with another company. Taking an enormous step like that when I’m about to have a baby is scary.

There’s a knock on the front door and both my parents are at work, so I go to see who it is.

Markus is standing on the front step. “Hey.” He looks nervous to see me.

Immediately, panic rises inside me, but I push it down. Markus isn’t the same guy I divorced. He’s gone to therapy now. Shouldn’t I at least give him a chance to speak? “Do you want to come in?”

Relief washes over his features. “Sure. I was half expecting you to slam the door in my face.”

I almost had. “Why did you come to see me?”

“I see you’re getting right to the point,” he says. “Mind if I sit down?” He gestures to the couch.

“Go ahead.” I sit in the armchair next to the couch. My chest is tight, and I’m fighting to keep it relaxed. But there’s something so familiar about being in the room with him again. It’s like going back in time.

He scoots closer and takes my hand. “I miss you, Callie. When are you going to come home?”

I allow him to hold my hand even though the hairs on the back of my neck are prickling. I fight the urge to pull my hand away. “I am home.”

“You know you won’t be able to stay under your parents’ roof for long. Your mom’s going to treat you like a kid again, hovering around you, and you’ll go nuts.”

Markus knows me, oh, so well. My mom is already driving me nuts. That’s why I’ve been trying so hard to find a job. I’ll take just about anything by now. As long as it pays enough to cover my bills.

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