Page 24 of Falling for the Wrong Billionaire
I sit down at my desk, and just as I start to get into my tasks, the phone rings. I glance at the screen, my heart sinking when I see the name. It’s the call I’ve been avoiding. My father’s assistant.
I pick up the phone, my hands trembling as I press it to my ear. “Hello?”
“Miss Whittier, I just wanted to confirm the date of your flight back. Your father has finalized the details for the engagement party, and it’s scheduled for eight weeks from now. We need to start preparing. The event planner asked if you have preferences.”
I would have had preference if this was my dream wedding.
"No, I don't. She should do whatever she likes," I manage but inside, I’m dying. The weight of the engagement is suffocating. Every word the assistant says feels like a chain being wrapped around me, tightening until I can’t breathe.
“Thank you,” I say, my voice tight. “I’ll be there.”
The moment I hang up, I feel the weight of it all. The engagement. The life I’m being forced into. I glance down at Pip, curled up in my hoodie, his tiny body providing me with the only comfort I feel right now. He nuzzles into me, and I whisper to him, “What if I don’t go?”
I don’t expect an answer, but I know he feels it too. He and Nibbs have been the one constant in my life the past few years. The one thing I’ve been able to control.
I stand up, my heart heavy, and I force myself to take a breath. I can’t keep thinking like this. But as I look out the window, I realize that no matter how much I want to stay here, no matter how much I want this — with Liam, with this life — I don’t have a choice. The clock is ticking, and it’s almost time for me to leave.
And I have no idea how to stop it.
Chapter eleven
Liam
I can’t focus. I can’t concentrate.
I’ve been trying to work all day. I’ve had meetings back-to-back, calls with branches across the United States, discussions on potential new deals, all the usual. But my mind keeps drifting. Every time I sit down to talk numbers, I feel the pull of something else. Something more important than spreadsheets and business strategies. Something that, despite all my efforts, I can’t seem to escape.
I shake my head as I scroll through the emails on my laptop, trying to drown out the thoughts of Lucy. I need to focus. I have responsibilities. I have deadlines. But the truth is, I haven’t been able to stop thinking about her since the day we met.
There’s something about her. Something quiet and steady that draws me in. I can’t explain it. I’m used to control. I’m used to keeping things in check, keeping my emotions in line. But withher? I don’t know what it is. It’s like she’s a magnet, and I’m stuck in her orbit, pulled in by her calm, her strength, her… everything.
But no matter how much I tell myself to focus, to keep my distance, the thoughts of her never fade.
By the time I finish a call about expansion in Chicago, the sun is beginning to set, and I realize I haven’t seen her in a few days. The tech project is winding down, and I’ve been so busy with work, I haven’t had the excuse to stop by the clinic.
I lean back in my chair, glancing at the clock. It’s almost evening now, the day slipping away faster than I anticipated. I’ve been so absorbed in my thoughts about her that the hours have passed without me realizing.
And then, as if on cue, I remember.
Bryan’s get-together.
The small dinner he’s hosting in a few days. I had nearly forgotten about it in the whirlwind of work, but now that the thought’s in my head, I can’t shake it. Not only would it be a chance to spend more time with Lucy, but I could also introduce her to the people I trust, to the people who are like family to me. It feels right. But I don’t want to make it sound like anything more than what it is — just a casual evening with friends. No pressure.
I grab my phone and type out a quick message, my fingers hesitant at first. I don’t want to push her into anything. I’ve learned that much about her — she doesn’t like to be rushed. And I don’t want to make her uncomfortable. This has to feel natural. This has to feel like something she wants, not something I’m trying to force.
Liam: Hey, Lucy. There’s a small get-together at Bryan’s place this weekend. Nate, Liz, Emma, and I will be there. Nothing formal, just a casual dinner. I thought it might be nice if you wanted to join us.
I stare at the message for a moment, wondering if I’ve made it sound too casual or too eager. I don’t want to seem desperate, but I also don’t want her to think I’m not interested. I want her to feel comfortable, to feel like she’s a part of my world — without making her feel overwhelmed.
I hit send, but even as the message leaves my phone, I feel the familiar tightness in my chest. What if she says no?
It’s an invitation, nothing more. But the truth is, I want to spend time with her. I want to get to know her more than just the moments we’ve shared in passing. I want to know what makes her laugh, what makes her tick. I want to hear her thoughts, to be part of her world — just like she’s starting to become part of mine.
The hours pass slowly after I send the message, my mind once again consumed by thoughts of her. I find myself wondering what she’s doing, what she’s thinking. Is she still considering the invitation? Is she even interested?
The next day, I make another excuse to go to the clinic.
I know, deep down, that I’m not going there to check on the tech setup or make sure the systems are working. I’m going there to see her.
