Page 19 of Bestie's Bossy Billionaire Brother
“Sorry,” she says.
“Daddy, Catherine, let’s go have a snack now,” Alice shouts from the hallway.
“Okay,” Catherine responds.
“Coming, princess,” I say, my heart beating fast. I haven’t felt like this in a long time. What’s gotten into me?It’s just Catherine.
Chapter 7
Catherine
“Alice,didyoufinishall of your homework?” I ask as I’m racking the dishes into the dishwasher.
It’s almost eight o’clock, and I’ve already fed Alice dinner as we wait for Oliver to come home. This has been our routine lately with Oliver’s current work hours, but tonight is different. Erica and I have plans to go out, and Oliver is taking longer than usual to get home.
“I finished everything on the ride home from school,” she says, her eyes glued to the book she’s reading.
I glance at the time on my phone. “Your dad should be home any minute now.”
She finally looks up from her book. “Are you still meeting up with Aunt Erica tonight?”
“Yes,” I say, nodding. “We’re just going to go out to catch up. I won’t be long, and your dad will be here with you.”
Alice smiles and turns back to her book, not looking up again until the front door opens a few moments later, signaling Oliver’s return home.
He steps into the kitchen and smiles at us. “Good evening, ladies.”
“Daddy,” Alice calls out. She jumps up from her seat at the table and runs toward him with open arms. She wraps her arms around his waist as he lifts her off the ground and hugs her tightly.
“Hey, princess.” He chuckles, delighted to see her.
As Oliver sets Alice down, he looks over at me. His eyes linger on the black dress that hugs against my body for just a moment before looking away.
“You look nice tonight,” he tells me.
My cheeks flush slightly at his compliment, but I don’t comment. “I’m just going out for dinner and drinks with Erica,” I tell him, eager to change the conversation.
“That’s right,” he says, a slight nod accompanying his words. “Where are you going again?”
“I think just the French restaurant down the street.”
“Sounds like fun.” He turns back to Alice and ruffles her hair as she goes back to her book.
“I’m going to head upstairs to freshen up,” I tell him.
As I start for the stairs, Oliver turns around with a look on his face that says he wants to say something else but can’t find the words. We lock eyes for a second before I break away and head to my room.
As I climb the stairs, my mind drifts back to the days of my relationship with Jason. With Oliver and Alice, there’s an atmosphere of luxury and comfort that’s both foreign and welcome. Compared to Jason, Oliver’s presence is protective yet soothing. I can tell that even though Oliver puts on a tough exterior around people, he really cares about his family’s well-being.
Memories with Jason, however, are a montage of his priorities dominating our lives. It was always his career moves that steered our plans, his choices that dictated our social circles, his moods that set the tone of our conversations. Even our smallest decisions, like where to dine, echoed his preferences, his relentless insistence overshadowing my desires.
That imbalance, the constant silencing of my voice, is a relief to have behind me.
I walk into my bedroom and stand in front of the mirror, my reflection peering back at me analytically. I take out some makeup and touch up my face.
As I finish up, I grab my phone off the dresser and dial Erica’s number. She answers on the second ring.
“Hey,” she says, her voice full of excitement.
