Page 64 of Bestie's Bossy Billionaire Brother
Fred grins. “Wow, Oliver, you’re finally admitting it. I never thought I’d see the day.”
I roll my eyes again, but I can’t deny the truth. Ever since Catherine came into our lives, everything has felt different. I’ve felt different. I’ve been waking up with a smile on my face and looking forward to seeing her. It’s a feeling I haven’t experienced in a long time. Not since Emily.
I take a deep breath, trying to steady my nerves. “I just don’t want to mess things up between us,” I say, my voice barely above a whisper.
Fred claps a hand on my shoulder. “Hey, you won’t know until you try. And who knows? Maybe she feels the same way.”
The thought sends a thrill through me, but I push it away. I don’t want to get my hopes up just yet.
“Have you ever felt this way about someone?” I ask, curious about Fred’s own experiences.
Fred’s expression darkens for a moment before he shakes his head. “No, I haven’t.”
I raise an eyebrow, sensing there’s more to the story. “What about that girl you were seeing? Are you two still a thing?”
Fred shrugs. “It’s just a fling. I’m not in love with her.”
I nod, not wanting to push the subject.
The door swings open and Jamie walks in, carrying a stack of paperwork. “I think I’ve arranged everything for your work trip,” she says, setting the papers down on the desk. “Your room’s been booked and you have an early flight out on Friday morning.”
“Thanks Jamie, you’re always so reliable,” I say with a smile. I turn to Fred. “Are you sure it’s fine if I go without you?”
Fred waves my concerns away. “Don’t worry about it. You’ll have a great time and your birthday is coming up. You should spend some quality time with Alice to celebrate.”
I’m relieved knowing that Fred doesn’t mind. “Thanks.”
He glances at his watch. “It’s getting late. We should head out now, since all our work is done. What do you say?”
I nod in agreement, a sense of contentment coming over me as I take one last look around the office. It’s been a long day, but I’m glad we got everything done before heading home.
“Let’s go,” I finally say, standing up from my chair and stretching my arms.
He grabs his coat from the peg, and together we walk out of the office.
Soon enough, I’m back home and more than ready to spend the rest of the evening with Catherine and Alice. When I walk inside, they’re sitting on the couch together. Alice is sitting on Catherine’s lap, and they both look up at me with bright smiles on their faces as I walk into the living room.
“Hey, you’re back,” Catherine exclaims, standing up and walking toward me. “How was work?”
“It was a long day, but we got everything done. How was your day with Alice?”
Catherine grins. “It was great. We just finished all her homework and then played some board games. I think she’s ready for bed now, though.”
Alice yawns, rubbing her eyes. “I am a little sleepy.”
I scoop her up in my arms.
“You’re home awfully early,” Catherine tells me, a smile forming on her lips.
I grin and nod. “Yes, I have some good news. We’re going on a weekend getaway this coming Friday, and we’re leaving early in the morning.”
Alice gasps with excitement, her eyes widening. Catherine looks at me in surprise before giving me a questioning look.
“Where are we going?” she asks.
“How does California sound?”
Alice’s jaw drops. “No way! The last time we went to California was with Mommy.”
