Page 14 of Billionaire Neighbor

I nod and start to roll the cart forward, but he grabs it with his other hand.

“I’ll get the cart, you just go ahead,” he says.

Well, that’s an unexpected but rather gentlemanly move.

“Okay,” I say, trying to hide the smile pulling at the corners of my mouth.

We reach the elevator and I push the “up” button.

“So, dinner tomorrow night at around seven o’clock sound good to you?” he asks.

“Yes,” I say, reaching for the cart. “Thanks, I’ll take this now.”

He nods, takes a step back and shoves his hands in his pockets. The move makes him look nervous, which is a relief to me. The moment is brief, but I like seeing him appear not so confident and in control. The elevator reaches the lobby and dings loudly before the doors slide open.

I roll the cart inside, and turn around to face him before pushing the button for my floor.

“I’m Asher Jordan by the way,” he says as the doors start to close.

“Jade Sinclair,” I say, hoping he heard me.

I smile the entire ride up to my floor. I step out of the elevator and make my way inside the condo. The place is still dark, an obvious sign Magdalene hasn’t returned home with Jacob yet. Once every other week, Magdalene, Jacob and Heath get together for a little family time, or rather, a little Heath and Jacob time.

I lean against the door and exhale.

I have a date tomorrow.

Granted, the circumstances for how the date came about fall under the not-so-normal end of the dating spectrum. But still, I’m both excited and nervous at the same time. It’s been forever since I’ve gone out, let alone out with a handsome guy. A handsome guy who is now on my radar to be on the lookout for.

Asher.

Even his name is sounds sexy. Not only is he attractive, but he’s charming too. I’m positive his charm is the main reason I even agreed to go on the date. Something about him makes me want to know more.

“Shit,” I say. “I should have asked him which restaurant he wanted to go to, so I can know the dress code.”

I quickly brainstorm the outfit options in my closet collecting dust. This is one of those times I wish Magdalene and I were the same size, so I’d have something to borrow. I’m overthinking this date. This is just a casual dinner… a casual dinner with a sexy guy.

To be fair, Asher didn’t explicitly mention this being a date anyway. This is just an “I apologize for accidentally making you think I was watching you get naked” dinner. I’m sure I have something in my closet that will be appropriate.

I push my little grocery cart to the kitchen and start unloading and organizing the food on the counter. I consider pulling out my phone and telling Rachel all about my date and everything else that has happened, but I decide against it. Knowing her, she’ll ask a million questions and I’m not ready to be interrogated just yet about a guy I don’t know.

Chapter 8

ASHER

I open the folder and flip through the pages of the extensive background check I requested on Jade. Nathan, the head of my security department, brought the folder to me earlier in the day and I haven’t been able to stop staring at it ever since. Jade’s beauty and feisty attitude drew me in initially, but I have business interests to protect and one can never be too careful.

She’s a nanny. A new nanny to an infant.

I’ve never gone out with anyone outside of my circle, which is both a good and bad thing. I welcome the change of pace, but I’m not so sure I’m ready for a nanny per se. She can’t possibly make very much money and I’ve seen far too many of my friends get caught up in similar situations. The men always end up broke and the women end up having a major lifestyle enhancement. I refuse to allow anyone, no matter how beautiful, use me as a leg up in society.

I hold the paper with her employment listed to the light trying to decipher who her actual employer is. The fact that it’s blacked out is a pretty good indication she works for the upper echelon of society and I know firsthand they prefer their privacy.

Joe knocks twice on my open door before inviting himself inside my office.

“What do you have there?” he asks, taking a seat in the leather chair I have seated across from me.

I put the paper back in the folder and close it. “It’s a background check for my date tonight,” I say. “She’s a nanny.”

Joe shakes his head and turns a bright shade of crimson. I should have known saying she’s a nanny would trigger him.

“You do not want to date a nanny. I’m still going back and forth to court with Crystal. Married less than three years, and she thinks she deserves half of the money I have left,” he says.

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