Page 29 of Christmas with the Denton Billionaires

“He’s at your level.”

“My level?”

Rob shrugged. “You know what I mean.” Her brother had never been excellent at conveying himself. “Your type of success level. We always knew you were gonna bust out of here and do something spectacular. He’s at the top, too. Like you.”

“Aww.” She reached over to swat his knee. “Brother. Thank you.” His words did warm her, even though the marriage would never happen. It was nice that he saw her as reaching heights like Josh. She planned to go that high, if not higher.

“And I can tell what a family-oriented person he is. Even if you don’t want kids and all that. He’s already looking out for our family, ya know?”

She sipped slowly at the chai. “How so?”

“Well, he offered me a job already.”

Heat flooded her limbs. This was news to her. “What?”

“Well, he said that if the resort deal goes through, he’d want me on the team to do the renovation work. If he wins the bid, y’know?”

Amelia smiled, but doubts rang through her. That could be a lot of hot air. And maybe it was just Josh’s ploy to win over her family, too. Besides, what was he thinking, offering serious employment to her brother when, after the resort construction began, they wouldn’t even be an item anymore?

It reeked of poor planning at best and transparent manipulation at worst.

“He’s a great guy,” Amelia said, trying to sound chipper. “And I’m sure it’ll be great working for him.” She steered the conversation to other things then—the new baby, how her niece was doing, what Rebecca was planning in terms of going back to work once the next baby arrived—and an hour melted away lost in conversation.

She would have stayed there all afternoon if her brother hadn’t needed to get back to the house. As Amelia headed for the hotel, she couldn’t get the sick knot to unfurl in her gut.

Something about Josh just didn’t sit right anymore.

She should be glad that she only had days left with him. Soon, she’d get her promotion and move into a new chapter in life.

So why didn’t she feel more excited about it?

Back at the hotel room, Josh was bent over his laptop when she pushed inside. He immediately popped to his feet to greet her.

“There you are.” He headed her way, pulling her into a hug. “Is it weird that I missed you?”

She couldn’t relax in his arms. When he pulled away, concern creased his face. “Is everything okay?”

Amelia could only stare at him, unsure how to form the words that begged to be spoken. She had no right to feel the way she did. She was making a mountain out of a molehill. She and Josh were nothing. So why did it stillsting?

“Why did you offer my brother a job doing the renovation work?”

Josh’s mouth parted, like that had been the last thing he’d expected to hear. “Uh…because your brother works in construction and it makes sense?”

She sighed, walking past him. “Yeah, well, you did that without even talking to me first. And don’t you think shit is gonna get weird once our fake engagement ends?”

Josh followed her into the bedroom where she set down her purse and pulled off her earrings. “Rob seems like a great guy. I was trying to be nice, helpful. He has another baby on the way. How is a work opportunity a bad idea?”

“It’s not,” she said, her voice clipped.

“Besides, it’s the type of thing a brother-in-law would do.”

“Yeah, except they’re my family—not yours.” She turned to him, hands on her hips. “You shouldn’t have done that without asking me first.”

Josh’s brows knit together. “I can see that I overstepped.” He paused, stepping closer. “Is there something else bothering you? You seem…”

“Watch what you say to me,” Amelia warned.

“Different. I don’t know. What’s up?”

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