Page 22 of My Forbidden Billionaire

“Sit by the door,” she sneers. Then, lowering her voice, she adds, “At the back of the room, Josephine. Is that understood? Or is this task too difficult for you?”

Without waiting for a reply, Ms. Abadie turns and walks away.

“What just happened? Are you alright, Josephine?” Jacob asks, taking me gently by the elbow. The light touch of his fingertips, and his seemingly genuine care for me, would make me want to swoon if I was anywhere other than school property. Still, I can feel my cheeks turn hot and begin to burn.

“She’s just … special,” I say, offering a smile.

“Do you have to do what she says?”

“Kind of, yes. She’s the Head of Education.”

“Do you want me to have a word with the Headmaster about her, Josephine?” Jacob asks. I can see it on his face that he truly wants to help me.

“No, no, please! I’ve only been here for a month. How would it look if one of the parents complained about her on my behalf?”

“I suppose you’re right. Then, you know what? I’ll keep you company by the door,” he adds brightly. “I’ll take one of the chairs right at the back and we can sit by the restrooms together. How does that sound?”

“Actually … that sounds amazing!” I say, thrilled to have someone keep me company through my first meeting at the school. “Wait, but what about Clementine?”

“Oh, don’t worry. She made it crystal clear to me this morning that she’d be sitting with her friends for this meeting.” He grins.

Without knowing it, Ms. Abadie just did me a huge favor. Because despite the fact that Jacob Carlton is completely off-limits, I can’t deny that I’m excited to spend even a few minutes with him.

We make our way to the back of the room, where the doors to the restrooms are located. Jacob pulls out a chair for me, and I sit down with a smile, grateful for the unexpected company. “Thank you, Mr. Carlton. You’re very kind.”

“Please, call me Jacob,” he says, his eyes twinkling with amusement. “So, how are you finding the school so far? Aside from Ms. Abadie, of course,” Jacob asks, settling into the chair beside me.

“It’s been great, thank you. The children are lovely, and the majority of the staff has been very welcoming.”

“That’s wonderful to hear,” Jacob replies. “And what brought you to Jameson Juniper Hall?”

“I’m passionate about literature, and have been teaching it for quite some time now. Growing up in Boston, I used to walk by this school and stare at it with admiration. So, when I saw the job opening, I jumped at the opportunity.”

“I’m glad you did.” Jacob smiles. “From what I can tell, you’re doing an amazing job. You have a way of connecting with the children that even some of the most seasoned teachers don’t have.”

“Thank you, Jacob. That means a lot coming from you,” I reply, feeling my heart flutter at the compliment.

“Not to mention, my daughter absolutely loves your class.”

I feel a wave of warmth wash over me at his words. “Really? That’s great to hear. Clementine is such a bright and curious student. She really adds value to our classroom discussions.”

“I’m just thrilled she’s excited about literature. It’s been wonderful to see her falling in love with books like I did when I was younger.”

“Ahh, so you were quite the avid reader when you were a child?” I ask.

“Oh, absolutely. My grandfather’s house was filled with books from floor to ceiling. It was always so comforting to me to be surrounded by a thousand stories and opportunities. Whenever I’d feel lost or overwhelmed, I’d go there and just sit in silence between the shelves of books. Somehow it always felt like home.”

Jacob’s words bring a knowing smile to my lips—it seems we both found solace in libraries as children. “I know exactly what you mean. When I was younger, I used to sneak into my parents’ library at night and read until dawn.”

“Really? What did you read?” Jacob asks, intrigued.

“Everything I could get my hands on,” I reply, laughing a little at the memory. “Classics, mysteries, romance novels—you name it.”

Jacob grins at me, revealing his deep dimples. I love dimples. “There’s something special about being surrounded by stories, isn’t there? It’s like traveling without leaving your seat.”

“Yes, exactly. Reading allows you to experience things you could never have imagined.”

Jacob nods in agreement. “That’s what I love about reading. It’s a never-ending adventure.”

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