Page 17 of My Forbidden Billionaire

“Uh”—I clear my throat—”he’s a father of a student at my school. We have to keep things professional.”

The girls, just as astonished as they are confused, blink their eyes at me.

“Jo, are you seriously going to let that stop you from going out with him?” Larisa asks.

“Yeah, I mean, it’s not like he’s your student or anything. And he’s hot!” Emmy adds.

“Come on, guys. It’s not just about that. It’s unprofessional and inappropriate,” I say, trying to reason with them.

“Says whom?” Emmy asks.

How have they made it this far in life without realizing that some romantic relationships are just not worth the risk?

Or am I the only one these days who observes this, apparently, uptight rule?

“Life is too short to not take risks and have fun,” Larisa retorts. It’s as if she can read my mind.

I sigh, knowing that they won’t let this go easily. “Look, I appreciate your enthusiasm, but I just don’t think it’s a good idea.”

“But you said he looked like a Greek god!” Larisa protests.

“Yeah, and you mentioned his abs!” Emmy adds.

I blush at the memory of Jacob’s toned physique.

“I know, but it doesn’t change the fact that he’s a parent, at the school where I teach. Besides, what if things go wrong?” I ask, trying to make them see reason.

“Jo, you’re overthinking things. Just go out for a drink or two and see where it goes. What’s the worst that could happen?” Larisa asks.

“Exactly,” Emmy chimes in, getting up from the table. “What’s the worst that could happen? Fate obviously brought you two together again for a reason. Are you really going to miss out on another opportunity to get to know him?”

I take a deep breath and try to weigh the pros and cons of the situation. Maybe they have a point. Maybe I am too uptight and need to let loose a little.

As I ponder the thought of going out with Jacob, my mind starts to imagine all the possible scenarios that could unfold. What if it really was fate that brought us together and we hit it off and start dating? What if he turns out to be the one? But then I’m reminded of all the heartbreak with Tom...

I’m not sure I’m ready to put myself out there again.

I shake my head, trying to clear my thoughts. “I don’t know, guys. I need to think about it.”

“Okay, fair enough. But just keep an open mind, okay? After everything that happened with Tom, you deserve to go out and have a little fun,” Larisa says, her tone soft with understanding.

“Girls?”

Emmy’s voice calls from the living room. She’s holding her phone seemingly caught in something that she’s reading. I can see her lips and her eyes moving fast across the screen.

“What is it? Is there another sale on toilet paper at Target?” Larisa jokes.

“I think there’s something you might like to know about Jacob Carlton.”

“What are you talking about?” I ask.

“I just Googled him. And there’s actually a lot of articles about him online. He’s quite famous, you know.”

“Oh, he’s married, isn’t he? I knew it!” Larisa explodes. “Of course, it was too good to be true.”

But Emmy just stares at us from the middle of the living room.

“Jacob Carlton is not just ‘regular’ rich. He’s a billionaire.”

---