Page 75 of My Forbidden Billionaire

“Can I help you find what you’re looking for, ladies?”

“Umm ... and who might you be?” Larisa asks, eying the butler from head to toe.

“I’m Jarvis, the butler of Carlton House. And I’m here to serve you—Miss Larisa, Miss Emmy.”

I stop at the top of the grand staircase and watch this funny exchange. The butler gives both my friends a deep bow each which makes them giggle madly.

They’re here to celebrate Jacob and my first anniversary. Jacob insisted that he host a charity gala at his home with all our closest friends to commemorate the occasion that fate brought us together, and I happily obliged.

“Oh, my gosh, he bowed to us! He knows our names!” they whisper to each other. And considering I can hear them from the top of the stairs, I’m certain Jarvis can hear them as well. But he’s far too polite to say anything.

“Of course, he knows your names. You’re only my best friends, after all!” I interject. My friends jump and turn around, running up the stairs to greet me.

We meet in the middle and hug tightly, holding the embrace as long as possible.

“We’ve missed you so much, Jo ... you have no idea!”

“I was only gone for three weeks.” I chuckle.

“And how was your European vacation with Jacob and Clem?” Emmy asks.

“It was an absolute dream. I would love to take you both to Italy sometime.”

“Oh, my gosh, yes! That would be amazing!” Larisa exclaims, bouncing on her heels. “I’ve always wanted to photograph Italy for my portfolio.”

“Sign me up, too! I’ve always wanted to try real Italian pizza,” Emmy adds, grinning from ear to ear.

“I’ll make sure to take you to the best pizzerias in all of Italy,” I promise them, smiling warmly.

“We’re glad you’re home, bestie.” Emmy squeezes my shoulder.

“I’ll say, it feels good to be back in Boston ... and speaking of being back, Emmy, Larisa … I have some news,” I say.

They both look at me with excitement in their eyes.

“What is it? Don’t keep us waiting!” Larisa exclaims.

“I’m officially unemployed—I quit my job as a literature instructor at Jameson Juniper Hall.”

My friends look surprised at the sudden announcement. “You did what? When did this happen? Are you okay, Jo?”

I take a deep breath and nod. “Yes, I’m alright. I submitted my formal resignation yesterday. After much consideration, it really felt like the right thing to do for me and my future.” They nod, listening intently as I continue. “Honestly, I don’t really know if a private school was ever the place for me. After everything that happened—all the drama with Ms. Abadie—I had a long and very honest talk with Jacob about it all.”

“How did it go?”

“It helped me realize that the only reason I was forcing myself to teach at the best private school in America was … to impress my parents. I guess I was just hoping that, somehow, if I had this amazing career at a prestigious school, they would … be proud of me. So, I pushed myself.” I sigh. “But now, I’m happy to report that I’m done with all of that. I may look for another teaching job elsewhere in the future. But for now, I’m taking a leap of faith—following my heart and being brave—and I’m finally going to focus on finishing my novel.”

My friends smile knowingly and wrap me in a tight hug.

“That’s the Jo we know and love!” Larisa says.

“I’m so proud of you,” Emmy says.

“Thank you. You girls know better than anyone that I’ve always dreamed of being an author. It’s originally what I set out to do when I first started college.”

“I know! I remember you started working on your manuscript even back then!” Emmy declares.

“Yes! And Europe was so inspiring for me—with all its beauty and rich history. I started writing again while I was there, and it reminded me where my passion truly lies. So after thoughtful consideration, I finally decided it’s time to take the plunge and really pursue a career in writing. I have enough savings from my time at Jameson Juniper Hall to make it happen.”

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