Page 18 of The Billionaire's Rival (Bad Boy Billionaires)

I sighed. “I don’t need to worry about it, because nothing is going on with Ford.”

“Because you’ve been an asshole to him?”

“No. Yes, but—”

“So stop doing that.”

I meant to insist that I wasn’t interested in making Ford like me, but what came out was, “I don’t know how.”

“Jesus, you’re not twelve years old. You don’t have to show you like him by being mean to him. What do you do when you like a woman?”

“Ask her to if she wants to go back to my place.”

“And then….”

“You know what happens then.”

She wrinkled her nose. “Right. No details on that, but what about after?”

“There is no after. She leaves and that’s that.”

Emily rolled her eyes. “How can you be so relationship challenged? No wonder you don’t know how to approach Ford.”

“There’s not going to be any approaching, and why aren’t you a little more surprised by this?”

“Because you’ve told me so much about him. I’ve never known you to be that interested in anyone.”

“What? I don’t talk about him a lot.”

She ignored me. “You’ve been flirting with him, haven’t you? To try and get your way.”

I wished she’d gone straight to see Gran, I did not need this interrogation. “How did you know?”

“I know you. That’s your go-to.”

“Not with men.”

She shrugged. “You know he’s gay, so that’s your tactic, right?”

“Maybe.”

“Then let him know it’s real.”

“He’s the counsel for the defense. He’s not going to buy it, and he could get me charged with misconduct. I’m trying to get a promotion.”

She studied me for a moment, seeming to carefully consider her words. “Do you really need more money and more stress?”

“No, but you do—the money, not the stress.”

“Jay, I appreciate you wanting to help me, but I can get a business loan or keep going without the extra space. You don’t even like your job. Don’t take on even more for me.”

“Not an option.”

“Then work nicely with Ford on this lawsuit, and once it’s over, tell him how you feel.”

I shook my head. “That’s not how this business works. I have to win. I’m not going to do that by being nice.”

“If what you want is a compromise….”

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