Page 2 of Doctor Billionaire's Surprise Baby

I clenched my fists, feeling an unwelcome surge of jealousy rise within me. Why did it bother me so much to see him interacting with an attractive patient? I knew he was just doing his job, but my heart couldn't help but ache at the thought of someone else vying for his attention. As I sat at my desk, trying to focus on work, I replayed our earlier conversation in my mind. We laughed and shared our thoughts so easily; why couldn't he see that we could be more than friends?

"Whoo-wee, she has just a little flirt on," remarked Rachel, under her breath as she pretended to work on the computer. Yep, it was clear as day.

"Uh, yeah. But nothing we aren't used to seeing," I replied.

"Good thing I'm married to the most gorgeous man alive. None of these guys faze me." Rachel spoke confidently. And it was true; her husband was good looking and absolutely perfect for her. "How about you, Simone? I haven't heard you talk about a guy for ages."

"I haven't had the time, honestly. And after a few failed online dating attempts, I'm just gonna give it a bit of a break. I'm done with hairy sasquatch men who say they are not as tall as they say they are and definitely not as charming or intelligent." I rolled my eyes to make the point. Rachel laughed in reply and we both got on with work.

I had to file some paperwork just outside one of Hugo's examination rooms, knowing that he and Sarah were just on the other side of the door. This jealousy was killing me, but I managed to carry on and return to the desk when suddenly Hugo and Sarah were standing in front of me.

“Simone, could you please schedule a follow-up appointment for Sarah in three weeks?”

There wasn’t a friendly smile, just a neutral, professional smile spread across my face and my heart dropped like a rock carelessly tossed into the Charles River.

“Of course.” I forced a smile as I pulled up the appointment in our system.

Hugo gave me a grateful nod and said goodbye to Sarah before turning on his heel and walking back toward his office. From the corner of my eye, I watched him go. My body was radiating with longing.

It took barely a few minutes to set Sarah’s appointment, and I slumped back in my chair as she left. The door had justclosed shut when Hugo rushed back out from his office. Startled, I looked up from the file I was pretending to review on my computer screen.

“Did you see that?” Hugo gestured toward the now-empty room where Sarah had just left. "She was flirting with me like it was her job!"

Rachel laughed, "Oh, we saw it alright. Don't you ever tire of it?" I sat, still embarrassingly stewing in my jealousy.

"Yeah, sometimes I do," he laughed, running a hand through his dark hair. "But don't worry, I'm immune to such charms. It's all part of the job. It takes more than a pretty face to distract me from my work." As I laughed nervously along with him, I couldn't help but feel a pang of sadness. Was I just another pretty face to him? I wished, not for the first time, that he could see me as more than just Simone Grant – his medical assistant and little sister of his best friend.

"Hey, are you okay?" Hugo asked, looking at me with concern. "You seem a little off today."

"Me? I'm fine," I lied, plastering a smile on my face. "Just a bit distracted, I guess."

"Alright," he said, still looking unconvinced. "Well, if you ever need someone to talk to, you know where to find me."

"Thanks, Hugo," I murmured, touched by his concern. If only he knew what was really on my mind. Talking to him wouldn't be the first thing I would do if I ever got him in private.

As the day wore on, I found myself stealing glances at Hugo every chance I got, observing the way he interacted with patients and colleagues alike. He was so kind and attentive, always going above and beyond to make sure everyone felt comfortable and cared for. It was one of the many reasons I had fallen for him.

Rachel made some rustling sounds. "Hey, I'm going out for lunch, so I'll catch you later. You ok to be on the phones for the hour?"

"Have fun! No problem. If I have to run out, I'll just put the answering machine on." Rachel waved and headed out the door.

I worked away quietly, as there were still some clients with the doctors. Finally, the waiting room became empty and the office was quiet.

Footsteps announced Hugo's exit from his office. My core tightened as he approached the desk. "Simone, can I ask you something?"

"Of course," I replied, trying – but likely failing – to act nonchalant.

"Have you ever thought about what you want to do with your life? I mean, career-wise? I'm not sure how satisfying this medical assistant stuff is for you. Don't get my wrong, you're great at it, but I think you're capable of much more." His question caught me off guard, and I hesitated before answering.

"Um, well, I haven't really given it much thought lately," I lied. For some reason, I felt too shy to share my plans of going to nursing school with Hugo. Even though I was pretty sure I let it slip to Austin when I was excited about the acceptance letter. "But I've always wanted to do something meaningful, you know? Something that makes a difference in people's lives."

"Like what I do?" he asked playfully, but I could see genuine curiosity in his eyes.

"Maybe," I said, forcing a small smile. "Or maybe something else entirely. I don't know, Hugo. Life's funny like that, isn't it?"

"Indeed, it is," he agreed, his gaze lingering on mine for a moment before he turned away. "Well, if you ever figure it out, I'll be here to cheer you on."

"Thanks," I whispered, warmth flooding my chest at his words. It wasn’t all that unusual of a question for Hugo to ask me. I think he checked in about my hopes and dreams almost once a month.

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