Page 4 of Faking it with My Billionaire Bosses

“My sister’s cat, Monster. He’s a terror. He makes it his mission to chew on everything I own. Currently, it’s panties. This morning, it was my house shoes.” I snatched the panties and shoved them under my pillow. “Go away, Monster.”

“Does it have rabies? What’s with the sounds?”

I snorted. “He’s just pissed and talking back. We rescued him from an alley behind a strip club in Memphis. He’s got a big personality.”

“I’m still not convinced you shouldn’t call animal control.”

“Rosie would murder me. She likes two things in the world and Monster is one of them.”

“Is the other one you?”

I laughed a little too hard at that. “Sorry. No, I am definitely not the other thing she likes. She’s fifteen and being raised bysomeone barely nine years older than her. She definitely does not like me.”

“Wow. You’re raising her? That’s got to be hard.” He hesitated. “Also, I’m doing the math and you’re twenty-four? I’m too old for you.”

I rolled my eyes. “Are you canceling the date with me that I haven’t accepted yet?”

“I should. I’m thirty-seven. I should apologize for bothering you and let you go.” With a pained sound, he continued. “I’m an asshole, though, and I’m not going to.”

A shiver of excitement worked its way down my spine. “You’re acting like I’m even going to agree to a date with you. Which, I’m not.”

“No?”

“Didn’t you hear? I’m raising a fifteen-year-old. I’m busy.” Reality set in a little and I swallowed my flirtiness. What the hell was I doing? Giggling with a complete stranger on the phone like I was Rosie’s age with no responsibilities or concerns? “Matter of fact, I should go.”

“How busy?” His voice took on an edge of concern. “Do you give yourself breaks?”

“Breaks? What are those?” I sighed. “I don’t have time for breaks. Or money for breaks.”

“Sonnie, I don’t know you, but you’re too young to burn yourself out. If you won’t go out with me, at least take yourself out.” He paused and cleared his throat. “Sorry. I realized I’m overstepping. You just sounded so much older when you said that and I’ve been there myself. Overworked and pushed to the limit. It’s not good.”

For some reason, his concern dragged everything to the surface. Emotions threatened to bubble over and I ground my teeth together to keep them in check. “I took Rosie in three years ago. I was twenty-one and I had all these big plans. Rosie neededme, though. I bartend at least six nights a week, every week. I take as many baking orders as I can. I ate icing for breakfast because the only other thing in the fridge was pickles and Rosie yelled at me for drinking a flat diet Coke she’d left there weeks ago. She also yelled at me for banging on her door to wake her up when she slept through her alarm.

“I’m broke, I threatened a few bullies with vehicular homicide this morning, and there hasn’t been a single fad diet come around that encourages people to eat cupcakes. I would love to go out with you for dinner and drinks. I’d love to skip all that and go straight to the orgasms I’m sure you’re an expert at giving. I haven’t had one of those in… Jesus, I can’t remember how long it’s been since I’ve masturbated.” I sucked in a huge breath of air. “I don’t know what a break is. Maybe when Rosie graduates, I can take a break. Or when she gets a career and can take care of herself? I don’t know. I just know that right now? There are no breaks. It’s unfortunate, though, because you’re incredibly hot and our chemistry alone would make me come if I had the energy to touch myself. But I don’t.

“So, thank you for flattering me by calling, but I’ve just said all of this and now I have to go bury my head in the sand and be embarrassed for the next two to four years. Shit.”

I hung up before he could say anything and stared at my phone like it was a spider that had crawled into my hand and bit me. What the hell was wrong with me? Why had I said all of that?

Letting out a mortified scream, I pulled a pillow over my face and hoped I was going to wake up to Rosie’s alarm. At least then the entire morning would’ve just been a terrible dream. Unfortunately, that didn’t happen.

CHAPTER 4

Drake

“Drake? Are you listening?” Paul Higgins tapped his fingers on the conference table and stared across at me. “Are you good?”

I looked up at him and shrugged. “Yeah, I’m fine. Go ahead.”

“I was mentioning I think something drastic needs to be done.” The shorter man looked at me and my two best friends like we hadn’t been the easiest clients he’d ever worked for. “Things are going good, but I think we need to do something to make sure it stays that way.”

Cole shifted in his seat, stretching his legs out under the table, and looked at me. “Something drastic?”

I frowned. “I didn’t suggest it.”

“You’re the one who said we needed to get a PR consultant, though.” His lips turned up on one side and despite his stern voice, I knew he was just trying to get a rise out of me. We’d been best friends since we were five years old. We knew everything there was to know about each other. Same with the man sitting on my other side, Price.

I folded my arms and ran my hand over my jaw. “That was a recommendation from Samantha.”

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