Falling for the Billionaire

2

Making it to the car wasn't as bad as Lil had anticipated. With a hand shielding Colby from the flashes of cameras, Lil had rushed through the press, refusing to respond to the questions they'd thrown at her.

"How much did they pay you for the interview, Lil?"

"What's your big confession?"

"Are you doing this because you're jealous of your sister's recent publicity?"

After securing Colby in the back seat, Lil hastily slid into the driver's seat of her little, red Ford Focus and breathed with relief. Unfortunately, she wasn't going to get anywhere very fast with those reporters blocking her driveway. She considered simply backing up and forcing them to scramble. That's what the old her would have done in a heartbeat and she wouldn't have given a thought to possible consequences.

The new her was trying to figure out how not to give them another reason to feature her on the news tonight.

Her cell phone rang.

Jake.

Great. That's the last person I want to talk to right now.

When she didn't answer, he merely rang again.

Impatiently swiping her phone to connect, she said, "What do you want, Jake? I'm a little busy right now." She'd given up trying to impress him.

"Where are you going?"

The hair on the back of her neck rose. "How do you know I'm going anywhere?"

"I'm parked across the street."

A quick turn confirmed his claim.

"Shit." Lil quickly checked her daughter in the mirror. "Don't worry, Colby, Mommy is going to stop swearing after today. Don't remember any of this."

"Are you talking to me?" Jake asked.

"No," Lil shook her head. "Sorry. I was–." Lil stopped herself from sharing what would only make her sound crazier than she already felt. "What are you doing here, Jake?"

"I wanted to see you."

If only that were true.

"You mean Dominic sent you."

"Does it matter?"

It shouldn't, but it did. There could never be anything between them; he'd said so himself. Those words still stung even all these weeks later.

"Not at all."