The Boss Too: Billionaire Romance (5 page)

Jamie waited until she got into her car before she allowed the tears to fall. She hadn’t meant to yell at her sister like that. Everything had just boiled up and up and finally over. It was like Christine’s mission in life was to make her big sister feel like she was nothing. She had been trying to lose weight and it was working. She had a whole new wardrobe to prove it! She was in no way jealous of Christine marrying Stephen. Or maybe she was. Not of Stephen, but the fact her younger sister was getting married before her. “The marriage won’t last, anyways,” she told herself, and then felt like crap for trying to condemn it before they’d even said ‘I do’.

As much as Christine's comments hurt, though, she had to admit the sense of relief lifting off her chest couldn’t be missed. She was tired of being spread thin by Christine's crises and work and the passive aggressive comments about her weight. She didn't even want to think about the wrath she'd have to face from her mother, but suddenly Jamie finally felt like she could breathe for the first time since Christine and Stephen announced their engagement.

She wiped her tears with the back of her hand and started the car. She suddenly had the day free and if she sat crying in her car, she was bound to run into her mom or Stephen. She didn’t want to deal with any of them right now.

On the way home she heard her phone ring and she checked the caller ID. It was her mother already.

She quickly pressed ignore. No doubt Christine had already told her everything by now and Jamie was not going to listen to her mother rant about how Jamie was such a disappointment, or how she should have just gotten an abortion that first time around but Jamie’s father had convinced her mom to keep the baby. She was not a mistake and no one was going to tell her otherwise today.

She threw her phone into the back seat of the car and did a quick U-turn away from home. The waterworks falling from her eyes wouldn’t stop. She couldn’t go home. Alex would be there, and she didn't want to run into him when she was so upset.
He’d judge her like her own damn family did.

Opening the car window, she let the wind dry her tears. She had planned on helping Christine all day, and had no work to do for Alex at the moment. She had free time and damn if she was going to use it crying over anyone—least of all, herself.

She went to a tiny hole-in-the-wall cafe that had picturesque decorations and displays of beautiful baked goods. She ordered a vegetable omelet and a coffee before sitting down at a light brown table in the back of the restaurant. She was the only patron in there, which was fine by her. She wanted some peace and quiet while she mulled things over.

First thing she warned her brain was that it wasn’t allowed to think about Christine, feel bad, and then call and apologize. She had to grow a backbone sometime. She wouldn’t beg for her maid of honor spot and, Jamie smiled to herself, she now wouldn’t have to use Christine as her maid of honor when she got married.

She thought about Stephen and how he had acted so strange. He did seem pissed when he realized that she was there, but Stephen didn't have a conscience. Even if he did remember his drunken attack, he wouldn't care. Hell, he would probably say that Jamie was to blame and that she went after him. So, why so mad? Was he worried she would tell Christine?

No, he wouldn't be because when had Christine ever taken her side over his?

Jamie had a feeling Alex had said or done something. She shook her head. She was just being paranoid. Alex was the overprotective type but there was no way he would actually go so far as to threaten Stephen, or whatever, into leaving her alone.

Jamie smiled as she thought about her sexy, rich boss. It was kind of cool to think he was looking out for her. The look on his face the other night popped into her memory and how his touch had heated a fire in her that still begged to be released. She’d never been the horny type, well, she grinned wryly, not really.

Stop!

Alex was a great boss but he had made it pretty clear he only cared about her professionally. She shook her head. She told him she wasn’t interested. It didn’t matter. It wasn’t like anything could happen between them anyway. It wouldn’t work. She was not hot-guy material. Christine had made that blatantly obvious.

She took her time finishing her omelet and forced herself to enjoy the peace and quiet in the little café. She didn’t need her phone, or laptop or anything for those thirty minutes. By the time she finished, she had already begun to feel better. Not much, but a little.

She drove around for an hour and then with nowhere else to go, she figured she would head home and lie in bed with a book to curl up with, and maybe a workout as well.

When she pulled into the driveway, hundreds of cars were blocking it. She’d forgotten Alex had said he was hosting a brunch with business partners. She hadn’t realized it was at his place
.
She groaned inwardly. All she wanted to do was hide for the time being, but it looked like that was a lot easier said than done. Hopefully no one would notice her sneak into her suite.

She waved away the valet who tried to open the door for her. “It’s just me,” she told him before realizing that the valets Alex hired from the valet company had no idea who she was. “I’m Mr. Reid’s personal assistant. I live here. I’m just going to sneak by and go to my apartment.”

“Could I see some ID, please?” the valet said
, a clipboard coming out from the little stand where he stood.

She handed him her wallet and he looked at her name, frowning. “I’m sorry, Ms. Connors, but I can’t let anyone through who’s not on the guest list.”

Of course Alex wouldn’t have thought to inform the valets about her. Plus, she was supposed to be gone for the entire day. “Look, if you just ask Mr. Reid, he’ll tell you and let me through.”
She looked behind the seat but couldn’t see her phone. She reached for the door handle but the valent stood close, preventing her from opening the door.

“My apologies, ma’am, but I’m under strict orders not to let anyone in that is not on the list. If you could just turn your car around—”

“Listen, kid, this is my home. Ask Murray, the cook.”

“Who?”

She threw her hands in the air. “Ask, I don’t know, the gardener! Whoever you want. Just let me through the gates and step away from my damn door!”

“Jamie?” came an all-too familiar voice.

She sighed. Of course she would lose it in front of her boss. Because he didn’t already think she was crazy. Jamie and the valet both looked at Alex, who stood with a middle-aged couple in expensive, yet casual, designer wear, with mimosas in hand. They all looked at the spectacle curiously.

The valet rushed to open the gate and Alex came walking through.
“So, sorry, Mr. R-Reid,” he stammered, blushing the same color as his jacket. “She refuses to leave, but I was told not to—”

“I know what you were told,” Alex said. “I’m the one who issued the instructions after all.”

The valet’s face grew even redder and he shot Jamie a dirty look, as if it was her fault he was getting told off.

“Jamie Connors is my personal assistant. Please let her through.”

“Of course,” the valet said stiffly, gesturing for her to pull her car up.

“Jamie, why don’t you join us for brunch?” Alex said, as if it was the most natural thing in the world. “We would love to have you.”

The man and woman, who had been apparently taking a walk on the front lawn with Alex both nodded, smiling kindly.

Jamie smiled at them weakly. She didn’t have a choice. “I’d love to,” she said finally, “I’ll be there shortly, after I change.”

Alex smiled. “Excellent,” he said. “I can’t wait for you to join us.”

Jamie slipped her sunglasses on and drove slowly to the house, avoiding the lines of parked cars and people walking around the grounds. No one paid much attention to her as she parked near the house and jogged around the back to her apartment. Anyone who noticed her probably thought she was hired help.

She kept her head down until she got into her place. She raced to her room and into the walk-in closet, stripping as she ran.

Why didn’t I let him buy me fancy casual clothes?
Jamie looked through her new clothes for something suitable to wear. The last thing she needed was for her pants to be falling down in the middle of brunch and then trip over something. It was bad enough when it happened in front of Alex, and the last thing she wanted was for it to happen in front of people who hadn’t seen her naked and had no wish to.

She settled for a pair of tan slacks and a dark red blouse. She still looked like she was ready for the office, but at least she looked comfortable and not stiff in the clothes. She surveyed the rest of her clothes critically. She should have bought a dress or two.

She hurried to the bathroom to add make up and let her hair out of her bun. “This’ll have to do,” she told her reflection in the mirror. Slipping on a pair of Mary Jane pumps, she then cautiously stepped out and stuffed her key in her pocket. She walked around to the front of the house and casually made her way inside Alex’s.

There were about a hundred, maybe more, guests chatting and mingling in the living room and spilling out into the backyard. They walked around outside in small groups, eating mini baked pastries and drinking apple cider and mimosas. There was a constant trickle of people going back into the living room for the extensive buffet of food.

Jamie poured herself a small glass of mimosa, too nervous to actually want food.
Maybe if I’m in enough nerve-wracking situations like this, I’ll be a size two by the wedding. I could wear any dress I like if that happened.
She smiled and then jumped when a hand touched her lower back. She turned around, thinking it would be Alex, but instead, she met a handsome man she had never seen before.

He grinned as his eyes roamed down and then up her. It was a gross gaze, but more like one appreciating the company. “I didn’t mean to startle you.”

“It’s fine,” Jamie giggled. He was really cute.

“I don’t believe we’ve met,” he said. “I’m Nicholas. I’m the founder and CEO of Sunrise Applications.”

“Oh, I’ve heard of you,” Jamie snapped her finger as she spoke. “Nicholas Wright. I’m Jamie Connors, Mr. Reid’s assistant.”

He held out his hand. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Jamie.” He smiled again. “I’ve heard wonderful things about you.”

Jamie went to shake his hand and Nicholas squeezed it gently before raising it to his lips to kiss. Butterflies fluttered in Jamie’s stomach, which were not altogether unpleasant.

Just then, Alex walked in with two other guests. He caught Jamie’s eye just as Nicholas kissed her hand. She thought she saw him frown and his face turn dark, but he smothered it quickly, or it never happened. He turned to talk to the woman next to him.

Jamie took a sip of her mimosa and smiled at Nicholas
, turning her attention back to him as he continued chatting.

“So, tell me, how does an amazing woman like yourself end up working for grumpy Alex Reid?”

Jamie bit her lip to keep from giggling. A pickup line it definitely was, but that was something so rare that when she got them, she couldn’t help but feel incredibly flattered. “An excellent resume and a need for a job. How did you end up creating Sunrise Applications?”

Nicholas’ face brightened. Perfect question to ask a guy like him. “Well, I and a friend from college wanted to go into business together. He was the nerdy smart guy, I was the risk taker. He happened to know a lot about technology, including developing wicked-complicated cell phone applications. I majored in business with a minor in marketing. It made sense for us to start a cell phone application company. Hard stuff behind the scenes, easy click for customers.”

Jamie loved hearing people’s stories on how they got to where they were today. It was fascinating. “Very humble beginnings, for a company with a net worth of five million dollars today.” Jamie smiled, and ignored Alex’s blatant stare from behind Nicholas’
shoulder. He wanted her to interact and mingle. She was doing that.

“Even more humble than you think.” Nicholas laughed. “We had nothing, and a whole lotta college debt. We couldn’t even afford to buy groceries when we started. We were living off of Ramen noodles and care packages from our parents.”

At least you got care packages.
Jamie brushed the bitter thought away. She was done with negativity in her life. What was the point of moving forward when you couldn’t let go of the past? She might be a story like Nicholas one day. You never knew. “I’d love to hear more.” She watched Alex from the corner of her eye as he chatted with the wife of another investor. Her husband had gone to get some more food and Jamie recognized him from the meeting she’d taken over for Alex. He saw her and waved her over. “Sorry, Nicholas. Do you mind if I grab something to eat?”

“Of course! I didn’t mean to chat your ear off.” He smiled apologetically. “You’re here to work, not listen to my rags to riches story.”

“I like your story.” She smiled genuinely. “But you are right, I probably should mingle with the other people here. Mr. Reid would probably appreciate that.”

Nicholas chuckled. “I’m sure Alex appreciates you. If he doesn’t, be sure and let me know. I can find you a job in my company like that.” He snapped his fingers and winked at her.