Mr. Handsome A Billionaire Romance(10)

“I’m sure something will come your way soon. It’s not all about connections really,” he tried to reassure me. But in this city I didn’t see how it wasn’t.

“Christina! Wonderful job with Jeffrey’s tie, we’ve found the photographer, but I’m going to have to ask you to fetch these boys some sparkling water. They’re parched.” Marissa breezed into the room giving orders and I smiled at Jeffrey in parting before going to get Marissa’s “boys” some water. While I went in search for sparkling water, I wondered why normal water, that wasn’t sparkling, wouldn’t do.

I always found normal water to be more refreshing anyway.

Once I got back with the water, Marissa had me go out to pick up dinner that they’d eat after the shoot. I had to run and get steaks from a nearby Cuban restaurant that was really good, but the smell of the food in the car tortured me on the way back.

After I dropped off the food, I had to help load up the equipment in the hot summer rain and got soaked. Of course, as I was about to simply get into my car and leave, Marissa called me on the work phone and reminded me to lock it up in the office. So I had to walk into the freezing hotel yet again to get the keys to the office from Marissa, then drive across town to deposit the freaking cellphone. I hated my job.

“Whoa, you’ll catch a cold walking in here soaked like that,” Jeffrey practically jumped up from eating at the bar when I walked into the room. He covered me with a suit jacket and smiled crookedly. Again, I wasn’t sure if I saw attraction in his green hazel eyes.

“Um…thank you, you didn’t have to ruin your jacket, I was only coming in for a quick second,” I said hurriedly. I didn’t want Marissa to see me and get the wrong idea.

“No, I insist. I can’t believe she had you go out in the rain like this. You shouldn’t be working for her,” Jeffrey said in muted frustration. He was concerned for me? But why…?

“Thanks for the jacket, I’ll have it dry cleaned and mailed to your office,” I assured him before hurrying to retrieve the keys from Marissa. Thankfully, she was caught up in a conversation with one of her boys and didn’t pay much attention to me. I hurried past Jeffrey who looked like he had more to say to me and made a quick exit to my car.

Once inside, I let out a loud groan of frustration, drove to the office to drop off the phone and then drove home, refusing to cry. I just needed to find a job, then I wouldn’t have to work for that slave driver anymore.

The very next morning I discovered that Jeff was right, walking in the rain and then being shocked by the cold air conditioning would make me sick. Marissa would kill me if I got anyone else in the office sick, she’d be pissed that I have to take sick days, too. But it was the lesser of the two evils. Really I’d be glad for the break. Marissa had been giving me more and more of Kristi’s workload as she didn’t think Kristi was “capable” of performing as she usually did, what with the “symbiotic fetus growing inside her.” Honestly, the woman was a piece of work.

I called in and begged Jennie to deliver the news that I was sick and couldn’t make it in to work, she begged me not to make her have to tell Kristi or Marissa, so we begged another assistant, who we both owed lunch for the next week.

“Well, Marissa knows, hey wait, how are you calling us right now? Your work phone is here.” I sighed and explained to Jennie that my neighbor was kind enough to let me use his. I also owed him dinner, which I was not looking forward to. The guy was kind of a hermit, and not in an okay way either. He looked like he lived on the streets. I was planning to dodge that date until I was on my death bed.

“Oh, well, maybe if you’re up for it, you should buy a phone. Marissa actually wasn’t too upset about you being out sick. She’s given you a bonus and the money should be in your account by now.” I was stunned speechless. She was actually serious about giving me a bonus? Well, dang.

“Wow…she mentioned it yesterday, but I didn’t…I didn’t realize she was actually serious,” I said incredulously.

Jennie laughed and wished for me to get better soon before ending the call. I went to give my neighbor his phone back and he actually gave me a weird, nervous smile as I was returning it. Thank goodness he was too nervous to have a conversation and soon I was back in bed. I tossed and turned, mostly from a slight fever and a bad sinus headache.

I needed medicine to help with the symptoms so that I’d be able to beat the cold sooner. But that meant getting out of bed. I sighed heavily, which turned into a coughing fit and then rolled out of bed to change into jeans and a sweatshirt. Yes, it was still technically summer, but I was shivering from fever.

I remembered to drop Jeffrey’s jacket off at the cleaners before I went to pick up some medicine and soup. When I got back home, I drank the broth and took some Motrin and NyQuil to take care of the fever and help me to sleep.

* * *

Thankfully, the cold was only a two-day visitor and I was feeling much better. I was actually a little bittersweet about it because that meant I had to get back to work. Just as I was heading out to my car, I spotted a fancy Audi SUV that was uncharacteristic for my neighborhood, parked right behind my car. I simply glanced at it and then went about my business, because this neighborhood was relatively safe. I hoped that no drug dealers moved nearby.

“Is that my dry cleaning?” his smoky voice came out of nowhere and almost made my heart leap from my chest. I quickly turned around and my eyes widened. Jeffrey Bates was standing on the sidewalk, right there in front of me. I glanced down at the dry cleaner’s bag I held that contained his jacket. I simply nodded and handed it to him.