The Billionaire's Widow

31

Paige’s POV

I woke up early this morning, showered, and made a special breakfast for Jason and me. Last night, he showed me the results from his school tests, and I couldn’t have been prouder. He deserved to be spoiled a little.

This weekend is Amy’s wedding, and honestly, I can’t wait. She’s been a bundle of nerves lately, but underneath it all, she’s glowing. She's finally becoming Mrs. Hartley.

“Jase!” I called out after setting the table. “Breakfast is ready!”

I sat down, checked the time—still a bit before I had to leave. Luckily, I now had a reliable cab guy who made sure I was never late. Still, I was saving up for a car of my own. One step at a time.

Mom’s arriving in New York this evening, and Dad is flying in Friday morning. She’ll be here for the final wedding prep and Amy’s dress fitting. I missed her so much—her presence always brings calm.

“Morning, sis,” Jason said, walking in.

“Morning. I cooked,” I said with a smile.

He chuckled as he sat. “Still celebrating those results?”

“Absolutely.”

We dug into our food.

“So, Mom’s coming tonight?” he asked.

“Yep.”

“What day is it again?”

“Wednesday,” I said, rolling my eyes playfully.

“Damn. Amy’s wedding is coming fast. And this is delicious, by the way.”

“Thanks, little brother,” I said. “And yeah, it’s sneaking up quickly. I'm just glad Hailey gave me Saturday off.”

Sometimes I wonder if she would've given me the day off if we weren’t... whatever it is we are. I mean, I don’t even know what to call it. Friends? Friends with benefits? Fuck buddies? God, I hate that word. I love the sex—don’t get me wrong—but I also love her smile. Her laugh. The way she looks when she’s thinking hard and biting her lip. I want something more. Something real. But I’m terrified she doesn’t want that with me.

“She’s a nice boss, huh?” Jason asked, pulling me from my thoughts.

“Yeah... she is.”

“You’ve got that look again.”

“What look?”

“That one where your eyes go distant, and you pretend like you’re not dying to say something. Paige... do you like her?”

I choked on my food. Jason sighed and folded his arms.

“She’s the girl, isn’t she? The one you told me about?”

“No. Of course not.” I coughed. “She’s not my girlfriend.”

“You told me you liked someone from work. Not long after, your boss suddenly becomes your 'friend.' Come on, Paige. I’m not stupid.”

I rolled my eyes. “Sometimes I wish you were still five.”

I got up and took my plate to the sink. My appetite had vanished.

“When were you planning on telling me?” he asked softly.

“Tell you what?” I turned back to him. “Look, Jason... Hailey is just my boss. That’s all.”

Before I could grab my phone from the table, he snatched it and slipped it into his pocket.

“You’re not leaving until you tell me the truth.”

“She’s a billionaire’s widow, Jason. What do you think people would say if they found out? I ask myself that every day. Sometimes I don’t even care what people would say. What kills me is that I don’t know what this is.” I sank into a chair. “She’s not my girlfriend. I don’t know what we are. And worse—I don’t know what I am to her.”

I rubbed my face, frustration boiling just beneath the surface. “You wouldn’t understand.”

“Paige,” he said gently, taking my hands, “I do understand. I can see how much this is eating you up.”

“I don’t even know how I got here. One moment I have a job, and everything’s normal. The next... I’m sleeping with my boss, and it’s no longer simple.”

He sighed. “You should get going before you’re late.”

I nodded, heading to my room to change. When I came back out with my bag, Jason was still at the table. My phone was back in its place.

“Here’s your phone,” he said, sliding it toward me.

“Thanks,” I said softly. “I’ll see you later, buddy.”

He waved as I walked out.

As if the morning hadn’t been chaotic enough, my cab guy’s car decided to give out—and I ended up seventeen minutes late. Of all the days for something to go wrong, it had to be today. Hailey had a huge meeting at 8:30 a.m., and I was already walking in late.

I took a deep breath outside her office door before pushing it open. She looked up, her eyes locking with mine. Even in a simple white suit, she looked... breathtaking.

“First day I’m back and you’re late,” she said, folding her arms and leaning back in her chair. Her tone wasn’t angry, just... disappointed. That was worse.

“I'm really sorry. My cab guy’s car broke down. I know it sounds like a weak excuse, but I swear it’s the truth.” I stepped closer. “Please don’t fire me.”

“If I wanted to fire you, I’d have done it the first time you showed up late,” she said, letting out a breath. “The meeting starts in a few minutes. I trust you’ve got everything ready?”

I nodded quickly. “Yes. Everything’s prepared.”

“Good. Then get to it.”

“Yes, ma’am.” I gave a quick nod and practically sprinted out.

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