The Billionaire's Assistant

Chapter 71

"I just think," she squeaked, fear creeping down her spine. "I just think you could have a different legacy."

Jove's expression finally cracked, breaking into a wide grin.

"You've wanted to say that since you met me, haven't you?" he asked, and Kat felt her body flood with relief.

"Kinda," she admitted sheepishly.

"It's why you got this job in the first place, isn't it?" Jove probed, and the momentary relief that Kat had felt seconds before fled from her and left her cold.

"No," she rushed hurriedly. "No.

"Because I was wondering," Jove went on, "why an environmental science major would even want to work for Tillibenton in the first place. I couldn't figure you out. But you wanted to tell me that.

Kat's shoulders untensed in relief again.

"Oh. I mean, kinda. Not exactly but, yea kinda. In a way. I did want to say that, but also I just felt like," she shrugged. "I just felt like you'd be a good person to say it to, I felt like you'd listen."

Jove's smile grew. "I'll always listen to you."

Kat's heart leapt. "So, you think-"

Jove raised a hand.

"Hold on. I don't wanna get your hopes up, the whole thing is complex, you know that. I don't just answer to myself, there's my dad and there's the board, they hold equal weight. But, I'll see what I can do. We can cut back a little, find the lost profit elsewhere. If it'll make you happy, I'll do it."

Kat felt fireworks explode in her chest, and could feel the width of the growing smile that was now threatening to split her cheeks.

"You will?" she asked quietly, looking up into his face with wide eyes.

"I'll see what I can do," Jove reiterated. "Assess what we can tweak."

She threw her arms around his waist in an impromptu hug that surprised them both, Jove pausing for a split second before returning the excited embrace.

Kat's mind was racing as her face was buried in Jove's jacket. Sure, right now he had agreed to minor tweaks, but if he would agree to that, if he would do it for her, she knew she'd be able to talk him into larger changes, changes like transiting from a singular distributed energy system to the far more environmentally friendly solar microgrids she and FES had planned for.

She would be able to accomplish their goals, all of them, with no risks and no illegalities. She wouldn't have to blindside Jove, something she was dreading. She would be able to explain to the members of FES that he was a good guy, a reasonable guy, and he was giving into their demands because he wanted to, not because they were forcing his hand. They would realize he was a good person. They would accept him.

Kat pulled back, unable to control the grin still dominating her countenance.

"Like I said," Jove emphasized. "We'll see what we can do. Don't get your hopes way up."

"Last time you said that you brought me here," Kat said, indicating to the room around them. "And this is pretty good. So I'll get my hopes up this high."

Jove smirked and grabbed her hand.

"C'mon, you say you like it so much but you aren't even skating."

He pushed off from the wall with an expert manipulation of his skate and suddenly Kat found herself being tugged along with him, much faster than they had been going before.

"Jove," she called unsteadily. "Jove, I'm gonna fall."

He pulled her closer with one seemingly effortless movement then adjusted his arm behind her back and around her waist to lead her more securely, Kat pulled tight to his body.

"I'm not gonna let you fall," he whispered in her ear.

He pulled her even closer, as if securing her, and picked up speed, the cold air whipping against Kat's face as they glided over the ice. She shrieked and closed her eyes as the opposite wall approached, then felt herself curving gently to the side, all the while guided by Jove's body.

She opened her eyes.

"This is kinda fun," Kat admitted.

"Wanna go faster?" Jove asked without waiting for her answer, already picking up speed.

They whipped around the rink with Kat practically in Jove's arms, buoyed on by his support and power as she focused solely on staying upright and bending her knees when she needed to.

They played on the ice for hours, Kat's confidence building until she could skate without his support, all the while never falling as she'd promised herself. They raced, Kat attempted every trick Jove was capable of, accomplishing only a lopsided and slowly executed figure 8, and Jove showed Kat how to brake like a hockey player, spraying sheets of ice in the direction she angled the sharp blades of the leather, tightly laced ice skates.