Star Crossed No More (Sequel to Star Crossed Lovers) (girlxgirl)

Chapter 5

“You look nice,” Lana teased Billy.

 “Thanks, I just came from a meeting. Didn’t go too well. I think I need a drink,” Billy said, heading to the counter to get herself a gin and tonic. She took off her jacket and sat down beside Lana as she thought back the last couple of hours.

 “What happened?” Lana asked.

 Everyone knew that Jesse was back in town, but no one knew Billy had gone to see her. She had been helpless to stop herself from going to see her after Alex had mentioned she’d spotted her at the airport.

 She had not expected anything, in fact, she’d not even planned on what she would say so when the moment had presented itself and she’d been confronted with having to explain her visit, she’d been tongue-tied and had found herself mesmerized; moving and talking like a puppet, almost as though some other force had been controlling her.

 “Well, you know how I need remodeling for the new Global Designs offices?” she asked.

 Lana nodded, looking at her curiously.

 “I told my personal assistant to find a firm that would be best suited for the job and after she found one, I got a great proposal and told her to set up a meeting, which I attended this morning,” she said.

 She recalled, a little too fondly, how Jesse had taken charge and gotten straight to business and that sexy outfit she’d been wearing. Did she always go to work dressed that way? God, the woman was sexy. Still every bit as drop dead gorgeous as Billy remembered.

 “So what went wrong?” Lana asked.

 Billy rubbed her temple with her fingertips. “The meeting was with Jesse,” she said.

 Lana stared at her in confusion. “Jesse?”

 “Yeah, you know, the girl who almost ended my friendship with Alex.”

 “Oh,” Lana mouthed.

 “I had no idea I was walking in to a meeting with her. I was supposed to meet her business partner Fred Jones, but he was unavailable so she took the meeting. Funny part is, she had no clue she was going to meet me either.”

 “What a coincidence. It must have been awkward.”

 Billy recalled Jesse’s term; uncomfortable. She had appeared so different, not the flirty beautiful girl Billy had gone crazy for. But she admired the maturity and seriousness, though something told her it was just an act.

 “The meeting was actually great, she gave a good presentation. She seemed to know what Global Designs needs and I thought she would be perfect for the job but she turned me down, said she’d hand over the project to her business partner.”

 “With your history, don’t you think that is the best idea?”

 “Our history has nothing to do with this. Its just business and she’s the best for the job.”

 “But Billy, you were in love with her; both you and Alex. Have you considered how Alex would feel if she knew about this?”

 “As my best friend, I would expect her to understand that when it comes to what’s best for business, we have to put our personal feelings aside.”

 “Okay, well, are you sure it’s all just business-oriented?”

 On a completely selfish level, the thought of being around Jesse again would have been pleasing because she was still the only woman who had ever sparked any sort of real feeling within Billy, but Global Designs was growing into something substantial and that was her only goal at the moment. “Positive,” she said, taking a cool sip of her drink.