Trusting the Billionaire (Weston Brothers Book 2)

by C. C. Snow

  As soon as he saw me walking toward him, Aiden beamed at me and squirmed out of his mother’s arms.

  “Pwane?” he asked hopefully and I laughed.

  “If it’s okay with your mom.” I looked at Cora guiltily. I should have asked her before I made the offer to Aiden.

  “You don’t have to keep entertaining him, Elle.”

  I shrugged. “I don’t mind. I like kids.” I loved them. At this point in my life, I thought I would be settled and starting a family, but life had a way of derailing you when you least expected it.

  She touched my hand and smiled. “Thank you so much for catching him earlier. You seem very comfortable with children.” There was a lilt of curiosity in her voice.

  “Don’t mention it. When I was in college, I babysat for one of my professors.”

  Impatient with adult speak, Aiden tugged on my apron. “Pwane?”

  “Aiden!” Cora admonished.

  “Sowwy. Pwease?”

  Laughter sparkled in Cora’s eyes as she looked up at me. “This kid has his father’s tenacity, that’s for certain. Are you sure you don’t mind?”

  “Nope.” I bent down and picked up Aiden. Soon he was giggling as I zipped around the store, doing my best to avoid cluttered areas. When I tired, I set him down again. “Okay, kiddo. Let’s take a rest, alright?”

  “Kay,” he said and ran over to the table to pick up his carton of milk.

  “Elle, can I talk to you for a second?” Cora called out.

  “Uh…sure.” Surprised by her request, I sat in the chair adjacent to the couch. I glanced at Aiden, who was busy snacking on cereal, and said, “I’m sorry for not asking before I offered to play with him. I didn’t want him to start crying and I panicked.”

  She waved that away. “No, that’s okay. You don’t need to apologize.” Leaning back on the sofa, she folded her hands over her belly. “I couldn’t help overhearing your conversation with Wayne. I’m sorry you got fired. Your boss sounded very unreasonable.”

  “Thanks,” I said, wondering about her interest.

  “Can you tell me what kind of job you’re looking for?”

  I hesitated to unload on a stranger, but there was genuine curiosity in her eyes. “I’m not picky. I know that doesn’t sound very ambitious, but I’m not out to conquer the world. I started waiting tables when I was in college and just fell into it. After I graduated…” I closed my mouth, not wanting to dredge up that time of my life. “Well, let’s just say I continued to work at restaurants because they were willing to hire me based on my experience.”

  “What did you study?”

  “Italian literature.”

  “That’s sounds really interesting.”

  “Interesting, but not very practical,” I said ruefully.

  “I always found people who studied liberal arts to be very smart.”

  “Thank you.”

  For long moments, Cora looked lost in thought. Not sure if I should get up and leave, I shifted my weight in the chair.

  Finally she looked at me and touched my arm. “Elle, would you be interested in becoming my personal assistant?”

  I stared at her blankly, not sure I had heard correctly. “What?” I asked stupidly.

  She turned red and said apologetically, “I’m sorry. I know it’s not a glamorous position or anything. Forget I said anything.”

  “No,” I said, scooting to the edge of my seat. “That wasn’t what I meant. I’m just surprised by the offer. You don’t even know me…”

  “I know you better than a stranger applying for the job. I’ve seen the way you handle difficult customers.” She glanced at her son and smiled. “I’ve seen how kind and patient you are with Aiden. Wayne certainly thinks you’re reliable.”

  “But I don’t even know what a personal assistant does.”

  Cora leaned toward me and confessed with a small, mischievous grin, “Neither do I. I’ve never had one.”

  I laughed and said jokingly, “Maybe we should Google the term before you offer and I accept.”

  Her eyes twinkled at my quip. “Why don’t I start by telling you what help I need and you can tell me if you’re interested?”

  “Okay. Fair enough,” I said and laced my hands in my lap.

  “Jake, my husband, had been encouraging me to get a personal assistant ever since I was pregnant with Aiden, but I resisted. It felt a bit excessive to hire someone to help me just because I was having a baby.” She smiled crookedly and stroked her baby bump. “But with another baby on the way, I can’t keep up with Aiden, as you saw earlier. He’s going to get more active while I’m going to start waddling soon. As it is, I am already struggling to get my work done.”

  At my inquiring look, she explained, “I do financial analysis for Jake’s company. It’s on a part-time basis, but there are times when I need to work longer hours. Jake wants me to quit. I’d prefer not to because it keeps my mind sharp, but I also want to give my son the attention he deserves. Jake is an incredible father, but as CEO, there will always be unavoidable emergencies at the company. Friends and family are more than happy to look after Aiden, but I’d like to give him more stability. That’s where a personal assistant comes in.”

  Looking abashed, she said, “I know it sounds like a glorified nanny position, but I promise you it’s not. I’m not a fan of letting someone else raise my child…children. On a rare occasion, I will need you to do some babysitting, but what I really need is an extra pair of hands. I want to have someone I can bounce ideas off of. Someone who can help me pull reports together when I need it.”

  “But I’ve never done any financial analysis before,” I pointed out, wanting to be upfront about my skills and lack thereof.

  “You won’t need to. You just have to help me pull facts and figures from various sources. I would show you how to do all of that. Occasionally, you would need to run a few errands, but I’m not a diva and I promise I won’t send you to buy me a pint of salted caramel ice cream because I have a sudden craving.” She winked. “That’s my husband’s job.”

  “I’d be willing to buy the ice cream, if you’re willing to share.”

  She shot me a conspiratorial grin. “Deal.” Her smile faded and she became more serious. “I have to warn you that the work schedule might not be set. You do need to be flexible, especially as I get closer to my due date. After the baby is born, it might get even crazier. On the plus side, the company offers some very nice benefits, including a health plan, a 401K, and a bunch of other perks.”

  Then she named a salary that made my eyes widen. It wasn’t mind-blowing, but it was more than I had ever made as a server—even when I had been working two jobs.

  Misinterpreting my silence, Cora rushed to add, “I understand if you don’t want—”

  “I’ll take it,” I blurted out. Instantly, I was flooded with doubt and apprehension.

  I had lied to Ethan. There was a reason I hadn’t expanded my job search beyond server positions. Working in restaurants was…transitory. It made it easy for me to disconnect emotionally. Whatever “friendships” I formed dissolved as soon as I moved on to another position. Being intimately entwined in someone’s life would not allow me to stay in my shell—safe and detached.

  Cora must have seen something in my expression because she tilted her head and asked softly, “Are you sure?”

  I glanced at Aiden’s sweet face as he munched on Cheerios and felt something soften in my chest. Maybe it was time to stop disengaging from life. It was inconceivable how this mother and child could do anything to hurt me. “Yes,” I said resolutely, my heart throbbing as if I had jumped off a ledge.

  “Fantastic.” She dug into her purse and pulled out a business card. “Email me your address. I’ll get Human Resources to get a contract together and send it to you. Look it over. Call me if there’s anything you want to change. I’d love to get everything settled before the end of next week. There’s a big project coming up in a couple of months and I could use the extra help
.”

  I gripped the card tightly, feeling like she had handed me a lifesaver. “Thank you so much, Cora. I know you’re taking a chance on me, but I won’t let you down.”

  She smiled and squeezed my hand. “Of course you won’t. I have a feeling we’re going to get along great.”

  “Me too,” I said with an answering smile and tucked the card into my pocket.

  “I have to get going, but I’ll talk to you soon.” She tried to stand up, but her body had sunken into the pillowy couch.

  I got to my feet and offered her my hand.

  Face filled with mirth, Cora clasped my hand and clumsily stood up. “And you’re already on the job.” She eyed the sofa and shook her head. “I guess it’s time to stop sitting on soft surfaces.” She picked up her purse and called out to her son, “Aiden, it’s time to go home.”

  He looked up from his plastic truck and then at me. “Pwane?”

  “Oh God. I think you’ve created a monster,” Cora whispered to me before addressing him. “No, sweetie. We have to go home and Elle needs to get back to work. We’ll see her again soon, okay? Why don’t you give her a kiss to thank her for playing with you today?”

  I squatted down and Aiden barreled into me. Kissing me on the cheek, he babbled what I interpreted to be a thank you.

  I folded my arms around his squirming body. My hormones must be out of whack because I felt weepy all of a sudden. “You’re welcome, Aiden. I hope to see you soon.”

  Cora strapped him into the stroller and they left.

  When I got home, I took out her card to send her an email and my heart stopped.

  Cora Weston.

  Financial Analyst, Weston Enterprises.

  I shook my head violently, trying to dislodge the ludicrous direction of my thoughts. “Nah…it’s just a coincidence, Elle. It’s not like Weston is an uncommon name,” I reassured myself, but my pulse continued to flutter like a hummingbird’s wing.

  Turning on my laptop, I opened up my preferred search engine and typed in his name. My finger hovered over the search button for long minutes, but I chickened out and hit the backspace, erasing his name. I only wish I could expunge him as easily from my mind. Ever since the night I got fired, I had been tempted to look him up, but I knew it would be like opening up Pandora’s box. It was better for my peace of mind if I didn’t know anything else about him.

  Quickly, I shot off an email to Cora giving her my address and thanking her for the job offer. Before curiosity could get the better of me, I slammed my laptop shut and pushed it away from me.

  “This calls for a celebration,” I told myself and went into the small kitchen. I took out the ingredients to bake double chocolate brownies, determinedly pushing away thoughts of a certain man with aquamarine eyes.

  Chapter 5

  “Elle!”

  I smiled as I heard Aiden shriek my name with excitement through the door. In his baby speak, it sounded more like “Eoh” and it never failed to tickle anyone who heard him.

  This was my third day on the job and I was filled with optimism. The last few days had been an introduction to Cora’s expectations, which were simple and straightforward. I would have a steep learning curve, especially as it related to her position as an analyst, but I was determined to excel at my duties. I already picked up a book at the library to learn more about financial analysis. At first, most of it was as foreign as Cyrillic to me, but some of the terms were finally sticking.

  The easiest part of the job so far was being a second set of eyes and hands for Aiden. The little boy was unspoiled and easy to please and I was more than halfway in love with him. Who was I kidding? I was head over heels, gaga over the little guy.

  Jake opened the door and smiled at me, flashing his dimple. “Good morning, Elle.”

  I mentally shook my head, wondering how Cora dealt with having such a gorgeous husband. Not that I thought he would cheat on her, but the attention from other females was as inevitable as the rising son. With his dark hair and sculpted looks, he couldn’t fail to draw appreciative stares.

  And those damn blue-green eyes…I was starting to think I was being haunted by them.

  I shook off the unsettling thought and said, “Morning, Jake.” I had initially been concerned that Cora’s husband would object to her hiring me without a thorough interview, but he trusted his wife completely and welcomed me warmly.

  “Eoh.”

  My eyes traveled down to Jake’s knees and I grinned at the sight of Aiden’s oatmeal-smeared face. He was clinging onto Jake’s perfectly creased trousers and was probably leaving some stains, but his father seemed unfazed. This was another thing I really liked about the Westons; for obscenely rich people, they were not pretentious at all.

  “Hey, kiddo.” I bent down and wiped his mouth with his bib.

  Jake stared down at Aiden, his love for his son a physical thing, and chuckled. “Aiden, why don’t you let Mommy know Elle is here?”

  “Kay, Daddy,” he said, turned around and started running through the large house.

  “God, I’ll never get used to how fast he moves,” I said, watching nervously as he barely missed the edge of the coffee table. The house was baby-proofed, with bumpers covering every sharp corner, but Aiden was a speed demon.

  “I know. When he first started to walk, Cora was ready to strap a helmet on his head. She only gave up that idea when I pointed out it would impede Aiden’s movements.” He stepped back to let me through the door. “Still, I sometimes fantasize about putting him in a protective bubble.”

  “I understand the impulse.” I laughed and stepped into the six thousand square foot, two-story house, beautifully decorated in soft creams and soothing blues. The touch of a professional decorator was evident. The Westons had only recently moved into the house and there were still boxes sitting against the wall, waiting to be unpacked. I imagined that when they finally settled in, the house would feel less of a showroom and more like a home.

  “Cora got a late start this morning so I’m on breakfast duty. The baby is starting to tire her out.” He closed the door and smiled at me. “I’m so glad you’re here to help her. I suggested she hire someone years ago, but my wife is stubborn.” His lips twitched, as if he were amused by the trait.

  “Well, I’m grateful she hired me,” I said.

  “Morning, Elle.” Cora walked into the living room holding her son’s hand. Dressed in a lightweight cotton dress, she looked fresh and glowing, but on closer inspection, I detected a slight puffiness under her eyes, as if she had not slept well. Feeling a spurt of loyalty toward this kind woman, I vowed to take as much as I could off her plate today.

  I glanced at Jake and swallowed my sigh at the look of reverence on his face. The man was head over heels in love with his wife and was unashamed to show it. I quashed the little twinge of envy forming in my chest. The emotion was unworthy of me.

  “Hi, Cora.” I placed my backpack in the hall closet, walked up to Aiden and picked him up. He smelled like baby powder and oatmeal. “Okay, kiddo, why don’t I finish up breakfast with you while your mommy and daddy get ready for their day, okay?” From the schedule Cora gave me, I knew Jake was due to leave for his office soon and they would appreciate a moment of privacy. As parents, they probably got precious little time to themselves.

  I carried Aiden to the kitchen and settled him in his high chair. Looking around the kitchen, I grimaced at the mess father and son made. There was oatmeal on the counter and all over Aiden’s chair. “I guess there’s no such thing as a perfect man,” I said with a snicker.

  As Aiden fed himself, I started on the cleanup, wiping off the surfaces and putting the dishes in the dishwasher. I was washing the remnants of his breakfast off his face with a wet towel when Cora and Jake went into the kitchen.

  “Elle, I don’t expect you to clean up our messes. I hired you as my assistant, not as our housekeeper,” Cora said.

  “It’s okay. I don’t mind,” I said.

  “Thanks, Elle. So
meday I’ll get the hang of feeding him without it looking like a paintball tournament took place in the kitchen.” Jake said ruefully. He walked over to kiss Aiden on his head. “Bye, little man. I’ll see you tonight.” Turning to his wife, he touched her belly and whispered something in her ear that made her cheeks flush pink.

  I jerked my gaze away, feeling like I had intruded on an intimate moment.

  After Jake left, Cora and I sat down in the living room to go over financial reports while Aiden played with his blocks.

  “I feel like I’m back in school learning calculus. It’s like my brain has a force field against math,” I said, feeling frustrated.

  “You’ll get it in no time,” Cora said, supreme confidence in her voice.

  An hour later, she got on the phone for a conference call and I took Aiden into a corner of the room to read quietly to him. Knowing she was still getting used to having someone else watch her son, I made sure we didn’t leave her sight. As he snuggled into my side, intently paying attention to the storybook, I realized I was getting overpaid.

  And as soon as Cora ended her video call, I told her so.

  She laughed. “You won’t be saying that when you have to change his dirty diapers. Speaking of which…” She held her hand out to her son. “Come on, sweetie. Let’s get you changed before lunch.”

  “I can do that,” I volunteered, jumping to my feet. Changing diapers was a piece of cake compared to fending off predators like Tony.

  Cora waved me away with a smile. “No, I’ve got it. Would you mind boiling a big pot of water? We’ll have pasta for lunch and then we’ll head to the park. Aiden needs to work off some of his energy or he’ll be impossible to put down for his nap.”

  “Sure, no problem.” I said.

  She came into the kitchen with Aiden just as the water started to boil. After she placed him in his chair with a few toys, she took out a bag of fusilli from the cupboard and tried to shoo me away from the stove.

  “You really don’t understand the concept of having a personal assistant, do you?” I teased and slapped a hand over my mouth when I realized how impertinent I sounded. There was something so relaxing about her presence that I forgot she was my boss.