FAKE DATING WITH BENEFITS MY BILLIONAIRE BOSS (Ophelia Corrigan) novel Chapter 91

CHAPTER 91

MON

Morning came way too fast.

I parked the Range Rover, my old-man car, in front of the boys’ private school at seven forty-five. Mary was already in the back seat, helping Jack adjust his backpack while Sam tried to convince Lily that dinosaurs still existed somewhere on the planet.

“They don’t anymore, Sam,” Lily huffed, crossing her arms. “They all died.”

“You don’t know that.”

“I do too. My teacher said so.”

“Your teacher could be wrong.”

“She can’t.”

“She can.”

“Enough,” I said, glancing in the rearview mirror. “If anyone here becomes a paleontologist, we’ll argue about it then. Now, everybody out.”

The kids spilled out in a whirlwind of backpacks and jackets. Mary followed with a tired smile.

“I’ll walk them to class,” she said. “Mrs. Bennett wants to talk to you before the bell.”

“Great.” I ran a hand through my hair. “Let’s get this over with.”

I walked into the main hallway and headed for the academic coordinator’s office. The door was open.

A blonde woman sat behind the desk, organizing papers. When she looked up, she smiled. Professional, but with something extra behind those brown eyes.

“Mr. Hart?” She stood, extending her hand. “I’m Katherine Bennett. Second-grade coordinator.”

“Nice to meet you.” I shook her hand. “Simon Hart.”

“Please, have a seat.” She gestured to the chair across from her desk. “The boys’ grandmother, Mrs. Lancaster, reached out to us last week. She explained the situation with their mother.”

“Yes. Abby’s in the hospital. Brain injury. She’s in a medically induced coma.”

Her smile faltered. “I’m so sorry. Truly.”

“Thank you.”

“Well…” She flipped through some papers. “We just need a few signatures. Permission for extracurricular activities, updated emergency contact, that sort of thing.”

“No problem.”

15:38 Tue Sep 29 MT

FAKE DATING WITH BENEFITS: MY BILLIONAIRE BOSS

She slid the documents toward me. I picked up the pen and started filling them out.

The boys are adorable,” Katherine said, resting her chin on her hand. “Jack is so mature for his age. Sam is pure energy. And Lily…” She laughed. “Lily is a little sweetheart and sharp as a tack.”

“You don’t know the half of it.”

“You must be very close to the family to take on this kind of responsibility.”

I signed another page. “Abby and I go way back. Her mom needed help, so here I am.”

“Admirable.” She tilted her head. “Most men would’ve run.”

She went quiet for a moment, watching me. Then she said:

“Can I be honest?”

“Go ahead.”

“It’s rare to see men step up like this. Especially with kids that aren’t their own.”

I shrugged. “They’re kids. They need someone. I’m here. Simple as that.”

I finished signing and pushed the papers back.

She took them, her fingers brushing mine a second longer than necessary. Her smile widened.

“You’re an unusual man, Mr. Hart. If you ever need anything. Anything at all. My cell’s in the school system. You can call anytime.”

“Okay. I’ll keep that in mind. Have a good one.”

I opened the door and walked out without looking back.

On my way out, I found Mary in the courtyard, checking something on her phone.

“All set?” she asked.

“All set.” I hesitated for a moment. “Mary…”

“Yeah?”

“Two weeks. That’s how much time we’ve got left, right?”

Her face softened. “Yes. I need to be in Paris by the fifteenth. Ticket’s already bought, sir.”

“I see.” I ran a hand through my hair, trying to rearrange the plans in my head. “I’ll talk to my assistant. I’ll find another nanny within a week.”

“Another temporary one?”

I looked at her.

“No. Permanent this time.”

15:38 Tue, Sep 29 JIM

FAKE DATING WITH BENEFITS: MY BILLIONAIRE BOSS

She seemed surprised, and I let out a slow breath.

Whey’re going to miss you. They’ve gotten used to you.”

“Funny.” She smiled. “I was going to say the same thing about you. Those kids are completely attached to you.”

My gaze drifted across the courtyard for a moment, and for the first time it hit me that maybe I’d gotten a little too used to them too.

After dropping Mary off and asking her to pick up the kids from school, I headed to the office.

On the way, I stopped at the corner coffee shop, grabbed one for myself, and paid for another to be delivered to legal.

The day was brutal.

Back-to-back meetings. Contract reviews with the Morrison team. A call with the Tokyo branch that dragged on for two hours. In between, I got a report from finance that made me want to fire someone.

At five o’clock, I finally sat back in my chair and breathed.

The door opened.

Jamie walked in carrying a folder and a coffee cup.

“I need your signature on this,” she said, setting the documents in front of me. “And thanks for the coffee. It was perfect.”

I picked up the pen.

“You liked it?”

She blinked. “So it was you?”

I signed the first page without looking at her.

“Didn’t say that.”

“Simon.”

“You asked if I sent it.” I moved to the next page. “I just asked if it was good.”

She narrowed her eyes.

“You sent it.”

I shrugged.

“Maybe I walked past a coffee shop. Maybe I remembered you order the same thing every day. Doesn’t make it a thing.”

15:38 Tue Sep 29 ) MT.

FAKK DATING WITH BENEFITS MY BILLIONAIRE BOSS

Her smile crept in slowly.

Right. Because admitting you did something sweet would be terrible.”

I looked up at her.

We sat in silence for a second.

Then, without thinking, I reached out and touched her hand on the desk. Light. Just enough for her to feel the warmth of my fingers.

She pulled back immediately.

“Simon…” Her voice came out like a warning.

“What?”

“Don’t do that.”

“Do what?”

She opened her mouth. Closed it. Her face went red.

“Look,” I said, changing the subject. “Let’s have dinner tonight. After work.”

She hesitated. “I can’t.”

“Why not?”

“I already have plans.”

Silence.

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