Hired a Gigolo Got a Billionaire (Zoey and Christian) novel Chapter 210

The phone rang at three in the morning on a Friday, ripping me out of a deep sleep. For a few seconds I was completely disoriented, trying to figure out where I was and why my phone was exploding in the middle of a London night.

When I finally managed to grab it off the bedside table, I saw "Zoey" flashing on the screen. My heart jumped. Middle-of-the-night calls were never good news.

"Zoey?" I answered, my voice still thick with sleep. "Are you okay? Did something happen?"

"Hi, Annie!" My sister's voice was way too cheerful for three in the morning. "How are you?"

"Zoey," I said, sitting up and staring at the digital clock, "it's three a.m. here."

"It is?" She sounded genuinely shocked. "Damn it, I'll never get these time zones right. Is it morning or afternoon for you?"

"Middle of the night! Very middle of the night!"

"Oh, sorry!" She laughed, but she didn't sound sorry at all. "I don't even know what day or night is anymore. Do you know how long it's been since I slept properly?"

Despite the scare, I couldn't help smiling.

"Since when do you have trouble sleeping?"

"Since I became a mother. And since my son decided two a.m. is the perfect time for a private rave." I heard a soft yawn on her end. "I swear I don't know if it's day or night in Verdania anymore. Imagine in London."

A wave of longing hit me straight in the chest for my nephew Matt.

"How's he doing?" I asked, my voice softening. "I miss him so much."

"He's amazing, Annie. Smarter every day." Zoey's tone shifted completely, full of that maternal warmth that still surprised me sometimes. "Yesterday he stood up by himself for like five seconds. And he's trying to say something that sounds like 'mama.' Or 'papa.' Or maybe 'dada.' Honestly, who knows."

"At eight months?" I smiled, imagining my nephew wobbling on tiny legs. "He's growing way too fast."

"Way too fast." Zoey let out a long sigh. "Christian is in full-panic mode planning every detail of his first birthday party."

"Already?" I asked, shocked.

"Still!" Zoey laughed. "Apparently some moms start planning the first birthday before the baby is even born. So technically I'm late. Or very early for his tenth birthday. I have no idea anymore."

I laughed, remembering how easy it was to fall back into our rhythm. Even with an ocean between us, we always found our way back to the same silly jokes.

"I'm glad some things never change," I said. "You still manage to turn a simple situation into a Hollywood production."

"Hey!" she protested, though she was laughing. "It's not my fault Christian wants to hire a professional photographer for a baby who will probably cry through the entire party."

"It's his first kid, Zoey. Let the man be dramatic."

"You're right." I heard shuffling—she was probably adjusting herself on the couch or bed. "Speaking of birthdays… you're coming, right? I miss you so much, Annie."

My chest tightened at the ache of missing home. I missed my sister, brother, parents, our house in Highridge Valley, and our lazy Sunday lunches.

"Of course I'm coming. I'm hoping to visit before then, but I'll definitely be there for Matt's birthday." I hesitated, then decided to tell her. "Actually… set aside an extra invitation. For a plus-one."

There was silence on the other end.

"What do you mean?" Zoey's voice shot up an octave. "Is it the airplane guy? Are you two dating? You never told me anything else about him! What happened? Is he really your boss? Did you fix everything? Are you two together now?"

"Zoey, breathe," I said, laughing as my sister unleashed seventeen questions at once. "We have a lot to talk about regarding the airplane guy, but preferably not at three a.m."

"But—"

"And no, he's not the plus-one. I'm talking about my new boyfriend."

Dead silence. For a second, I thought the call had dropped.

"Mhm." The skepticism in Zoey's voice was loud enough to be its own person. "Which is why you're downloading a dating app to find random replacements."

"They're not replacements. They're… new options. Men who will see me as an interesting woman from the very first date, not as some kind of professional complication."

"If you say so…" Zoey didn't sound convinced. "But promise me one thing?"

"That depends."

"Promise you'll be careful. With the app, with the dates, with all of this. London is way too far for me to fly over and rescue you if you get yourself into trouble."

"I promise," I said, smiling. "I'm not going to do anything too stupid."

"'Too stupid' does not comfort me, Annie."

"It's the best I can offer."

"Why do I feel like your life is about to turn into a complete mess?" Zoey laughed.

"Because you know me too well," I said. "And because I'm the younger sister. I learned from the best."

"At least promise you'll call me at reasonable hours to tell me everything?"

"I promise. Now go to sleep, Zoey. And kiss Matt for me."

"I will. Love you, Annie."

"Love you too."

I hung up and lay in the darkness for a few moments, smiling. Even with an ocean between us, it was comforting to know that some things never changed. Zoey still knew me better than anyone. She could still make me laugh. And she would always be the first person I could count on for anything.