Wife Wanted (A Billionaire Bad Boy Romance)(62)

 

 

Phoebe made it through the rest of the week on autopilot. She barely talked to Charlotte about what happened, unable to even mention that her pirate had actually been Riley Marston. Her friend had found out, of course, and been upset Phoebe had let him go…until she’d finally broken down one night and told her everything that happened.

 

“He did what?” she’d screamed, grabbing her car keys.

 

“Charlotte, where are you going?”

 

“I’m going to kick his ass, that’s what! No one does this to my friend.”

 

“Really, I’m fine. It’s probably for the best anyway.” It had taken a while, but she’d managed to calm Charlotte down enough to stop her from getting arrested for assaulting Riley.

 

For a few days, she didn’t hear from Mitch and honestly didn’t expect to until one day, there was a voicemail on her cell, asking her to meet him in the park. The sun was shining on Thursday when Phoebe headed there, between all the skyscrapers and screeching car horns. Flowers were in full bloom and buds were bursting to life on the ash and cherry trees. The sweet scent made her smile, as did the warm sun shining down on her face. She really should try to get out of the office more.

 

She found a bench in the center of the park and sat down to wait. There were many people out walking—old men with canes, runners, teens walking in clusters, and a few couples here and there, holding hands and exchanging quiet kisses and laughter. Phoebe reached a hand up to her chest and forced herself to breathe. She would get over it, she had to. There was no option to stand still and hope for the best. If she was ever to take back control of her life, it was now. She leaned back and closed her eyes, soaking up the warmth of the sun and letting it fill her with hope that things would get better. Phoebe felt herself relaxing and started to doze off when someone said her name.

 

“Sorry, didn’t mean to startle you,” Mitch said as he grinned and sat down beside her.

 

“That’s all right. Haven’t been sleeping well.”

 

“Understandable.”

 

“Listen, Mitch, you don’t have to do this, you know. I haven’t even told you what happened last week and there’s so much going on… I…I won’t blame you for walking away.”

 

He smiled gently and reached out to take her hand. “Why would I do that?”

 

“I…well, why wouldn’t you?”

 

“Phoebe, it’s not like we were exclusive,” he told her. “Whatever happened or didn’t happen, it’s none of my business. All I care about right now is you. I don’t like seeing you hurt.”

 

She swallowed hard and felt her sinking heart start to flutter just a bit. “You don’t?”

 

“No. Now, from how I see it, you are still in need of money to help with your mom’s surgery, and I find myself growing extremely fond of you. So, Phoebe Baron, would you do me the honor of being my official girlfriend?”

 

His question made her gasp, and she couldn’t breathe. No, he hadn’t proposed, but the way he said it, so sincere and full of caring, Phoebe was at a loss for words. All she could do was nod, and when he leaned in to kiss her, she embraced him. There was a spark, but no fireworks. Nothing compared to what she still dreamed about with Riley.

 

Let it go, girl. You can’t have everything, she told herself as Mitch stood and offered her his arm. Take what you can get for now. You never know. You could learn to love the guy.

 

They made their way back to the office. Sadly, she had to return to her job where Diane Chandler was still watching over her, but not as intently as before. After what happened with the files, Phoebe had backed off, kept her head down, and gone about her day as usual. The last thing she wanted was any more attention. She’d already heard a few people at the office talking about how they’d seen her with Riley Marston. Those were questions she did not want to answer any time soon.

 

They reached her office, and she sighed. “Well, I guess I’ll talk to you later then.”

 

Mitch took her hand and kissed the back of it. “I’ll cook you dinner. Tomorrow night? Pick you up around six?”

 

Phoebe smiled. “Sounds like a date to me.”

 

***

 

Mitch watched Phoebe sit down at her desk before the door closed, and he headed back to the elevator, the smile dropping from his face. Phoebe might be out of the game, but he wasn’t. Yancey was still paying him to run interference, and the money that should have been transferred was not in his account. He did not work for people who did not pay.