The Future of Love (Bachelor Billionaire #6) (18 page)

Everything
was perfect.

Kyle
had to attend a formal dinner. He'd thought about asking her to go as
his date but was so afraid to take that next step. They were running
a few mornings before the event. He was just about to ask her when
she told him she couldn't come over that Friday. It happened to be
the same day as the event. When he asked her why, she told him that
Gavin had invited her to something that night for the company. He
didn't ask her what it was, and she didn't offer up any information.
Kyle was bummed that she wouldn't be with him. He knew when he went,
ladies would be hanging on his every word and pretending to be
interested in him. He would be there as the owner of the company.
Ethan wasn't going. The women that went to some of those things
weren't real. They wouldn't want him for who he was, they would want
him for what he had.

He
got ready for the event and couldn't wait to get it over with. All he
wanted was to get back home. Jenny told him she'd be over after her
thing with Gavin, and he wanted to be home when she got there. It was
ridiculous. He was a grown man. There was no reason for him not to
tell her how he felt. Kyle made decisions worth millions of dollars
with no problem, but he was scared to death to tell Jenny he cared
about her. Nothing made sense about the situation, and he knew it.

Kyle
walked through the doors of the event alone. He was used to going
with Ethan. It was a charity event that their company had given a
huge amount of money to. Not long after he walked in, there were
three women around him. They were telling him how wonderful he was
and asking questions about his company and his life. It was the same
shit that always happened, and he couldn't wait to get out of there.
The event itself was awesome. There was dancing, drinking, and a
great dinner. He just didn't like the company. If he had been able to
bring Jenny, he knew he would've had a great time.

One
of the three women kept pulling him to get up and dance with her.
He'd been able to keep her busy talking and was getting tired of
dealing with her. When he looked up, he thought his mind was playing
tricks on him. Then their eyes connected, and he was lost. Jenny
stood with her dark hair around her shoulders in the most beautiful
purple dress. It was long and clung perfectly to her body. Kyle could
hear the woman in front of him talking, but he couldn't take his eyes
off of Jenny. There was something in her eyes, but he couldn't tell
what it was. She didn't look happy to see him. He moved to stand, but
the woman talking pulled him back down. Just then, Gavin walked up
and said something to Jenny. Then he pulled her away and across the
room. Kyle had no idea she was going to be there. It made sense once
he thought about it. Gavin gave to the same charity. He watched her
disappear with Gavin into the crowd of people. Kyle pulled his phone
out quickly.

Kyle:
I can't believe you're here.

He
sat listening to the woman next to him go on and on about something
while he looked down at his phone. It seemed like forever before the
screen lit up.

Jenny:
I am.

Kyle:
I was going to see if you wanted to come with me. I thought you'd
like it. You told me you were busy, so I didn't ask you.

Jenny:
I bet.

Kyle:
Is everything okay?

Jenny:
Perfect.

Everyone
sat down for dinner. Kyle had been at his spot for a bit while
everyone else walked around. He was at the front table. The woman
next to Kyle never moved. He kept scanning the tables for Jenny. The
woman at the front of the room started talking about the event and
why everyone was there. It was for a group that worked to help abused
women who needed help moving on. Gavin started supporting the group
after he found out about what Julie had gone through. She was
actually the one that found the group and got Ethan involved in
supporting it before Gavin even knew. It was a great group. They did
a lot of good to help so many women.

The
woman at the front would announce a person or company and give them
credit for their contribution. Kyle didn't like that with each name
came a dollar amount. He thought everyone should be acknowledged for
their help no matter how much it was. When the woman called the name
of Gavin's company, he stood and pulled Jenny up with him. Then she
announced that he'd given one million dollars. When she came to the
name of Kyle and Ethan's company, Kyle stood. Then she announced
their five million dollar donation. The woman next to him clapped and
cheered like it was actually important to her. He knew better. He'd
been through the same thing many times before. Kyle's eyes connected
with Jenny's. She smiled, but it wasn't the same happy smile he'd
gotten used to those last two months. As soon as he sat back down, he
was on his phone.

Kyle:
I wish you were sitting with me.

Jenny:
You seem to be doing just fine over there.

Kyle:
Dance with me.

Jenny:
I can't.

Kyle:
Why?

Jenny:
I'm here for the company.

Kyle:
Are you sure that's the reason?

Jenny:
Yep.

Kyle:
Fine.

Dinner
seemed to drag on forever. The woman next to Kyle wouldn't close her
mouth. As soon as Kyle could, he got up from the table and walked
around to talk to people. The annoying woman was right there. Kyle
looked around but couldn't see Gavin and Jenny anywhere. When he
couldn't take it anymore, he left.

When
he got home, she wasn't there. Maybe she was still at the event, he
thought. It was very busy. He could have missed her. He went to his
room to change and then sent her a message.

Kyle:
Are you still there? I didn't see you when I left. Maybe I missed
you.

Jenny:
No. We left right after dinner. Neither of us felt like being there.

Kyle:
Where are you now?

Jenny:
At home in bed.

Kyle:
Aren't you coming over?

Jenny:
No.

Kyle
called her number, but she didn't answer. His phone buzzed right
away.

Jenny:
Don't feel like talking. Going to bed. Have a great night.

Kyle:
What's wrong?

Jenny:
Tired. I'm sleeping in tomorrow. Have a nice run.

Kyle:
Why wouldn't you dance with me?

Jenny:
I was there for the company.

Kyle:
Nevermind. I think I get it.

Jenny:
What exactly is that?

Kyle:
I'm good enough to spend time with but not good enough to be seen
with. Have a great night.

Kyle
set his phone down next to his bed, changed into running clothes, and
took off out the door. He needed to get her out of his head. There
was no reason for her to dance with him. They'd both said it more
times than he remembered. They were just friends.

His
feet hit the pavement and he knew he wouldn't stop until he was
exhausted.

Jenny

She
was so upset when she saw that woman hanging on his every word. Of
course she couldn't blame him, the woman was beautiful and she had no
claim to him. They were friends. That was all. Jenny couldn't help
but watch them. The way that woman would slide her fingers down his
arm or touch him every chance she could made Jenny's stomach turn.
Why would he want someone like Jenny? She was normal and quiet. She
wasn't flirty and definitely didn't have a body anywhere close to
that woman's.

Jenny
was surprised when she heard that Kyle and Ethan's company had
donated five million to the charity. She'd never really thought about
Kyle being loaded like that. To her he'd always been just a normal
guy. He had money. That she knew. She knew that Ethan had signed over
half of the company to him. Five million dollars was a lot. That was
when it really hit her that Kyle was way out of her league. She was
an assistant. He was half owner in a huge company. The two did not go
together.

As
soon as Gavin mentioned leaving, Jenny was out the door. She couldn't
sit there a second longer. If she saw that woman touch Kyle one more
time, she knew her head would blow. She had no right to be jealous.
Kyle had mentioned many times that they were friends. Her feelings
for him ran much deeper. She knew she needed to put some distance
between them. There was no way she was getting hurt. He'd eventually
find someone he wanted to be with, and it wasn't going to be her.

It
made Jenny laugh when she thought about him asking her to dance. What
the fuck was that, she wondered? Did he feel bad that she was there
alone? Of course she had Gavin, but he was her boss. She didn't need
Kyle's pity.

She
went straight home, changed her clothes, and crawled into bed. She
didn't belong at that event or any others. It just wasn't for her.
She knew she'd never agree to let Gavin take her again.

When
her phone buzzed, she was shocked. Jenny thought for sure that Kyle
had gone home with that woman. There was no way she wanted to walk
into whatever they could possibly be doing. Jenny was giving him his
key back as soon as she could, and she knew she needed to get her
stuff out of his house. Being around him wasn't going to work. She
was setting herself up for devastation, and it needed to stop.

Jenny
was so hurt that he was acting as if there hadn't been anything that
could have upset her. He had a woman all over him. She'd seen it with
her own eyes. How could he act like she should have still come over,
she wondered? What if they had been together? What would she have
done? There was no way she could see that. It would crush her. When
he turned the entire thing on her, she was pissed. “Why
wouldn't you dance with me?” What the hell was that? What was
he going to do with his woman while Jenny danced with him? She'd
spent two months with him. He never seemed like an ass or someone
that would jerk women around. How could he ask her to dance when he
was with someone else? She didn't get it. When his last message came,
she felt like her world was falling down around her.

Kyle:
I'm good enough to spend time with but not good enough to be seen
with. Have a great night.

What
kind of game was he playing, she thought? Jenny would have loved to
have spent time with him at that event. She would have proudly stood
beside him the entire time. He was the one that had someone with him.
She was with her boss. Her blood was boiling. She literally could
have spit fire at any moment. Who did he think he was? What the hell
was his problem? Why was he making it look like she was the one that
was embarrassed? What an asshole.

Jenny:
That is total bullshit. How could you even say that to me? After two
months, I guess you know nothing about me. I thought you were
different, Kyle. How could I have been so stupid? That fucking hurt.
I wasn't the one that had someone hanging all over me. I'm surprised
she wasn't fucking you at the table. You think I wanted to show up at
your house and risk walking in on the two of you? I think you're the
one embarrassed of me. I can't even say anything to you around family
and friends. You get all weird and act like you don't know me. I
don't believe for one second that you were going to ask me to go with
you today. I get it. Why would you? That woman belonged there. I
didn't. I'm glad I went. It taught me a few things. I've never
thought of you the way I saw you tonight. I always thought of you as
just a normal guy. I always thought of us as equals. I was wrong. We
are so far from being equals. I'm an assistant. You're half owner of
a very big and wealthy company. I don't fit into your world, Kyle.
People like that woman do. I'd never belong. I'm not that girl. I
don't care about money and material things. I gave my damn house away
just to be free. I just want to be happy. I don't know why I ever
thought you would want me in your life. That was so stupid of me. I
hope you find what you're looking for. You've done so well for
yourself. You should be very proud of everything you've accomplished.
I'm sorry. Thank you for everything you've taught me. I'm going to
miss you, Kyle.