Very Bad Billionaires (38 page)

Chapter 2 – Jerrica

“So, what exactly was your interview for?” my roommate Liz asked.

“Public relations intern at Donnelly Multimedia. I won’t get the job. I just don’t have the experience,” I said as I flopped down on the couch with a bag of potato chips.

“Not with an attitude like that, you won’t. You need to throw your shoulders back, get that chin up, and show the world the Jerrica Rollins that I know. The one that can conquer the world.” She knocked everything off the stand beside her as she flung her arms around in the air.

“I just finished school, Liz. I don’t have the background to get a position like that. There is no way in the world they’re going to hire me.”

“How did the interview go?”

“It seemed okay,” I said as I washed down my chips with some soda. “I was in and out in ten minutes, though. That’s how I know I didn’t get it.”

“Stay positive, you never know,” she said as she got up to answer the phone. “Jerrica,” she said as she held her hand over the receiver. “It’s for you. It’s Donnelly Multimedia.”

My eyes were as big as saucers and my jaw dropped to the floor the second she said it. I couldn’t believe they actually called. Then, as I reached out to grab the receiver, I realized there was only one reason they would call back this soon after the interview. To tell me I didn’t get the job. I swallowed what I had in my mouth quickly before answering.

“Hello. Yes, this Jerrica Rollins. Okay. Yes. Thanks for calling.”

“Well...” Liz said as she stood across the room waiting for the verdict.

I looked at the floor with a dismal expression on my face. “They just called to tell me...that I got the job,” I said excitedly. “I start Monday morning at nine a.m. sharp.”

“Oh my God, I’m so happy for you,” Liz squealed as she threw her arms around me.

“I can’t believe it,” I said. “I didn’t think I’d get it in a million years.”

“Get dressed,” she said. “We’re going out to celebrate. My treat.”

“Where do you want to go?” I asked.

“I don’t know, it’s Friday night. A bar I guess.”

“Hey, do you want to play some pool?” I asked. “I haven’t done that in so long.”

“Sure, why not? I used to love playing billiards.”

“Why don’t we just go in what we’ve got on, then,” I said, looking down at my faded jeans and comfy sweatshirt. I really didn’t feel like getting all dolled up when I was already settled in for a quiet night at home.

“Nope. I’ll have none of that. We’re going to get ourselves all done up for a night on the town. Now go make yourself gorgeous before we go rack up some balls.”

It figured that she’d want to get dressed up. So much for my quiet night on the couch. It was really sweet of her to take me out to celebrate though, and I wanted to humor her. Besides, I was ecstatic that I got the job.

Chapter 3 – Jason

“You started interviewing wives yet?” Bob asked as the waitress dropped a pitcher of beer off at our table.

“God no. I’m leaving the first interview up to my secretary. I’ll take it from there. I don’t have time to sit down with every candidate,” I said as I took a swig from my mug.

“You don’t have time to sit down and talk to someone, but you think you have time for a wife who you’ll need to care for twenty-four hours a day? Now how does that make sense?” Jacob asked.

“You guys just don’t understand my lifestyle,” I said.

“Either that, or you need to sort out your priorities,” Bob said. “So, are we just going to sit here all night, or are we going to play some pool?”

“Would you look at that,” Jacob said, pointing toward the door. I turned around in my chair and saw two women walking up to the bar. They were both gorgeous. The tall one wore a black spandex dress and had long auburn hair. The petite one wore a royal blue dress that wasn’t quite as snug but still flattered her curvaceous body quite nicely. Her wavy flaxen hair hung softly over her shoulders and down her back. I wanted desperately to touch it, to run my fingers through it.

“Jason...Jason,” Bob said as he nudged my elbow and sent my beer flying.

“What? Sorry, did you say something?”

“I asked you if you were going to set up the balls, but apparently you had other things on your mind.”

“Yeah, I guess. Right now, I need to go up to the bar and get a napkin,” I said. I walked up to the bar where the two women stood. While I was waiting to get a cloth from the bartender, I figured one of them would strike up a conversation with me, but neither spoke a word.

I turned to the auburn-haired beauty hoping I’d be able to weasel my way into talking to her friend. “Busy place in here tonight,” I said.

She grabbed their drinks off the bar, looked at me as if I were a parasite, rolled her eyes, and the two of them went off and found a table. I stood there feeling like a fool. No one had ever rejected me before, and I wasn’t about to have any part of it.

After the bartender handed me a cloth, I asked him to send two drinks over to the table the ladies sat down at. When I went back to my table and cleaned up the mess, I watched and waited. When the waitress took the drinks over to the girls, she pointed, indicating that they were from me. The girls smiled and waved.
Ha, I’ve still got it
, I thought.

A few minutes later the waitress came over and sat both drinks down on our table. “The women at the other table said to tell you they don’t accept drinks from men they don’t know.”

I bit my lip and rubbed my chin for a second. They had certainly piqued my curiosity. “Wait a second,” I said to the waitress as I scribbled a note down on a napkin.

Care to join us? Then you’ll know me.

“Can you take this back over to the ladies,” I said. I watched as she walked back over and handed my note to the girls. They giggled as they read it, and then they promptly got up and left.

“Well, it looks like old Jason finally struck out,” Jacob said.

“Shut up,” I said. “And don’t call me old.”

“Good thing you’re looking for a wife, buddy,” Bob said, “because it looks like your days as a ladies’ man are numbered.”

I sat there shaking my head going over everything in my mind. I hadn’t been rude or obnoxious. In fact, I thought I’d been downright charming. Maybe the guys were right. Maybe I was getting old.

“Tough break,” the waitress said as she cleared off their table. “For what it’s worth, I would have taken the drink.”

“Yeah, thanks,” I said.

“Whoa, Jason, you got a live one there,” Bob said.

“Guys, she’s cute, but I already told you, my days of one-night stands are over. I’m looking for something meaningful in my life. It wouldn’t be fair to me and it wouldn’t be fair to her.”

After we drank some beers while I wallowed in my sorrows about getting older and getting turned down, I racked up the balls. We played a few rounds of pool, before I decided to call it quits for the night.

“Gotta go into the office again tomorrow?” Jacob asked.

“No. I’m just tired. I think I’m going to hit the sack,” I said as I took some cash out of my wallet to cover the rest of their evening.

“Getting tired early on a Friday night is the first sign of getting old,” he said.

“You just keep your mouth shut or I’ll put that money away,” I laughed as I turned around and left.

***

All I could think about on the drive home and while I lay in bed was the beautiful girl with the flaxen hair. Try as I might, I couldn’t get her off my mind.

Chapter 4 – Jerrica

“Could you believe that jerk at the bar earlier?” Liz said.

“Yeah, I know,” I said as I flopped back down on our overstuffed couch in my pajamas. “I hate it when a guy just assumes he can buy me a drink. I don’t want to owe anyone anything.”

“I know, right. They buy you a drink and they expect a whole night of ravenous sex. What do they think we are, dollar-store hookers? If they want a night of sex, I at least want a flat screen TV,” she said.

“Or a diamond necklace,” I said, laughing. “Fuck expecting anything for a four-dollar drink. Men are crazy.”

“You’ve got that right,” she said as she grabbed a bottle of water out of the kitchen.

***

“Where are you going so bright and early?” Liz asked.

“I want to run a few errands and pick up a few things that I’ll need for work on Monday,” I said as I put on my earrings and grabbed my purse.

“Look at you going all career woman on me,” she laughed as she flopped down on the couch in her sweats.

“Do you want to come?” I asked her.

“No. I have a date with the couch. I’m not going anywhere.”

“Suit yourself then,” I said as I headed out the door.

***

I hobbled into the coffee shop with a broken heel while I carried countless shopping bags in my arms. I had no idea shopping could be so treacherous. When I got to the counter and placed my order, I fished around trying to get into my purse to find some change before grabbing my coffee.

Relieved that I could finally get off my aching feet, I tried to balance my coffee in my hand, while I maneuvered the heavy bags over to a table. It wasn’t an easy feat considering that I had to limp every step of the way.

“Damn,” I said when I finally got situated in a chair and sat the bags down.

“What’s the matter?” a friendly voice asked.

“Oh, it’s nothing,” I said. “I just broke a nail.”

“Looks like you broke your heel too,” he observed.

As soon as I looked up, I wished I didn’t have so many bags to carry. All I wanted to do was get out of there. Standing behind the empty chair across from mine was the dark-haired stranger from the bar.

“Mind if I sit down?” he asked as he put his hand on the back of the chair. I found it rather assuming of him to think I’d be sitting in a coffee shop all by myself, even if I was.

“My friend’s just grabbing her coffee,” I lied as I played with my broken fingernail.

“Well, that’s funny,” he said, “because there’s no one in line at the cash. Why don’t you let me help you with that?” he said as he reached over and lightly brushed my hand with his fingers.

“Help me with what?” I asked as I looked at him and took a sip of my coffee. His steel blue eyes looked almost violet the way the light shone through the windows, and I couldn’t stop staring at them.

“With your nail, silly,” he laughed as he picked up my hand and inspected it closer.

“No, no,” I squealed. “Don’t hurt me. Don’t rip it off.”

“I’m not going to hurt you. I just happen to have some of this,” he said as he pulled some super glue out of his briefcase. I looked at him curiously as he took the lid off and took my hand in his.

While he held my hand still, he squeezed the tube over my nail and laid a thin line of glue over the break.

“I hope we don’t get bonded together,” I said as he held my nail together, waiting for the glue to set. He looked away from my hand, and we stared into each other’s eyes for a brief moment while we smirked.

“I’m skilled in the art of gluing,” he said. “I paid attention in Kindergarten.”

I watched in awe as my nail sealed back together. “Where on earth did you learn this, and how long will it hold?” I asked him.

“I grew up in a house full of girls, and until your nail grows long enough for you to cut it off without it hurting,” he said. “Now, why don’t you let me fix that shoe of yours while I’m at it?”

“Give it a go, Mr. Fix It,” I said as I handed him my shoe. He had the heel repaired before I was finished with my coffee. “Thank you so much, Mister...”

“Call me Jason,” he said as he squeezed my fingers and smiled at me.

“Thank you so much, Jason. I’m afraid I have to be going now...”

“I’m sorry, I didn’t catch your name,” he said, looking at me with a sly grin.

“It’s Miss Rollins,” I said as I stood up and started grabbing my bags.

“Okay, Miss Rollins, you have a wonderful day,” he said with a puzzled look on his face.

“You too,” I said as I got up and headed out of the coffee shop. I peeked around to see if he was watching me walk out, and caught him in the act. Sly little bugger didn’t even buy me a coffee. If he thought a little bit of super glue was going to get him anywhere he had another thing coming.

Chapter 5 – Jason

Miss Rollins. I didn’t even have a first name for her, just Miss Rollins with the gorgeous blonde hair and the velvety soft hands. At least I was getting somewhere. I finally got her to talk to me.

I just wish she’d told me her first name, so I’d at least be able to find her phone number in the book. There were at least 200 Rollinses in there, and without a first name, I had nothing to go on without calling every single one of them.

***

I thought about her for the rest of the day, and when I laid my head down to go to sleep that night. I even dreamed of her. But for the rest of the weekend, I had my head wrapped up in the new season. By Monday morning, I had all but forgotten about my blond little angel.

“Mr. Donnelly,” Julie said as I walked by her desk on my way into my office. I hadn’t stopped, and she jumped up and was coming after me with her finger raised as if to get my attention.

“Can I help you with something, Julie?” I asked. “I have several interviews set up for you this week,” she said. “Ten each day, starting today.”

“Interviews for what?” I asked, “TV Guide, Time Magazine?” With sweeps season underway and the new lineup coming, I figured everyone would want to talk to me.

“Not quite,” she said. “Your potential wives.” She had a huge grin on her face as she said it.

“Oh yes,” I said. How could I have forgotten? The wife interviews. I guess I didn’t expect her to set them up so quickly. “Thanks, Julie,” was all I could think of to say.

“I hope you find someone suitable, sir,” she said as she turned around and went back to her desk.

I walked into my office and closed the door behind me, grateful that Julie was so secretive. No one would ever find out about the wife interviews from her. I made a mental note to give her a raise on her next paycheck.

I sat down behind my desk and started working on next season’s lineup, when a flash of panic came over me. “Julie, can you come in here please,” I said on the intercom.

Julie came rushing into my office with a hot coffee within minutes. “Here you go, Mr. Donnelly, just the way you like it.” God, she was dependable.

“That’s great, Julie. But that’s not why I called you in here. The women that I’m interviewing, do they know...”

“Now, Mr. Donnelly, if they knew why they were being interviewed we’d have every single woman in the entire state, or the entire country for that matter, running in here trying to get her greedy little fingers on your money. Don’t you worry about that. They think they’re interviewing to be your personal assistant.”

“Thank you, Julie. That’s perfect. But isn’t it a little bit deceptive?”

“Aw, sir, isn’t a wife an assistant of sorts?” she said as she winked at me and smiled. “You’re not being deceptive, you’re just not giving out the whole job description yet.”

I could always count on Julie to make me feel better. She was one hell of a secretary. If she hadn’t already been married, I probably would have married her myself years ago.

“When’s the first interview?” I asked, looking down at my watch.

“Oh goodness,” she said. “She’s probably here now. Hold on, and I’ll check.”

Damn
, I thought. I was hoping for more time to get ready. Trying to impress a potential future wife was a lot different than trying to impress a casual fling. I ran my fingers through my hair and straightened my tie as Julie let the first one into my office.

Her name was Meg. She was stuffy and she made me feel old. I listened to her ramble on for twenty minutes about how she had been a personal assistant to the former CEO of Calhoun Broadcasting and how I could benefit from having her on board. I didn’t want her on anything. I was bored.

Right after she left, the next one came hurdling into my office dropping papers everywhere. After I helped her pick them up she sat down and we talked. I couldn’t help but wonder how a woman could be so beautiful and not have a single stimulating word to say.

If my whole week was going to be like this, I’d rather be working on the lineup. It was far more interesting than these boring women that Julie had lined up as potential brides.

When number three came walking in, I was terrified. She was very military, and told me about how she runs a tight ship. She had all kinds of great ideas about organization and order, but she wasn’t someone I wanted running my life, and I certainly didn’t want her in my bed.

When she left, I got up to stretch my legs. Julie was sitting at her desk, so I thought I’d go over and talk to her for a second. “What the hell?” I said.

“What do you mean?” she asked as she continued typing away on her computer.

I put my hand over her monitor. “What the hell are you sending to me? These women aren’t potential wives. One was a drill sergeant and the rest are boring as hell. Is there at least someone on the list that I’ll enjoy talking to?”

She looked up at me and smirked. “Mr. Donnelly, the kind of girl that makes a good wife isn’t the same kind of girl that usually piques your curiosity. Big breasts and a nice ass don’t exactly make someone marriage material.”

“I didn’t say that’s what I was looking for. I said I wanted someone that was at least interesting to talk to.” As much as I liked Julie, she certainly knew how to push my buttons.

“Look, you need someone who can take care of you, hence the drill sergeant. You also need someone who would make a good mother, which is the reason for the others. My choices are all carefully calculated. Trust the process, Mr. Donnelly, trust the process.”

I shook my head and smiled. “Trust the process, huh,” I said as I looked out the window. “I can’t even imagine spending a night with any one of these women, let alone the rest of my life.” Just then, I saw the blond from the bar and coffee shop running down the street.

“Julie, I have to run out for a minute,” I said as I hurried toward the elevator.

“But Mr. Donnelly, your next interview will be here any minute. What do I tell her?”

“I don’t care what you tell her. Tell her the position’s been filled. Tell them all that,” I said as I hurried along. When I got on the elevator, I pushed buttons frantically. I had to get down there. I had to catch her, to see her, to talk to her.

When I stepped out onto the street, I smiled as I saw her in the distance running along in her heels. She hadn’t gotten very far. I chased after her, wishing I knew her first name. “Miss Rollins,” I called to no avail. She didn’t hear me, or at least she didn’t turn around.

When I finally caught up to her, I grabbed her elbow. “Miss Rollins,” I said out of breath.

She turned around and glared at me with an alarmed expression on her face. I hadn’t meant to scare her. After pulling her arm back, she started walking again, picking up her pace as I followed her.

“Can I help you?” she said as she continued walking. I loved the way her heels clicked on the sidewalk.

“That depends,” I said. “Can I take you to lunch?”

“No,” she said as she kept on going. “I don’t have time for idle chit chat. I’m a little busy right now.”

“Look, I don’t know what I ever did to you,” I said. “The other day I fixed your nail and your shoe. If I said something that upset you, I’m sorry. All I want to do is talk to you.”

She turned around sharply and glared at me. “Thank you for all that. But right now, if you don’t mind, I’m a little busy.” Then she spun around on her heels and started rushing down the street again.

“I just wanted to talk to you,” I said as she walked away.

“Some of us have work to do,” she said sharply as she marched on down the street.

I turned around and walked back toward my office building, passing several other women on the way.
Why didn’t any of them hold the same appeal for me?
I tried to feel some sort of attraction to any of them, but none of them could hold a candle to her. She still wouldn’t give me the time of day, but I was more determined than ever to win her over.

“What was that all about?” Julie asked when I got back to the office.

“Nothing. I just remembered that I needed something, so I ran out to get it,” I said as I grabbed a coffee.

“Are you ready to resume the interviews then?” she asked as she looked down at her computer screen.

“No. I meant what I said about that. Who wants to marry a billionaire is now officially over. Finding a wife and mother to bear my children is something I’m going to have to do on my own,” I said, looking up at the ceiling. I didn’t think I’d be able to find anyone in a million years. No one would put up with my antics. But I was sure as hell going to try.