The Billionaire Op - Lori Ryan Page 0,3

had just gotten in the pool when I heard barking. The next thing I know, there are two big dogs blasting out of a doggy door and heading my way. They were on the side of the yard with the gate, so I had to go over the back of the fence instead and cut through the neighbor’s yard. I grabbed what I could and ran. My shoes weren’t in the pile of stuff I grabbed.”

Jennie drew her spine up straight and laced her fingers together in her lap. It wasn’t easy to look dignified in the state she was in, but she could damn well try.

Chad stared at Jennie for a few more long seconds. The tick in his jaw continued as his eyes burned into her with an intensity that almost stole her breath. She raised her chin and resisted the very strong urge to squirm.

“Neither was your bra, apparently,” he said dryly as he reached for the keys and started the truck. He shoved the gear into place and pulled away from the curb as Jennie laughed, wrapping her arms firmly in place over her chest.

Chapter 2

Over lunch at their favorite café, Jennie told her best friends, Kelly and Jill, about her narrow escape that morning. She recounted the story of the dogs, the fence, losing her shoes and her long ride home with Chad lecturing her about dog bites and what could have happened if she’d been caught.

Kelly and Jill wiped tears from their eyes. The waitress probably thought they were all crazy. They’d been laughing for five minutes straight, with Jennie barely able to squeak out the details of her morning between impressions of Chad scowling.

Kelly and Jill were Jennie’s two closest friends, aside from a few high school friends back home that she didn’t see very often.

“I’ll bet you had him grinding his teeth the whole ride.” Kelly laughed, but then groaned and held her pregnant belly. “You have to stop making me laugh. The baby kicks more when I laugh and she’s tap dancing on vital organs right now.”

Jennie grinned as she sipped her iced tea. “Sorry, Kels. I’ll try to be more serious until you deliver. What’s that, five more weeks?”

Her friend grimaced. “Don’t remind me.”

“I think Chad thought it was funny, though. He likes to act all tough, but he’s just a big teddy bear.” Jennie nodded, as though trying to convince the others with body language when she knew her argument was falling flat.

Jill shook her head. “Quit poking the damn bear, Jennie. It’s not safe.”

Jennie grinned. “I just hope he doesn’t show up at my house tomorrow morning to escort me on my morning run.”

“He wouldn’t do that!” Jill said, then looked at Kelly for confirmation.

“Oh, he might. I told him I was thinking of bringing dog treats tomorrow. I’ll bet I can make friends with those dogs and get my morning swim back,” Jennie said.

That started the laughter again and left poor Kelly holding her stomach.

The three of them were like Charlie’s Angels in a way, each with a completely different look. Kelly was the brunette, with a curvy body even when she wasn’t pregnant, and a smile that was contagious.

Jill was the blonde in the group. She had gorgeous hazel eyes that Jennie was secretly a bit envious of and she was more willowy than Jennie and Kelly.

Jennie was a few inches shorter than her two friends, with strawberry-blond hair that hung in wild curls. She’d given up trying to tame it a long time ago. She’d always thought her brown eyes were plain looking, but Kelly said they were rich and deep so Jennie had decided to believe her.

Kelly was married to Jack Sutton, the Chief Executive Officer at Sutton Capital, where Jennie worked. Jill had just married Andrew Weston. Andrew was Jack’s best friend and the Chief Financial Officer at Sutton. They were a tight-knit group of friends who worked closely together and saw one another almost every weekend without fail.

Jennie knew that would change now that Jack and Kelly were having a baby and Jill and Andrew had just married. It hurt to think her life might be changing once again as her friends moved on to a life that couldn’t include her in the same way it always had.

Sure, she’d no doubt be Auntie Jen to all their children, but it wouldn’t be the same as having her own family and having kids alongside her best friends. Jill broke through Jennie’s thoughts.

“Hey, I