Hot Player (Hot Billionaire Daddies #7) - Suzanne Hart Page 0,2

about job interviews before.”

“I know, and I regret it. I wish I just took whatever opportunity came my way because now I’m broke, I live in this shitty apartment, and I have no prospects to speak of.”

I stare up at her, aware that she can read my face expertly. She knows the turmoil I’m experiencing.

“I’ll find you a job, Kim; you have to trust me.”

It’s probably handy that Blaire is a professional headhunter and runs her own staffing agency. I’ve always tried to separate my personal life from my professional one, and every time Blaire has mentioned finding me a job, I’ve shot her down. But now I’m beginning to realize that I don’t even have a professional life to keep separate.

I gulp down the coffee. It’s too hot and burns my tongue, but I keep going. Almost like I’m punishing myself for being a failure. For making all these bad decisions.

“Is there something else?” Blaire asks.

“What do you mean?”

“Is there something that is holding you back from higher professional achievement? Something you’re not telling me?”

I shrug.

“I don’t think so.”

“Okay, just checking. Why don’t you come with me for yoga this evening? It’ll help clear your mind. Trust me: you’ll feel better afterward.”

I’m already trying to think up excuses but Blaire is glaring at me.

“I’ll pick you up at six. No excuses, Kim. You’re coming. You need to find a way to relax and leave the rest up to me. Okay?”

“Okay,” I say reluctantly.

Blaire smiles, and I try to match it.

The last thing I want to do is be a burden or ask for favors from my friends. Especially Blaire, who I consider to be an important part of my life. I don’t want these favors to come between us or affect our friendship.

“I think I already know which would be the perfect job for you,” she declares as she starts walking back toward the door.

“So you’ve been thinking about this?” I ask, drinking more of the coffee.

“Well, yes, I did think of you when this job came up. I just need to iron out a few things. We can talk about it later.”

“Is there something you’re not telling me?” I ask as she inches closer to the door.

“Of course not, Kim!” she states, probably a little too firmly, and then she’s out of the door.

Now that Blaire is on this mission, I know she’ll find me something. I just don’t know if I’ll want to take it.

2

Kirk

I storm out of the board room feeling the burn of the argument I just got into. Sometimes, only sometimes, my board of directors isn’t as thrilled about the professional decisions I make, but usually, I end up getting my way. The truth is that I have proven myself, over and over again, to have a sixth sense about this.

Sure, on the outside, I may not give off a vibe that screams reliable, observant, or even rich. However, I am all of those things. It didn’t take long for my board to realize that I don’t take professional risks. I actually spend all my free time working and researching, even if it looks like I’m playing. I have never made a single bad decision in my life. At least not professionally.

Nothing I have has come easily to me. I didn’t grow up with a fighting chance of making it big. My dad died before I was born. My mother was driving the car that crashed. She still blames herself for it. Back then, she blamed herself so intensely that she gave my older brother up for adoption because she didn’t think she could look after both of us.

I have spent all my childhood in the shadow of my brother Reed. Or rather the memory of him. Living with the pain of losing him because Mom has never forgiven herself for that either.

No matter what I did, I was never going to be good enough. Not as good as the son she gave away.

And all these years later, Mom is finally reunited with Reed. It took a while, but he came around to accepting her in his life too.

I’m not sure how I feel about any of it. I don’t know if I want an older brother. I’m a thirty-eight-year-old man with a successful career. I don’t think I want anybody or anything new in my life.

And most importantly, I don’t want the board to put a restriction on my leisure activities.

I storm out of the board room and head straight to my corner