Page 103 of How to Train Your Billionaire

I sit on the edge of the bed, giving up on the tie. “We used to ... We worked together. Sort of. And then Uncle Charles died, and things got messy.”

Maddie sets down her Switch, suddenly serious. “I miss Uncle Charles.”

“Me, too, kid.”

“He was funny. Remember when he taught me that card trick?”

I smile despite myself. “You mean when he let you win at poker and told you it was magic?”

“That wasn’t magic?”

“Definitely not magic.”

Maddie processes this betrayal for a moment. “I still liked it.”

“He would have liked that you liked it.”

We sit in comfortable silence. Maddie picks at the comforter while I stare at my reflection in the mirror across the room.

“Hayes?”

“Yeah?”

“If Uncle Charles liked Frankie, she must be pretty cool.”

My throat gets tight. “Yeah. She is.”

“So why are you scared?”

The question lands like a punch. Because that’s exactly what I am. Terrified.

“What if I mess it up again?”

“Then you’ll say sorry and try harder.”

Eight years old and already wiser than me.

“What if she doesn’t want to try again?”

Maddie shrugs. “Then at least you’ll know.”

Simple. Direct. Logical.

Why can’t I think like an eight-year-old?

My phone buzzes. It’s a text from Malachi.

Malachi:Good luck tonight. Try not to completely screw this up. Again.

Helpful, as always.

I stand up and check my reflection one more time. The tie’s still crooked, so I decide to remove it. Maybe that’s not the worst thing. Maybe perfect isn’t what Frankie needs from me.

“Wish me luck,” I tell Maddie.

“You don’t need luck. You just need to not be stupid.”

“Gee, thanks.”