Misjudging the Billionaire - (Contemporary BWWM Romance)

by Destiny Davis

“No, no, no, it was totally my fault. I should have looked before I moved my chair back. I’m an idiot. Are you okay?” He seemed to be even more apologetic than she was, his face also red with embarrassment as he reached for another napkin to began blotting away at his shirt as well. To her relief, a couple of her coworkers rushed over to help clean up the mess. Eva disappeared into the kitchen to grab a roll of paper towels, passing her furious boss along the way.

  “Hey, we need to—” he began, only to be interrupted by a frustrated Eva.

  “Not right now,” she snarled at him.

  In the sanctuary of the kitchen, away from all of the onlookers, she placed her forearm on the wall and rested her head against it, trying her hardest not to cry. Mr. Jameson had ventured onto the floor to apologize to the man directly, and Eva knew he wouldn’t be charging the handsome customer for his meal. That would be coming out of her paycheck for sure, and she chastised herself for making such a boneheaded move. After changing her shirt with a spare from the restaurant’s break room, she lingered in the kitchen for a few minutes to regain her composure and her dignity before heading back into the restaurant. The loaded room already seemed to have forgotten about the incident, and for the first time in a long while she was truly glad to be ignored. She noticed the rugged but kind stranger had left, and after thanking her two coworkers for their help she returned to his table to finish cleaning the mess she’d made. To her surprise, she found a note left alongside three crisp one hundred dollar bills.

  Eva,

  I deeply apologize for being so clumsy. I’ve assured your manager that the fault was all mine and, despite his insistence, I still paid for my wonderful meal in full. Don’t beat yourself up over an accident that wasn’t your fault, and use this money to replace the clothes I so carelessly ruined. Thank you for your excellent service, and the next time we meet I‘ll try not to cause another scene!

  -Devon

  Touched by the note, she carefully folded it and placed it into her back pocket along with the money he’d left for her. Three hundred dollars was far too much, but she didn’t feel as though he were trying to impress her with the amount. A small smile flashed across her face, and she finished the rest of her shift without further problems. She couldn’t get the mysterious man she’d embarrassed herself in front of out of her mind as she hopped from table to table while recounting how nice he had been.

  “Eva, I need to speak with you,” Mr. Jameson stopped her on her way out the door. The tone of his voice implied that she was in trouble, and her heart sunk with the realization of what was coming. She debated just running out the restaurant to avoid hearing the words, but reluctantly followed him back to his office where they both sat staring at each other for a moment.

  “I’ll keep this short and sweet,” he began with a sigh. “You’re fired. I have dozens of reasons for letting you go, but I’ll just use the fiasco this morning. You’re lucky that man didn’t bill me for his clothes. I also gave him his meal for free, and that cost me money.”

  “He told me he paid for it,” Eva fired back. She could tell by the look on Mr. Jameson’s face that she’d caught him in a lie. He hadn’t anticipated her knowing the man had in fact paid for his breakfast in full.

  “Look,” he said sternly. “The truth is… I just flat-out don’t like you. You’re great on the floor, yeah, but you have a shitty attitude,” he pointed towards the dining room, “when you’re not out there.”

  “What are you talking about? That’s not true and you know it. Everyone here loves me,” she protested in anger.

  “Well I don’t, and that’s all that matters. You’re a good kid I guess, but you’ve been late three times in the last month and you embarrassed me today. You’re done. I’m sorry, but you’re done.”

  “I embarrassed you?” Eva shot out of her seat, outraged by his remark. “I’m the one who was embarrassed. You know what? Fuck you.”

  With that, she threw her apron on his desk and stormed out of the building. Her adrenaline was pumping from her confrontation with Mr. Jameson; something she had seen coming for weeks. Telling him off had felt amazing, but with her heart rate returning to normal the severity of her situation began to sink in. She now had no income, and rent was due in two short weeks. Between her final paycheck and the three hundred bucks in her back pocket, she might be able to swing it but she needed a new job and fast.

  Chapter Two

  Knowing she’d need every dime she had, Eva opted to walk home instead of paying for her usual bus. It was a good thirty minute trek, but she wasn’t about to hang around in hopes of a coworker giving her a ride. She started on her way, and the closer she got to her seedy neighborhood the more unsettling the walk became. She was only three blocks from her apartment building when a questionable man she’d seen lingering just outside of an alleyway seconds earlier rushed to sidle up next to her. Her pace increased, as did his as he followed by her side.

  “You going my way there, sister?” he asked, grinning wide and revealing his lack of oral hygiene in doing so. He may have been white, but his teeth were stained yellow and he reeked of nicotine and body odor. He wore a sideways baseball cap and the stubble peppering his face indicated that he hadn’t shaved in a few days. The degenerate appeared to be in his late twenties and wore clothes two sizes too big for him. His pants sagged low, and he’d tug at them as he trotted by her side while continuing to harass her.

  “Oh, come on, baby. What’s a pretty little thing like you doing out here all alone? Ain‘t got no man? I‘ll be your man, baby.” The creep scanned the street up and down, making Eva even more nervous as she shuffled towards her apartment building. He looked as though he were checking to see if there would be a witnesses if he tried to pull something criminal.

  “I’m not interested!” she snapped. The man suddenly grabbed her arm, whirling her around to face him. “Don’t fucking touch me!” she yelled in anger and fear.

  “I ain’t good enough for you, baby? What’s wrong with me? Guy like me would treat you real good,” he said, flicking his tongue in and out, a sexual gesture that made her cringe. She attempted to ignore him by marching onward towards her building.

  “You uppity bitch!” he said in disgust, his face growing mean as his grip tightened on her arm. “You fuckin’ whore! You little tease! I seen you lookin’ at me and now you act like you’re better than me?”

  “Please, just leave me alone,” she pleaded. Eva could hold her own, and having grown up in a lousy area similar to this one she had dealt with scumbags countless times. This guy was different, though. There was something in his dark, sunken eyes that told her he was dangerous.

  “Don’t tell me what to do, slut!” he shouted. She averted her gaze, nervously looking ahead as she marched on. He took notice and grew more enraged, adding, “You look at me when I’m talking to you, bitch! I’ll make you respect me, you whore. You fuckin’ ni—”

  “Excuse me, but you need to leave my friend alone!” A gruff voice from beside them interrupted with a loud, commanding tone. Both her and her would-be assailant had been so distracted that neither of them had heard the soft purr of the black limousine pulling up beside them.

  She immediately recognized the man she’d spilled food all over. Devon, his name was, and she still had the note he’d written her in her back pocket. He’d changed into a gray suit, and he sat with the car’s window down looking at the thug with a no-nonsense expression on his face. His eyes were every bit as commanding as his voice, and as they locked onto the lowlife she felt his filthy hand release from her arm. The creep looked the limo up and down, then peered into the window and tried his hardest to keep up his tough guy façade.

  “What are you going to do about it, motherfucka’?” he asked, throwing his hands up in an attempt to assert his dominance. An amused smile crossed Devon’s face as he casually stepped out of the limousine looking powerful and menacing. Seeing he was outmatched, the hoodlum backed down quickly while attempting to salvage his image.


  “Shit, you ain’t even worth my time, man,” he said with a dismissive wave. He took off down the street as Devon watched him scurry away, the same amused smile still on his face.

  “Are you okay?” he turned to Eva and asked. Before she got a chance to answer added, “Did you know that clown?”

  “I’m fine. I have no idea who that was. I saw him hanging around an alley back there,” she motioned towards a series of nearby buildings, “and I made the mistake of making eye contact with him.”

  “Crazy people everywhere these days,” Devon said sympathetically. There was a slight pause as Eva pondered what this handsome and clearly well-to-do man was doing driving through her neighborhood in a limousine.

  “Not exactly the best part of town,” she pointed out. “Why are you even here?”

  “Believe it or not, I have some business to conduct right around the corner. My real estate firm is contemplating buying a few buildings in this area,” he replied.

  “Ah, real estate.” She hadd briefly wondered what type of business he was in, and now she knew. Looking around the neighborhood she added, “Dreams of being a slum lord, eh?”

  He chuckled at her joke and replied, “Actually, no. We’re debating overhauling them. Renovating or outright rebuilding them so they’re actually worth living in.”

  “They’d probably just attract the same losers,” she remarked pessimistically.

  “Maybe. Maybe not. Either way, I‘m glad I ran into you. Small world! And looks like I spotted you at just the right time.” Changing the subject, he raised his brow while motioning to his waiting limousine and asked, “Care for a ride home?”

  She’d never ridden in a limo before and fought the urge to say yes. Her building was less than two hundred yards away, but more importantly, she still didn’t know this man. Sure, he’d just helped her chase off one predator, but for all she knew he could be an entirely different breed of one. His kindness could just be an act, and he may very well be hiding some ulterior motive. While he seemed harmless enough, she’d grown up in the slums and had learned to keep her defenses up at an early age. She opted to play things safe and pass on his offer.

  “Thanks, but live right there anyway,” she answered politely while pointing towards a dirty white apartment house just down the street.

  “Let me walk you the rest of the way, then,” he insisted. “It would be my pleasure.”

  She didn’t have much of a walk left, but she was worried the troublemaker would return. He clearly wanted nothing to do with the muscular man who’d chased him off, and with that in mind Eva decided to let the wealthy stranger accompany her home.

  “Sure,” she shrugged.

  “One second,” he mouthed to his driver while holding up his index finger. The chauffer nodded his head in understanding and gave a thumbs-up.

  “I really do feel awful about what happened at the restaurant earlier,” Devon confessed as the two set off on the short walk. “Pretty sure it’s the most embarrassing thing I’ve ever done.” After a brief paused he said with a chuckle, “Actually, that’s not true. I embarrass myself all the time. I’m a bit awkward sometimes.”

  “I know the feeling,” Eva giggled back. “And I’m sure I was way more embarrassed than you. “Devon, right?” she asked while feigning coyness. She knew damn well what his name was, but she wasn’t about to let on that she’d been thinking about him, let alone carrying the note he’d left her.

  “That’s right,” he said, pausing in his tracks. Eva stopped walking as well and turned to face him. “How rude of me,” he went on. “I haven’t even properly introduced myself! See? I told you I was awkward. I’m Devon Cross,” he smiled as he extended a large hand.

  “Eva Johnson,” she replied, returning his introduction by placing her small hand in his. As they shook, she could feel his combination of strength and tenderness and her knees trembled ever so slightly. She also noted that he wasn’t wearing a wedding ring.

  “Nice to meet you,” he grinned affectionately at her, his eyes looking even more blue in the afternoon sun.

  “Likewise, and don’t feel too bad about earlier,” she started as they began walking again. “Seriously, it was just an unfortunate accident. Shit happens. Thank you for the note, by the way. And that tip was way too generous.” The words had just escaped her mouth when she suddenly realized that she wasn’t just carrying his note, but the three hundred dollars he’d left for her as well. Reaching for her back pocket, she exclaimed, “Oh! Speaking of which, let me give that back to you. It was way too much and—”

  “Nonsense!” he stopped her. “You’re keeping every dime. There’s one condition, though…” He trailed off, and Eva felt her heart pounding in her chest as her mind flooded with the worst kind of thoughts.

  This is it, she thought. Here comes the part where he asks me for sex. Rich, fake asshole thinks he can buy me—

  “Let me come see you at work tomorrow.” He interrupted her thought. “My breakfast was delicious this morning, and I sure wouldn’t mind seeing you again,” he added with a playful wink.

  She instantly felt horrible for having leapt to such a misguided conclusion. She’d been expecting some lurid proposition, but once again the man had been proven to be nothing but sweet. She had been seconds away from throwing the money in his face and telling him where to go, and she thanked herself for holding back long enough to hear him out.

  “I’m not going to be there tomorrow,” she said, making a point to avoid his eyes. She was ashamed of how she’d misjudged him, and also ashamed of having lost her job. Devon Cross was clearly successful, and she didn’t want him to perceive her as some sort of failure. She barely knew the man, yet for some reason his opinion of her actually mattered. She already felt lousy enough having pointed out her dilapidated apartment building.

  “I’ll come the day after that, then!” he shot back enthusiastically. There was clearly no dissuading him, and she knew he wasn’t going to let this go.

  “Listen,” she began slowly. “Don’t feel bad about this because it totally wasn’t your fault, but… I kind of… got fired today.”

  “What?” Devon gasped, his eyes wide with shock. “Jesus, because of me? Ugh, please tell me you’re joking. God, I’m such an idiot sometimes.” He smacked his forehead and rolled his eyes, looking genuinely upset with the news. “I’m so sorry, I didn’t—”

  “Hey, hey, hey!” she barked, her raised voice successfully silencing him. “I told you, it wasn’t your fault. It’s honestly been a long time coming. My boss has always been kind of a dick, and we just never got along. Not your fault. Mine,” she pointed a finger at her chest in emphasis.

  “Eh,” he began, visibly troubled. “Still. Me plowing into you earlier probably didn’t help. Look, if I find a way to make everything right, then can I see you again?”

  “Make everything right how?” she asked with a skeptically raised eyebrow.

  “I’m resourceful. I’ll figure something out,” he shook his head with a far away look that hinted he was already formulating some sort of plan. His gaze snapped back to her and he readdressed the situation. “I’ll make things okay, and then you’ll see me again, right?”

  “Maybe,” she replied with a half smile, trying to appear playful while silently deliberating whether or not she even wanted to see this man again. Looking past his obvious good looks and seemingly kind heart, he wasn’t exactly the type of guy she envisioned herself winding up with. She wanted a modest life and although he appeared humble so far, a hugely successful businessman flew in direct opposition of her dreams. She was hesitant to commit to anything, and was saved by the two of them having reached her stoop. Devon looked her building up and down and, as usual, spoke to her with earnestness in his voice.

  “Well, this is a quaint little place.”

  “Yeah, right,” she scoffed. Had he not sounded so sincere, she would have thought he was being sarcastic. “This place is a dump… but thank you for lying,” she quipped with a
laugh.

  “Well, I haven’t seen the inside, but from the outside it doesn’t look so bad. It has a certain… charm.”

  “If you call having three locks on your door ‘charm,’” she fired comically.

  “I’m glad we got to talk,” he blurted. “Thank you for letting me walk you home, and if I can fix things, I’d like to take you out to dinner,” he mumbled bashfully.

  “We’ll see,” she chuckled. “You have a nice day, Devon Cross,” she smiled at him as she stepped inside and closed the door behind her. Peeking out the window, Eva watched him stroll back to his limousine while she stood trying to figure out what to make of this man. He was clearly wealthy, yet unlike the typical elitists who frequented Bon Appétit, he didn’t come across as a snob and didn’t seem to let his money define him. He liked her, that much she was certain of, but she had no idea why and that was something that troubled her. Given his bank account, charm, model physique, and handsome face, surely he had no problem attracting women. If he could get anyone he wanted, then why was he interested in her? That flashed as a warning sign to Eva, as did how blatantly his lifestyle contrasted with her ideals. No, as tempting as it was, she resolved to skip dinner and let this be the last she ever saw of Devon Cross.

  Upstairs, Burley greeted her at the door in the usual fashion. Tail wagging and tongue flapping, he excitedly ran small circles around her as she lovingly asked him how his day was. Leashing him and leading him outside to do his business, they quickly returned to her apartment where she gave him the treat he’d earned by being such a good boy. After checking his food and water situation, she poured herself a glass of iced tea and plopped down on her floral 1970’s couch to flip on the television. She’d change out of her uniform in a bit, but for now she needed a few moments to unwind and soak in the events of her extremely interesting day. She’d been fired, almost assaulted, and asked out by a gorgeous yet admittedly awkward rich guy all in the course of a few hours. It was a lot to process, and with Burley curled up on the sofa next to her, she wrapped an arm around him, closed her eyes, and put her head back to replay the occurrences in her mind.