Pretending with the Billionaire

Mia's POV

“Miss Jones. We kindly request that you make the full payment of 1.530U$$ by October 27th, which is Seven days from the date of this letter. Failure to pay the outstanding balance by the given deadline will result in further legal action being taken.”

I read out loud the letter one more time before wrinkling it and throwing it to the trash can. That was the letter that changed everything for me. I had to accept that my “dream job” was not making me enough earnings for me to keep my independence.

My parents did not object last week when I asked if I could go back to live with them, my sisters did not oppose either. So why was I bitter about this? Ah, yes, my aspirations of becoming an independent woman.

I believe reading unlocks the soul. If I could, I’d read every day. I’d remain in my own little world, filling my thoughts with new stories and adventures. Yes, that’d be something.

Sadly, I have to make a living. But as the old saying goes, do what you love and you’ll never work a day in your life. So until I make enough money to do as I please, working at the local town library will have to suffice for now. I also have to help home. I know mom and dad are struggling, I need to make ends meet with them too.

I’ve worked at the Greenbrooke Library for the past four years. The library has become my safe haven, my home away from home. The head librarian, Mrs. Radcliffe, retired as soon as I was hired and ever since I have been trying to prove that I can be the next head librarian.

My job consists mostly of taking inventory and caring for the books. Every now and then I’ll find a book that’s been badly beaten up and I’ll get out my fix-it kit and go to work making it look brand new again.

Today I found myself walking the aisles of the library, rearranging books and making sure everything was in its place when suddenly I heard the doors to the library open. I made my way to the front desk so I could greet the newcomer when in he walked.

Jake Carter, my childhood best friend and long time crush. He was dreamy. He had the most perfect brown hair I’d ever seen, and he always wore the latest fashion trends. My heart fluttered when I saw him, and I quickly walked over to talk with him.

“Hey superstar.” That was Jake and his cool-guy voice. “How’s it going?”

I smiled at him. “Shh.” I said, putting one finger to my lips. “Must I remind you that this is a library?”

“Right.” Jake smiled. “My bad.”

“So,” I started fidgeting with a few trinkets on my desk. “What brings you here? Do you need a book?”

“Nah.” Jake shook his head. “You know I’m not much of a reader.”

“Yeah.” I said, shaking my head. “So what is it, then?”

Jake smiled at me with an easy charm. “I was wondering if you wanted to see a movie later.”

“Really?” I lit up. “Which one?”

“I don’t know.” Jake shrugged. “Rachel’s supposed to pick this time.”

Rachel was Jake’s girlfriend. I had only hung out with her a few times. She was an absolute imbecile. I couldn’t understand why someone like Jake could ever go out with a girl like her. She was also a bully to me when we were just a few years younger at school. I just didn’t get it.

I expressed my disappointment with a simple "Oh. She’s coming too?”

“Of course!” Jake smiled. “This whole thing was her idea.”

“Why?” I suddenly felt annoyed, as I stacked a few books.

“Come on, don’t be like that,” Jake was sensing my mood. “She really wants to get to know you better. Do it for me, please?”

Jake poked his bottom lip out and pouted. I rolled my eyes and continued to stack books that needed to be returned to their shelves.

“I can’t.” I looked around. “I’ve got too much to do around here.”

“Oh, come on.” Jake pleaded. “What could you possibly have to do that’s so time consuming?”

“Are you kidding?” I folded my arms. “Look at this place. I bet you wouldn’t last one hour running a facility as large as this.”

Jake sighed and nodded as he looked around. The Greenbrooke Library was huge. It was two stories high with a coffee shop on the second floor, and there was even a garden out back where people could sit and read as they enjoyed the nature around them. I only had one assistant but she was hardly ever in because of her many doctor’s appointments.

“Fine, but you owe me.” Jake pointed a finger at me. He was serious. “Next time I want to do something you have to go. We haven’t hung out in weeks! You’re always here, spending all your time with books instead of people.”

I chuckled. “Books don’t disappoint me.” I said, righteously.

“Yeah, right.” Jake rolled his eyes. “What about that book that you finished last week? You threw a fit when you read the ending.”

“Who kills the main character in the last chapter?” I argued.

Jake and I went back and forth for a while. This was what I enjoyed about us. We were practically the same person. It’s why we got along so well. I wished he could see how good we would be together. It was a miracle we’d been friends for the last twenty years and never so much as shared an accidental kiss. What was I missing?

“But seriously, I’m worried about you. You spend all your time here at the library. When do you ever get out and get some fresh air?”

“I’m fine.” I turned around, brushing him off. “I like spending all my time here.”

“That’s what worries me.” Jake said with concern. “Just take care of yourself, okay?”

“Always.” I nodded.

Jake gave me one last smile before leaving. I watched him as he walked through the double doors of the library. I imagined for a second that he was my boyfriend, leaving after bringing me lunch in the late afternoon. He’d pester me about skipping meals and ask me if I’d had enough water today. It felt nice.

My daydream was cut short as another set of feet came walking through the front doors of the library. It was Tom Pippins, the town mayor and also my boss. Tom was accompanied by a man I had never met before. He was probably the most handsome man I’d ever seen. Not because his facial features were so unique, but because he was so well groomed. He wore a tailored blue suit, and his brown hair was combed and styled just right.

“Afternoon Ms. Jones.” Mayor Pippins said to me as they approached the front desk. “I’d like you to meet a good friend of mine, Mr. Ethan Black.”

“Hello.” The handsome man extended his hand out to shake mine.

“Hello.” I got stuck in his eyes. They were piercing and I felt something inside me ignite as our hands met. He must have felt it too because he suddenly looked confused. I quickly pulled my hand away and tried my best to compose myself.

“Ms. Jones is Greenbrooke’s temporary head librarian.” Mayor Pippins said to Mr. Ethan Black. “We haven’t yet found the right replacement.”

“Well, I’m already doing all the work.” I responded sarcastically. “You could just make me the head librarian.”

Mayor Pippins laughed nervously and gave me a polite smile.

“Ms. Jones, we’ve talked about this.” He said. “You have to have experience in the role in order to qualify.”

“Right.” I was slightly annoyed, but I knew better than to cause a scene in front of a stranger.

“Employees, am I right?” Mayor Pippins said, nudging Mr. Ethan Black with his elbow.

“So.” I said, growing more annoyed. “What brings you in today, Mayor Pippins?”

“Oh, Mia, please.” Mayor Pippins laughed. “I’ve told you, call me Tom. Mayor Pippins is much too formal.”

I wanted so badly to roll my eyes, but I refrained. I don’t know why Mayor Pippins was acting so strange, but I distinctly remember being told never to call him by his first name. I didn’t know what he was playing at, but it was clear that he was desperate to impress this Ethan Black fellow.

“Mr. Black is an investor with an expertise in real estate.” Mayor Pippins continued. “He’s looking to invest here in Greenbrooke, so I’m personally showing him around town.”

“How thoughtful.” I started wondering what Mayor Pippins was up to, this was so very not like him.

Mayor Pippins was harmless for the most part, but he did have a sneaky side. I hoped he wasn’t up to something, but all I could do was be polite and smile.

“If you don’t mind, we’re going to walk around a bit.” Mayor Pippins said.

“Fine by me.” I replied. “Just remember the rules.”

“The rules?” Mayor Pippins asked, confused.

I pointed to a sign in the corner of my desk that had a picture of a sleeping lamb. It only had one word on it: Shhhh.

“Oh, right.” Mayor Pippins put a finger to his mouth. “We’ll make sure we don’t disturb anyone.”

Mayor Pippins and Mr. Ethan Black trailed off down one of the aisles, whispering to each other. I couldn’t hear what they were saying but, honestly, I didn’t care. I just wanted to get back to my books.

I made my way down each aisle with a cart full of books. I could hear Mayor Pippins a few rows over, making up false stories about the town’s history. I shook my head and continued to put books away. I had one bluetooth headphone in my left ear, playing jazz music as I took my time putting the books back. This was my therapy. I was halfway through my cart when I heard a man’s voice behind me.

“Excuse me.” The voice said.

I turned around to find Mr. Ethan Black standing behind me. I took my earbud out so I could hear him fully.

“Oh. Hello, Mr. Black.” I was confused. “Is something wrong?”

“You can just call me Ethan.” He said bashfully.

“Alright, Ethan.” I started. “Where’s Mayor Pippins?”

“He’s getting coffee from the cafe.” Ethan said. “I thought I’d come back to talk to you while he was distracted.”

“Okay.” I perked a brow. This was suspicious. “What did you want to talk about?”

“Well, Mayor Pippins is trying to sell the library.” He said and didn’t seem at all guilty.

“What?!” I almost yelled.

Ethan put a finger up to his mouth and playfully shushed me. I rolled my eyes, wondering if he was purposefully trying to get a rise out of me.

“How do you know that?” I asked more quietly.

“Because he wants me to buy it.” Ethan stated this matter-of-factly. “Apparently he wants to move the library to a much smaller building across town and turn this place into a shopping outlet.”

“A shopping outlet?” I said, not even bothering to hide my judgmental expression. “That’s the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard.”

“Not necessarily. A shopping outlet would bring more money to Greenbrooke, not to mention more jobs.”

“Why are you telling me this?” I asked.

“Because.” Ethan said, his eyes locked on mine as he smiled. “You seem like you really care about this place. I wanted to give you a chance to convince me.”

“Convince you?” It shocked me that he could be this arrogant.

“Sure,” he said. “At the end of the day, I’ve got enough money to do as I please. Unfortunately, I’ve lost some of the passion that I once had. So convince me. Tell me why you think this place should stay open.”

“You’re an ass.” I pushed my cart as I walked away.

“Excuse me?” Ethan said, following behind me chuckling. “I’m trying to do a nice thing here and I’m the ass?”

I couldn’t believe this was happening. How could Mayor Pippins be so careless? Didn’t he know how important the library was to Greenbrooke? Didn’t he know how much we all needed this place? The library was the heart and soul of the town!

“If you need convincing, then you clearly don’t understand the value of a place like this.” I turned back around to face him.

Ethan and I stood still, eyes locked in a battle of power. I wasn’t going to back off, and I dared him to try and make me. After a few seconds he smirked, backing away.

“Well, I guess that was as good an answer as I can get. I think I’ve made my decision.” He turned around and walked down the aisle, disappearing behind the shelves. I took in a deep breath, realizing I hadn’t allowed myself to breathe at all. Did I just screw up and upset the wrong person? The smallest glimpse of independence I had was going to banish if the library was gone from here.

I left my cart of books and stormed off to the women’s restroom. I paced angrily, back and forth. Who did that Ethan guy think he was? How dare he come to Greenbrooke and try to change our town? He had no right! I went over to the sink and splashed some cold water on my face. I dried off with a paper towel and stared at myself in the mirror for a brief moment.

'I’m okay.' I said to myself. 'I don’t let life happen to me. I live every day on purpose because I am capable of anything.'

I repeated those words to myself over and over until I believed them. My grandfather used to repeat that phrase to me all the time when I was younger. After his passing, those words became my mantra, and I lived religiously by them.

I took another look in the mirror. I didn’t like what I saw, but I told myself it didn’t matter. I didn’t need to like my appearance to be a good person. I just needed to do good. Is it too late to convince the mystery man not to destroy the library?