The Billionaire Bum by Samantha Blair Page A

when you have no idea what’s going on.”
    “Silly Alissa. Of course I can. Number one, I know you, and I know how you over-react.
    Remember that time in high school when you hid in the janitor’s closet for two days because you thought Eric Lerner was going to ask you to that dance?” She shot me a death glare, but she kept her mouth shut. She knew I was right.
    “Number two, I spoke to you three days ago, and at that time Jackson Hayes was not in the picture, which means that you met him either today or yesterday. Nothing could have possibly happened in two days to merit that kind of reaction. You’re freaking out over nothing.”
    “I am not freaking out over nothing,” she defended. “I am freaking out because I just discovered that everything I know to be true about that beautiful, funny, warm, thoughtful, homeless, superhero is a lie. I wanted it to be true, Lexy. I never wanted anything to be true so badly in my life.”
    I rolled my eyes. What a drama queen.
    “Listen to me, Alissa. If I hadn’t walked in here and told you who he was, you would be busy gushing over him right now. The only thing that has changed is that you know he has money. I know you well enough to know that the money doesn’t matter to you, which means that it’s fear that is driving this reaction. You’re afraid that you won’t be good enough for him, because you have always felt that way about yourself. So what if he’s rich? Clearly you had a good thing going, and I’m not about to let you screw this up just because you’ve decided that he’s out of your league. Now get your damn ass out of bed and explain to me how in the hell you met Jackson Hayes.”

    Alissa
    God she’s pushy. She’s probably right though. I am being a bit on the over-dramatic side.
    I just… well, I don’t even know. I had no idea that one person could have such a strong effect on me. What is wrong with me?
    My head hurt from the crying, and I felt more tired than I should. I asked Lexy to get some coffee, and then I settled in to tell her the whole story. She remained pretty quiet through the whole thing, which surprised me, and then she studied me carefully for a few minutes after I finished.
    “That has to be the most bizarre thing I’ve ever heard,” she finally said. “Jackson Hayes in dirty clothes, smelling like a homeless shelter, and looking like he was in a fight. That makes no sense at all.”
    “I know, right?” I said. “He’s a total stinking mystery. I was completely convinced that he was a homeless bum until you waltzed in here and told me that he was a billionaire.”
    “And he came back to go to the market with you today?” I nodded my head to show that she had it right.
    “Well,” she said thoughtfully, “there’s only one logical explanation. When he met you, he was behaving like someone else – only God knows why - and he liked you more than he thought he would. He’s afraid that he’ll lose you if he tells you who he really is, so he’s keeping up the pretense. He wants you to like him, and he’s afraid that you’ll reject him when you find out the truth.”
    I looked at her like she had grown a second head. “Lexy, that is the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard. First of all, why would he be pretending to be someone else? Secondly, he does not like me, he likes my French toast, and he probably feels sorry for me. And third, he can’t possibly fear rejection. He could have any woman he wants.”
    “I’m telling you, Alissa,” she said. “He would not have come back today if he wasn’t interested in you. There are a lot of pieces to this story that don’t make sense yet, but there’s only one way to separate the truth from the lies. You have to make him be honest with you.” I stared at her dumbfounded. My head was spinning. Lexy thought he liked me, but what did she know? I couldn’t just call him out on it.
    “So here’s the plan, Alissa. You’re going to go downstairs and finish your lunch