Billionaire's Unexpected Joy

Amy Meyer couldn't stop smiling as she gazed around the rooftop lounge of Skyline, one of the most exclusive venues in the city. Twinkling string lights crisscrossed overhead, the city's skyline glittered against the night, and her three best friends were raising their glasses to her twenty-eighth birthday.

"To Amy," Carmen said, her dark eyes sparkling. "May this year bring you everything you deserve."

"And maybe someone deserving of you," Sarah added with a suggestive wink.

Amy rolled her eyes but clinked her glass against theirs. "I had absolutely no idea you were planning this. Seriously, when did you even have time?"

"Two days of frantic planning," Natalie admitted, tucking a strand of auburn hair behind her ear. "But seeing your face when we walked in was worth every panicked phone call."

"I've wanted to come here for ages," Amy said, taking in the elegant space. The outdoor section of the rooftop was comfortably warm despite the evening breeze, thanks to strategically placed heaters. "How did you even get a reservation? This place is impossible."

"One of my clients owns the building," Natalie said with a modest shrug. "Being the city's top realtor has its perks."

The four women had been inseparable since sophomore year of high school, each now successful in her own right. Natalie Porter had built a thriving real estate business while raising her toddler son Lucas with her engineer husband. Carmen Diaz owned Sabor, a restaurant that had quickly become the hottest reservation in town, and was happily settled with her partner Leo Morgan, who was fifteen years her senior. Sarah Dawson, with her sleek blonde bob and killer instinct, dominated commercial real estate and maintained a policy of "no strings attached" in her romantic life.

Then there was Amy—dance instructor at her brother Andrew's studio by day, fitness and wellness YouTuber with nearly a quarter million subscribers by night, and perpetually single since The Disaster.

"Earth to Amy," Sarah waved a hand in front of her face. "You disappeared on us for a minute there."

"Sorry," Amy said. "Just thinking about how lucky I am to have you three in my life. Especially after everything with Ethan."

The mood shifted slightly at the mention of her ex. None of them liked to bring up the man who had dated Amy for three years, appeared in dozens of her most popular videos, then cheated on her with a coworker before marrying said coworker barely three months later.

"Have you thought about finally taking down those videos?" Carmen asked gently.

Amy shook her head. "They still get the most views and ad revenue. My bank account appreciates them even if my heart doesn't."

"Speaking of appreciation," Sarah said, clearly trying to lighten the mood, "I appreciate that waiter over there. Think he'd like to help me celebrate your birthday later?"

"You're incorrigible," Natalie laughed.

"I'm going to get another round," Amy announced, standing up. "Same for everyone?"

"Birthday girl doesn't fetch drinks," Carmen protested.

"Please, I need to move. Too much sitting makes the dance instructor in me restless."

Before anyone could object further, Amy was weaving through the scattered tables toward the bar. Teaching ballet to children six days a week kept her in excellent shape, but she still felt the pleasant burn in her calves from yesterday's advanced class. The dance studio was her sanctuary, the one place where memories of Ethan couldn't touch her—he'd always refused to set foot in there, claiming dance was "not his thing."

Lost in thought, Amy didn't notice the man stepping back from the bar until she collided with him. His drink sloshed over the rim of the glass, splashing onto his clearly expensive watch.

"Oh my god, I'm so sorry!" Amy exclaimed, mortified. She grabbed a napkin from the bar and instinctively reached for his wrist.

"It's water-resistant," the man said, his voice a deep, pleasant rumble. "No harm done."

Amy looked up and momentarily lost her train of thought. The stranger was tall with sandy hair and striking blue eyes that crinkled slightly at the corners. His tailored suit fit him perfectly, and the hint of stubble along his jaw gave him a rugged edge that contrasted with his otherwise polished appearance.

"Still, I should have been watching where I was going," she said, regaining her composure.

"I'm Pierce," he said, extending his hand. "Pierce Harlow."

"Amy Meyer," she replied, shaking his hand. "Can I buy you a replacement drink? It's the least I can do."

Pierce smiled, and something fluttered in Amy's chest. "Only if you'll join me for it. I'm celebrating alone tonight, which is significantly less fun than it sounds."

"What are you celebrating?" she asked, curious despite herself.

"Just closed a deal I've been working on for months. My business partner was supposed to join me, but he canceled last minute."

"His loss," Amy said, then felt her cheeks warm. "I mean—"

"His loss indeed," Pierce agreed, his eyes never leaving hers. "And what brings you to Skyline tonight? Special occasion?"

"My birthday, actually. My friends surprised me."

"Happy birthday," Pierce said. "Let me guess... twenty-five?"

Amy laughed. "Nice try. Twenty-eight."

"Well, twenty-eight looks good on you." He gestured to the bartender. "What are you drinking?"

"The house specialty cocktail. It's called 'Cloud Nine.'"

Pierce ordered two, then turned back to her. "So, birthday girl with friends thoughtful enough to bring her to Skyline. What do you do when you're not being surprised with rooftop celebrations?"

"I teach ballet to children at my brother's dance studio," Amy said. "And I run a fitness and wellness channel on YouTube."

"Impressive," Pierce said, and he seemed to genuinely mean it. "How many subscribers?"

"Just over two hundred thousand."

"Just over two hundred thousand," he repeated with a low whistle. "That's not a small achievement."

The bartender placed their drinks before them, and Pierce raised his glass. "To new acquaintances and birthday celebrations."

Amy clinked her glass against his. "So what kind of business are you in, Pierce?"

"I run Harlow Enterprises. We started in tech development but have diversified into several sectors."

Recognition dawned on Amy's face. "Wait, Harlow Enterprises? The company that just launched that revolutionary clean energy initiative?"

Pierce nodded, looking pleased but not arrogant. "That's us. It's been my passion project for the last two years."

"I read about that in The Economic Times. That's... wow. I'm having a drink with an actual billionaire."

Pierce winced slightly. "I prefer 'entrepreneur' or 'businessman.' The b-word tends to make people act differently."

"Sorry," Amy said. "If it helps, I'm more impressed by the clean energy work than the bank account."

"It does help, actually," Pierce said, his expression softening. "Most people see the money first and everything else second."

"Well, I've never been most people," Amy replied with a small smile.

"I'm getting that impression," Pierce said, his gaze lingering on her face in a way that made her pulse quicken. "So, ballet instructor by day, YouTube sensation by night. Any other hidden talents I should know about?"

"I can touch my nose with my tongue," Amy said without thinking, then immediately wanted to sink through the floor. "That was not what I meant to say."

Pierce burst out laughing, a genuine, warm sound. "Now that's a talent worth seeing."

Amy felt herself relaxing. There was something refreshing about Pierce—despite his obvious wealth and success, he seemed... real. Unpretentious.

"I should probably get back to my friends," she said reluctantly, glancing toward their table where Sarah was unsubtly watching them. "They'll think I've been kidnapped."

"Of course," Pierce said. "I wouldn't want to monopolize your birthday celebration." He hesitated, then pulled out a business card and wrote something on the back. "But if you'd like to continue our conversation another time..."

Amy took the card, noting he'd written his personal number on the back. "I might just take you up on that."

"I hope you do," he said simply.

As Amy walked back to her friends, she felt lighter than she had in months. Maybe even years.

"Who was THAT?" Sarah demanded the moment Amy sat down. "And why aren't you still talking to him?"

"His name is Pierce Harlow," Amy said, trying to sound casual.

"Pierce Harlow?" Carmen's eyes widened. "As in Harlow Enterprises?"

"You know him?" Amy asked, surprised.

"I know OF him," Carmen clarified. "He's practically business royalty. What did he say to you?"

"We just talked," Amy said. "He seems... nice."

"Nice?" Natalie raised an eyebrow. "The man is gorgeous, successful, and clearly interested in you, and all you can say is 'nice'?"

"And he gave me his number," Amy admitted, showing them the card.

"You're calling him," Sarah declared. "Tonight."

"I'm not calling him tonight," Amy protested. "That would seem desperate."

"Fine. Tomorrow then," Sarah conceded. "But you ARE calling him."

Amy twirled the card between her fingers, considering. After Ethan, she'd sworn off relationships, convinced that protecting her heart was more important than risking it again. But something about Pierce's smile, the way he'd listened to her talk about her work with genuine interest...

"Maybe I will," she said finally.

"That's my girl," Sarah grinned, raising her glass. "To new beginnings!"

"To new beginnings," Amy echoed, her gaze drifting back to the bar where Pierce still stood, now on his phone.

As if sensing her attention, he looked up and their eyes met across the crowded rooftop. He smiled, and Amy felt something she hadn't experienced in a very long time: possibility.

She turned back to her friends, but her mind was already racing ahead. Maybe twenty-eight would be her year after all.

---

Pierce Harlow was accustomed to success. He'd built Harlow Enterprises from a promising startup into a global powerhouse before his thirtieth birthday, closed deals that industry experts had deemed impossible, and amassed a fortune that put him on the cover of business magazines worldwide.

What he wasn't accustomed to was being genuinely intrigued by someone he'd just met.

He watched Amy return to her friends, noting the easy way she laughed as the blonde woman—Sarah, he thought he'd heard Amy call her—said something animated. There was something refreshingly authentic about Amy Meyer that stood in stark contrast to the calculated personas he usually encountered.

His phone buzzed with a text from Heidi, the model he'd been casually seeing for the past few months.

Still up for tonight? the message read.

Pierce hesitated, then typed: Something came up. Rain check?

He slipped the phone back into his pocket without waiting for a response. Heidi was beautiful and undemanding, perfect for his usual no-strings approach to dating. But tonight, for reasons he couldn't fully articulate, he wasn't interested in their usual arrangement.

The deal he'd closed today would add another significant division to Harlow Enterprises, expanding their renewable energy portfolio and positioning them at the forefront of the industry's future. It was the kind of achievement that typically filled him with satisfaction—the thrill of the win, the expansion of his vision.

Yet standing here, watching Amy laugh with her friends, he found himself more captivated by the possibility of a phone call than by the multimillion-dollar deal he'd just secured.

It was an unfamiliar feeling, and Pierce Harlow had built an empire by paying attention to the unfamiliar.

He finished his drink, considering his next move. His business partner Owen had canceled their celebration dinner at the last minute, claiming his daughter Hazel had a school emergency. Pierce had decided to come to Skyline anyway, unwilling to let the victory go unmarked.

Now he was glad he had.

He debated approaching Amy's table but decided against it. It was her birthday; he wouldn't intrude on her time with friends. Instead, he settled his tab and added a note for the server to deliver a bottle of champagne to their table with his compliments.

As he prepared to leave, he glanced once more toward Amy. To his surprise, she was walking toward him, a determined expression on her face.

"Leaving so soon?" she asked when she reached him.

"I thought I should let you enjoy your birthday with your friends," Pierce said.

"They're actually insisting I get your full name and verify that the number you gave me isn't fake," Amy admitted with an embarrassed smile. "Sarah thinks you might be too good to be true."

Pierce laughed. "Pierce Alexander Harlow, and the number is definitely real. I was hoping you'd use it."

"I will," Amy said, then added with unexpected boldness, "But why wait? My friends are planning to hit the dance floor soon. Would you like to join us?"

Pierce considered the stack of reports waiting for his review, the early meeting he had scheduled for tomorrow, the countless reasons why extending this evening made no practical sense.

Then he looked at Amy Meyer with her gray-green eyes and genuine smile, and practicality suddenly seemed vastly overrated.

"I'd like that very much," he said, offering her his arm. "Lead the way, birthday girl."

As they walked back to her friends, Pierce had the distinct feeling that his carefully ordered life was about to become considerably more interesting.

And for once, the prospect of unpredictability felt exactly right.