Page 24 of The Billionaire's Wife

“But there’s also something else I’m picking up on,” Olivia adds. She tilts her head, then shrugs. “I don’t know. Vibes.”

I snort. Vibes. Yes, there have definitely been vibes.

“What kind of person does he normally date?” I find myself asking, genuinely curious.

Olivia tilts her head again. “Honestly, he doesn’t date a whole lot.”

“At all?” I question.

She shakes her head. “Not that I know of. Asher said he had a pretty serious relationship years ago but that it ended badly.”

I raise my eyebrows.

“Says he was cheated on and then never really got back out there,” Olivia finishes.

“That’s awful,” I say.

Both Olivia and Lilly nod.

“If you ask me, he’s due for a relationship,” Lilly says. “A real one.” She gives me another look that I can’t quite decipher. Is that hope I see in there? Is she suggesting that this fake marriage of ours could somehow turn real? But there’s no way. No way Alec would want a wife like me. Sure, I can play the part, but I’m decidedly not the part. And there’s a difference.

Suddenly frustrated by this new train of thought, I turn away, flipping over on the beach towel and lying on my stomach. Olivia and Lilly fall into conversation beside me, mentioning shops in town they want to explore before heading back on the boat later today.

I press the side of my face against the beach towel and close my eyes, feeling the soft rays of sun soaking into my back. I take a deep breath, pushing all thoughts out of my head and trying my hardest not to think about Alec King.

Chapter 15

Ella

At the end of the day, the group of us saunters back on the boat, sun kissed and happily exhausted from a day on the beach. We eat dinner, sit around on the deck as the sun sets, sipping drinks and chatting, and two by two, each of the couples retire to their rooms as the night wears on.

Aiden and Lilly are the last to leave us, Aiden finishing his last drink and setting the empty glass on the table. “That’s it for me tonight,” he says, glancing sideways at Lilly, who shoots him a look that says she agrees.

They stand, pushing their chairs back.

“Goodnight, guys,” Alec says. “See you in the morning.”

“Goodnight,” I call as the two of them head off, Aiden’s arm slung around Lilly’s shoulder.

The lights from the dock glisten off the dark water below. Alec and I are left in nothing but the dim glow of the lights inside the cabin. The breeze on the deck is cool, ruffling my hair as I stare out at the vast darkness of the ocean.

“Did you have a good day?” Alec asks quietly from beside me.

“Yeah,” I reply with a smile, turning to meet his gaze. “It was a great day.” We hold eye contact for just a second longer than necessary, and I know what we’re both thinking about.

I clear my throat, looking back out at the ocean. “So do you think that this merger with Marcus is still going to happen?” I ask.

“Almost a hundred percent,” Alec answers. “I mean, the odds were already pretty high, but after these last few days, I think everyone is hitting it off incredibly well.”

I nod in agreement. “Strange way to do business,” I say with a laugh. “Cruising through the Caribbean.” I take a sip of my drink.

Alec chuckles. “Well, that’s how the rich get things done.”

I raise my eyebrows. “Ah, the rich.”

He snorts. “Having not come from money, I still find myself mocking the whole culture.”

“Oh, it’s very mockable,” I agree, nodding. “Like the amount of money you pay me just to walk your dog. I’m not complaining, just observing,” I tease, smirking.

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