Page 29 of The Billionaire's Wife

Lilly’s mouth drops open, and Alec grins. I clasp my hands over my mouth in delighted shock. It takes Aiden a second longer to fully comprehend. “What?” he asks, glancing between Olivia and Asher.

“We’re having a baby,” Asher clarifies with a laugh.

“Holy shit!” Aiden yells, jumping up and crossing the deck. He leans down to pull Olivia into a hug, and then turns and gives one to Asher.

“Congratulations, you guys,” Alec says. “That’s incredible.”

“We’re really excited,” Olivia says with a huge grin.

Aiden returns to his spot next to Lilly, pulling her in for a side hug. I glance to Alec, but he isn’t looking at me. Instead, his gaze is pinned on Asher and Olivia. How the two of them are gazing at each other, full of excitement and love. The way Asher puts his hand on Olivia’s back, rubbing gently. Is that … sadness I see in Alec’s eyes. Longing? For the first time, I wonder how this week has been for him. To be around three loving couples—two of them his brothers—and not have that for himself. Has it been hard? I feel selfish for only considering it now. Because while Alec and I have spent some steamy moments together, that’s certainly not love. Right?

My mind flits back to what Julia had told me this morning. How she could tell there was something there. And while she might be right on my end, I have no idea what’s going on in Alec’s mind.

We dock at the port early the next morning, and I’m awoken by Alec quietly gathering his stuff up in his suitcase. We’d spent last night in bed together, and this morning, as he gets up, leaving his side cold and empty, I wonder if I’ll ever find myself lying next to him again. But I quickly shove the thought from my mind as I get up as well and begin getting ready.

Half an hour later, we’re all up in the main cabin with our suitcases and belongings, saying our goodbyes to Marcus and Julia.

“This was such a wonderful time,” Marcus says. “So glad you all could join us. We’ll be in touch about the company logistics early next week,” he assures the guys.

Julia catches my eye as we’re leaving the boat, reaching out to brush a reassuring hand across my arm. “Good luck,” she says quietly, and I simply smile and nod.

The flight back to Seattle is uneventful. Tired from the trip, most of us either end up napping or on our phones. I wish there was a truly private place for Alec and I to talk, but there isn’t. When we land, I say my goodbyes to everyone.

“It was so nice to meet you, Ella,” Olivia says.

“Good luck with vet school,” Lilly wishes me.

The guys wish me luck as well, and then Alec and I head to his car. I glance at him surreptitiously as he starts the car, an awkwardness settling over us. Because now …

Now that the vacation is over, now that the mission was completed, the merger is on … what are we?

Had you asked me this question before the vacation, I’d have told you we would be nothing. We’d go back to the way things were before and never speak of this, and I’d be a hundred grand richer. But now? After everything that’s happened? It feels wrong to say we’re nothing. But it feels terrifying to say we’re not.

Alec drives me to my apartment in silence, and that silence becomes more and more suffocating the closer we get. He parks outside my building and helps me carry my things up the steps and to my front door. We stop in front of it, awkwardly shuffling.

It’s then that he offers me a small smile. “We did it,” he says quietly. “Thank you, again. I mean it. You really saved me by doing this.”

I nod, staring up at him. And while I want to end this like it was nothing more than a transactional relationship, I can’t help but think about Julia and what she said.

“Yeah,” I say instead. “It was fun.” I want desperately to ask him what we are now. If there will be more, or if everything was just a fling, but the nerves in my stomach stop me. “Oh,” I say, looking down at the diamond ring on my finger. I pull it off. “I should give this back to you.”

He shakes his head. “Keep it. Consider it a part of the deal. You can wear it or sell it or keep it as a memento.”

I raise my eyebrows. “An expensive memento,” I comment.

He shrugs. “You earned it.”

I know he means it to sound kind, but something about it sits uncomfortably inside me. I bite my lip. Is he going to say anything more? Address what went down between us? Or was it all simply nothing to him?

“I’ll see you next week?” he says.

“Next week?” I echo.

“When you come to walk Betty.”

“Oh. Betty. Yes. I’ll see you then,” I reply.

He shoots me one last smile before turning on his heel and walking back down the steps and to his car. I watch him go in silence, trying to ignore the sinking feeling of disappointment in my stomach. I unlock my door and step inside, immediately greeted by an ecstatic Howard.

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