Page 2 of Billionaire Devil

Jess’s name pops up on the screen. My bestie from home, who grew up a few houses down from mine. We also went to UCLA together. I majored in fashion and she majored in film.

“Hey, Jess.”

“Hi, honey. How’s life? You haven’t called me in over a week, just saying.”

“Sorry. I’ve been so busy.” Just hearing her voice makes me pine for familiarity. I’m surprised to feel the slightest sting behind my eyes. God, I really must be strung out.

Jessie is like a sister to me. We were both only children, both raised by single moms. The difference is, hers is alive and well and thriving as a Hollywood casting director. Mine got sprinkled into the ocean, which she made me promise I would do, months before she had any idea she would drop dead of a sudden brain aneurism in the middle of a regular Tuesday afternoon.

Reading my voice like only Jess can, she comments, “You sound tired.”

“I am, a little,” I admit.

“Well, the good news is, you’re about to get a vacation.”

“Yeah, right.” I exhale a light laugh. “I can’t take a vacation.”

“You have to. I’m getting married.”

“What?” I splutter. “To who?”

“Remember the guy I was telling you about a few months ago?”

“The hot tech guy you met at that beach party?”

“Yes. His name is Jacob.”

“But…you’remarryinghim?”

“We’ve seen a lot of each other over the past three months and, well, the thing is…”

Her pause goes on just a little too long. “The thing is what, Jess?”

“I’m pregnant.”

I’m speechless for a couple of seconds. “Holy shit, Jess.” Jessie has always wanted kids. It’s been a dream of hers for as long as I’ve known her.

“I know. It’s a lot. But I’m happy. It feels like it’s meant to be.”

“It’s a littlesudden.” I’m about to say,you barely even know the guy, but it’s hardly going to be helpful right now to point that out.

“Yeah. It is sudden. It just kind of happened. It was a shock. We used condoms and everything, but one of them must have broken. I like him so much and he’s been so incrediblyniceabout the whole thing. He’s sweet and caring—and hot and also loaded—and we both know those attributes don’t converge in one human being very often. He’s basically perfect. And then the look on his face when I told him my period was late…he wasexcited, Lila. Not scared or spooked or trying to worm his way out of anything. His reaction really made me want to…I don’t know, just gowith it. His parents are still married and they still live in their family home in Mendocino. We went up there last month and he introduced me to his whole family. He’s got twoolder brothers and his parents were so welcoming and they’re all sonormal, Lila. He’s stable and…real. Not like every loser I’ve ever dated—and God knows there have been plenty of them. He has a house in Malibu. Anamazinghouse. With a view of the ocean. And then two nights ago he got down on one knee out of the blue and he asked me to marry him. With a big-ass diamond ring. So I said yes. We want to do it soon. We want to do it before I start to show and we can’t see any reason to wait.”

Maybe so you can get to know each other?I want to say. But the truth is, I’ve barely talked to Jessie for months. I’ve been too busy to make the time to chat for hours, which is what we always end up doing.

I mean, maybe itispossible to make decisions like this on the fly if it feels right. How wouldIknow? The only man I’ve ever connected with was too busy connecting with every other female within a three-mile radius to even notice me. I’m hardly the best judge of these things. “Wow, Jess. I’m so happy for you. If you’re really sure.”

“I’m sure I want to have this baby. And so is he. We just…clicked. Before this even happened. I don’t know if I’ve ever felt this excited in my entire life, Lila. For all of it. So I figure that’s a good sign.”

“Yeah. It must be a good sign. This is amazing.”

I can tell she’s crying. “I know, right? Who would have thought I’d be married and knocked up before I even turn twenty-four? Will you come? Will you be my maid of honor, Lila? I can’t do this without you.”

“Next Saturday? Way to give a girl some advanced warning, honey.”

“I know. It’s quick. Please please please come, Lila. I need you there.”

“Of course I’ll come.” I actually do have some time off accumulated at the boutique since I haven’t taken a single day off for the whole year. I’m owed two weeks, in fact. My boss at my waitressing job is laid back enough to also give me time off, at least I hope he is. Even if he isn’t, it hardly matters. I can’t exactly say things have worked out for me here in New York. I haven’t even come close to achieving a single one of my goals. I’m still stuck in this overpriced limbo that involves styling billionaires’ wives whose faces are pumped so full of Botox they look like they’re made of plastic, and whose only fashion consideration is flaunting price tags to their equally-obscenely-loaded friends.

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