Page 32 of Marrying the Billionaire

Serena

Irouse myself out of bed at eight, the earliest I’ve woken in the six days I’ve been here, but I still somehow manage to miss Archer as I head into the kitchen.

“But it’s Saturday.” I blink stupidly at Lori, who merely smiles in response.

“He works a half day at the office on Saturdays, then usually comes home and works some more. Unless there’s a special event, he doesn’t deviate from that schedule.”

I chew my bottom lip, watching as she gets the ingredients out for a tomato and spinach omelet. I’ve gotten spoiled with her cooking for me. “What about Sundays?”

“He exercises from six to seven, then gets ready for the day and leaves at seven-thirty. That’s every day, mind you.” She cracks two eggs in a bowl and beats them lightly with a fork as butter melts on the heated skillet. “On Sundays, he usually holes up in his office until I leave.”

“What does he do for fun?”

She shakes her head, smirking. “Archer doesn’t do fun. Or, rather, working is his version of it.”

Well, on the upside, I only have to compete with one thing then.

“You’ve been asking an awful lot of questions about him over the last week.” She pours the egg mixture in the pan. “Are you looking to spend more time with him?”

I glance up, her dark eyes focused on me, and I squirm in my seat, sure she’s able to see right through me. “I, um, just want to get to know him. He’s my husband.”

She nods, poking at the omelet with her spatula. “Serena, I’m going to say this with all the love in my heart, because I really like you.”

I wipe my palms on my shirt, afraid of what’ll come out of her mouth. “Okay.”

“Archer might be your husband, but be careful thinking you’re his wife.”

I take a moment to process her words, mulling them over. “Am I that obvious?”

She smiles, something maternal in it that eases me. “Not to him. He’s an incredibly intelligent man, but not when it comes to things like this. It’s going to take a while for it to really sink in he’s married, whether it’s for show or not. And longer for the wayyouwant to be married.”

I trace circles on the counter in front of me with my finger. “Do you think that could happen? The way I want it to?”

She adds the tomato and spinach into my omelet, folding it over. “Be patient with him,” she says, not really answering my question.

I can be patient, though. I have for this long.

I eat breakfast and head out to the animal shelter, where it’s bath day for half the dogs. I help Sabrina wrangle them up and spray them down, laughing as Petey tries to catch the water in his mouth. I’m a stinking, soaking mess by the end, but that comes with the territory.

I stop by my desk upstairs, remembering I have a change of clothes tucked away for situations like this. Oh, and it’s a Michael Kors dress. Won’t be telling Dad about this one.

Now that I have Archer’s credit card, though, I could replenish my closet. I’ve exhausted all the gowns Dad allowed me to keep with the three events we attended this week. But I did take that trip for lingerie and sleepwear already…

I’ll wait till we have another event we’re attending to buy anything else. In the meantime, I should start on the benefit I want to plan for the shelter. Looks like we’ll need those donations now.

Mackenzie’s office isn’t too far of a walk, but I’m still sweating slightly as I open the shop door, the fresh fragrance of flowers hitting my nose. The air conditioning feels heavenly as I pause to sniff a bouquet of roses, my favorite flower.

“Hi, can I help- Oh, it’s you,” the dark-haired woman from behind the register says, her face taking on a panicked expression. “Serena, right? What are you doing here?”

Am I not allowed to be here or something? “I wanted to book Mackenzie for a fundraising-”

I stop as I peer into her glass office, her head thrown back in laughter, the man in there with her smiling fondly at her. And it’s not just any man.

It’s my ex-fiancee.

“Is that Gabriel?”

“Um…” The woman trails off, clearly uncomfortable with whatever’s going on.

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