Page 37 of Meeting the Billionaire Boss

After all, in real life, when does Cinderella get to marry the handsome prince and live happily ever after?

Chapter38

Ava

The next morning, I wake alone. I went to bed alone last night so I don’t know why I thought it would be any different. We came home from the village hall exhausted after all the excitement and Edward went to his study while I went straight to bed. I think I had hoped that we might at least kiss again after that incredible kiss following the proposal, but then, it was all fake so why would we?

I stretch out in bed, appreciating the sheer comfort of this enormous bed, along with the freshly laundered Egyptian cotton sheets and I catch sight of the enormous diamond on my finger. It really is gorgeous, and I take a moment to admire it. Surely any woman would be delighted to receive an engagement ring of that size and quality? But then a woman who’d just got engaged would also probably expect to wake up next to her fiancé.

And I am here alone.

There’s no point feeling sorry for myself though because that won’t achieve anything, so I get up and wash, dress and head downstairs. It’s still early, just after six, and I have time before Joe needs to get up, so I go to the kitchen and find Polly there.

‘Good morning, lovely.’ She smiles at me then her eyes go to my left hand. ‘Congratulations are in order, I hear.’

I smile and hold out my hand but I feel bad. The last thing I want to do is deceive this lovely woman but what can I do? When we left the village hall last night and went outside to wait for Jeff to collect us, Edward told me that our engagement would need to seem real for everyone, staff included. I did ask about the separate beds thing but he said not to worry as he often works late and so that can be easily explained as him not wanting to disturb me. We both need to sleep and we’re not married yet so he said it will be fine.

‘That’s a beauty.’ Polly takes my hand and moves it from side to side. ‘He must love you a lot to get you a ring like that.’

I meet her eyes and I think I see doubt there but I don’t explain myself. Even if she knows, she’s too polite to say and so it’s better to maintain the façade that the engagement is real. But then Polly says, ‘Ava… I know that you came here as a nanny and I know that things might not be… conventional for you and Edward, but I do think this could be a positive thing. I’ve seen Edward go through a very tough time, he was terribly low in fact, but since you arrived, he’s been different. What you two do is your business, obviously, but I wanted you to know that I do love having you around. You fit in here and Joe clearly adores you.’

I nod, not knowing how to reply.

‘What I’m trying to say… is that things have a way of working out.’ She places a hand on my arm and before I know what I’m doing, I hug her.

She laughs and pats my back.

‘It will all be OK, sweet girl. You’ll see.’

When she releases me, I sniff then say, ‘Thanks, Polly. I hope so.’

‘Just give him time to realise what he’s got. Sometimes it takes a while, but it will happen.’

Her words make me wonder how much she understands about what’s going on but I decide not to explain anything just in case I’ve got the wrong end of the stick and she doesn’t know that my engagement is fake.

‘Have you seen Edward this morning?’

A fine line appears between her brows. ‘You don’t know then?’

‘Know what?’

‘Edward left about half an hour ago. He said he’s going to London and will be gone a few days..’

He’s gone away? Now? Whatever for?

‘I think he’s gone to see his lawyer and to get some things in order,’ she adds, giving my arm a pat. ‘He probably has meetings too knowing Edward. Always such a busy man. Before he lost Lucille, he was always working. Those two were like ships in the night most of the time.’ Her eyes widen and she shakes her head. ‘I’ve probably said too much there so please ignore me. Can I get you some breakfast?’

‘That would be great, thanks,’ I say, even though my stomach feels like it’s full of lead and the last thing I want is to eat right now. I help myself to coffee then sit down at the table, suddenly exhausted. Why didn’t he tell me he was going away? Will it always be like this with me left wondering if he cares at all?

If so, it’s going to be tougher than I anticipated being married to Edward Cavendish.

Chapter39

Edward

Leaving before Ava woke this morning was probably cowardly of me but I knew I couldn’t trust myself to see her again so soon. When we got home last night, I wanted to take her to bed and make love to her but that would have confused things so instead I went to my study and locked the door. I turned on my computer and tried to focus but all I could think about was how it had felt to kiss Ava’s soft lips, how holding her against me had stirred me and how a fake engagement was going to be more of a challenge than I’d anticipated.

The moment when I’d pulled her to me and kissed her kept playing over and over in my mind. Her lips had parted beneath mine. Her body had yielded, shaped itself to mine and damn… it was hot! Just thinking about it now is arousing me and I’m on my way to see the family lawyer so I need to calm down.

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