Page 5 of Billionaire's Fake Plus One

They face me with a grin. “We’ve decided what we want to do today. Can you do our makeup?”

“No way, you want your Dad to kill me?” They giggle a little hysterically. “Tell you what? My nail polish is already chipping off. How about we paint each other's nails, then you can show me around your favorite spots on the island. How about that?”

“Yay!” they shout, rushing for me.

“I want mine done first!” Maddie says as she comes to a stop in front of me, wriggling her tiny fingers at me.

“No way!” Millie yells. “I get to go first. I’m older than you.”

“By two minutes,” Maddie points out, sounding less than thrilled about that circumstance of their birth.

“Two minutes and twenty eight seconds. Daddy said so.” Millie folds her arms, lifting her head up with an air of superiority. I lift my hand up to cover my mouth, so they don’t see me smiling.

“How about I do your right nails first, Maddie, since you asked first. Then I’ll do Millie’s right nails, then come back to your left nails and to Millie’s left nails. This way, you both get to go first.”

They agree, and I lead them to my room – which is too beautiful to just be the guest bedroom. I quickly walk to the en-suite bathroom to pick up my box of nail polishes. By the time I got into my room after the brief meeting with Lucien yesterday, my things were already unpacked for me. It was a nice gesture, but I’m still not sure how I feel about having a stranger go through my belongings.

“What will it be?” I ask as I walk back into the bedroom. “Chocolate brown? Punch Pink? Cherry Red?” After a lot of back and forth and several arguments, the twins finally decide on a violet polish that looks beautiful against their skin tone and makes their blue eyes sparkle.

When I’m done with their nails, each girl picks which side of my nails to paint, and when they finish, my nails don’t look too horrible. We spend a few minutes joking around on the rug in my room while we wait for our nails to dry.

“How about that tour of the Island now?” I ask. They squeal in excitement, and we’re off to the kitchen to where Lucien dropped the car keys. I let them lead me to the large detached garage, where a row of luxurious cars spread endlessly. Who even needs this many cars? There are two SUVs so I press the fob on the key to know which one I’ll be taking. I gasp softly when the car chirps, the headlights blinking sharply.

It’s a type of Audi – I don’t know which one – and it’s so glamorous. If I was a cartoon character, I’d have heart eyes right now. It has glossy black paint and slightly tinted windows. From the back, it almost looks like a race car. I run my hands along it reverently.

“What are you doing, Willow?” Millie asks when I lean into the car to press my left cheek against it.

“I’m admiring this beauty, that’s what I’m doing.” I stand upright, knowing they must be getting antsy. “Ready to paint the town red?”

“Yes!” they shout. Maddie gets in the back behind the passenger’s seat while Millie rounds the car to get behind the driver’s seat. I watch with eagle eyes as they buckle the belts on their booster seats, then I double check to make sure they’re secured tightly.

I get into the driver’s seat with an appreciative sigh, melting into the leather that hugs my body like it’s about to give me a massage. I run my hands over the high tech dashboard and center console. I shake myself out of it when one of the girls shifts restlessly in their seat, and I start the car. An involuntary moan escapes my lips as the machine purrs to life, the seats vibrating pleasantly against my body. Fuck, I’m such a car whore.

I pull out of the garage with a huge grin, almost bouncing in my seat with excitement. Millie and Maddie each point out places as we drive slowly around the Island. I try to familiarize myself with the landmarks, but I don’t stop anywhere. I never want to get out of this car again, but unfortunately I have to. I can’t keep the girls cooped up in a car for too long, no matter how luxurious the vehicle. And isn’t that such a shame? It would be so nice to just drive with no destination in mind.

I can’t exactly do that with someone else’s kids. What If I get charged with kidnapping? I’m too pretty to end up in prison, I decide. I make a deal with myself instead. Just twenty more minutes. A few more blissful minutes of driving, and I’ll look for a nice place to take a break with the girls before heading back home.

It’s strange thinking of Lucien’s house ashome, but it’s the closest thing I have to a home for the Summer.

I swallow hard and reach forward to turn on the radio. My home has always been with my Mom and going in that direction of thought right now might lead to a mini break down. “How about some music?” I ask the girls.

Millie shrugs, not seeming to care, but Maddie cheers, lifting her tiny hands up happily. She bobs her head in tune to the music, and I grin at her through the rearview mirror as I drive, realizing that this is the first time in weeks I’ve felt totally at ease and content. These girls are therapeutic for my soul.

4

Daily Update Rachel! Maddie and Millie are so stinkin’ cute and their father is as handsome as ever ;)

Iturn onto Main Street and keep an eye out for a bakery or restaurant so the girls can stretch their legs and get a bite to eat. We’ve spent over two hours driving around – I didn’t realize Bainbridge Island was this big! I’m a little worried about using up all the gas in the car.

“Over there!” Millie calls out, and I turn to the right to see the coffee shop she’s pointing to the Nutty Baker’s Corner. I hesitate for a few seconds, then pull into the empty lot in front of the coffee shop. I might be new on the Island, but I know the coffee shop. Rachel suggested Mom and I come spend a weekend in Andrew’s place on the Island some months ago in hopes that it would cheer her up.

We decided to try out the coffee shop on our second evening here. Andrew texted me, asking where we were on the Island, and when he showed up, he proposed! Was that really just six months ago?

“Do you not want to go in?” Maddie asks.

I turn back to give her a reassuring smile. “Of course I do! Let’s go.” I turn off the ignition and get out of the car. Then I help the girls unbuckle their belts and lead them through the glass doors of the cozy coffee shop.

“Welcome!” Aria Larsen – who despite having the same last name as me is definitely not related – is the owner of the coffee shop. She calls out from behind the register. She does a double take when she sees me, her brows squishing together as she no doubt tries to recall where she knows me from. “You’re the friend of the beautiful blondie that got proposed to that rainy night!”

---