Page 52 of The Billionaire and the Maid

I carefully remove the wrapping paper, not wanting to tear it. It’s a box with a lid. I slowly pull the lid off and then the tissue paper inside. I freeze when I uncover an antique picture frame. It’s beautiful and ornate, but it’s not the frame that has my heart stopping, it’s the photo inside.

It’s of me and my childhood horse, Gunther. I can’t be more than eleven in the photo. I look so…happy.

“What…How?” I ask as I feel tears well in my eyes. I look up and Chase is watching me.

“I’d forgotten that I had the camera with me one day. I was cleaning out some things in my closet a few days ago and stumbled on some old photos that I’d developed in my friend’s photo studio that summer. And there you were,” I say quietly.

“What is it?” Kayla asks.

“Oh, it’s a frame and photo,” I say as I hold them up quickly and put them back down, not wanting to discuss my childhood.

“That’s a lovely frame,” Kayla says.

“I hear you like horses,” Luca adds.

“I do. I always have,” I reply. And just like that, we all launch into the most casual and comfortable conversation about horses. By the time Chase takes me home, I’m shocked to say that I had fun with his family. Maybe there’s more to the Marinos than I had thought. And even though I’m sure this was just a pity invite, I’ll always cherish it. I hadn’t realized how much I missed family holidays until now. Hell, I hadn’t realized how much I missed family.

CHAPTERTWENTY

Ella

“Holy fucking shit!” Gus and Greta both say from behind me as I twirl in front of the mirror. I put my right foot out so I can see my shoes and I grin. I look…good, like really good.

“If that asshat doesn’t ask for your hand in marriage today, then he’s blind,” Gus says.

I turn to him and glare. “Are you crazy?”

“What? If I was straight and I had a fake girlfriend like you, I would most definitely be locking that shit down,” Gus says emphatically.

“Yeah, what he said,” Greta adds.

I shake my head. “You all need to get your heads checked. We arenota real item. And this is just one night where we’ll have some fun,” I explain.

Gus rolls his eyes. “Right, like all thefunyou’ve been having for the past few weeks?” he asks with a knowing smirk.

“Oh, fuck off, Gus. It really was justfun. Nothing more,” I say out loud, but in my head, I’m hoping that was more than just fun. I want it to be more than just fun. I’ve seen the little things he does around me. The way he always has to open my car door. The way he steps between me and cars on the sidewalk. The way his hand comes to my back when other people are around and the way he steers me away from people he doesn’t want me near, like Nancy. He protects me, just like he did when we were kids. But yet, he’s still hesitant. He still calls our relationship fake. I don’t know why he’s holding back, but I know our fake relationship agreement is coming to an end soon and I just hope he’ll not hide behind his fears or whatever is holding him back from giving us a real chance. Maybe tonight is the night that’ll happen.

“Well, whatever it is, he’s going to have to fight men off with a stick tonight because you look like a billion dollars,” Gus says. “And he’ll also probably need to fight off women too,” he adds with a wink.

I laugh. “You’re crazy. But thank you.”

A horn honks outside and I peer out the window. There’s a long, sleek black limousine in the driveway.

“Did one of you order a limo?” I ask as I motion outside.

Greta wraps an arm around my shoulder and looks out the window. “I did. We should all ride in style tonight.”

“All of us?” I ask, my eyebrows shooting up.

Greta nods. “Lorenzo invited me,” she says with a conspiratorial grin.

“What exactly is going on between you and Lorenzo? You said nothing to me, and I shared all this…secret information with you,” I say finally deciding to rip off the bandage and just ask her.

She steps back and cocks her head to one side as if considering whether she’ll answer me or not.

“Greta, I didn’t sit in Tara’s chair at the beauty shop all morning to look like this only to have you ignore my question. Please, I need to know. You never keep things from me,” I beg.

She gives me a sad smile. “Did you know I was friends with Margaret, Lorenzo’s wife?”

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