Page 69 of The Billionaire and I

“I’m so sorry,” Todd said. “I had no idea.”

“Me either.” James clapped Todd on the shoulder. “We’ll get through this. I’m sorry to drop it on you.”

“It’s okay.” But Todd looked pale.

Evie put her arm around her husband. “Come and sit down,” Evie said, her voice gentle. She led Todd to a nearby seat, talking to him softly and rubbing his arm.

Todd looked like he was in shock, and I didn’t blame him.James’s mom was responsible for Danielle’s death?

She was beingarrested?

“Holy wow,” I said as I reached James and Audrey.“Are you guys okay?”

Audrey pulled me in for a hug. “I’m so sorry I didn’t tell you I was leaving the island,” she said. “But we were trying to convince Celia that we were breaking up. We needed a cover—we had to come back to Boston to talk to Danielle’s parents and meet with the police.”

“I can’t believe it. Celia killed James’s girlfriend?” I asked, careful to keep my voice low.

“Not exactly.” Audrey grimaced. “We think she might have paid someone.”

“I’d say I didn’t believe it if Mrs. Preston wasn’t such a c-word.” I shivered. “She just kept looking at me the whole flight, like I was going to infect her with hooker cooties or something.”

Audrey gave me an exhausted smile. “I’d say I was surprised, but?—”

“Ho my frickin’ God, Audrey!” I excitedly whispered, interrupting her. There was something very huge and very sparkly on her left ring finger. “Is that an engagement ring?”

Audrey nodded, and I grabbed her, squeezing hard. I wanted to holler and jump up and down, but being that James’s mother was about to be arrested for murder, it didn’t seem appropriate.

So instead, I whispered, “It’s not even a rock! It’s a frickin’boulder!”

“Jenny,” Audrey said calmly, “let’s talk about it later. We have some bad stuff to take care of right now.”

“Right,” I said. I stopped squeezing Audrey. “But wow. Just wow.”

James’s mother swept off the plane in a green polo shirt with the collar turned up, immaculate khakis, and white loafers. Beneath the Botox, her face managed to move enough to register shock when she saw James and Audrey.

“James?” she said. “Audrey?” She stopped dead in her tracks, Mr. Preston bumping into her from behind. “Watch it, Robert,” she snapped.

“Mother, be polite—we have company,” James said, motioning to the Andersons. “You remember Mr. and Mrs. Anderson, right? Danielle’s parents? And this is Detective Gordon and Detective Fisk from the Boston Police Department. I believe they’d like to ask you and Dad some questions—downtown.”

Celia Preston looked confused, then pissed, then outraged as several photographers sprung out and started snapping pictures, their flashes going off.

“And that’s theTribune. Andthe paparazzi.” James smiled tightly at her. James said a few other things, mainly about Audrey’s mom, but I was so overwhelmed by all the photographers and the look of hatred on Celia’s face I missed them.

“Oh—and one more thing,” James said. “Audrey and I are engaged.”

“Mr. Preston! You’re engaged?” called one of the photographers, whizzing around and aiming his huge lens at James and Audrey. “Let me take a shot of the happy couple!”

I stopped myself from cheering, it being an otherwise solemn occasion and all. But inside, I was clapping and jumping up and down.Sometimes,I thought,the good guys actually win.

“Let’s get out of here,” Cole said. He put his arm protectively around me as he steered us away from the crowd. I slapped Audrey a surreptitious high five on the way out.I told you so,I mouthed.

She managed a smile at me. She knew I was right—I wasalwaysright. It was another one of my secret weapons. I’d said Celia Preston was Mrs. Voldemort and it was true. I’dalsosaid James and Audrey were going to live happily ever after together and that was true, too.

Now, I just had to see if I was right about me.

I glanced up at Cole, and he smiled at me.

I smiled back.

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