Page 81 of The Sexy Billionaire

“See anything you like?” Savannah asks, noticing my sudden mood change.

“I don’t know. I’m not sure any of this is me. I can’t wear designer, look at me,” I say to the girls. “I need a moment.” I make my way to the door.

“The restrooms are on your right,” Nicole advises before I slip out of the room and head in that direction.

This life isn’t me.

What the hell was Lucia thinking, making me a countess, giving me a life I neither earned nor deserved?I’m no one special, I tell myself as I push the door to the restroom open, and enter the closest stall, then pull the seat down. I need a couple of moments, it’s all too much. I can never fit into this world; no matter what designer I have on my back, they will always know I’m an imposter.

“Paige, are you okay?” Savannah asks, walking into the restroom.

I push the door to my cubicle open and she walks in.

“What happened? What did she say to you in Italian that changed your mood?” she asks.

“This isn’t me, Sav. This world. I’m not rich. I don’t know what fork to use or which glass I should sip from. The life I thought I was heading toward now doesn’t exist. I don’t know who I am. I have an ex-husband who’s more invested in me afterwe’ve broken up than when we were together. I have my first love come back into my life and he looks so fucking good.”

“He really does,” Sav agrees.

“And now he’s saying and doing things and looking at me how I always wished my husband would. But he lives in Italy and is a fucking prince, who lives in a fishbowl and is a fricken billionaire and likes to date supermodels. And yet kisses me like I’m the only woman in the world for him.”

Savannah stares at me in surprise. “Something did happen last night?”

I nod.

“We kissed in the car before he dropped me home. It was amazing,” I confess to her.

She tries to contain her excitement but stamps up and down instead. “Why don’t you want to see him tonight, then?”

“Because look at my life, Sav, it’s a shit show. Michael is stalking me. I’m a prisoner in my brother’s home. I have no job. No direction. Like, what the hell am I doing with my life?”

“Whatever the hell you want, babe,” Sav says.

“I don’t know what that is, but I sure as hell know it can’t be with Gio. That man will only break my heart again. I can feel it, Sav, and I don’t know if I will recover if he does.”

“I had no idea you were battling all this. Why didn’t you tell me or Callie?”

“You both have so much on your own plates. You don’t need my crap, too,” I tell her.

“That’s what friends are for.”

I let out a heavy sigh.

“Why are you putting so much pressure on your flirtation with the Italian stallion? Don’t forget he’s gotten out of a relationship, too. I can’t imagine he’s looking for his next happily ever after,” Savannah states.

She’s right; even if it wasn’t traditional, he was serious enough to marry her and his sister did betray him. Am I being selfish to think that he’s looking for anything more than a rebound?

“Why can’t the two of you catch up for old-time’s sake and have a little fun? It doesn’t have to be anymore. There’s no need to overthink it all,” Sav says.

Maybe she’s right; I’m overthinking it all.

“There’s too much history there for a bit of fun. We didn’t know each other well back then, but he broke me, I’d say permanently, Sav. I don’t think my heart has ever recovered, and I’m too fragile to put myself in that kind of situation again.”

Savannah reaches out and places a reassuring hand on my shoulder. “Well, come on then, let’s work out who the hell you want to be, back inside with all those delicious clothes.” She opens the stall door and we both step out to see Natalia standing there. As soon as she sees me, she rushes over and hugs me. I’m taken aback by her gesture.

“I promise I won’t push you and my brother together again,”she whispers to me in Italian.

“Come, ladies, let’s shop,” Savannah states as she ushers us out of the bathroom.

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