The Billionaire's Forever Page 2

I gaped at her. I was no comedian, but I thought it was relatively clear that I'd been joking--and definitely not with malicious intent.

  "I wasn't making fun of you," I said firmly, making sure she caught how serious I was. "It's really gorgeous. You're very talented."

  She didn't seem too convinced, which gave me pause. Mia was fairly confident, but at that moment she didn’t look too sure of anything. She looked cornered, like she wanted to run and hide.

  How did a girl with so much talent wilt before my very eyes?

  I frowned, remembering her shaky relationship with her family. That was the only thing that made sense. I'd clearly unearthed some scar, a deep hurt where someone she’d cared about killed her creative spirit. They took something she was passionate about and told her she wasn't anything extraordinary.

  She shrugged out of my grip, the sight of her pulling on a mask chilling. I was used to the sting of frustration as I watched Jacob hide away his vulnerability, but not Mia. It left a dull ache in my chest.

  "We should get down to the conference room." She held open the door, flashing me a mischievous smile that blurred the dark moment we’d just shared. "We don't want to leave Rachel waiting."

  I rolled my eyes at the sound of that name. Even with reinforcements I wasn't looking forward to being in the same room as Rachel Laraby.

  When I first started dating Jacob, I thought my life was becoming closer to something out of the movies. If my new life was a movie and I was the heroine and Jacob was the hero, Rachel would undoubtedly be the villain. There was no escaping her jealous clutches and I felt like now that our wedding had a date and wasn't some far off thing, she’d amped up her efforts to win him back.

  She’d been purely evil since we met. Literally laughing at the idea that Jacob could be attracted to me. Forcing me to be a pawn in her game to break us up. Lying to Jacob's mother about my intentions. No one would fault me for holding a grudge after all she’d put me through. And it should have been easy-peasy to match her jerkiness, blow for blow, and still have plenty of animosity left, but I couldn’t sink to her level.

  Obviously, my politeness wasn't working either.

  But I still couldn't make myself be brutal. I knew what it was like to lose Jacob and even though it was only a few days, it felt like a lifetime. I couldn't breathe without him. I couldn't be without him. Her sense of loss monsooned mine because there she was, thinking she meant something to him, loving him, then finding out it was all a lie. I wouldn't want to believe it either. I'd fight tooth and nail for him too.

  But I'd reached the end of my rope. She'd done too much--and now she was bringing Mia in the middle of it.

  Enough was enough.

  I followed Mia into the elevator, readying the game plan. "So, I'll open by thanking everyone for attending and then go right into clarifying this whole thing. I’ll discuss how noble the mission of Reach is, but make it crystal clear that at this time--"

  "I think we should just go with it."

  The elevator stopped on our floor and I froze, confused. "What?"

  Mia was moving like a girl on a mission. Like she wasn’t going completely off-script. "She wants to do good, right?” she said over her shoulder. “Sweep in and save the day? Fix me? I say we let her."

  My heels clicked on the floor as I rushed to catch up with her. "That's not what we agreed on, Mia." Nor what I told Rachel to expect. Surprisingly, she didn't fight me on it when I told her we were putting a stop to this whole Reach lie. Probably because she knew I'd be the bad guy and she'd come off looking like roses.

  Mia wasn't slowing. "I have a plan. You just have to trust me."

  I could see the press filtering into the room and my stomach knotted. "The room is going to be packed with reporters, Mia. You've gotta give me more than that."

  "It's better if I didn't. Plausible deniability and all of that."

  My eyes bulged as I huffed and puffed. ‘Plausible deniability’? What was she going to do, take her out? "You’re not making me feel better here."

  She slowed a little, letting me catch my breath before flashing me a reassuring grin. "It'll be okay, Leila. Rachel's a bully--and I know how to handle bullies."

  Something in her voice reminded me of the past. The sad girl in the bathroom. The girl that couldn’t believe that it would ever get better. I wanted to hug Mia--but that was quickly replaced with the desire to tackle her when she continued down the hall, catching Monique's eye.

  There'd be no stopping her now.

  I took a few more breaths, trying to make the lie Mia said so confidently stick. The lie that this train wasn't off the rails. That it would all work out. I plastered a smile on my face and forced myself forward, shaking Monique's hand and following Mia through the door.

  Flashes erupted and when I looked past the sparkling lights I saw Rachel was already on stage. She'd pulled her hair back into a low bun and wore a perfectly respectable bone colored sheath dress with blush colored pearls. She gave me a toothy grin and I knew her well enough to know that she was already gloating.

  I joined her onstage, shaking her hand for the camera even though I really wanted to wring her neck.

  "It's so lovely to see you." Rachel gestured at the seat beside her. “I saved a seat for you.”

  I narrowed my eyes, but held onto my smile for dear life as I lowered myself onto the chair.

  Monique strode to the podium, her rich, baritone voice silencing the excited chatter. She cleared her throat and smoothed the front of her crisp suit.

  "On behalf of Whitmore and Creighton, I want to thank you all for coming to this question and answer session regarding the organization Reach.

  As you all are aware, our client, actress Rachel Laraby, was moved by Mia Kent's brush with death. She had a novel idea to create an organization that would offer troubled youth the opportunity to be mentored by industry professionals and make positive contacts. We've invited them all here to talk more about their organization."

  She gave me a nod and butterflies stormed my gut as I rose to my feet. Rachel was all but cackling, but both of us froze when Mia rose to her feet.

  The young starlet moved to the podium, flashing the audience a bright smile. "It means so much to me that you all are here to support this great organization." Something told me that she knew that eighty percent of them were hoping for some sort of meltdown. “I know when I first heard about Reach I was stunned. As a young actress, I grew up watching Ms. Laraby’s lovely movies. But mostly, I was honored. Especially when Ms. Laraby opened her home to me."

  Rachel gasped and when the attention flitted to her she forced a smile, smoothing over her abrupt reaction.

  "I can't wait to move in and begin the immersive component of Reach--” Mia paused, waiting until everyone was literally waiting with bated breath. “Twenty-four seven mentoring."

  I had to bite my lip to stop from bursting into laughter. Beside me, Rachel was fighting the urge to meltdown. Her eyes were practically out of her skull. Her face was red from holding back her true reaction: fury. She was struggling to act like this was all part of the plan. After all, if she didn't act like she was on board, she would look like a diva.

  Mia turned to face Rachel, clutching a hand to her chest with adoration. "The late night rom-com marathons, clubbing, concerts, shopping, script evaluations--I can't wait to share my life with you, Ms. Laraby. I can already feel the positive impact of the Reach experience...and we're just getting started." She led the applause then urged the audience to get on their feet.

  I joined them, grinning deviously down at Rachel's shell-shocked face.

  Checkmate.

  ****

  What's the worst that can happen?

  That was the thought that flitted through my mind as I tried to give myself a pep talk, four blocks from the restaurant where my mother and Alicia were finally meeting. To talk about the wedding.

  Me, my mom, and Alicia. Talking about the wedding of my nightmares.

  And you just said the
jinx of all jinxes, I thought silently, inner voice wagging its finger disapprovingly. You are so screwed.

  I took a deep breath and pushed myself forward. I didn't believe in jinxes anyway. And after the week I'd had, I had every right to be optimistic.

  It started off with Mia's slap down of Rachel at the conference. To Rachel's horror (and my delight) it wasn't some sort of practical joke. To make sure Rachel didn't just pull of her mask once the cameras stopped rolling, Mia picked a photographer to shadow her throughout the experience to capture every second. I almost felt sorry for Rachel as Mia started talking about sleepovers and 'braiding each other's hair'. Monique commented that she hadn't seen me so happy since Jacob proposed. She seemed so sure it was due to the positive reception Reach got at the question and answer session that I didn't have the heart to tell her it was because seeing Rachel terrified felt like Christmas morning.

  That was Monday. Tuesday brought an actually civil conversation with Natasha, I got something other than glares at Missy's meeting on Wednesday, and Thursday Jacob surprised me with omelets in bed. I'd been so cloud nine, deliciously optimistic that when my mother suggested a ladies brunch, I'd almost auto-replied yes.

  Almost.

  I hadn't been nearly apprehensive enough, but I was making up for it with each step that brought me closer to the Plum Cafe. After meeting Megan there for crepes since we discovered it a month ago, it had become one of my splurge worthy stops in the city. It was extremely pretentious with its blaring white walls and artisan pieces that looked like they’d copy and pasted the showroom at West Elm. One bite of their berry and cheese crepe and all was forgiven.

  I'd chosen a striped shirt dress that was light enough that I was cool despite the nearly triple digit weather, but not sheer enough that I'd give everyone a preview of my underwear. It was just the right amount of casual and dressy that I felt comfortable without looking intentionally dressed down. And comfortable was good. Comfortable was exactly what I needed to face lunch with my mother and Alicia.

  I pushed my shades up, pinning my dark curls away from my face as I stepped up to the door. The hostess gave me a smile of recognition and I felt the heat rush to my cheeks. That had been happening a lot more lately. Probably because the news got wind of our wedding date and suddenly our nuptials were plastered all over the place. A real Cinderella Story, proof dreams really do come true.

  "Miss Montgomery!" she gushed, every tooth in her mouth gleaming at me. "Your party's already waiting."

  I frowned, not believing they were here and I didn’t know it through means other than the hostess’ declaration. I'd half expected I'd hear them before I saw them, shouts ringing out above the painfully abstract indie music pilfering from the speakers.

  Both women had strong personalities, thinking their way was the only right way and everyone else was doing it wrong. I figured I'd be the referee; it was the reason I'd all but jogged the half a mile from the office, wanting to get in the middle before blood was shed. I wasn't betting on silence or the two women behaving.

  "Is everything alright, Miss Montgomery?"

  I cleared through the haze, blinking rapidly as I stepped out of my head and tuned into what the hostess was trying to say. Her big brown eyes were round with concern, mouth pulled into a hesitant frown of her own before she started sputtering an apology.

  "I'm so sorry, I just think you and Jacob are adorable..." She clasped a hand over her mouth like she'd just said a cuss word.

  I would have chuckled if I didn't know her overcompensating for some mistaken slight wasn't rooted in reality. Despite having ‘cafe’ in the title, the restaurant was no stranger to A list clientele--along with A-list attitudes.

  "It's alright," I reassured her with a smile. "We don't get adorable very often. Mismatched, maybe. Adorable? Not so much."

  Relief flooded her face as she returned the smile. "Well, most people are idiots." She moved to the front of the hostess stand. "Right this way."

  I maneuvered through the sleek tables, smirking at the myriad of women still wearing their oversized shades indoors and men with their eyes glued to their phone screens. Waiters in white shirts, black slacks, and weary plastic smiles rotated around the room like parts of a carousel. Round and round, like the knots that rolled and tightened in my stomach as we moved closer to what I knew would be nothing but drama. We stepped up to the table where Mom and Alicia were both quietly sipping glasses of wine. Both women's faces brightened when they saw me, the same relief the hostess wore when she realized I wasn't going to demand her job on a silver platter. It was the relief of being put out of your misery.

  I pulled out the chair in between them and ordered a glass of wine of my own. I was gonna need it.

  Mom was the first to reach over, the sides of her mouth nearly reaching her hairline. Everything about her face looked strained and pushed to the limit, intensified by her heavy makeup and gray lined hair pulled into a tight, high bun. "It's so good to see you sweetie." She leaned in and kissed my cheek. "You look lovely." She cupped my cheek, eyes narrowing me as she inspected me closer. "And thinner. Though I guess at all of these fancy restaurants they only give you a spoonful or two of food and call it a day--"

  "But thin is good," Alicia interrupted smoothly. Her feline features shone as her lips split into a glittering grin. "Thin means beautiful wedding pictures."

  I cringed, not a huge fan of talking about weight and even less so with all of the clear tension between them. The awkwardness hung on the air, thick enough that I could cut it with a knife. An inflammatory topic like weight would just make things worse.

  I had no intention of commenting about any highly unlikely weight loss or the impact of my love handles on my wedding pictures.

  Unluckily for us all, Mom picked up my slack.

  "So you're implying that the only way my daughter will have lovely pictures is if she's thin?"

  Alicia's smile dimmed. "I said no such thing. I said thin means beautiful pictures."

  "Which means not thin equals not beautiful?" Mom growled.

  Oh geez. "Mom--"

  "Oh it's alright, Leila," she said, patting my hand. "I just wanted to know how thin Mrs. Whitmore suggests you should be in order to have beautiful pictures. For my reference."

  Alicia took a long sip of her wine, pressing her scarlet lips into a line before she pushed her hair from her eyes."So things are really moving as far as the planning goes." She pulled out her iPad. "I have some floral arrangements I'd like you to choose from and there's also the matter of music. Yo-Yo Ma is always a classic choice--"

  I coughed. "Yo-Yo Ma is a 'classic choice'?" He was freaking Yo-Yo Ma, one of the greatest cellists of our time. How was he even a choice at all? He played for presidents, international dignitaries--and Alicia was talking like hiring him for my wedding was a piece of cake.

  I am officially in the Twilight Zone.

  Alicia tilted her head to one side, holding her hands up as she backpedaled. "If he seems too formal, we can go in a different direction.” She stroked her chin thoughtfully, completely missing both me and Mom’s slack-jawed reaction. “There’s also a more popular music option as well. If you'd like me to use my contacts to get someone a little more top 40's--"

  "I think Yo-Yo Ma or freaking Katy Perry would be too much." Mom snapped. “They’re both talented and the idea that they’re even on the table is...just...”

  Alicia took the interruption in stride, lowering her voice to a confidential level. "Cheryl, if this is a matter of money, naturally, the Whitmore's take care of their own. Leila is like a daughter to me. Of course I will take care of the bill and you won’t have to worry about a single cent."

  It might've been sweet if she hadn't all but drawn a line with her eyes and put my mother on the other side.

  I had a feeling Mom was approaching boiling point and before Alicia started talking about hiring Beyonce or some famous tenor, it was time to put my foot down. As awesome as any of the above would be, it wasn't what I w
anted. It was my wedding. It was high time I put an end to this whole charade. Some guy plucking out a song on a ukulele might not be as buzzworthy as a pop star bringing down the house at our reception, but it was what I wanted. It was the wedding story I wanted to tell my grand kids someday.

  I looked at Mom first, then Alicia. "About the wedding--"

  "There will be no wedding." Mom’s voice was filled with a finality and authority that would make even Jacob sit up and take notice.

  Once I got over the shock, anger quickly filled in the blanks. What was this? Her last ditch effort to ruin everything? Hurt seeped in like a toxin. After our talk, I thought we were headed somewhere good.

  What did she meant there would be no wedding? This was what she wanted, me to marry some rich guy and live the lavish life she didn't.

  I gave her a look that was ours alone. It was the same look I'd given her every time she'd played matchmaker, or personal stylist, or my personal publicist when she'd put together a press conference in front of the house.

  "How dare you--" I began.

  "Trust me, Lay," she murmured. Her hand covered mine and then she gave it a quick squeeze. "I'll take care of this."

  She released my hand and went full on Mama Bear, all but growling at Alicia. "My daughter has no interest in your multimillion dollar affair.”

  Alicia frowned, clutching the stem of her wine glass. “What on earth are you talking about? Of course she wants the wedding! She’s been right beside me through the entire planning process.”

  “Right,” Mom said brusquely. “And have you ever thought of asking her what she wants? What would make her happy?"

  I sat in stunned, frustrated silence. It was finally out there. But I wanted to say it. It was my truth to tell.

  Alicia was looking back and forth between the two of us. Confused, probably wondering what kind of girl turned down an all expenses paid fairytale wedding.

  I pressed my eyes closed, counting to five. Breathe in. Breathe out. I opened them and they were both looking at me, waiting for my response.