The Virgin Billionaire: Switched at Marriage Part 2 (7 page)

He made thin, serious eyes, and nodded as if deep in thought. "Do you, Kayla? You just broke up with that other guy. Eric. Never liked him. Too full of himself. Didn't like the way he treated you like crap. And made you cry."

"Oh, well. Yeah. Eric." I held up my hands, like what can you do. "He was my biggest mistake. But that's in the past now." I put that dust-my-hands-off tone in my voice. Good riddance!

"On to better and sweeter"—and richer—"guys." I had to stop thinking about Lazer. Last night was like a dream. And a nightmare. I may have met the one just days too late. "Guy. One guy. Obviously." My nervous laugh came out more like a titter. "My husband. You'd love Jus. He's one of the nicest guys around."

Carl was still giving me that suspicious look. "Nice, eh?" Carl was half Canadian, and sometimes that accent came out. "Not the usual way I expect a blushing bride to describe her new hubby."

"You were the one who made the point about Eric being a self-centered douche. I was just making the contrast." I winked.

He didn't look convinced. "Kayla, it's not my business. But you know how much I worry about all my residents. They're like my family. So this is kind of a fatherly warning—be careful. Rebound relationships rarely work. And, you know, there are plenty of girls who want billionaires. Protect your man, is what I'm really saying. I couldn't stand to see you get your heart broken again." The look he gave me was at odds with what he was saying. He didn't look as if he believed I was in love. With Jus, anyway. Maybe with his money.

Just what I needed—belated marital advice from my building manager.

"Sure. About the rent," I said, trying to deflect his attention. "I'll make sure you get it—"

He brushed that point aside. "No need. Your new husband paid a year's rent in advance. His staff took care of it yesterday afternoon."

That was fast. "Yeah, Jus is a sweetie. He likes to take care of me—"

"I was kind of surprised he paid for so long. After seeing the news, I thought you'd be moving in with him and letting the apartment go."

Crap, crap, and double crap! I tried to wave off his suspicions. "Yes, yes, of course. But for now, we haven't made any definite decisions about when we'll move my stuff out. We might need a place to sneak away from the spotlight. You know, a little secret love nest." I winked at Carl as I crossed my fingers that he believed the lie.

"I get you, kiddo." He winked back. "Where are my manners? I should be congratulating you!"

"You congratulate the groom," I said. But I'd landed a billionaire, so maybe I did deserve congratulations.

Carl frowned like he didn't understand my fine point of wedding etiquette.

"You give the bride your best wishes," I prompted.

"Huh. Is that so? Seems kind of like splitting hairs. I don't see the difference. But whatever, best wishes, Kayla!"

"Thank you, Carl. It's been good talking to you." I pointed toward the elevators. "I have to run. I have to
pack a few things to move to the penthouse." Gah! That sounded pretentious.

"Sure." He nodded. "Stop by the office before you go and give me a forwarding address. For your mail and packages. And in case I need to get hold of you."

"Will do." I nodded and turned to leave, applauding myself for evading his question about the big paper-serving guy.

"Kayla?"

I stopped and turned back over my shoulder to shoot him a questioning look.

"I'm glad you worked things out with your new husband. However the marriage happened, serving you with divorce papers after a day is pretty shitty."

My mouth fell open. Carl was more astute than I gave him credit for.

"Don't worry. Your secret is safe with me. Them damned media hounds won't get nothing out of me. Not a peep. Hope it works out for you."

"I don't know what you're talking about, Carl. But I appreciate your loyalty."

He nodded. "I get it." He winked, put a finger to his lips, and went back into his office.

I caught the elevator to the third floor, letting out a sigh when the doors closed behind me. That was close!

When I let myself in to my apartment, it looked incredibly small now in comparison to Jus' place. But homey and all mine. And it had actual walls for privacy. There weren't any suspicious housekeepers looking at me as if I was pulling one over on their beloved employer. Just a suspicious building manager. But at least he was loyal to me and kept mostly to his office.

I packed my two largest suitcases full of clothes and things I needed. But there was no way I was stopping by the office to chat more with Carl on the way out. I waited until I saw him leave the building for his morning break and slipped my new address through the slit in his office door on my way out. The car was waiting.

J
ustin

When I got to the office, I was mobbed with well wishes and congratulations on both my induction into the Jet City Billionaires' Club and on my surprise nuptials. Flashionista was almost ninety percent women, with a few men mostly concentrated in departments like facilities, transportation, and supplier management. The women were already planning a bridal shower.

Marla, our head buyer, stopped me in the hall and hugged me. "Congrats, Justin! Look at you! Married life is already agreeing with you. You look fabulous. Love the haircut and beard trim."

I rubbed my beard. "Thanks." I'd been getting compliments and double takes all morning. Much more and it would go to my head.

"Cake in the cafeteria. Three o'clock. Don't miss it." She held a finger to her lips. "Shhh. It's a surprise. You didn't hear it from me. Half the girls are heartbroken. Especially now since you're looking so good, bossman!" She winked and ran off to a meeting.

Flashionista had grown quickly this past year, but it was still the friendly, almost family-like atmosphere it had been since the beginning. I used to know everyone by name. We'd outgrown that and gotten too big too fast, but I still recognized most of the faces. And attended a new employees' meeting once a month to meet the newcomers.

Our workforce was mostly under thirty. We had all the hot, fashionable, stylish, trend-spotting girls we could hire. We shot our own daily web catalogues onsite. So we constantly had a stream of attractive models at the offices. Flashionista was a target-rich environment for any guy with a pulse.

It was the brainchild of my business partner, Riggins Thornfield-Smythe, and myself. Riggins was thirty-eight and had already started, and sold, two other highly successful online retail sites. He'd become a billionaire when he sold the majority stake of his previous startup just after we launched Flashionista. And was already a card-carrying member of EIEIO. He'd been out of town last night and unable to make my induction. I expected him back late this evening. He was the main guy I was trying to hide my wedding screw-up from.

When I let myself into my office, there was a large bottle of champagne cooling on my desk and a note of congratulations from Riggins. I should have figured he'd be up on anything to do with the company.

Glad one of us tied the knot. The stability of having a married man at the helm should make Wall Street happy. See you soon. I'm eager to meet the new ball and chain. And surprised she's not one of the Flashionista family. Damn, Jus, you couldn't find a girl here?

Good thing he didn't know the circumstances of my marriage. I'd have to tell him that bullshit about Kay being my college crush.

As I dropped my bag next to the champagne, Ophie popped her head into my office. She was the only unfashionable girl in the entire company. Even our cleaning ladies, who wore uniforms designed by our staff, were more stylish. I hadn't hired Ophie for her fashion sense.

She was all business this morning, which was unlike her. Not to say she wasn't usually professional. She was generally friendlier. "Harry is here to see you."

I nodded. "Good. Show him in."

She lingered, staring at me with that hurt look in her eyes. "You cut your hair."

I nodded.

She pursed her lips, looking like she wasn't a fan. Like cutting my hair was a betrayal somehow. "
She
made you do it, didn't she?" Her voice was full of scorn and hurt. "She shouldn't be trying to change you, Justin." Her voice cracked a little. "You're perfect the way you are."

I suppose I should have been flattered by her loyalty. She was the only one who thought so. Her crush on me made her blind. She was also the only employee intimate enough with me to say so.

"No." I shook my head and smiled. "I was due for a trim. I needed to look good for my big night."

Her eyes were still narrowed and suspicious. There was an undeniable distance and awkwardness between us now. It was my own damn fault. We were both single nerds. Both driven. Neither of us had dated much or was smooth around the opposite sex.

We worked long hours together. She was safe and easy to talk to. Smart. Efficient. And knew me well. We were bound to grow close and comfortable with each other. I'd fallen into the habit of taking her to networking and office social events. As my assistant. That was my intellectual alibi, anyway. I hadn't meant to lead her on.

Logically, she was a perfect match for me. An attainable match. On a scale of one to ten, we were both fives. That was the way I saw it. Kay was a ten. Way out of my league. If it hadn't been for my money…

If that ID thief hadn't married me in Reno, it was possible Ophie and I would have gotten together. Sooner rather than later. The only thing stopping us was me.

I would have had to reassign her to Riggins. Selfishly, I didn't want to. Not when I relied so heavily on Ophie and enjoyed her company so much. To a guy like me, her attention and adoration were flattering. She got me. I always had the feeling she genuinely liked me for me, not my money. That if I'd been a regular engineer or programmer, she'd still be into me.

My stupidity, and the deception following it, had driven a wedge between us. I couldn't tell her I hadn't set out to hurt her. I hadn't dumped her for a flashy blond on purpose.

"How
was
the induction last night?" she said.

I could see she was trying not to pout and let her hurt show.

I looked her in the eye. "About that, I'm sorry—"

"No, don't be. You didn't have a choice. You had to take your
wife
." How could she put so much snark and derision into that one word? "So? What was it like?"

I still felt like a douche. "Lazer was a showoff." Damn him. "It was at his mountain lodge. He pulled out all the stops."

"Lazer
always
shows off! He can't help himself. It's in his DNA."

Ophie was also the one girl whose head had never been turned by him. "I want all the details. We'll talk later. I'll let Harry in." She turned to go.

"Ophie?"

She stopped and turned with an expectant look on her face.

"Make an appointment for me at the engagement ring store, would you? For today, at one." I felt like a douche and sounded imperious. And unfortunately, I involuntarily smiled at the thought of Kay wearing my ring.

Ophie's face fell. There was the wedge again. I swore the temperature in the room dropped ten degrees. She nodded and showed Harry in. Riggins might be getting a new, highly efficient assistant soon, whether either of us liked it or not.

"How's the newlywed?" Harry shut the office door and whistled. "Look at you! You should get your hair cut more often."

"Shut up. I've gotten so many compliments I'm getting a complex. Did I looked that bad before?"

"Worse." He nodded toward the greater office outside. "There's a boatload of speculation and curiosity about her, about the two of you, about everything, out there."

I nodded. "I know. It's wild."

"They're going to want to meet her." Harry took a seat in the desk chair across from me. "We need to plan something. You need to reassure them your marriage won't adversely affect them. You're the backbone of the company. And there are a lot of girls out there mourning the loss of your bachelorhood."

I laughed. "You're confusing me with Riggins. When he marries, there'll be tears and heartbreak throughout the company. Don't think I don't know he's the hot billionaire around here."

Harry laughed. "He's just the face of the company. Everyone knows your algorithms and vision are what made Flashionista more successful than anything Riggins has done before."

My algorithms were good. But he didn't give Riggins enough credit.

"Invite her to one of our famous afterhours Flashionista cocktail parties and introduce her to the gang there," Harry said. "But be damn sure you've got your story straight and your acting skills up to par first."

K
ayla

My car pulled up to the engagement ring store, which is how they were casually known around town, just as Jus did.

Yes, I could drive. Actually loved driving. But I was using the car service because Jus insisted. For my protection. Just until the media buzz from our surprise marriage died down. He hadn't 'fessed up to it, but I was being discreetly followed. I believed he had a security detail following me. All the billionaires did. Lazer had said as much. Because you never know. And, of course, in our case, there was that crazy ID thief to worry about.

Jus claimed Seattle was a good place for billionaires to live. For the most part, the city respected their privacy and left them alone. The world's richest man lived in one of the ritziest suburbs. He had a wife and two kids who lived their lives largely out of the public eye. In fact, you practically never heard about his children. It was as if they didn't exist. His wife was only in the news when she wanted to be. And our famous world's richest man could enjoy his morning coffee in any local Starbucks without being disturbed.

Jus assured me the same would be the case for us, given a little time for the novelty of me to wear off. The city mostly went about its business, used to eccentric people of all types and economic levels.

A crowd of reporters waited for us outside the doors of the store. I laughed inwardly. Of course I'd tipped them off. We needed the press to validate this whacky agreement of ours. We had to be in the public eye and win the public favor in case that identity-stealing-me-impersonator ever showed up and tried to blackmail us.

Plus, and this was key, the jewelry store would absolutely love us for the publicity and prestige we were throwing their way. They would be forever in our debt. If you loved jewelry like I did, this was important. I had my future as the ex Mrs. Green to consider.

Jus jumped from his car, worked his way through the crowd with cameras flashing, and met me as the driver opened the door.

As he took my hand and helped me out, another round of flashes went off. He gave me a questioning look. "How did the press get wind of this?"

I gave him a look like,
Baby, baby, don't be so naïve
.

"You didn't." He grinned.

I winked at him as he pulled me to a stand. "Showtime." I threw my arms around him and kissed him enthusiastically.

As we faced the crowd of reporters hand in hand, they peppered us with questions and comments. "Kayla, how excited
are
you to be getting a ring today?"

I beamed at Jus. "Thrilled, as you can imagine. Not as excited as when Jus proposed. Or when we exchanged vows. But it's no secret—I love my guy." I beamed at him. "And I love jewelry
almost
as much."

The reporter laughed.

One of the women reporters, whom I recognized from the news at five, held a mic out to me. "Is there a particular style you're looking for?"

"I've always been in love with the princess cut." I laughed. "But we'll see!"

"What are you looking for—white gold, gold gold, or platinum? How many carats?"

I laughed again, clutching Jus' arm tightly as I shrugged. "I can't give
everything
away now. All I can really say is I'm eager to see the selection they've pulled together for us."

"We're going to be late," Jus said with a smile. "We have an appointment to keep."

The crowd parted and let us through. I waved to them as Jus opened the first of a pair of double doors for me.

"How are things at the office?" I asked as we stepped inside.

"Crazy, even more than usual. The girls are planning a surprise for me in the cafeteria at three."

I laughed as if he'd said something totally amusing. He held the inner door open for me.

"Really? To congratulate you on your Jet City Billionaire Club membership?"

"Yeah, and our wedding."

"Oh," I said. "Should I make an appearance?"

He shook his head. "That would tip them off I'd found out about the surprise, wouldn't it? No, I think it should be just me this time. No offense, but if you're there, you'll be a distraction." He took a breath. "How did your boss take your resignation?"

"I think she was relieved. The office wants to throw me a bridal shower. Now that I'm married to a billionaire she probably wants to impress me, and you. And see if I can use my connections for their good."

"There's a lot of that wedding shower fever going around." He held the second door open for me.

I touched the back of his head and ran my fingers through his hair where it met his collar. "What does your staff think of your new look? Have you gotten any comments?"

He smiled. "Yeah. I'm going to get a big head. The girls have been ogling me all morning. I've never gotten so many compliments. I'm decently hot now."

"Only decently?"

"All right, smoking. Better?"

"Sure. And not a bit conceited."

The manager met us as we stepped inside. "Welcome, Mr. and Mrs. Green. I'm May. We spoke earlier on the phone," she said to me. "We have a private viewing room reserved for you."

She showed us to a luxurious room in the back of the store and closed the door behind us. Soft classical music played. Crystal chandeliers hung overhead, throwing the light to flatter the trays of diamond rings set out for us to view. Floral arrangements of pink and white roses sat on a table next to a selection of chocolates, cupcakes, petit fours, and tea and coffee.

The room even smelled expensive, like tasteful, elegant perfume. A guard stood at the door.

"Taking your preferences into consideration, I've pulled a selection of rings I hope will meet your expectations," May said. "If you don't see anything you like, I'll be more than happy to pull more."

I nodded. "Thank you." I turned to Jus. "When we spoke earlier, I let her know the styles I prefer."

She didn't patronize us with the usual speech on the four Cs of diamonds. She simply pointed to the trays of rings and the refreshments. "Please. Help yourself. Browse as you like. I'm here to answer any questions. Take your time. There's no rush."

Jus and I were still holding hands. "How much are you thinking of spending?" I whispered to him. "A good starting recommendation is one month's salary," I teased. "But anywhere between one and three is good. I'm easy. One month is fine with me. How much is one twelfth of a billion?"