Catching the Billionaire

by Elizabeth Blakely

  I was relieved that she didn’t seem angry, just stunned. “Who is it?”

  “Do you know who Rain Taylor is?” I asked.

  She stared at me slack-jawed before closing her mouth. “Rain,” she gasped for air, her breath coming in pants as she held a hand to her chest. “Taylor. Rain Taylor.” She swallowed. “You’re kidding, right? This is a joke?”

  “It’s not,” I said, the corner of my mouth tilting into a grin. It was kind of adorable the way she was freaking out about the whole thing. Though, in hindsight, maybe I should’ve reached out to a female artist.

  I was still pondering it when she threw her arms around my neck, and I fell back on the ground with her in my arms. But then everything slowed, and I realized just how close we were. Just how beautiful she was. From the freckles lining her nose to the lashes framing her expressive blue eyes, everything about her was a masterpiece.

  My eyes darted to her lips, and she licked them as if sensing my attention. The memory of kissing her was ingrained in my brain. I wanted to kiss her again, but then I remembered how awkward things had been between us the past few weeks. This was the first time they’d felt normal again, easy.

  Something shifted in her eyes, and she pushed herself off of me, taking a seat next to me once more. “Oh my gosh.” Her were cheeks still flushed when she crossed her legs. “This is insane. I mean, Rain Taylor is a huge star.”

  I crossed my arms over my chest, glaring at her playfully. “And I’m not?”

  “Well—” She swallowed, reaching out to place her hand on my arm. “Of course you are.”

  “But I’m no Rain Taylor?” I teased.

  She shrugged. “Sorry, but he’s pretty cute. And that voice.” She rolled her eyes backward.

  “All right, time for your dating lesson of the day,” I said in a gruff tone, poking her in the side to get her attention.

  She giggled. “Oh yeah? I thought I didn’t need any more dating lessons.”

  “I changed my mind.” I growled. “And get ready to take notes because this one’s important. If you’re dating a guy, he wants to feel like there’s no one you’d rather be with.”

  “You don’t think the same is true for me?” She coughed. “I mean, for a girl in a relationship.”

  “Yes, but guys’ egos are more fragile.”

  She laughed, giving me a pointed look. “Boy, isn’t that true.”

  “Hey, hey,” I said, placing both my hands on her waist. “Don’t make me tickle you.”

  “You wouldn’t dare.” She turned her head, narrowing her eyes when she met mine.

  “You have no idea what I’m capable of,” I said as I fluttered my fingers about her skin.

  She was breathless with laughter, and I laughed at her feeble attempts to tickle me back.

  “Stop,” she cried, falling back on the blanket, though I knew she was enjoying it. “Stop.”

  “Only if you promise not to gush over Rain Taylor,” I said his name in a falsetto tone. I paused, though my fingers were still poised to attack as I leaned over her.

  She laughed. “Is that all it will take?”

  I nodded, though my eyes were focused on her lips. I really needed to stop looking at them. Stop thinking about what it was like to kiss her.

  “I promise,” she said, and I lowered my hands. “Though it’s going to be difficult. He is really cute.” She rolled away and took off running.

  I sat there for a minute, stunned by how fast she’d moved. My knee ached as I leapt to my feet and started chasing after her. It had been doing that more lately—hurting. Though I tried my best to ignore it.

  “You can’t run from me,” I called after her, though I wasn’t running nearly as fast as I could.

  She was half-way across the grass when she glanced back to look at me. She was smiling and her blond hair fluttered behind her in a wave. She opened her mouth to say something, her attention on me and not where she was going.

  There was a busy sidewalk ahead of her, and my mind catalogued a number of impressions at once. A biker going fast. A small child darting out on the sidewalk. The biker veering to miss the child. The biker headed straight for Staci.

  Everything after that seemed to happen in slow motion.

  “Stop,” I yelled, picking up speed. My feet felt like they were made of lead.

  A collision was inevitable at this point, and my one thought was that I needed to reach Staci first. I sprinted across the grass, ignoring the pain in my knee and pushed her out of the way of the biker. She fell to the ground and time seemed to stop.

  Her eyes were closed, her mouth parted slightly. It almost looked like she was sleeping.

  “Staci?” I crouched down next to her, hesitant to touch her despite the powerful urge to cradle her in my arms. But I knew from my experience on the field that it was best not to move someone who was unconscious.

  “Staci,” I said again, needing her to open her eyes more than I needed my next breath. She didn’t respond, and I turned to the crowd that had gathered. “Somebody call an ambulance,” I shouted.

  It felt as if my world was collapsing in on me, and everyone was watching. Suddenly, I felt very claustrophobic. “Get back,” I growled, my chest tight. “Give her some space.”

  She didn’t open her eyes, and I tried to hold it together until the paramedics arrived. This couldn’t be happening. Not now. Not when I was so close to telling her that I loved her. What if I never got the chance?

  “Please, sweetheart,” I spoke into her ear. “Please wake up. Please be okay.”

  But she didn’t move. Her eyelashes didn’t so much as flutter. I felt sick the entire way to the hospital. This was all my fault.

  Chapter Nineteen

  Staci

  My eyelids felt insanely heavy, and my entire body ached. No, not ached. I felt like I’d been run over by a Mack truck. I tried to reach for my phone on my nightstand, eager to stop the incessant beeping that seemed to echo through my skull.

  “Hey there,” Ellie cooed, before adding as if to someone else, “She’s waking up.”

  My eyelids fluttered, and it took immense effort to push them open. When I finally did, everything seemed extraordinarily bright and…white. Aunt Karen stood off to the side, her expression pained though she attempted to smile at me.

  “Where am I?” I asked. My throat was scratchy and everything hurt.

  Ellie came over to my side and offered me a cup of water. “You’re at the hospital. You were in an accident.”

  I frowned, my brows pulling together. “I was?”

  “You don’t remember?” she asked.

  I shook my head and immediately regretted it. I laid back against the pillow, wishing the room would stop spinning. I didn’t remember anything about a car accident.

  “You and Brandon were at the park when you collided with a biker.”

  I closed my eyes, and there were flashes of the memory, but it was like I was trying to chase after something with broken legs. It felt…impossible.

  My eyes snapped open. “Where’s Brandon? Is he okay?”

  I could feel the panic rising within me. What if he wasn’t okay? What if he was… I closed my eyes and a fat, warm tear rolled down my cheek.

  Ellie nodded. “He’s fine,” she said, though I could tell from her tone that there was something she wasn’t telling me.

  “Then where is he?” I asked, feeling only slightly relieved.

  “Since he’s not family, they wouldn’t allow him to see you.”

  Despite the chill in the room, I was sweating. “I’m awake, and I’m asking to see him.”

  Ellie glanced to Aunt Karen, and she joined Ellie at the side of my bed. “Right now, your recovery is what’s most important. You can decide if you want to see Brandon later. When you’re feeling better.”

  “I don’t understand. What is there to decide? Why can’t I see him now?” What was I missing? Had I forgotten something while I’d been unconscious?

  “Brandon said so
me things that you might find upsetting,” Ellie said with a meaningful look.

  My stomach clenched. “What did he say?” Aunt Karen bit her lip and Ellie wouldn’t meet my eyes. “Tell me,” I seethed, when neither of them answered.

  Ellie handed me her phone, where a clip was displayed on screen. The title was “Heartless or Hero?”

  I pressed play and watched as Brandon paced what looked like a hospital waiting room. Even though it was grainy, it was clearly him. He was talking to another man, and it was clear they didn’t know they were being filmed. My stomach rolled, as I waited to see what would happen.

  The other man spoke first. “If you’re so determined to see her, just tell them you’re her fiancé.”

  My eyes widened, and I held my breath as I waited for Brandon’s response. “But I’m not. I’m not even her boyfriend, and I can’t keep pretending.” He dragged a hand through his hair, clearly tortured.

  The film froze there, and I immediately played it again, unwilling to believe what I’d seen. After the second time, I stared at it slack-jawed. Ten seconds. The clip was ten seconds long, and it had rocked my world. If I’d thought the gold-digger accusations were bad, this was a million times worse.

  “What’s this?” I asked more to myself as I clicked on a link near the bottom of the screen.

  A slew of articles popped up, all with various women claiming that they’d fake-dated Brandon as well. I didn’t even realize I was crying until the first tear fell on the phone screen.

  “Staci, honey, I’m so sorry,” Aunt Karen said as she gently pried the device from my hands.

  “Maybe there’s a good explanation for what he said,” I finally said, hating the tinge of desperation to my voice.

  Ellie gave me a pitying glance, while Aunt Karen’s expression was incredulous. It was Aunt Karen who spoke. “Such as…”

  “I don’t know,” I said, slumping back against the pillow. “I just…Brandon was so kind, so good to me. I find it difficult to believe that he could be so hurtful.” That I could mean so little to him.

  A nurse came in and took my vitals before asking me a few questions. It hit me then that I hadn’t once freaked out over the fact that I was in a hospital. I’d been so preoccupied with the drama with Brandon that I hadn’t stopped to think about where I was and why. And then I remembered his words that day we’d visited Mrs. Stanton—good things happen in hospitals too. Apart from the fact that I was grateful to be alive and conscious, I was struggling to agree with his logic. Because I certainly felt gutted after his waiting room declaration.

  “Perhaps it was taken out of context,” I said once the nurse had left, knowing how desperate it sounded. “Clearly, he didn’t know he was being filmed, but that doesn’t excuse what he said.”

  I closed my eyes not wanting to believe it was true. But I couldn’t ignore it—not when his words played on an endless loop in my head. I can’t keep pretending.

  Someone knocked on the door. “Staci,” Brandon’s deep voice called from the doorway.

  Aunt Karen immediately went to the door and tried to block his entrance, but he only grew more insistent. “I need to explain. Please—"

  I straightened and wiped my tears. “Let him in.”

  “What?” Ellie asked in a hushed voice. “Are you sure that’s a good idea?”

  “No, but I need to hear what he has to say.” I smoothed my hair, knowing I looked like a disaster.

  Aunt Karen stepped aside and let Brandon in, though she gave him a scathing look. “You have two minutes,” Aunt Karen said in a stern tone. “And if you upset her at all, you’re gone. Understood?”

  “Yes, ma’am.” He nodded and everything about him radiated pain.

  I almost felt sorry for him, but then I remembered what he’d said. I can’t pretend any more.

  He stepped closer to the bed. “Staci, I’m sorry.” His voice was gruff, his shoulders hunched.

  “I bet you are.” I crossed my arms over my chest.

  “You weren’t supposed to find out. Not like that. I was going to ask you to be my girlfriend for real. To date me.”

  I sucked in a jagged breath. I wanted so badly to believe it was true. But how could I when everything between us was nothing more than a beautiful lie?

  No. This was too little too late. A little too convenient.

  “You had plenty of opportunities. And now you ask me to date you only after everyone finds out the truth about our relationship.” Anger, pain, and embarrassment swirled through me like a tornado, and my voice rose with every word. “When your contract is in jeopardy.”

  “No. I—”

  “Please, Brandon,” Aunt Karen said, stepping between us. “If you care about Staci at all, you’ll go.”

  He dropped his head, perhaps knowing there was nothing more to say. I could hear Aunt Karen talking to him in a stern tone but a moment later the door clicked shut with a sense of finality. It was over.

  I covered my face with my hands, my body racked with sobs. How could Brandon do this to me? Not only had he broken my heart, he’d completely humiliated me.

  Ellie climbed onto the bed next to me and held me gently while I cried. “I feel like such a fool,” I mumbled into her chest.

  I was a fool—for trusting him, for loving him. All along, I’d known this was a fake relationship. It wasn’t his fault I’d fallen in love with him. And at least now I knew the truth. Our relationship really was all about appearances.

  Aunt Karen was gone for a while, and I wondered if she was still talking with Brandon. By the time she returned, I’d stopped crying, at least for the moment.

  “It’s going to be okay, sweetie,” she said, holding my hand. I wished I shared her optimism. “If you’re feeling up to it, we probably need to discuss your exit strategy.”

  “Okay,” I said, wiping away tears. I wasn’t entirely sure what she meant, but I had a feeling I wouldn’t like what was coming next.

  “I spoke with a publicist friend of mine,” Aunt Karen said. “And there are several ways you can handle this.”

  “Do we have to handle it at all? We broke up? It’s over. Finito.”

  “No, but you do have some decisions to make,” Aunt Karen said. “You can make a statement or not. Or, if you don’t want to face the paparazzi swarming outside, we can leave the hospital through a back exit. I have a private security detail here to escort us to a car and drive us home.”

  I blinked at her a few times. “The paparazzi are outside?”

  Ellie nodded. “It’s crazy out there. They’re waiting to see your reaction to Brandon’s confession.”

  I shook my head, the tears starting anew. “I can’t…” My breath came in pants, my chest tightening to the point I thought it might burst. “I can’t do this.”

  “It’s okay,” Ellie said, her voice soft. “You don’t have to.”

  “But what about his contract?” I asked, knowing this could derail the final negotiations. He’d saved my life after all.

  And my decision didn’t just impact me, it affected Brandon and his career. Despite how upset I was with him, how hurt, I didn’t think he should have to lose his job. I knew how much it meant to him, and I wouldn’t be able to live with myself if I he lost it because of something I could control.

  Aunt Karen frowned. “You’re seriously thinking about his contract at a time like this? After what he did.”

  I lifted a shoulder. “He was good to me—an amazing boyfriend. Well, fake-boyfriend,” I corrected.

  “I agree, but wow—” Aunt Karen said, “You really don’t owe him anything.” She leaned forward. “Do you? I thought you were pretending to be his girlfriend to help him with his heartbreaker image.”

  I glanced at Ellie, but she wouldn’t meet my eyes. “I might have told Aunt Karen about your arrangement.”

  “It’s fine,” I said. “The whole world knows he wasn’t really dating me now, even if they don’t know the reasons why.”

  “I’m honestly not sure I
understand why you agreed to it?” Aunt Karen asked. “Do you like him? Was this to boost your visibility in the music industry? I’m not judging. I’m just curious.”

  “I didn’t like him, not at first. At least, not like that.” I let out a deep sigh and stared ahead, unable to meet their eyes. “He offered to give me dating pointers if I pretended to be his girlfriend.”

  Aunt Karen frowned and Ellie tilted her head to the side. “Why?”

  “Why not? It’s not like anyone else was asking. And I was sick of always being the friend, never the girlfriend.”

  Ellie laughed, but she quickly sobered when she realized I was glaring at her. “You’re kidding right? You could’ve had your pick of guys.”

  I shook my head. “No. They never asked me out. They always ended up asking my friends out instead.”

  “Because they were too intimidated to ask you out.”

  “What? Why?”

  “Because you’re beautiful and talented,” Aunt Karen said with a doting smile. “And they knew it would take someone extraordinary to capture your attention.”

  “But…didn’t they see how desperate I was to date someone?”

  “Desperate enough to agree to fake date someone?” Aunt Karen asked.

  “No. When this started, I wanted to date Will. Brandon convinced me that he could give me insight on what guys want. Plus, he said it would be good dating practice without the pressure.”

  “Hmm,” Ellie hummed, crossing her arms over her chest. “He’s smarter than I gave him credit for.”

  I wanted to ask her what she meant by that, but Aunt Karen asked, “So, he didn’t pay you?”

  “No,” I answered immediately. “The only things I accepted were those he’d give someone he was dating—a dress for an event or my necklace.”

  I glanced down at the angel wing pendant, and burst into tears again. Despite how delicate the jewelry was, it felt like a chain weighing me down. It felt like a reminder of everything I’d wanted and everything we weren’t. It was mocking me, but I couldn’t bring myself to take it off.

  “I hate to ask this,” Aunt Karen said in a tender voice. “But he didn’t force you into this arrangement or otherwise act…inappropriately, right?”