by Ellie Hall
Only Forever with a Billionaire
Only Us a sweet billionaire romance series
Book 3
by
Ellie Hall
Only Forever with a Billionaire
Copyright© 2019 Ellie Hall
All Rights Reserved
No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any informational storage and retrieval system, without the written permission of the author/publisher except where permitted by law.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.
Cover Design: Nova Bookish https://www.etsy.com/shop/Novabookish
Website: http://www.elliehallauthor.com
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Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Acknowledgments
About the Author
Let's Connect
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Chapter 1
Charlotte
Charlotte Wheaton had once fallen in love. Or so she thought. His name was Montgomery Douglas. After a year of courtship, she accepted his proposal and vowed her life to the man. She believed it was forever. They had a daughter. She’d done everything in the proper order, followed protocol, and checked off the boxes. She thought she had gotten it perfectly right. But then how had everything had gone so wrong?
As she arrived at Robertson Royal Gardens for her brother Will’s Wedding Eve party—a combined bachelor and bachelorette party slash rehearsal dinner—, she couldn’t help but think about how she had done everything by the book and failed. Meanwhile, her brother did everything out of order, backward, and unconventionally, but had somehow succeeded. She wasn’t jealous or bitter, just curious. How did he manage to have a modeling career, build a gym empire, and find everlasting happiness? Meanwhile, she juggled several jobs, was a single mum, and alone.
She couldn’t bring herself to step out of line or do anything he considered normal—things that were wild, reckless, and sometimes ridiculous.
Except for Emma. There was nothing absurd about her. Will had somehow found the love of his life. It was clear, by the way they stole little glances at each other while they greeted guests, that she felt the same way.
In fact, her brother’s odd ability to make lemonade out of lemons had trickled into how the two women had met—not that Emma was in any way a lemon; no, she was more of a peach. A perfect peach and they’d become good friends.
Charlotte had been walking the dogs (job number one) and ran into Emma at a park. They’d met a few times randomly after that, then for tea where Emma consulted her about her love life. Now, she was marrying Charlotte’s brother. Small world? Small city? Or was it fate? Destiny? Charlotte wasn’t sure, but she did know that she was fated, destined to be alone.
A long sigh escaped as her cousin, Juliette, approached with wide-open arms. They kissed on each cheek in the European style. Juliette started chattering, asking about the proposal, the wedding, and the honeymoon. She wanted all the details.
Then, in her thick French accent, she said, “Where are my manners? I am so thrilled for William I forgot to ask, how are you, cousin?” Except, since she was French, she used that pronunciation of the word even though it was spelled the same in both languages.
“I’m well, thank you.” Charlotte’s lips lifted into a smile, but her heart wasn’t behind it. The truth was, she hadn’t been feeling quite herself since Sydney, her guardian and best friend had passed away after a long period in a coma. The loss had sapped the reserves of her strength, resilience, and tenacity. Most days, she was running on fumes, like a car in desperate need of gas.
“How is your darling daughter, Birdie?”
At the sound of her daughter’s nickname, Charlotte perked up. She was the one thing that kept Charlotte going. “She’s wonderful. With her grandmother this evening, but she will be with us tomorrow. She’s very excited to be the flower girl for the wedding.”
“Grand-mere?” Juliette asked, using the French word for grandmother.
“She’s with her grandmother on her father’s side.” Charlotte’s voice tightened and she swallowed back a swell of emotion.
Growing up, Charlotte and Will’s mother spoke French to them and they were both fluent even though they grew up in London. However, speaking the language, heck, even hearing it, brought up mixed emotions for Charlotte. On the one hand, it felt familiar, like home, as close to her heart as breathing, but on the other, it brought to mind another loss she’d had to bear.
“Ah, l’idiot,” Juliette said at the reminder of Charlotte’s ex-husband. She thought most men were idiots, but that didn’t stop her from having many romantic trysts, which she saucily divulged every time the cousins were together.
Will had been like that, going from girlfriend to girlfriend, then had been with what Juliette referred to as a tarte, before finding true love with Emma.
Charlotte knew she’d never find love again because for her it would have to be forever—a lifelong commitment. With her ex out of the picture, it was up to her to provide a stable life for Birdie. Romance didn’t fit into that equation, which was sure to only end in a split. She couldn’t go through that again.
There were other male figures in the young girl’s life. In the past, Will hadn’t proved to be the best role material, but Will had turned his life around in a lot of ways. They’d lost Sydney, who was like a grandfather to Birdie and a father to her.
Charlotte sighed again and Juliette gripped her forearm. “Non, non, non. We are here to celebrate. Not commiserate about how we’re still single. Now, let’s go mingle.” She pulled Charlotte into the growing crowd. She leaned in close to Charlotte’s ear. “Now, that Emma is royalty, I insist you introduce me to the most eligible bachelors and we’ll inquire as to whether they have a brother for you.” Juliette laughed.
As they made the rounds, Juliette kept to Charlotte’s side as if she knew her cousin would’ve found a quiet place to sit, pull out her phone and read or do something else equally introverted. Charlotte wasn’t one for big crowds and flashy events. She preferred the quiet, simple life.
“Tell me how it turned out your brother fell in love with a princess who didn’t know she was royalty?” Juliette asked.
Charlotte smiled. It was a good story, a romantic one—Charlotte’s favorite kind despite not having much in the way of romance in her own life
. She explained how the Jones sisters learned of their royal status. “Emma’s sister, Penny, soon-to-be queen of Concordia had stumbled into Burklingham Palace as a cook and came out with a prince on her arm. No, actually, a baker,” she corrected herself.
“Ooh. Speaking of baking. Those pastries look delicious,” Juliette said, helping herself to a chocolate caramel crème puff as a server passed with a tray piled with confections. “Okay, with that question answered, tell me why did your brother and his fiancé opt to have a combined hen party and bachelor party and the rehearsal dinner? Why all at once?”
Charlotte shrugged. “It had to do with timing. And they didn’t want to make a big fuss with multiple parties.”
“The Wedding Eve party sounds like a big deal,” Juliette said around a bite.
“When has Will done anything differently?”
They both laughed because it was true.
“If there is something big, he wants bigger. Something fancy? He wants fancier. If there’s a fast car, he wants one faster.”
“Charlotte, how is it you and your brother are so different?”
She shrugged. Will had it all.
Private jet? Check.
Multiple international residences? Check.
A billion dollars? Check.
“I suppose you’re right. William couldn’t just marry an ordinary girl. He had to go and marry a princess. I suppose that leaves us with a lot to live up to.” Juliette winked.
Charlotte’s ideal man, though completely fictional because she never intended to marry again, was quiet, simple, stable. He preferred nights in, perhaps a museum visit or a stroll in the park on Sunday afternoons, and didn’t go for extravagant. Montgomery had been that way but then he found someone who was the opposite of Charlotte.
“So for William, skipping the bachelor party has nothing to do with avoiding temptation?” Juliette hinted.
“Will said he’s done with his wild days. He’s committed to Emma.”
“Do you like her?”
“I adore her. She’s become a good friend.” Charlotte smiled.
“In that case, I approve. But I would’ve liked to have been invited to a royal bachelorette party.” Juliette smirked. “There probably would’ve been a shopping spree, a spa day, all the best girlie things.”
Charlotte smiled. The truth was, Emma grew up in the US under fairly modest circumstances. “Since Emma is officially royalty, the wedding is sure to be opulent and formal. They wanted this party to be fun and very much them.”
The color scheme was blue and white and gold like the wedding, but there were subtle, inked dog paw prints on the edge of the napkins for hors d’oeuvres, and other little dog-related accents.
“It’s reminiscent of the New Year’s bash she organized,” Charlotte explained. “Wait until you see the party favors.”
“Like those?” Juliette pointed to an enormous jar, or more like a tank, filled with Hershey’s Kisses. The label read How many kisses for the soon to be Mr. and Mrs.? Guess the magic number.
“No, not those. Will and Emma have a thing, like an inside joke, with the candies.” According to a little Birdie, there were eight-hundred and forty-four.
“A bon chat, bon rat.”
Charlotte knew Juliette wasn’t calling her brother or new sister in law a cat or rat, but meant everyone had their match. Except her.
“You mean like peas and carrots. Yes, but Will's new motto is about living a real life, unscripted, not posed.”
“Maybe so but he could never live a simple life.”
But Charlotte could. She did. Sydney left her more than enough, but she was saving it for Birdie’s future. They got by just fine. Though, Charlotte had been tired from working so hard and would’ve liked more time with her daughter. But she wasn’t the kind of person who accepted handouts. Will knew that. Sydney knew that. It was hard enough moving into his house after he’d passed—for numerous reasons.
“Ooh, la la. Who’s that?” Juliette asked, pulling Charlotte from her thoughts and pointing at a tall man. She couldn’t see who Juliette meant as various dignitaries, nobility, and royalty glided past, blocking their view.
Just then, Emma rushed over, wearing a white, gold, and aqua dress that flattered her tan after returning from the Caribbean. “Hello. I’m so happy you’re here.”
They hugged in greeting.
Charlotte introduced the two women who started chatting immediately. Both Emma and Juliette were easy to get along with though Emma did have her feisty side and Juliette could be catty. Thankfully, that wasn’t an issue. After all, Emma had become family and since Charlotte and Will only had Juliette, her father who she had a choice word for, and a few distant relations they’d never met, it was important to Charlotte they get along for Birdie’s sake. They’d never met their father and really didn’t have much family left.
At the upsetting thought, Charlotte blinked her eyes a few times, swallowed, and tried to lift her lips into a smile.
Juliette’s voice floated back to her as she asked Emma about her relationship with Will. “So he proposed to you while on the island? Tres romantique. Will you tell us the story?”
Charlotte leaned in, interested because she hadn’t yet heard how her brother popped the question. They’d only returned from the Caribbean a few days previous and had been preoccupied with wedding plans.
“Yes, absolutely,” Emma said. “It’s all been so hush-hush with Will trying to keep things out of the media. We’re lucky to have the island to escape to. No one in their right mind would trek there and take photos.” She shook her head. “I’m lucky there’s running water. We’re building a brand-new house there though and it will have all the bells and whistles and by that, I mean electricity.”
Juliette laughed.
Charlotte knew, all too well, Will’s problem with the paparazzi. They meddled in his life and at times had posed a danger. But she was also certain the house would have more than just the basics—he’d include the top of the line everything.
They continued to chatter about the island and house and engagement along with everything to follow.
“I love being able to gush with you girls,” Emma said.
Juliette gripped her hand, studying the ring. It was a rock of a diamond, surrounded by other diamonds. “You will need sunglasses when you wear it outside because it’s so bright and sparkly.”
“So, back to how he got this on your finger.”
“Will told me there were rumors of a treasure hidden somewhere off Isla Encanta.”
Juliette made a swooning sound that matched the way Charlotte felt inside. Love Island. A little, or not so little, considering they were talking about Will, secret. It was a hidden, island paradise just for the couple.
“One morning he brought me breakfast in bed along with a map. He went on to tell me a long story about how one of the locals from a neighboring island brought him in on the rumors of treasure and shared the map with him.” Emma raised an eyebrow. “I was suspicious, but went along with it.”
“If you found treasure did you have to share it?”
Emma flashed the ring. “In this case no.”
The three women laughed.
Emma continued. “It started with the perfect day on the boat. The sun was shining, the water was calm. We followed the map and sailed past Crystal Cove, Hangman’s Harbor, and then Shipwreck Sandbar. Let’s just say Will got a little carried away with the pirate theme. Anyway, we arrived at the X—the one that marked the spot, which was a called Riptide Reef, a shallow reef for snorkeling… We got on our gear and then were watching the angelfish, the tangs, the lionfish…”
“Sounds amazing,” Charlotte breathed.
“Don’t tell me he buried the ring!” Juliette exclaimed.
“He gestured I follow him over to some rocks. There, he pointed to a wooden treasure chest. We hauled it up and the ring was inside.” Emma bounced a little.
Charlotte had to admit, her excitement and joy were contagiou
s. If her brother, who’d had a reputation for being the least romantic person ever, could orchestrate something like that, perhaps there was some hope in the world.
“He proposed to me right there on the beach.” Tears glistened in Emma’s eyes.
Charlotte wrapped her in a hug. “I’m so glad you found each other.”
Juliette beamed. “It’s a love story good enough to write about.” She nudged her cousin. “But how did your brother manage to become the owner of an island in the Caribbean? Isla Encanta.” Juliette used a Spanish inflection, completely hiding her French accent when she said it. “The island of love.”
“Supposedly he won it during a card game.”
“When we were little, my brother and I played poker with Sydney for peanuts. Actual peanuts. The kind in the shell. It sounds like he’s graduated to bigger wagers.”
Emma and Juliette laughed.
The memory brought up more memories of Sydney. He’d taught Will and Charlotte so much about finances, even though Charlotte lived rather frugally. Will said he owed his success to their guardian. She owed her life.
She was in deep in mourning and didn’t know if the pain of loss would ever go away—at least not when she’d already lost so much: her mother, her marriage, then her best friend and father figure. It was especially hard at the wedding because he would have wanted to be there.
“The question is who does your brother play cards with?” Juliette asked. “Who is this person who wagers islands?” She laughed as though it was unreal, absurd.
Emma pointed to a man as tall as Will with his back to them. While her brother was muscular, it was from working out at the gym empire he owned while that man’s strength was of a more rugged variety. Like he lifted heavy things, but not weights. His skin was sun-kissed as though he spent a lot of time outside in the fresh air.
“That’s the American best friend, Wyatt. In fact, we have the same last name—Jones. Though there’s no relation.”