The Billionaire's Hideaway

by Jenna Brandt

She pulled up in front of the brick building and jumped out. Once inside, she marched right up to the mayor’s assistant and demanded, “I want to see Mayor Prescott right now.”

  “He’s about to head to a meeting,” the young brunette woman said from behind the desk. “You’ll have to make an appointment, Miss Hutton.”

  “Seriously, Angie? Miss Hutton? We grew up together. Give me a break,” Nicole stated before moving past the desk and storming into the mayor’s office.

  The middle-aged pudgy man was sitting behind his desk, rubbing his beard as he read a document. He glanced up at Nicole and let out a sigh. “Let me guess, you found out about the fast-tracking of the sale of the lighthouse property.”

  “You knew I would, Mayor Prescott. Why would you think I wouldn’t?”

  “I’m sorry, Nicole, I know how important the lighthouse was to your family, but…”

  “Not just my family, but to the whole island,” Nicole corrected. “It’s a part of Angel Island history.”

  “I understand, but sometimes history has to make way for the sake of progress. Mr. Brigston’s development of that land promises great things for our island.”

  “But at what cost?” Nicole disputed. “What are we giving up?”

  “We could debate that all day, Nicole, and honestly, I wish we could save the lighthouse. The truth is, you haven’t raised enough money to be able to establish the lighthouse as a historical landmark, restore it, and maintain it.”

  “You told me I had a year,” Nicole said with resentment, trying to fight back the tears that were threatening to fall.

  “And I would have kept to that understanding, but Mr. Brigston was going to move on to another neighboring island. I don’t want that to happen. What am I supposed to do?”

  “What if I told you I could get the money, all of it?” Nicole said, realizing that taking Ethan Winthrop’s offer was now the only way she had to save her beloved lighthouse.

  “I would say I can give you thirty days, but if you don’t have the money and the final paperwork in hand to register it as a historical landmark, I’m going to accept Mr. Brigston’s offer.”

  “I understand,” Nicole said, pushing her shoulders back, realizing the ramifications of the decision she just made. “I’ll get you the money before the deadline.”

  Chapter 3

  Ethan was shocked to see Nicole standing on the other side of the gate again. Once she left him at the coffee shop, he thought it would be the last time he would see her.

  He buzzed her in, meeting her at the front door. “What are you doing here?”

  “I decided to take you up on your offer.”

  “What changed in the last couple of hours?” he asked with surprise.

  “I found out that I need to have the money for the lighthouse within thirty days.” Then tilting her head, she added, “But I do have a couple of conditions. First, I’m not sure what you’re expecting from me as your wife, but since you said it was a business arrangement, I hope you understand that I need to stay in a separate bedroom.”

  “Of course,” Ethan said with a nod. “You would have all the privacy you need.”

  “Secondly, I need the money quicker than you originally proposed. I’ll still keep up my end of the agreement and stay married the full six months, but the new deadline changes when I need the money.”

  “I’m fine with that. I have a couple of conditions of my own. Why don’t you come in so we can discuss all of this further,” he said, stepping to the side to let her enter his house.

  They made their way into the posh living room. It was filled with gray and white decorations and furniture, all in the sleek modern look that matched the outside of the house.

  Ethan plopped down on the couch. Nicole sat across from him in a chair.

  “My first condition is that I will need you to sign a pre-nuptial agreement. It’s standard with my family in order to protect our holdings.”

  “That’s fine. I’m not marrying you to get anything other than the money to save the lighthouse.”

  “All right, and the other condition is that I need you to meet my parents. Along with that, I don’t want them to know of our arrangement. Frankly, I don’t want more reason for them to judge me.”

  “I can agree to that. How are we going to explain our relationship?”

  “We’ll tell them exactly what happened up until we made our arrangement. We met when you were fundraising for your lighthouse. We hit it off, went on a couple of dates, and because of my father’s marriage requirement, that’s why I’m introducing you to them.”

  “I suppose that will work,” Nicole conceded. “All of this makes me uncomfortable. I’m not good at faking anything, especially my feelings.”

  “I understand, but we don’t have to be overly affectionate. We have the benefit that my parents have never really seen me with a girlfriend, so they’ll just assume that we refrain from a lot of touching in public.”

  “When do we need to meet your parents?” Nicole inquired.

  “Considering how quickly we need to fast-track all of this, I think we should fly out to meet them tomorrow, and spend the weekend. That gives you tonight to pack, and allows me time to let my parents know we’re coming.”

  “Okay, then I should probably get going so I can get ready to meet my future in-laws. Wow, that sounds weird saying that out loud. I don’t even know what to pack for such an occasion.”

  “I would suggest a cocktail dress for the country club as they have dinner there most nights. Other than that, whatever you bring will be fine.”

  “Sounds like I need to get going so I have plenty of time to pack,” Nicole said, standing up. “I want to make a good first impression.”

  Ethan walked Nicole to the door saying, “I’ll text you later to let you know what time I’ll be picking you up.”

  “I’ll see you tomorrow,” Nicole said, before slipping out of the house.

  As Ethan picked up his phone to call his father to tell him the news, he wondered what it was going to be like to be a married man. He’d never pictured it for himself, but soon, he would be making the plunge.

  Just as promised, Ethan arrived promptly at 9 AM outside her cottage on the edge of Camden Bay. Nicole was waiting on the front porch with her small duffle bag, not ready to have him come in and invade her private space. The two-bedroom cottage was her family home, and when her parents passed away, she inherited it. Every item in the place had a memory, and she wasn’t ready to share any of that with Ethan yet—if ever. It was easier just to wait for him outside.

  She climbed into the rented limo—she suspected it was the only one on the island—and found Ethan inside. He looked handsome in a pair of khaki pants and a hunter green button-up shirt. Gone was his hat and sunglasses, replaced by slicked back hair and a freshly shaved face.

  “I like your dress. Blue suits you,” he said with a smile.

  “Thank you. I hope your parents approve,” she replied, glancing down at her simple cotton day dress and hoping it would present well to his parents.

  Nicole hadn’t dated much, with little opportunity since the population of the island was just under two thousand. She grew up with the one boyfriend she ever had. This meant their families knew each other well, so impressing his parents was never a concern.

  “I told you not to worry about that,” Ethan reminded her. “You’ll be fine, but I did realize one thing as I was packing last night. We should probably go over our basic facts if my parents are to believe we’ve been dating while I’ve been on the island. I don’t know anything about you other than you want to save the local lighthouse.”

  “Oh, that’s true. I never even thought about that,” Nicole confessed. “Let’s see, I was born and raised on Angel Island until I went away to college on the mainland. My parents passed away three years ago in a plane crash, which is why I returned. I’ve worked at the elementary school as a teacher’s aide since returning. That’s just to pay the bills until I get the lighthous
e project self-sufficient. I’m hoping once it’s restored, I can give weekly tours, and host events. The fees would help maintain it while providing me with enough income to support myself. Oh, and I’m in a book club that meets monthly.”

  “Wow, you sound like you’re really busy. Considering you’re on an island, I wouldn’t think there would be that much going on.”

  “We’re a town just like any other, we just happen to be on an island. What about you?”

  “What about me?”

  “Shouldn’t I know a bit about you to convince your parents this is real,” Nicole explained.

  “I guess that’s true,” Ethan said, taking a drink from his glass before continuing. “Well, I lived my whole life in Boston other than when I was at boarding school. My parents are big on traveling so I’ve been all over the world. My favorite place to visit is Paris. I try to go as often as I can since we have a flat there. I spend a lot of time at the country club or hanging out with my boarding school friends. That’s about it.”

  “What about work?” Nicole asked with curiosity.

  “Working really hasn’t been a priority for me,” he admitted with a shrug. “My trust fund provides everything I need.”

  “You don’t have to work? I can’t even imagine that,” Nicole stated with dismay. “Everyone on the island—other than the summertime vacationers—have to work, some even have two jobs.”

  Before Ethan could say anything further, they pulled up at the island’s small airport where a large, private jet was waiting. Nicole had been on a commercial airplane only a handful of times, and always coach. She couldn’t believe she was going to be flying in something so luxurious.

  “Wow, did you charter this for us?”

  “My family owns it,” Ethan said as if it was the most normal thing in the world to own a private jet.

  Nicole forced herself not to comment further, worried she would give away how uncomfortable it made her feel. She was beginning to see her future husband had far more money than she could have ever imagined. He had movie stars and tech mogul kinds of money, and that was worlds away from what she was used to.

  They boarded the plane and the flight attendant immediately greeted them with champagne flutes and hot towels on a silver tray. “Good morning, Mr. Winthrop, may I escort you and your guest to the bar or the lounge?”

  “I think we’ll spend the flight in the movie theater, if that’s fine with you, Stacy.”

  “Of course, Mr. Winthrop, right this way.”

  What on earth? This place sounded more like a resort than it did an airplane. How could it even stay up with so much onboard?

  As they followed the flight attendant through the jet, in addition to the areas already mentioned, Nicole saw a Jacuzzi, two bedrooms, and a large dining room.

  They took seats in a set of large, plush leather chairs facing a wall that had a screen with curtains around it.

  “What type of movies do you like?” Ethan asked, picking up a remote. “We have every one you could name, so pick one, and we can watch it.”

  “Oh, I love a classic comedy. Anything with John Candy is the best. The Great Outdoors, Spaceballs, Cool Runnings, Uncle Buck, Splash, you name it.”

  “Really? I didn’t peg you for a comedy girl. I would have thought you would have preferred romances and dramas.”

  “Is that because I’m a girl? I’m not saying I don’t like those too, but if I had to pick between a good old-fashioned slap-stick or an emotional sob-fest, I’d pick laughs over tears every time.”

  “All right then, let’s watch us some John Candy. Which one should we start with?”

  “Wait? What? Are you telling me you haven’t watched a single John Candy film before?” Nicole asked in disbelief.

  “My parents didn’t let me watch a lot of TV or movies growing up. I had a pretty strict upbringing with a regiment of books, music, and theater. By twelve, I was sent off to boarding school. They had even stricter rules than my parents did.”

  “Well, that just won’t do. I think we should start at the beginning. Splash, which also has Tom Hanks and Daryl Hannah in it. They’re all great together. It also has a strong romance theme, and since you seem to secretly like that, it should make you happy.”

  “What are you talking about?” Ethan asked, his eyes growing wide with shock. “I never said I liked romance.”

  “Now, don’t try to deny it. It’s okay. I know why you were suggesting a romance. It doesn’t mean you have to give up your ‘man’ card because of it,” she said with a smirk, then let out a laugh. “Your secret’s safe with me.”

  They settled back into their seats as the lights dimmed and the movie started to play. Within a few minutes, both of them were immersed in the world of a mermaid lost in the big city. The same fish out of water experience the main character felt in the movie was how Nicole felt currently. She was being thrust into a world she didn’t understand and wasn’t sure she would be able to navigate successfully. It was going to be a long weekend.

  Chapter 4

  “You ready for this?” Ethan inquired, taking Nicole’s hand and squeezing it.

  She nodded her head as he guided her up the steps of the massive Boston estate. At the top, Ethan reached out and knocked on the oversized, elaborately carved, wooden door.

  Frederick, the family butler answered the door. He was wearing a starched black suit and an all-business expression. The butler looked from Ethan to Nicole, as if sizing up the situation, before saying, “Good afternoon, Mr. Winthrop. Your parents are waiting for you in the formal living room. I’ll escort you there.”

  “No need, Frederick, I know the way. You can go about your other duties,” Ethan stated, moving past the butler who seemed put off by his dismissal.

  They walked through the expertly decorated hallway filled with expensive paintings and antique furnishings. Ethan was required to come over every Sunday for family dinner, but it still never ceased to amaze him that every time he visited, his mother had changed items around the house. He supposed with nothing to keep her busy but spending money, she needed to adjust the house often to justify her days.

  “Oh, Ethan, it’s so good to see you,” his mother, a strikingly pretty middle-aged blonde, cooed as she came up and gave him a hug. “I’m so glad you’re home. I’ve missed you.”

  “I’ve missed you too, Mom,” Ethan said in return, before stepping out of her hold.

  “Glad to have you back where you belong,” his father stated, patting him firmly on the back. “Though it looks as if the island has been good to you,” he added, turning his attention to Nicole.

  “Dad, Mom, this is Nicole Hutton,” Ethan introduced. “Nicole, this is my mom and dad, Vicky and Todd.”

  “Pleased to meet you. I have to admit I was surprised when Todd told me that Ethan had met a girl on the island, but looking at you, I can see why you caught his eye. Aren’t you the prettiest thing I’ve ever seen,” Vicky gushed with a smile.

  “Thank you,” Nicole stated, averting her eyes as a blush tinged her cheeks.

  “Stop, Mom, can’t you see you’re embarrassing her,” Ethan chastised.

  “Oh, leave me alone, Ethan. It’s rare you bring a girl home, let alone one that seems wholesome and nice. Let me bask in the fact you might be finally growing up.”

  “I wouldn’t go that far,” the familiar voice of his older brother, Gavin, chimed in from the door. “It seems your banishment has lasted long enough. The prodigal son has returned.”

  “What, not glad to see me big brother?” Ethan mocked back. “Didn’t you get enough of Mom and Dad’s undivided attention while I was away?”

  “Oh, you always see to that, whether you’re here or not,” Gavin stated with irritation. “Their constant focus on you is unwavering.”

  “That’s enough, boys, we have a guest,” their father stated, looking at Nicole to make the point.

  “Right, Ethan’s brought along his latest fling, this time from the island. A little surprising he br
ought her here, but I’ve never been able to make sense of what he does,” Gavin admitted as he walked over to the bar and poured himself a drink. Coming over to where the group was standing, he looked Nicole up and down and added, “She’s pretty though, I’ll give him that. He’s always had a thing for the lookers; cares more about the coat of paint than what’s under the hood.”

  “Gavin, stop that,” their mother rebuked with disapproval. “You shouldn’t speak about your brother’s girlfriend that way.”

  “Is that what he’s calling her? Does she even qualify?” Gavin countered. “They’ve dated for less than a month by my calculation.”

  Ethan took Nicole’s hand and declared, “Three weeks to be exact, and yes, she is my girlfriend. If you have a problem with that, you should say something to me about it.”

  “I don’t. I could care less what you do with your life, as long as it doesn’t affect the family name,” Gavin stated. “After all, it’s my job to carry it on and secure the family legacy, duties of the first son.”

  Ethan wanted to argue with his brother that it was both their responsibilities, but he didn’t want to get into an argument in front of Nicole. It was bad enough the way his brother was behaving; he wasn’t going to make it worse for her by fighting with Gavin.

  “I think it’s time to eat,” his mother declared. “I told the chef to be ready by noon. I asked him to make your favorite, Monte Cristo sandwiches.”

  “That was my favorite when I was five, Mom. My palate has refined since then,” Ethan corrected.

  As soon as the words left his mouth, Ethan felt bad about it. Between the tremble in his mother’s chin and the sad look in her eyes, Ethan realized his thoughtless correction hurt his mother’s feelings. Before he could correct the mistake though, Nicole came to his rescue.

  “I guess I’m still a kid at heart,” Nicole interjected. “I love a good ham and cheese sandwich squished between two pieces of French toast.”

  Vicky’s eyes warmed as she nodded. “I do too. Ethan and I used to eat them with tea every afternoon; well, at least until I had to stop the tradition. He was becoming rather round from all the fattening things I was feeding him.”