THE BILLIONAIRE’S SECRET

Chapter 1

Charlie

“Charlie! There’s our little rascal.” Ellie squealed and rushed towards me in her five-inch jimmy choos that made her legs look so good. Ellie threw her hands over my neck and squeezed so hard, I was sure a bone or two cracked.

Her hair was electric blue at the moment, she changed colors of hair so often. I hadn’t known there were so many color hairs could come in. It'd have been weird on anybody else, but Ellie somehow made it work.

The most I had deviated from my normal chestnut red hair had been Ellie’s wedding a year ago when she had personally colored all her bridesmaids’ hair golden because, apparently, we had to match in every way.

The other three people joined us at more sedate paces. Her husband, Aaron, gave her a warning look. Diane hugged me and smiled. Her boyfriend King kissed my cheek.

King and Diane had met at Ellie’s wedding. It was the cutest story ever.

King had been a bit of a flirt and Diane was the most sedate of the three of us. It had taken a lot of work for him to finally get Diane to give in to him. Her hair was so pale blonde it was nearly silver. Ellie had started calling her Danaerys after we had seen Game of Thrones for the first time.

I missed my best friends. We had grown up together in Colorado, came to college in New York together, roomed together for years before Ellie had met Aaron at a convention, got married and moved to Seattle, then Diane had met King and moved to Manhattan with him.

I couldn’t hate the men for taking my best friends away from me. I loved my girls, and they were happy, and that was pretty much what mattered. We all sat down to eat. Diane, Ellie and I ended up ordering the same thing, which made us grin at each other. Even after all these years, we still had the same taste in food, almost as if no time had gone between us at all. When it was time to order wine , Aaron gave Ellie a pointed look. Ellie rolled her eyes .

I looked between the both of them, confused.

“Oh my God, El. Are you pregnant?” Diane gasped . The congratulations flowed around the table. Then Diane raised her left hand and flashed her diamond ring. Congratulations started again. All the while, I felt something heavy sitting down on her stomach. My throat closed and my hands shook so badly I had to hide them in my lap. I hated the envy that I felt for my friends’ happiness. I felt guilty that I was envious. They deserved to be happy . Didn’t they? What about me? What did I deserve? It felt like they had left me behind and moved on with their lives.

After dinner , Aaron asked me if I wanted a ride home .

“Our rascal?” Ellie giggled “she definitely has some boy toy waiting for her at one of those chic bars”

Diane grinned “old habits”

Their comments didn't sit well with me. They weren't wrong, really, but for some reason I just hated how well they knew me . Normally I’d tease and say “I’m saving New York’s male population from the evils of masturbation.”

Not today though. I turned to Aaron and smiled “I will need that ride. I have an early day at work with a really important client."

The four pairs of eyes that met mine after I had spoken were full of such undisguised astonishment, it made me bristle. I’d have grinned at their gaping jaws if I hadn't been so annoyed.

I showed them how unpredictable I was by going home and straight to bed.

My alarm went off by seven am. Diane had bought the alarm clock for me years ago because I slept like the dead and the banshee-like sound of the alarm could surely wake the dead. I made a mental note to have it replaced. Waking up to such a loud screeching couldn't be legal.

I blinked sleepily, suddenly noticing that I was alone in my bed and my panties were intact. I actually felt refreshed for a change.

Go figure.

I pattered my bare foot to the kitchen and began making eggs and a mixed chocolate drink.

I didn't know how people guzzled cups of coffee. It was honestly really disgusting to me.

After eating and washing up the dishes, I headed to the bathroom to get my teeth flossed before brushing, then I slid naked under scalding water. I stood there for minutes enjoying the feel of the water and the incredible pressure against my skin.

I blew my hair dry and ran a flat iron through it to give it the semblance of some style. My hair had the sort of curl pattern that made me look like Merida if I didn't spend a substantial amount of time taking it.

My clothes were laid out on the window seat in my bedroom, something I’d been doing since forever. I hated rushing my dressing process, so picking out clothes for the next day helped me get ready faster.

I tossed on plain nude, not quite matching underwear, pulled on peach-colored suit pants, a white sleeveless-silk top with a school girl collar and then very expensive shiny black manolos, my all-time guilty pleasure. My hair was swept up into a tight ponytail ,mascara applied, strawberry lip gloss, and I was off . Just before I got into my cab, I had the sudden urge to get a pet I could say ‘goodbye’ to when I left for work each day. I sighed.

How and when did my life get so sad?

Once upon a time, I had been bursting with dreams and hopes, excited about leaving home and taking on the world. Eager for every new day and the possibilities each day brought.

When had I stopped viewing the world through rose-colored glasses?