The Billionaire's Unlikely Bride(Book 1)
Helen Cooper
Prologue
I stared at his handsome face as he slept. I could barely believe that he was here with me. The man that I loved. I reached down and ran my hands through his dark hair and marveled at its silkiness. What I wouldn't have done for hair so fine and shiny. He opened his eyes at my touch and smiled into my eyes.
"Morning," I whispered to him.
"Morning beautiful." My heart skipped a beat. Those words would never grow old.
"Morning handsome."
Bang bang. A sharp knocking on the door startled me.
"Elle, are you in there, Elle?" I heard Olivia's voice screeching.
I looked at him worried. "Uh oh."
He smiled at me. "It will be okay Elle."
"I don't want to see her face when we tell her."
"She'll have to deal with it." He grinned and kissed me.
"I know, but … " I paused to kiss him back, my body melting into him.
"No but's, we're both adults Elle. We make our own decisions." And then we laughed at his words.
"Elle, open that door now. I can hear you." Olivia continued her angry screeching and I sighed.
"Let's go face the music, " he jumped up and we walked to the door, knowing all hell was about to break loose. Only thing was I didn't know exactly what we were going to tell her.
Chapter 1
I hadn't planned on staying in New York. I wanted to move to Los Angeles to try and become a screenwriter after I graduated from college. Yet here I was 3 years later, still in New York and no closer to becoming a screenwriter than I was to becoming a super model.
"Elle, come on. We're going to be late." My best friend Brittany walked into my room and jumped on my bed. She looked amazing of course. She always looked amazing. She was beautiful and rich and she never had to want for anything. Her self-confidence was something that I admired though sometimes I wished that she wasn't always so insistent on having her own way. We had met on the first day at Columbia; we had been assigned to be roommates. She the daughter of a billionaire and me daughter of a farmer from Iowa.
"I'm feeling tired Brit, I don't know." I didn't really want to go out dancing, I never had the right clothes and I never had enough money. I was also fed up of the looks and the whispers until someone finally said, "She's Brittany Rosewood's best friend, they went to Columbia together." And then it would be okay, or at least I was accepted. Because I was Brittany's best friend and she was the only child of Elliott Rosewood, one of the richest men in New York and in fact the world.
"Elle, you promised. You know I want you to meet Peter tonight." Brittany pleaded with me.
"Who?" I looked at her confused.
"Peter Branford," she sighed. "I told you about him remember?"
"No, not really," I think I vaguely remembered her mumbling on about a Peter a few weeks ago when I had been writing a scene in my new play but hadn't really paid attention to her.
"Elle, how am I ever going to find you a husband?" Brit sighed again. "Peter Branford, only son of Olivia Branford and heir to the Branford fortune. He's a billionaire Elle."
"Uh, okay." Her words meant nothing to me. I didn't care that Peter Branford was by all accounts a billionaire, at least when he inherited. I didn't really care about money. I was happy just getting by, though I suppose that was easy to say living rent free with Brittany in her penthouse apartment in the Upper West Side. That was part of the reason why I still lived in New York. Brittany's dad had bought her this apartment when we were sophomores at Columbia and we had both lived here ever since. Her dad had told me that no rent was due because I was such a good friend to Brittany. I knew that he meant because I didn't do drugs and party all night but I had been happy to accept. It had meant that my student loans were that much smaller and for that I was ever grateful. Now, it meant that I was able to work part-time at a pre-school and spend the rest of my time writing and hoping for my big break.
"Earth to Elle, earth to Elle." Brittany was going through my closet.
"Sorry," I sighed and stood up. "Okay, let me go take a shower and get ready for this Peter."
"Yay Elle. I'm so excited. I know you two are going to hit it off. He is absolutely gorgeous."
"Okies Brit, this I have to see." I laughed. Brittany was worried that we were going to become old maids at the age of 25 and had been trying desperately to set me up with every eligible man this side of the river. She was dating Mark Bronson, the son of the 2nd richest man in New York. They'd been dating for about 9 months now and it seemed as if it were getting serious. They looked like Barbie and Ken together. She the cute short blond, with big blue eyes and he the tall dark handsome man. They were the perfect couple and I had a feeling that they would be getting engaged soon.
As I showered I started to think about what I would do when Brittany got married. There was no way I could stay in this penthouse and I would never want to live with Brittany when she was married. I had about $15,000 saved up and figured that would be enough to get me to Los Angeles and into a cheap apartment while I tried to make it in the land of fortune and fame. It scared me when I thought about moving to LA, I had no plan B and no parents rich enough to pay my way if things didn't go well.
"Hurry up Elle." I could hear Brittany dancing around to some music. I was sure she must have had a couple of drinks and was anxious for us to get out and start dancing.
"Coming, coming." I quickly put on a pair of skintight leather pants and a silver sequined top. The top always made my gray eyes shimmer. I grabbed a brush and pulled it through my chestnut brown hair. I examined myself in the mirror as I applied my makeup. Not too shabby, though I needed a haircut. I applied my eyeliner and sprayed some Obsession on my neck and wrists. Everyone in Brittany's crowd laughed at my choice of perfume but it was my mother's favorite and it always made me feel closer to her.
"Okay, I'm ready." I walked into the living room and Brittany grabbed my arm and danced me around the room.
"You are so hot Elle. Peter is going to love you." I laughed at her, she had definitely been drinking.
"Well, let's go and meet him then."
"Oh, yeah. I forgot to tell you. Brunch tomorrow at Dad's at noon."
"Oh, he's back from Europe?" Elliott Rosewood was always traveling. It seemed that he was never in one place for longer than a few weeks. Brittany told me it had been that way since her mom died when she was ten years old.
"Yeah, a couple of weeks ago. Olivia will be there as well." She made a face.
"Olivia?"
"Olivia Branford. Peter's mom."
"Oh."
"I suppose Peter will be there as well."
"Oh."
"I guess if you guys hook up tonight you can always just go together tomorrow."
"What?"
"Ha-ha, you should see your face Elle. Trust me you won't be such a prude when you see what a hottie he is tonight."
"Uh huh." I smile at her. I was not a prude by any means but felt pretty confident that I wouldn't be hooking up with Peter that night, hottie or not.
"Will Mark be there?" I ask.
"No, he's out of town on business." She pouts. "But that won't stop us from having fun."
"So is Olivia dating your dad?"
"Who knows?" She laughs. "They're old friends but I'm sure she would love to snag him."
"Oh ok."
"Let's go Elle."
"Okay, okay." I grab my handbag and we head out the door.
****************************
"Nice to meet you Elle," Peter kissed my hand and Brittany grinned at me.
"I told you she was a beauty Peter."
"That you did Brittany. I shall never doubt you again." Peter turned towards her and gave her a hug, giving me time to study him. He was about 5"10, with dark hair and green eyes. He was devastatingly handsome and radiated money. I had to admit that Brittany had done me right here, there was nothing that I could see on the surface that was wrong with him.
"Would you like a drink Elle?" Peter offered politely. I was impressed, I was so used to guys that told me to go and get a drink expecting me to be their personal ATM.
"Rum and coke please." I smiled at him and giggle along with Brittany as he walks to the bar.
"Isn't he to die for?"
"Not really."