How To Marry A Billionaire: A BWWM Billionaire Romance (11 page)

“Shell-shocked?”

“I wasn’t expected to be treated like meat.”

“Not every shoot is that way, but a lot are. Is that a problem?”

“No. I’m doing this for Derek. I can suck it up,” she said.

Derek returned with the phone. Ellyn ordered the pizza and added garlic knots. She wasn’t planning on kissing anyone today, so that was fine. Besides, she would be able to afford it now.

Derek went back to watching television and Colton and Ellyn moved to her kitchen to talk.

Colton had pulled out his phone. “I have an email from Marcia. They loved you. They want to sign you to an exclusive contract.”

“Is that good or bad?”

“Well, it depends on how long. I’d make it shorter rather than longer. You don’t want to get locked in with them and have them change direction on their advertising. Then you don’t get work with them and can’t get worth with other companies.”

She nodded. “I’m glad you know all about this.”

He smiled. “That’s what I’m here for. I’ll call them in the morning.”

“Not right now?”

“Let them wait. Puts us in a position of power,” he said.

The whole idea of negotiating this made her head spin. At least it kept her mind off Colton’s presence in her tiny kitchen. He was large anywhere, but in her place even more so.

“How was Derek?”

“A lot of boy, but I had fun.”

“He has boundless energy. I should have warned you.”

Colton leaned against her counter as if he owned the place. Not in an arrogant way, just that he belonged here.  How did he do that in his expensive clothes and two hundred dollar haircut? The idea that he fit in here unnerved her.

He shouldn’t fit here, but he’d never looked down his nose at her place. Only expressed concern for her safety.

“I took him to the park, but that didn’t seem to get rid of any of his energy.”

“He’ll be bouncing around again soon. Once he eats.”

Someone knocked on the door. Colton put a hand up. “I’ll get this.”

She didn’t argue, but she really had to stop relying on him to pay for things. She had pride and liked to be independent. Then she realized that she had no idea where all three of them were going to eat. Her table only had enough room for two.

Colton put the pizza on the table. Derek was at his side. “Mom, can I eat in front of the television?”

She hated to do that, but she had no choice. “Just today, honey. Use a plate.”

She handed him a plate and he returned to the living room with his slice. That left the two seats for Colton and her. Problem solved.

Colton slid a slice on a plate for her, then took his own. He sat at the small table as if he dined in squalor all the time. Damn this man. Why was he so endearing?

“You eating?” he asked.

She sat and dug in, her stomach empty.

***

To Colton, Ellyn seemed nervous. More than she should be in her own home. His presence unnerved her. Good.

She had no idea how her presence unnerved him. He also could not believe that she was raising a little boy in such a small apartment. He needed to convince her to move into the condo. She’d be closer to work and Derek would be safer.

Maybe he shouldn’t ruin the day.

“The pizza’s good,” he said.

“You can’t get bad pizza in New York. Not even in the Bronx.”

He cleared his throat. “I have something to tell you about today, but I don’t want you to be mad at Derek. Or me.”

“Oh?”

She eyed him. With the stink eye. Crap.

“We went to a toy store today and I kind of lost Derek for a while.”

“Lost him? How?”

“Well, he ran ahead, and I lost sight of him. I went right to customer service and they called a Code Adam. He was found just a few minutes later.”

Ellyn glanced at Derek who was mesmerized by the television. “Were you going to tell me?”

“Yes, of course. I just didn’t want it to be the first thing you heard from me,” Colton said.

She glanced at Derek. Colton put a hand on hers. “Please don’t get mad at him. We talked about it afterwards and he was very sorry.”

“Did you buy him whatever you went in there for?”

“No. He didn’t deserve it then,” Colton said.

She nodded. “That was the right answer.”

“I told you I’m not a complete stranger to kids.”

“But he did run you ragged.”

“He did. My sister’s kids are a little older.”

“To change the subject, should I be there when you negotiate with the company?”

“No need. I’ll let you know. They’ll have the contract faxed over by now. You want me to have Marcia email it to me?”

“I don’t want to read it on your phone. I need it in hard copy.”

“Okay. I can print it out at home and messenger it over to you.”

“Messenger it over?”

“Yeah. There are bicycle messengers who work in the city. They’ll pedal it over to you.”

She looked at him as if he had two heads. “In the Bronx?”

He shrugged. “Why not.”

She didn’t believe him, clearly. She just kept shaking her head. “How about I just come in and look at it tomorrow. I’ll be in Manhattan, anyway.”

“You working tomorrow?”

“At the restaurant? Yes. I’ve given them two weeks’ notice.”

“You may have to leave sooner, if the cosmetics company wants you to shoot next week.”

“I’ll cross that bridge when I come to it.”

He still held her hand. She hadn’t pulled it away. It was soft and small and something he enjoyed hanging onto. He didn’t want her to notice. Still, he rubbed her knuckles with his thumb. She stared at their hands, but didn’t pull away.

“I’ll want you to look at the contract and be sure you understand what they are asking. It’s part of my job. I don’t want you to sign anything you aren’t sure of. And I can negotiate, too.”

“That’s what your part is?”

“Yes, besides booking you jobs.”

“And for all that you get fifteen percent.”

He wasn’t sure what she was getting at. “Is that a problem?”

“No, it isn’t. I’m just clarifying, I guess. So the number I’ve been quoted for this last job, is that before or after your fifteen percent?”

“Before.”

Somehow, he felt as if he were treading on thin ice. She hadn’t pulled away her hand. In fact, she’d leaned in closer. He leaned in closer, hoping to steal a kiss.

“Can I have another piece?”

Derek appeared between them. Colton jumped back. He’d forgotten for a moment about the boy. Damn. Can’t do that.

“Here.”

He slid another slice of pizza on Derek’s plate. In Colton’s surprise, he’d dropped Ellyn’s hand. She didn’t look inclined to give it back. Damn again.

Colton had seen something in Ellyn’s eyes. A reflection of himself. She felt the same way he did. He’d never tiptoed around anyone. When he saw something he wanted, he went for it. He didn’t want the day to end.

“Let’s go for a ride out of the city.”

She blinked at him. “You’re going to make your driver do that?”

He laughed. “No, he can drive us to one of my cars.”

“One of your cars?”

“Yes. I have some outside the city. I won’t drive in Manhattan. Connecticut or New Jersey?”

“Connecticut, I guess.”

She didn’t believe him. His wealth was probably more than she could even imagine. Well, she would have to get used to it. He was going to lurk in her life as much as he could.

“Okay then.” He called his driver. “Paul, I need you back. We’re going to my garage in Connecticut.”

“Okay, sir. It’ll take me half an hour to get there.”

“We’ll be ready,” Colton said.

“Just like that. You snap your fingers and you can go to another state.”

“You make it sound like I have a transporter like in Star Trek.”

She laughed. “Well, for me, your life is a little bit of science fiction. Where will we go?”

“Let’s go to the beach. It might be windy, so dress in layers and we can let Derek play in the sand. Does he have sand toys?”

“Uh, no, but I have a feeling that won’t be an obstacle for you.”

CHAPTER 10

Colton was not kidding when he said he had a car in a garage in Connecticut. What he failed to tell her was that the car was not just a car, but a BMW.

They stopped for a car seat for Derek on the way. Just like that. She’d mentioned it and Colton bought one. The top of the line one that Derek could use until he was ninety.

The whole thing made Ellyn’s head spin, as she watched Colton install the car seat in the back of the biggest BMW she’d ever seen. Her apartment wasn’t this big. She could smell the leather seats as she held onto Derek’s hand. He hadn’t been in a car since he’d been to the hospital and he’d slept through most of those trips.

Colton stood, then stretched. “It’s installed. Your throne, m’lord,” he said to Derek.

Derek hopped into the car and into the seat. Colton buckled him in. Ellyn checked it, but he’d done a good job. She climbed into her seat, then buckled up. Colton started the car and they were off.

To the beach. A place Derek had never been.

The boy could not get out of his car seat fast enough. He squirmed while she unbuckled him. Thankfully, Colton had parked by the beach. No streets in between. Derek bolted toward the ocean.

“Derek,” Ellyn called.

“He’s okay, Ellyn. Let him run.”

She frowned, but stopped calling him. As they walked onto the beach, she kept her eyes on him. He didn’t run into the water.

Colton carried the netted bag of sand toys with him. Ellyn had a small cooler with drinks and a blanket under her arm. They walked in silence, but not an awkward one.

“Here?” Colton asked.

Derek stood a few feet away, eyeing the ocean. It wouldn’t be warm enough to swim, but the sun had warmed Ellyn enough to take one layer off.

“Yes, this is fine.”

Colton helped her put out the blanket and she arranged the cooler on one corner. Colton kicked off his shoes, then sat down to pull of his socks.

“Take off your shoes, Ellyn. Enjoy yourself,” he said.

She was wary of this whole thing. She thought Colton was trying to worm his way back into her life. For Derek, she took off her shoes and socks. Colton lay back on the blanket, leaning on one arm, his gaze at Derek.

“He’ll probably take a while to run off that energy. When he’s ready, we can build a sand castle.”

“Have you ever built one?”

“Many. We used to spend weeks on end at some beach.”

“Some beach?”

“Well, it depended on which house we stayed at.”

Right. Which house. “Okay. I’ll bite. How many houses do your parents have?”

“Five, besides the one they live in.”

“Do they get to see every one in a year?”

Colton laughed. “Yes, they do.”

“Dare I ask?”

“What?”

“How many do you own?”

“Only two houses. Well, besides my penthouses in New York and London.”

“London? Wow. Do you get there often?”

“Not as much as I’d like to, but I’ll take you there sometime.”

She liked and disliked the sound of that, at the same time. She liked the idea of going to London. She didn’t like the idea that he was planning a future with her in it. Not wanting to ruin the mood for Derek, she kept quiet. When she was alone with Colton, she’d speak to him.

Derek’s laughter came to her on the wind. She couldn’t help smile. When she looked at Colton, he was smiling also, but he was looking at her while he did it. “What?”

“This is the most I’ve seen you smile since I’ve known you,” he said. “It looks good on you.”

“It’s nice to see my child so happy. Thank you for making it so,” she said.

She was grateful to him. Derek laughed, giggled, and ran around the beach. She probably should have taken his shoes off, but he’d never stop to do it now.

“It’s so peaceful here.”

“The beach is one of my favorite places,” Colton said, looking out to the ocean.

He looked relaxed and, of course, at home here. He looked at home everywhere. What would it feel like to be so sure of yourself that no matter where you were, you fit in there? That part of modeling troubled Ellyn. What if she made a gaffe and embarrassed herself and Colton? Would he be sorry he signed her?

She’d never been this insecure in her life.

A hand rubbed her forehead. “You have worry lines forming. It’s against beach rules to worry here.”

“I didn’t see that on the sign,” she said.

“It’s an unwritten rule.”

“I see.” She tried to shake off her worry, but she was someone who thought about the future. She’d had to since Derek was born.

“I mean it. No worries here. The concerns will be there when you return,” Colton said.

That was easy for him to say. He didn’t have a child, or a wife, or anyone else he had to be responsible for. He could play hooky if he wanted, like he was doing today.

That was some life he led.

***

Having finally convinced Ellyn to move to the company condo, Colton now had the unenviable task of helping her move. Not that she had that much stuff, but moving with a five-year old underfoot was harder than he thought.

Every time he put something of Derek’s in a box, the boy took it out. He was excited, clearly, but the kid had no idea why. Finally, he was able to pack Derek’s things, then fill the truck he rented.

When they arrived at the new destination, Derek ran around the place like he’d never seen an apartment so big. Or steps. The condo had two levels and he kept running up and down the steps.

“Derek, stop,” Ellyn said finally.

He stood still for a moment, and then was off to stare out the window at Central Park. “Can we go to the park later, Mom?”

“If you let us get unpacked and are a good boy, yes, we can go there,” Ellyn said.

“You want me to take him while you get your stuff settled?” Colton asked.

She let out a breath. “That would probably be better. Thanks.” She turned to Derek. “Hold Mr. Hamilton’s hand when you cross the street.”

“Yes, Mom.”

Derek bounced along beside Colton as they walked to the elevator. The amount of energy made him smile. How did his mother put up with him when he was this age?

“Is there a swing set at the park?”

“There are several. It’s a big park. It will probably take you years to explore it.”

Big brown eyes turned to Colton. “Really? Wow.”

He took Colton’s hand when it was time to cross the street. He still bounced like Tigger when he did. They found the closest park and Derek ran around while Colton kept an eye on him. Being Saturday, he’d turned off his phone, but turned it back on in case Ellyn had to call him.

“This is great, Mr. Hamilton,” Derek said.

Colton couldn’t help smile at the exuberance of youth. What would it be like to see yourself reflected back in your child? That could be good and bad. Derek finally sat down next to him on the bench.

“Did your mom tell you the other news?”

“About school?”

“Yes. Are you looking forward to being around other kids?”

“Yeah, I am. There weren’t too many in the building we lived in before this. I want to have a friend.”

Did Ellyn realize how much Derek had been missing in his life? Her situation broke his heart, but he couldn’t help be warmed that all of this would be better. Derek would be better off. Colton wondered about Derek’s father. Would Ellyn ever share about him? Was this even his business?

He wanted it to be his business. He knew that much. Not sure what their future held, but he wanted them to have a future. He’d have to be stealthy in worming his way into Ellyn’s life. Well, at least stealthier than he’d been thus far.

“You ready to go back?”

“I am. I’m hungry.”

“That seems to be a constant state for you. Let me call your Mom and see if she’s hungry.”

“She isn’t very often.”

“Why do you think that?”

“She always lets me have the last piece or the last bit. She never puts much on her plate.”

How observant for a five year old. He’d bet that Ellyn often gave her son more of the food on those days when she didn’t have enough. This broke his heart. He couldn’t imagine having to do that. It would explain how thin she was. “Well, let me call her. She might have worked up an appetite.”

“Okay.”

Derek swung his feet as he sat next to Colton. Ellyn answered.

“I have a hungry child here. Are you interested in lunch?”

She blew out a breath. “I am. I’m almost done, here.”

“What do you want?”

“Nothing fancy.”

“Okay. I’ll see what’s in the neighborhood.”

“Colton?”

“Yes?”

“Thank you for taking Derek. I got a lot done.”

He smiled. “You’re welcome, honey.”

He disconnected. His phone rang. Ellyn again.

“What was that?” she said.

“What?”

“You called me honey, Colton.”

“I guess it was a slip of the tongue. Sorry. I meant no offense.”

“I’m sticking with my decision. I don’t want a relationship with you.”

“We already have a friendship, Ellyn. We do have a relationship. Our lives are intertwined.”

She sighed. “But you don’t get to call me by a term of endearment.”

“Point taken.”

“And I want to pay for our share of lunch.”

That was not happening. He was not going to argue with her either. He would stand his ground and could, since he was probably at least as stubborn as she was. “No.”

“No?”

“No. I’m not taking your money, Ellyn. Don’t push me on this. I always get my way.”

There was silence on the line, then another sigh. “Yes, I bet you do get your way, Colton. Don’t get used to it with me. It’s not going to happen often.”

He smiled. “Thanks for the warning.”

*

Ellyn dropped Derek off at the preschool, which was also a daycare. He seemed to take the change in stride, hugging her, then taking his backpack and going into the classroom. She, on the other hand, cried a little as she walked to catch a bus to her next job.

Her nerves were a little shot as she entered the studio. There wasn’t nearly as much activity as there had been during her last job. This one had a smaller staff and instead of a stool, there was a bed.

She could only take this job since she hadn’t signed the exclusive contract with the cosmetic company yet. After this, she might go see Colton. She’d have to call him. He said he might not be in the office today.

This time Ellyn spoke up. “I’m Ellyn.”

A man with a camera in his hand glanced at her. “Okay. Wardrobe is that way.”

He pointed to a makeshift room. Not really a room, just screens set up in one corner. That exclusive contract with the company was looking better and better. The atmosphere on this shoot seemed more demure, but she wasn’t sure she liked the energy that ran through it.

Oh well. This was her job and she would get paid well. She’d already received the check from the other job and it had more zeros than she could have ever imagined on a check. Even after Colton’s company took their cut.

She didn’t begrudge them that. As soon as the check had cleared, she’d paid off her credit cards and now was technically debt free.

“Thanks.”

She entered the temporary room, which was only about ten feet by ten feet. Once again, a young girl scurried about, sorting clothes. “Are you Ellyn?”

“Yes.”

She handed Ellyn a sparkling top. “Put this on.”

“Okay.”

She took the top and waited for the girl to leave, but she didn’t. Guess she’d have to get used to that. She was just a product in a way. She slipped off her own shirt then went to shimmy into the sparkling top.

“No bra,” the girl said, not making eye contact, but sorting out clothes on a small table.

“Uh. Okay.”

She took off her bra then put the top on. Not her style, but that was not her problem.

“Take off your shoes.”

Ellyn blinked. “I thought this was only my face?”

“It’ll be more than that.” The girl chuckled. “Much more than that.”

Ellyn didn’t like the sound of it, but she didn’t know what recourse she had. Could she deny doing the job? She didn’t think so. Colton’s company must have checked it all out.

She slipped off her shoes.

“Makeup is that way.”

A lone chair sat outside the room with a portable mirror in front of it. An older woman with strikingly white hair stood by it. “You coming?”

Ellyn settled herself in the chair, not sure what she had been expecting. Everyone had been pleasant at the last shoot albeit, harried. This time, they’d been rude or at least short with her.