Yours Completely (Billionaires and Brides 1)

“She's engaged.” Delores smiled and fluttered her eyelashes again. “The wedding is next week. It's very romantic. High school sweethearts, a big public proposal. She's been over the moon with excitement, but I asked her to tone it down so as not to overshadow your sister's big day. This weekend is supposed to be all about Madelyn, not Ella.”

“Ella's wedding is next week?” Jace repeated, saying the words but not comprehending. It was too horrible.

“Yes.” Delores nodded.

It hit him like a ton of bricks. Of course. That's why she kept pulling away. It's why she kept her distance at the gazebo and why she fled so quickly. It certainly explained the sadness and look of guilt that he caught in her eyes.

Something in his chest cracked. It was hard to breathe.

“Did I mention he's a war hero?” Delores put her hand on his arm, but he was in too much of a shock to pull away. “A very valiant young man. He saved his whole platoon in Afghanistan.”

“Oh.” Jace could just see Ella standing next to a handsome soldier, smiling up at him with those hazel eyes, her smile so warm and sweet. “Ella must be very proud of him.”

“Oh, she is. More than she knows,” Delores agreed. “I'm so glad to hear that she's made your stay special, though.”

“Yes.” Jace felt like his ceiling was falling down around him. All thoughts of flowers, horses, and romance novels were long gone.

“You look a little pale. Perhaps you could use some lunch,” Delores observed. “I'll have Allison bring up up some.”

“That's really not necessary,” he assured her. All he wanted to do now was go ba

ck to his room and be alone. “I need to get some work done.”

With that, he turned from her and headed back up the main staircase and up to the master suite. He'd made sure that Madelyn and Jason had the two best suites, but his room was still just as good as any he'd ever had. This place had great potential for higher end clients.

He locked the door behind him, hating that he was thinking of Ella and her dream of making the inn better. She wasn't his. Couldn't be his.

He was such a fool for even thinking she wasn't taken. She deserved to have someone amazing, and no matter how much he was tempted to use his wealth and status to woo her, he couldn't do it. Not to her.

Jace sighed, running his hands through his hair as he went to the window and stared outside. Sitting on the windowsill was a small bouquet of fresh flowers, accenting the beauty of the lake outside.

Flowers were a stupid idea, anyway, he told himself.

A knock on the door didn't even pull his attention from the lake. He wished he could go back in time and not have tried to kiss her. She was engaged. What kind of person was he, trying to kiss soon-to-be married women? A terrible one.

“Mr. Connor?” A quiet voice on the other side of the door called out. For a moment, Jace thought it might be Ella and his stomach lurched. “Jace? It's Allison. I brought you lunch.”

His heart sunk further. “I'm not hungry.”

“Oh. Um...” He could practically hear her thinking of what she should do next. “You sure? I can get you anything you want. Just open the door and let me in.”

The obviousness of her mother annoyed him. Allison probably had two buttons undone on her blouse to reveal as much cleavage as possible. It wouldn't be the first time mothers sent their daughters up to him for “anything he wanted.”

For a moment, he considered the easy conquest. It would take his mind off of Ella. But just the thought made him nauseous. He would hate himself. All he really wanted was Ella, not a substitute.

“That isn't necessary. Thank you, Allison.” He turned from the lake and sat at the big desk, staring at his closed computer. He would just stay here for the rest of the day and work through the night. “I'm working right now.”

There was a long pause on the other side of the door. “Okay. If you need a break, just let me know. Anything you want, Mr. Connor.”

Anything I want? thought Jace.

I want Ella.

Chapter Nine

“Are you sure I should be wearing this?” Ella asked, straightening one of the oversized purple sequins on the dress Madelyn had her wearing. The bride had insisted that Ella join them on her bachelorette party.

“Yes,” Gwen answered, putting the finishing touches on her lipstick in the bathroom mirror beside her. “You're coming with us, so you need to dress like it.”