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To my delight, the billionaire actually looked embarrassed for once.
“Please Mom,” he muttered under his breath. “It wasn’t so bad.”
“What wasn’t so bad?” she asked archly, smiling at me again. “Please, Gray dear, you have a past. I know about the dozens of girls you’ve bedded, spending money like water, the fights you’ve gotten into at 3 a.m. I’m so glad you’ve found a woman who will help you calm down a little. Especially since your late father’s will depends on it,” she added meaningfully.
Grayson snorted.
“Pop was lame,” he grunted. “That will is the dumbest piece of shit ever.”
Rhonda wasn’t fazed one bit.
“Your father only wanted the best for you, and he figured that getting married would be a sign that you were ready,” she said.
“Ready for what?” snarled Grayson. “I already run this place.”
That made me stop for a sec because yes, Grayson was already CEO of The Milano. He was already the top dog, with thousands of employees at his beck and call. So what was this will exactly about?
But Rhonda had the answers.
“Gray, after getting married, you’ll get full control of all operations,” she said soothingly. “Because of this pretty girl, you’ll finally get that board seat and everything you wanted.”
I shook my head confused. What was the difference between owning the hotel and running the hotel? But Gray explained.
“What my mom is saying is that Pops thought I was good enough to run this joint, but I couldn’t own it. I could slave away for years, working my hands to the bone to make this place hum smoothly, but I’d never be an owner until I got married.”
This was way over my head, but before I could say anything Rhonda turned back to me.
“Forget this business stuff, dear, it’s so boring, even I can’t take it sometimes. Tell me,” she said with a sweet smile. “How did you meet my son?” she asked brightly. “I see that you’re wearing one of our hotel uniforms. A cocktail waitress?” she asked.
Immediately my face turned red. Was she toying with me? This woman was so smart, so intelligent and refined that suddenly, I felt about ten levels below her. And oh god, but the dress didn’t help. It was practically see-through, rumpled and stained in all the wrong places. Pulling furtively at the hem, trying to get as much coverage as possible, I hemmed and hawed.
“Yes, I work at the hotel club,” I stammered. “It was my fi-“
But before I could give away that we’d only just met, Grayson interrupted.
“What Kitty is saying is that she worked at the hotel. Now that we’re engaged, she’ll be prepping for the wedding, no time for work.”
I looked at the billionaire, shocked. Really? No more work at all? But I guess it made sense, it’d be weird if the CEO’s wife was serving drinks to hotel guests. So I nodded, pasting a smile on my face.
“I worked at the hotel,” I agreed slowly. “But I’m actually a student, and I’m hoping to get my degree sometime in the next two years.”
If Rhonda was surprised, she didn’t let it show, instead smiling beatifically.
“Oh it’s so good to hear that you’re in school,” she said. “Most girls Grayson dates only wanted to be in Playboy,” she confided in a loud whisper, winking at me. “So you’re a nice change.”
I looked at my fiancé, shocked. Really? Playboy? I’m no one to cast judgment on another woman, but that was definitely an interesting tidbit.
“What can I say?” he grunted, not at all embarrassed. “Those hooches all had fake tits and lipo to impress Hugh Hefner,” he shrugged. “Getting into Playboy was their life’s dream.”
Again, I was stunned. Never in a million years has it crossed my mind to model for a men’s magazine. Never in my life have I considered plastic surgery, my Double Ds are natural, my ass big and bouncy because that’s the way I was born.
And reading my mind, Gray shot me another knowing smile.
“Yeah, I like it natural,” he ground out. “Feels better that way, the fake shit is disgusting.”
I blushed. Oh my god, we were having this conversation in front of his mom! But Rhonda wasn’t fazed at all, merely clucking approvingly.
“Don’t listen to him, he’s always been this way. But I have to run honey, it’s been so nice meeting you, even if the circumstances were uh, unexpected. Another business meeting,” she murmured with a kind smile. “But I want to get to know my new daughter-in-law better. Gray, come over for dinner tonight? I’ll get chef to prepare your favorite, and we’ll bring up some champagne from the basement to celebrate.”
I half-expected Grayson to refuse, to say we were busy or whatnot. After all, this was a fake marriage, there was no reason to go over to his mom’s house.
