Billionaires in New York Boxed Set: Billionaires in the City Books 1-3 Laura Burton (books to read this summer .TXT) 📖

Well, this just got awkward.

Chapter Sixteen

True Love

“Where is Phillipe?” Harry asked. Ebony’s green eyes traveled down his body slowly as she bit her lip. He knew what she was doing in her imagination, and he didn’t like it. Ebony Holmes was the last person he expected to see at his mother’s house. When she left Harry for Phillipe, there was a mutual understanding between his mother and former fiancé that they were not on speaking terms. Harry wondered when his mother had buried the hatchet and accepted the cheating woman back into her life—and why?

“Phillipe and I are getting a divorce. We’ve been separated for a while now.” Ebony took a napkin from her Louis Vuitton purse and dabbed the corner of her eye.

“Phillipe had been spending a lot of time in Spain,” Harry’s mother explained in a low tone. “He’s found himself a mistress over there. It’s been quite traumatizing for Ebony.”

Harry resisted the urge to smile.

That’s karma for you.

“I’m sorry to hear that,” Harry lied. He glanced at Julie. She sat with her back perfectly straight and a look of thunder on her face. He wanted to laugh. Clearly, she had never mastered the skill of hiding her emotions. She looked at Ebony like she was an offensive odor.

“Harry never mentioned you,” Julie said to Ebony.

“Funny, Harold never mentioned you either… before this week,” Harry’s mother shot back in a silky voice.

This brunch was a mistake. Harry eyed his mother as he hummed. He realized now that on the phone she’d been trying to set him up with Ebony all this time. She didn’t actually expect him to bring a plus-one to the charity event. And yet, a week ago he wasn’t planning on bringing a plus-one and only invited Julie because he couldn’t bring himself to tell his mother the truth. What a mess, he thought.

“So, Julie, tell me about your family,” Mr. Bowood said evenly as he crossed one leg over the other.

“My parents are lawyers,” Julie said, mirroring his body language. “They own run a firm in London.”

“Oh, so you’re not from New York?” Harry’s mother piped up. Harry watched Julie handle the conversation. A tirade of questions followed like arrows flying in her direction.

Julie explained that she grew up in London, an only child. And attended boarding school, where she went on to study at Oxford University.

“What year? I attended Oxford,” Harry asked without thinking. Heat rose to his face as he looked around the people in the room. It was a question usually asked on a first date. Did he just let the cat out of the bag that he and Julie barely knew each other?

“It was after you were there,” Julie said, waving a hand aside casually.

“What did you study? What you do now?”

Julie told them that she studied fashion and spent some time in Paris working for Estelle’s Fashion line.

“Impressive. So, you’re a designer?” Mr. Bowood asked mildly. Julie didn’t answer right away, she appeared to be considering her options.

“Sure,” she said finally.

Harry’s heart sank. She didn’t need to lie about her work.

They enjoyed tea and scones while Mr. Bowood led the conversation to politics. They discussed various views on Brexit, and Harry’s mother shared some elaborate conspiracy theories. Ebony hummed in agreement and nodded along, while Julie sat silent, a polite smile on her face.

His mother was just getting into her theories around Area 51 when Harry decided enough was enough.

“Well, sorry we can’t stay. We need to get ready for this evening,” Harry said as he got to his feet, and everyone followed suit.

“I’ll see you later.” Ebony leaned in and kissed Harry on the cheek. A waft of her familiar perfume covered his body like a cloak. The once-appealing scent was now a stench that made him slightly nauseous. Flashes of memories crossed his mind’s eye—of Phillipe and Ebony walking hand in hand. Laughing.

Harry secured Julie’s hand in his and they left the house without speaking. The car waited on the drive and Thomas opened the door for them.

“Well, that was… interesting,” Julie said as they fastened their seatbelts. Harry looked at her as she tucked a section of hair behind her ear and blinked back at him. With the sun shining in through the windows, her amber eyes looked more golden today. The light reflected off her glossy lips and before his brain could stop him, Harry acted on instinct.

He shrugged off his jacket and wrapped his arms around Julie’s small frame, starling her. He hugged her so tightly, she made a squeal. He loosened his grip and planted light kisses on her hair, then moved to her cheek.

“Harry,” Julie said in a surprised tone. He nuzzled his face in her neck and ran his hands up and down her back. He needed to feel close to her.

“I’m sorry,” he said finally, breaking away. The car rolled away from the house and bumped along the gravel path back to the main road. Julie’s face was flushed and she looked out of her window with a grin. “You’re right, that visit was… interesting.”

Julie looked back and the two of them shared a silent conversation with their eyes. At least, that’s what Harry thought was happening.

“So, Ebony was your fiancé? What happened?” Julie asked, her voice was pitched much higher than normal. Harry knew she must have wanted to ask the whole time. Perhaps that was why she didn’t join in the conversation… in case it slipped out. Harry would have liked that, to see Ebony’s victim act torn to shreds when he said to the whole room that he broke off their engagement because she was a cheat.

“She… wasn’t who I thought she was.” It was oddly difficult to tell Julie about Ebony. Besides, on reflection, he had realized that the two of them were wrong for each other. She was high-maintenance and outspoken. Always barking orders to Harry and making excuses