Yours Completely: A Cinderella Love Story (Billionaires and Brides #1) (8 page)

The door swung open and Madelyn beamed at her. The tears were long gone and her makeup replaced. She looked radiant and happy. Just as a bride should. Jace would be happy to know his future bride was no longer upset.

“Thank heaven you're here!” Madelyn exclaimed, reaching out and pulling her into the bridal suite.

Ella nearly didn't recognize the place. A couple hours ago, the place had been spotless. Now, it was coated in tissue paper and wedding accessories. Shoe boxes, scarves, shopping bags, and various other items were strewn everywhere. Sitting calmly in the center of the storm were two young women sipping champagne and chatting in the afternoon sunshine filtering through the window. They smiled politely as Ella nearly tripped over an empty shoe box.

“I need you to put on the dress,” Madelyn said.

Ella stared at her for a moment not really understanding the words that just came out of her mouth. “You need me to do what?”

“I need you to put on the dress,” Madelyn repeated. “Clarissa is too tall and it won't fit Gwen. I need you to put it on so that I can see the full effect. I need to make sure that the veil and the shoes will work, and I can't do it without it on someone. We don't have a mannequin, so I need you.”

“I can get you a mannequin...”

“I want you.” Madelyn said. She shrugged in apology, then said, “I know it's not exactly normal, but... please?”

Ella almost protested. She shouldn't be putting on someone else's wedding dress. But, as she looked at Madelyn, she knew she didn't have much of a choice. This was Madelyn's wedding and she was paying a lot of good money to get whatever she wanted, and right now, she wanted Ella in her wedding dress.

“Of course. Whatever you need,” Ella agreed.
What in the world had she gotten herself into?

Madelyn's grin lit up the room and Ella couldn't help but smile in return. The woman's enthusiasm and excitement was contagious and the further Ella walked into the suite, the more genuine the smile became.

The dress hung reverently on the closet door in the bedroom. Late afternoon sunshine poured through the windows, catching the lace and making it the dress shimmer and glow. Ella fingered the lace sleeves, heart in her throat. Her mother's dress had never looked so beautiful. A dress like this was meant to be worn or at least displayed, not tucked away in a hidden, dusty box.

Ella glanced shyly at Madelyn as she carefully took the dress from the hanger and prepared to put it on. She had never worn the dress before, even in play. It had felt too weird, especially when her father was still alive. After his death, she had been far too busy to indulge in playing dress-up.

“If you need any help, just holler,” Madelyn said as she prepared to close the bedroom door. “I'll be right outside to help with the buttons when you're changed.”

Ella nodded, not trusting her voice. The click of the door closing rattled in Ella's ears as she held the beloved dress in her hands. What was she doing?

Earning this wedding,
she told herself as she stripped down to her underwear.
Do whatever it takes.

She didn't feel comfortable taking off her bra, but it wasn't strapless and would show through the lace sleeves. Instead she just tucked the straps into the cups, deciding that a lumpy boob was less noticeable than a bra strap.

The dress slid over her head with the satin making a soothing, slippery sound. It was cool against her skin, but she still felt hot as she threaded her arms through the lace mesh of the sleeves and adjusted the dress as best as she could. Ella kept her eyes closed as she pulled the skirt straight and prepared to call Madelyn to finish up the back.

“Wow,” Madelyn's voice was low and reverent.

Ella looked up into the huge bathroom mirror to see Madelyn slipping into the room behind her. But it wasn't Madelyn that made her breath catch in her chest and squeeze down hard.

Ella stared at the figure in the mirror as Madelyn came up behind her and began cinching the corset ties on the waist tight and buttoning buttons. The woman staring at Ella in the mirror was her mother. Except for the eyes. The eyes were her father's.

And they were both smiling at her.

“I figured we were about the same size,” Madelyn murmured as she carefully put the buttons through each delicate loop. Her fingers paused at the top button, Madelyn's eyes going to Ella's in the mirror. “Thank you again for this.”

Ella just smiled and nodded, unable to find the words.

“My mother didn't have a dress,” Madelyn remarked, filling the silence with easy conversation. “She and my father eloped to Vegas, otherwise I would have used hers. There's no way I'd use my stepmother's. Either of them.”

Ella turned to see Madelyn smiling at the memory. “I'm sure your mom will like this one.”

“I like to think so,” Madelyn agreed. When Ella frowned at the phrasing, Madelyn explained. “She died two years ago. Cancer.”

“I'm so sorry.” Ella looked away, feeling awful for bringing up something like that. It was probably hard enough that Madelyn's mother wasn't around, let alone having Ella bring it up.

“It's okay,” Madelyn assured her. “But, you letting me borrow yours, feels like a gift from her. Somehow it feels like she sent you to be my guardian angel.”

Ella wasn't sure how to reply to that. She had never really experienced anything to make her believe that anyone was looking out for her. Or, if they were, they were doing a terrible job.

“Anyway, I know it's silly, but I can't thank you enough for saving me. You're my hero.” Madelyn patted Ella's shoulder. “All done. Come out in the main room. I have everything out there.”

Ella carefully followed Madelyn out of the bedroom and back into the craziness of the sitting room. The two women sitting on the couch gasped as she stepped out.

While Madelyn grabbed a small stool for Ella to stand on, the two women introduced themselves. Ella was glad to see that neither of them were the blonde or her group from the night before.

“I'm Clarissa,” the tall, thin platinum blonde introduced herself. “I'm Maddy's cousin and the maid of honor.”

“And I'm Gwen, the best friend.” The redhead set down her champagne. “Do you want some champagne? Everything is more fun with champagne.”

“I'm supposed to be working,” Ella stammered as Madelyn fluffed the skirt out and then went to grab something from a box.

“Working? Then we're your bosses, right?” Gwen smiled as Ella nodded. “Then, as your boss, I insist that you have a good time and have some champagne with us.”

“She's right, you know,” Madelyn agreed, rummaging around looking for something. “We'll have far more fun this way.”

Ella grinned, feeling the bonds of friendship starting to form with these women. “Well, I can't say no to my bosses.”

Gwen laughed and went to grab her a glass. “I knew you'd come around.”

“Okay, here's the veil,” Madelyn announced. Ella dipped her knees while Madelyn fastened the lace veil to the crown of her head.

“Oh, Madelyn...” Clarissa gasped. “It's perfect. Absolutely perfect.”

“It is, isn't it?” Madelyn beamed. “I was so afraid Martha's veil wouldn't match, but it's like it was made for this dress.”

“Martha is the groom's mother,” Gwen clarified for Ella, handing her a very full glass of champagne.

“It's my something borrowed.” Madelyn frowned. “Or is it my something old? I forget.”

“It was going to be both, but now the veil is something old, the shoes are something new, the dress is now the something borrowed, and the garter we picked out is your something blue,” Clarissa told her. “I have Charles searching for the penny in your shoe.”

“Right,” Madelyn nodded. “Now, the shoes. I want to make sure they look right.”

“They're hidden under the dress.” Gwen rolled her eyes and grinned at Ella. “I still say you should wear cowboy boots.”

“Hell to the no,” came Madelyn's response as she dug through a pile of tissue paper. She frowned as her hands came up empty. “They must be in the bedroom.

A knock on the door caught the women's attention. “Will you get that Clarissa? I'm going to go look for the shoes.” Madelyn disappeared into the bedroom.

“Who could it be?” wondered Clarissa, heading to the door. Before she could check the peephole, the door swung open and in walked Jace.

Jace, the groom. And Ella was wearing Madelyn's wedding dress.

Horror filled Ella's stomach like molten lead as their eyes met. He couldn't see her like this. It was bad luck. Not in his soon-to-be-wife's wedding dress. Not him. Anyone but him.

With whimper, she leapt from the stool, spilling her champagne all over the floor but managing to avoid the dress. She ran to the bedroom, slamming the door behind her and wishing that the whole hotel would just go up in flames around her.

B
eautiful.

That was the only word that Jace could think of to describe what he had just seen. Even as Ella fled, spilling champagne all over the carpet, she was stunning. He didn't know it was possible for someone to be so breathtakingly lovely.

He looked at the three women staring at him, trying to figure out why Ella had just run from the room. They all shrugged at him, concern filling their eyes.

“Hey, Cousin. Madelyn is in there with her. She'll be fine.” Clarissa asked, settling back on the couch. He was surprised she could find it given the amount of tissue paper filling the room. “What's up?”

“Just coming up to check in on Madelyn,” he replied. He had always like Clarissa. She was one of the few people that Jace was actually glad to have at the wedding. “What are you all doing for lunch?”

“We have a tea service planned for this afternoon,” Clarissa told him. She crossed her arms. “No boys allowed.”

Jace was instantly transported back in time to when the three of them were younger and Clarissa and Madelyn would have elaborate parties, making sure to tell him just how much he wasn't invited due to his gender.

“Besides,” Gwen added, her smile kind. “We're playing dress up and fixing all the accessories and stuff, so you wouldn't want to be here anyway.”

“That's why Ella was wearing the dress.” Jace glanced back at the closed bedroom door. At least now he knew why she was wearing a wedding dress, but that still didn't explain why she had run.

“You know Ella?” Gwen asked, pouring herself a fresh glass of champagne.

“She helped show me around yesterday after I got lost,” he said. He left out the part where he found her completely and utterly amazing or the fact that he hadn't been able to think of anyone since.

“You mean, she helped hide you from Rosalind?” Clarissa teased. “I'm not surprised. She seems like a total sweetheart.”

“That she is,” Jace agreed. Clarissa's eyes narrowed for a moment, sensing that there might be more to his words than he meant. He shrugged, hoping that his observant cousin wouldn't get any ideas.

“Gwen, where's the other bottle of champagne?” Clarissa asked, holding an empty glass bottle and pouting.

“Oh, right.” Gwen blushed and set her very full glass down. “They're over here.”

While the two women were occupied opening and pouring a fresh bottle of champagne, Jace tried to figure out what was happening on the other side of the bedroom door. It was pretty apparent that Ella wasn't going to come back out while he was here, but he wanted to know why.

“I'm so sorry...” Ella's voice was muffled by the door, but she sounded absolutely mortified. “I know it's bad luck for him to see the dress before the wedding and I-”

“It's bad luck for
the groom
to see
the bride
before the wedding,” Madelyn corrected. “Jace is not supposed to be up here anyway. There's no way you could have known that he was going to just walk in.”

Clarissa cleared her throat. “You planning on staying to try on tiaras with us?”

“No, no.” Jace shook his head and backed toward the exit. Tiaras were not on his to-do list today. “I'll go find my own lunch. You girls have fun playing pretty, pretty princess.”

Gwen rolled her eyes at the comment, but didn't say anything. Clarissa raised her eyebrow, waiting for him to leave.

“Tell Madelyn I stopped by,” Jace said. He was stalling now, and he knew it. But he wanted just a few more minutes, just in case Ella decided to come back out.

“Goodbye, Jace.” Clarissa stepped forward and opened the door for him, holding it open.

Jace knew it was time to leave, yet his feet didn't seem to get the memo. It took him a second to make himself move away from the door and where he knew Ella was and out into the hallway. He had no idea why Madelyn had Ella wearing a wedding dress, but he certainly thought it was the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen.

The door to the bridal suite slammed shut behind him, making him shake his head. He'd seen plenty of women in wedding dresses, but for some reason, seeing Ella in one made him obscenely happy. The thought of her in white, hiding from him because it would be bad luck for him to see her made his chest tight and heart thump.

He may not understand why she was dressed in white, but he did know one thing. He had to see her again. This brief moment and the way his feet kept trying to turn him around to go back just proved it. He wanted to see her more than anything.

He needed a plan, a way to surprise her and make her smile. Flowers? No. Too simple, he decided. Maybe something with horses? Was there a way to combine horses with romance novels?

With his thoughts up on the girl hiding in the bedroom, Jace wasn't paying attention to the world around him. As such, it came as a total surprise when he nearly ran into Delores Phillips. He stumbled to the side, managing to avoid a full collision, but only barely.

“Mr. Connor, how are you this morning?” the older woman asked. Every gold-digging alarm went off in Jace's head at her sweet tone. She was certainly well preserved, but not anywhere near his type.

“I'm well,” he replied. “I'm sorry for almost running you over, Ms. Phillips. I'm afraid my thoughts were elsewhere.”

“Delores, please. It certainly looked like you had pleasant things on your mind,” she purred and fluttered fake eyelashes. “May I ask, who is the lucky lady?”