How To Wed A Billionaire (How To... Book 3)

by Layla Valentine

  Starting production on Record Time was the first instance in the last four years where that didn’t apply. For the first time in my life, I felt like a real actor, worthy of wearing that badge and claiming it as my job title.

  Not so much anymore, which I know is something that needs to be gotten over. Fake it till you make it, and all. Confidence has just never been my forte.

  “Acting?” Aaron asks.

  There’s none of the boredom or mocking tone that I’m used to hearing. Instead, he seems wholly interested, like acting is a concept he’s never heard of.

  “Yeah. Are you surprised?”

  His lips twitch like he’s trying not to smile. “I don’t know. Maybe.”

  “What did you think I do?”

  “Something…” He studies me, the weight of his full attention making my breathing speed up. “Having to do with order.”

  “What?” I laugh. “What does that mean?”

  “Something in sales or planning. You seem to have a Type A personality.”

  “Type As can be creative, too,” I point out, not entirely sure what category my personality would fall under. It suits me better to see myself as constantly changing and improving rather than having a set of characteristics that deserve a stagnant label.

  “Apparently,” Aaron says. Suddenly, his eyes light up and he sits straighter. “Were you in a Colson’s commercial?”

  My jaw drops. “Yeah. I…I was.”

  Aaron nods slowly. “That’s right. When I saw you the first time, I thought you looked familiar.”

  “No one has recognized me from that.”

  I’m dimly aware that my mouth still isn’t quite fully closed. A few people that I know have mentioned they saw the grocery chain commercial I did right before booking Record Time, but no one has come up to me and said, “Hey, aren’t you the girl bagging apples and getting excited about coupons on TV?”

  Aaron remembering that commercial is, to say the least, shocking.

  He must read my expression because he clears his throat and looks down. “You have a memorable face.”

  “Oh, yeah?”

  Is that his way of saying he finds me attractive?

  My whole body starts tingling.

  Even if everything else he’s saying and doing is for show, his remembering me from a commercial can’t be. Even if he watches a ton of TV—which, based on his physique and personality, I’m going to say he doesn’t—that’s impressive.

  “Or you have a good memory,” I say.

  “I do have a good memory.” His gaze meets mine again. “But only for things that matter.”

  Another wave of tingles. My heart’s beating so hard it might vibrate me right out of my seat.

  “Your family must be proud of you,” Aaron says.

  I stop my laugh just in time.

  “Proud” wouldn’t be the word I’d use, even if my mom has thrown it out there once or twice. A little shamefully, I don’t believe her. I know I haven’t lived up to their expectations, and their acknowledgment that my life is my own to live only lessens that hurt somewhat.

  I want to make my parents happy and proud. The thing is, I need to make myself happy and proud even more. Living my life for someone else is something I could never forgive myself for.

  Mom and Dad didn’t want me to leave Texas. That’s for sure. And while I wanted to go more than anything else, I don’t like that it involved disappointing them.

  “It’s a different world to them,” I say. “It’s intriguing.”

  They’ve never visited me here, but Annie did come out for a few days once. She seemed to have fun, but I could tell the crowds and traffic were a bit much for her.

  “This explains why you were so cocky earlier,” Aaron says.

  “Me?” I gasp. “Cocky?”

  “Yes, about going horseback riding.”

  I shrug. “It’s something I’m good at.”

  “That and taco making.”

  “Right.” I giggle. “That and taco making.”

  The waitress arrives with our food, and there’s a break in conversation while we unroll the silverware. Tina’s making notes and whispering to the assistant director. While she doesn’t look over the moon or anything, she also doesn’t seem upset.

  I’ll take it.

  “Do you think you’ll ever return to the ranching life?” Aaron asks.

  He’s caught me mid-bite of my omelet. Chewing gives me some time to think it over.

  “I love it there,” I say. “I really do. But I love it out here, as well.” After I moment, I add, “My parents wanted me to inherit the ranch.”

  “You still can. Never say never. Plenty of successful actors also have farms.”

  “Plenty?” I grin.

  He lifts a shoulder. “There’s that one lady…and that one guy.”

  “I can tell you really keep up with Hollywood gossip.”

  He makes a disgusted face.

  For not the first time, I wonder exactly what Aaron’s motivation for doing this show is. The best guess I can make is that he’s in it for the easy paycheck.

  “My little sister has taken the helm,” I say, not wanting to close the topic until I make it clear that I haven’t completely hung my parents out to dry. “She’s a natural-born rancher.”

  “Do you have pictures of the ranch?”

  “Yeah! I…” I reach for my phone, which is usually in one of my back pockets. “…completely forgot I don’t have my phone. Again.”

  “I keep doing that, too. This morning I was wondering why one of my business partners hadn’t gotten back to me about a meeting. I was actually pissed at him for not calling, and then I remembered he couldn’t.”

  “It’s weird, isn’t it?”

  “Yeah.” Aaron looks thoughtful. “But it’s nice, too. While we were horseback riding, all I thought about was where I was and what I was doing, who I was with. It’s not often my mind is that Zen.”

  “I get you. It’s definitely refreshing.” I push the side salad on my plate around. My stomach’s suddenly a little too active. It’s full of excitement and has no room for hunger.

  “You mentioned your business partner,” I say. “What is it that you do?”

  His face lights up, excitement evident before he says anything. “I’m the CEO of a tech startup.”

  “CEO?” I echo.

  His being a businessman doesn’t surprise me at all. He’s so strict and methodical—anyone who wakes up early to exercise and eats the same breakfast every day is. I would never have pegged him as a free spirit still looking for their place in the world and going with the flow.

  No, Aaron is the type who knows what he wants and goes after it.

  In all things.

  The muscles between my thighs tighten, and the image of Aaron taking exactly what he wants from me flashes before my eyes. The fantasy makes me flush, and I take a hurried drink of water.

  Which does nothing to cool me down.

  “Yeah,” he says. “I started the company years ago.”

  “Wow. That’s impressive.”

  He does that little one-shoulder shrug thing…which annoyed me at first, but that’s now growing on me.

  “It’s my passion,” he says.

  “What kind of startup?”

  “Apps, mostly.”

  “Oh, so you’re from Silicon Valley, huh?”

  Aaron chuckles. “I didn’t grow up there, but yes, I’ve spent a good amount of time there. Not seeing the sights, mind you. Working, mostly.”

  “I bet. I’ve heard about the crazy hours some people in that industry put in. I could never imagine spending most of my waking time at work. Then again, I don’t see acting as work, and I would happily spend all day, every day, on sets. But still, that’s cool, what you do,” I say.

  His eyes narrow the slightest. “Really?”

  “Yeah.” I wave my hand around. “I know nothing about that world, and I guess I find it interesting because there’s a lot for me to learn
about it.”

  “I kind of expected your eyes to glaze over when I told you what I do,” he says.

  “What? Why’s that?”

  Aaron takes a bite of his steak and eggs. Like me, he’s barely touched his meal.

  “Because,” he says, “there are tons of people in the tech industry in California. It’s a cliché.”

  “Oh my God.” I’m laughing, and my chest and shoulders shake.

  “Oh my God, what?”

  “That was the exact thought I had before telling you I’m an actress. I thought you’d probably heard it enough that you wouldn’t take it seriously. Most people don’t.”

  “Are you a serious actress?”

  I don’t skip a beat. “Yeah. I am.”

  “Then you’re not a cliché.”

  Butterflies invade my chest. “How do you know that?” I ask breathlessly.

  “My guess,” Aaron says slowly, taking his time picking the words, “is that the entertainment industry is a lot like the tech one, in that it’s absolutely flooded with people looking to make it big.”

  “Yeah.”

  “So, there’s a lot of competition.”

  “Definitely,” I agree.

  “And do you have a backup plan?”

  My heart sinks a little. “No.”

  Not unless you call waiting tables and clocking in on ride-share apps my backup plan. Which, Lord, I really hope I won’t be doing for the rest of my life.

  “Also, can I point out something else?” he asks.

  I murmur to show I’m listening. He taps his thumb against his chin in that way he does when he’s thinking. There’s so much about him that I didn’t notice before, like the dimple, and the thinking thumb, and the way his woodsy scent wraps around me.

  For all I know, the rest of the world no longer exists. It’s Aaron, and only Aaron.

  “If you don’t already feel like a success,” he says, “you will, one day.”

  His eyes are warm on mine. “There won’t always be that much competition. A lot of people get tired of the path. They discover this career that they thought they wanted isn’t really the thing for them at all. They make five-year plans, and when they don’t have the success they envisioned for themselves after those five years, they give up. They move onto something else. Goodbye, competition. Then, there’s more room for you to grow and get noticed.”

  Aaron thoughtfully pushes a tomato around his plate. “Which isn’t to say, quitting a dream is anything to be upset about. There’s a lot of shame around discovering a career isn’t for you. You’re not allowed to give up without kind of being considered a loser. The point being that, if you’ve chosen to do something you really love merely because you love it, then bam, the odds are already in your favor.”

  A long silence follows his words.

  “Sorry,” Aaron says. “Did I just talk too much? Shit. You didn’t even ask for my opinion.”

  I open my mouth, but my words are stuck.

  “I apologize if I overstepped there,” he says.

  I manage to shake my head.

  He clears his throat and reaches for his water. “Maybe after we get back to the house—”

  “Why did you take my parking spot?”

  He freezes, hand on his glass. His gaze darts to Tina, but I don’t follow it. This question is too important for me to care whether production has cleared the topic or not.

  “Why did I take your parking spot?” he asks.

  “Yeah. Tell me.”

  The Aaron I met the day of the audition and the Aaron sitting next to me now, giving some pretty sound life advice, are two different people. Which is the real him?

  “Stick with me, and you’ll find out.” He flashes a flirty grin.

  And I get it.

  It’s all an act. He’s trying to come across as wise, understanding, and caring. In actuality, he’s a self-serving douche, the epitome of pretty, white-boy privilege.

  It’s an act put on for the cameras, but I happened to be the first one to fall for it.

  A lump forms in my throat.

  “Excuse me,” I say, not looking at him. “I need to run to the restroom.”

  Forget my earlier decision to not take any bathroom breaks while shooting. If I don’t steal a minute or two to myself, I’m liable to have an emotional breakdown and fill today’s footage with unusable minutes.

  My earlier suspicion was correct. The restaurant appears to be closed, with no one but the staff inside. They all smile at me as I pass, and I do my best to mirror the cheery expression.

  In the bathroom, I clutch the edges of the sink and stare at my reflection. Dilated pupils gaze back.

  This is insane. Was I seriously falling for Aaron for a minute, there?

  Snorting, I close my eyes. Aaron’s as good an actor as I am. Maybe better.

  I can’t forget that. He’s playing the game. After all, he’s a businessman. His eye is on the prize.

  I can enjoy what’s happening, but I need to remember who the real Aaron was. He’s the man who stole a parking spot from a stranger just because he could. A person who taunted and stressed me in an important audition.

  He’s the wolf dressed in sheep’s clothing.

  I can’t let him get to me.

  No matter how gorgeous he may be.

  Chapter 13

  My mood brightens when we get back to the house and the crew starts packing up. Thank God they’re not coming inside with us. The producers told me days ago that only our dates would be filmed, but still, I wouldn’t put it past the creative team to suddenly decide they need to get footage of me and Aaron at home.

  Before Tina leaves, she asks Aaron for a word alone. They go upstairs, my gaze trailing after them.

  “What’s that about?” I ask Luzia, who’s typing away on her phone, which makes me jealous.

  “Dunno. Maybe she’s trying to seduce him.” Her grin is lopsided. “Can you blame her?”

  Despite my earlier promise to myself to not forget who Aaron really is, anger rolls through me. Yes. I can blame her. This is a professional set! The director can’t be trying to bang one of the contestants.

  Which brings something else to mind…

  “Hey,” I say, “do you know how many other couples are on this show?”

  She lowers her phone, face scrunching. “Dunno. All I know is we were supposed to do that photo shoot on day one, then have the weddings on other days. I have no clue what’s going on with any other crews.”

  “Do you know if the others are filming now? And when are we doing the photoshoot?”

  “Again,” she sighs in exasperation, “dunno. I’m only a PA. They don’t tell me shit unless it’s to get something from the store or move something from one room to another.”

  “Right. Makes sense.”

  I cast my gaze around the living room at the rest of the crew. Only their faces are familiar to me. I don’t know any of their names.

  I’m considering going up and introducing myself to one of the cameramen when Aaron and Tina return.

  They don’t look like they just had a quickie in one of the upstairs bedrooms, but I’ve been wrong before.

  And paranoid.

  Yeah, I’m definitely being paranoid.

  Not that I should care about what Aaron does. Or rather, who he does.

  “Your turn, Rachel,” Tina says.

  I look at her in surprise. “Oh. For what, exactly?”

  “For catching up real quick.”

  I follow her upstairs, where we take a seat on the edge of a bed in one of the guest rooms. Whatever room Aaron chose to sleep in, it doesn’t seem to be this one. There are no bags up here, and no sign that anyone has occupied the pristinely-made bed.

  “What did you think of today?” Tina asks, turning as far as possible on the bed to face me.

  “It was a lot of fun. Especially the horse-riding part.”

  “Great.” She pauses, tongue pressed between her front teeth. An uncomfortable air enters the
room, and the hair on the back of my neck stands up.

  “Did you think everything went well?” I ask, kind of afraid to hear the answer.

  “Yes, but here’s the thing.” She puts her hand on my shoulder. It’s a friendly gesture, but it only feels like that: a gesture. There’s no heart or connection behind it.

  “We really need to sell you and Aaron,” she says.

  “Okay.” I nod. “Are we not doing that? Because I’m into him.”

  Unless that’s not what Tina wants. Because if she needs me to hate him for the sake of the show, fine. No problem. I won’t do anything to make myself look classless or dumb, but I’m in this to sell my image.

  “For the most part, you are,” she says. “I’ve noticed some tension between you two, though, and I don’t mean the good, sexual kind.”

  My heart beats faster. Despite the misgivings I have about this show, I want to milk the opportunity and do my best job possible.

  But to do that, I need to know the absolute truth.

  “Tina, can I ask you a question about the objective of this show?”

  “Absolutely!”

  “Is it to tell the full truth, or to sell an idea?”

  Her face pinches. “I like having you here, Rachel. This show can do a lot for your career.”

  “That’s what I’m hoping.”

  “There’s a lot riding on your and Aaron’s success.”

  My lashes flutter in confusion. “What’s depending on our success?”

  Her hand’s still on my shoulder. She gives me a squeeze then retracts the touch.

  “Don’t worry about that. You don’t need any more stress, okay?”

  My insides squirm. “Okay,” I answer, because what else am I supposed to say?

  “Great talk.” Tina stands, ending the conversation.

  I follow her downstairs, my ears ringing. It doesn’t feel like we were done talking.

  The crew is already leaving the house. Tina turns to me and Aaron.

  “Tomorrow will be low-key,” she says. “We’ll get you two talking on the beach and chatting. If things happen to get romantic, well…” She winks.

  My whole body tenses as I remember the conversation we had upstairs. She’s so vague. Is that normal? Does she just not want me to know about the business side of this show?