Page 56 of Her Billion Dollar Groom

He cocks an eyebrow in surprise. “Why would it be anyone else’s?”

His innocent confusion unlocks a dam inside me, and as I let out a laugh, tears also start streaming down my face. “I guess you haven’t heard the rumors, then. Everyone thinks I’m cheating on you. Everyone thinks I’m a terrible person. And I guess it mustbe true because you think I’m in it for the money, and everyone else thinks that I couldn’t possibly be loyal to you if I tried.”

“Who’s saying that?” Jason scoffs.

“Only every single person on the red carpet tonight.”

“Well, they’re all stupid bastards,” he says, reaching forward to grip my hand again. His knuckles turn white from how hard he squeezes.

“I know they are,” I sob. “So, you believe me?”

“Of course, I believe you! Why would I think anything else?” he says.

“I don’t know,” I reply, not wanting to let on that I heard the comments in his office that one day.

Jason’s brows furrow. “I know our relationship doesn’t mean anything to you, but we’re friends. I at least trust that you would have told me if you were sleeping with someone else.”

“Doesn’t mean anything?” I echo. My chest feels tight all over again, like someone has wrapped both hands around my ribs and wants to squeeze until they break.

“Does it?” he asks. “I thought you wanted to get away from me?”

“Of course, it means something,” I whisper. I can’t lie anymore. “How could it not?”

With that, he starts laughing, and I start laughing too, confused.

“I’m sorry,” he says, wiping his eyes. “I’m not laughing at you. I’m laughing at myself. I’ve been so stupid this whole time. I hope you can forgive me.”

“Forgive you for what?”

“For never telling you how much I love you.”

My mouth drops open. I can barely comprehend the words he’s saying. They’re like a dream. “You love me?”

He takes my hand and lifts it to his lips, kissing my knuckles. “I love you, Eliza. All this time, I’ve been so worried about what you think of me, about how this is going to end. I’ve spent the last few months falling in love with you despite trying so hard not to.”

“You have?”

“I have. I shouldn’t have let you go. I was overwhelmed with work, with trying not to feel all these things. I shouldn’t have let you go to this event alone.”

“I can look after myself,” I say and smile, the first real smile I’ve had in weeks despite my running makeup.

He leans forward and wipes a tear from my cheek. “I know you can. That’s what I love about you. From the second you said there were no strings attached, I’ve been trying to contain myself. I thought the worst of you. I’m sorry for that. I guess I never expected you would want to be with someone like me.”

“I have something to tell you,” I say, taking a deep breath. His expression falls again, and I shake my head, my tears flowing again. “Not something bad. I promise. I just… I came to the office one day, a month or so ago. The week before I left. You were in a meeting. I was going to surprise you. I just wanted to see you, but then I overheard you saying that I didn’t mean anything to you. So… I guess it broke my heart. That’s why I left. Because I thought this didn’t mean anything to you. Because I thought I was too stupid for you.”

“Eliza Holt, you are not stupid,” he says forcefully, his eyes locked on mine. “I should have been braver. I should have told you how I really felt a long time ago.”

“So should I. I guess I was just scared. Because… Jason, you’re the greatest person I’ve ever been with. You’re the kindest, sweetest, most wonderful person who’s ever loved me. I know it hasn’t been long, but I don’t know what I would do without you. I love you too. And I’m sorry for being scared of that.”

“I’msorry for being scared,” he says.

“Have we both been a little bit stupid?” I say sheepishly, letting out a shaky breath.

“I think we might have been,” Jason says. “Eliza, I know that things haven’t been easy between us, and I know that it might take a while to adjust, but I want you in my life. If you want to come back home?—”

“Yes,” I cut him off. “Of course, I want to come home. Do you know how much I’ve missed you?”

“If it’s as much as I missed you, then it must be a lot.”

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