Free Yours Completely: A Cinderella Love Story (Billionaires and Brides #1) by Krista Lakes Page B

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,