Free The Billionaire and Me - Complete Series: BWWM Alpha Billionaire Romance by Shirley Hunt Page B

looked to me, “ You? ”
     
    “ I ’ ve never heard of your business but I ’ ll be sure to keep an eye out for it! ”  I said with forced eagerness.  In an effort to make a friend I said, “ Where did you come up with that name? ”
     
    “ I like bright colors, ” Ellen replied stiffly.  “ I find blacks and browns to be quite drab.  I want my customers to stand out! ”
     
    “ I ’ d enjoy to see some of your pieces sometime. ”  I didn ’ t know why I had said that.  Perhaps it was a last ditch effort to pacify her and make a possible friend.
     
    Needless to say that plan had failed when she sniffed and said, “ Someone like you couldn ’ t afford my designs. ”
     
    “ Ellen, that ’ s not nice! ”  Blake said loudly as if he were scolding a child.  “ You really shouldn ’ t say such things to people let alone my wife!  You know what they say about being nice to them on the way up. ”
     
    At first I thought Ellen had only disliked me for not being a part of her clique, but then I began to wonder if she and Blake had been romantically linked somehow in the past?  It was entirely possible and I wondered how to ask Blake about this without seeming like I was prying into his business and the past?
     
    I suppose it was an effort to be polite when Blake said, “ Amanda and I are busy.  Come on, let ’ s go. ”
     
    Keeping his arm around me he steered me away from Ellen and never once looked back to see where she was.  Though I couldn ’ t see her I was fairly confident she was busy staring daggers into my back.
     
    “ Who was she? ”  I asked Blake.
     
    “ Someone I knew a long time ago. ”
     
    “ Old girlfriend? ”
     
    “ Yes.  She ’ s always been kind of the jealous type which is why it didn ’ t work out.  I didn ’ t like her jealousy or feeling like every move I did was constantly scrutinized. ”
     
    “ As long as we steer clear of her we should be fine. ”
     
    At least I hoped we would be.
     

Chapter Three
     
    I had hoped that Ellen would be staying out of our lives after Blake had more or less brushed her off.  I think he had gone about it a little too nicely as I knew I wouldn ’ t be that nice.  I would have been more forceful in my informing the person to leave us alone.  While I would have been more forceful I also knew it wasn ’ t my ex-lover that I had been speaking to.  It also wasn ’ t my place to speak up.  Sometimes what a pain it was having been taught manners like that!
     
    Blake had told me not to worry about it as Ellen could be rather single minded.  He reasoned once she found something to distract her she would have forgotten all about us.  I did certainly hope so!  Who wanted someone mooning after your new husband all the time?
     
    Still part of me began to wonder about that.  Did she want me out of the way so she could have Blake all to herself?  She did seem to be a bit too interested in him.
     
    I trusted Blake completely and knew that he would not do anything to hurt or to put me into harm ’ s way.  I knew I could trust him but I wasn ’ t certain if I could trust everyone else.  I really didn ’ t like feeling like that as it made me feel like I was insecure.
     
    I new sometimes there was competition among women but I didn ’ t think it could get so nasty towards the top.  Sometimes I felt like I was stuck in a hen house rather than out in real life among real people.
     
    As much as I had adapted to this new lifestyle I still had much to learn.  I knew I must not stoop to their level.
     
    To escape the pettiness and to have a good distraction I began to discuss what tourist places we could see next.  It would keep us busy and out of trouble for a little while.  I was determined not to let a certain few people make our honeymoon miserable for us.
     
    We had thoughts of leaving this part of the state for another part or even leaving the state entirely.  Fate had other plans, though; as Blake had