Both worries were a possibility.
He caught Robbie’s gaze on him and nodded as the elevator reached ground level.
The two of them had been through a million times more discomfort and danger than this next two weeks could possibly bring. For Robbie, keeping Alice safe would be worth it. For Chase … he wasn’t certain why he’d agreed. He wasn’t going to trick a woman into falling in love with him for a million dollars. That was all kinds of wrong, and he doubted he could accomplish it anyway.
If only the woman he was being set up with really was ‘perfect’ for him. The problem was, he’d given up on finding the right woman for him years ago.
Chapter
One
Eliza ‘Lizzy’Birmingham’s mouth gaped open and her eyes were bigger than silver dollars. The charismatic bachelor billionaire of the year Brandon Richards and his model girlfriend Madelyne Presley were standing outside a shiny, white jet at the small Eudora Kansas airport. Even more shocking, they were waiting for her.
Because of this illustrious couple, Lizzy was going on a dream vacation, to her dream spot.
Salzburg, Austria.
Salzburg … Austria … as in the very location of the filming of her favorite show of all time,The Sound of Music.
Maybe she’d get to see the Nonnberg Abbey, Hellbrunn Palace, Schloss Leopoldskron Palace, and the lake and the gazebo where the Captain and Maria kissed, ah …
She could already imagine the lush green hills leading up to awe-inspiring and soaring mountains. Were there really cows with bells and wildflowers? Could she sing in the hills like Maria and meet a man as handsome and good as the Captain? Captain von Trapp had been stern and grumpy at first, then revealed what a fabulous man he was. Her former boyfriends had beencharming, and then the masks were peeled off and belittling monsters climbed out.
Pushing away the pain and worry and even her dreams of finding all the spots in Salzburg fromThe Sound of Music, she focused on Brandon and Madelyne. They were picture-perfect. He was so debonair in his suit and had a radiant confidence and a fabulous, welcoming smile. Madelyne was breathtakingly beautiful, but benevolence sparkled in her green eyes.
Lizzy concentrated and was able to not trip and fall walking up to them. It wouldn’t do to reveal her disability within the first few seconds of meeting the glorious and celebrated couple.
They were surrounded by at least a dozen armed men in polos and golf pants. Their clothing looked too mild for their hulking muscles and intense expressions. They appeared as if they ate nails for breakfast.
Brandon’s suit and aura looked more dapper than James Bond, while Madelyne wore a gorgeous pale pink fitted jacket and skirt that Lizzy suspected cost more than her car. Somehow they didn’t make Lizzy feel like less. Her ex-boyfriend Darren’s family had been wealthy—by Lawrence, Kansas standards. She’d won their hearts, but they’d looked down their noses at her initially.
Lizzy was grateful she wore the Anne Klein floral dress she’d found at Goodwill. It was a fraction the cost of one of Brandon’s socks, but it was the nicest item of clothing she owned. Blessedly, it covered the knife wound on her chest and it only had a small red stain on the back.
Not a problem at all. As long as she made certain not to turn around.
“Miss Eliza Birmingham,” the famed Brandon Richards said, extending his hand. “It is a pleasure to meet you. I’m Brandon Richards and this is Madelyne Presley.”
“Neither of you need any introduction,” Lizzy gushed. “Oh, my, goodness. I absolutely love the both of you.” She grabbed each of their hands and squeezed rather than shook. “Can we be friends?”
Brandon and Madelyne both smiled at her exuberance.
“You and I will belifelongfriends,” Brandon assured her.
That reassured Lizzy even more, but it seemed to upset Madelyne. The beauty shot him an exasperated look, which only made him laugh louder. So the rumors were true. Brandon cheated on Madelyne nonstop. Maybe his lifelong friend comment had been a flirtation, though Lizzy hadn’t taken it as such. Him hurting Madelyne made Brandon’s likeability drop.
The model rolled her eyes. Her sweet expression returned as she focused back on Lizzy. “Yes, we will be dear friends,” she said, every bit as sunshine-y and beautiful as she was on social media. “We’re so grateful to you and all you do to help children in your area.”
The words were a bit flowery, and Lizzy blushed. She wasn’t certain how to respond, but she appreciated Madelyne’s praise. Apparently Madelyne had found her and her center on social media, and she and Brandon were giving similar trips and gifts to other women. She was flattered and a bit apprehensive about what to expect. She’d never left Kansas, and here she was meeting famous and wealthy people and flying to Austria. It was completely out of her sphere.
“You are a charitable angel,” Brandon agreed. “And we’re thrilled to gift you this two-week vacation to one of our favorite places in Europe and a hundred thousand dollars to reward someone who has given so much of herself.”
Just like that, Lizzy forgot her frustrations with Brandon being a playboy and Madelyne putting up with it. That hundred thousand dollars was going to make an outstanding difference for her center. “I’m extremely grateful for you,” she gushed. “Amillion times more grateful than I can express. So much love! Please, please know I will only use that money for the children.”
“We know. We’ve researched you.” Brandon smiled.
She shifted uncomfortably at that. They knew she lived in a miniscule, unfurnished—except for a couple refurbished chairs and her bed—apartment above her center and rarely spent any of her salary on herself?
“We are so excited for you to have this adventure,” Madelyne continued, “and we are pairing you with the kindest man who can also protect you. He is one of Brandon’s closest friends. I pray we’ll all be friends for many years to come.”
