A Hollywood Bride (Billionaires' Brides of Convenience Book 2) Read Online Free Page B

something more. But then he shakes his head. “I had a chef make some salad and chicken Parmesan. Your mother told me it’s your favorite.”
    He spoke with my mom
. It had to have been after my hospital visit. “Did you tell her about…”
    “No. But she’ll hear about it soon enough.” His eyes drop to the jacket wrapped around my waist. “What’s that?”
    “Just something I borrowed to cover the stains on my skirt. I’ll get it dry cleaned and sent back.”
    “I’ll have housekeeping handle it.” He clears his throat. “Are you all right? Everything good with, you know. The baby?” Tension pinches his forehead and puts brackets around his mouth.
    “We’re both fine. Don’t worry.” Unable to help myself, I put a hand to his cheek. The lines between his eyebrows ease, and I wish I’d asked him to stay by my side at the hospital. He’s a great actor, but I don’t think he’s faking it.
    Looking into his eyes, the weight of Julian’s proposition bears down on me. I should tell Ryder about it, but not right now. It will only enrage him, and right at the moment I want some peace and quiet. The day’s been exhausting, with too many ups and downs. “I need to change.”
    I start up the stairs. My pelvis throbs, making me wince. The pain is probably going to get worse before it gets better. If I remember correctly, it always hurts more the next day. But I’m not going to take any medication. Chemicals, even if they’re medicinal, probably aren’t good for a developing fetus.
    “Paige, wait.” He makes his way toward me. He puts a hand on my pelvis and feels around, like he wants to make sure nothing’s broken. “Did they check this out?”
    “Yes. It’s fine.” I grip his hand, stopping the tactile inquisition. “If you really want to help, escort me up the stairs.”
    And he does. Once we reach the end of the hall where our side-by-side suites are located, we stop. “You need any help changing?” he asks.
    “No. I’ll be fine. Thanks.”
    I walk into my suite and close the door, grateful for the privacy. After kicking off my sandals and dumping my clothes—including Julian’s driver’s jacket—in a hamper, I change into loose gray cotton pants and an off-white tank top with pink smiley faces. I need a bit of happy in my life, and the tank top’s never failed to cheer me up…until now.
    In the mirror, a haggard blonde with dark circles and brackets around her mouth stares back.
    “Come on, Paige. You have on your happy tank. Smile.”
    I slap my cheeks lightly to put some color into them and pull my lips back. Now I look like a zombie that just heard a really good joke.
    So far Ryder’s been solicitous. It’s like the medical emergency totally changed his attitude. Until I started bleeding, he was upset about the sex tape and my seeing Anthony.
    But I’m also painfully aware that it’s all just temporary. That tape isn’t going away. It’s going to be in our faces until the wedding three weeks from now. Actually probably longer, unless somebody else does something crazy to get the media’s attention.
    Putting on a neutral expression, I bunch my limp hair into a simple ponytail, then go out into the hall. Ryder straightens away from the wall at the sight of me.
    “Dinner’s being served in my suite,” he says.
    It is?
“The dining room’s okay.”
    “Yeah, but it’s just the two of us. And I thought it might be easier if you didn’t have to go up and down the stairs.” His gaze drops to my pelvis for a moment. “You take anything for that?”
    I shake my head. “I’m fine.”
    We go into his room. It’s larger and more opulent than any hotel suite, with a bedroom and a separate seating area, plus a walk-in closet that’s bigger than most studio apartments. I see a table and chairs that weren’t there before; housekeeping must’ve set them up.
    Ryder pulls out a chair for me and I sit, murmuring my thanks. Our dinner is a simple affair with tossed garden salad,