All Chapters of Pretending with the Billionaire: Chapter 11 - Chapter 20

Ethan's POVI returned to Greenbrooke after taking care of a few things back home in New York. I was equal parts anxious and excited to see Mia. I checked into a hotel closer to the heart of town so I could be near the library. I knew people would gossip if I was intentionally closer to her and I was hoping for some buzz about the blossom of our new romance.I spent some time getting situated at my hotel before running any errands. I took a long shower to wash away the airplane smell and then put on a clean suit. I wanted to look my best today so people would see that Mia was with a quality man. I left my hotel around noon and Hector dropped me off at city hall so I could pay a visit to Mayor Pippins. This time I didn’t even bother stopping to chat with the woman at the front desk. I went straight through the double doors and made my way down the long hallway to Mayor Pippins’ office. I knocked twice and waited for a response. “Come in!” He called out and I let myself i

Ethan's POVAfter our meeting at the job site, Ryan and I went back to the hotel to discuss our next steps. There was a restaurant attached to the lobby of the hotel and we decided to grab lunch while we talked. “Thanks for taking care of that issue with the contractors.” Ryan said, as we sat down at a table near the window.“No problem.” I said, shaking my head. “That guy was an idiot.”“I was ten seconds from losing my shit.” Ryan said, rolling his eyes.An older woman approached our table and asked us what we’d like to drink. I ordered a beer and Ryan got a rum and coke. The woman politely thanked us and promised to be back momentarily with our beverages. “I wanted to talk to you about something.” Ryan said, once the woman was gone.“What’s that?” I asked, stretching in my chair. “There’s this tech company.” Ryan began, moving with caution. He knew I was a stickler for staying within the budget and I could already tell that this idea was going to cost money

Mia's POVThe plane ride was short, a little over an hour altogether. Ryan was awoken from a dead sleep when the tires hit the asphalt and jolted him awake. I flinched as we made contact with the ground below us and Ethan squeezed my hand. He was so sweet the entire flight. He never once took his arm from around me, and I was curled up on his chest until we were safely back on the ground. The seatbelt light switched off, once we were completely stopped and I waited a few extra seconds before unbuckling just in case.Once I could think clearly again, I felt my stomach rumble and I realized how hungry I was. The flight attendants offered my brunch on the plane but I was too overwhelmed to eat. “How are you feeling?” Ethan asked me with kind eyes as we gathered our things.“Okay.” I nodded, struggling to make eye contact with him. To be honest, I was a little embarrassed that he had witnessed me at my very worst. I had only known the guy for a couple of weeks and alrea

Ethan's POVI couldn’t believe that Victoria Sinclair crashed my dinner with Ryan and Mia. I hadn’t seen the woman in years and now suddenly she was at the same mall as me? I was so grateful to Mia that she didn’t get upset over it. I was baffled that Victoria could be so blatantly rude. Luckily Mia was a class act. She didn’t even feel threatened by her. The alone time with Mia was proving to be the best thing that could have happened to our day. After Ryan excused himself, we headed to an ice cream shop in downtown West Village by the lake. The city was alive with good energy when we arrived. There were people wearing swimsuits, children riding bikes, and old people holding hands as they enjoyed the sights. It felt like we were at a festival. “This is so cute!” Mia squealed as Hector pulled up to a curb on the main street. “Are we still in West Village?”“Yep.” I chuckled, happy to see her excitement. She was cute when she got excited. “We’re in downtown West Village

Mia's POVI woke up around seven. I forgot where I was for a second and sat up in the bed, confused by my surroundings. Then it all came back to me; the flight to West Village, the dinner date, the run in with Ethan’s ex, and the best adventure I’d ever had by the lake. Yesterday was a dream. I got out of bed and went to check on Ethan. I opened the door and walked over to the couch. To my surprise, he was gone. His blanket had been folded neatly and his pillow had been placed carefully on top of it. There was a note on the coffee table and I quickly reached for it.HAD TO RUN A QUICK ERRAND. TREAT YOURSELF TO A PREPAID MASSAGE AT THE HOTEL SPA AND I’LL BE BACK IN A FEW.I practically melted as I read the words. He was the most thoughtful fake boyfriend ever. I quickly ran back to the bedroom to take a shower. I grabbed my phone and headed toward the giant bathroom. I checked my messages as I walked into the beautifully decorated bathroom and realized I had two missed