What does a brother have to do
to meet you? Jason said with
a debonair smile.
Billie raised an eyebrow and hesitated a second before extending her hand for a shake.
All you have to do is say hello. Im Billie Phillips. There was a gleam in his eye that she couldnt quite interpret and she waited to see what he would say next.
Jason brought her hand to his lips for a brief kiss and missed the look on Billies face when he said in a low, silky voice, Its a pleasure to meet you, Wilhelmina. Im surprised to see one of the most sought-after models in the world at my event.
My name is Billie, she said firmly. Wilhelmina is the woman they pay to pose. Billie is the real person.
She waited for Jasons reaction. Some people got it right away that she wasnt trying to trade on her reputation. Other people took longer to catch on. And some people never got it. Billie hoped Jason Wainwright wasnt one of the clueless ones!
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MELANIE SCHUSTER
started reading when she was four and believes thats why shes a writer today. She was always fascinated with books and loved telling stories. From the time she was very small she wanted to be a writer. She fell in love with romances when she began reading the ones her mother would bring home. She would go to any store that sold paperbacks and load up! When she had a spare moment she was reading. Schuster loves romance because its always so hopeful. Despite the harsh realities of life, romance always brings to mind the wonderful, exciting adventure of falling in love and meeting your soul mate. She believes in love and romance with all her heart. She finds fulfillment in writing stories about compelling couples who find true, lasting love in the face of all the obstacles out there. She hopes all of her readers find their true love. If theyve already been lucky enough to find love, she hopes that they never forget what it felt like to fall in love.
Model Perfect Passion
Melanie Schuster
www.millsandboon.co.uk
Dear Reader,
Sometimes when youre not looking for it, love will find you. Thats what happens to Billie Phillips and Jason Wainwright. Neither one of them was looking for a serious relationship, but they got one.
Jason didnt make a good impression on Billie when they first met because he viewed her in terms of her physical appearance only. Billie realized that and resented it highly. It took a minute for each of them to set aside their initial assessment of the other and begin to get to know the real person behind the facade. Once they were able to do that, they began to realize that theirs could be a real love, a love to last for all time.
How many of us have judged someone unfairly in the beginning and never gave them a chance to reveal their real personality? And how many times have you been totally caught off guard when a person you thought you couldnt stand turned out to be a fascinating individual? Its happened to me, and thats what gave me the inspiration for this story. Two people who think they know all there is to know about the other person end up getting surprised by love when they open their minds and their hearts.
Stay Blessed,
Melanie
I Chronicles 4:10
MelanieAuthor@aol.com
P.O. Box 5176
Saginaw, Michigan 48638
Dedicated to all my loyal readers.
Thanks for going on another journey with me.
Contents
Acknowledgment
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Epilogue
Acknowledgment
A very special thank-you to Rhodora, Phil, Liz (aka Vlad the Impaler) and Carrie. A special thank-you to Betty Dowdell, even though thank you is never enough. Thanks to all the ladies in my group for keeping me lifted up.
And as always, to Jamil. Youre my rock.
Chapter 1
Is that a dead rat?
Yeah, thats a big ol dead rat. Or a small dead cat. Its kinda hard to say at this point.
The first voice, which belonged to Billie Phillips, was undeniably female, although she sounded like an excited preadolescent boy at the moment. Thats really gross! That was one big-A rat, she said with a whistle. What else are we going to find?
The second voice was the deep, amused one of her brother-in-law, Nick Hunter. This house has been empty for a long time, so were liable to find rats, cats, possums, bats and a bunch of drug paraphernalia. Just watch where you step, he cautioned.
They were looking over a house that she desperately wanted to buy. It was a three-bedroom brick bungalow in a part of Chicago that had seen better days. The house had fared much worse than the neighborhood, however. It had passed through many owners and tenants and it was currently a mess. It was by far the worst house on the block and there was a lot of work to be done to it to make it livable, which was why Billie wanted to get her hands on it. Shed been working with Nick at his construction business for over three months and she was eager to take on more responsibilities. Nick was mostly into commercial construction, but he did do some residential work. That was where Billies main interest lay and she was dying to get hold of a house like this. Her passion was home renovation, and as shed been telling Nick, there was no better way to learn the business of flipping houses than by actually flipping one. And this semidilapidated house was just the place to begin, she thought.
Billies eyes were shining with anticipation and her face was flushed with pleasure as she carefully followed Nicks lead in exploring the deplorable house. Despite wearing jeans, construction boots, a thermal undershirt and a plaid flannel shirt with a parka on top, she looked adorable. Nick glanced at her and laughed.
She looked at him quizzically. Whats so funny?
You, he told her. Youve got soot on your nose, dirt on your jeans and cobwebs in your hair. You sure dont look like a big-time international model now, he teased her.
Billie wrinkled her nose at him. Thats because Im not. I have a few shoots left to fulfill a couple of contracts, but after that Im done with prowling the runway and tooting my booty up in the air to show off some ridiculously priced shoes or whatever, she said, and then grunted as she used a crowbar to pull up the floor tile in the bathroom. Nick had shown her how to look for mold and water damage and she was going after it like rat terrier.
I liked modelingit was fun. But I was doing it for the money and for no other reason. This is what I want to do, Nick. I want to take old houses and make them wonderful again. Oh, dang, is that mold I smell? She straightened up from her semicrouched position and took a good long sniff.
Cat pee, more like, was his laconic answer. You might have a diamond in the rough here, kid. With the right plan you can turn this old place into a showpiece. We need to check out the basement first, though.
Nick, I really appreciate you taking so much time with me. Ive learned so much over the past few months I even amaze myself. I couldnt do this without you, she said.
Nick took the end of her long braid and shook it, dislodging a large fuzzy spider from its length, which he prudently didnt mention. He didnt think shed get hysterical, but he wasnt going to chance it. Quit thanking me! Youre my family now. How could I not help my little sister? Besides, I stand to gain from this partnership, too. These are the kind of projects Ive thought about but never really had the time to do. We both stand to do very well on this, Billie.
They had reached the kitchen and the door that led down to the basement. She was about to fling open the door when Nick held out a cautioning hand. Hold on. Cover up your head before we go down the stairs. Let me go first, because theres no telling whats down there.
Billie was heeding his words but she was sniffing the stale air with a frown. Man, it really reeks in here! Is that what serious mold and water damage smells like?
It can. Look, you stay right here. Im going down first, he said in the authoritative voice she knew meant business.
It was fruitless to argue with him, so she stood back with her arms crossed for more warmth. Chicago winters were brutal and even now, in the middle of April, it was still cold. When Nick opened the basement door Billie fell back and covered her nose and mouth. The funk that raced out of the cellar was indescribable. Nick frowned and shook his head, covering his own mouth and nose before going down the stairs. He was back upstairs in less than a minute with a tense, angry look on his face. Without saying a word he guided Billie out of the house to his truck. Once she was seated he went around to the drivers side and pulled out his cell phone. He made a terse call to 911 and looked at Billie with a grim smile that held no amusement.
Were gonna keep looking for a house to buy. Theres a body in the basement.
Ewww, Billie said. Thats horrible! She whipped out her cell phone and punched the button to autodial a familiar number.
Who are you calling? Nick demanded.
Dakota, of course. If I dont call her well both be in trouble and you know it. An investigative reporter needs to know this stuff before anybody else, she reminded him.
Nick was making a grotesque face. You Phillips women are something else. How you can be so beautiful and look so ladylike and be so tough is beyond me. My gorgeous wife is going to come over here and start poking around in that filthy basement like it was a jewelry store, isnt she?
Billie flashed him the smile that had earned her millions of dollars. Even with the smudge on her face and a long fuzzy spiderweb still attached to her hair, she was glorious. Welcome to the family, Nick, she said with a grin. Life is never, ever dull with us.
He leaned back in the drivers seat to wait for the police to arrive. I can see that, he mumbled, and pulled his cap down over his green eyes.
By that evening there was no trace of the tomboyish person whod accompanied Nick that morning. Billie was at her sisters house dressed to the nines to attend a formal open house with Nick and Dakota. Nick had to express his admiration and astonishment at her transformation.
I dont know how you pulled it off, but you sure do clean up good, he said as he gave her a kiss on the cheek. If somebody saw you this morning theyd think you were a totally different person tonight.
The events of the morning didnt show at all in her current appearance. After the police arrived and took their statements, they had lingered at the scene to see if Dakota would show up, and sure enough, shed arrived and charmed her way into the house. Nick had been both amazed and appalled that even after making a minute inspection of the grisly remains, his intrepid wife had been able to join them at one of the diners she loved and eat a full breakfast. Nick had sipped a cola while watching the two Phillips women chowing down like they didnt have a care in the world and remarked once again that they were in a class by themselves. They didnt seem to hear him because Billie was busy telling Dakota how there were towels and old rags crammed under the basement door in the house.
Nick says it would have smelled a whole lot worse if they hadnt done that, she reported. Can I have some of your grits?
Help yourself, but I want a piece of your turkey bacon. And hes right, it would have stunk all to be-damned if the killer hadnt tried to stop the airflow a little. Real nasty piece of work, that was. She noticed that Nick wasnt eating. Arent you hungry, honey?
He shook his head. Most people really dont like to eat after they find a dead body, baby.
Dakota didnt look embarrassed in the least. You get used to it, she said with a shrug.
Like I said, you two are something else, he said dryly.
And Billie was indeed looking like one in a million for the event they were attending. She had gone to her temporary home, which was the brownstone that Dakota owned and had sublet to Billie when shed married Nick. After a quick shower and shampoo, shed deep-conditioned her hair and let it air dry before finishing it with a blow-dryer and hot curlers to set a head full of curls that she finger-combed into a tumbling mass. Her makeup was artfully applied and subtle, but it made her features unforgettable. Instead of wearing a simple black dress, the go-to frock of most fashionistas, Billie was wearing a cerulean-blue dress in silk jersey that was deceptively plain. It was an unassuming little frock with a modestly scooped neck, long sleeves and pleats across the bodice. From the front it looked almost girlish, but the back of the dress was bare to the waist. The blouson skirt ended above her knees and it had a band that drew the eye directly to her fabulous legs. She was wearing black Chanel peep-toe pumps and sheer silk hose. Her only jewelry was big, gold, hoop earrings and a wide, gold, bangle bracelet. Nick grinned at his new sister-in-law.
Youre gonna have the men eating out of your hand, little sister. Ima have to keep my eye on you or theres liable to be a riot, he told her with a fond note of teasing in his voice.
I never really wanted anyone eating out of my hand, she returned with a grin. It sounds kind of unsanitary to me. Besides, the main reason Im going to this soiree is because I want to meet Jason Wainwright. Anyone whos done as much in real estate as he has is someone I want to get to know, she said. Hes been in every business publication I can think of and every article about the future of residential real estate, blah-de-blah-blah-blah. Hes supposed to be the end-all and be-all of real-estate sales in Chicago and I want to know his secrets. She sat on the sofa to stroke her sisters cat, Cha-Cha. She was a big Somali cat who preferred men, but showed affection to the few women she liked. Luckily Billie was one of those women.