Page 35 of The Rebel Billionaire

I remember reading about that when I was looking up Sophia.

“Yes, before he took over as CEO, he was one of St Clair’s head designers.”

“That’s quite a leap,” I say, shutting myself inside and stifling my groan.

“Not really. He has a degree in fashion and a master’s in business.”

Oh great, another one. I’ve been raised with siblings who are all overachievers. My eldest brother, Elijah, is the worst, but every single one of them is at the top of their field. I’m the baby sister and a major disappointment, having never achieved anything up to this point, flitting from one thing to the next.

I step out from behind the curtain.

“Wow, it’s like that outfit was made for you,” Callie says with a grin. “Outfit one, perfect.”

I give her a twirl before stepping back behind the curtain.

“Next,” she says.

“Are you sure this is, okay? Won’t Alessandro be expecting us upstairs?”

“Don’t worry about Alex. He knows this is important. You’re going to be representing him. He’s also walking on eggshells around me at the moment, afraid I’m going to break. My husband, David, is one of Alex’s best friends, so he’s pretty invested in this little bundle I’m carrying. I’m sure they’ve been conspiring to get me off work and at home.”

“Doesn’t that bother you?” I pop my head out again.

Callie laughs. “No, because it comes from a place of love. When you date a powerful man, you learn to pick your battles.” Her hand goes to her pregnant stomach. “We tried for years to get pregnant. Now that I am, there’s no way I’m risking our child, even if it means putting my feet up.”

“How did you meet David?” I ask, sliding up the zip of the dress before stepping out.

“Through Alex,” she says with a smile. “He came into the office one afternoon, and it was like a bolt of lightning.” She chuckles, a faint glow darkening her cheeks. “He instantly asked me out, although I admit to playing hard to get for a while. David had a bit of a reputation among the ladies.”

“What did Alessandro say?”

For some reason, I can’t imagine he was happy his friend was hitting on his PA. I know my brothers wouldn’t have been. Gabe certainly wasn’t when he thought Caleb was chasing after Leah.

Callie laughs. “It was strange. I was really nervous, but when he saw us together, he gave us his blessing. We got married nine months later.”

“They say, when you know, you know.”

“Exactly. That was four years ago,” she says.

I continue to show her my outfits until I have a pile of definites and a few maybes. She asks me questions about my family, and I use the time to test my memory of my new life. I’m surprised at how easy Callie makes it for me to become Brooke. I’ve always hated lying, preferring to be upfront and honest, often to my own detriment, but it’s something I’m going to have to get used to. Luckily, Brooke was raised with the same number of siblings. Their ages and names vary, but they left Kat as Kat, a Katie rather than Kathryn.

When we’re finally done, I choose one of the outfits and switch into it. My new wardrobe includes a selection of shoes and bags.

“Your style and taste are impeccable. You’ll fit in well here,” Chrissie, the store manager, says with a smile.

I look at the pile of beautiful clothes being labelled.

Wow, I may need more storage.

“It’s like these clothes were made for you,” she says with a grin. “It’s rare. I’m usually taking up or amending most people’s items in some way.”

“I’m lucky, I guess.”

My heart stumbles. My grandmother always used to say, ‘fine feathers make fine birds’. But with that comes attention. Fuck, I’m going to need to keep my head down, or remaining in the background will be impossible.

“Now for your address,” she says. “The service will deliver them tonight when you get home. Let someone know at the front desk when you’re leaving, and they’ll do the rest.”

“I will, thank you.”