The Billionaire’s Hidden Heiress
[Book 2] Chapter 48

Lorelai POV

Rachel studies the dress, her lips pursed as she examines it from different angles. I stand as still as possible, fearful of ruining the fabric or creating a crease where it's unwanted. There's a slight frown on her face but whether it's to do with the dress or something else, I'm not sure. The dress fits like a glove and Rachel has done an incredible job of bringing her vision and mine to life, but she still paces around me, looking as though there's more to be done. It's perfect, I think to myself mildly, not understanding what else the dress could possibly need. "Rachel it's perfect," I say as she taps her chin "It's more beautiful than I could have dreamed of. It fits like a glove."

She sighs. "I know. You and Flair will be the highlight of the fundraiser. Exactly as it should be" she said nodding with a grin.

"Oh, I think Flair should be the one standing out" I offer weakly.

It is her fundraiser after all and I was merely going as a guest.

Rachel snorts "Do you think I wouldn't make Knox's date just as appealing and attractive? You are gorgeous, it's easy to see why Knox only has eyes for you" she mutters "that boy has never looked so moonstruck before and I should know. I've been close friends with his sister for years."

I turn to peer over my shoulder at her "But Knox has had girlfriends before, hasn't he? I mean he seems confident enough with me" I blurt out without thinking it through.

She gives me a pitying look "He's had dates" she corrects "but not a proper relationship. Hun, you are the first to have caught his interest and keep it. Or maybe it's not a matter of keeping his interest but a matter of not rejecting him because of his quirks" she adds thoughtfully.

"But there's nothing wrong with him" I'm puzzled.

Rachel's smile is crooked "isn't there? You know he's on the spectrum, you see his obsession when he focusses on his work. The inability to read social cues or communicate effectively."

"He does perfectly fine" I interrupt defensively "I think he's quite charming to be honest. He's sweet and he's sensitive" I continue, my cheeks beginning to blaze "he's caring and he's compassionate. Why he's every girl's dream..." I trail off as Rachel giggles at me. "There's no need to get upset with me. I happen to agree with you. Don't worry, I won't try to steal him from you, I'm happily married" she teases as I blush "but you'll replace that in the world they live in the girls can be quite..." she frowns. "Catty?" I suggest as Rachel's eyes twinkle "bratty?"

"Hmmm," she mutters "I was going to go with shallow, cruel, vindictive, and bitchy myself."

I giggle at her descriptions. Rachel smoothes down my dress. "I know that this isn't easy for you but for what it's worth I think that you and Knox are meant for each other" she offers softly.

"Rachel," I ask, biting my lip and moving my hips so that the dress swishes around my ankles "how did you know that Timothy was the one for you? When did you realize that he was the only man you could ever truly love for the rest of your life?" Even I know that's a loaded question. Rachel eyes me closely. She bites her lip as I begin to slowly slide the zipper down the back, my eyes on her.

"I don't know," she says at last as I pause in my movements "I guess it just happened, one day I looked at Timothy and all I saw in my future was him. I couldn't picture my life with anyone else. He was the reason I smiled every day" she smiled at me and I couldn't help but notice how her face softened as she spoke about her husband "and he was the reason I looked forward to coming home every day. It was like he was the other half of me. I wanted to wake up every morning next to him and I wanted to spend every night in his arms. When he first told me he loved me, I felt like I was the luckiest girl in the world" she sighed and I felt a spurt of envy shoot through me "nobody had ever made me feel the way that Timothy continues to make me feel every day."

"It sounds like you're both still in love" I commented as I began to slide out of the dress, Rachel holding her hands out to carefully hang it on the hanger.

"Of course we are. We have a baby together and it's still early in our marriage but we know that in order to make it work it requires the both of us to work together. Sometimes we argue" she admits in a hushed voice "but we always replace a way to forgive each other and move on. Everybody does. If you love someone you do what you have to to make them happy, even if it means you have to compromise on some things."

My mouth twisted on the word compromise. Since Knox had declared he had feelings for me and declared he wanted to date me, it felt like all I had done was compromise for his sake. Rachel noticed the strange look on my face and decided to question it. "You don't like the compromise you're making at the moment do you?"

I struggle to replace a way to frame the words without sounding ungrateful or shallow. "It's not that I don't like Knox because I do, or that I don't appreciate everything he's doing for me, but it's difficult to fit into a lifestyle that's the opposite of what I grew up with." Rachel nodded "I can understand that, but" she fixes her eyes on me "why are you compromising? I design, I do yoga, I do things that aren't necessarily socially acceptable and Timothy doesn't care. Flair for instance" she shrugs, putting the dress on the hanger and carefully zipping up the bag to keep it clean, "has her own companies, some of which are also to do with designing. She owns several yoga studios. She even instructs some of those classes too" she advised me. "She does?" my mouth drops open in shock. Rachel nods "Knox didn't tell you?" she winces "well I suppose it's still a bit shocking to him but Flair isn't the typical wealthy heiress. I guess the point I'm trying to make is that you have to forge your own path in this world" she told me firmly, "not one that somebody else is trying to push you onto."

I appreciated the advice. "Besides, all those girls are so stuffy and vain" Rachel snorts as I giggle "can you picture how unfulfilling their lives must be? How upset they must get over the most trivial little thing such as replaceing a stain on their clothes or their lipstick going missing?"

I couldn't keep a straight face. Rachel giggled and flipped her hair "there are more important things in life. Flair loves animals and I happen to know that Knox does too, it's why they are probably so close. You just need to replace your groove, your momentum" she said gesturing wildly with both hands "something you're passionate about to keep you motivated and give you some purpose."

I nodded. I was beginning to feel excited again now. Rachel winked at me. "You can always come to me or Flair with questions. Who knows" she said "maybe you'll even have a baby and we can have playdates together. Either way you are always welcome. I have high hopes for you and Knox" she said as I gave her a grateful hug "I think that you're both a perfect match. Now if only we could replace lan someone" she said shaking her head ruefully "then all the Grants would have found someone, well except for their father" she admitted quietly "but I suspect that lan's had his heart broken a long time ago and nothings ever going to mend it again or someone."

That sounded sad. "Poor lan" I murmured as Rachel and I headed out of the spare room and I carefully shut the door behind me "maybe we could introduce him to someone?" I suggested.

"I like the way your mind works but lan is well lan" she said as we began to descend the stairs "there's a story there, but one he's never offered to divulge. I wish I knew who the girl was that broke his heart. She must have been quite something to have gotten the great lan Grant so heartbroken."

We reach the front door. Rachel hugs me before she opens the front door. "Good luck at the fundraiser" she tells me fiercely and then pulls me in tight "and I'm telling you, don't make that man wait too long until you tell him you love him."

How did she know? Rachel was smirking as she pulled back from me. "It's written all over your face" she said whistling "you're like an open book. Heck the only person who probably can't see it for himself is Knox" she said with amusement. I sigh. "Thank you for everything you've done for me" I say as she begins to leave.

"Don't mention it. It's one less favor I owe" she called out over her shoulder "and I look forward to the photos that are going to be taken at the fundraiser. I know you're going to look gorgeous and Knox is going to look absolutely amazing."

I shut the door with a smile on my face and then turn and lean against it. Rachel had given me a lot to think about and a lot of helpful advice. I didn't dare compare myself to the likes of her and Flair, but the notion that neither of them were conforming to what society expected of them, was giving me the freedom to think about what I wanted in my life and allowing the expectations of others to fall from my shoulders. I glanced up towards the stairs. I loved Knox, I thought blankly, but what I really needed to know, was did I love him enough to stay and remain in this life. Was I determined enough to make this work or was this all going to blow up in my face? I had never thought love could be so painful as it was proving to be now or so difficult. If I told Knox I loved him, would he be as thrilled as I would be to hear the words, or would this just push him away from me?