Chapter 01

CPOV

I can't believe I am here helping my brother and father put things together for our cousin's wedding here tomorrow. I don't even know why my mother agreed to host the wedding. I'm sure no other billionaire CEO has to do these things.

I finish helping Elliot move some potted plants in the garden. I walk in the house and find my mother, my aunt, Mia, our cousin Victoria, and Kate, Elliot's girlfriend. I look to Elliot, "What are they doing here? The wedding isn't until tomorrow."

Elliot smiles. "They are having their makeup done as a practice session."

"Practicing for what?" Why in the world would they need to practice having their makeup done?

"I don't question these things. But wait until you see the make-up artist."

"Why would I care about the make-up artist?"

"She's Kate's best friend. Just keep that in mind when you see her." He's smiling at me as if he has some sort of secret. A little while later I hear the rumble of a V8 engine pull in the driveway. When I look at him in confusion, he just smirks at me. "Kate! It sounds like Ana is here."

Kate looks over to Elliot, "Will you help her bring in her things?"

"Of course, baby. Come on, little brother." Reluctantly I go with him to help Kate's friend. Once we get outside, I am first shocked to see she drives a flawless black 1969 RS Z28 Camaro with white racing stripes. She gets out of the car and it's a beautiful woman with long dark sable brown hair. She looks up and she has piercing blue eyes. This woman who is wearing a black leather motorcycle jacket, distressed jeans, and boots is best friends with Katherine Kavanagh. Unbelievable.

I come to my senses and rush to help her get her things out of the car. "Nice car," I say to her as I take a bag from her hands.

She smiles at me and I'm not sure if she's laughing at me or not. "Thanks." I feel like an idiot. I look down to see the quote on her tank top says 'I am no bird and no net ensnares me' which I recognize from Jane Eyre.

Once inside, Ana starts to set everything up. She takes off her jacket and that's when I notice her tattoos. She has a sleeve starting with a branch of cherry blossoms coming from her shoulder. On her arm, she has a poppy flower, an anchor, a sparrow, a compass, books, a pink rose, and a horseshoe. In between each tattoo to tie them all together are little stars and dots. It's quite something and to be honest, I've never met a woman with tattoos like that. Then around her wrist on her other arm are the words 'obstinate headstrong girl' and on each finger of that hand are different triangles.

She gets to work doing the makeup of all the women and Elliot and I leave to finish so we can be ready in time for the rehearsal dinner. We get outside and Elliot smirks at me. "So, what did you think?" And I know he's asking about Ana.

"How in the hell is she friends with Kate? They seem completely different." I remark.

He laughs, "I know. They were roommates their freshman year of college. She's really cool though."

"Where did she get that car? That must be worth $75,000."

"It was her dad's car. He gave it to her when she went to college. She let me drive it once. That thing has balls." I shake my head in disbelief.

APOV

Victoria asked me to stay for the rehearsal dinner. Luckily, Kate told me before I came so I brought along a dress and shoes. The Greys really know how to throw a party; if this is the rehearsal dinner I can only imagine what the wedding will be like. I am wearing a short red front keyhole A-line dress with long sleeves and leopard print heels with a red bow in the front.

The party is in full swing, I talked to Kate off and on but she has been busy so I've been hanging out and just watching everything. Beside me, I hear someone say, "Quite the party. Isn't it?" I turn to see Elliot's brother who helped me unload the car earlier today.

"Oh, hi. Yes, it is. I'm sorry, I didn't catch your name."

"Christian Grey. I'm Elliot's brother."

"Nice to meet you. Thank you for helping me earlier. I didn't have the chance to thank you properly."

"Don't worry about it. That's a pretty nice car you have."

"Thanks, I love it. It was my dad's, that car was his baby. He gave it to me when I moved to Seattle. It's not fancy but it's got a v8, 425 horsepower, dual exhaust, rally wheels, and a 3-speed manual transmission."

"I bet your boyfriend loves to drive it."

"Oh, he's not really into cars. He lives in New York."

"So it's a long distance thing? You and your boyfriend?"

"Yeah. What about you? Do you have a girlfriend?"

"Not a girlfriend. I have someone I see but only on the weekends."

"Don't you miss her during the week?"

He laughs, which I find strange. "No, I don't."

"Is she here now? With you?"

"Who?" How could he so quickly forget about his girlfriend?

"Your not girlfriend."

"Oh. No. We don't do things like this together."

"That's kind of strange." Shit. I said that out loud. "I'm sorry. That was rude of me."

He smirks at me, "That's perfectly fine - Ana, right?"

"Yes. That's what everyone calls me. My full name is Anastasia."

"That's a beautiful name."

"Ugh, I hate it. I wish I had a normal name."

"I like it."

"Ana! Come here!" I hear Kate calling me as she is walking towards us.

"That's Kate. I better go. It was nice speaking with you."

"Same here. Until we meet again, Anastasia." I walk over to Kate.

"Ana, you look great! Victoria loves her makeup. She said she's going to tell all her friends to hire you."

"That's awesome, thanks! Maybe then I can stop the freelance copyediting."

"You love doing the copyediting, you know it."

"Yeah, I like both of my jobs. You know this is going to be you someday soon." I gesture around the room.

"What? You think Elliot is going to propose?" Kate's green eyes alight with exhilaration.

"Of course, he's crazy about you. Everyone can see that. It makes me miss Hollis."

"Ana, I don't know what you see in him. He moved to New York to bartend. It doesn't make sense."

"He's just trying to find his place, you know?"

"But the question is, where do you fit in it?"