Mending The Billionaire Brother (MacLachlan Brothers Romance Book 3)

by Bree Livingston

  “If you don’t love her, don’t do this. It will only end with one of you leaving with a broken heart. Going into this with the expectation that it’s going to end is a good way to lose her forever. Can you handle losing her forever? Have you thought about that?”

  Losing her? Completely? No, he hadn’t considered that. The thought sent his heart to his stomach. He also couldn’t back out now that he’d agreed to do it. She was depending on him, and so was the sanctuary .

  “I’ll have to risk it. Angus, ye should see this place. The kids comin’ here. They need it. It cannae close.” Taran proceeded to tell him about the rehabilitation and after-school program. “The barn needs a little sprucin’ up. I think I may work on that while I’m here. Can ye and Rory handle the farm while I’m gone?”

  “I told you we can handle it. You know Rory will want to know why you’re going to be there for six months. How am I supposed to keep that from him? We don’t have secrets between us.”

  Taran was well aware of that. Sarah wanted to keep it quiet. Why had he even said anything? Why hadn’t he lied? Because he couldn’t lie to Angus. Even if he’d tried, Angus would have never bought it. “Sarah’s goin’ to take a branch to me. If ye have to tell him, tell him. Just dinnae tell Paige and Penelope, please. I’m beggin’ you. Sarah will absolutely kill me if they find out.”

  “You’re asking a lot. I’ll try to keep it from them, but you know how they are. Together, they’re a force of nature. Rory and I are always outnumbered now.” Angus laughed.

  “But ye wouldna have it any other way.”

  “Naw, marrying Penelope was the smartest thing I’ve ever done. I’d rather fight with her than make love to anyone else. She’s my heart.” There was joy in his voice. He’d found his other half. That’s what Taran wanted, but could he say the same about Sarah?

  “Taran, I know it’s easy to get married and easy to get divorced. I don’t fault people who try and fail, but walking into it, knowing it’s going to end…I worry.”

  Taran hung his head. “I know. I worry too, but it’s just to help her keep the sanctuary her mum built. It’s important to her, and if I can help, I will. She’s too stubborn to let me help her find someone to run the place.” It was a struggle to convince her to let him rent the tux or buy feed for the horses. He could only imagine the knock-down, drag-out they’d have over him spending that kind of money on her.

  “Not too surprised about that.” Angus chuckled.

  Taran sighed. “Sarah is the most vibrant woman I’ve ever met. I’m strugglin’ with how to have her and keep my home. I love this place, but I feel like a piece of myself is missin’. I dinnae know how I’m supposed to decide. I feel like I’m sayin’ one is less important than the other.”

  Angus exhaled slowly. “I just want to make sure you don’t get your heart broken. Make sure you’re making decisions for you. You have to make a life for yourself. That doesn’t mean we wouldn’t miss you. Taran, you’re more than a brother to me, and I just got you back. But, if you love her and want to stay in the States, then you’ve got my blessing. You aren’t saying we aren’t important. You’re saying you want a life with a woman you love. All of us will understand that. Rory can tend the farm.”

  “But…”

  “Naw, you listen, little brother. You’ve given your life to this farm. The way Pop talks, he couldn’t be prouder of the way you stepped up and took responsibility. I’ve never known a better man. When you’re thinking about your future, you think about you and only you. We can always visit. Remember? There are these things called planes.”

  Taran threw his head back and laughed. “I’m hearin’ ye. I dinnae have a long-term answer. All I have for now is short term. I have to stay and help her.”

  “I think you’ve answered my question.”

  “Naw, I havenae. I dinnae know the answer.”

  “I don’t know and a bucket of no.”

  Taran rolled his eyes. He’d said the same thing to Rory. His pop had beat that into them since they were babies. “That doesna apply here.”

  “It does.”

  If those were the only two choices, no wasn’t the answer. But the answer wasn’t yes either. At least not yet. In this situation, his dad’s absolutes didn’t work because he wasn’t Rory or Angus or even Duff. He’d been the one left to take care of the farm. He’d been the one that carried that burden. It wasn’t as simple as setting it down and walking away .

  “I know ye think there’s an answer here, but it’s nae the same for me. That’s my farm. I’ve got my blood, sweat, and tears in it. I worked it my entire life. I’ve never left. I’m nae sure I can.” Even if he did entertain the idea of staying, it was just an idea, and one that dealt with the unfamiliar. The farm was something he knew, and he wasn’t ready to give it up.

  “You have six months to figure it out. I’ll keep the news from everyone for now. I can act well enough to keep them off my case for a little while.”

  Taran snorted. “Even from Penelope?”

  Angus whistled. “I may have to tell her simply because I told her I’d never lie to her. We’re men of our word.”

  “Aye, that we are. Tell her if she makes ye, but make her understand she cannae let it out.”

  “Aye, I will. In the meantime, don’t worry. Rory and I are taking care of things. I even hired a third hand to help with the load.”

  Taran began pacing the room. An unknown? “Ye hired someone?” He couldn’t keep the frustration out of his voice.

  “Aye, Connor. MacGregor’s boy.”

  “He’s only fourteen.”

  “And he wanted a job. I thought he showed initiative and needed to be rewarded. He’s good too. Listens well. He’s picking up quickly. You’d be pleased.”

  Taran relaxed. At least he knew Connor. And he trusted Rory and Angus. Well, he was trying, anyway. “Sounds like it. Oh, I’d better go. Remember, act, brother. Pretend it’s big-budget.”

  Angus laughed. “I might still fly there so I can wallop you.”

  Taran laughed with him. It had only been a week since he’d left home, and he’d missed Angus. It made him regret being angry for so long. “I’ll keep ye updated.”

  “You do that. We’ll see you when we see you.”

  Taran ended the call and stuffed the phone in his pocket. Before the end of the day, he’d be married. It was the single most frightening thing he’d ever done. And he’d dealt with some downright mean rams. At least it was Sarah. It felt right to help her. He was glad he’d come when he had; otherwise, she’d be marrying some other fella. That thought was almost as terrifying as getting married.

  He walked to the door and stopped. He cared about her, and for now, that was enough to make it through this. Mutual affection was good enough. But if that were true, why did his stomach feel like it had lead in it?

  Closing his eyes, he took a deep breath and let it out slowly. Sarah was depending on him, and he wasn’t going to let her down. He shoved all his doubts and worries back as far as he could and opened the door. Six months. It would be over in no time.

  Chapter 15

  Sarah finished applying her mascara and then dabbed a bit of lip gloss on her lips. It was seven in the morning on Thursday, and by nine, she’d be Mrs. MacLachlan, but on paper, she’d still be Sarah Freeman. She’d considered changing her name, but the thought of going through changing everything back in six months didn’t appeal to her.

  Like all things lately, the plan to get married Monday was changed to Thursday because of a three-day wait required by Florida. The only positive thing they’d learned was that they didn’t need witnesses, which was great because Sarah hadn’t even considered that when they’d arrived at the courthouse. It was a relief to know they could come back by themselves later in the week.

  No one but Gavin and the lawyer knew about the clause, so her desire to keep it quiet was being fulfilled. That way, when or if she ever did get married, she could make a big deal out of it later.

 
She wondered what a real wedding to Taran would feel like. How much different would things be if she were in Rosegail Bridge getting married? What would Penelope and Paige have said? Dress shopping with them made her wonder what it would have been like for her. Would she have cried too when she found “the one”?

  A knock on the door brought her out of her thoughts, and she walked to the door. “Hey,” she said as she opened it .

  Taran smiled. In just jeans and a button-up, he was breathtakingly gorgeous. He took her hand and kissed the back of it. “Ye look beautiful.” Little tingles traveled up her arm, and she shivered .

  Waving him off, she said, “It’s just a dress. I figured if we’re going to sell it, I needed to dress the part.”

  “I hadnae thought of that. Do I need to change?”

  “Oh, no, you’re fine. You look great.” She loved how his cheeks would turn pink anytime he was embarrassed .

  “I think it’s the company I keep. Are ye ready?”

  No. “Yeah, I am. Are you? You don’t have to do this. I know the sanctuary is special and needs to stay open, but I’ve been thinking about that.” She quickly grabbed her purse off the dresser just inside the door, and they walked into the living room.

  “What have ye been thinkin’?” he asked.

  She stopped by the end table and set her purse down as she took a seat. “I could sell the sanctuary and take my half of the money and reopen it somewhere else. Land value has gone up, but I bet I could find a small piece of land, enough to house a few horses and start over.”

  “Do ye think ye could find some land? I thought this place was prime real estate because there wasnae much left.” Taran left a cushion between them as he sat on the couch.

  From what she’d found, no. At least not enough to do anything close to what Sunshine was doing. And when she did find something large enough, it was so expensive she knew she’d never have enough money to buy the land and build on it. Unless she got a loan. “I could try getting a loan from the bank.”

  “How long would that take?”

  She had no idea, which meant the kids using Sunshine would be regressing while she got everything situated. “I don’t know, but by the time I reopened, who knows what will have happened to the kids in the rehabilitation program. Not to mention the after-school program.”

  “Then it sounds like our options are limited.” Taran moved closer to her, and she stood .

  For a brief moment, she’d considered asking Trudy to take over, or hiring someone. She could move to Scotland with Taran and be with the people she called family. But even giving the brief thought a moment made her heart hurt. The sanctuary was more than a place. It was…her life preserver when her entire world had fallen apart.

  No, she didn’t see any options beside what they were about to do, but she did care about Taran. If they were going to do this, she needed to make sure they would both walk away with their hearts intact. “I think we need ground rules. I know we talked a little about it, but I want to be clear. That kiss Friday can’t happen again. This is already complicated, and making it messy will only make it worse.” Sarah took a few steps and faced him.

  Taran held her gaze but remained quiet. There was a flash of something in his eyes that she couldn’t quite read. More than likely, he’d been thinking the same thing. He cared about her, but they were friends. She’d make sure he knew it, too.

  “I appreciate what you’re doing, but I’m not ready to be married.” Lie number one. She should probably get a pen and paper out to write the lies down so she could remember them later. “I do care about you, but we’re friends. I want to keep it that way. I’m not interested in having that type of relationship with you.” Lie number two. That lie was so big it should have honked like a goose. It also grieved her heart because she could picture being with him. She also knew she could never have him. “I want to maintain a clear line so we don’t cross it.” Maybe with those rules spelled out, she’d survive the next six months.

  He stood. “I agree.” His voice was soft.

  A little piece of her heart broke off and floated around her rib cage. He agreed with her. And why wouldn’t he? They were friends, and he was only doing her a favor. It’s not like he’d really asked her to marry him. Plus, she couldn’t let herself feel that way about him.

  He cleared his throat and said, “I’ve had a few ideas to keep me busy while I’m here.”

  To keep him busy? “Like what?”

  “That barn of yers needs work. When I’m nae workin’ with Trudy, I’m goin’ to be workin’ on it. I like to keep busy, and I think that’s the best way.”

  The barn needed a facelift worse than anything. Her mom had wanted to renovate it, but she hadn’t gotten around to it. “That would be great, but you don’t have to do that.”

  “I know, but I want to. Unless ye’ve got other reasons to object.”

  She smiled. He was such a good man. It warmed her to the core that he was willing to do that. “No, I don’t.” She closed the distance between them and hugged him. “Thank you.”

  His arms circled her waist, and he pulled her closer. “Yer welcome.”

  Being so close to him was the best feeling ever. But it was a feeling she couldn’t entertain. She dropped her arms and leaned back. “I won’t do that again.”

  “What? Hug me? Why? Are we nae friends?” It sounded like he was hurt, but she dismissed it. He knew they needed to keep their distance.

  Sarah picked up her purse and hung it on her shoulder. “We are friends, but for right now, we need to have boundaries. It would be too easy to think things we shouldn’t. We know this can’t go anywhere. If we keep this professional and don’t mix signals, it’ll work without anyone getting hurt.” We meaning her .

  For a moment, she thought he would argue, but what was there to say? He knew she was right. What other way was there? “I can see yer point.”

  She exhaled. “Good, now I’m ready. “

  They left the house, and she drove them to the courthouse. The closer they got, the queasier her stomach became. The justice on duty was the same one from Monday, and she greeted them with a smile. “There’s the happy couple.”

  Happy. Right. At least they were decent actors. “Hi,” Sarah said.

  “I have a good feeling about you two. You can see the way you feel about each other in your eyes. It’s so great to see genuine love. Sometimes, these ceremonies just hurt my heart. People getting married and you can tell the relationship is already on the rocks. Not you two. You two love each other.”

  Warmth flooded from the pit of Sarah’s stomach, and her cheeks heated. “Yeah, that’s us.” Or it could be. If she allowed herself down that road maybe. But knowing how things stood, there was no way she’d even consider it. This was a professional arrangement. That was it.

  “Well, let’s get started.”

  Getting married at the courthouse was simple. Less than simple. The only thing not simple was looking Taran in the eyes and making promises she already knew she was going to break. Of all the people she didn’t want to break promises to, it was him .

  When it came time for the kiss, she was expecting something brief. Instead, Taran took her in his arms and touched his lips to hers. The clerk, the courthouse…all of it faded away. It was him kissing her, and she pictured her life spent in his arms and being loved by him. The dream lasted the length of the kiss. He pulled away, and her heart ached. If his absence left her this empty now, she couldn’t even imagine how cold it would be when the farce was over .

  They left the courthouse and went straight to the lawyer’s office. Her six months had started, and she wanted him to know. When they arrived, the secretary smiled and asked them to take a seat.

  “Sarah,” Mr. Patterson said as he opened the door. “Please, come on in.”

  On the way in, she handed him the license. “It’s official.”

  “I can see that. That was pretty fast.” His gaze traveled from the piece of paper to Taran. “Congratu
lations.” He shook Taran’s hand.

  “Taran MacLachlan.”

  “Nice to meet you, Taran. Wait, Taran?”

  “Aye.”

  Sarah furrowed her brow. “You know him?”

  “Your mother mentioned him,” the lawyer said as he took his seat.

  Just how many people had her mom spoken with? Good grief. It was like she was using a megaphone. “She did?”

  “She said he was from Scotland and there might be immigration issues. She asked me to handle it.” He smiled.

  She shook her head. “No, that won’t be necessary. Once the six months are up, he’s going back home.”

  “Oh?”

  Taran cleared his throat. “Aye. I have a family and a farm back there.”

  Mr. Patterson’s eyebrows knitted together, and his lips downturned. “You’re married?”

  Taran choked. “Naw, I mean my parents and brothers.”

  The lawyer let out a breath. “Oh, good. I was worried there for a second.”

  If only Sarah’s worries could last a second. She felt like that was her life now. To worry. Is this how her mom felt all the time? Did she ever tell anyone? If she got the chance, she was going to ask Trudy .

  It had never occurred to Sarah that her mom would have worried. She always seemed so upbeat and carefree. Was she putting on a front? Keeping the sanctuary open wasn’t an easy decision, and now Sarah was questioning her resolve. She knew the kids needed it, but what if she couldn’t do it?

  Chapter 16

  To Taran, the following two weeks felt the same as the first week he’d arrived. No one knew he was married, and he didn’t feel married. After he and Sarah left the lawyer’s office, they’d gone back to Sunshine and acted as though nothing happened. He wasn’t sure how he felt about that.

  He’d always pictured a reception filled with family and laughter before whisking his bride off on a honeymoon. The hammer in his hand stopped mid-strike as he wondered how he’d tell a future girlfriend about this. He also wondered how she might react. Surely she’d understand if he explained it.