“Alice, please let me explain. I know this looks really, really bad,” he sputtered, reaching for her hand.
Alice jerked her hand away, staring at him with contempt, all the feelings she had been suppressing quickly bubbling to the surface. This deplorable man, who betrayed her in the worst way possible, was standing right in front of her.
She hated him, no she despised him, and yet for one spilt second, she had been overjoyed to see him, her heart pounding in her chest, her body aching to touch him. She felt dizzy, confused by her mixed emotions. She knew she had to get the hell away from him, but couldn’t compel her feet to move.
“I was just on my way to Mendocino. I swear it’s true. I was coming to explain everything to you, to make things right. I have been in hell this week, trying to live with the guilt of what I did to you. Oh god, Alice, I love you,” Billy stammered, as if trying to fit in everything he needed to say before she shut him down.
Alice couldn’t move her feet, but she had no problem raising her hand to slap him violently across the face. His head swung sharply to the side, but he did not lose his balance. Alice knew that his face was stinging, yet didn’t he reach for his cheek. Instead he dropped his hands to his side, as though accepting his penance.
Katie, feeling extremely uncomfortable, took the opportunity to slink away, her face pinched with embarrassment for her boss.
“You love me?” Alice hissed as soon as Katie disappeared. “How dare you fucking say that to me. You planned this out from the beginning, you and that snake of a business partner. I thought maybe you were just a small time grifter, but something didn’t add up. It all makes perfect sense now. This was never about stealing the petty cash. You needed to break me so you could get your hands on the entire ranch!”
Billy shook his head, as if wishing none of it were true. His eyes were heavy with regret.
“I know that’s how it looks, Alice, and it did start out that way.”
He tried to speak, but Alice held up her hand, gesturing for him to stop.
“Don’t say another word. I can’t take one more second of your bullshit. I thought you were one of the good guys. I was so wrong. I can’t believe I fell in love with you. That is the part I’m most ashamed of,” she admitted angrily, her voice shaking with emotion.
Finally, her body released her from the shock. Able to move her feet again, she turned her back on him and left the offices of Hunter-Johnson, certain she would never speak to William Hunter again.
* * *
More than a week had passed since Alice had fled Sacramento in a fury. It took her several days to wrap her head around what transpired that afternoon. Initially she had been in complete shock to find Billy there. It never even crossed her mind that he was connected to the Hunter-Johnson Property Group, let alone one of it’s founders.
He seemed such a natural, perfectly comfortable in his role on the ranch. He even seemed to enjoy it, a far cry from being a suit in a high-rise office building.
Although she walked out of that building with more clarity than she walked in with, she was still disconcerted. How could she hate someone so vehemently, yet yearn for them at the same time?
She spent the week trying to find a solution to her problems. She still had a burned down arena, a sixty grand loan to pay back, and no hands to help her manage her ranch, aside from Sam and his teenage son Grant. They had both been extremely generous with their time.
As much as Alice hated the thought of uprooting Amy, her problems would only escalate as each month went by. She spoke to a few realtors and was waiting patiently for the property evaluations to come back, but no one seemed in a hurry to return her calls.
She hadn’t heard from Billy either, not that she was waiting by her phone. Part of her thought that he might try to contact her, and even though she hated him, the thought of seeing him again made her heart beat a little faster. She constantly chided herself, burying her feelings for him as deep as they would go.
Amy mentioned Billy a few days earlier, completely catching Alice off guard. It was a beautiful and warm Saturday morning, rare for September, and Amy asked to go swimming down at the pond. As they were standing on the dock getting ready to jump in, she asked if Alice remembered when Billy rescued her from drowning. Then she asked if he was coming home soon. Alice quickly changed the subject, not ready to break her little girl’s heart.
Amy’s memory of Billy caused Alice’s own memories to come flooding back, one in particular of a hot July night, skinny dipping in that pond. Despite how upset she was, her thoughts of him still made her wet. She couldn’t deny the attraction or her lingering fondness for the bastard.
Alice was down at the end of the road waiting for Amy and randomly scrolling through her phone. She heard a large vehicle driving up the road and looked up expecting to see the school bus. It was a delivery truck instead. She expected it would drive past and turned her attention back to her phone, but it slowed down in front of her driveway, signaling to turn in. Confused, Alice stepped out of the way but flagged down the driver so she could speak to him. He rolled down the window and smiled at her.
“Hi there,” Alice said. “Can I help you?”
“We have some building materials here,” he answered, holding up a pink delivery slip.
He read a few lines on it, ensuring he was in the right place.
“The instructions say to unload it by the arena?”
Alice shook her head, but offered a smile to both the driver and his passenger. She crossed her arms and approached the truck.
“I’m afraid there must be a mistake. We stopped construction weeks ago. When was the order placed?” she asked, still confused.
Could this be an order Billy placed before he left, she wondered. The driver looked down at the delivery information once more.
“Looks like it was placed yesterday, rush delivery? This is the Oceanside Equine Arena, ain’t it?” he asked, handing her the delivery slip.
“Used to be,” Alice answered grimly.
She took the slip from him, trying to make sense of things. She hadn’t authorized any delivery. What the hell was going on?
“Sorry, but I can’t accept delivery. There must be some mistake. I didn’t order anything and I’m certainly not paying for it,” she said assertively waving her hand, dismissing them.
The driver shrugged his shoulders and chuckled.
“Ma’am, this order has already been paid for. Just let us drop it off so we can get on with our day,” he scolded gently, holding his hand out for the delivery slip.
She handed it back to him, ready to chew him out, when a pickup truck pulled in the driveway behind them. Alice pulled in her breath sharply. She recognized that truck. She stood frozen to the spot, unable to move toward him, unable to run. Billy ambled out of his truck and walked over to her, a cautious smile on his face, as though he were afraid she would make a scene. She might have too, if she hadn’t been speechless. She glared at him as he approached.
As soon as he reached the delivery truck, he banged his palm on the driver side door and gestured for them to carry on. The driver continued up her driveway. Alice didn’t take her eyes off Billy, wondering where he found the nerve to show his face at the ranch.
“Hi, Alice,” he greeted her sheepishly.
Alice acknowledged him, with one short nod. Suddenly emotional, she tried in vain to control her tears. She was welling up.
“What do you want Billy? What’s this all about?” she asked flatly, crossing her arms in front of her.
Billy saw her tears and frowned. He hated that he was the cause of them.
“I know that this is unexpected, but please promise me that you will just hear me out. I am here to make things right, Alice. I’m not going to insult you by sugar coating what I did. It was fucked up,” he began.
Alice sighed bitterly, in total agreement, but said nothing. Billy continued.
“I can’t even tell you how sorry I am. I have been sick about it. You were
nothing but kind, and sweet, and generous with me in every way, and I didn’t deserve any of it.”
Alice nodded, her lips pursed with suspicion. Billy tentatively approached her. Alice gave him a mistrustful look, warning him to stay back. He stopped in front of her.
“I know it will take a lot for you to forgive me, if you ever do. I want to make amends for what I did. I’m sick about what happened. The arena, the fire, Joe,” he said, struggling for words.
Alice put her head down at the mention of Joe’s name. As difficult as things had been with him in the end, he didn’t deserve that fate. Alice’s tears spilled down her cheeks and she quickly wiped them away. Billy cleared his throat.
“I transferred your money back to your account this morning. All of it. Everything you gave me since the first installment,” he offered quietly.
Alice raised her head, meeting his eyes. He nodded at her.
Unable to contain her relief, she let out a grateful sob. Billy smiled at her and placed his hand briefly on her shoulder, not wanting to push his luck. Alice felt her adrenaline surge and inhaled deeply. She tore her eyes away from him, not ready to forgive him, but her body betraying her once more.
“There has been so much loss in your life, Alice, so much disappointment, and I know that I contributed to that. I can’t take back what I did, but if you will allow me, I want to put your vision back on track. I want to rebuild that arena,” he offered kindly, his voice firm with conviction.
Alice shook her head in disbelief. How could she trust him? Why would he do this? What was the catch?
“I know you have no reason to trust me, Alice, but I don’t want you to let your dream die. If you never want to see me again, after all is said and done, we will go our separate ways, I promise. All I ask in return is that you try to forgive me,” he pleaded, his emotion finally cracking.
Alice had never seen a man tear up before and found herself instantly drawn to him, wanting to comfort him. She reached out and took his hand in hers, patting it gently before releasing him. It wasn’t much, but it was all she could give him for the moment.
He smiled at her weakly, as though embarrassed by his tears.
“I’m not sure I can accept this from you, Billy. It’s too much,” Alice finally said, her words thick with emotion.
“It is not enough,” Billy answered, shrugging his shoulders.
He was silent for a moment then offered her a wily grin.
“Trust me, I can afford it. I made James buy me out. It cost him a shit load of money, that son of a bitch.”
Alice smiled back, satisfied. There was a big part of her that took great pleasure in J.J.’s suffering.
“Let me earn back the love you once felt for me. I want to prove to you that I’m the man you thought I was. Please, let me do this for you, for Amy,” he pleaded, reaching for her hand once more.
She allowed him to take it. Alice nodded her head, bringing a smile of relief to Billy’s face.
“I know that I have to earn your trust again, Alice, and I’ll do whatever it takes.”
He paused, searching her eyes.
Alice felt her tears rising once more. She was still reeling from his betrayal, but wanted desperately to trust him. She needed time to process everything he said. She wasn’t ready to trust her feelings, but was leaning heavily towards believing him.
“Ok,” she managed to squeak out, just before they were interrupted by the school bus pulling up to the driveway.
Amy jumped off the bus, holding her backpack in front of her. Alice threw Billy a stern look, silently begging him to choose his words carefully. He nodded as if completely understood.
“Billy! You’re home!” Amy shouted gleefully.
She ran to him, throwing herself around his legs. A genuine smile spread across Billy’s face as he scooped her up and spun her around. Alice felt a genuine warmth expanding in her chest as she witnessed the sincere affection they had for each other.
She knew, in that moment, that the healing had begun.
Chapter 26
Billy
Billy had one hand wrapped tightly around Alice’s and the other in the small of her back, leading her carefully into the arena. After three months of diligent effort, it was finally complete, just in time for Christmas. She tugged on the blindfold, giggling nervously.
“Stop fidgeting with your blindfold, woman. I want to surprise you,” he warned playfully.
It had been no easy task keeping her out of the new space over the past few weeks, but he was able to pull it off, in spite of her curiosity.
As soon as Alice had agreed to let him back on the ranch, he had made it his mission to do right by her. He rebuilt the Equine Centre, post by post, brick by brick, pouring every ounce of his love into it, and waiting patiently for her to come around, earning her trust with every nail he drove into the arena.
She opened her heart a little more to him each day, eventually inviting him back in. As the weeks went by, her apprehension faded, slowly at first, but soon they were laughing again, rebuilding their friendship, and falling in love.
He was exhausted, but had never been more content in his life. He loved being near Alice and Amy and would gladly invest every ounce of energy he had in giving them the happiness and security they deserved.
Alice had not yet invited him back into her bed, but in some ways it didn’t matter. If anything, it forced them to rebuild their intimacy in other ways, and they spent many evenings sharing intimate details about their lives, their desires, their fears, even the really painful stuff. She never flinched, no matter what he shared, which only served to make him love her more deeply.
“Ok, stop here,” he ordered, turning her in the correct position.
Alice laughed and clapped her hands gleefully. He wanted to kiss her, right there, in front of everyone, but that would wait. He reached up and pulled off her blindfold.
“Oh, my God! It is absolutely perfect, Billy!” she cheered, looking around the space, her eyes wide with enthusiasm.
Her friends and family, along with the crew were lined up, facing one another, clapping and cheering as she passed between them, reaching out to touch their hands as she passed by. She spun around, pure joy on her face, her eyes glistening with tears. She met Billy’s gaze and smiled brightly at him. His heart was ready to burst, as though it could no longer contain his own joy, or the pride and love he felt for her.
They celebrated with champagne, laughing, and talking, the crew teasing Billy and sharing funny stories of their building adventures over the past several months. He had formed a genuine bond with the boys. Alice appreciated every moment and it showed in her beautiful smile.
“I have one more surprise for you,” he said, cozying up beside her.
She turned and smiled at him, wrapping her arms around his waist. He returned her embrace, enjoying the warmth and the fullness of her curves.
“You see those horses over there?” he said, pointing to Sadie and Donald. He had them tacked up and ready to ride.
“Yes?” she said, looking at him playfully.
“Ride with me. I have something to show you,” he said, leading her to Sadie.
She mounted her horse tentatively. Billy handed her a large wrap, which she draped around her shoulders, then he expertly slipped onto Donald’s saddle, drawing a proud smile from Alice.
“Look at you,” she teased. “more a cowboy than a city slicker now, aren’t you?”
“Yeah, yeah,” he quipped back playfully. “Try to keep up.”
He clicked his tongue at Donald, leading them both out of the arena.
Although it was Christmas Eve, the weather was an unseasonably warm, and with the sun shining, it felt even warmer. Billy rode beside Alice, toward the ocean, to the exact spot where they had made love back in the summer. The most romantic place on the ranch, according to Alice.
They were nearly there when he pulled up on the reigns, bringing Donald to a stop.
“Hold up, Alice. Let’s
get off here and walk the rest of the way,” Billy requested, sliding out of the saddle.
“Are you going to blindfold me again?” Alice asked with a smirk.
“Is that a question or a request?” he teased, helping her down from Sadie.
“You decide.”
She winked.
Billy grinned at her, and playfully smacked her bottom as she set her feet on the ground.
“Hmmm, tempting,” he growled, wrapping his arms around her waist. “Maybe later. First give me a kiss, then follow me.”
Alice lifted her chin to him and Billy tenderly kissed her. She parted her lips for him so he could tease her with his tongue. The passion still excited him, even though he had kissed her a thousand times. He could have kissed her all day, but he was anxious to share his surprise. He gently pulled himself away and ground tied the ponies, securing them so they wouldn’t wander off.
“Ok, ready?” he asked her, taking her hand in his.
“What are you up to?” she asked tentatively, pulling the wrap around herself a little tighter.
“Just come with me,” he said, encouraging her to follow.
He led her down the path toward the embankment, trying to shield her from the beach with his body, until his gift to her finally revealed itself. Alice stopped suddenly in her tracks, inhaling deeply.
“Merry Christmas,” he whispered, turning around to look at his lady.
The look on Alice’s face was exactly what he had hoped for. Surprise, gratitude, emotional, all rounded out with loving appreciation.
“You made me a wedding gazebo?” she cried softly, her eyes filling with tears.
Billy nodded softly, a gentle smile forming on his handsome face. He raised his hand and wiped the tears from her rosy cheeks.
“I remember you telling me that this was the spot that your Dad proposed. I know it has always meant a lot to you, to your family. I wanted to honor that, but I also wanted to give you something meaningful for Christmas, from my heart,” he confessed, wanting her to know how special she was to him.
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