Reagan sniffed. She could have some knock-down, drag-outs with her sister, but she was also the best at wiping away tears. “Do you really think that?”
“I don’t think it; I know it. If there’s a way to save that place, you’re the only one I’d trust to do it.”
The little confidence booster her sister was dishing out was making her feel better. It didn’t change her circumstances, but sometimes just knowing someone believed in you was enough to revive a fighting spirit. “Thanks, Carlin.”
“I love you, Reagan. I just…I want you to be happy.”
“I love you too. I want the same for you.” Reagan needed a mental break from her problems, if only for a minute. “That reminds me. How did that date go the other night?”
The arrogant house flipper, Hunter, floated to mind. Sheesh. That guy. At first, she’d thought he was downright adorable. Little dimple on his left cheek. That flashy smile. And, mercy, those blue eyes. Those things were like beacons. He’d been by more than a dozen times before she knew his real motive for coming by. Man, he was charming. She’d been close to picking out china when he’d offered to buy her family’s bed and breakfast.
Oh, he’d made her furious. All that charm to butter her up into selling. She’d told him under no uncertain terms was she selling. Then he’d had the audacity to tell her he knew it was in financial trouble.
All her life, she’d thought Southern men knew better than to kick a wasp’s nest. Clearly, Hunter West had missed that school tutorial, but, buddy, she’d gotten him up to speed real fast. She’d been so ticked that she’d knocked back enough sleepy tea to put an elephant down. Just thinking about it got her dander up.
“What are you mumbling about, sis?” Carlin asked her.
Reagan startled. “What?”
“You said something about wasps and elephants. I’m not entirely sure how those two things relate to one another.”
“Oh, nothing. Sorry. My thoughts drifted for a second. Now, tell me about that date.”
Reagan could imagine her sister hunkering down to give the whole scoop. More than likely, not only would Carlin be better at business, she’d be a pro at relationships too. Her little sister was young, cute, and way more popular in high school than Reagan could have ever thought of being.
More than once, Carlin had chastised Reagan for focusing on her failures rather than her successes. Only, Carlin didn’t understand. Her business was thriving. She was doing well. It was easier not to compare when everything was perfect.
As Reagan listened to her sister, she sent up a silent prayer in the hopes that maybe someone or something was listening. All she wanted was to taste a little success. It didn’t even have to be perfect success. Just…a nibble. The cookie could be hard on the top and burned on the bottom. She wasn’t asking for much. Just a small jaunt through that bright green plush grass that seemed to always stay on the other side of the fence.
Chapter 3
Hunter had knocked a few times, and then he’d figured Reagan hadn’t heard him, so he let himself in. He’d stepped into the kitchen quietly then heard her say, “It’s a foreclosure notice.”
It bugged him that he felt like a vulture circling in wait for the place to take its last breath. He hated how dire her situation was, but he’d learned early on that making things personal only led to complications. This was just business. If he didn’t buy it, someone else would. Who could say they wouldn’t tear it to the ground and put up a beachfront condo? At least he wasn’t doing that.
When he realized she was having a private conversation, he’d quietly stepped back out. There was no reason to let her know he’d overheard her conversation and embarrass her. He might be a shrewd businessman, but he was also a gentleman.
While he waited for her to finish her phone call, he put his back to the door, took a deep breath, and let the salty breeze wash over him. This was peace. All he needed was some sweet tea, a warm woman, and a swing, and this would be his definition of paradise.
As he shifted his weight from one foot to the other, a board creaked. Another thing he mentally added to the list of things to fix. When he no longer heard the murmur of Reagan’s voice, he paused a minute and then knocked again.
“Hello?” Reagan said as she opened the door. A second later, the yellow glow of a porch light flickered to life.
He blinked as his eyes adjusted. “Hey, Reagan.”
“Hunter.” The sharp tone held a warning that he needed to tread carefully.
Just as he thought she was going to slam the door in his face, she took a deep breath and said, “Come in.”
As he entered the kitchen, it wasn’t a shock that it was spotless, and he knew she’d cooked for the handful of guests staying there. So far, all the gossip about Reagan had been true, which meant she’d been the cook for years. That didn’t necessarily translate to business savvy. He’d learned long ago that it took more than talent alone to make a company successful.
Hunter’s first year partnering with Stone was filled with mistakes. It was easy to get behind on bills and then realize the funds were barely there to pay them. For that reason alone, he sympathized with Reagan’s situation, but that didn’t change his mind about wanting the place.
His mother would be devastated that he’d be living so far away from Caprock Canyon. Her vision of grandchildren running around wasn’t a secret, but she’d also taught him that independence was a virtue. While she’d understand, he’d be getting plenty of visits, especially when he started having children.
Reagan crossed her arms over her chest as she stood in the middle of the kitchen. “The place still isn’t for sale.”
No beating around the bush with her. “I was hoping we could talk.”
With a large sigh, she dropped her arms to her sides. “Fine. Can I offer you something to drink? Some tea or coffee?” It was as if the small offer had pained her. Had he been that big of a jerk last time?
Well, from her perspective, he suspected he was. “No, thanks. This isn’t a social visit.”
“I know, but I do have manners.” She motioned to the table and mismatched chairs nestled in the large bay window. “Sit.”
He followed her, but instead of taking a seat, he braced his hands on the back of one of them, and she mirrored him. For a second, he hesitated to park himself because he wasn’t sure he could get back up. Tight deadlines and hard work were taking their toll on him. Finally, he took a seat, thinking that if he were in her shoes and someone of his stature was towering over him, he’d feel intimidated, and that wasn’t how he wanted her to see him.
“I appreciate the offer, but I don’t need anything.” His mother had taught him manners too. “I know the place isn’t officially for sale, but everyone has a price.”
She took in a ragged breath, her shoulders lifting then slumping. “Well, I don’t, and if you keep pestering me, I won’t let you inside anymore.”
Where had that come from? “Pestering you? This is only the second conversation we’ve had about selling the place.”
“It’s two times too many,” she said, catching his gaze and holding it.
The fierce determination in her eyes with the tiny lift of her chin held a challenge. It was brief, but the thought floated through his mind that he wished she’d look at him like she was glad to see him. What would it be like if he was the source of her happiness? Just as quickly as the notion hit, he pushed it away. He dealt in facts, not fantasy. There wasn’t room in his life for a woman, and he certainly didn’t have time to deal with a woman as stubborn as her.
“You could at least listen to the offer. Do you really want to chance losing the property and finding out the new owner wants to level it for a condo project? I can promise you I will not tear it down.”
As she studied him, he wondered what she could be thinking. She had to know her chance of being able to keep it open was slim. Unless she possessed a magic wand, the foreclosure was a sure thing.
Reagan slowly sat across from him.
“Why do you want this place so badly?”
Sharing his reasons with a stranger when he hadn’t even mentioned it to his business partner seemed like a bad move. It wasn’t just his life it would affect, and Stone needed to be the first one to know. “Why do you need to know that?”
Shrugging, she said, “Because I’m curious. If I were to sell—and I’m not—I think I have a right to know.” She looked around the kitchen and then back at him. “Wouldn’t you want to know if you were in my shoes?”
“If it were me, I’d figure maybe they have their reasons and don’t want to share them with someone they don’t even know.” For the tiniest second, he wondered if she’d been playing hardball with him because she knew about his money, but he’d been extra careful about hiding his wealth. He wanted to be known for who he was and not what he had.
She cocked her head. “I grew up in this house. If anyone deserves to know what the person is planning, it’s me.”
If she could be unrelenting, so could he. “I could just wait it out.”
“That could take years.”
“Not if the bank forecloses.” Hunter wanted to throttle himself. Why had he said that?
Oh man. With one scathing stare, he knew he’d messed up. In classic Southern-woman fashion, she leaned back, cocked an eyebrow, and pinched her lips together. There wasn’t a man alive that didn’t know what that meant. This woman was about to chew him down one side and then the other. And if he were a kid, after she got done, he’d be picking a switch from a tree.
“How do you know about that?” Sheesh, enunciating each word. Good heavens, he was glad she wasn’t a skunk. Otherwise, he’d be taking a late-night dip in tomato juice. “You were eavesdropping?”
Little warnings clanged in his head. He needed to choose his words wisely at this point. “It’s not what you think. The back door was unlocked, and I didn’t think you’d heard me. I stepped in, but as soon as I realized you were on the phone, I stepped back outside.”
“But you heard me mention foreclosure.” There was no way to miss the anger in her tone. If he wasn’t looking to sell off his part of the business, he’d be offering her a job with as formidable as she was. Anyone who underestimated her would regret it.
“I did, and I’m sorry.”
The apology did nothing to ease the tension hanging between them. “So you think you have me at a disadvantage?” The iciness in her tone nearly made him scoot his chair back.
“Absolutely not. I think you are an intelligent woman, which is why I don’t think you’d just let the bank foreclose on you. I can tell you love this bed and breakfast. That tells me you want control over who purchases it. The only way to do that is to sell it before it’s forcibly taken from you.” He raked his hand through his hair. “Is there an offer already on the table that I’m unaware of?” It hadn’t hit him until right that moment that it was possible he’d been beaten to the table.
“And if I did, why would I tell you that?” She seemed to soften just a hair.
“Because I can beat it. Just tell me what it is.”
“Maybe I don’t want to tell you. If I told you, you’d only offer a little bit more.” The cool expression on her face didn’t change, and he was too tired to play poker. Plus, if he wasn’t sharing his reasons for wanting the bed and breakfast, she didn’t have to share her reasons for keeping him in the dark. “This way, you have no idea the dollar amount I’m considering. It means you’ll have to go whole hog or walk away.”
Hunter was rendered momentarily speechless. Awkward silence blanketed the room until his knee began to bounce. Did she know about his money? Aside from just wanting to keep her home, it could be an excellent explanation for her stubborn desire to hang on to the place when she knew her chances for keeping it were slim.
He pushed the thought away. No one on Tybee Island had any idea he had money, and there was no reason for anyone to think that he did. Would a billionaire still be part owner of a flipping business? “Look, if there’s an offer, just tell me. Playing hard to get is tiring.”
Again, he’d put his foot in his mouth.
She stood, walked to the door, and opened it. “I think it’s time for you to go.”
Yep, this conversation had so many forks in it, it could be used to strain water. He slowly rose from the chair and closed the distance between them. “You have my card. When you’re ready to tell me the other offer so I can counter, call me.”
After leaving her in the kitchen, he climbed into his truck and waited for her to turn off the porch light. When it stayed on, he pictured her tiny frame hunched over a desk, wondering how she was going to keep it together. His chest constricted, knowing it had to be hard. Someone with her strong will wouldn’t go down without a fight. If she didn’t have his respect before, she’d definitely earned it tonight.
With one swift motion, he started his truck and put it in gear. He’d barely made it to the end of the driveway when his phone rang. He checked his caller ID. His mother. He couldn’t not answer. If he did, she’d just track him down through Stone.
He stopped the truck and turned it off as he hit the call button. “Hi, Mom.” Hopefully, she was only calling to verify he was coming home for the holidays.
Since buying the ranch in Caprock Canyon, Bear had gone full-tilt into getting it running again, starting with the farmhouse. The previous year, the whole family had stayed together through the holidays, from Thanksgiving to New Year’s, as they prepared for his sister, Carrie Anne, to get married on New Year’s Eve. Not only did his sister get married, but his youngest brother had proposed to Gabby Fredericks, their good family friend.
It had put a highlight on just how lonely Hunter felt and was the catalyst that had him thinking it was time to slow down, retire, and have a family. If his youngest brother could find happiness, Hunter could too.
“Hey, sweetheart, you sound tired,” his mom said.
With the mention of the word, he yawned. “I am.”
She sighed long and loud. “I’m worried about you, Hunter. You’re working too hard.”
That was an understatement. “I know. I’ll take a break soon. What did you need, Mom?”
“It can wait.”
“No, go ahead.”
She waited a beat. “I just want to make sure your fiancée is coming with you to Thanksgiving.”
He squeezed his eyes closed. Oh, crud. Earlier in the year, his sister had threatened to post him on a matchmaking website—the same one she’d put his brother Bear on, which meant it was a threat he couldn’t ignore. He’d blurted out that he was engaged, and it had traveled through the grapevine as fast as a gasoline fire. Throughout the year, he’d continued letting them believe the lie since it got them off his back. Now it was about to take a chunk out of his hide. “Uh...”
“Don’t you tell me she’s too busy this time. If she cares about you at all, she’ll be more than happy to meet us.”
Hunter peeked upward and silently sent up a prayer. What was he going to do? He searched for an argument that wouldn’t make his non-existent fiancée sound like a jerk. “Uh…”
“We don’t even know what she looks like. Honey, we just…we love you, and we want to love her too.”
At least he’d been smart enough to dodge specifics like her name and what she looked like. Anytime they’d asked, his cell reception had conveniently gone spotty or a catastrophe called for his immediate attention. Only, the vice was getting a little too tight, and if he didn’t produce a fiancée this time, his sister would have him on a dozen matchmaker websites before he could blink. What had he gotten himself into?
“Uh…I’ll make sure she’s there this year.” His eyes widened as the words tumbled off his tongue. He was entirely too tired to be talking to his mom; otherwise, he’d have just told her they broke up. “I meant—”
“That’s fantastic. I’m so excited to meet her.” He could hear the smile in his mom’s voice. “Better book your flights pretty quick if you want to sit togeth
er. If you waste too much time, you may have to drive.”
Hunter blew out a puff of air. “Sure, Mom. But don’t worry about picking me up. We’ll drive in. Okay?’
“That’s reasonable. Don’t want to overwhelm her in the middle of an airport. Tell her we’re thrilled she’s coming. I simply can’t wait to meet her.”
“I’ll tell her.”
“Okay, I’ll stop running your ear off. Get some rest.”
“I will, Mom. Love you.”
“Love you too, Hunter.”
He ended the call and leaned his head on the steering wheel. Then he remembered where he was. There was no telling what Reagan could be thinking if she’d been watching him drive away, only to see him stop at the end. Knowing her, he was plotting to steal her beachfront.
What had he been thinking? A fiancée? This was totally different than stealing cookies and swearing that Cookie Monster did it. This was a whole person he had to produce out of thin air.
“I am an idiot,” he said aloud.
There were zero prospects. The little bit he’d dated didn’t give him many options. Most wouldn’t even consider pretending to be his significant other. He certainly couldn’t rope anyone in Caprock Canyon into doing it. His mother knew everyone, and there was no way they’d have kept it from her.
Just as he lifted his head, the answer hit him. Reagan. The porch light was still on and so was the light in the office. What would she think of him asking her to be his pretend fiancée? Especially after he’d ticked her off. Not only was he a jerk, but he was certifiable too.
More than likely, she’d send him packing, which meant…there was nothing to lose but his pride. Yeah, he was especially eager to stay off those dating websites his sister threatened to put him on, but it was more than that. He didn’t want to seem like a failure in the one area of life that mattered. Home and family. More than anything, he wanted his family to be proud of him. He wanted that above all. Even if it meant losing the chance to buy the property of his dreams.
The Fake Fiance's Billionaire Adversary (Caprock Canyon Romance Book 2) Page 2
