Reagan nodded. “Sure.”
They’d discuss it, but he wasn’t going to talk her into staying. She’d already been more than great. His family didn’t seem to have any idea it was fake. It wouldn’t be fair to ask anything more of her. If he had to take her back to Tybee and then fly back, that’s what he’d do.
Chapter 10
Thanksgiving with Hunter’s family was much like any meal they shared. If she hadn’t been told the Fredericks weren’t blood-related, Reagan never would have guessed it with how they treated one another. Lots of stories, teasing, and laughter. She caught herself envying their relationships.
At first, it had felt unnatural that she wasn’t spending the day cooking. Since she could remember, her holidays were spent working. Then she’d forced herself to relax and enjoy the time off. It had almost been like a day at the spa. Another thing she’d never experienced.
The following morning, a knock came at her door. “Come in,” she called out.
Slowly the door opened. “It’s Hunter. Just want to make sure you know it’s me.”
More than once she’d secretly observed him over the past two days, and he was the same person whether she was around or not. It had given her a lot to chew on. Her first impressions of him were turning out to be completely off the mark. He was a wonderful man, kind and thoughtful.
“Come on in,” she replied.
A smile greeted her as he walked in wearing pajamas. His hair was sticking up in places, and she could tell he wasn’t ready to be up. “I hear you’re going Black Friday shopping.”
“Yeah, your mom and sister insisted on it.” The temperature had dipped lower than the predicted forty degrees, but thankfully, there’d been no snow.
Reagan’s parents had never participated in Black Friday. Between not having the funds, and being booked on the weekend, she’d never had the opportunity to go. She was still broke, but she figured being in a group would make it just as much fun as if she had money to spend.
She hoped her change in the day’s plans were okay. “So…if you still wanted to, I guess we can tour Caprock Canyon tomorrow since it sounds like shopping will take all day.”
“That will work.” He seemed a little disappointed. Could he be sad to miss out on a day with her? Wishful thinking.
“Why are you up so early?”
He shrugged. “I…” He crossed the room and sat on the bed next to her. “I’m afraid you’ll take this the wrong way.”
She knitted her eyebrows together. “What?”
Hunter pulled out a small wad of cash and placed it in her hand. “I know you’ve been struggling…and…” His shoulders sagged. “I want you to have fun while you’re out.”
“It’s okay. I don’t have to buy anything.” Plus, taking even more money from him? That wasn’t part of the deal.
“But I want you to. I think you deserve to have a little fun.”
Reagan looked down at the money, and a plastic card was sticking out. “This is too much.”
He shook his head. “I’m a single man who works all the time. Someone should be enjoying it.” He lifted his gaze to hers and smiled.
Could he get any kinder? “I feel bad taking this.”
“Well, how about we call it…me getting out of going Christmas shopping.” He winked. “Plus, they’re going to try to talk you into staying through Christmas. You’ll probably think it’s not enough by the time you get back.” He chuckled.
“I really like your family. They’re all great.”
“I didn’t realize how much I missed them until I got here.” He took a deep breath and stood. “Anyway, I’ll let you finish getting ready.”
Setting the money on the bed, Reagan quickly jumped up and touched his arm. “Thank you for…the money to go shopping.” Now that she’d said it aloud, she was a little embarrassed.
He tipped her chin up with one finger. “We’re a team while we’re here. What’s mine is yours. Okay?”
A flood of emotion hit her, and she swallowed back tears. A team. How much easier would things be if she were part of a team? Maybe that’s how her parents made it seem so effortless.
The longer he held her gaze, the more she wanted him to kiss her. She lifted on her toes and touched her lips to his. “I—”
The sentence was cut short as he took her face in his hands and pressed his lips to hers. It was the gentlest, most wanted kiss she’d ever experienced. One arm wrapped around her waist while his other hand slid up her back and into her hair. She circled her arms around his neck and held on to him.
He coaxed her lips apart, deepening the kiss, and she was lost in him. It was her and him and whatever this thing was between them. Not enemies, but not exactly friends. One thing she did know with certainty was she liked how it felt being in his arms and being kissed by him.
Just when she thought she’d starve for air, the kiss slowly came to an end with him brushing soft open-mouth kisses along her jaw.
He leaned back and held her gaze once more. She’d never seen a stormier set of eyes, but she was sure he was seeing the same thing in her eyes. What was happening between them?
He swallowed hard, touched his lips to her forehead, and stepped back. “I’ll see you later. Have fun, okay?” With that, he turned and left her standing in the room, gawking after him.
Talk about an easy man to fall for. Hunter West was so much more than what she gave him credit for. If she didn’t watch herself, she’d be traveling back to Tybee with her heart tied in knots, especially when he kept checking her boxes like he was reading over her shoulder.
* * *
Reagan’s trip to Amarillo was spent with Hunter’s mom, sister, sister-in-law, Stephanie, and Mrs. Fredericks chattering endlessly about previous Black Friday adventures. The shock on their faces when Reagan admitted she’d never done it before was funny. After that, they spent the rest of the ride filling Reagan in on their best tips and tricks.
As hard as she tried to listen, her heart and mind were on the kiss she’d shared with Hunter. It had been…beyond incredible. The man she’d thought of as an enemy kissed her with tenderness and want. When was the last she’d been wanted? Long enough that she couldn’t remember.
From there, her thoughts drifted to her family and how they might be spending their day. She wished now that they’d done more things like this. Something outside of the bed and breakfast that they could’ve shared. It wasn’t until she noticed the silence that she realized they were all looking at her. That’s what she got for momentarily daydreaming.
“I’m sorry. I think I missed something.” She smiled.
Carrie Anne smiled as she turned in the seat to face Reagan. “It’s okay. I was asking you what it’s like to run a bed and breakfast. Hunter said you’re a stellar chef.”
“Chef is a big word, and I don’t have formal training. I’ve been cooking since I was fourteen, so most of what I know has come from making a lot of mistakes.”
“Wow,” Carrie Anne replied. “I think I was reading gossip magazines at fourteen and crushing on actors.”
Gabby snorted. “Take out the ‘I think’ part.”
Carrie Anne wrinkled her nose at her. “Yeah, well, you were crushing on my brother, so it’s not like you were doing anything like cooking either.”
Reagan laughed at them. “You two are a riot. I think Naomi and Kaylee would love this.”
“Are they your friends back on Tybee?” Carrie Anne asked.
“Yeah, they bicker like the two of you.”
Gabby turned in her seat. “I bet it’s been hard to stand back and let someone else cook this weekend.”
Reagan nodded. “A little.” But Hunter hadn’t let her do any work. He’d barely let her lift a finger the day before. He’d mentioned the dark circles under her eyes, and he wanted to give her a break because he knew she worked hard. Just another quality she found herself enamored with.
Caroline glanced over her shoulder. “I have to tell you, Reagan. Hunter is smit
ten with you. He’s never brought home a woman before. You saw his love language yesterday—taking care of people. That’s why he’s so good at flipping houses. He thinks about the people who’ll be living there and does things right.”
Reagan didn’t know what to make of that. He’d never brought a woman home before? And he chose her as his first? He had taken care of her the day before too. Not only that, but on the way to Caprock Canyon, he’d offered to fix her floors. At the time, she was sure it was just him trying to weasel her home out from under her. Now she didn’t know what to think.
“I guess he’s told you about winning the lottery and being a billionaire. I don’t suspect he’d have kept that from you now that you’re engaged,” Caroline said.
What? Lottery winnings? She had assumed he was rich, but a billionaire? Reagan blinked, working hard not to choke. Good grief and gravy, she’d never bothered to learn how to count that high. What need was there when you knew you’d never be one? Wow. She took a sip of her water and gave herself a second to think.
Clearly, if she was engaged to Hunter, she’d know about the money. That was the part she’d signed up for, so she shrugged and said, “Oh, well, he doesn’t make a big deal out of it and neither do I.” That was certainly the truth.
Carrie Anne nodded. “Honestly, we’re the same people before the money. For years, my brothers had played the lottery weekly, never expecting to win. They did it for fun. Believe me, they were floored when the numbers matched.”
“They made Carrie Anne claim it with them,” Gabby added.
“Yep, they tried to get all of us to do it, but his dad and I weren’t going to do that,” his mom said.
Mrs. Fredericks nodded. “Us too, but that’s our boys.” She elbowed Caroline. “We couldn’t have better kids.”
Reagan chewed the inside of her mouth. What if they thought she was only after Hunter for his money? “Well, we have been looking into a prenuptial agreement.”
Carrie Anne’s mouth dropped open. “What? That doesn’t sound like Hunter. If he loves you enough to marry you, he’s planning on forever and whatever it takes to make that happen.”
“I just don’t want anyone thinking that’s why I’m marrying him.”
His mom waved her off. “Honey, he’d know if you were, and we trust him. My boy loves you.”
Just how skilled was he at lying?
Sheesh. She was pointing a finger at him, and four were leveled right back at her. She was just as guilty for leading them to believe they were engaged. Still, if this was fake love, she had to wonder what being really loved by him would be like.
So far, he’d shown himself to be kind, gentle, and caring. It did sting a little that he hadn’t told her about winning the lottery, but could she really blame him? Who knows how many people had tried to use him just for his money. Plus, she’d seen his hands. They were large and calloused like a man who worked for a living. He may have won the lottery, but it didn’t win him.
The real question was…did she tell him she knew or feign ignorance? If she told him, it could ruin things if there was a good reason he didn’t want her to know. If she didn’t and he found out from someone else, would he feel hurt? Reagan knew she would, and the last thing she wanted to do was hurt him. Not after he’d been so wonderful.
She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. Maybe when they toured the town, she’d tell him. They’d be alone. That way, if he was upset, they could figure out a way to deal with it without an audience. By then, the holiday would pretty much be over if he wanted to head back to Tybee.
Inwardly, she wilted. She hated the idea of him leaving early. She could tell he’d missed his family. Hers wouldn’t be back until after Christmas. Geez, how did something seemingly simple get so complicated?
Because matters of the heart, no matter how small, were always mountains. Molehills didn’t exist in romance.
Chapter 11
Sunrays stretched like fingers across the horizon as Hunter enjoyed his morning coffee. The kiss from the day before was continually playing in his mind. He’d hoped to talk to Reagan about it, but he’d let her sleep in because she’d returned to the ranch so late after shopping.
On the way out of Amarillo, the Excursion had a flat. What they thought would be a simple fix turned into a two-hour wait. By the time they got home, none of the women were in a mood to do much other than have a bite to eat and go to bed.
Instead of waking her, he practiced some patience and chose to watch the sunrise while he parked himself in a rocking chair on the front porch. Trade the flat desert for a sandy beach and the sound of rushing waves, and he’d be a happy camper. The picture was so clear he could almost smell the salt in the air.
Another thing he could envision was holding Reagan and kissing her again. At first, he’d been a little stunned that she’d planted one on him. Not that he minded. If he were honest, he’d wanted to kiss her, but he’d been a little afraid. It was an answered prayer when she touched her lips to his.
He’d found himself wanting to taste those sweet, soft, kissable lips more and more. They were even better than what he’d imagined. And now they were the only thing he could think about. No, he found himself wanting more. Way more than just a kiss. What he wanted was the two of them cuddled together, watching the sunrise and holding hands as they faced each day’s challenges. He’d never thought that way about anyone before.
The front screen door opened, and his mom, bundled in a coat and slippers, stepped onto the porch holding a steaming mug of what he assumed was coffee. “Good morning, sweetheart,” she said and kissed his cheek.
“Morning, Mom.”
She settled into the chair next to his and held her coffee cup with both hands. “Nice morning, but a little brisk.”
“Yeah, I think that sun out there is teasing us. Those clouds rolling in from the northwest are going to drench us.”
She nodded and took a sip of her drink. “I think you’re probably right, but we need it. So I’ll be grateful for it even if I’m not looking forward to it being cold and wet.”
That’s how most people in the Panhandle felt about the rain. “Always thankful for the rain. It sure is frosty, though.”
“How are you liking it in Georgia?”
He took a drink of his coffee. “I love it. The people are friendly, and the weather is nice. I love the beach.”
She glanced at him. “If I ask you something, will you give me a real answer this time?”
He grunted a laugh, suspecting he knew the question she’d ask. “Yeah, Mom, I’ll give you a real answer.”
“Why did you leave and move so far away?”
Yup, he knew it, but before now, it had been hard to put the answer into words. “I think I needed to prove that I could make something of myself. Wyatt had the rodeo, Josiah is a whiz with real estate, and Bear had worked his way to the top in the cotton ginning business. Carrie Anne’s already won Teacher of the Year twice now. Then there’s me. I was a nobody in a family of somebodies.”
She touched his arm. “Oh, honey. No one thinks that. We’ve always been proud of you.”
Shrugging, he replied, “I wasn’t. I needed to get away and figure out who I was and what I wanted. Buying that first house and selling it made me feel independent. I needed time to figure out my place in the world.”
“Do you feel like you’ve done that now?”
“I think so.” It struck him as funny. For the first time in his life, he was at peace with who he was and what he’d accomplished. His worth wasn’t tied to any one thing; it was tied to the man he wanted to be. Maybe that’s why finding a place and putting down roots appealed to him so much.
Silence stretched as Hunter and his mom rocked, watching the sun climb inch by inch.
His mom finished her coffee and cleared her throat. “Do you think you’ll ever move back?”
He shook his head. “I really love Tybee Island. To me, it feels like home. I think that’s where I want to hang my hat.” H
e looked at his mom. “I’m sorry.”
“If that’s where you want to be and you’re happy there, that’s fine with me. Just make sure you get a place on the beach with plenty of bedrooms.” She smiled.
With a nod, he chuckled. “Yeah, that was my plan.”
“So Reagan…” His mom side-eyed him.
His pulse jumped. “Reagan what?”
His mom stood and smiled. “I really like her. She’s sweet, and her coffee is delicious. Plus, she agreed with me that you don’t get home often enough, so she said she’d love to stay until New Year’s.”
“Mom, she has a bed and breakfast to run.” And if she’d agreed to stay, it probably meant she also had zero reservations.
His mom nodded. “I know, and I made sure she knew she didn’t have to change her plans for me.”
“Well, then I guess we’ll stay.”
She patted him on the shoulder on the way to the door. “When she wakes up, take her into town and let her pick a ring.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“Hunter?”
The question in her voice caused him to twist in his chair to look at her.
“You are a sweet man. Reagan is a sweet woman. I think the two of you make a good pair. Dad agrees with me.” She winked and left him on the porch alone.
Hunter relaxed back in his seat and slid down, setting his ankle over his knee. Whew, for a second, he wondered if his mom knew his relationship was fake. That would have been a hard thing to explain.
His mom was right, though. Reagan was sweet, she could cook, and her coffee was out of this world. For a simple guy like himself, those were three of the top qualities he’d want in a partner. Lucky for him, it would take a page to list all the wonderful things about her.
Maybe if Reagan had really agreed to stay through New Year’s, they could explore that partnership. He’d sure like to. Hopefully, she’d be open to it.
* * *
After finishing his coffee, Hunter had helped Bear with the animals again. When they returned to the house, Hunter paused as he heard Reagan’s laughter coming from the kitchen. Not just hers, but Bandits. It reminded Hunter of the prior year when Gabby had pretended to date Bandit.
The Fake Fiance's Billionaire Adversary (Caprock Canyon Romance Book 2) Page 7
