Page 3 of The Best Friend's Billionaire Brother
Sighing heavily, Carrie Anne said, “Fine. At least I get to see you tomorrow. Are you bringing Tim home?”
“No way. It’s too early in the relationship.” Even more so for a non-existent one.
“Well, I get to meet him before it’s too serious. Maybe I can even convince him to get you to move back home.”
Laughing, Gabby rolled her eyes. “Carrie Anne, you are a mess, but I love you.”
“I love you too.”
“You’re picking me up at the airport, right?”
Carrie Anne waited a beat and replied, “Uh…actually, I can’t. The wedding planner I wanted just had a cancellation and that’s the only time she has available to meet, but you will have a ride, I promise. I can’t wait to see you after the appointment.”
Gabby was a little disappointed that Carrie Anne wouldn’t be there to greet her at the airport, but she understood with the wedding being so soon.
“Late night with popcorn andA Knight’s Tale?” Gabby smiled.
“It wouldn’t be Thanksgiving without that.”
“Okay, I’ll see you tomorrow.”
They said their goodbyes, and Gabby ended the call.
Every time she thought about going home, anxiety would nearly cripple her. She’d stayed away from her home and family—her mom, dad, and sister—because of Wyatt. Always coming up with excuses as to why they should visit her. She’d played it off as being swamped at the paper, and to a degree, she was. As an intern, she’d been given all the crummy grunt work and bad hours, including weekends and every federally observed holiday, plus a few the newspaper made up.
Of course, Gabby’s family visited her on occasion, but it wasn’t the same. Walking the streets of Charleston didn’t have the same effect as Caprock Canyon. Heartache wasn’t waiting for her around every corner as it did at home. In Charleston, they were just streets, not memories.
Those years she’d worked as an intern had taught her that if she fought hard enough, she could get through anything. Which meant she’d get through going home. Now that she thought about it, five years was a really long time. How much had things changed? How much had she changed? Well, she’d soon find out.
She finished packing up her office, took the office key off her keyring, and with a sigh, she looked around. This was where she’d done most of her growing up. Where she’d learned how to take criticism, meet demands, and stand on her own two feet. It was where she pushed down homesickness…and shed more than a few tears when things were hard. Now what was she going to do?
Setting her wristlet on top, she picked up the box and walked to the door. Giving it one more glance over, she inwardly said goodbye and flicked the light off. At least this was coming at a time when she was headed back to her hometown. With Wyatt not being there this time, she’d be able to get her legs under her. She’d lick her wounds and then come back with an updated resume and the determination to start over.
At least Wyatt’s absence would give her the chance to face memories without an audience. She was different, the town was different, and she could tackle things now that she couldn’t when she’d left. Still, the first step was always the hardest. With a little gumption, she’d get through it.
Chapter 2
Standing on the front porch of his brother’s ranch house, Wyatt West knocked on the door as he set down his duffle bag full of clothes. While he waited for Bear to answer, he turned and swept his gaze across the endless fields in front of him. Man, things sure had changed since he’d left.
All those years of playing the lottery with his brothers, never expecting anything, had turned into a winning jackpot ticket for an astronomical amount the previous year. It was meant to be a way for him and his brothers, Bear, Josiah, and Hunter, to keep in touch after each of them had moved away from home. An excuse to FaceTime and shoot the breeze while they waited for the numbers to be drawn. The last number had flashed on the screen, and almost over night, they’d become billionaires, along with their baby sister, Carrie Anne, of course. They weren’t going to leave her out.
The door swung open, and Wyatt turned, smiling. “Hey, man.” It had been a while since he’d seen his oldest brother in person. Touring with the rodeo kept him on the road and away from home.
Bear shook his hand. “Hey, what do you think?”
“I can’t even believe this is the same house.” Wyatt still struggled to think of himself or his family as billionaires. Mostly because he hadn’t touched his share yet.
Bear stepped aside to let him in, and Wyatt’s mouth dropped open. “Wow. You’ve done quite a bit with the place.” The home had been nearly falling down the last time he’d seen it a year ago, right after being cleared to ride again after his accident.
Caprock Canyon Ranch had closed ten years ago. Several seasons of bad weather and a horrible drought took their toll on the place, and the owners were left with no choice. At the time, Wyatt was fifteen. He’d been plenty old enough to see the effect of a town’s primary source of income drying up. He keenly felt the way the loss affected the town of Caprock Canyon and its people. Each year since, more and more businesses closed up and moved. These days, it was mostly a few families left, a mom-and-pop grocery store carrying a few essential items, and a gas station for tourists who got lost.
It was never a secret that his brother Bear dreamed of owning the sprawling nine-hundred-sixty-acre ranch complete with the farmhouse. Bear had spoken often about what he’d do if he ever got the chance to buy it. The second his share of the money hit his account, he’d contacted a real estate agent. Sixty days later, Wyatt’s brother was the proud owner of the ranch two hours northeast of Amarillo.
Bear grinned as his gaze swept the foyer. “Yep, it took the whole year and a lot of work, but it’s done. Everyone is spending Thanksgiving through New Year’s here this year so we can prepare for the wedding. Nothin’ like a good dose of family bonding, right?” He chuckled.
“Well, with a house this size, it sure won’t feel crowded during the holiday family get-togethers.” Wyatt wasn’t sure if he liked that or not. There was something about being jammed into a home too small. What were the holidays without a little forced togetherness?
Bear nodded. “Yeah, well, I wanted this to be a place where we would all fit, especially since it’s a thirty-minute drive into town. This way, everyone can plan to stay for the weekend if they want to.”
