Page 45 of The Fake Fiance's Billionaire Adversary
“Then you need to decide if she’s worth the risk. There’s a chance she won’t, but if you never try, you’ll always wonder if she would have.” His mom picked up her cup and stood. “You’re going to have to put yourself out there, baby. Is she worth it or not? You’re the only one who can make that call.” Without another word, she left him on the porch.
He sat forward, his elbows on his knees and his head in his hands. What if he took his mom’s advice? What if he put himself out there and she trampled on him like she had before? He could still feel the boots on his back as she’d walked over him.
He supposed he deserved it to a degree after the way he’d treated her about the money issue. She had put herself out there when she’d admitted to knowing, and he’d run her over just as badly. Would they ever be able to make it work after hurting each other like they had?
The one thing he couldn’t deny was that he loved her and was miserable without her. Each day the misery seemed to pile higher, and it was getting harder to breathe the longer he was away from her.
Slowly, a plan formed. He’d take the chance. The other option, the life that didn’t include her, wasn’t a life he wanted.
He wanted her more than he wanted to keep his heart safe. He wanted her more than anything.
Chapter 24
Naomi dropped another dress on the bed. “You could wear this one.”
Reagan shook her head. “No, it’s dingy-looking.”
“You should wear one of the dresses Carrie Anne gave you,” Kaylee said as she continued to dig through Reagan’s closet. The closet that had new doors and handles.
She had no idea the man-hours that went into it, but somehow Hunter had managed to take her beaten-up bed and breakfast and turn it into a showpiece. From the freshly painted ceiling to the newly sanded floors to the porch railing that promised not to dump someone over the side. Not only had he fixed up the home, but he’d had new appliances installed.
At first, she’d been so angry that all it did was make her even more furious, but as the days passed, the anger subsided. In truth, he’d pulled a miracle, and it was wonderful. He’d even told them to make sure they kept the wall drawings. Now there were little frames here and there showing the drawings that were once hidden.
Along with the sweaters and shirts, Hunter’s sister had given her a couple of dresses too. Boy, had she loved his family and loved being part of it. She picked up the soft green knee-length dress. When she’d tried it on in Caprock Canyon, it had fit so perfectly. Now it just made her heart hurt. “I don’t know.” She tossed it back on the bed.
“Reagan, you should talk to him. Maybe you heard him wrong, or maybe they were talking about it but it wasn’t what you thought,” Naomi said, taking her by the arms. “You claim to love him, but you didn’t give him any opportunity to tell you what happened.”
Reagan huffed. “Yes, I did. He said nothing.” But she’d seen a world of hurt in his eyes. At the time, she’d been so angry she’d ignored it, but in the days following her accusations, the scene had played over and over in her mind. She pulled away from her friend.
Naomi crossed her arms. “Yeah, after accusing him. Even if he had defended himself, would you have believed him? Be honest, Reagan.”
Reagan cast her gaze to the bed, staring at the dress. No, she wouldn’t have. The fury she’d felt held no room for mercy or understanding. If he’d said anything at that moment, she’d have found a way to throw it back in his face. “No,” she whispered.
Kaylee hugged her. “I know you’ve been dealt a bad hand lately, but maybe…maybe just give him a real chance to explain. You love him. Both of us can see it.”
Shrugging, Reagan sighed. “Maybe. For now, I need to get dressed for the mayor’s whatever-it-is.”
In an effort to get tourism back in swing, the mayor was having all the businesses affected by the hurricane meet on the beach. He was bringing in marketing experts, and since she had absolutely no funds for that, she’d decided to go. Even if she was on the fence as to whether she wanted to keep the bed and breakfast or not, if it was showing signs of being successful, maybe it would sell for a better priceifshe decided to sell.
Once she was dressed, she slipped on one of the sweaters that matched the dress Carrie Anne had given her. Part of her wore it because it fit; the other part because the smell of Caprock Canyon clung to it.
Hugging herself, she set out for the meeting, contemplating what she needed to do about Hunter. She missed him. Missed his smile. His blue eyes. His calloused hands. All of him.
As she reached the area designated for the gathering, she slowed. There was a single table with seating for two and a lone candle flickering in the breeze. Movement from the side caught her attention, and Hunter walked into view. Blood rushed in her ears, and her lips parted as she gasped.
“Hunter?”
With his hands in his slack pockets, he approached and stopped a foot or so away. “I wanted it fixed up because I wanted you to be free to choose whether you stayed or not.”
“Free to choose?” Her voice was barely audible above the crash of the waves.
He nodded, continuing. “What you overheard me talking about was surprising you with the house being fixed and then offering to pay off the mortgage. I wanted to pay off the loan for you. Not take it from you.”
Stunned silence was all she had as she tried to process what he was saying. “For me?”
“Yeah. I tried to get the bank to let me pay off the note, but I had to have your permission. I wanted to give it to you before I told you I loved you because I wanted you to know that you are all I wanted.”
Tears pooled in her eyes. “Hunter—”
