Page 4 of The Billionaire's Second Chance
“Yeah, I’ve loved it.” When had she started lying so much? And to herself? She was happy, fulfilled, and content. Only, it felt skin-deep.
“Good. I’ve always wanted you to be happy. I should have called—”
“Same. We just got busy.”
“Yeah. Busy.” The way he said it made her wonder if he was thinking of a different word. What could she say, though? Allowing herself to wonder or fret over it wouldn’t change the reality of their situation.
Sure, she was tired, but that didn’t mean she wanted to give up her career. And all that was assuming Link would want her anyway. Their last fight had been an ultimatum between him and her career.
A choice was a choice. It wasn’t like she could change the past, and exhaustion was making things feel worse than they were. Another reason for this vacation was taking some time off and finding her love of her career again.
Inwardly, she groaned. She was burnt-out, and all this thinking was a product of that. What she needed was time off, and she’d find her game face once again.
Chapter 4
Link was never more grateful to reach a destination than when they arrived in Luck Lake. He’d known being so close to Hadley would be bad for his mental health, but he wasn’t prepared for the full-on gut-wrenching ache he felt.
Hadley had confirmed how happy she was with her life. She’d built a career—a life—and he was just a memory. Though, for a second, he imagined a little regret in her voice. It was wishful thinking. She’d moved on, leaving no room for him.
Stretching his arms over his head, he yawned and let his gaze roam over the tiny house he’d be calling home for the next two weeks. It was different, that was for sure. The light-blue craftsman-style home with white shutters was eye-catching while the small porch with two chairs and a table nestled in between gave it a homey feel.
With a backdrop of mountains, trees everywhere, and the lake off in the distance, it was practically idyllic. Add a white picket fence and another thousand square feet, and Link would call it perfect.
He took a deep breath, marveling at how clean the air felt. Pierce had sure picked a great place to call home. Not that Link would want to live there. He loved his oceanside residence. Sand, surf, and salt were where he belonged, but this was a perfect vacation spot.
“These things are cool,” Hadley said as she joined Link at the front of the car. She pointed at the house on the right. It was nearly identical to Link’s except for the color and the dormer. “I think that one is mine.”
Right before they’d reached Luck Lake, Pierce had called and let them know he would be running late and that he’d put the keys under the welcome mat.
“Yeah, when Pierce told me he was putting in a village of these things, it was hard to picture, but this was a smart idea.”
Crossing her arms over her chest, she nodded. “I knew it was a great idea. They fit perfectly. I wouldn’t doubt if a few people who find themselves here don’t end up wanting to buy them. Although, he may want to find a different spot for year-round living so his rentals don’t dwindle.” She sighed and turned to Link. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to go into work mode.”
He nearly laughed. “You mean it has an off switch?”
She dropped her hands and lightly punched him in the arm. “It’s muscle memory. It’s just how I think. This vacation was to help me find some balance.”
Before he could do something stupid like hug her again, Link stuffed his hands in his pockets and nodded. “Yeah. I told my assistant I was turning my phone off when I got here. I want some peace and relaxation.”
Hadley’s shoulders sagged. “That sounds heavenly.”
“You mean you’ll be taking calls?” He winced as it came out accusatory, which wasn’t how he meant it. He sighed. “I didn’t mean it that way. I’m just sur—”
It was too late, though. Hadley’s famous ice shield was activated. He could see it in her stance and even more so in her eyes. “I know.”
“Hadley, I didn’t—”
“Yes, you did. You meant it just how you said it. You may have supported me in becoming a real estate agent, but you hated that my career took off.”
He knitted his eyebrows together. “You really believe that, don’t you?”
“Well, didn’t you? Isn’t that what the ultimatum was about?”
“No, but you’ll probably hear me now about as well as you heard me then.” He stepped back, walked to the trunk of the car, and grabbed their luggage, setting hers on the ground as he shouldered his duffle bag.
For a second, he stared at her suitcase, debating. The gentlemanly thing to do would be to take her luggage to her door, at the least, but she didn’t need anyone, especially Link. She could be just as happy without him, probably more so because then she “wouldn’t have someone nagging her all the time.” The words from their last fight hit his heart like a hammer.
He pulled his hand from the luggage and stopped as he reached her. His head was filled with all sorts of things he wanted to say. Most of them he’d regret because he was angry and hurt. Instead of saying something that might make him disappointed in himself later, he lowered his gaze to the ground. “Have a nice vacation. I’ll see you around.”
