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I shook my head to stop her from talking any more. “I’m not opposed to it if you promise to call me if anything happens. I mean, that’s also assuming that Reed wants me here with you two gone. I mean, we were just messing around, Kayla. It’s not like we’re forming a relationship or something; it’s only a little harmless sex. He’s like stinking rich so he could have any
woman he wants, and I’m sure he has.”
She looked around the room and leaned in closer. “He’s worth millions alone and set to inherit over a billion from his father.” She glanced around again. “Rick told me. But don’t say anything.”
My mouth hung open. “Billions?”
“Oh yeah. And thanks, Bella. I’m glad you’re having fun and that you like Reed. You deserve a little fun. By the way, did you happen to look at your phone yet? You know if I go to Rick’s you’ll have to turn it on.”
“Yeah, I know. But no, not yet. I’m not ready for him.”
“Ready for who?” I turned around to see Reed standing in the door with a puzzled expression.
I let out a breath. “My ex.”
His expression grew hard, and then he pulled his keys out of his pocket. “You want to go for a ride?”
CHAPTER EIGHT - REED
I’d asked Bella on the ride with the full intention of getting to know her and letting her get to know me, but Rick had wanted me to talk to her about the inheritance issue. He felt that it was only right to be honest, but I was afraid that she’d leave and not want anything to do with me if she knew I’d come inside her, hoping to knock her up.
“This is a beautiful place. You’re lucky to get to live here where there’s grass.” She gazed out the window smiling at the trees along the roadside.
“You don’t have much, do you? I’ve heard most yards where you’re from have pebbles instead of grass.” I hadn’t been out that way since I was a child and I barely remembered it.
“It’s true. It can be beautiful at times too, don’t get me wrong. But it’s nothing like this. And you’re house? Wow, it has to have a long history.”
I had a feeling she had some fairytale in mind, but that wasn’t the way it had been. “It does. It used to be a plantation house. I’m afraid the history isn’t that pleasant.”
“Oh, wow. I’d guess it wouldn’t be.” She held a hand to her heart, and her mouth turned down in a frown.
“It’s okay. Any of that wicked history happened long before my family bought the place. My grandmother loved its southern charm, and my grandfather loved the price tag. They raised their family here until their deaths and my father took it over to raise me here.”
“Sounds like you had a wonderful family and I bet it was fun growing up in that house.” She had the best intentions I was certain, but she had my family life all wrong.
“Actually, my father was a tyrant, and my mother died when I was young.” She was quiet as I continued. “It wasn’t all bad, I mean, I had Rick. Met him in school and the two of us were thick as thieves. We both thought that we were going to be big rodeo stars, and even wanted to learn team roping, but my father discouraged it. Said it was a waste of time. We still learned a bit, and enjoy watching, so Rick’s grandfather used to bring us out to the rodeo every year.”
“That’s sweet that you’ve been such good friend for so long.”
I nodded. Rick was like my brother for sure. “He’s a good guy. Your friend is very lucky, and I hope she treats him right. I think he loves her.”
“You talk like that’s rare, so I like the sound of that.” She paused a moment, and the silence stretched between us as she watched out the window as we pulled up beside the creek. “Where are we?”
“You ever been to a creek before?” I studied her face as she shook her head. She was so beautiful; her eyes were lit with a certain curiosity and wonder like she was looking at the world for the first time. I was reminded of the man I used to be when I was younger and less jaded.
“So, you mentioned your ex?” The idea of her being with someone else recently hadn’t set too well and not just because I was jealous. I hated thinking that if she were to get knocked up by me, that there might be some question as to whose it was. I didn’t want there to be any doubt.
“Yeah, about him. I maybe should have told you that I’m fresh out of a long engagement. I was set to be married two months from now, but I called it off. Yesterday.”
She’d called it off as she was leaving town? “Was it sudden?”
“It was, and it wasn’t. Like I told you last night, I’m a photographer at heart, and it seemed like everything I put my heart into he’d criticize. I couldn’t take it anymore. I know it might sound selfish, but I wanted some time for myself, and I want to love myself and have confidence in what I do. I couldn’t have that with him. It took a lot, but I packed up and left out with Kayla.”
“Damn, you didn’t even say goodbye or leave a reason?”
“I’ve told him and told him why I was not happy, but he’d always promise to change. I couldn’t handle that anymore. He’d be supportive long enough for me to get comfortable and then he’d return to his old ways. He didn’t want the same things as me. I wanted a family, and he didn’t. I wanted to see the world, and he didn’t. So yeah, I figure a year of warnings was enough. Dealing with it will be his problem. I didn’t want him to be able to reach me, so I cut off my phone.”
“Wow, when you’re done, you’re done.” I had to admire her for that. My mother had taken that kind of abuse from my father for years until it finally got the best of her and then he’d done me the same way. Nothing had ever been good enough. Bella was strong. I liked that about her. I had also liked the sound of her wanting a family. I knew just the man who would give her one.
