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“It’s gorgeous,” I breathe. “Like beyond gorgeous.”
“Thank you,” he says. “Want to see the inside?”
“Sure.” If it’s this breathtakingly beautiful on the outside, I can’t even imagine what it’s like on the inside.
Pierce stops at the porch and climbs off the horse. He helps me off and then ties the reins to a hook that must’ve been put there for this reason.
Taking my hand in his, he guides us up the porch and through the front door. “You don’t lock your door?”
“Nah,” he says with a chuckle. “Nobody would dare come onto this property, and even if they did, we’re miles off the main road.”
We stop in the foyer, and the interior of the home blows me away. The walls and ceiling are made of wood. There’s a circular staircase, also wood, and wooden beams run along the vaulted ceilings that lead to the second story, which is open. I can’t see the rooms, but a wrought iron railing runs horizontally from one end to the other. A gorgeous brick fireplace is erected on the far-right wall, and minimalist country chic furniture fills the open area.
“You live here alone?” I ask because this looks like a family home, not something a thirty-year-old bachelor would live in.
“For now,” he says. “One day, I hope to share this home with my wife and, if it’s in the cards, our children.”
“So, you built this house in hope that one day you’d get married and have kids?”
“Honestly,” he says, “I built it to stay busy.”
I chuckle. “You built this super big, expensive house because you were bored? When I’m bored, I read a book.”
He glances at me but doesn’t laugh. “As I’m sure you can tell, my parents have a bit of money. This ranch has been in my mom’s family for years. My dad loves living here, but his dream was to be a firefighter. My grandfather ran it until my brother Jackson took over. From a young age, he loved working on the ranch, so it made sense that he would run the place.
“Beckett and I followed in our dad’s footsteps and became firefighters. Now that Dad’s retired, he helps out around the ranch more often. Beckett and I help out occasionally, but Jackson’s the one who handles the majority of the work. My parents having money doesn’t mean we do,” he says. “I’m a firefighter who makes a firefighter salary.”
The tone in his voice causes me to go on the defense. “I don’t care about your money, and your financial situation is none of my business. I was only joking because you said you built it to keep busy.”
I turn, ready to leave, and Pierce gently grabs my hand, spinning me back around. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean for it to come out like that.” He pulls me over to the couch. “I was in a serious relationship for a while. She would brag to her friends that she was dating a firefighter. Social media and the sexualization of jobs like mine make it seem like being a firefighter is sexy.” He glances at me sheepishly, and I can’t help but smile because he’s not wrong—he’s the definition of a sexy firefighter.
“I could totally see you on a calendar,” I half-joke, making him bark out a laugh.
“I actually did one for charity recently. I’m holding Cinder.” He shrugs, and I wonder if I can nonchalantly ask where I can buy this calendar.
As if he can read my mind, he says, “It’s available at several stores in town.” He winks, and my cheeks heat up.
“I mean, I am in the market for a new calendar,” I flirt, wondering who this woman is and what she did with the shy, nervous woman who couldn’t flirt to save her life.
“I’ll get you one,” he replies. “Only if you promise to hang me on your fridge so I can have breakfast with you.”
I crack up laughing. “Deal.”
We’re both quiet for a minute, and I almost forget the point of this conversation until Pierce speaks, his tone serious once again.
“I told her I wasn’t rich, that my parents were, but she didn’t listen to me. And I guess I didn’t listen to her in many ways. She kept making comments about wanting more. She expected lavish trips and expensive gifts. Every time I tried to make her happy, it was never enough.” He sighs. “I knew we were wrong for each other, but when you spend so many years together, the idea of fixing what’s wrong seems easier than starting over.
“Her attitude made it hard for my family to like her, especially when they felt she was only staying with me in hopes that I was lying, and I was really rich.” He shakes his head. “She got bored living in Christmas Valley and wanted to start a family, but the idea of having a baby with her had me panicking. So when she asked to move to the city for a job opportunity she was given, working as a paralegal for an attorney her dad was friends with, I agreed. I applied to the stations in Boston and was hired.
