Page 5 of The Fake Fiance's Billionaire Adversary
The apology did nothing to ease the tension hanging between them. “So you think you have me at a disadvantage?” The iciness in her tone nearly made him scoot his chair back.
“Absolutely not. I think you are an intelligent woman, which is why I don’t think you’d just let the bank foreclose on you. I can tell you love this bed and breakfast. That tells me you want control over who purchases it. The only way to do that is to sell it before it’s forcibly taken from you.” He raked his hand through his hair. “Is there an offer already on the table that I’m unaware of?” It hadn’t hit him until right that moment that it was possible he’d been beaten to the table.
“And if I did, why would I tell you that?” She seemed to soften just a hair.
“Because I can beat it. Just tell me what it is.”
“Maybe I don’t want to tell you. If I told you, you’d only offer a little bit more.” The cool expression on her face didn’t change, and he was too tired to play poker. Plus, if he wasn’t sharing his reasons for wanting the bed and breakfast, she didn’t have to share her reasons for keeping him in the dark. “This way, you have no idea the dollar amount I’m considering. It means you’ll have to go whole hog or walk away.”
Hunter was rendered momentarily speechless. Awkward silence blanketed the room until his knee began to bounce.Didshe know about his money? Aside from just wanting to keep her home, it could be an excellent explanation for her stubborn desire to hang on to the place when she knew her chances for keeping it were slim.
He pushed the thought away. No one on Tybee Island had any idea he had money, and there was no reason for anyone to think that he did. Would a billionaire still be part owner of a flipping business? “Look, if there’s an offer, just tell me. Playing hard to get is tiring.”
Again, he’d put his foot in his mouth.
She stood, walked to the door, and opened it. “I think it’s time for you to go.”
Yep, this conversation had so many forks in it, it could be used to strain water. He slowly rose from the chair and closed the distance between them. “You have my card. When you’re ready to tell me the other offer so I can counter, call me.”
After leaving her in the kitchen, he climbed into his truck and waited for her to turn off the porch light. When it stayed on, he pictured her tiny frame hunched over a desk, wondering how she was going to keep it together. His chest constricted, knowing it had to be hard. Someone with her strong will wouldn’t go down without a fight. If she didn’t have his respect before, she’d definitely earned it tonight.
With one swift motion, he started his truck and put it in gear. He’d barely made it to the end of the driveway when his phone rang. He checked his caller ID. His mother. He couldn’t not answer. If he did, she’d just track him down through Stone.
He stopped the truck and turned it off as he hit the call button. “Hi, Mom.” Hopefully, she was only calling to verify he was coming home for the holidays.
Since buying the ranch in Caprock Canyon, Bear had gone full-tilt into getting it running again, starting with the farmhouse. The previous year, the whole family had stayed together through the holidays, from Thanksgiving to New Year’s, as they prepared for his sister, Carrie Anne, to get married on New Year’s Eve. Not only did his sister get married, but his youngest brother had proposed to Gabby Fredericks, their good family friend.
It had put a highlight on just how lonely Hunter felt and was the catalyst that had him thinking it was time to slow down, retire, and have a family. If his youngest brother could find happiness, Hunter could too.
“Hey, sweetheart, you sound tired,” his mom said.
With the mention of the word, he yawned. “I am.”
She sighed long and loud. “I’m worried about you, Hunter. You’re working too hard.”
That was an understatement. “I know. I’ll take a break soon. What did you need, Mom?”
“It can wait.”
“No, go ahead.”
She waited a beat. “I just want to make sure your fiancée is coming with you to Thanksgiving.”
He squeezed his eyes closed. Oh, crud. Earlier in the year, his sister had threatened to post him on a matchmaking website—the same one she’d put his brother Bear on, which meant it was a threat he couldn’t ignore. He’d blurted out that he was engaged, and it had traveled through the grapevine as fast as a gasoline fire. Throughout the year, he’d continued letting them believe the lie since it got them off his back. Now it was about to take a chunk out of his hide. “Uh...”
“Don’t you tell me she’s too busy this time. If she cares about you at all, she’ll be more than happy to meet us.”
Hunter peeked upward and silently sent up a prayer. What was he going to do? He searched for an argument that wouldn’t make his non-existent fiancée sound like a jerk. “Uh…”
“We don’t even know what she looks like. Honey, we just…we love you, and we want to love her too.”
At least he’d been smart enough to dodge specifics like her name and what she looked like. Anytime they’d asked, his cell reception had conveniently gone spotty or a catastrophe called for his immediate attention. Only, the vice was getting a little too tight, and if he didn’t produce a fiancée this time, his sister would have him on a dozen matchmaker websites before he could blink. What had he gotten himself into?
“Uh…I’ll make sure she’s there this year.” His eyes widened as the words tumbled off his tongue. He was entirely too tired to be talking to his mom; otherwise, he’d have just told her they broke up. “I meant—”
“That’s fantastic. I’m so excited to meet her.” He could hear the smile in his mom’s voice. “Better book your flights pretty quick if you want to sit together. If you waste too much time, you may have to drive.”
Hunter blew out a puff of air. “Sure, Mom. But don’t worry about picking me up. We’ll drive in. Okay?’
