Page 10 of The Fake Girlfriend's Billionaire Match
Winnie laughed. “That makes me feel better. Not the organ damage; the hug.”
Holding her luggage in each hand, he waved her ahead of him. “This is the back door, and I apologize for making it seem like I’m sneaking you in.”
“You had to park the truck under the cover. I bet you get a heap of hailstorms.”
He set her luggage down as he opened the door to the house. “We do, and I forgot to put it away once. I don’t want that to happen again.”
She stepped inside the house and immediately took a deep breath. “Coffee. It smells glorious.”
“Hunter and Reagan must already be here. I didn’t think they were coming until Thursday, just before the meal.”
“Maybe they couldn’t wait to see you guys.”
“Earlier in the year, they’d spoken of getting a manager for their bed and breakfast. They were interviewing people and struggling to find someone they trusted, but I guess they ultimately found someone.”
Nodding, Winnie said, “I understand that. I’ll have to do a lot of hiring for my restaurant. I’m glad they found someone.”
Grabbing her luggage, Bear stepped inside and shut the door before moving around her. “I figured when you got here you could pick a room upstairs.” He tipped his head to the left. “My room is down that hall. I had it added about three years ago now. I love my family when they come for the holidays, but I need my space.” He chuckled.
He dipped his head forward. “That’s the kitchen right through that door. I suspect the murmuring I’m hearing is my family gathering to meet you.”
“Okay.”
He followed her into the kitchen, and sure enough, there were several people seeming to act like they were playing cards. They looked up, smiled, and three of the men sitting at the table stood.
One of the men held a little girl with dark hair. Carrie Anne approached him and took her. “This is my husband, Israel, and this little one is Camry.”
“Hello,” said an older woman who was most definitely Bear’s mom. She stood and rounded the table, gathering Winnie into a hug. “It’s so good to meet you.”
Just like Bear warned, his mom hugged Winnie tight. “It’s nice to meet you too.”
His mom held her out. “Oh, that red hair. Bear told us, but I don’t think he could have accurately described it. It’s so beautiful.”
Winnie tucked a strand behind her ear. “Thank you.”
“I’m King West,” said Bear’s dad. “It’s good to meet you.”
After that, it was a flurry of introductions and names that Winnie hoped she could remember. Hunter was a younger version of Bear with hair just a little lighter. And their dad couldn’t deny parentage if he tried. The family genes ran strong.
“The rest of the family will show up over the next couple of days.” Bear held up Winnie’s luggage. “I’m going to take Winnie to her room. We’ll be back down after we get her settled.”
This time, Winnie followed Bear as he led her through the house and up the stairs. The more she saw of the house, the more she loved it. It was so warm and homey and inviting. It only made it feel more like she was in her nanny’s house.
When they reached the second-floor landing, Bear turned to her. “You get your pick. Each one has its own bathroom, so you don’t have to worry about that.”
“How about the middle on the left?”
He shot her a smile. “Lead the way.”
As they reached the room she’d be using, she marveled at how nice it was. “This is better than my apartment.”
“When I remodeled the home, I knew we’d be having family holidays together. The past few years, everyone has stayed from Thanksgiving to New Year’s. I suppose it’s tradition now, and I love it. Most of the year, I don’t use the rooms, but it’s nice to have them available. Sometimes, my mom and dad like to stay here, and the last couple of months, Carrie Anne and Israel have lived here while they work on their home in town.”
She turned to face him. “That’s kind of you.”
With a shrug, he said, “It’s what you do for family.” He passed by her, setting her luggage on the bed. “I’ll get out of your hair so you can put your things away or whatever else you might need to do.”
“I can start working on dinner if you’d like.”
