Page 40 of The Fake Girlfriend's Billionaire Match
As they drank their coffee, silence fell over them, and Winnie’s thoughts traveled to Bear yet again. She wished she could talk to someone. Her mom and dad had never whole-heartedly supported her desire for a restaurant. Besides, she already knew what her mom would say. Plus, she knew Reagan and Hunter’s history. If anyone could understand, it would be Reagan.
“Reagan, can I talk to you? Will you promise not to say anything to anyone?”
She pulled her knees to her chest and nodded. “Well, sure. I won’t tell a soul. What’s wrong?”
Winnie’s pulse jumped. Now that she’d asked, she wasn’t so sure she wanted to talk anymore. “Oh, never mind. It’s okay.”
Shaking her head, Reagan replied, “Uh, no, spill. It won’t go anywhere.”
“I am in love with Bear to the point that it hurts to even think of not being with him.”
Pulling her blanket tighter, Reagan shrugged. “Then be with him. Is someone saying you can’t?”
Before Winnie could chicken out, she closed her eyes and gave Reagan the whole story. From meeting Bear in Lubbock, to their long into-the-night talks, to flying into Amarillo. All of it and as fast as she could.
A snicker caught Winnie off guard, and her eyes popped open. “It’s not funny.”
“No, but I understand why you wanted to tell me. I’m what you call uniquely qualified to help with this.” She took a deep breath and smiled. “It’s really hard to believe he did that. He was positively furious when Carrie Anne put him on that dating website. Using it to hire a girlfriend? Wow.”
Now it was Winnie’s turn to laugh. He’d not told her that. “I can actually see her doing that.”
Reagan laughed a little harder. “They finally settled it last year in the middle of Christmas Day. She apologized, he forgave her, and then he told her to tell the family she was pregnant. It was a sweet moment.”
That sounded very Bearish. “He’s such a good man.”
“They all are, and they get it from their dad. I adore King. He knew we were faking the engagement and never said a word out loud about it. Even Caroline knew.” Reagan groaned. “And she nailed me on the way to Lubbock to shop. I’d never felt more like a deer in headlights in my life.”
“They’re pretty intuitive. Do you think they suspect me and Bear?”
Shaking her head, Reagan replied, “No, but you guys haven’t been faking anything.”
Winnie chewed her bottom lip. “I don’t think I have. We talked for hours on the phone before I came here, almost every night. I think I’ve loved him for a while now. I just haven’t wanted to admit it.”
Reagan twisted in the chair to face Winnie. “Hunter told me what happened to Bear. It was awful, and since then, he’s been shut off from the world.”
“He said he wasn’t ready for a relationship. Should I tell him I love him? That I don’t want to leave him? That I choose him?”
“No.”
Tilting her head, Winnie asked, “Why?”
It took a moment before Reagan responded. “I think he’s using your dream as a way to protect himself. He probably doesn’t even realize it, but he needs to ask you to stay. He needs to be willing to risk his heart again.”
“That actually makes sense. Angela really hurt him.” Winnie wouldn’t divulge the extent. That part of the story wasn’t for repeating. “So, do I make a big push that I really want to go back?”
Reagan shook her head. “No, don’t make a big deal of it at all, or he really will think you want to go. Just keep going as you are and know that it could take him a while to wake up. You may have to return to San Antonio before he realizes it.”
“I think you might be right.” It hurt acknowledging it. “What if he never does?”
“Then you move on because he’ll never fully love you like he should.”
Move on? Just the idea crushed Winnie. How could she move on from Bear? The way he kissed her, how safe she felt in his arms, the way he cared for her. There wasn’t another man who could ever take his place.
Reagan covered Winnie’s hand with her own. “I know what you’re thinking, but it would be better to find someone willing to risk it all for you than a man who’s still holding on to someone else.”
Yeah, Winnie had to admit Reagan was right. She didn’t want Bear hanging on to the past while trying to build a future with her. They both needed to be walking in the same direction.
“Thank you.”
