Page 19 of Accidental Fake Billionaire

“Okay. Could you please tell him that Tara called?”

“Oh – Tara, it’s Jessie. From the fashion show.”

Relief flooded my body like a cool breeze. Thank goodness it wasn’t another woman.

“Hey – Jared was supposed to meet me, but he didn’t show up and he’s not returning my texts. Did he get hung up at work?”

Jessie sputtered part of a laugh that didn’t sound at all humorous. “Not hung up, more like cut open.”

“What?” I practically shrieked.

“He’ll be fine, he’s just going to be loopy on pain killers for another hour.” There was a pause, and I might have heard Jared in the background asking who was on his phone.

“Hey, can you come over?” Jessie asked. “I really have to get to an event, and I don’t feel right about leaving him alone.”

“Sure, of course.”

She gave me the address, and I splurged for a cab to get there as quickly as possible.

How strange that I felt so close to Jared, yet I hadn’t even seen his home yet. I didn’t even know whether he lived in one of the extravagant condo towers downtown, or a giant house in the Hill Estates neighborhood.

I was surprised when the driver pulled up in front of a very nice but rather ordinary house. The door opened before I even knocked, as Jessie came tearing out, waving to the cab driver before he could pull away.

“Wait! Where is he? What do I do?” I asked.

“Upstairs bedroom. The drugs have mostly worn off, he just needs to be supervised for another hour or so to make sure he doesn’t try to stand up.”

I tried to ask for more information, but Jessie shut the car door and took off down the street.

I walked into the house and locked the door behind me, feeling like an intruder.

As I slipped off my shoes, I looked around the foyer and living room. It was neat and tidy, but not something I would have expected from a wealthy man. Everything was very comfortable and down to earth, with no fancy artwork or extravagant touches.

Walking slowly up the stairs, I called out, “Hello? Jared?”

There was a rustle coming from the first room, behind the half open door that I cautiously pushed open. “Jared?”

He was sitting up in his bed with his back against the headboard, and his right leg propped up on pillows. A large bandage ran nearly the full length of his shin. There were also a few bandages on his right forearm, and a few scratches on his temple.

The second he saw me, his face lit up like a little kid on Christmas morning. “Tara, my gorgeous pretty girl. Come sit with me.” He patted the spot beside him on the king-sized bed.

Looking around at the pile of books on his bedside table, the large photo of a mountain range, and the dark green accents around the room, everything looked blissfully normal. Very nice, but not stuffy or posh.

I was honestly relieved. Here I’d been so worried about fitting into his world, or not being good enough for the millionth time in my life. I’d be able to feel comfortable in this room.

The way he instantly reached for me, wrapping those thick arms around me, made me feel perfectly grounded.

Then he nuzzled my hair, rocking me slowly. “I want you with me all the time,” he murmured. “You belong right here.” His arms squeezed around me until I giggled.

Whatever was going on, he wanted me. Nothing else really mattered.

14

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Jared

Watching Tara walk in my door was an incredible thrill. Even though her fingers were fluttering and she wouldn’t stop biting her lip, I knew that she would relax as soon as I held her.

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