Page 52 of The Billionaire's Baby Betrayal

“I could have brought that in for you,” said Gus as he joined them in the kitchen.

“It’s not as heavy as it looks.” Piper felt her mother’s eyes looking her up and down. “Is something wrong, Mom? You’re studying me like a specimen.”

“Were you able to get any sleep on the plane, dear? You’re pale and drawn, and you look like you haven’t slept in days.”

“I slept from Montevideo to Panama City but not much more after that.”

“Montevideo in Uruguay?” asked Gus. “Last we heard, you were in England.”

Piper picked up the tote bag she had laid down with the box and didn’t meet her father’s eyes. “I was, but I was offered a better position in Uruguay. I can explain later, but I am bone-tired right now, and I would like to shower and then rest for a while.”

“That’s a good idea, Carrie,” agreed her mother. “I’ll wake you for dinner.”

“Thanks, Mom.”

* * *

Fourteen hours later, Piper woke up and stretched in the twin bed she had slept in as a teenager. She looked at a photograph taken of her and Jamie on horseback and recalled where she was and why.

Home in Wyoming because Andrés is done with me.

She was amazed that she had slept through dinner and breakfast and rushed to get dressed to go downstairs and find her mother. Surprisingly, Piper wasn’t hungry but thought she should at least have a piece of toast and lots of water.

“I can’t believe I slept for so long. I don’t think I moved an inch all night,” said Piper, grinning when she found her mother making sandwiches and soup for lunch.

Marianne looked carefully at her. “You don’t look as peaked as last night, so the extra sleep must have done you good. I came upstairs to wake you for dinner, but you mumbled something and pulled the blanket over your head. Do you want breakfast or lunch at this hour of the day? Your father is coming back to the house for lunch.”

“My stomach still feels queasy from all that time in the air. I’ll have some dry toast and one or two of the nectarines I see by the fridge, and I’ll make an espresso.”

Marianne turned questioning eyes on her daughter. “Dad set up the machine for you and said there wasn’t much to it but to plug it in.”

“I just realized you don’t have a coffee grinder for the beans I bought. I didn’t even think of it at the shop, but I’ll pick one up tomorrow. I’ll have coffee this morning.”

Piper’s father walked into the kitchen, and his wife set the table for lunch while Piper put dry toast and several nectarines on a plate, poured coffee, and sat down, ready to be questioned. Her parents were astonished to hear about the trainer and head trainer positions she had held during the past years, and all she told them about Uruguay was that she was disappointed the job didn’t work out.

“I thought it was about time to take a break and reassess where I go and what I do from this point.” She decided to dive right into the awkward topic. “And I wanted to see you and put the differences between us to rest if you are willing. If you are, I’d like to stay for a few weeks and have you put me to work on the ranch as soon as possible.”

Gus and Marianne stared into each other’s eyes, and to Piper, it was as if they were speaking silently to one another.

“We’ve wanted this peace between us for some time. We misjudged each other, and I could use an extra hand around the ranch. Welcome home, Carrie,” said her father.

Piper was so happy she spontaneously squealed and startled herself and her parents. There were hugs all around and more conversation. Gus returned to the work he had been doing in the stables, and Piper told her mother she had some calls to make from her room. She wanted to connect with Andrés before he left for Kentucky the next day, and with the four-hour time difference, he was close to ending his day.

The call went directly to voicemail once again, and Piper was disheartened. She threw herself on the bed and hugged her pillow to her chest. Her only wish was to tell him what Felix had wanted her to do and have him investigated. Piper no longer cared if Andrés knew the truth about her, but she didn’t want him to think she could do something so diabolical.

Piper started to get angry again and decided to find out from Felix how he had managed to get to the blood sample. She sat up and entered his number. It rang ten times, but he eventually answered.

“I don’t have time for this, Caroline. I’m in Kentucky and should be focusing on other things than your troubles. What do you want?”

“How did you manage it?”

“Manage what?”

“Contaminating the blood sample. You and I both know you had someone else do it when I refused.” As she put it into words, she realized what he had done.

“Is that why Peter Caldwell was in Tacuarembó?”

“I have no idea what you are talking about, my dear. And I happen to know you continued your lies when you told me Olivera knew of your deception. Shame, shame, Caroline, on being a habitual liar. Your mysterious disappearance from Olivera’s training team is all anyone talks about since his horse was disqualified. I hope you aren’t planning on ever working again because no one will hire you after this scandal, not even me.”

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