Bargaining with the Billionaire (Billionaire Bachelor Mountain Cove)

by Maria Hoagland

  “You just were.” She stared at him until he backed down.

  “And what are you going to do with me?” He gave her a sideways glance. “You’re not going to make me sing, are you?”

  She tried to hold in her laugh, but didn’t quite make it. When she could pull a straight face again, she responded. “You will if I want you to.”

  Kian sighed. “I guess I do owe you one.” He intertwined their fingers, causing a flutter of response.

  “I think I might actually owe you.” She had to concentrate on what she wanted to say, which wasn’t the easiest thing to do when he was so close. “For inspiring me with your great-grandmother’s ring.”

  “Brooke Holt.” He didn’t say more than the name, but his meaning was clear—why he owed her.

  “Letting Dad stay in the building.”

  “Helping me find the shack.” His sparkling eyes showed he was determined not to lose. Was he really fighting to show that he owed her instead of the other way around?

  She still had a good one. “Saving me from the concert creeper.”

  Still holding her hands, he pulled her closer. “And the ghost,” he added.

  She dropped his hand to thump him on his chest. “You were the ghost.”

  He shrugged and then slipped his arms around her waist, and her heart skipped. She hoped being this close to him never stopped affecting her.

  “Which reminds me,” she said. “What are we going to do with the secret passageway?”

  “We?” He scoffed. “Like you’re going to be here?”

  “What, now you’re kicking me out of town? How am I supposed to create without my muse?”

  Kian raised an eyebrow. “Your muse?”

  “If you’re available.” She slipped her hand up his forearm to his elbow and brought him close enough to smell his spicy cologne “Cards on the table—the job requires bike and motorcycle rides, hikes, a whole lot of laughs, and maybe a few pranks.” He nodded, but before he could answer, she added one more. “And a psychic.”

  His eyes twinkled with laughter, though his face remained serious. “I don’t know. It might cost you.” He cocked his head to the side, and he gave her that smolder Alana had commented on.

  Her breath hitched, and she couldn’t wait any longer. She raised up on the balls of her feet and brushed her lips across his in a quick kiss. It might have been short, but the sparks went to her toes. “Put it on my tab,” she mumbled into his lips.

  Their eyes connected, and this time he closed the gap between them, answering her with another full kiss.

  Her heart expanded, filling what little space was between them. In the three months she’d known him, she’d grown to know herself. She’d come to Eureka Springs to hide out from the world, afraid her success had been a fluke, but tonight had proven she was no imposter, and Kian had helped her get there. He had given her confidence, encouraged her, helped her to separate what was real from what wasn’t. How she cherished this man and the life and adventure they were building together.

  “I love you, Kian Gould.” The words tumbled out before she could hold back the truth.

  He pulled back far enough she could see his eyes as he searched her face. A smile lifted his lips. “I love you too, Autumn Molinero.”

  22

  Three Months Later:

  Kian surveyed the scene one last time, checking every detail laid out in front of him. Everything needed to be perfect. At least the weather had cooperated, which wasn’t a given in early November. The temperature was comfortable, and sunlight streamed through the half-barren tree branches, dappling the plaid throw he’d spread on the ground. Off to one side, a vintage wooden folding table sat at just the right height to hold a drink if you were sitting on the ground. Angie had artfully arranged the place settings, some electric candles, and fresh flowers. It looked amazing.

  His phone buzzed, and he pulled it out of his pocket.

  Autumn: Where did you run off to? It’s Monday. No bike tours, no club. She finished it with a zany emoji face, one of her favorites.

  “Is that my daughter?” Tommy asked knowingly. “I’ve got to warn you—she knows something’s up.”

  “Yeah. She’s too curious for her own good.” Kian wasn’t sure how to answer. Don’t worry. I won’t miss our date. He slipped the phone back into his pocket.

  “Can you blame her?” Angie asked. “After all the pranks you’ve pulled?”

  He raised his hands to defend himself. “Hey, I’ve backed off—” Ever since the incident neither of them liked to talk about.

  “She loves it and you know it,” Tommy said. He looked at his watch. “Don’t you need to be leaving soon?”

  Kian’s heart swelled with gratitude. “Thank you both so much for helping me get this worked out.” The table and the string of lights hung between trees made a beautiful setting.

  “I’ll keep an eye on your location.” Tommy shook his phone, where Kian had showed him how to watch him on the GPS. “Ang and I will plug the lights into the generator and go out the other way just before you round the bend. She’ll never know we were here.”

  Kian’s nerves picked that moment to start acting up, and his doubts quickly followed. “Are you sure about this?” He clasped his shaking hands behind his back to hide them.

  “Son, you already have my blessing. The question is if you are sure.”

  Kian swallowed, resolved. “Absolutely.”

  Angie stepped forward and gave him a quick hug. “Who knew a muddy cyclist who thinks everything is a joke could be such a romantic?”

  Kian chuckled as Tommy elbowed her softly.

  “I’m just sayin’,” she defended herself. “Good luck, honey. Though I’m one hundred percent sure you don’t need it.”

  The couple waved as Kian walked to the car. Flowers lay on the bench seat where Autumn would be in just a few minutes. He tapped the ring box in his shirt pocket, and then he waved as he pulled out. “Here I go—setting out on the biggest adventure of my life.”

  Picking Autumn up in his great-grandfather’s limo was part of the evening’s surprise. Refurbishing a vintage 1920s car that at one time had been owned by Al Capone had taken some work, but the car purred happily as he drove it to pick her up for the first time.

  Before he got to Autumn’s house, he had to made a quick call. “Hey, Dad.”

  “Tonight’s the night, huh? Are you nervous?”

  “Kind of.” Kian’s heart beat so hard, the ring box looked like it would pop out of his shirt pocket. He fumbled with it and slipped it into the glove compartment.

  “Autumn is great.” The two of them had hit it off as soon as they met. “And she’s smart. Don’t worry, she’ll say yes.”

  The security guard at The Mountain Cove entrance waved Kian through. “Hey, Dad, I’ve got to go.”

  “Congrats, kid. You’ve made the right choice.”

  “I think so too.”

  Kian pulled into Autumn’s long circular drive and took a deep breath. Before Autumn’s housekeeper could tell her he was there, Autumn came running out of her house and up to the car as he stopped it.

  “Why didn’t you tell me the car was ready?” she asked, breathless.

  “Because I wanted to see your reaction when I drove up.” He stepped out of the car to walk her to the passenger side. He opened the door. “It was worth it.”

  He reached out and cupped her cheek. At the last moment, she turned and pressed a kiss into his palm. His heart stuttered in his chest. What this woman did to him! He couldn’t wait to have her with him always. He nodded toward the seat, waiting for her to climb in.

  “Can I drive?” she asked with such excitement, he wanted to agree, but that wouldn’t work.

  “I’ll let you drive on the way home. Secret destination only I am privileged to know.”

  “Ooh?” She raised her eyebrows, and when she smiled, that dimple showed up. He leaned in and kissed it.

  “You look beautiful tonight.” He helped her swoop u
p the side of her skirt as she slid onto the seat. As soon as the door was closed, he rushed to his own side of the car, hoping she didn’t get too nosy and look in the glove compartment. He should have left the ring with the picnic basket since Tommy and Angie would be there watching everything, but at least he’d remembered to get it out of his pocket before she saw it.

  He started the car, and they spent the short drive with her alternatingly asking about their destination and their plans for the night, and making observations about the car.

  By the time he shut the car off, twilight had faded into dusk. “We’re here.” He opened her door and offered his elbow.

  “Oh, Kian!” She gasped, finally catching sight of the picnic spread out for them. “It’s stunning!”

  He led her to the blanket and helped her down before settling onto the ground next to her, completely in awe of her. She took his breath away. Suddenly thirsty, he pulled a bottle of sparkling juice from ice and opened it, pouring them each a glass. “You may not know it, but today is a special day.” He handed one of the glasses to her and took a sip of his own.

  “Really? What is it?” She accepted the glass and looked at him, not a worry in her world.

  How could she be so calm? Didn’t she have a guess what he had planned for tonight?

  “It’s Niles and Irene’s anniversary. They married one hundred and seven years ago today.”

  “Wow!” Autumn took a sip and set her glass on the low table, and then she leaned back on her elbows, looking up into the sky. He watched her, mesmerized by her graceful neck, but then he noticed her lips were moving as she stared into the sky.

  “What are you doing?” he whispered. “Are you talking to Mafalda?”

  She finished whatever it was she was saying in her mind, and then she turned to him with a slow smile. “No. I was wishing on a star. The first star that appeared.”

  Next to her, he leaned back and looked the direction she was. “You know that’s a planet, right? You can’t wish on a planet.”

  She narrowed her eyes at him.

  “Okay, fine,” he said, “you can wish on a planet if you want to, but—do you need to? What’s your wish, Autumn?” He swallowed. “Is it something I can give you?”

  She turned her face back toward him, her eyes playful. “I sure hope so.”

  With her eyes locked on his, Kian’s mind went completely blank. None of this conversation was going the way he’d planned it, but maybe that was okay. He fumbled for his shirt pocket, only to remember he’d left the ring in the glove compartment. “Oh no,” he muttered to himself. “I forgot—”

  He started to get up, and Autumn reached out to stop him. When her fingertips touched his hand, he stopped.

  “Is this what you were looking for?” she asked, and her sly smile made him weak. She opened her palm, revealing the ring box.

  “Maybe,” he said.

  “Maybe?!” she joked.

  His heart hammered. He was bumbling this. “I, uh . . .” He ran a hand through his hair. This might not be what he’d planned, but he wasn’t messing things up. This was the most right he’d ever felt about anything.

  He got up on one knee in front of her. “Autumn, my dear, sweet, beautiful, amazing, creative, talented Autumn. I love you so much, I have an important question I want to ask, and you’ve probably already guessed what it is. But for the record, do you know how hard it is to pick out a ring for a world-famous jewelry designer?”

  Autumn opened her mouth to answer, but he didn’t give her a chance.

  “You came into my life at exactly the right time. You were the missing piece to my puzzle, the answer to my prayers. You give me direction; you found me when I was lost. For these things and so many more, I will always be in your debt. I love you and never want us to be apart.” With his heart thumping in his chest, he opened the ring box to offer the ring that had meant so much in their relationship, his great-grandmother Irene’s ring. “Autumn, will you marry me?”

  Autumn practically bowled him over when she threw her arms around his neck. He felt her breath hitch in her chest a couple of times and knew she was choking back tears. After a moment, she raised her head and kissed him—kissed him like he’d never been kissed, full of promise and love and acceptance.

  When they finally broke off the kiss and Kian could speak again, he had to ask. “Is that a yes?”

  Autumn smiled so big, a tear leaked out the corner of one eye. “Yes. Of course I will marry you. We owe ourselves all the happiness in the world, and you, Kian, are my happiness.”

  Acknowledgments

  Writing this story was a joy, despite having done so during national and state stay-home orders and uncertainty. At the same time, there was also so much to enjoy. Like my character Autumn, I was able to do what I love—create. I could not have done it without the encouragement and assistance I received along the way. I have so many to thank.

  Thank you to the crew of authors who first introduced me to Eureka Springs: Tamara Hart Heiner, Hillary Sperry, Danyelle Ferguson, and Heather Tullis. Hanging out with you talented individuals is inspiring, and I will always remember that amazing retreat!

  A couple years later, I went back on a research trip with a different group of authors—the ones who write in this series with me. One of our nights there, we spent the evening brainstorming our different books. I think every author contributed to my plot in some way, even if it was just with an offhanded comment. By the time I went to bed that night, I had all sorts of ideas running through my head that eventually became this book. Thank you for the brainstorming session, ladies. Many minds are better than one.

  I absolutely adore writing collaboratively. While each of the books in our series stands alone, it’s so much fun to have places where our stories overlap. In this book, I have characters in common with Stephanie Fowers and Caitlyn Meadows. Thank you for the collaboration, you two, you always make it fun!

  The character of Autumn Molinero has been a long time coming. I wanted a jewelry designer for a character, but the more research I did online, the more clarification I needed. Thank you to Anita’s Jewelers in Meridian, Idaho, for sharing your story and giving me an introduction to jewelry design.

  Then there was the jeweler I met at a craft show in Providence, Rhode Island. His nature-inspired pieces nudged me in the right direction. Sorry I lost your card, but know I appreciate your willingness to share your passion.

  A huge thank you goes to Kristin Larson Jewelry. During a pandemic when I couldn’t get out and research in person, I was bouncing around on the internet, trying to learn about lost wax casting when I stumbled upon her website and Facebook page. I was so impressed by her jewelry, I found myself reaching out with questions about the process. Kristin was gracious—answering my many messages, making me videos, and patiently explaining the same things over and over. I had no idea how complicated and fascinating the process of lost wax casting could be. I wish I could have used a tenth of the information she gave me. I’m sure I didn’t get everything right in the book, but none of that is Kristin’s fault. She tried to set me straight! Thank you so much, Kristin. You have to be one of the nicest, most sincere, and talented creatives I know.

  When I decided to throw in the American Sign Language on a later revision, I knew I needed to run it past a couple of experts. Thanks, Sarah Brown, for answering what probably felt like random texts, but I’m sure you were smart enough to know why I was asking. Thanks, also, to Lorin Grace for her input as well. It’s great having fluent interpreters at my fingertips.

  Another thank you—this one to my young neighbor Autumn for the nickname “Auttors.” I like to think my character has a smile as brilliant as yours.

  To author Lorin Grace, thanks for taking a retreat with me at exactly the time I needed it most. I never would have finished this book in time if I hadn’t stepped away from everything those few days.

  Of course, I would never write a book without the expertise of editors, beta readers, and proofreaders
who help me look and sound better than I am. Thank you, Holly, Christina, and Jenna for your brilliance.

  And most of all, thank you to my own personal cheering squad: my family. You’re always there to encourage and listen. I especially want to thank the love of my life. Curtis, you are the best brainstorming partner ever. You cheer me on, make me dinner, watch romance movies with me “for research,” and celebrate every step of every book with me. Everything you do shows me how much you love and support me. I couldn’t do this without you and the kind of love you always offer me.

  About the Author

  When Maria Hoagland is not working at her computer, she can be found combing used furniture stores and remodeling houses with her husband. She loves crunching leaves in the fall, stealing cookie dough from the mixing bowl, and listening to musicals on her phone.

  Maria has several published works in the sweet romance and women’s fiction genres. She enjoys hearing from readers and book clubs and can be found online at mariahoagland.com.

  Thank you for reading Bargaining with the Billionaire. We hope you loved Eureka Springs and Autumn and Kian’s story!

  If you enjoyed the book, please consider posting a review on Amazon so other readers will take a chance on it too.

  For updates on new releases and a free copy of the novella New Year’s Resolutions, sign up for Maria’s newsletter on her website.

  Next in the Billionaire Classics Series

  Thanks for visiting my billionaires in The Cove!

  If you missed my first book in the quirky small town of Eureka Springs, Arkansas, check out

  The Matchmaker’s Billionaire inspired by Jane Austen’s Emma.

  If you’ve been reading along in the Billionaire Bachelor Mountain Cove Series on Amazon, the next book in the series is by the talented Erica Penrod. The Ghost, the Girl, and the Billionaire looks so cute!