The Billionaire's Second Chance: Billionaire Bachelor Mountain Cove

by Holly Stevenson

  He smiled, seeming satisfied with that answer. “Well, there’s more to see. But we’ll have to hurry if we want time for the last activity.”

  She playfully narrowed her eyes at him. “Which is?”

  He grinned and shook his finger. “Nice try. You’ll just have to wait and see.”

  She huffed, pretending to be annoyed while secretly pleased at his surprises. He gave her a tour of the rest of the house and she hated that they had to rush. She wanted to take time admiring each room and secretly imagining herself here with Sawyer. The whole house seemed to welcome her—much more so than her Brooklyn apartment did—and the realization brought a tiny ache to her chest. Sawyer’s house felt like home.

  After they completed the tour inside, he led her out to the backyard. Last night it had been too dark for Lily to see much of his yard, but now she could admire the gorgeous landscaping. “I didn’t realize how much property you had,” she commented, looking to the wooded area beyond the lawn. “How many acres is this?”

  “A little under thirty,” he said. “A lot of it is wooded, and of course you’ve already seen the dock, but I wanted to show you my favorite spot.”

  She followed him along a well-worn path and around a group of trees until they stood at the entrance to the biggest greenhouse she’d ever seen. It was easily as big as her mom’s house, with a charming Victorian design and entirely encased in glass. “Oh, wow,” she breathed. “I caught a glimpse of the roof last night when we were boating. It’s beautiful.”

  He smiled and gestured for her to step inside. “I drew up the plans for this before I finalized the plans on my house. The acreage on these lots is one of the reasons I chose to live in this development—along with the lake, of course.”

  Lily stepped through the glass doors, instantly hit with the slightly moist air and the rich, earthy scent of growing things. Plants, trees, and flowers were everywhere. A domed glass ceiling in the center of the structure drew the eye like a piece of artwork. Beneath the dome stood a large stone water feature, with water trickling over river rocks and creating a cheerful, bubbling sound.

  “What do you think?” Sawyer asked, standing beside her until their elbows almost touched.

  She shook her head, unable to look away from the beauty of her surroundings. “It’s like the Garden of Eden.”

  He chuckled. “I never thought of it like that, but it’s definitely my favorite place to spend time.”

  “I can understand why.” She turned to him. “Did you plant all of this yourself?”

  “I did at the beginning, but between this and the yard, it became more than I wanted to upkeep on my own, so I hired a gardener to help out.”

  “Smart move.” She looked back at the variety of plants surrounding them. Sawyer truly had a gift for growing beautiful things. “What do you do with all of them?”

  “Do?”

  “Yes.” She tipped her head. “Is all of this just for hobby, or would you consider selling to local nurseries or florists?” She stepped over to touch the petals of a delicate gardenia. “These gardenias, for instance. I know my mom pays huge premiums for flowers like these, and she would much rather buy from you if she had the option.”

  He frowned in thought. “I guess I never considered it. I started this as a hobby … but it might be fun to think about growing things to sell. Just between us, being retired at my age can get a little boring sometimes.” He gave her a wry smile.

  She laughed. “You never were one to sit still for long.”

  He shrugged. “There’s too much life to be lived. Where’s the fun in sitting still?”

  “Exactly.” She loved that about Sawyer. He wasn’t the type of guy who could sit for hours scrolling on his phone. He’d much rather be working in the dirt or using his woodworking tools or fishing. And yet he still knew how to appreciate quiet moments when they came. He really was the same Sawyer she’d fallen in love with all those years ago.

  He slid his hands into his pockets. “Well, now that you’ve seen my favorite hangout, we should probably get going with our next activity before we run out of time.”

  “I wish we didn’t have to leave. I could stay here all day.” It was like a secret garden and the bench swing by the fountain was calling to her.

  “We can stay longer if you’d like,” he said, searching her expression.

  She smiled. “No. It’s fine. I want to see the last surprise you have in store.”

  “Okay … but you’re welcome to hang out here anytime.”

  Her heart tripped at the meaning behind his words. She would love to spend more time here—more time with Sawyer. She gazed around the greenhouse once more, ready to follow him out, when her gaze landed on the flowers beyond the fountain. “Wait … are those …?” She walked quickly, the scent of the flowers already confirming her suspicions. But she wasn’t prepared for the sight that opened up to her: an entire wing of the greenhouse filled with lilies of all different colors and varieties.

  Lilies were her flower. They always had been. And Sawyer knew it. A pang of longing throbbed in her chest as she turned to face him, her eyes filled with unspoken questions.

  He stood watching her and one corner of his mouth lifted. “You discovered my weakness.” He lifted a shoulder and his gaze deepened. “I’m kind of partial to this particular kind of flower.”

  Her throat went dry and she turned away from the intensity of his gaze, pretending to admire the flowers in order to collect her thoughts. “They’re beautiful,” she said softly.

  “Would you like to take some?” he asked, his voice slightly husky as he moved closer. “You can have as many as you like.”

  “No.” The word escaped quickly, so she turned partway and smiled to soften her tone. “They wouldn’t make it on the flight, and I would feel terrible if they wilted.” She swallowed and turned back to face the flowers, avoiding eye contact with him. “They belong here, where they can flourish.”

  There was a weighty pause. “Sure. Whatever you think is best.”

  She nodded, needing to get away from the flowers and all that they represented. She forced a brightness she didn’t feel as she turned back to face him. “I’m ready to go whenever you are.”

  “Okay.” He motioned for her to move ahead of him. “Let’s go back to the house and I’ll show you to a room where you can change into your swimming suit.”

  “Perfect.” She wasn’t sure what he had in mind, but a cold splash of water was exactly what she needed right then to get her thoughts centered again.

  They made small talk as they made their way back to the house and Sawyer led her to a guest room where she could change. “I’m going to go get changed too,” he said. “I’ll meet you out on the dock. See you in a bit.”

  “See you.”

  He gave her a warm smile and closed the door behind him.

  Lily refused to look at her watch, determined to enjoy the time she had left with Sawyer without the sting of her impending departure. The tour of his house and greenhouse had melted her—especially the lilies. And she couldn’t get over how sweet it was that he’d built his house with his future family in mind. She could easily see him as a father. He had always been great with kids, and she knew from conversations they’d had that he wanted to be everything that his dad wasn’t: present, involved, and loving.

  Stop. These were not the kinds of thoughts she needed to be having right before it was time to say goodbye. As much as she longed to be with Sawyer, her future wasn’t in Arkansas. She belonged in New York, where her company was. Deep down she knew there was no point in trying a long-distance relationship with Sawyer when he wouldn’t want to settle down in the city. Spending time with him again had been like a wonderful dream—but that’s all it was: a dream.

  Her chest tightened at the thought of saying goodbye, so she pushed the thoughts aside and changed into the same black one-piece suit she’d worn yesterday, wishing she’d packed more than one swimsuit. But at least this one was her favorite a
nd it accentuated her curves nicely.

  She picked up her phone and made her way back through the house and outside toward the dock where Sawyer was already waiting. He looked good in his swimming trunks and her breath hitched at the sight of his bare sculpted torso and broad smile.

  “Are you ready for this?” he asked, gesturing to the wave runners tied to the dock.

  Lily’s eyes widened. “Seriously?”

  He nodded, handing her a life jacket. “I saw you eyeing these yesterday.”

  She laughed. “I totally was.”

  “Do you want to ride your own, or share one with me?” His face held an expression that was half-question, half-invitation as he fastened his own life jacket.

  She bit her lip. Normally she would jump at the chance to ride her own wave runner, but the opportunity to put her arms around Sawyer was too good to resist. “I’ll ride with you,” she said. “And I dare you to try and dump me off,” she added with a saucy smile.

  “Oh ho!” He put his hands on his hips and gave her a rakish smile in return, nodding once. “Challenge accepted.”

  She climbed on behind him and he started the engine, motoring out of the no wake zone before hitting the throttle. Lily squealed in delight and gripped onto Sawyer’s neoprene life jacket as he did a few spins in the water, spraying them both with water. She loved it and didn’t come close to falling off, which she bragged about more than once—although she suspected he wasn’t trying as hard as he might.

  They explored the lake and after a while Lily rested her chin on Sawyer’s shoulder. He put his hand on her leg and a sweet ache ran through her. She wanted this. She wanted Sawyer, and the fact that it wouldn’t work between them made it hard to breathe. He had done what he’d thought was best for her by letting her go five years ago—and now it was her turn to do what was best for him. Even if it killed her to do it.

  “Let’s stop here for a bit and explore,” he suggested, pulling up to a small beach surrounded by trees.

  “Sure.” She glanced at her watch. They still had about forty-five minutes before they needed to get back to the house. There was time. She hopped off the back and helped Sawyer pull the wave runner ashore before they unclasped their life jackets and walked up the sandy beach. Lights glittered through the trees and Lily strained for a better look. “What’s that?” she asked. They were far away from any of the lake houses, so she tried to make sense of what she was seeing.

  Sawyer gave her a mischievous smile—one that reminded her of when he was young and excited about something—and reached for her hand. “Let’s go check it out.”

  13

  Sawyer’s heart pounded as he led Lily toward the small clearing. He’d held her hand countless times before, but somehow it never felt more meaningful than now. Would she like the surprise? Was she ready to talk about their relationship? And if she wasn’t interested … was he strong enough to let her go?

  He’d considered renting a private jet and whisking her away to some exotic location for their date today, trying to impress her with his wealth—but somehow that felt wrong. Instead, he’d opted for activities that would show her that he hadn’t changed, and that he was willing to do whatever it took to win her back.

  When they reached the clearing and he turned to her, he felt sure he’d made the right call. Her hazel eyes widened as she took in the small wooden table set for two, with a vase of lilies in the center and white twinkling lights strung in the trees overhead.

  “You did this for me?” she asked softly, her gaze focused on the vase of lilies.

  “Yes …” He ran a hand along the back of his neck. “Well, actually, I might have had a little help,” he confessed. “I asked Tim, my gardener, to set this up for me. His wife Roberta is my cook, so she fixed dinner for us.” He stepped over to the warming cooler and unzipped the top, revealing two sets of Styrofoam to-go containers. “I hope you still like chicken parmesan?”

  Lily bit her lip, turning her face away from him.

  “Lil?” He frowned and reached for her hand. “What’s wrong? We don’t have to eat if you’re not hungry.”

  She gave a short laugh and shook her head, brushing at the corners of her eyes. “It’s not that,” she said softly.

  His heart sank. This wasn’t good. He’d never been able to handle watching her cry. “What is it?” he asked, gently turning her to face him.

  She squinted and motioned to the table. “It’s this.”

  His brow creased. “The table?” He’d made it himself, along with the chairs. But he wasn’t about to admit it.

  She let out another small laugh, her eyes shining with moisture. “No. I love the table, and the flowers, and the lights—and the fact that you remembered my favorite meal.” She bit her lip again, her expression pained. “But that’s just it—all of it is perfect.” She turned to face him. “You’re perfect, Sawyer. What am I supposed to do with you?”

  He blinked, his posture relaxing as his chest warmed with hope. He met her eyes and reached for her other hand. “I’m hoping you’ll give me another chance.” He paused. Hope wasn’t a strong enough word to convey his feelings. “More than that—I’m begging you to, Lil.” He let go of her hand to brush a stray tear from her cheek, letting his fingers trail tenderly down the side of her face as he waited for her answer.

  She reached for his hand and cupped it to the side of her face, closing her eyes tight. “You don’t know how much I wish we could make this work.”

  His chest constricted, sensing what she was about to say so he spoke first, “We can, Lil. New York is only a plane ride away. And in between visits we can call and FaceTime. We can make it work.”

  “For how long?” she asked, opening her eyes to hold his gaze. “Your life is here, Sawyer. In Arkansas. And I can’t leave my business in New York. Not when I’ve worked so hard to make it successful.” She lifted a shoulder. “Sure, maybe we could try to make things work for a little while, but the fact is … we live in different worlds now.” She dropped her hand and took a step back. “This weekend has been magical, and I’ll never forget it, but I think—” She blinked hard and looked away. “I think we’re better at leaving this as goodbye.”

  He swallowed, the throbbing in his chest making it difficult to speak. He knew the look in her eyes well enough to know that she wasn’t going to change her mind. More than anything else, he wanted her to be happy. Her happiness was all that mattered. Even if that meant he had to let her go again … this time for good.

  He stared at the ground before lifting his gaze to hers and mustering a faint smile. “I understand.” He paused before straightening and motioning toward the table. “But how about one more meal—for old times’ sake?”

  “Oh.” She glanced at the table and indecision played across her features. “Sure. Especially since you went to all of this trouble.”

  “It was no big deal,” he countered, playing down his efforts.

  “It is to me.”

  Her voice quavered and he silently cursed. If she cried again, he would lose what little hold he had on his emotions. It was taking all of his willpower to hide how gutted he was. He cleared his throat and forced his smile brighter. “Have a seat and I’ll dish up your food.”

  “Thanks.” She moved toward the table and then her gaze shifted to the vase of lilies and she hesitated. “Actually … on second thought … it might be best if I get going.” She checked her watch, her forehead creasing. “I hate to have the food go to waste, but I want to make sure I have plenty of time to get to the airport.”

  “No problem.” He was secretly relieved, unsure how much longer he could mask the pain and disappointment searing his insides like a branding iron. “And don’t worry about the food. Roberta and Tim are coming to clean this up, so I’ll be sure they take it with them to enjoy.”

  “Okay. When you see them, please tell them how much I appreciated it. If it wasn’t for my flight—” She let the words trail off.

  He nodded. “I’ll tell them.�
�

  They headed back down the beach toward the wave runner; the mood much more solemn than it had been when they arrived. Sawyer had Lily get on the wave runner, and he pushed it offshore before climbing on in front of her, pretending not to notice that she held onto the rear handle instead of wrapping her arms around his waist this time. He pushed the button to start the engine, but nothing happened.

  Crap.

  He tried again with the same result.

  “Is something wrong?” Lily asked, a note of worry in her voice.

  “I’m not sure. Hang on while I take a look.” He climbed off of the wave runner and pulled it back onshore. Lily climbed off and helped him remove the seat so he could inspect the engine.

  “Has it done this before?” she asked.

  “Nope. I bought this brand new a few months ago and haven’t had an issue.” He tried the ignition again to no avail. Blasted machine. Although he could tell she was trying hard to hide it, he sensed Lily’s agitation growing by the minute.

  “Will Tim and Roberta be by soon, you think?”

  He shook his head. “I wasn’t sure how long we would be, so I told them there was no rush to clean up. I would call them right now, but I left my phone at the house.”

  “Me too.”

  Guilt pricked his insides. He’d intentionally picked an activity where Lily would leave her phone behind because he didn’t want her to be distracted by it. And now his selfishness might have cost her her flight home. He leaned back on his heels and scratched his eyebrow. “Maybe if we let it sit here for a few minutes that will do the trick.”

  “Okay.” Her face tightened with worry as she checked her watch again.

  “We could go eat dinner while we wait—” he began to suggest, when a wave runner rounded the corner, catching his attention. Sawyer stood and cupped his hands over his mouth. “Hey! Over here,” he called.

  The rider slowed down, moving toward them. He wore a baseball cap that hid most of his face from view. Sawyer shielded his eyes for a better look, wondering which one of his neighbors it was. As soon as he recognized the rider his stomach fell. Not him again.