Inwardly, he scoffed at himself. Marry her? Not a chance. He’d just met her. Sure, they’d been talking a little since their meeting in Lubbock, chatting online at night or on the phone, learning about each other so the relationship would come across as authentic. A couple of times, the conversation had drifted to deeper topics, but he’d steer it back to the surface. It had been tempting to confess his deepest thoughts, but after Angela, he’d learned that they’d just be used against him.
There was no way he was letting his feelings get out of control this time. Those foolish notions had died with his ex. Not that he wouldn’t one day find someone, but he wouldn’t be using a matchmaker site to do it, and it wouldn’t be the first woman he met. Plus, Winnie lived in San Antonio. Distance was the biggest killer of relationships.
“Oh, she’s so pretty, Bear.” Carrie Anne beamed at him. “I love her hair.”
“Yeah, me too,” he replied. It was just as beautiful this time. Well, all of her was beautiful. Her choice of clothing was consistent. Jeans, a t-shirt, and tennis shoes. Simple, down-to-earth, and completely opposite Angela, which was definitely a plus.
A smile lifted Winnie’s lips as she stopped in front of him, and he gathered her into a hug. “Winnie, this is my sister, Carrie Anne.”
Of course, his sister hugged her. “It’s so good to meet you. Bear has hardly told us anything.”
“Men.” Winnie laughed. “It’s nice to meet you too.”
Carrie Anne released her. “Thank you so much for volunteering to cook for us. I can’t tell you how wonderful that is. Our sister-in-law will probably want to help, just a heads-up.”
Shrugging, Winnie smiled. “I never turn down help.”
“How was your flight?” asked Bear.
“It was okay. They ran out of pretzels.”
Carrie Anne’s mouth dropped open. “What? I didn’t even know that was possible.”
Winnie chuckled. “I didn’t either, but I think I’m bad luck.”
“No,” Bear said, putting his arm around her shoulders and pressing his lips to her temple. “I don’t think that’s possible.” The pop of static from the touch made his mouth tingle. He’d need to keep his lips to himself if that was going to keep happening.
Winnie hugged him around the chest. Yeah, she’d gotten his message. “You’re sweet, but now I’m craving pretzels.”
“Then we’ll stop and get you some.” He planted a kiss on the top of her head like it was the most natural thing to do. That unnerving feeling that he’d met the one rammed him in the ribs. His head responded with, SAN ANTONIO, using a megaphone.
Carrie Anne grinned. “You two make a great couple. Momma is gonna love her.”
“Mom loves everyone.”
“That’s true.” Carrie Anne directed the statement to Winnie. “I sure wish Bandit was here to meet you. I bet you, Reagan, and Bandit could talk cooking all day long.”
As they reached the luggage area, Winnie dropped her arms to her sides. “I’m sure Reagan and I will talk about food a lot.” She paused. “You’ll be able to spot mine pretty easy.”
Bear laughed. “The one with the cheeseburgers printed on it?”
“And the one with fries and drinks. The smallest has desserts on it.”
“Ooh, I spotted one,” Carrie Anne said, running to the end and grabbing a large suitcase. She pulled it behind her and returned to the group as Bear spied a small one on its way to them.
He grabbed the handle and set it on the floor. “Did you bring your knife set?”
“Yeah, it should be in the middle-sized piece. I had a feeling they’d give me a trip to jail if I tried to bring them in my carry-on.”
As people took their luggage, Bear could see the anxiety building in Winnie. Her knives were important to her. Every chef had their preference, and from what she’d told him, she’d worked hard to afford them.
Tears glistened in her eyes as the last piece of luggage was pulled off and hers still hadn’t appeared. “My knives,” she whispered.
The hurt in her voice tugged at his heart. Putting his arm around her, he pulled her to him. “It’s okay, sweetheart, we’ll find them, and if not, we’ll get you some more. Okay?”
Those tear-filled green eyes locked with his. “I worked so hard for them.”
“I know you did. Let’s go talk to the airline and let them know.”
Carrie Anne rubbed her back. “I’m so sorry. Let’s do what Bear said and go to the lost luggage desk. I’m sure they just got on the wrong plane.”
Winnie nodded. “I bet you’re right. I’m just…attached to them, I guess.”
“Come on,” Bear said, keeping one arm around her and taking the handle of her luggage with the other. “We’ll get this taken care of and then head to the ranch.”
“Okay.” Winnie leaned into him as if soaking up his comfort.
He had to admit it felt good to be needed by someone who didn’t see him as a dollar sign. As soon as he thought it, doubts flooded his mind. He’d thought the same about Angela, and look where that got him. Heartbreak City.
Then again, wouldn’t Winnie have tried to negotiate more money right from the beginning if she knew he was a billionaire? Although, if she was really trying to pad her bank account, maybe she wanted to gain his trust. Man, he needed to stop. If this kind of argument was going to take place the entire holiday, he’d have a never-ending migraine.
Winnie was a chef, and he knew that. It was a fact. He’d done a background check on her, talked to her teacher, and done everything in his power to keep himself safe. If she was anything like Angela, she’d have pointed those big green eyes at him and asked him to replace the knives.
So far, this woman was nothing like the last one, and he’d need to keep that in mind so he didn’t treat her like she was. He’d been wronged, but it was his face he’d be looking at in the mirror each morning, and no matter how someone had treated him, he was still responsible for his own behavior.
He could be kind to Winnie without forgetting this was a business arrangement. When he’d done his research on her, he’d read several articles about chefs. There were some chefs who couldn’t function in the kitchen without their knives. His family knew him well enough to know that if he loved a woman, he’d get her a replacement.
They were helping each other. That’s all.
Chapter 7
The display of knives on the wall in front of Winnie was impressive for a store in a town as small as Amarillo. Okay, so it wasn’t the boonies, but it wasn’t San Antonio or Houston either. When Bear had insisted they stop, she was sure they weren’t going to find anything she could use.
It was super sweet, and he’d done a number on her nerves at the airport, kissing the side of her temple. And the way he pulled her close when she realized her knives were missing—not to mention part of her wardrobe—if he kept being so sweet, planting kisses on her like that, she’d have enough hot flashes for early menopause.
“See any that will work?” Carrie Anne asked.
His sister was the sweetest thing too. She’d practically squeezed Winnie to pieces when they’d hugged in the airport. If that girl wasn’t homecoming queen in high school, Winnie would eat day-old gas-station sushi. “I do, but the reason I was so attached to mine was the price. They were so expensive. I worked two jobs to buy them while I was in college.”
Bear shot her a glance. “You pick the ones you need, and don’t worry about the price tag.”
Don’t worry about the price tag? He was a rancher, and she knew his profit margin was slim at best. Most ranches were like that. Not that they couldn’t make money, but running a place like that wasn’t easy or for the faint of heart. “I just…I know you raise cattle, and I toured a ranch with Natalie once. We were thinking of switching beef suppliers, but she wanted to make sure they were grass-fed. Needless to say, they weren’t, which was why they were so much cheaper. In the end, we opted to stick with what we knew. My point is, I know making money with a ran
ch can be tough, and it’s a lot of hard work. I can’t use your money for knives.”
A half-smile lifted his lips, and he trained those ocean blues on her. “I appreciate that, but really, it’s okay.”
“All right, but I’ll make a deal with you. If you buy the knives, I’ll help you with the ranch. That way I’ll have a better understanding of how things work.” That was the least she could do if he was going to spend money like that on her. She stuck her hand out, waiting for him to shake on it.
His gaze dipped to her hand. “You’re cooking. That’s work.”
Shaking her head, she said, “No, that’s fun.”
The half-smile turned into a wide grin as he took her hand. “It’s a deal.”
There was that tingle again, zipping all over, frying her nerves. “Okay.”
“You sure haven’t changed much, Bear,” Carrie Anne quipped as she snickered. “He’s always done things on a handshake. For him, it’s as good as signing on a dotted line. He’ll kill himself trying to keep his word.”
“Oh yeah?” Winnie smiled.
Nodding, Carrie Anne said, “Oh yeah.”
With a shrug, Bear pointed his gaze at the wall of knives. “I think a man’s word should mean something. There are too many people in this world who don’t understand that anymore.”
Was it proper to swoon in a cutlery store? Because if he kept that kind of talk up, she’d hit the floor and never see it coming. She’d always loved men who were like that. The kind who would cross oceans if it meant keeping promises.
“I think so too,” she murmured.
Bear slowly looked at her, and their eyes locked. And just like that, she was alone with the most beautiful man she’d ever seen. She was absolutely positive her heart was beating out a Morse code, something to the effect of, Kiss me, you handsome devil.
A tiny giggle from his sister broke the moment, but as brief as it was, it was seared into Winnie’s mind. She had a restaurant to open, but now she had a standard that a man would have to meet if they wanted to sweep her off her feet.
“You two are just…” Carrie Anne sighed. “Cute.”
The moment was definitely broken when Bear shot his sister a withering look. “I’m not cute.”
“Are too,” she quipped back.
“Stop that. You’re making Winnie uncomfortable.” Bear curled his arm around Winnie’s waist. “This is her first time meeting the family. Do you want to scare her off?”
Without a thought or bit of hesitation, she leaned into him, placing her hand against his chest. “I don’t scare easily.” What was even stranger was how right it felt too. Like he’d been made for her.
She squeezed her eyes closed and took a breath to get her thoughts in order. Why was she even thinking about these things? They were supposed to be acting like they were a real couple, but they weren’t. All the sweet things, little kisses, the way he held her…that was all to convince his sister they were a real couple. Why was that so easy to forget?
Getting caught up in something with Bear would only muddy the waters. He was acting, and despite her heart trying to convince her otherwise, she was acting too.
Boy, the next six weeks, she’d need to be careful and remember why she was in Caprock Canyon. Perhaps she should see if the store had super glue so she could keep her feet firmly planted on the ground. She had a feeling she was going to need it.
Chapter 8
“How big is the ranch?” asked Winnie. They’d turned off the road at least a mile ago, and they were still going.
He shot her a smile. “Over nine hundred acres.”
She sucked in a breath. Wow. “It’s huge. The one I visited was only five hundred or so.”
“That’s why I hired a few ranch hands. I’m needing more help now that the herd is larger.” He pointed in the direction of the passenger window. “We’re thinking of taking some of the land and building some lodging so we can start a dude ranch.” Chuckling, he added, “Since we already have the ranch part.”
Winnie nodded as she turned her gaze to the field stretching into the horizon. “Really?”
“Thinking about it. We’re out of the way, so as far as peace and quiet, we’d have that down.”
Carrie Anne tapped Winnie on the shoulder from the back seat. “My brother Wyatt and his wife, Gabby, have a farmer’s market once a month. It’s become pretty popular over the last couple of years.”
“That’s because Gabby makes the most delicious pecan pies you’ve ever eaten,” Bear said, turning off the road.
In the distance, Winnie could see a two-story ranch home. She touched his shoulder. “The house is beautiful, Bear.”
“I did say I had it restored, and I sent you a picture.”
Another instance of a picture not doing something justice. “It’s so impressive seeing it in person. I love the wrap-around porch, the rocking chairs, and…well, the whole thing.”
Bear covered her hand with his. “I’m glad you like it.”
“I love it. It looks like my nanny's house in Houston. She sold it a few years ago when she moved to Oregon. I always wanted a house like that because of all the good memories I have.”
A smile stretched on his lips. “I remember you telling me that. I had a rocking chair made for you so you can sit outside in the evening with your tea.”
Winnie’s eyes turned misty. “You did that for me?” Even knowing this was a fake relationship, her heart still skipped a beat. He remembered she liked sitting outside drinking tea of an evening. “You’re so sweet.”
“I wanted you to feel comfortable while you’re here.” He continued along a bricked path to the back of the house and stopped the truck under a carport that matched the house. “This little deck back here has the best views, I think. The sun sets on this side, so I put your chair back here with mine.”
“Thank you.” She touched the spot over her heart and caught his gaze. “That’s one of the nicest things anyone has ever done for me.”
In the next second, she heard the rear passenger door open and close as Carrie Anne slipped out, but she didn’t acknowledge it even a little. They weren’t even dating, and he was treating her better than she’d ever been treated.
“This is home until the new year, and I wanted you to know that what’s mine is yours while you’re here.” His voice was soft. “I hope you like it here.”
“I already do.” She paused, bracing her hand on the armrest and leaning over. “You’ve told me a little about Angela, and I want you to know that if I ever see her, I’m going to punch her lights out.”
His rich laughter filled the cab of the pickup. “I hope you meet her, then, but you don’t need to sock her. Someone recently told me I was too good for her.”
Winnie snickered, remembering the conversation they’d shared. He was too good for Angela. Way too good. “I think you must have been talking to a pretty wise person.”
“I think so too.” He cupped her cheek as their gazes locked.
Once again, the world turned hazy. With each moment that passed, the hope that he’d kiss her grew.
Dropping his hand, he cleared his throat and leaned away. “We probably should go inside. I suspect by now Carrie Anne has given the signal that we’re here.”
“Okay.” For a fleeting moment, she was hurt that he didn’t kiss her. Then reality slapped her upside the head. The last thing she needed was him kissing her. That could lead to more kissing, and she had a feeling that the more he kissed her, the less determined she’d be to leave after the new year.
Opening the driver door, he jumped out and rounded the front of the pickup, pulling her door open before taking her luggage out of the back seat. “I’m sure my mom is beyond ready to meet you.”
“Do you think she’ll like me?” Why had she asked that? Did it matter if they liked her? Besides, it seemed that Carrie Anne did. Wouldn’t that mean the rest of the family would?
“I think she’ll hug you so tight you’ll be wondering if you have organ
damage.”
Winnie laughed. “That makes me feel better. Not the organ damage; the hug.”
Holding her luggage in each hand, he waved her ahead of him. “This is the back door, and I apologize for making it seem like I’m sneaking you in.”
“You had to park the truck under the cover. I bet you get a heap of hailstorms.”
He set her luggage down as he opened the door to the house. “We do, and I forgot to put it away once. I don’t want that to happen again.”
She stepped inside the house and immediately took a deep breath. “Coffee. It smells glorious.”
“Hunter and Reagan must already be here. I didn’t think they were coming until Thursday, just before the meal.”
“Maybe they couldn’t wait to see you guys.”
“Earlier in the year, they’d spoken of getting a manager for their bed and breakfast. They were interviewing people and struggling to find someone they trusted, but I guess they ultimately found someone.”
Nodding, Winnie said, “I understand that. I’ll have to do a lot of hiring for my restaurant. I’m glad they found someone.”
Grabbing her luggage, Bear stepped inside and shut the door before moving around her. “I figured when you got here you could pick a room upstairs.” He tipped his head to the left. “My room is down that hall. I had it added about three years ago now. I love my family when they come for the holidays, but I need my space.” He chuckled.
He dipped his head forward. “That’s the kitchen right through that door. I suspect the murmuring I’m hearing is my family gathering to meet you.”
“Okay.”
He followed her into the kitchen, and sure enough, there were several people seeming to act like they were playing cards. They looked up, smiled, and three of the men sitting at the table stood.
One of the men held a little girl with dark hair. Carrie Anne approached him and took her. “This is my husband, Israel, and this little one is Camry.”
“Hello,” said an older woman who was most definitely Bear’s mom. She stood and rounded the table, gathering Winnie into a hug. “It’s so good to meet you.”
The Fake Girlfriend's Billionaire Match (Caprock Canyon Romance Book 4) Page 3