Sara had a future ahead of her, a life, a future family, a practice that she had built, and she did all of without ever treating anyone poorly. If I stuck around in her life, I would do nothing but drag her down, down, and down until everything she had worked so hard for was ruined. That was what I did, that was what the media did to unsuspecting people like her. They pushed and pulled until they had taken the last bit of a person, and when the story was done, they walked away, never looking back. No matter how hard my life had been, my mother had taught me better than that. Hell, just seeing how she wasn’t treated fairly was enough to make me know better. Sara deserved a good man, better than I could ever be. The least I could do was try to be a good person and call things off with her before she lost everything and everyone.
I owed her that, and so much more. I had come into her life, forced my way in, and now she was paying the price for the fact that I didn’t think things through like I should have. How I didn’t get a call from PR when this story first leaked was beyond me. At least then, I could have stopped it, slowed it down, or something. But no. I found out hours after it had been published. I sighed and put my head in my hands, shaking it back and forth. Almost as if the rep was psychic, my office phone rang, and it was her.
“I seriously want to know why no one caught this story when it first went out,” I said angrily. “I just found out about it during a group interview with a bunch of young, idiot reporters.”
“I tried to call you this morning,” she said. “But you must have been out of range. Why in the world do you sound so angry?”
“This is just what I need, more bad press, and to top it all off, this girl is actually a really good person,” I said.
“First of all, this is not bad press,” she said. “It’s playing out really well in the press. Secondly, if you find the real journalists who actually did their research, you would see they talked about her as an upstanding member of the community. A civilian to royalty kind of enchantment to the story. I like it, Ryan, so stop freaking out. I want you to keep it up.”
“That’s not possible,” I said. “I’m leaving town really soon, so this relationship, it’s not sustainable.”
“So, bring her back to New York,” she said.
“There’s no way she would agree to that,” I said. “Her life is here in this small town. She has a practice, she’s happy here, and the last thing she wants is to be dragged to the city and made the center of attention.”
“I need you to reconsider leaving then,” she said. “Please, Ryan. You know I don’t beg, but I’m begging you right now. We have killed ourselves trying to get an ounce of good press, and now that you have it, you want to run from it. You owe me this.”
“No,” I said. “I pay you to kill yourself for good press.”
“Come on,” she groaned. “Staying a couple more weeks in Bonanza is not going to kill you. A couple of weeks with this Sara girl will do more to erase all the bullshit of your past faster than a thousand green energy projects will.”
“Are you serious?”
“Heart-attack serious,” she said.
“Fine, I will think about it,” I said. “But you need to know this can’t go on forever. I’ll call you later.”
“You’re my hero,” she said before I hung up the phone.
Holy crap, how did I go from being the villain, allegedly working with the Russians, to being America’s sweetheart love story overnight? It was frustrating and unbelievable, and I knew Sara was going to hate it, every second of the press. I didn’t know what to do. I liked her, more than liked her, in fact, and beyond just hanging out and laughing with her, I loved the idea of another passionate night of sex with her. It was dangerous, though, and it could end in a bad way with a lot of hurt feelings. At the same time, I couldn’t get this girl off my mind, and ever since we got back from the vineyard, I had been dreading the idea of leaving her and going back to my old life in the city. I hated to even think about not seeing her anymore and letting everything that we had become float away like it never happened.
I sat up in my chair and put my hand to my chin, thinking about what the PR agent said to me. Maybe all of this was a sign, and maybe she was the right woman to help me with this transition into a better, stronger life. She already made me want to be a better man, to help others like she did, to remember where I came from and to stay humble when the rich part of me tried to take over. I had never been that careful with anyone in my life. Maybe I needed Sara to continue along that path, a woman who was sweet, honest, and accepting. Someone who didn’t make me feel like shit because I had too much money or not enough money. The girl didn’t give two shits about my bank account and could sit at a breakfast table laughing at corny jokes with me over pancakes and muffins.
I had never met anyone like her before, and I had a feeling I wouldn’t again. She was a one of a kind person and the kind of woman who didn’t exist in the world anymore. She was exactly what I needed, and I didn’t even know it until she was right there in my arms. There was no real way I could walk away from her, no matter how hard I tried to tell myself I could. I had to be resolute, and I knew I wanted to take my relationship with Sara to the next level, even if that meant being in Bonanza longer than I expected.
A warmth filled my chest thinking about having more time with her, showing her how much I cared. I needed to do something special for her, especially after what happened today. I thought about it for a second and then remembered our conversation at the barbecue restaurant. That was it. I would stop by her house that night with supplies and cook her a home-cooked meal.
Chapter 22
Sara
I tried to get a handle on everything after walking into the office that morning, but I just felt off all day. I was completely rattled by the news coverage showcasing my and Ryan’s trip. Not to mention that Janson had cornered me that morning and pretty much called me a whore because I was photographed kissing another man at a vineyard. He was the last person I had wanted to see, which was my luck since he was the first one who had popped up that morning. So much for him not finding out about me and Ryan or our getaway to the bed and breakfast. There wasn’t a person with internet access who wouldn’t have heard about it by then.
Not only did I have to deal with my phone ringing off the hook and messages popping up all over my email and my social media accounts, my own vet office was abuzz with the news. Everyone who worked there knew me really well, and they knew there was no way I was going to talk about what happened. But still, I could hear them whispering in the back, and every time I walked up to the front counter, they would stop whispering and act like nothing was going on. I considered shutting them all down but decided the best course of action was probably to play it off and try to get through the rest of the day. It was difficult with even the customers whispering about it.
About halfway through the day I finished up with a surgery on a dog’s broken leg and walked up to the front, ready to take a lunch break. I let the receptionist go for lunch and figured I would sit at the front and read through the afternoon client files. As I was sitting there, the front door opened, and a woman walked inside, looking around. When she saw me, she smiled nervously, picking up her chihuahua and setting him on the counter. I didn’t recognize the woman, which was strange since I knew everyone in town. People from outside Bonanza didn’t really come see me unless it was a livestock issue since there were vets in all the surrounding towns. I figured maybe it was a fluke, or maybe she was just visiting. We seemed to be having an influx of visitors from out of town lately.
“Hi,” I said. “How can I help you?”
“My dog,” she said, petting the pup. “He’s been vomiting for a couple of days now. Not keeping down food or water. I figured I should bring him in and let the vet check him out.”
“Okay,” I smiled, standing up and looking briefly over the dog. “I’m sorry, you don’t look familiar. Do you live in Bonanza?”
“No.” She smiled. “I’m just
visiting some relatives on the outskirts of town.”
“Oh,” I said. “Okay, where ya from?”
“Seattle,” she said, shaking her head.
“I see,” I said, lifting the pup’s chin up and looking into his eyes. “Well, I’m the vet here, Dr. Baxter, and if you would just fill out a little bit of information for me, I can get your pup seen and hopefully taken care of pretty quickly. He seems to be in good spirits, so that’s a good sign.”
“Thank you,” she said, filling out the paperwork at the desk.
When she was done, I put the info into the computer and then showed them back to the examination room. I put the puppy on the table and did my routine exam, checking for any signs of anything dire. It was strange, though. The dog didn’t seem to be sick at all, and as I examined his teeth, I noticed he still had some food stuck in them. I stood up and put my hands on my hips.
“He’s looking pretty well,” I said. “I’ll take his temp and rule out any viruses.”
“Okay,” she said. “Can I ask you something?”
“Sure,” I replied looking down at the dog. “Do you know where Ryan Reines works?”
“Ryan?” I said, looking down at the dog. “He works at the ranch on the edge of town. Why? Do you know him?”
“No,” she said, shaking her head.
I stood up and looked at her strangely, realizing I had most possibly been duped. The girl avoided eye contact with me at all costs. I looked back down at the pup and tried to play it off like I hadn’t noticed.
“So, are you going to be working for the company?”
“No,” she said.
“Then why are you looking for him?” I replied, looking up at her with raised eyebrows.
“Honestly?” She chuckled. “I’m a journalist. I came to town to get the scoop on what was happening between you and him. Would you mind making a statement or talking to me about your relationship to him? Is it serious?”
“I would mind,” I said, going back to work on the dog. “My private life should stay just that, private, and I don’t appreciate it being splashed all over the headlines without any warning. I’m not the girl they say I am, and that is off the record.”
“I know it had to be a shock,” she said. “To wake up to that, but if you would give me a few minutes of your time, let me ask you a few questions, then maybe you can clear up any misconceptions the press might have made about you.”
“No thanks,” I said taking off my gloves. “Is this dog even sick? Is it even yours?”
“Yes, it’s my dog,” she said, shaking her head. “But no, he isn’t sick. I just needed an excuse to get in and see you. It’s journalism. I didn’t actually think you would welcome me with open arms.”
“You’re right,” I said, slapping the gloves into the wastebasket.
“Just tell me one thing,” she said before I could walk out of the room. “Tell me how you feel about all the scandals involving your new boyfriend.”
“I have absolutely no idea what you’re talking about,” I said, turning around. “I know nothing about any scandals. And another thing, stop calling Ryan my boyfriend. He is not my boyfriend.”
“You don’t know about the scandal?” she said, looking at me like I lived under a rock. “It has been everywhere for the last few months. It’s seriously been the biggest story in the media.”
I felt like an idiot, and I didn’t want to admit it to her, but no, I had no interest in reading about some rich guy and his scandals. I was a serious vet who owned her own practice and had more important things to do than read about someone else’s life. I felt kind of like an idiot, though, seeing a guy who obviously had something huge in the past.
“I didn’t hear about it, no,” I said awkwardly. “Look, you have to leave. This is my business, and you’re wasting my time. There are seriously sick animals waiting out there to be seen. You should be ashamed of yourself for bringing your pooch in here just to trick me into talking to you. So please, remove yourself before I call the sheriff and have him remove you himself. Trust me, I know the guy, and you do not want to have to deal with him.”
She nodded her head abashedly, and I turned, walking from the office into the back. I couldn’t believe how my life had been completely turned upside down over a damn kiss. Not even the kiss, a picture of a kiss. I had to end things with Ryan. I needed my life to go back to normal, so I could move on with my life. I nodded my head resolutely, feeling good about finally making a decision for my own good. As I sat there, though, staring at the laptop on my desk, I started to lose my self-control. This journalist was shocked I didn’t know about whatever scandal Ryan was involved with. She couldn’t believe her ears. That alone made me feel like a complete idiot, not to mention the fact that he had never once brought up anything about any kind of recent scandal.
Finally, after fighting myself for several minutes, I sighed and gave in. I turned the computer toward me and opened the browser. I typed Ryan’s name into the search bar and held my breath as I pressed enter. The first things to pop up were all about me and the kiss, but as I scrolled farther down the page, I was more than surprised by what I had found. There were about a hundred different headlines talking about the Russians. I picked the most well-known publication on the list and clicked on it, reading through the story. My eyebrows immediately went up when I spotted the Natasha Noborov name printed on the screen. That was the name he had said when he’d told me about his ex-girlfriend. I kept reading, finding out that her father had been using Russian money to do all kinds of bad dealings. In the end, Natasha had not only accused Ryan of knowing about it but said he had been one of the investors with his father.
I held my breath finishing up the story, at least glad to see the government had cleared him of any wrongdoing. Still, it was way more in-depth than I ever imagined reading. I felt completely numb on the inside, like everything I knew about Ryan was a complete and total lie. How could I trust a man who couldn’t even be honest with me during the privacy between us? I sat back in my chair and shook my head, not knowing what to think or say. I stared off into space, letting the numbness take over. My phone buzzed on the table next to me, pulling me back into reality. It was Ryan, and I wasn’t sure if I should pick up or not. After about the third ring, though, I gave in and answered his call.
“Hey,” he said. “Busy day at the office.”
“Yeah,” I said, still stunned. “Uh, what’s up?”
“I thought I might stop by tonight if that’s okay,” he said.
I thought about it for a long second and then answered him. “Sure,” I said.
“Okay, cool,” he replied. “It’s crazy here today, but I’ll see you tonight.”
“Okay,” I said. “See you tonight.”
I didn’t want to see him, but I needed to confront him about everything. There was no way I was going to let him get away with this. The story he had told me the night he was trying to get me to open up about Janson was so far off what had actually happened that it might as well been a complete and total lie. In fact, he would have done better in the situation if he had told me a complete bullshit lie. At least then, I wouldn’t feel betrayed like I couldn’t believe anything that had come out of his mouth since I met him. I had been spending my time sleeping with, feeling safe with, a complete and total stranger.
I was going to confront him, let him know he was a complete asshole, and then I was going to end whatever was going on between us. I wasn’t stupid. I knew he had played me, and boy, did he really get me good. He had me actually believing he was a stand-up guy, just trying to do good things. Whatever. It wasn’t going to matter after that night. He would be gone from my life for good.
Chapter 23
Ryan
Before I went to Sara’s house, I stopped off at the general store and was able to pull together enough ingredients for a halfway decent dinner for the two of us. It was a really good thing I had spent most of my childhood throwing together nonmatching ingredients and makin
g something that was halfway nutritious and not terrifying to eat. I knew she would appreciate it no matter how it turned out because she was the kind of girl who truly believed it was the thought that counted in situations like that. Still, I wished I had been able to figure out where the grocery store was, so I could really cook her something nice. I wanted to impress Sara for some reason, and I knew money and flashy things wouldn’t do it. She was down-to-earth and responded more to the little things, like cooking dinner, than any extravagant gift I could buy her. I really couldn’t explain what about her made me want her to be impressed by me, but I had decided I was going to go with the flow on this one. Plus, I was just plain excited to see the girl and had been thinking about her all day, counting down the hours until I could meet her at her house.
I drove the SUV up in front of the house and got out, going to the passenger side and grabbing the bags out. I shut the door and smiled at my reflection, feeling the butterflies coming back. I turned and whistled, walking excitedly up to her door, making sure not squish any of the groceries in the bags. I rang the doorbell and looked around, happy to see no dead animals lurking in her driveway. When she opened the door, I turned, smiling widely.
“Hey,” I said, my face dropping a bit when I realized there was definitely something wrong.
I ignored the look, figuring she could have had a really long day at work. When I had talked to her earlier, she sounded incredibly busy, and she was probably just tired. I bent down and kissed her on the cheek, feeling her immediately stiffen. I opened my eyes and pulled away slowly, feeling the reaction and taking notice. I wasn’t used to seeing her like this, blank stare in her eyes, a cold demeanor toward me. Immediately, I went on high alert, expecting to hear about whatever it was very soon. Until then, though, I was going to act like I hadn’t noticed a thing. She stepped to the side, and I walked into the house, smiling at her. I walked straight back into the kitchen and set the bags down on the counter and started to pull out the food and sort it into piles.
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