The initial picture came out on its own accord, but PR had jumped right on that when they found out how amazing Sara was and how much good it was doing for my reputation. I had never had someone in my life with such outstanding qualities, and that she was a small-town hero with her vet practice made the story even sweeter for the media. It was at a point where I couldn’t stop the media from coming after us, but I definitely needed to figure out how to circumnavigate the whole situation. One thing I had learned really well in my time in the limelight was how the paparazzi and the mainstream media worked, how they thought, and where they liked to attack. I had spent enough time with these people that I was starting to know their routines like the back of my hand. I was pretty sure that with a little planning, I could keep Sara out of the limelight while she was here with me in New York. The word was out that she was here. That was something I couldn’t take back, but there were other ways I could protect her.
As I sat there thinking about it, I heard the familiar shuffle of Sara’s feet coming down the hall, and I sat up as she appeared in the doorway. Immediately, my breath caught in my throat staring at her with her long hair cascading around her shoulders, wearing some shorts and a T-shirt. She was so damn beautiful all the time and had this innocence to her that was breathtaking. I just had to figure out a way to keep the media from snatching that away from her. It definitely wasn’t going to be easy, but it was well worth it.
“Good morning,” I said, standing up. “Did you sleep well?”
“Yeah,” she said, blushing. “The bed is amazing, but the alcohol definitely finished off the job.”
“I can imagine.” I chuckled, walking over to her. “Come on. You must be hungry.”
I grabbed her by the wrist and pulled her down the hall and to the kitchen. I had called a catering service and had them fully cater breakfast since I didn’t have a ton of groceries and wasn’t sure what she would like. She giggled and shook her head, looking at the spread, obviously impressed.
“I wasn’t sure what you would like so I ordered a bunch of different things.” I smiled, handing her a plate.
She smiled back at me, not saying a word. She was different that morning, a little withdrawn and more shy than usual. This normally would be the moment she made some funny comment about my cooking, but instead, she just went through picking out the things she liked and filling her plate. I hoped that what happened the night before hadn’t renewed her misgivings about being here with me in New York. I didn’t want her to think it was a mistake by any means. I followed along with her, grabbing some fruit and yogurt and heading to the table where the coffee carafe was sitting. She sat down across the table from me and started eating, barely even looking at me. I had planned on taking her out sightseeing, give her some fresh air, but I didn’t want her to think I was putting too much time and attention into her. I figured the best way to handle it was to bring the day up in a roundabout kind of way.
“It’s a beautiful day in the city today,” I said, looking up at her.
“It is,” she said with a smile.
“I’ve been so out of the loop with the business being in Bonanza,” I said. “There are a million things to do, so when I started the day, I figured I would spend it in my office, getting caught up on everything.”
I was so damn nervous when I was talking, and I had no idea why. Maybe I was scared she was going to stop me and tell me she wanted to go home. Maybe I was just nervous around her because I wanted it to work so badly. She nodded, eating her breakfast and watching me clasp my hands together. I leaned forward and opened my mouth to tell her that on the other hand, it would be rude to leave her all alone, when a familiar voice rang out, breaking my concentration and completely cutting me off.
“Hey, man,” the voice called out from the front door. “I hear you in here talking, and I’m hoping you aren’t talking to yourself. They make medication for that kind of thing, you know.”
I sighed, not getting to finish my sentence, realizing that I had given Alec access to my life all of the time. He was sort of my handler at times, but right then, I didn’t need him. I turned and forced a smile, watching Alec strolling into the kitchen. He stopped in the doorway when he saw Sara, and I could see the smooth debonair man start to seep out of his pores. Sara smiled and swallowed her food, wiping her mouth and looking between him and me. He never ceased to have perfect freaking timing every single time. It was the first time, though, that I actually regretted giving my best friend a key to my place. Usually, he would text or call beforehand, but I guess he figured since I just got back into town, I wouldn’t have had the time to have anyone staying over. When I talked to him on the car ride to the apartment the day before, it had been brief, and he didn’t know Sara was with me, not that it would have mattered. He still would have come walking in the front door like he owned the place. Sometimes, he lacked serious personal boundaries.
“Hey, man.” I stood up and shook his hand.
“Hey,” he said, smiling at me and glancing over at Sara. “It’s good to have you back. We’ve missed you out here.”
“Yeah, right.” I chuckled. “Alec, this is Sara. She’s staying here for a little while. Sara, this is my best friend Alec.”
“It’s definitely a pleasant surprise,” he said, pulling out his charm. “I had prepared myself to face his ugly mug, but you cleared that right up for me.”
She giggled and shook his hand, sending an uncomfortable jealousy into the pit of my stomach. I thought briefly about pushing him off the balcony to get him out of the way, but that might not be the way to win back Sara’s heart. Alec turned and grabbed some toast off the island and sat down.
“Whatcha been up to?” he asked.
“Just catching up,” I said.
“Sounds like you’re busy,” he said, turning to Sara. “Why don’t you let me show you around the city today?”
“You don’t have to do that,” I said before Sara could talk. “I actually planned on putting everyone off for another day and taking her out myself.”
“No, man, what kind of best friend would I be if I didn’t help show your guest a good time and let you get some work done?” he said with a charming smile in Sara’s direction.
“It’s fine, Ryan,” Sara said, already won over. “You get your work done, and I’ll hang out with your best friend for a while.”
Sara got up and put her plate in the sink, and I just smiled at Alec, showing him I wasn’t happy with his interruption. He flashed me a toothy grin and stood up, putting his arm out for Sara. She blushed and took it, looking over at me and smiling as the two walked from the room. When I heard the front door closed, I got up and walked to my office, wondering what the hell just happened. One minute, I was trying to make plans with her and the next minute she was gone with my best friend. I should have bit the bullet and been open with her from the beginning. Now I had to sit and wonder all day.
Chapter 33
Sara
When I’d woken up that morning, I hadn’t expected to end up out on the town with a complete stranger, but when Ryan’s best friend asked, I figured it would be a good change of pace. I needed to clear my mind from what happened the day before, and Ryan needed to get caught back up with work. I knew if I didn’t leave the penthouse, he would never stop doting on me. Alec was handsome and charming just like Ryan. Also, just like Ryan, he was every bit as rich. His clothes screamed high-fashion, his hair was perfectly manicured, and he walked around with that air as if he could do anything he wanted and get away with it. He wasn’t cocky so much as sarcastic, and I really liked his sense of humor. It was still strange being around people, though, who treated money like it was nothing at all. They dropped thousands of dollars a day on things I never thought of like how they got around town, private viewings of things, and lavish vacations I never imagined I would ever go on in my life. I was definitely not poor by government standards, but next to these guys, I felt like a complete pauper. I put it out of my mind, though, just want
ing to enjoy the day.
“So how do you know Ryan?” I asked.
“We met here in the city and had a lot in common,” he said. “We were in the rich boy club, and it’s hard to find true friends outside of that.”
“I can imagine.” I chuckled, walking down the city street toward the Empire State Building.
“I’m a trust fund baby, though.” He smiled. “The only work I did for my initial fortune was being born. My parents, they bred me into high society while Ryan earned every penny he got on his own. I admire that about him. He sees what he wants, and he goes after it, not letting anything stand in his way.”
“And you?” I chuckled.
“I call my dad,” he said with a loud laugh. “No, I work hard now, but I didn’t always.”
“Well, that’s good. Hard work always feels good,” I said.
“For me, it’s a bit easier because I come from the old money. For Ryan, he really has to kill himself to get that work in,” he said. “That’s why the media kicking his butt is such a big deal. It affects how everyone sees him.”
“Oh,” I said, feeling slightly bad for being so upset about everything.
“It’s all right. I’ll throw him a couple million if he gets too caught up because of that crap with the Russians,” he said, laughing. “God knows I don’t do much good with the money sitting in my bank account.”
I just laughed and shook my head, not really knowing what to say back. We spent the day going from tourist site to tourist site. I saw the Empire State Building, Times Square, Central Park and then he drove me out to see the Statue of Liberty from a distance. It was already too late to go take a ferry over to it. The whole time we were out, he was a sarcastic host, cracking self-deprecating jokes about his wealth but at the same time flashing his money around. I found him to be interesting, the opposite of Ryan, and the typical rich guy but fun to be around on vacation nonetheless. When we were done looking at the statue, we wandered over to Central Park and grabbed some hotdogs from the stand. We walked through the park looking at the people passing by, taking in the warmth of the sunshine.
“So, tell me,” he said as we walked. “What is going on with you and Ryan?”
“Oh lord.” I laughed. “What isn’t going on?”
“That deep, huh?” he chuckled.
“Well, we met in Bonanza. He saved me like a hundred times from bad situations, and then we really hit it off. It was magical for a minute. I have an ex there. He’s doing some really crazy bad things to me right now, and to make me comfortable enough to talk about it, he told me about him and Natasha,” I explained. “Except he didn’t really tell me about him and Natasha. He told me a run-down version of the story. When I found out the truth, well, I lost faith in him. I didn’t trust him anymore. I can tell he cares. I don’t question that at all, but with how he’s portrayed in the media and how he lied about his relationship with his ex, I just don’t know what to think. The spark is still there. I can feel it, but then, I get scared. Besides, we have two completely different lives. He’s covered in luxury while I’m usually covered in animal fur and horse manure.”
“Ew,” he said with a laugh. “Let me tell you something about Ryan. Ryan grew up rough, poor as dirt, trying to put food on the table for his family. He had to become an adult before he was ready or ever should have been ready. He has fought those tendencies since striking it rich, but he’s still a poor boy thrown into a rich lifestyle. He doesn’t always make the right choices, especially when it comes to women.”
“And I appreciate that. I really do,” I said. “But that doesn’t make anything any easier.”
“I know,” he said. “Ryan’s a great guy, though, and he’s been single a long time. Even when he was with Natasha, I could tell he didn’t love her. He was caught up in the game, the game that only people like him and me would understand. It sounds like an excuse, I know, but the reality of it is, he’s in this world and he’s clawing to decide whether to stay in or get out. His roots pull him backward, and he doesn’t have a support system. He’s just kind of hanging out there hoping for a break.”
“I wish he would tell me the truth about everything,” I said. “I’m not going to judge him. He didn’t choose to be born into a poor family, and he can’t help that he is a product of the environment he grew up in. He has made something out of himself and broken free from that, which is the important part of it all. I don’t know. I guess life is just going to run its course, and we’ll know in the end where it takes us.”
“That’s one way to think about it.” He chuckled.
“How would you think about it?”
“Don’t let life take you. Take life and make it what you want,” he said.
“You sound like a motivational speaker.” I chuckled.
“I do, don’t I? Maybe that should be my next business venture, motivational speaking,” he said. “I could totally command a room, especially if I paid them to be there.”
“That’s not how it’s supposed to work.” I laughed. “They are supposed to pay you to be there.”
“Oh,” he said with a smirk. “And here I thought I was going to buy my next fan base. I don’t get nearly the paparazzi attention Ryan gets.”
“Lucky,” I said, shaking my head.
“But all in all, Sara, I think he’s getting smarter,” he said.
“Why do you think that?”
“Because he’s going after a girl like you, and that means something,” he said with a smile.
“Thanks,” I said, blushing. “But I broke it off with him before we left. He’s just my host, and I am his visitor. Nothing else. I had to figure out whether I could let myself be drawn to him again, and I was scared enough that I cut it off, and I don’t think I could go back on it now.”
“I don’t know,” he taunted, nudging me and winking. “It seems like he has some jealousy over you, something I’ve never seen in him before.”
“Yeah,” I scoffed, coming back out of the park. “So where to next?”
“Hmm,” he said, putting his hand to his chin.
I had to change the subject. It wasn’t going anywhere, and I was starting to feel embarrassed. I just wanted to go back to relaxing and seeing the beautiful city. I knew eventually I would tire of it and dream about pastures and barns, but for now, I could be a different person. We spent the entire rest of the day walking through the city. Alec showed me all of the old buildings, the different cultural areas, and all the hidden little places in New York that made it so special to the people who lived there. I had to say, it was actually a really beautiful place and not nearly as intimidating as I thought it would be. It was different, but right then, different was good. On top of that, it was really nice to get a chance to talk to Ryan’s best friend.
Alec had a different perspective on Ryan and could see him from the outside. He gave me insight on who he was and a little of why he was the way he was. It wasn’t sugarcoated, and he was honest about things, which was okay because Ryan was a person, and he was fallible. That wasn’t the problem. It was the idea that he and I lived in two different worlds, trying to connect in one, and it wasn’t working the way that it was going. We were trying to keep each other safe from our pasts, but it was only causing issues. Alec made me think of Ryan like I used to, and I was starting to sway a little more toward the idea of a romantic New York City fling. I didn’t want to stay away from him, even if I knew things weren’t long-term.
As we walked through the city, I decided that if Ryan came onto me, I would respond in a positive way. I wouldn’t push him away or get mad. Instead, I would go along with it, giving in to the urges that were already there and, frankly, driving me crazy at every turn. Why deny myself that pleasure? Why force it to be all or nothing? I deserved to enjoy my time there, and that was what I decided I would do.
Once that decision was made, though, I started to get anxious, wondering how long it would take for him to come on to me. Hopefully, he hadn’t decided that it was point
less. I wasn’t sure I could be the one to initiate anything. It was going to be torture waiting for him to get the nerve, especially after I’d made him promise to be a gentleman. Hopefully, he would lose that self-control, and hopefully, he would do it soon.
Chapter 34
Ryan
The whole point of Alec taking Sara out for the day was so I could get some work done. It sounded good in theory, except having Alec out with her made me anxious as hell. All I did the whole time was sit there and listen for the door, trying to take phone calls to calm my brain. It was insane how much I thought about it. I wasn’t normally the guy to worry about those kinds of things. I had always been easygoing when it came to women, not really giving it that much thought. At the same time, I had never felt about anyone else the way I did about Sara. I had been smitten by her from the beginning and had been her protector the entire time.
I had known Alec for a long time, and though I trusted him, it was still getting under my skin. He knew there was something between her and me but he’d still offered to take her out and pretty much stole the entire day from me. I couldn’t help but be furious with him, and all I could think about was exacting a painful revenge somewhere in the very near future. So help me, if anything beyond showing her the sights happened, he and I might come to blows. I got up from the desk and paced the floor, trying to remind myself I wasn’t in the ghetto anymore and that Alec had always been trustworthy. As I walked, visions of other things went through my mind followed by plans to take Alec down for stealing my girl from me.
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