She needed to get to know Judd, view him in various situations, so she’d truly know what type of man he was. Also, she wanted to meet his daughter Ellie. Whitney sensed that there might be some drama surrounding Ellie. That was a bit of a concern. With no children of her own, Whitney wasn’t sure how to navigate that. One step at a time, she cautioned herself. Cassidy was right. Whitney didn’t need to overthink the situation.
Judd had first come on Whitney’s radar when he complimented her illustrations. After his rise to fame and fortune, she’d marveled at how different the man in the media looked and acted from the shy kid she’d known at Westside. For some years now, Whitney had admired Judd from afar, but she never imagined that the two of them would become involved. Whitney’s visit with Judd’s mom was what prompted her to view things differently. Bev had done everything but come right out and say that she thought Judd and Whitney should get together. Bev had prattled on about Judd’s good qualities, listing Judd’s philanthropic efforts with various charities. While that was impressive, it wasn’t uncommon. Wealthy people needed tax write-offs, so it was almost a given that Judd would donate to charities.
It was Cassidy’s mother who unknowingly shifted Whitney’s opinion in Judd’s favor. When Cassidy’s mom found out that Whitney was researching Judd to introduce him at the reunion, she told her in hushed tones how Judd had been helping her widowed neighbor and her kids for several years. “I don’t think Yvonne even realizes that Judd is the one who has been helping her. The only reason I know is because my husband Harold works for Frit’s furniture store and oversees their deliveries. He saw on the paperwork where Judd was the one who ordered the furniture that was delivered to Yvonne a couple weeks after her husband passed.”
At the reunion, when Whitney met up with Judd face-to-face, she could feel his goodness. His discomfort for public speaking was endearing, giving the hard-nosed CEO a human element. Then, when Judd defended her against Andy, well, the die was cast.
Anticipation rippled down her spine. What would the day bring? Whitney had no idea what she and Judd were doing on their date. She didn’t even know how to dress. She went to her closet and began sifting through her clothes. After pulling out nearly every outfit and piling them into a heap on her bed, she finally decided on jeans, boots and a form-fitting olive sweater, which she knew would complement her red hair. She added dangling earrings to complete the ensemble. After applying her makeup, she squirted her perfume into the air and stepped into it, so it wouldn’t be too strong. She gave her hair a good toss before assessing her reflection in the mirror. Large golden-brown eyes shimmering with excitement stared back at her. She touched her stomach, which felt like it contained a bucket of butterflies. She took in a deep breath. “You can do this!” she kept repeating.
She offered a silent prayer, asking for help to calm her nerves. Also, she prayed for discernment so she would know if Judd was the one. Yes, it was early in their relationship, but Whitney figured she could use all the heavenly guidance she could get.
6
Whitney swallowed the tightness in her throat, her brain taking a snapshot of the name of Judd’s ranch Serenity Trace as they drove underneath the massive wood and metal entry arch. The driveway itself was impressive with the giant evergreen trees lining both sides. Judd’s ranch was located in Snow Springs, an exclusive suburb about ten minutes outside of Jackson proper.
After a few minutes, the gravel road gave way to a sandy cobblestone. The driveway curved gracefully, displaying a home so magnificent that it caused Whitney’s breath to catch. Judd pulled his Range Rover up to the front entrance and turned off the engine. “What do you think?” His expression was hopeful as he studied her.
“It’s incredible,” she said with a tinge of awe. Her gaze swept over the wood-planked mansion, nestled between tall, spindly aspen trees and fat evergreens. The entrance had a steep arch, supported by sturdy square columns with stone accents at the bottom.
“Thanks,” he said casually. “I like that it’s close to town, yet it feels like it’s remote.”
“Yes, it does. As impressive as the house is, the setting is even more so.”
A large grin split his face. “Amen. That’s what drew me to this place.”
There was a spring in Judd’s step as he bounded around to open her door. She stepped out and assumed they’d go on into the house, but Judd’s arm encircled her waist, pulling her to him. His blue grey eyes had been bright with adventure since he picked her up this morning. Now, they deepened to a smoldering indigo that got her blood pumping faster. “You are so beautiful,” he uttered.
The deep, melodic tone of his voice was a symphony to her ears. “Thank you,” she laughed softly, a burst of pleasure darting through her.
He searched her face. “I know this is all a lot to take in.”
She blinked. “Yes,” she admitted, taken aback that he could so accurately pick up on her insecurities.
“I’m glad you’re here … with me.”
The sincerity in his voice washed away her misgivings. As she peered into Judd’s eyes, she saw not the put-together billionaire, but a simple man who was vulnerable. Someone like her who was searching for a companion. Someone she could build a life with. She touched his jaw. “You just keep being you, and we’ll be fine.”
A grin tugged at one corner of his mouth. “That, I can do.”
When his mouth hungrily covered hers, she was ready, giving herself freely to the demands of his lips. Then, she remembered where they were—out in the open at his ranch. She pulled back, color flooding her cheeks. “We shouldn’t be doing this out here. What if people are watching?” Her eyes darted around.
Unencumbered laughter flowed from his throat as he took her hand, linking his fingers through hers. “The only people who live on the property besides me are Kara and Bill.” His eyes sparkled with teasing. “And I don’t think they’ll mind.”
Her eyes rounded. “It’s not them I’m worried about.” She could feel her cheeks burning and knew they were flaming. “It’s me,” she squeaked.
“You’re cute when you blush.”
“Oh, hush,” she scoffed. Her mind went back to what he said. “Who are Kara and Bill?”
“Kara and Bill Wilcock. They’re from Laramie. Do you know them?”
Whitney searched her brain. “Maybe … I’m not sure. The name sounds vaguely familiar, but I can’t place them.”
“Kara and my mom sang in the church choir together, back before I was even born, and have been best friends ever since. Kara’s my housekeeper, and Bill takes care of the grounds.”
“Do they live in the house with you?”
“No, they have a separate cabin on the back of the property. It’s a great setup because Kara and Bill’s grown children come to visit quite often, and they want their own space to entertain.”
She scrunched her nose. “Are you here in this big house all by yourself?”
Judd’s features tightened, making her wonder if she’d touched a nerve. “Yep,” he said casually, “just me.” He paused. “Well, except for when Ellie comes on the weekends.”
Whitney picked up on his loneliness. It made her feel even more of a kinship with him. Having lived alone all her adult life, Whitney understood what it meant to be lonely. She wanted to find someone. However, she’d learned the hard way that it was crucial to find the right person.
“I’ll show you the inside first, and we’ll eat lunch. Kara’s whipping something up for us. Before we take off, I’ll give you the two-cent tour of the ranch.”
She dipped her head, giving him a sideways look. “Take off? You never did tell me the plan for today.”
Amusement touched his features. “I didn’t?” he asked innocently.
“No, you didn’t.”
A mysterious grin flitted over his lips. “I guess you’ll just have to wait and see.”
She laughed, enjoying the spice of the unknown. “Okay Superman, I’ll be patient and see what you’ve got u
p your sleeve.”
He opened the door and led her inside to a large foyer that extended to a great room. She surveyed the area, her gaze settling on the wall of arched windows that led out to a large deck that stepped down to a patio. Just past the backyard was a picturesque pond, cradled by stone-grey, snow-capped mountains in the distance. “Wow,” she uttered under her breath. She turned to Judd. “No wonder you love it here. It’s so serene.”
“It’s my respite from work … and everything else.”
His jaw tightened, and she caught the implication of his words. Everything else. She filed that comment away in the back of her mind, intent on questioning him about it at a more opportune time. Her attention was pulled back to the room as she soaked in the details—the enormous stone fireplace that stretched to the ceiling, the vivid reds and intricate pattern of the wool rug, the plush furniture. She turned, taking in the exposed beams that led up to the second story open balcony. The antlers on the chandelier added the crowning touch, so indicative of Jackson Hole décor.
Judd cocked his head. “You hear that?”
It then registered in Whitney’s mind that someone was singing. The sound was so faint that she wouldn’t have noticed had Judd not pointed it out. He quirked a boyish grin as he put a finger to his mouth. He motioned with his head.
A tingle of awareness ran through Whitney when Judd placed a hand on the small of her back, leading her into the kitchen. They paused in the doorway to observe a woman with short salt and pepper hair standing at the island, chopping veggies. From what Whitney could tell, she appeared to be around her mom’s age of mid-sixties. The woman was singing and swaying back and forth as she worked. Judd threw Whitney a cavalier wink that said Watch this as he stole forward. In a lightning flash movement, he reached out and grabbed her waist. The woman shrieked in surprise as she spun around, eyes wide as saucers.
“Judd Allen Hoffman,” she exclaimed as she swatted his arm. “You nearly scared me to death!”
He laughed. “Sorry, Kara, I couldn’t resist.”
“You know, it’s not wise to scare a woman who’s holding a knife,” she teased. Then, she looked past him to where Whitney was standing. She appraised Whitney with astute, lively eyes. “Hello,” she said brightly, a friendly smile stretching over her lips. She put down the knife and wiped her hand on her apron before stepping up to Whitney.
Whitney went to shake, but Kara gave her a tight hug instead. She smelled of onions and a fruity shampoo.
“I’m a hugger,” Kara explained a minute later. She looked Whitney over with an unabashed frankness. “You’re as beautiful as your mother.”
The compliment surprised Whitney. “Thank you. You’re also beautiful.”
A deep blush filled Kara’s round cheeks. “Aw, thanks,” she said off-handedly as she touched her round belly self-consciously. “I guess I’m not bad for an old woman.”
“You just keep getting better with age,” Judd piped in.
Kara wagged a finger. “Now don’t go trying to butter me up,” she scolded.
Whitney thought back to what Kara said. “You know my mother?”
“Yep, sure do. And your father. They’re good people.”
“Thank you.”
Kara looked back at the island. “Lunch is almost ready. I was just chopping veggies for the salad …” she shot Judd a reproving look that held more affection than annoyance “… before someone nearly gave me a heart attack.”
“Can I help?” Whitney asked.
“Sure,” Kara replied. “I’ll never turn down an offer to help.” Judd stepped up to the island and tried to reach for a carrot slice, but Kara slapped his hand. “Don’t be eating all the food. It’ll be done soon enough.” Her head swung back and forth as she looked at Whitney. “Men,” she complained with a trace of laughter in her eyes.
Whitney smiled. “Men,” she repeated, shaking her head as her gaze met Judd’s. A swift connection ran between them as heat rushed through her.
Kara cleared her throat in amusement. “There’ll be plenty of time for the mushy stuff when you kids are alone.”
At that, Whitney’s face burned like a sunburn. Judd grinned. “You’re blushing,” he mouthed silently. Whitney gave him a look that said Cut it out.
Kara motioned to a tomato. “Would you mind chopping that up? The soup is ready. I’ll just pop the garlic bread in the oven.”
“You bet.” Whitney was grateful to have an assignment to take the attention away from her embarrassment.
“Is Bill joining us?” Judd asked.
“No, he ran into town to get some parts for one of the four wheelers.”
Judd frowned. “That’s too bad. I wanted Whitney to meet him.”
“There’ll be plenty of other opportunities.” Kara winked at Whitney. “I’m sure she’ll be coming back often.”
“Yes, she will,” Judd answered with such certainty that it caused a dart of euphoria to shoot through Whitney’s heart. Hadn’t she just prayed for direction and discernment? It was coming quickly. Being here, watching the warmhearted interaction between Judd and Kara, made Whitney feel like she could somehow belong in Judd’s world.
Judd went over to the pot on the stove. He leaned over and took a big whiff. “Mmm … that smells good.”
“Chicken vegetable stew,” Kara said proudly, turning to Whitney. “That’s his favorite.”
“I’ll have to make a note of that,” Whitney said as she went to wash her hands in the sink.
The comment earned her a nod of approval from Kara. “Smart woman.” She turned to Judd. “I knew you’d eventually bring home a keeper.”
“Me too,” Judd said, giving Whitney a significant look that spoke volumes.
A couple hours later, just when Whitney felt like she was wrapping her mind around Judd’s wealth, he drove them to a private airfield where they boarded his jet, which was flown by a pilot and co-pilot.
It felt strange to be sitting on a luxurious couch while flying through the air. Judd was sitting next to her. Whitney still had no idea where they were going. She’d asked Judd a few times, but he kept telling her to be patient.
Concern touched his features as he searched her face. “Are you doing alright?”
She forced a smile. “Yeah, it’s just a lot to take in.” A shaky laugh escaped her throat as she fingered her neck. “As you can imagine, I’ve never been in a private jet before.”
He slid an arm around her, pulling her into the curve of his shoulder. “I hope you’ll get used to it,” he uttered, his voice deepening with a husky desire. Her breath caught as his hand went to her jaw. With featherlike madness, he traced a line down her jaw. His finger moved to her neck, then her collarbone, across the wildly pulsing hollow of her throat. “You have such beautiful skin,” he observed.
“Thanks,” she whispered. Her heart pounded out a fast beat as she rested the palm of her hand against his firm chest. His touch was heaven. His hands moved to the nape of her neck and up through her hair. A sigh escaped her throat as her lips parted expectantly. His lips took hers with a tenderness that melted euphoria through her bones. Hungry for more, she was the one who intensified the kiss.
When they pulled apart, a large grin filled his face. “You’re amazing.”
“So are you,” she laughed.
“I could get used to this.”
“What?” she whispered, her hand cupping his strong jaw.
“Being with you.”
In the depths of his smoky blue eyes she caught the deep yearning of his soul. It called to that secret part of herself that she’d kept tucked away for fear of getting hurt again like she had in college. She’d been so idealistic then, so naïve. Now, she was smarter, more mature. Yes, she still felt vulnerable … scared. This was happening so fast. Judd’s world was glitzy, complicated. She was a simple girl from Laramie, Wyoming. This was too much. No! She wouldn’t ruin everything by over-analyzing the situation. She had to move forward, give the relationship time to develop. I
t was just so dang hard to keep a clear head with him kissing her like that.
“Can I get you something to drink?” he asked, as he moved to get up from the couch.
“Sure. What you got?”
A boyish grin creased his lips as he jammed a hand through his dark hair. “Just about every soda known to man. Oh, and sparkling and plain water.”
Her lips curved into a smile. “I’ll have sparkling water.” She gave him a challenging look. “Do you have any lime to go with that, Mr. Flight Attendant?”
He brought his lips together in pensive lines. “That I do not have, madam.” He held up a finger, flashing a cheeky grin. “But I do have packs of peanuts.”
She crossed her arms over her chest, shaking her head in mock disappointment. “I guess I’ll have to make do with what you’ve got.”
A few minutes after they’d finished drinking their waters and eating the peanuts, Judd’s phone pinged. He fished it out of his pocket, frowning, as he sat up straight and turned his full attention to the phone. His posture was taught, rigid. The air took on a frosty chill as his face darkened and the veins in his neck corded.
Whitney’s stomach tightened as she touched his arm. “Is everything okay?”
“No,” he muttered.
She swallowed. “What’s wrong?”
“This!” He flipped the face of his phone around for Whitney to observe. It was an Instagram picture of a young dark-haired girl dressed in a skimpy halter top and tight leather skirt. She was holding up a can of beer, and she looked wasted.
Whitney looked at Judd for an explanation. “I don’t understand.”
“That’s my daughter,” he roared, eyes hot with anger.
Whitney rocked back, a sick feeling in the pit of her stomach. “Really?”
His expression was furious. “If you think the picture’s bad, you should read the comments from the loser guys she hangs out with.”
Not knowing what to say, Whitney could only look at him. “I’m so sorry,” she finally managed to get out. No wonder she’d sensed some tension surrounding Judd and his daughter.
Saving the Billionaire's Daughter Page 6