Healing the Billionaire Read online

  It was easier to avoid her completely. Pretend like she didn’t exist anymore so he could protect his heart and keep his head in the game. But with her looking at him like that, there was no way he could do either of those things. So he resolved to put her shoulder back into place and then get the heck out of there.

  He’d done this kind of thing all the time in high school. Playing football meant the inevitable injury to him or his teammates. By the time he’d graduated, he’d gotten good at fixing dislocated shoulders even though they weren’t supposed to do that for each other. It’d been nearly fifteen years since he’d had to do it, but he was confident he wouldn’t make it worse. Plus, she was begging him with her eyes. He’d never been able to say no to her.

  Except for when it’d come to work.

  Which had put him in the position of being unable to say no to her request for a divorce.

  With a deep breath, Jared decided to risk saying no again. He didn’t want to hurt her any more than he already had. Then he reached into his pocket for his keys. “I’m taking you to the emergency room.”

  Hailey huffed out a breath and closed her eyes. “This isn’t happening,” she mumbled.

  He held a hand out and waited for her to take it. When she opened her eyes again, she watched him for a moment, looking unsure. But then she took it and he gingerly helped her to her feet. She winced in pain, which hurt his heart. And it seemed worse when he got her into his rental car, but for an entirely different reason.

  “This is what you drive?” she asked, peering around the Jaguar in disbelief. “You really did it, didn’t you?”

  In the driver’s seat, he didn’t answer her right away. He didn’t know what to tell her. That, as soon as she’d left him, he’d poured every single second he could into his dreams? That he’d scraped by on cheap ramen noodles, rice, and beans to save as much as he could to build his business? What she’d thought was a pipe dream had turned into his wildest dream come true. And his only thought when he’d reached the top was that she wasn’t there next to him to enjoy it too.

  It’d been six years since he’d made his first million. That had turned into a billion three years ago. He wasn’t ashamed of how hard he’d worked to make that happen, and on his first real vacation, he felt like renting a Jaguar. He could do that kind of thing now and he wouldn’t feel bad about it.

  Still, all he said was, “It’s a rental.” She could think whatever she wanted to about him. It wouldn’t change what had happened between them. He still loved his job and she probably hadn’t changed her mind about whether or not to have children. So it’d never work, no matter how badly his heart wanted it to.

  Plus, he didn’t want to sound like he was rubbing it in her face that she’d left him a little too early. She could have gotten half if she’d given him one more shot. He didn’t think it was right to throw that at her in the first five minutes of seeing her again.

  With that, Hailey’s eyes fluttered shut in pain and she rested her head against the seat. It was a silent fifteen minutes to the hospital. He wanted to ask about why she was at Rachel’s house, but it didn’t feel like the right time. With her shoulder hurting, the answers could wait.

  When they got there, he helped her inside. She even allowed him, which told him just how much pain she was in. So he was glad she’d given in and let him bring her there.

  After filling out all of the necessary forms, Hailey waited for her name to be called, and three hours later, she was the proud owner of a sling for her back-in-place shoulder.

  “I can’t wear this,” she insisted to the doctor who’d handed it to her.

  “But you have to rest your shoulder for at least a week,” the doctor informed her. “Possibly longer.”

  Hailey’s jaw fell open. “I can’t! I have cupcakes to bake this week for a potential national vendor. There’s no way I’ll be able to get them right while wearing this.”

  The doctor held her clipboard to her chest. “Well, is there anyone who can help you? Your shoulder won’t heal properly if you don’t rest it, especially since you refused medication.”

  “No,” Hailey replied, pressing her fingers against her eyes. “I’m only in town until Sunday to watch my friend’s dog, so I’m alone.”

  Well, that explained things. Some things, anyway. Why was she watching Otis? Where were Rachel and Brad? Jared had more questions than he’d had before though. But the worst part was that it’d stung more than it should to hear her refer to Rachel as her friend, not her sister-in-law.

  When the doctor peeked over at Jared, Hailey shook her head so hard that he was afraid it might fall off.

  “No. No, that’s not a good idea. I’ll be fine,” she said, changing her tune. “I can manage on my own.”

  “I’d feel better if someone were with you,” the doctor said. “If only to make sure you can get back here if the pain gets worse or you hurt yourself again.”

  Hailey was still shaking her head. “I’ll be okay. Really.”

  “Are you sure?” the doctor asked, raising her eyebrows. “Because I really think it’d be—”

  “I’ll stay with her,” Jared cut in.

  Both women whipped their heads in his direction.

  One woman said, “Thank you. That’s a good idea,” at the same time the other said, “No. Absolutely not. I’ll be fine by myself.”

  Jared didn’t need to be looking at them to know who’d said what. And it almost made him laugh. Almost. He didn’t because he’d just agreed to spend his vacation with his ex-wife. It was both a dream come true and a nightmare. He had no problem taking care of her if that’s what she needed. He owed her at least that much for his part in their divorce. But she clearly didn’t want him there and that hurt more than he could say.

  The doctor raised her hands, the clipboard hanging in the air. “I’ll let you two work this out. Hailey, please consider it though. Your shoulder might not heal right if you don’t let him help you, and I wouldn’t want that to happen.”

  “We’ll figure it out,” he told he doctor.

  “Okay. Then here are your prescriptions.” She handed Hailey two small pieces of paper. “For the next three days, ice it on and off like we did here. I hope you get better soon. See your regular doctor when you get home for a check-up.” Then she nodded at Jared and left their curtained-off area.

  Jared waited for Hailey to look at him before speaking. He wouldn’t push her into something she didn’t want to do, but if she really needed to get those cupcakes baked for whatever she was doing, he had the time on his hands. Neither Thomas nor Lisa, his assistant, would let him work on anything while he was away. Those were the stipulations of his vacation: no work, all family.

  Except his family had turned out to be his ex-family and he couldn’t do anything about that.

  He guessed he could go back home, but would he really leave Hailey while she was hurt? Absolutely not. They were no longer married, but that didn’t mean he could do that to her. Now, all he had to do was get her to see it that way.

  “Someone’s going to have to take care of Otis,” he reasoned with her. “I can do that if you just want to go home.”

  “I can’t,” she groaned. “Not until Friday night, anyway.”

  “Then stay until Friday night. And I will stay for Otis.”

  She rolled her head in his direction and released a defeated breath. “Fine,” she said reluctantly. “If I didn’t need to make these cupcakes…”

  Apparently, these cupcakes were that important. So important that she’d risk spending time with him, the man who never had time for her before, to bake them.

  Jared stood and helped Hailey off the hospital bed. “Then let’s get you back and make some cupcakes.”

  He had a zillion questions to ask about these cupcakes and why she was making them, but she was out like a light the moment he backed out of their parking spot. All of that refusal and pain must have tuckered her out. When he pulled into his sister’s driveway, he helped her out of
the car and put her to bed in the room they’d both slept in when they’d been there together.

  With her so peaceful, he was able to get a better look at her. The last few years had been good to her. His fingers itched to run through her short hair the way he used to when she was stressed and needed to calm down. And she looked like she was wearing less makeup than she used to. That was something he liked too. He’d always preferred her natural face. She was still so beautiful.

  Out of habit, he pulled his side of the blanket down and started to take his watch off, but before he got into bed with her, he realized he shouldn’t. Couldn’t. The pull to her was that strong that, after seven years apart, one brief afternoon was enough for him to forget what he’d lost—what had driven them apart in the first place.

  It was going to be a long, long week.

  3

  When Hailey woke up, the pain in her shoulder was slightly better. Unable to take medication until her doctor called her with her results, she had to grit her teeth and bear it. She couldn’t risk screwing things up with her treatment and the plan they had for the next step.

  As she pushed the covers away, she couldn’t remember how she’d gotten into bed the night before. In fact, she barely remembered leaving the hospital. As she recalled going to the hospital, it triggered other memories of the day before.

  Like those with her ex-husband.

  Why was he there? Rachel and Brad had been planning this trip for almost a year. They’d called Hailey at least six months ago to see if she could watch Otis for the week, which had given her plenty of time to find local vendors to test out. Only one of them had been interested, so Hailey had to rock this cupcake trial. Which meant she needed to get out of bed and get to work.

  Except, when she tried, her shoulder throbbed and ached. She groaned and flopped her good arm against the bed. This wasn’t good.

  Not only was Hailey hurt, but she was stuck in that house with Jared for at least the next four days. He’d agreed to stay for the dog, which had stung. She couldn’t let that get to her though. They were over, no matter how gorgeous he was still. Even more so than before. In seven years, he’d grown into a man. A wealthy one, if his rental car was anything to judge by. The Jaguar he’d always wanted. It’d been his aim, that first big purchase he’d make when he made his first million. She’d never thought he’d fail—she just hadn’t thought he’d do it without her.

  That wasn’t because she’d thought he’d needed her to make it big. She’d simply thought she’d be there with him when he did. He’d dreamed since junior high about breaking free from their small town outside Portland, Maine. All he’d wanted to do was show his parents that he wasn’t the worthless kid his dad had thought he was. Apparently, he’d done just that.

  And she hadn’t been there to see it.

  There was nothing like being in physical, emotional, and mental pain all at the same time.

  Hailey had always wanted to see him succeed. His parents had been rough on him, and even she knew he deserved whatever he’d garnered from his hard work. She was currently attempting to work just as hard to grow her cupcake business. If she could get out of bed. That’s all she needed to focus on at the moment.

  Not the way the late summer sun had kissed his skin and made his golden hair shine. She wasn’t sure when he’d started buzzing it, but it was a good look on him. Especially combined with the five-o’clock shadow covering his chin and his cheeks. He’d looked all manly and grown up in his professional outfit: black dress pants, a white button-down, and polished shoes.

  He’d clearly moved up in the world. And she was happy for him.

  Just maybe not all that happy for herself in her current situation. She could change that by getting downstairs and baking her first trial run. Not by thinking about her ex and how handsome he was. How caring and thoughtful he’d been.

  Then a knock on the door startled her out of her thoughts, and pain shot through her shoulder. When the door opened, she wished she’d at least been able to go to the bathroom and fix her hair. She didn’t want Jared to see her this way when he was in a much better position than she was.

  Especially when he’d changed into pajamas sometime after bringing her home and still looked flawless. It wasn’t fair at all. Not while she was a mess.

  “I heard you moving around,” Jared said, entering her room with something in his hand. “I thought I’d bring you this so you didn’t have to get up.” He lifted his hand, a bag of frozen peas clutched between his fingers. “It was all I could find, but after I walk Otis, I’ll go get a real ice pack and fill your prescriptions.”

  “No!” she shouted a little too loudly, which made him freeze two feet from the bed. Then she quieted her voice as she tried to sit up. “I mean, you don’t have to do that. It’s okay. Peas will be fine.”

  He approached her, handing her the frozen peas. “Then I’ll get your medicine later.”

  Inwardly, Hailey sighed. She couldn’t tell Jared why she wouldn’t take the pills. It had nothing to do with trust and everything to do with it not being anyone else’s business. She didn’t want to pay for them, either, and she could blame it on that, but she could see it in his eyes that he wouldn’t allow that excuse. Money wasn’t a barrier for him anymore.

  “Okay,” she said, relenting as she placed the bag of peas on her shoulder. “I’ll pay you back though.”

  He shook his head, smiling a bit. “Don’t worry about it. I think this was partially my fault.”

  Hailey quirked an eyebrow. “Then you wouldn’t object to picking up the ER bill when it comes in the mail?”

  His smile grew. “Of course not. Send it to my email. I’ll take care of it.”

  She couldn’t help the grin that spread across her lips. This Jared was so unlike the one she’d married before. So carefree and nonchalant about money. Even though they weren’t together anymore, she was proud of him for achieving his millionaire dream. She didn’t know how much he’d earned, but she could tell he’d done at least that.

  On the nightstand, her phone rang in her purse. Jared rose from the bed and reached for it, snagging it by the handle. Then he placed it on Hailey’s lap.

  “I brought this up here last night when I…” He let the words trail off as the phone’s ringtone filled the room. “I’ll let you get that.” Then he gave her a tight smile and left the room, closing the door on his way out.

  A tiny part of her heart ached. That whole interaction had been…nice. She couldn’t help but wish this Jared had existed when they’d been married. They might not have been in the situation they were currently in if he had.

  Before the phone quit ringing, Hailey awkwardly dug it out of her purse with only her left hand and answered it. “Aunt Shirley?” she asked when she accepted the call. “Everything okay?”

  “Yes, it’s fine, dear,” her aunt answered, a cheerful lilt to her voice. “I am calling to make sure everything’s okay with you. You didn’t call me last night to check in.”

  Hailey went to smack her forehead with her free hand, but she remembered just in time not to. That would have hurt way too much.

  She was supposed to call her the night before to let her know if she’d arrived at Rachel’s house safe and sound. But with everything that had happened with Jared, well… She’d forgotten. And her poor aunt was probably worried about her. When Hailey’s parents had moved away, her aunt had moved in with her. Aunt Shirley had no kids or a husband, so Hailey was like the daughter she’d never had. And Hailey loved having a second mother in that sense.

  But not when her personal business needed to be aired out.

  “Sorry,” she said. “Things got a little…crazy here.”

  Predictably, her aunt said, “Oh? How so?” Her cheerfulness morphed into curiosity.

  Of course Aunt Shirley was curious. But how much did Hailey want to say? All of it, she decided. If she was going to be forced to spend a week with her ex-husband, she needed a sounding board. Her best friend was in Mexico wit
h her husband, but in the end, said best friend was her ex’s sister, and she wouldn’t drag Rachel into more Hailey-Jared drama. The separation and subsequent divorce had been enough.

  “Well…” Hailey started, not sure how to word this. In the end, she decided to just come out with it. “Jared’s here.”

  There was a long pause on the other end of the line. “Oh,” was all her aunt said.

  “Yeah.” Hailey looked around the room, wishing the words would come more easily to her. “Otis was so excited to see him when he opened the front door that he knocked me into the coffee table and Jared had to take me to the ER last night too.”

  “Hailey!” Aunt Shirley shrieked. “Are you okay?”

  “I’m fine,” she said. Then she tried to get more comfortable on the bed and hissed a breath out.

  Aunt Shirley tsked. “It certainly doesn’t sound like it.”

  “Mostly, anyway,” she clarified. When she repositioned the peas, the pain subsided a bit. “I dislocated my shoulder and have to rest it.”

  “Then I hope that’s exactly what you’ll do. You need to be healthy for what’s ahead of you.”

  “What could be ahead,” Hailey corrected. “I still haven’t heard back from Dr. Campbell.”

  “All the more reason to rest, dear,” her aunt said. “Do you think you should come home?”

  She picked at the covers over her lap. “I can’t. Rachel asked me to take care of Otis.”

  Her aunt’s mirthless chuckle filled her ear. “Oh, you mean the gigantic St. Bernard you can no longer walk on a leash with a dislocated shoulder?”

  Hailey grumbled, “It’s not dislocated anymore.”

  Aunt Shirley scoffed. “It’ll be dislocated again if you don’t take care of yourself. Why don’t you come home and let Jared stay with the dog?”

  “I can’t.” She huffed out a breath. “I have to bake these cupcakes to land this contract, Aunt Shirley. This could put CumberCakes on the national map.”

  She really couldn’t pass up that opportunity. It could do a lot of amazing things for her business. Plus, she was curious about how the last seven years had treated Jared. Not that she wanted to admit it to her aunt, but it at least helped when she admitted it to herself.