The Billionaire's Secret Love Child(107)

“Oh, these candles are quaint. Perhaps we can use some of them for the reception…”

I turned to my left, surprised to be locking eyes with none other than Matthew Gordon. He was wearing a sport coat and slacks. I pursed my lips at the sight.

What, did he just step off his yacht in the middle of Montana?

Clean-cut Matty Gordon was almost too unbelievable to witness. It didn’t suit Matty at all, but Matthew?

I laughed a little inside. I bet.

He sighed and turned his face away, trying to cover up the fact that he already noticed me. I thought I saw a little pink in his face, but I figured it was what I wanted to think I noticed.

The woman beside him continued to flit around the aisle, excitedly gazing at trinkets and things. She wore a pressed suit jacket over a dark red dress and black stockings. Her strawberry-blonde hair framed effortlessly around her face.

I was reminded that I let my hair out naturally today, with the unruly brown curls restrained only by a sequined scrunchie I found at the bottom of my suitcase. The tired-mom look was completed with jeans and an oversized sweater with the bold letters “Bring on the Bacon” plastered across the front.

“Oh, hello, do I know you?”

“Excuse me?” I blinked.

The woman’s big brown eyes caught me off guard, her smile bringing me back to the moment.

“Oh--oh,” I pulled at my sleeve. “No, I was just--”

I looked at Matty, and as my gaze followed to him, so did the woman’s.

“Oh, Allison,” he signaled with a hand. “This is Erin. McGarity.” He cleared his throat. “She’s an old friend.”

My brow furrowed. I didn’t have time to wallow in my thoughts about that before Allison began to smile widely.

“Oh, so you knew Matthew when you were young?”

I sent Matthew a darting look, of which he evaded.

“Yes. We grew up together. Went to the same school all through high school. In fact, it’s funny we ran into each other, because I’ve been living in New York for the past few years and I don’t actually seem to know who you are...”

She huddled closer toward Matty, smiling up at him. His face didn’t seem to reflect the same kind of smile, and he stood awkwardly at her gushing.

“Oh, Matthew. Of course he doesn’t make a big deal about it all as he maybe should. He’s awfully shy--”

I kept in a chuckle. “Shy?”

That’s not the Matty I know.

“Yes, well, he’s always so busy keeping up business and the ranch, but I told him that it’s going to get out eventually, so he should just let it out.”

“Let it out?” I crossed my arms.

“I’m his fiancé,” she said.

My heart skipped a beat.

“Congratulations,” I muttered through a stiff smile.

Matthew said nothing, just exchanging silent glances toward me that were altogether unfamiliar to me now. The shy, polished, business-wiz Matthew Gordon was not someone I knew. And even looking into his cloudy-blue eyes couldn’t change that.

A loud ring sounded through Allison’s purse. I almost jumped at the break in tension. It felt like my way out.

Allison turned to Matthew. “It’s Steven. He’s got some updates on the Tulsa account. It’ll just be a moment.”

She left toward the door of the shop, and after a moment of standing there, stunned, I came to and took that as my cue.

“I should be going,” I began making my way down the aisle toward the door. Matthew’s footsteps sounded in the aisle next to mine as he followed me.

“Wait, Erin,” he said.

I held up my hand.

“Um, okay. You’re finally talking. Nice of you to join the conversation. I’m just making my way out now--”

“Erin, come on--” He sped up ahead of me and cut me off at the end.

I came close to him, his broad chest in front of mine. This type of meeting, or rather an awkward dance, was becoming all-too common for us. I could smell him from where I was; he smelled like fresh earth and pine and my mind drifted to wildflower fields.

I shook my mind of the thought.

“Excuse me,” I said. “I’m trying to leave.”

I attempted to skirt around him, but his hand fell on my shoulder.

“Erin, please,” he called.

The cashier girl was thoroughly invested at this point, chewing her gum intently as she leaned over the counter to take in the scene.

Matty let his hand fall away, and I immediately felt where his warmth had been and left.

His voice lowered. “We got off on the wrong foot.”

I folded my arms and faced my body toward him, though I looked to the side.

I didn’t say anything.

“Look,” he said. “I’m sorry things have been weird between us, but what did you expect? You left me on our wedding day, disappeared for six years--”

“Oh, we’re just jumping into it, just like that?” I snapped at him in a hushed tone. “I’m sorry you feel that way. I thought I was just an old friend you happened to run into at the ole’ country store.”

He towered over me several inches, but it never phased me to get in his face when I needed to. It was a match a long-time coming.

“What was I supposed to say?” he held up his hands. “Here, Allison, this is the woman who bailed out on my first attempted marriage, how would we all like to go out for steaks and wine?”