The Billionaire's Secret Love Child(112)

The Gordon lodges nestled at the base of the mountains that ridged along the valley surrounding Gordonville and the county. It was a climb to the main chateau, and cars and people lined the parking lot, with valets directing traffic.

“This is going to be impossible,” I said, snaking through the general visitor parking, trying to find a space but to no avail.

“Just go, then,” my dad pointed to a curb, ushering me to pull over.

“But--”

“Go,” he said. “I’m alright on my own. But are you?”

I laughed and pulled off to the side.

“When did you become such an old sage?” I kissed him on the cheek before rushing out.

“Near-death experiences will do that to you,” he called out. “Good luck, Erin!”

Good luck, I laughed in my head. If I ever thought I was going to be a Julia Roberts, this was not how I intended it to be.

I snuck in toward the main chateau, where people dressed in formal wear filed in for the wedding. People were bustling in and out, servers were preparing for the reception.

“Excuse me,” I went up to a tall, handsome man in a suit, fixing his collar, and running a comb through his slick black hair.

“Do you happen to know which room the groom is in?”

He eyed me with a raised eyebrow, scoping me up and down.

I sighed. “Look, it’s an emergency. A--a--ranch emergency. A cow….herd….giving...birth--look, I’m just going to explain it to him, alright? Matthew Gordon, I need to speak with him. Please help me.”

“Down to your right, and straight up the stairs. First door on the left.”

“Thank you.”

I left him there, his phone ringing suddenly, he picked up, “Allison? Are you alright?”

His voice sounded disheartened. “Yes. Yes, I’m here. No, you look lovely. Lovely.”

I ran through the hallway and up the stairs, winded already by the long stretches of hallway. I took a moment to catch my breath, and straighten the tangle of curls in my head. I looked down at my outfit. A cardigan and beige capris. What a mom look. Well, it wasn’t getting any better than that. I took a deep breath, and opened the door.



“Erin?”

Matty turned around, surprised at seeing me in the room. He straightened at his bow tie, his fitted suit shaping perfectly his body. His hair was slicked back like the first time I saw him, and with his bright eyes, he looked as if he stepped out of a fashion magazine.

“Please,” I held out my hand. “Just hear me out.”

I took a deep breath.

“I know I’m just the bad guy in this scenario,” I let out an awkward chuckle. “Apparently I’m really good at screwing up your wedding day.”

He didn’t respond.

“When I ran that day,” I continued, seriously. “I was terrified. I thought that I was settling, that I was just going to end up like my mom who never left the county. Then, as the years passed, I felt that it was just too late each month and year that went by--there was no way I could ever come home. And then--”

I began to feel the tears come, but I held back. My hands shook, and my words all fell out clumsily and quick.

“And then I did come home. And I found you--and you weren’t at all like I remembered--and neither was I, for that matter. But then in these past several weeks, I realized that the one thing hasn’t changed. I always loved you, but I was scared of loving you. I know now that...you’re the only adventure I want in life and--and even if you never even think of me again after this day--I wanted, for once in my life, to not run away.”

There were feet coming down the hallway, and a few shouts.

“So, there. I suck at romantic speeches,” I tucked a curl behind my ear. “And weddings.”

The feet grew closer. Matty’s back was turned away from mine now, his broad shoulders slumped as if carrying a great weight.

“You should go,” he said.

And my heart dropped.



Chapter 6



The canyon below looked endless that day. I felt I could descend down into the deep ravine without ever hitting its bottom. The tops of the trees lined below. A spring breeze lifted, and along with it, a cooing flock of geese overhead.

It was the place that Matty and I fell in love. Well, I suppose we fell in love over a long period of time, slowly and surely. But it was our special place. An open field dotted with spring flowers, overlooking a canyon tucked beside the valley, with the river snaking below. I curled my knees to my chest in the tall grasses, the scent of the wildflowers filling my senses.

It’s kind of funny--I’d always been the one to run. I always ran when I was afraid. When I couldn’t take a step forward, I took the clumsy, off-road path that wound its way round and round. And here I was again. But this time, I wasn’t running because I was afraid. In a sense, it was comforting to know I had finally gotten to a place where I wouldn’t run. No. This time, I was simply too late.

“You never learn, do you Erin McGarity?”

That voice.

I stood up, startled.

“What are you doing here, Matty?” I called.

Higher up the hill, Matty made his way down, his suit coat fallen in the grass, his white shirt sleeves rolled up his arms. He ran down to me, holding his finger out as if for me to wait, and stopped a few yards before meeting me, undoing the bow tie around his collar.