My Guarded Valentine (Hope Peak’s Valentine’s Day)

8. Mitzi

Chapter 8

Mitzi

C urtis led me to the kitchen as I held their baby. “What’s the baby‘s name?”

“Hope,” Curtis replied as he grabbed a bottle out of the fridge. “I premake them in the mornings. She’s been a handful the last few weeks. It’s quicker when she’s unhappy.”

I rocked Hope, who was cooing happily to me and holding my pointer finger. “So what happened to Mitchell? Buck said he didn’t have a job or something.”

Curtis sighed as he busied himself with warming water. “Shady business practices. I’m sure you’ve been in plenty of places like that. Do everything by the book. You ask for too many days off of your PTO, ask for your FMLA, have one small request to make it through the day, and they find a way to get rid of you. They dumped some excuse, but we’re pretty sure it is because he asked for parental leave.”

“That would be intriguing to write an article on. I’m not sure if Buck told you, but I’m a journalist. I’m actually looking for something to write an article about. And my co-worker thinks that’s happening to me right now. So, I get it.”

Curtis gave me a confused look. “Why don’t you do one on Buck?”

I blinked. “What do you mean? I’ve joked about it, but that’s all it was.”

“Well, you know who he is.”

Frozen, I kept looking at Curtis with confusion. “No, I don’t.”

Curtis’s eyes narrowed and raised one eyebrow. “You don’t recognize him? He was in all the papers before his brother died.”

I slightly leaned my body back a little, trying to pretend I was just rocking the baby, and the baby stopped cooing. I looked at Buck very carefully, trying to figure out what Curtis was talking about. “No, I don’t.”

“He’s Connor O’Brien. He ran to the mountains after his brother died. Mitch used to date his brother. He blames himself for the wreck. Speeding, hit a turn too quick, and it flipped over. Surely, you know about that?”

My mouth fell open, and I looked at Curtis in horror. “I told him I was doing an article on O’Brien industries. He didn’t tell me. Everything’s been such a blur since my car broke down.” I tried to replay every single interaction we’ve had over the last day. Were there any hints? Maybe. My eyes zeroed in on the gray at his temples and his beard. I didn’t recognize him because of those features. I’d been so distracted that I didn’t see him.

“‘Course he wouldn’t tell you that. He keeps his identity a secret.”

I looked at the baby and continued to rock her as I tried to figure out what to do. He didn’t offer to help me with my article, knowing he owned O’Brien industries. He let me sit there and prattle on and on even though he knew himself he owned the company. I guess my theory earlier was completely wrong. Thank goodness I didn’t tell him that wild theory. They didn’t somehow switch places. His brother did die, and he ran away. It wasn’t a convoluted conspiracy; it was pain. He was running away from his guilt. My heart wretched for him as I watched him chat with Mitch.

“Is that why he moved here?” I asked.

“After the car accident, he couldn’t stay in the city. He was driving. Survivor’s guilt. Feels like he doesn’t deserve anyone. He got closer to Mitchell because they grieved together but…” Curtis shrugged, and Hope cooed loudly. Curtis placed her bottle in the warm water.

“No, he did not tell me who he was. I don’t really know what to think. Guess I’m not a good investigative journalist, like I hoped. I thought I had done really good research on O’Brien industries. Guess I was wrong, but I don’t think there’s anything even close to any gossip magazine that has even thought to consider that the reclusive billionaire of O’Brien industries is now a hermit doing remote work in the mountains.”

Curtis laughed. “I guess it’s one of the local best-kept secrets because not everyone knows. I know obviously because of Mitchell and, of course, Ms. Dolly knows, which is another reason. Did she try to set you up with him?”

I laughed. “How do you know?”

“Ever since he’s been in town, Buck accidentally told her he swore off any relationships or love that she’s been on one to get him set up with somebody. It’s not worth it to him. He doesn’t want to break someone else.”

“She’s threatening to start a bachelor’s auction with him as bachelor number one.”

Curtis laughed. “Of course she would do that and I bet she told him when you were around that he would probably try to get you to help him out, right?”

“He actually said he would give me the money to get him off the auction block,” I replied.

“He’s a good guy. I don’t want you to think he’s not. He just probably knew his brother‘s true feelings for Mitchell. So when they got in the accident, he’s probably blaming Mitchell’s love life on him.” Curtis tested the bottle on his wrist with finesse. I loved watching a man being a good dad.

I rocked the baby again and tapped her nose as I looked at her. “How do you do it? How do you live with a ghost?” I whispered.

Curtis’s brows furrowed. “What do you mean, a ghost?”

“You have one of the world’s most elusive billionaires at your beck and call because he feels guilty for killing your current husband‘s ex-boyfriend. Buck comes around because the guilt of his brother sounds like a ghost to me.”

“Pass Hope to me,” he said. I handed him the baby, and he started to feed her.

Curtis’s face lit up as he whispered to the baby a couple times before looking back at me. “You’re right. It would probably be a lot easier on everyone if he moved on. I’m not saying that he forgets his brother and what not, but yeah, I’m understanding. It’s fine-ish. It’s what we have been for quite a while.”

“Do you think there’s a girl for him or a guy out or whoever?”

“Has to be. Buck deserves to be happy. Plus, I know that he’s gonna pay Mitchell for the work on your car.”

“I sure can’t afford to have my car fixed. I was avoiding getting my oil changed for the longest time. It’s probably why I broke down. I don’t know. I don’t know anything about cars.”

“Well, I’ve known Buck for a long time and let me tell you, there is something about Buck. He’s kinda lucky. Sometimes the people around him are lucky, so I bet you somehow won’t lose your job or something better is gonna come along for you.”

I laughed once more. “You’re acting like me and Buck are best friends already.”

“He could have pawned you off to anyone in the town. He kept you around. Feels like that means something. We should probably get back together.”

As we walked back into the living room, the only spot available to sit down was right beside Buck on a small loveseat. Our thighs touched as I sat down and my cheeks grew warm with embarrassment, even as I fought back the flutter of desire. This wasn’t just some random mountain man named Buck. This was Connor fucking O’Brien, looking at me in a way that was not a friendship sort of way. Then again, I was not looking at him in a friendly way, too. What was I gonna do? Do I blow his cover and save my job? Or do I see if I can get him to open up not in a journalistic manner?