The Virgin Next Door (Stud Ranch 3)

The opening ceremony was starting.

Somehow she had to put her heartbreak aside because she had a competition to win.

31

CALLA

“All right girl,” Calla patted Painter as she munched on hay from the hay net Calla had set up in the temporary stall. “It’s almost time.”

If she kept talking to Painter and focused on the competition, there wasn’t enough space left over to think about Mack. Right?

So why did her chest feel like a melon carver had been used to scoop out her insides?

“Calla! Thank Jaysus.”

“Liam!” Calla felt tears welling up in her eyes as Liam hurried toward her in the narrow path between makeshift stalls.

She climbed over the fence gate that made up Painter’s stall and flung herself into Liam’s arms.

“I need to talk to you,” he said urgently, grabbing her hands and looking nervously behind him again.

“What’s going on? Did Mack talk to you?”

She knew she should have told them both about the baby sooner. Her heart galloped as she waited for his answer, but he didn’t say a word. Instead he pulled her behind him down the path between the stalls. Other contestants watched them as they went.

“Liam, what are you—”

“Just a second. I want to get us somewhere private.”

“Okay, but Painter and I are on soon. The junior competition will be over in half an hour, so I can’t be gone too long—”

Liam just kept pulling her along until they were underneath the stands of the arena.

“Liam,” Calla said, tugging on the hand he was firmly gripping. “Talk to me.”

It was dim underneath the stands, but she could still see the tension on his face.

“I have something to tell you.” Liam finally said. “I want you to hear it from me first.” He looked around anxiously.

Um. Wasn’t that supposed to be her line?

“You’re scaring me.” She grabbed both of Liam’s hands. “What’s wrong? Are you sick?” Her eyes widened in fear. Oh God, what if he’d been diagnosed with something—

“No, no,” Liam shook his head rapidly and Calla felt almost lightheaded with relief. “Nothing like that.” He took a deep breath. “The thing is, I have a lot of money. Like, a lot.”

Calla blinked. What was he going on about? “So?”

Liam stared at her like he was waiting for some big reaction. “I’m a billionaire. Back in Ireland, me da owns Prism Media group. They’re the conglomerate that bought out half the European and Australian news companies and even one of the bigger American news corporations.”

Calla gave a tiny shake of her head. Where was he going with all this? “I know,” she said. “So?”

Liam frowned and pulled back a little. “What do you mean, you know?”

“Uh,” she shook her head, “yeah. You’re Liam O’Neill. Son of actress Ailis Duncan. Well, she became Ailis O’Neill, after she married your dad. But yeah. I know who you are.”

Liam jerked to his feet, staring down at Calla like she’d suddenly sprouted horns.

“What?” she asked, standing up and reaching for him, but he jerked his hand back.