Billionaire Mountain Man

“Gina, why don’t you take a look at some of the records while I and Sierra talk?” I said to Gina.

Gina skipped away toward the back of the room.

“I hate you, you know,” Sierra said.

Jess definitely told her about what happened. “I know,” I said.

“Too bad Jess doesn’t hate you as much as she should,” she said, curling her fingers toward her and checking out her nails. They were covered in chipped blue nail polish.

“I went to her place this morning. I want to apologize to her,” I said. “I made a mistake.”

“You’re too late,” she said.

“But you told me she doesn’t hate me,” I said. “Just tell me where she is so I can talk to her in person. I know you’re trying to protect your friend—”

“She’s not here anymore,” she interrupted me. “She’s not in the States. She left.”

“What? What do you mean?” I asked.

“She went back to Australia yesterday.”

“Are you serious?” I’d fired her two days ago, and she’d already moved? She was more pissed off than I realized. What the hell was I going to tell Gina?

“You see this face?” Sierra said, pointing her finger at the grimace on her lips. “I’m dead serious. My best friend fled the country because of you.”

This girl was harsh. But honest.

“Does she have her phone?” I asked. “It went to voicemail before.” Her leaving the country might have been the reason for that.

“She does, but she said she’d be out of contact for a few days.”

“I can’t believe this,” I said.

“Can’t you?” she asked. “You were the one to fire her for no reason.”

“I know,” I said. “I didn’t expect her to leave so soon.”

“Neither did she. Somehow her mom convinced her. I suppose they made up on the trip, or whatever.”

My hope that Jess and Chloe’s relationship would heal backfired on me.

Someone came into the store and walked up to the counter. Sierra looked over her shoulder at the customer. “I have to take this.”

I nodded and turned away from her. I pressed my palm over my mouth and let out several shaky breaths. What had I done?

“Daddy?” Gina asked from behind me.

I dropped down to her level and took her hands in mine. This had all been my fault, but I couldn’t keep it from her any longer. I glanced over at Sierra, who made a point of not staring in my direction, but I knew she was listening. She’d probably report back to Jess when she spoke with her next.

“Jess isn’t here anymore,” I said.

“Why?” Gina asked. “Doesn’t she love us?”

“She does,” I said. Looking into Gina’s glossy eyes made my heart hurt. “But she had to go back to Australia.”

“And she didn’t want to take us again?” Gina asked.

“No, honey. We need to stay here.”