Santa Fe Billionaire

Chapter 67

Sebastian

I had a couple of hours to shower, shave and get ready to meet my daughter again. Having only seen her briefly in Zaragoza my heart is longing to see her again. I'm also riled about Mark having accidentally bumped into Ava in New York. My emotions are mixed about that, only I'm not convinced it was an accident. Although how he would have known she was flying there is anyone's guess. I'm also very excited for her to be meeting with her agent. It's a huge prospect for her and I can't wait to see her name published.

There is a knock on the door of the villa. In my bare feet and jeans and a black t-shirt, I walk to it across the cool stone floors. "Good morning, Sebastian. Arabella is so excited to see you. We have a late breakfast planned on the terrace. Can you join us now?" Mirabella asks. She is as usual dressed in Chanel, a smart cream skirt and a jacket that matches. Her blouse is sunburnt orange and suits her auburn hair, again up in a chignon. This woman is always dressed elegantly, even when at home. I wonder if she knows how to simply relax and be herself.

This is what I love about Ava. The way she is comfortable in her own skin, whether she is wearing her favorite jeans and a t-shirt or a dress for dinner. It's the way she carries herself with the confidence of a young woman who knows that beauty is skin deep, it comes from within, from your heart and your soul. Not from make-up on your face, the clothes that you wear. Beauty should not have a price tag. To be comfortable, to be confident with who you are, I find most attractive in a woman.

"Good morning, Mirabella. I am ready. Let me just slip some shoes on. How are you?"

"We are well thank you, Sebastian. We've been busy with some of her school activities, they have a camping weekend coming up soon. They are going to a resort in the Prades mountains. The nanny will go with her." I smile. The Prades mountains are stunning, majestic and glorious. Arabella will enjoy the quaint little villages and towns. She will meet local people and farmers.

"Very good." I go back to the closet in the bedroom and slip on some tan loafers there is no need for socks since it is so warm, besides I don't like them on my feet. Wherever possible I most comfortable without them.

Mirabella moves so I can walk alongside her to the main house. It is only a few meters away. "The garden is looking glorious this time of year and all these colors." I say. She smiles, it is her pride and joy and the gardener has worked for them now for a while. He has done justice to the front of the house. The oranges and pinks pop out from the bushes as they greet my eyes.

"Papa, Papa." An excited nine-year old calls out as she runs from the door of the main property towards me. Her arms are open wide, her hair is hanging down and flays across her face. My daughter is beautiful, with dark hair and blue eyes. Her beauty will give me palpitations as she grows older and boys want to date her, no doubt. I smile and crouch down with my own arms open wide. Arabella runs into them and hugs me fiercely with her small arms around my neck.

"You smell good, Papa." She is so adorable.

"Thank you, sweetheart. Have you been a good girl at school?"

"But of course, Papa." She wrinkles her little nose and I kiss it. Bella has possibly along with Ava, got the cutest nose in the world. I am biased I know but then so would you be if she were your little girl. It has to be said she does have most of her looks from her mother who was also a beauty but that was a very long time ago. I no longer feel hurt and bitter for what she did to me and her loss last year to a battle with cancer had hit us all hard. Nobody wishes that on anyone. She was a fighter and despite being told she would only have a few months, my ex fought and lived for a year until it swept through her entire body and it was time to say goodbye.

"Aunty says we can eat on the patio. We have pancakes, blueberries and cream because it is a special occasion." She is beaming, her small white teeth on display. I take her little hand in mine and walk into the house with her as she chats away about school and friends.

"We are going to the mountains, Papa this weekend. My best friend, Sophia is coming too. We are sleeping in bunk beds." I already know this is a big adventure for my little girl and it fills my heart that she is so excited.

"I know, darling. It is a big adventure for you and then you will be soon coming to live with me." Just saying the words gives me a sense of happiness and joy. I have fought to have Arabella be with me ever since I knew she existed. How my ex could have hidden this from me does not entertain thinking about. It hurt like nothing I knew before, the years I have missed with this amazing girl.

"I can't wait, Papa. I will miss my tia (aunty) of course but to be with you will be amazing." Arabella is practically dragging me through Mirabella's house. We walk through the grand entrance with a sweeping staircase of walnut and black iron. The floor is parquet and polished to shine. To our right are double doors that lead to the main guest lounge area where I can see two Tiffany blue sofas facing each other and a glass table between. Pure elegance. Mirabella does have exquisite taste and could easily be a designer. She has a definite vision.

"I will miss my little darling too." She says and takes my daughter's other hand and squeezes it. This tugs on my heart, I feel like I am taking her away and part of me feels sad about this. Mirabella has been her life for the last year ever since Arabella's mother died. They are close and have always been close over the years.

Mirabella smiles at me. "Do not worry, Sebastian nor feel sad. You know I am very busy and I am happy that your daughter will be with you. It is important for you both. Besides, I have much travel planned now that I will have some spare time. I want to visit Rome, Paris, London, Tokyo. So many places to go whilst Carlos works and travels at least now I will be able to accompany him."

"You will love the cities, Mirabella and Carlos will appreciate you being by his side." We are now already outside on the large terrace. Trees standing in large terracotta pots, lights are dotted around the terrace with steps that lead down to a play area for Arabella and off to the right is the large swimming pool with a pool house. Further down more steps is the tennis court. The space is incredible.

I take a seat at the large oak table that can easily seat twelve people and stretch my legs out in front of me as Arabella hops on the chair beside me on my left. A young man appears with a pot of coffee and begins to pour. "Thank you, Oscar." Mirabella says and stirs in some cream into her cup and hands me the jug. I shake my head. I prefer my coffee black and strong.

Our waiter, Oscar places the coffee pot down on the large table then heads back towards the statuesque white and glass paneled doors for the hostess trolley. As he stops by the table, Arabella claps her hands she is excited for her pancakes no doubt. He lifts the lid off the plates to display pancakes, waffles and warm pastries filled with chocolate. If I wasn't too hungry before, I certainly am now. I think of Ava and how much she would love it here, the villa is sumptuous, it is large but not too large with all the amenities you could wish for.

"Papa, I really cannot wait until I come to live with you. Tia says it is just twenty-one sleeps. I have a little chart in my bedroom and after each sleep, I cross one out." She looks so pleased with herself as she starts to cut into her pancakes.

"Do you need anything else, señora?" Oscar asks of Mirabella.

"No, thank you, Oscar. Go and have some breakfast with Lucella." Lucella is the lady that comes to clean for Mirabella and takes care of the running of the house for her. Her and Oscar are brother and sister from what I understand.

"Do you now?" I beam at my daughter. It is an exciting new chapter in both our lives and I am hopeful that she will accept having Ava full time in our lives too. Now is not the right moment to speak to her about this yet. My stomach flutters and then knots, there is some apprehension just in case Arabella wants me all to herself.