Santa Fe Billionaire

Chapter 73

Ava

"Honey, it's so good to see you. It feels like you've been away for weeks and it's only been a couple of days." My mother rushes to me as I enter the cosy kitchen. As usual she is cooking and wearing her blue apron with her tied up in a messy bun. She looks so inviting and I allow her to take me into her arms and press me right into her bosom. I've missed my mom so much.

She is right though, it does feel as if it's been weeks not just a couple of days. So much has happened what with bumping into Mark, his threatening/nuisance messages, Arabella practically rejecting me and having a blinking bodyguard now of all things. Who, by the way I have left standing outside for the time being. Best not to overwhelm my mother in the first few seconds of arriving back home.

"I know. It feels like it's been ages too." I say as I place my portfolio on the two-seater sofa in the inglenook in the kitchen and slip my rucksack off my shoulders and place it on the sofa too. It's looking a bit jaded and mom has all sorts of swatches of fabrics over it whilst she makes a final decision. Since the kitchen is painted sunny yellow, I think she's going to opt for something bright and bold, like the one that is cream with huge sunflower heads on it.

"Tea? Coffee?" She asks heading for the kettle.

"Coffee please mom. I'm drained."

"Absolutely, my darling. And how did it go with your agent? Your father and I are so proud of you, honey." I can see it in her eyes, they are literally glowing and her face is radiant. It makes me happy to see the pride in her eyes. God, the love that creeps through me for my mother is so intense. I throw myself down on the sofa and stretch my legs out and rest my head back, rub my face and eyes with my hands then sit up and rest my elbows on my knees as I lean forward slightly.

"Well there is a lot to tell. I've got something else to share with you first so brace yourself. Oh, and can you make it two coffees please, Mom." To which I get a glare and raised eyebrows. Naturally my mother thinks they're both for me. Love her.

"One is for my," I falter. "Bodyguard." Now her eyebrows look as if they're going to hit her hairline. Her eyes are huge and round.

"Bodyguard? What on earth do you need one of those for? Crikey is this what life is going to be like for you, Ava? Only that scares me." Her voice has a faint sound of concern.

"No, Mom. It won't be. Mark bumped into me in New York and has since been sending me really shitty messages. Worrying messages." Mom wipes her hands on her aprons, she has halted on making the coffees and comes towards me and sits down next to me.

"Mark? How, I mean how would he even know you were there?" God, I really wish she didn't have to worry like she clearly is right now.

"I have no idea, Mom. Honestly it was a shock. He just happened to spot me as I came out from the hotel Sebastian booked me into. He said he was in New York on business and what a coincidence it was. Sebastian isn't convinced and especially not after I got some shitty text messages from him. Here. You read them, let me know what you think. Perhaps we're being a bit, you know paranoid." I pass my mobile to my mom after I've pulled up Mark's messages for her to read.

She takes her time, digesting them then places one hand on mine. "I have no idea what to make of all of this but it does sound worrying. He never struck me as the sort of man who would be like this but then I guess he always was a bit possessive wasn't he? I mean you couldn't even dance with anyone else at the Prom. And he hated it when you went out with Zoe alone without him." She tucks a hair behind my ear.

"Let's meet this bodyguard of yours then and give him a nice cup of coffee and a slice of homemade cake." That's mom for you. Coffee and cake will always make everything alright. Gotta love how my mom just takes everything in her stride.

After I place a kiss on mom's cheek I stand and make my way back through the wide hallway to our front door where I can see through the stained glass the outline of the bodyguard who travelled with me from New York. He goes by the name, Dillon and even though he hardly spoke to me on the flight, which was pretty weird, he did offer his name. I mean after all, I couldn't keep calling him detail.

Dillon turns round as I open the door. "Everything okay?" He asks, no smile of course. I nod.

"My mom would like to offer you a coffee and some homemade cake. Would you like to come in?" Dillon looks up and down the street and nods. I lead him through to the kitchen.

"My word, you're huge." Says my mother, I smile because it's like having the hulk standing in your kitchen. Dillon is huge. Mom is right. He breaks out in a smile, the first one since he came to the hotel in New York. He's actually fairly handsome in a rugged kind of way.

"Go sit yourself down and I'll bring you some nice cake and coffee." Mom begins to busy herself and Dillon takes a seat on one of the four pine kitchen chairs around our round table in the centre of the kitchen. Everything looks so small around him, it's like he is in a doll's house. I sit next to him.

"Dillon, I have no idea what the protocol is for something like this. Obviously you can't stand outside the rest of the evening and all night."

"No ma'am. I'll be leaving in an hour. Sebastian has organized for Liam to come and take over. He'll announce himself and then he'll stay outside in his vehicle and keep watch on the house and street. We've got you covered ma'am." The way he says ma'am makes me feel older than my young twenty-three years.

"Okay, that's a relief." Mom sets the coffee down in front of us then slices two thick pieces of cake for each of us.

"Your dad is out on the golf course, he'll be home in about an hour or two, love then we can have some dinner. Will your other man want dinner?" Mom is the most considerate mom in the world, right?

"No ma'am. He will have something with him for the night and likely have eaten before he exchanges with me." The cake fork in Dillon's hand looks tiny as he digs into the cake and delicately places it in his mouth. He is like the gentle giant and truly, I could hug the man. He makes me feel so safe and protective.

My phone beeps again, I look down at it on the kitchen table. Shit it is Sebastian. I totally forgot to message him back. "Sorry, it's Sebastian. Let me get back to him." I begin to type away as mom and Dillon chat about his life as a bodyguard. She'd make a good interrogator the way she is firing questions at him one after the other. It feels so damn good to be back home.

I'm looking forward to getting some shut eye later back in my old room, then heading over to mine and Zoe's apartment tomorrow to begin packing.

I read Sebastian's text.

I hope the flight back was good. I can see you landed well and that you are at your house. In case you are wondering, Dillon has already messaged me. I knew you might be busy with seeing your mother again. I've organized for a company to come to the apartment tomorrow at ten in the morning. They are going to pack your belongings and organize the removal. Nothing for you to do. Also my beautiful, American Girl. I've booked you on a flight home for two weeks' time not three. That should give you sufficient time to tie up everything your end and get you to me as soon as possible. I miss you mi carina. Xxx

I'm stunned, shocked and yet overwhelmed with happiness. Two weeks instead of three is like a dream come true. Yeah, I know I won't be physically living with Sebastian to start with, but my new life with the man I love with all my heart is about to happen sooner than I thought.

Another message is flashing, it turns my stomach upside down and I feel as if ice has been poured through my veins.

I know you're back and with some fella standing guard. Don't think you're going to slip through my fingers again, Ava. I told you. You're mine and nobody elses.