Page 70 of How to Train Your Billionaire

As we continue to chat, a lull falls over us, and for a moment, we just sit there, drinking in the stillness of the lavender fields. But then, Hayes breaks the silence.

“Do you think life gets any better than this?” he asks, gazing out at the horizon.

I hesitate, biting my lip. “I should think so, yes.”

He looks at me curiously. “How do you figure?”

I shake my head. “Never mind.”

“Tell me. I genuinely want to know.”

I sigh and look at him, my thoughts shifting. “I would trade all of this for a cozy house, the smell of chocolate chip cookies baking, and a big ol’ Christmas tree. Wrangling chubby little limbs into pajamas. Homemade Halloween costumes. Homework. Saturday morning soccer games. I want a family.”

I feel vulnerable saying it, but it’s the truth.

Being thousands of miles away from home has only deepened that longing.

He goes quiet for a moment, his eyes scanning my face. I know he’s trying to find the right words, but they don’t come.

He finally speaks. “You make it sound so easy.”

I glance over at him. “It wasn’t easy for me. I didn’t have that growing up, and I know what it feels like to long for it. To want to create something different. That’s why it feels like the most extravagant thing to wish for.”

He’s silent for a moment, his expression unreadable. I don’t know if he understands.

After a beat, Hayes speaks, his voice low. “That’s not the childhood I had. It was piano lessons, pressure, constant criticism, rehab stints for my parents, and family drama.”

I glance at him, eyebrow raised. “Sounds like a blast.”

He chuckles, rolls his eyes.

I take a sip of my wine, trying to act like this is no big deal. But there’s something in his eyes that’s different. Instead of our usual bickering banter, we’re opening up. I think I like it.

This time, when I meet his eyes, my tone softens. “Family’s complicated. I get it.”

He gives me a half smile. “So, what about you?” he asks, turning the question on me. “What did your childhood look like?”

I sip my wine again, not meeting his eyes. “It wasn’t ... conventional. No huge holiday dinners, no piles of presents. I didn’t really have a traditional family.” I pause, letting the words hang. “So I guess that’s why I want something different now.”

He’s quiet for a second, and then he says, “For what it’s worth, I think you’d be a great mom. Fun and real and just ... accepting.”

I wonder if that’s what he never had—someone to just accept him for who he is—not who he was supposed to be.

I never talk about these things—not even with Tessa. My dating life has always been a disaster—and if I couldn’t hold down a boyfriend, how was I supposed to become a wife ... a mother?

I look away from him, staring out over the lavender, feeling a little too exposed now. “I guess that’s the kind of life I always wanted. The one that’s not perfect, but it’s mine.” I finish my wine and glance backat him. “I know, it’s a lot. But ... what about you, Hayes? What do you want?”

There’s a beat. Then he shakes his head. “I don’t even know anymore. I’ve got all the things people say are supposed to make you happy—money, connections, nice suits, an amazing house. But when you have it all, you start wondering if it’s really what you wanted. I mean, look at me,” he says with a dry chuckle. “I’ve got everything I could possibly need, and sometimes I think about what it would be like to just ... walk away from it all.”

He meets my eyes, and I get the feeling he’s not just talking about his job. “Maybe I need to stop trying to control everything.”

I stare at him for a second, almost as though I’m seeing him for the first time. “You think you can do that?”

He shrugs, his gaze distant. “Not sure yet. But I’m starting to think maybe I need to figure out what really matters ... without all the bullshit.”

I smile a little, the wine buzzing in my system, but it’s not just the wine. There’s something about this moment that feels different. More honest. Like we’re both not quite sure where we’re headed.

“You’re not as much of a grump as I thought,” I tease, trying to lighten the moment.