Camping with a Billionaire

Secret

Heather's POV

After Regina told me what happened between her and Jake at the pond, I sat there pondering. "Well, maybe he's shy and thought you were taking things too fast?" Regina lets out a long sigh and slumps on the bed next to me. "Maybe. Or he thinks I'm a freak now and wants nothing to do with me." I swear, this girl can be so dramatic sometimes. 

"Just give him time, I'm sure he'll explain why he acted the way he did. Now, come on. Let's go join Steven." I stand and begin to make my way to the door, when she grabs a hold of my arm to stop me. "What?" I question and she has a playful smirk on her face. 

"What's going on between you two?"  I sit back down and decide now is the time to tell her everything. 

"We just met, Regina." I chuckle. "We are simply getting to know one another. He offered to help me with something that I think you should know about.. " 

She stares at me with her eyes bulging out of their sockets, waiting for me to continue. 

"Well, you know how I've been asking you every summer to come camping with me? It's because I didn't want to come alone." She c***s her head to the side, "Okay... that makes sense I guess." Is her reply. "There's a reason why I didn't want to come alone. You see, Stefanie and I spent every summer camping here. However, the lat time we went together.. she went missing on the day we were meant to leave."

"She was never found and since then, I've been afraid to come here alone to search for her." I watch as Regina takes all this information in. "How am I just now hearing about this? I thought she was away at college these past two years!" She exclaims, clearly upset that I held this secret from her. 

"BECAUSE!" I shout, on the merge of having a breakdown. "It's my fault she's missing!! I was the one who always dragged  her out here with me! If she's dead, I will never forgive myself! I have to find her!" I begin crying and Regina is quick to wrap me in her arms. 

"It's not your fault. If Stefanie didn't want to go somewhere, she sure as hell wouldn't. You know that. She enjoyed camping with you every summer. She's a strong woman. I'm sure she's out here somewhere."

I don't know how long we sit like this before a gentle knock is heard on the door. 

"Ladies, food is ready. Take your time though."  I hear Regina call out a thank you, and then proceeds to rest her head on top of mine. 

"So, what is it that Steven is going to help you with exactly? " 

I finally pull away from my friend to tell  her about Steven wanting to search for my sister first thing in the morning.  "Wow, that's really sweet of him!" She gushes. I smile and grab her hand. "Come one, I'm starving." 

 We exit the room, and the cabin is filled with a delicious aroma. "Mmmm! Everything looks so good!" I compliment Steven as we take our seats at the table. 

"Thank you. Hope you ladies like it." We begin to eat and talk about the plan for tomorrow morning. "If it makes it easier, you ladies can spend the night here in the guest bedroom. That way we can start our search quicker."

Regina looks at me and wiggles her eyebrows. I hold in my laughter at her and respond to the handsome, generous man sitting across from me. "Thank you, but we have to head back to our site and change our clothes and shoes and such." 

"Okay, understandable. If you change your mind, you ladies know where I am." He offers a warm smile towards us and I thank him. 

"So, if you don't mind me asking, how old are you?" Regina asks and I gasp at her. Steven doesn't seemed offended though and answers her question. "I'm 40."  Wow, 40 and sexy as hell. "Wow, your hot for an old guy!" Regina has no filter and I want to slap my hand over her mouth from saying anything else. 

"Regina!" I shout at her, but Steven let's out a chuckle. "It's okay. I take that as a compliment." He smirks at me. "I don't see a ring on her your hand, so I'm guessing you're not married?"  I was wondering the same thing actually, so I'm kind of glad Regina brought up the subject. 

I observe Steven's reaction to the question and watch as he facial expression saddens?

"No, I'm not married anymore. I had married my high school sweetheart at the age of 18. I thought she was the love of my life. After being married for 20 years, it seemed as though her love for me wasn't there any longer. She was seeing another man, so I divorced her."

"Damn! What a b***h. Sorry to hear that." Regina sympathies. 

"She's a fool to treat such a kind man that way." I add in.  

"I appreciate that ladies. It's all in the past though. The divorce was two years ago." I can tell he was done talking about this, so he changed the topic. "What about you ladies?"

"What about us?" I question back. 

"Well, I'm interested in anything about your lives. Let's start with how you met." I look at Regina and she starts the story off. "We were in the same first grade class together. Instantly clicking, we became best friends. Hanging out in school and sleepovers on the weekend." 

I smile thinking of our youth. "Yes, and she always has my back. I was bullied in third grade, but Regina and Stefanie always stuck up for me." I added to the story. 

"Why were you bullied?" The concern and anger dripping from his voice. 

"I was always the quiet girl in class, and one day my mom took me for a hair cut and it looked horrible. The next day in school, a bunch of kids starting picking on me and telling me that I look like a boy. I also had trouble with pronouncing certain sounds, so I was in speech class for a few years. That was just one extra thing for kids to tease me about."

His jaw was clenched, but his eyes held sympathy. "I would have kicked their asses for hurting a beautiful girl like you. Nobody deserves to be treated unkindly. Especially at such a young age." 

"It's all in the past." I smile, just as he had said earlier. 

"This has been fun, but we should get going before it gets dark." I suggest, and Regina agrees. 

Regina says bye to Steven first and walks out the door. I then say my goodbye to him, and he surprises me when he brings me into his arms for a hug. "Goodnight, Heather. I'll see you in the morning."