The car turned off onto a long, private road. As it got closer to the massive property, Billie felt the air in her lungs turn to stone. She couldn't breathe. What the fuck was she getting into?
"Eas, I mean, Ezra. What is this?" She asked, breathlessly.
"My home. One of them, anyway." He said with a smile. The car pulled up to the front of what looked like the main house. A man greeted them and opened Billie's car door for her.
"Good evening. I am Andrew. Welcome." He said.
"Thank you." Billie said.
"Andrew, this is… " Ezra began. He hesitated and looked at her, then back at Andrew. "Billie." He said. Her heart stopped. How did he know? Did he, did he work for Sean? Panic set in. Ezra looked over at her and saw her reaction.
"I looked you up, I have no ties to the monster you left. I promise. I saw his name in your journal at the hotel." He said. She exhaled a big sigh of relief. She remembered writing it and him taking paper out for his note to her.
"So you know everything?" She asked.
"No. But I want to." He said, taking her hand and leading her inside. The home was unbelievable. He lead her into a large living room with exposed wood beams and stucco walls, a giant fireplace and two suede couches with four wooden chandeliers that looked like candles hanging over them. The view from the floor to ceiling windows over the mountains was breathtaking. She was speechless.
"Can I offer you a drink?" He asked. All she could do was nod. She stood there, in the middle of the giant room, feeling like small and completely out of place.
"Emma. This is Billie. Could we have a bottle of the 1993 Pinot please?" He said.
"Right away, sir. And dinner will be served in an hour." An older woman with an immaculate updo said.
"You have… staff?" Billie asked.
"I do. They have their own house, over there." He said, pointing to a small stone cottage adjacent to another building. "Right next to the sports pavilion." He said. She was awestruck. Emma returned with the wine and had another woman with her. This one, younger. "Would the lady like us to take her things to the guest room?" Emma said.
Ezra looked at her. "Um, sure?" Billie said. The younger woman nodded and walked to her, grabbing her bag and purse and carrying it off and up a large flight of stairs.
He handed her a glass of wine, which she gulped down quickly and held the glass out for another. He poured the glass much more full this time and smiled.
"Who the fuck are you?" She asked when she was finally able to speak. He offered her a seat on the couch and she sat abruptly, still looking at him.
"Fitforum.com." He said.
"The fitness look up site? With all the videos and diet and health stuff?" She asked.
"Yes." He said.
"You work there?" She asked. It was huge company, a social networking site for fitness experts and health info. Doctors, dietitians, trainers, holistic experts gave seminars and free advice, linked with people and had virtual gyms/workouts. It had really grown over the last several years and she was very familiar. Was he like a big wig there?
"My father created it. And a few other software companies that he has since sold." Ezra said. "One was a search engine that is now very big."
"He… created it?" She asked.
"Billie, I have a net worth of over 80 billion dollars." He said. "I have several houses. Apartments, condos. I am the CEO of my father's company since he passed away, the night I met you." He began. She knew her jaw was on the floor and she didn't care. This was insane.
"I am not married. I have never been married. I have an abhorrence to women, in general. People, really. Most call me anti-social or cold. I just hate the fake, scheming, greedy scene that I live in. I have one close friend here and another that lives abroad. I am an only child and my mother has also passed away. I have never been with a woman, fully. That might scare you off and I understand if it will. Even though we are only "friends". He said with a sly smile. "I'm 29 years old, and you are the most incredible, intriguing, kind and beautiful human I have ever met." He said. He sat there, saying these things so bravely and calmly. He was baring his entire soul to her. She didn't know how to respond. Her life wasn't so easy to explain.
"I… I don't know what to say. This is, a lot." She said.
"I understand. I have never let anyone in like this. Talked like this to anyone. We both have some trust issues, and normally, I am apprehensive and fearful when meeting someone new and I want you to know, you make me feel safe, too." He said. It's like he was inside her head. It was so difficult for her to understand.
"I need… time. To process all this." She said.
"Take all the time you need." He said. "I only ask one thing." He said.
"What is that?" She asked.
"Have dinner with me." He said.
"Well, I didn't come here for nothing." She said, smiling. He smiled back and extended his arm to her. She wrapped hers around his and he lead her out onto a terrace overlooking the desert. There was a dining table set with candles and he pulled out a chair for her. Another bottle of wine was on the table, which he opened and poured.
"Wine ok?" He asked. "I know you're a bourbon girl." He smiled and her body began to melt.
"It's fine. Thank you." She said.
Emma brought out dinner and it looked and smelled amazing.
"I didn't know what you liked so I had the chef make chicken and lamb." He said proudly.
"Again, thank you. This is incredible." She said. They began eating and she couldn't help herself.
"Why? Why did you not have any money the first night I met you?" She asked.
"My father died only an hour before I got in my car and drove as far as I could until I ran out of gas. I didn't have my wallet. I had nothing. I didn't want to call anyone to bring attention to myself. I wanted to be alone." He said. "I was hurting so badly. Lost. And then you came along and offered kindness and help. A beacon. An angel. You helped me just because you are a good person. You had hardly any money but you gave me, a stranger, what you had."
She looked up at him. He was so pure and real yet seemed like a dream. She could feel the hurt and emotion in his words.
"I grew up in a cynical, cut-throat world. A world of selfish wants and ugly people behind beautiful facades. But you, you are beautiful inside and out. You have no idea what you did for me that night. You not only helped me with my car, but you showed me people like you exist. And if you'll allow me, I'd like to repay you." He said.
"You already did, remember? More than you needed to." She said.
"No. I mean like this." He said, sliding a box over to her. She looked at him and then down. She opened it. Inside was an envelope with several hundred dollar bills. And a business card. And a handwritten note, which she unfolded. Written on it, in Ezra's handwriting was "Let me be the one to help you, now." She didn't understand. She looked at the business card.
"That is a private security guard and investigator. He is on hand for you now and will take care of you. Keep you safe, always. He can help with your problem. With Sean." He said. "He is ex-secret service and knows what he is doing." She opened the envelope and saw that there had to be thousands there.
"And that is to help with your finances a little. I can give more. Just let me know." He said.
"I. I can't accept this." She said.
"You can. And you will. I won't hear any objections." He said, taking a bite of his food.
"I can't. Really." She said.
"You said you wanted to be my friend, correct?" He asked.
"Yes. But… "
"I can't let anything happen to my friends. They are very, very important to me." He said. "I don't have many."
She nodded. She understood. If she had the means, her friends would be taken care of just the same.
"I need to tell you some things, some things about myself." She said quietly.
"I was hoping you would." He said.