Page 1 of Her Wild Cowboy Billionaire

Chapter 1

May 25th

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Willow Adams paced her kitchen while she was on the phone with Grace Williams, the personal assistant for billionaire entrepreneur Travis Morgan. He’d become rich because of some electronics he designed. Willow didn’t know what exactly because she didn’t keep up with the latest innovations in electronics. Heavens, her laptop was ten years old. Alex gave it to her on their last Christmas together.

Apparently, Mr. Morgan had sustained an injury and needed in-home care.

She’d seen the ad for a live-in nurse in Montana and called the number. Willow had never been a live-in nurse before, but didn’t think she would have trouble getting used to it. All she was sure about was she badly needed this job and to get away from Colorado. Maybe this would be far enough.

She stopped and looked out the window at the setting sun. Her condo in Lakewood faced west, so she got beautiful sunsets all the time. Those sunsets were one selling point that had made her and Alex buy it in the first place. “I would be interested, assuming I can bring my ten-year-old daughter with me. If I can’t, then it’s no deal. Since the job is in Montana, I have to ask why you don’t hire a trauma nurse from up there? Surely there are some who would like this job?”

“I’m sure there are, but none with your qualifications.” Grace continued. “I didn’t explain myself properly. After your first call about the job, I checked your resume on the traveling nurses’ website for Denver. I liked what I saw. You seem to fit the bill exactly and I’m actually glad you have a daughter, so you’ll be familiar with any fit my boss throws because he can’t ride anymore.”

Willow froze and gripped her phone tighter, worried about Mindy. She would not take her daughter into a dangerous situation, regardless of the amount of money. “Fit? Is he prone to violence?”

“No, not at all. Mostly, he gives me...er... will give you the cold shoulder and silent treatment. I actually look forward to his anger sometimes.” Grace laughed. “I’ve even pissed him off on purpose, just so I can get some work done. As for riding, he rides broncs in rodeos under Tate Wilson. That was his maternal great-grandmother’s maiden name.”

“I see. How long is the job to last?”

“Well, he gets his casts off in five weeks, then you’ll continue to help him with his physical therapy. You were the only candidate that could do both since you were a physical therapy assistant before you became an RN.”

“Very well, I’ll take the job.” What choice do I have? I must get away, and staying in Colorado isn’t an option any longer. The farther away I am, the safer we’ll be. “When do I have to report and I assume he will pay for the plane there?”

The other woman chuckled. “Oh, yes. We’ll be sending his personal plane for you. Then you’ll take a helicopter out to his ranch.”

Willow swallowed hard. “A helicopter?” she squeaked. She hated to fly in a plane. She couldn’t imagine flying in a helicopter. Bile rose in her throat and her pulse raced just at the thought.

“Yes, the ranch is one-hundred-twenty-five or so miles from Bozeman. So the helicopter is really the only practical method of transportation. Otherwise, it’s a two-hour drive in good weather and longer in the winter.”

She wanted very much to get far away from the Denver area. Gordon Simmons was still stalking her. The police were unhelpful, saying their hands were tied if they couldn’t find him. She had to admit they had tried. The address they had on record for him was an apartment in Edgewater, but he didn’t live there. Never had, according to the tenants living there now. The police said they would continue to look for him. She hoped that while she was gone, they would arrest him and she could return to a safer home.

Whenever she called the police to report him, he was always gone by the time they arrived. Or when he stood outside her windows and stared at her or followed her home from the grocery store, he was never there when the police came.

This was the best way. Move out of state and don’t tell anyone where she was going. Alex’s insurance had paid off the condo, so she could leave it vacant for a while. But she hated to leave. This was the last place she and Alex had lived before his death. What if she couldn’t return? She would lose all her memories of their lives together. Shaking her head, she knew that didn’t matter. Mindy mattered. Keeping her safe was the only thing that mattered. “I see. I spoke too soon about taking the job. We haven’t discussed the salary yet. What will it be?”

“Travis is a very generous person when it comes to paying his employees. Of course, Travis will provide you and your daughter with room and board, and he will pay you fifteen thousand per month. With a guarantee of one hundred thousand dollars at the end of the job. He knows that uprooting yourself and your daughter is difficult and is paying you according to the situation, which will include you helping him with physical therapy. The entire time I estimate to be approximately six months.”

With that kind of money, we could move some place we would be safe, couldn’t we? I could sell the condo without ever going back. “Very well. I accept the position. When should we be ready, and where will I meet the plane?”

“How long will it take you to be prepared?”

“We could be ready tomorrow around ten.” She would call from Montana and get all the utilities turned off. She’d even use Mr. Morgan’s phone...just in case Gordon had her phone bugged.

“Wonderful. The plane will pick you up at noon from Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport in Broomfield, northwest of Denver. Can you be there then?”

“Yes, that’ll be fine. We’ll be there.” This won’t be any different from getting Mindy ready for school all these years. She missed Alex a lot on some of those days, but since she’d been getting her ready since she was a baby, she supposed it didn’t really matter. Alex had missed so much. He’d only known Mindy for a few months before the cancer took him. Willow still missed Alex some days more than others.

“Good. Though I need to tell you Travis will not be happy I’ve hired you, but he needs you. Please take that into consideration. You won’t regret this, Willow, I promise.”

“I sincerely hope not.”

Grace chuckled. “I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”

“Thank you. Goodbye.”

“Bye, now.” Grace ended the call.