Mia groaned softly. The article didn't mention any property in Colorado, but that just meant he had so many properties they couldn't list them all. He owned over a dozen properties, but the one her kids broke into was the one he was living at. Just her luck.
The picture in the article was most definitely him. Only, instead of the jeans, t-shirt, and boots, she was used to seeing him in, he was wearing a really, really nice suit. Suits were usually her preferred look for guys, but for some reason, she preferred the jeans on him. It suited him better to her mind.
She shook her head and reread the article. This belonged in some sort of novel, not her real life. Billionaires were like royalty. You saw them in magazines and on TV, wondered what their life would be, and never actually met them. The idea that a billionaire had her kids working on his ranch to pay off a broken window was crazy.
At least it explained the security around the ranch. She'd never seen so many guards responding to a broken window before. However, it being a billionaire's window, it made sense that the response would be rapid and heavy.
The school bell rang, making her look up from her phone. She shook her head and put the phone back in her pocket as a stream of kids poured from the school doors. It was only a few moments before all three kids were in the car and buckling themselves up.
“It's ranch day!” Grayson shrieked, pulling the seat belt across his lap enthusiastically with Alexander's help. Both boys were already grinning from ear to ear with excitement.
Lily wore a matching grin as she settled herself in the front seat. Mia loved that they were all in a good mood. It was such a nice shift from two weeks ago when picking them up from school was like going to a funeral. The ranch was good for them.
“Did you know who Carter is?” Mia asked as everyone buckled up.
“Yeah, he's Carter Williamson, the guy who owns W Motors and makes those awesome cars,” Alexander replied. “I didn't know it was his house when we went there, but it makes sense.”
Mia just stared at him for a moment. Alexander was completely fine that Carter owned one of the largest car companies in the US and that they were earning back a broken window from him.
“He asked us not to say anything,” Lily said from the front seat. “He's trying to keep a low profile, so we're just to tell people Grayson got caught by security, and we're working for Laura. No one even cared, to be honest.”
Mia didn't know what to say. The kids all took it in stride who they were working for. She, on the other hand, was still trying to wrap her head around it. She decided that the kids just didn't understand just how much Carter was worth and that they saw him as an equal, not different. If they could do it, then so could she, she decided. He could be a normal, regular guy to her.
Except, when she thought of his blue eyes, she knew that he was anything but normal. And it wasn't his bank account that told her that.
The three
kids chattered excitedly as Mia drove them to the ranch. She let them talk without interruption, listening to their conversation and chiming in only when they asked her a question. They were there in the space of what felt like only several hundred questions, which was faster than Mia expected.
“Laura said I get to groom the horses today,” Alexander announced proudly.
“She said we all get to help groom today,” Lily corrected him.
“Do I have to?” Grayson asked. He shifted nervously in his booster seat. “Horses are really big.”
“You don't have to touch them if you don't want to.” Alexander reached over and gently squeezed his arm. “But I want to. It'll be cool.”
Grayson chewed on the inside of his lip and nodded. He didn't look completely convinced at the coolness of horses yet.
“This is going to be so awesome,” Lily said, getting out of the car. She went and opened the back door up and helped Grayson out.
“You know this is supposed to be work, right?” Mia asked, jokingly. “This is supposed to be a punishment for breaking the window.”
“'If you love what you do, you'll never work a day in your life,'” Lily quoted.
“Who taught you that?” Mia asked, impressed.
“You did,” Lily told her with a grin. “You said it to me one time at the courthouse when I asked you why you did what you do.”
Mia's heart swelled. She hurried over and gave the teenage girl a big hug.
“You three aren't work,” she said. Alexander and Grayson ran past her, knocking her off balance. She shook her head and added, “most of the time.”
Lily hurried after her brothers with Mia close behind. The two boys and their sister ran to the stables, eager to start their work with the horses. Laura greeted them with big smiles and motioned them over to one of the stables. She made sure she had all three kids' attentions before beginning a lecture on proper grooming techniques.
Mia smiled as she watched them. Laura was amazing with all three of them but was especially attentive to Lily. Laura answered every question with enthusiasm and would tell the teenager why she was doing things so that Lily could learn the thought processes herself. It looked as though Lily had found a new role model, and to be honest, Mia couldn't be happier.
“If I didn't know better, I'd think they were enjoying themselves.”