Second Chance with the Billionaire

“If you were expecting me to baby you like Ellie does, you’re in for a disappointment. You lost a foot. But you’re still Kirby Porter. So get over yourself.”

Truth be told, Conor was a bit anxious about how Kirby would hop up on the lift. But the other man managed the quick maneuver without incident. Once they were airborne, Conor relaxed.

Except for college, Conor had spent his entire life in Silver Glen. He loved the town, the valley and especially this mountain. He’d skied his first bunny slope the winter he was three years old. After that nothing had stopped him. Until the accident over a decade later.

When the doctors told him he could no longer compete, Conor had been wrapped in a black cloud of despair. He liked nothing better than pitting himself against an unforgiving mountain. Better yet, alongside other guys just like himself who had something to prove. Skiing was the way he released the fount of energy that kept him restless and active.

Ellie had visited him in the hospital and given him a choice. Either give up skiing, or give up her. They’d been on the verge of making their mutual attraction an official dating relationship.

In the end, though, Conor had lost almost everything. He’d had no choice but to adapt. No more black diamond descents. No more breakneck speeds. He’d had to find another outlet for his competitive nature.

Conor didn’t think he was the only one who relaxed as they rode. But it was all the way down and back up and down again before Kirby spoke.

“Thank you, Conor,” he said.

“For letting you ride the lift without a ticket?”

Kirby grinned, his face in profile. “For reminding me not to be a jackass.”

“I don’t mean to minimize what you’ve been through. I know it’s been hell.”

Kirby sobered. “I thought I understood the will to live. My parents are doctors. I’m a doctor. But it wasn’t until I spent two entire days thinking I was going to die that I truly grasped what it means to fight for life.” He paused. “I still have nightmares. It scares Ellie.”

Conor inhaled sharply, imagining softhearted Ellie bearing witness to her twin’s demons. “She’s a strong woman.”

“You have no idea. In those early days she never left my bedside. Sometimes she would throw up in a trash can because the morning sickness was so bad.”

“And the funeral? Her husband?”

“His parents planned the whole thing. Ellie left the hospital...attended the service...and immediately came back to my room. It worries me that she hasn’t had a chance to grieve. I’m afraid that one day she’ll wake up and everything will come crashing down on her. Postpartum depression alone is dangerous. Ellie lost her husband on top of that.”

“Does she talk about him?”

“Never. At first I thought she was angry because I invited Kevin to go on the climb with me. In fact, I even asked her if that was true.”

“And what did she say?”

“She never answered me. It’s like she’s shoved his memory into a box she won’t open.”

“So she can concentrate on you.”

“Exactly. We’re close, Ellie and I, but you know that already. I’ve always been able to understand what she’s thinking. Until now. Suddenly it’s as if she’s determined to forget the accident completely.”

“Maybe that’s the only way she can cope. Maybe it’s too painful.”

“I suppose so. But it’s not good for her. She’s given up her career. She’s lost her marriage. And Lord knows, babies require the ultimate self-sacrifice. I’ve tried to get her to take some time for herself. To go away for a few days or get a massage. Anything. But she won’t listen.”

“Maybe I can think of something.” Conor winced in astonishment as the impetuous words left his lips.

Kirby turned his head. “Like what?”

“Well...” His brain scrambled for answers. “In two weeks Mom and Liam are hosting a Christmas in August ball at the Silver Beeches Lodge. It’s a fun thing they started doing three years ago. Brings in tons of extra visitors, plus, the townspeople are invited. Everyone dresses up. They’ll have a 1940s band that plays Christmas songs. It’s actually pretty fun. You could both come with me.”

Kirby shook his head. “I want to do this for her—I’ll stay at the house and look after Emory and Grandpa. That way Ellie will be more inclined to have a good time.”

“Okay.” Damn. Conor didn’t want this to look like a date. Several times in his life he’d jockeyed with another guy to win a girl’s affections. Sometimes he won, sometimes he lost.

But he was smart enough to know that going head-to-head with a ghost would be hell on a man’s ego. He’d never met Kevin. And now he never would.

Kirby mentioned the guy as if he’d been a good husband. Conor was good at skiing. That was about it. Well, he was good in bed, too. But that wasn’t likely to come into play.

He would take the grieving widow to a party and show her a fun time. That was where it ended.

Still, there was one more thing he had promised Ellie. And having her brother as a captive audience at the moment meant he could fulfill that pledge. “Ellie tells me you have some good job offers.”

Kirby scowled. “All of which came in before I took a header off that mountainside.”

“Is that a problem? You didn’t get a concussion...right? You still remember all that stuff they taught you in med school, don’t you?”

“There’s more to being a doctor than what you read in books.”

“Sure there is. Compassion. Empathy. You’ve lived through a traumatic experience. I’d say both of those qualities make you a better medical professional.”

“It’s not as simple as that, Conor.”

The curt note in Kirby’s voice told Conor he had pushed enough for the moment. The chairlift approached the lodge for the third time. “You ready for some lunch?” Conor asked, preparing to lend a hand if Kirby stumbled while getting off.