Dylan

The plane ride went smoother than Dylan could have hoped for. He knew she was nervous about flying and leaving their safe haven of the ranch. He wanted her to feel safe. Luckily, being a billionaire had some perks. Like private jets.

He’d loved watching her eyes go wide as they drove up to his jet. He’d loved watching her wander around the jet and asking if this was really all for them. He was fairly sure her mouth didn’t close the entire take-off because she was so amazed to have the plane all to themselves.

That in itself made the purchase of the jet worth it.

They’d flown out of the small local airport. Carter had made sure the runway could handle jets, so the entire airport serviced only small crop dusters and multi-million dollar airplanes. It always made Dylan chuckle to see a ten thousand dollar crop duster sitting next to his ten million dollar jet on the tarmac like that was a normal thing.

The flight was quick and uneventful. She refused the champagne but loved the chocolate covered strawberries he’d had put on-board for her.

“Tell me about your grandfather,” she said, settling into one of the over-sized white leather chairs. She popped a strawberry into her mouth.

“What do you want to know?” he asked, taking the seat opposite of her and grabbing his own strawberry.

She thought for a moment. “Your favorite memory of him.”

“That’s easy,” Dylan told her. He smiled, remembering the moment. “I was nineteen and in college. I hated it. I hated going to classes that didn’t matter and listening to professors that were only teaching because they couldn’t get jobs in the field.”

“Wow.” Bonnie raised her eyebrows. “I sense no bitterness there.”

He chuckled at her sarcasm. “I was supposed to get a finance degree so I could manage the family businesses. It wasn’t what I wanted to do. I had this idea for a computer run business, but my dad was determined I would get this degree and that it would give me the best shot at a good future.”

“You don’t strike me as someone who would enjoy a finance degree,” Bonnie replied.

He shook his head and made a sour face. “I hated it. I liked computers. I liked programming. I was really good at it too, but my father was insistent on the finance degree.” Dylan shook his head slowly. “I wanted to tell him I was going to quit and do computer work, but I was terrified. I didn’t want to disappoint him.”

Bonnie nodded, taking another strawberry.

“It was Thanksgiving. We were all at my grandfather’s house, per tradition. We’d already eaten, and I found myself out on the porch with PawPaw,” Dylan continued. If he closed his eyes, he could still see it in his mind. The smell of leftover turkey and potatoes, the soft laughter of his mother and sister as they washed dishes, the cool breeze as it came in off the lake. It was all still fresh in his mind.

“Wait, you call your grandfather ‘PawPaw?’” Bonnie asked, interrupting his memory.

“Yeah. What about it?”

She grinned. “It’s cute. I love it. Go on.”

He evaluated her for a moment before continuing. “Anyway, PawPaw and I were out on the porch, and he asked me how school was going. I almost told him it was great, and I was really enjoying it, but he put his hand on my shoulder, and I couldn’t do it. I told him I hated it, and I wanted to quit, but I didn’t want to crush my dad. I told PawPaw I had this idea for a computer tech company and I knew it was going to change the industry.”

“How’d he react?” Bonnie’s beautiful brown eyes watched him closely, taking in his story.

“He told me, ‘Screw your dad. Do what makes you happy. You start that business.’” Dylan smiled at the memory.

“I think I like your PawPaw,” Bonnie said with a nod.

“I was shocked. Family’s important. Family is everything with my grandfather,” he told her. “I couldn’t believe it.”

“Then what happened?” Bonnie asked.

“He wanted to know about my idea. He asked me all sorts of questions,” Dylan replied. “After about an hour of me talking about it, he went to his office and came back with a check. He gave me two thousand dollars to start my business.”

Bonnie’s face softened with a sweet smile. “He did that?”

Dylan nodded. “He told me I could cash it as soon as I told my dad. And that I was to tell my dad that I already had an investor.”

“What’d your dad say?” Bonnie asked, taking another strawberry.

“It took me until the next day to tell him,” Dylan replied. “He was mad, but since I already had an investor, there wasn’t much he could do about it. So, I finished the semester and then did my own thing.”

“I’m guessing FirmHard Tech was your idea,” Bonnie said. She looked around at the private jet. “I’d say your grandfather invested wisely.”

Dylan chuckled and nodded. “My first and only investor. I think he’s made his money back.”

“I can’t wait to meet him.” Bonnie stood up from her chair and kisses his cheek. “Anyone who believes in you like that has to be an amazing person. Thank you for introducing us.”

Dylan’s heart swelled. He couldn’t wait for PawPaw to meet her too.

* * *

They arrived at another small airport north of his grandfather’s house just as the sun was starting to set.

True to his word, he had security out the wazoo. He couldn’t look around without seeing someone either in a suit or wearing plain clothes with an earpiece. Dylan had seen world trade meetings with less security.

He was going to keep Bonnie safe.

They took a limo to his grandfather’s house. Again, her reaction to the limo made him smile. She loved playing the with various windows, music, lights, and features that he’d forgotten were novel.

It wasn’t until they were a block away from his grandfather’s house that he started to get nervous. He knew his grandfather would love Bonnie. He knew because Dylan loved her, and anything Dylan loved, so did his grandfather.

He was nervous because this was a big step for him. This truly meant that he loved her. This was the test to himself. He’d never brought anyone here because he’d never felt this way about anyone before. Bringing her to this place, the place he loved as a child, meant that it was real. That their relationship was a real thing.

The limo turned onto the road leading to the manor and Dylan started to sweat. He turned up the air and sat in front of the vent, doing his best to keep a calm face. He hadn’t felt anywhere near this nervous during negotiations with Google for his company.

The limo came to a gentle stop in front of the house. Dylan waited patiently for the driver to open the door. Dylan stepped out first, wanting to see Bonnie’s reaction to the house.

His feet crunched on gray pebbles as he stepped out. The humidity of the south hit him full in the face, warm and sweet. The scent of magnolias and night blooming jasmine drifted on the hot damp air. The hum of katydids, frogs, and the call of a whippoorwill called out like familiar friends saying hello.

He turned and offered Bonnie a hand to exit the limo. She stepped out with a grin.

First, she took a deep breath of the air, feeling the new humidity and the heat. Her eyes went big, and her jaw dropped as she took in the home.

“Oh my, it’s so pretty,” she whispered, stepping away from the limo.

He smiled, feeling a little bit of his nerves calm. Meeting his grandfather was the real test, but the fact that she liked the house bode well.

He turned and looked at it with new eyes. It was as stereotypical southern plantation as he could imagine. Two stories with long, graceful white pillars and big porches wrapping around at perfect intervals made the house look suited to a Civil War documentary. Giant oak trees draped with Spanish moss flanked the white home.

The big center door opened, and yellow light poured out into the soft twilight as PawPaw came to greet them.

Dylan took a deep breath. It was time.