Rescued by the Billionaire (Billionaire Romance Novel) (17 page)

“You didn’t have to get us anything for Christmas,” she said, feeling guilty for not having a present for him to open.
 

“I know I didn’t have to, but I wanted to. It’s nothing significant.”
 

Honesty got the best of her. “Dave, I have to admit something to you. I didn’t have money to get you anything,” she explained as shame swept over her.
 

“Don’t worry about whether you bought me anything. You’ve already given me the best
present in my life: you and that sweet doll face who’s probably wondering when I’ll be there,” he laughed. “I’m going to jump off of here and get over there as soon as I can.”
 

Kelly had just placed the ham in the oven when Dave knocked on the door. “Come in,” she yelled from the kitchen.
 

“Momma! It’s Dave!” Emma exclaimed as her eyes widened, staring at the presents in his arms.
 

“Here, let me help you,” she offered, placing the gifts under the tree.
 

“I’ll be right back. I have to go back out for the dessert, but I wanted to bring the important stuff inside first.”
 

The trio had an excellent dinner, and afterward, they sat around sipping hot cocoa and coffee. Emma couldn’t take her eyes off the brightly wrapped presents with big bows on top.
 

“Momma, could I open my present from Dave? Please, please, please?” she begged.
 

Kelly looked at him and raised her eyebrows, signaling that if he didn’t care, she didn’t care. “Let’s see what he thinks.”
 

“Oh, go ahead!” he said as he retrieved a gift from under the tree. “Open this one.”
 

She tore into the package like a pro, after carefully removing the beautiful bow on top of the present. Her jaw dropped when she saw it was a Color Blaster.
 

Giddy with excitement, she yelled, “Look momma! Look! He got me a Color Blaster!”
 

“That’s awesome!” she exclaimed, giving her daughter a high-five.
 

“Would you like to open one of your presents tonight?” he asked her.
 

“If you want me to,” she said, snuggling up to him on the couch.
 

He reached under the tree and pulled out a square-shaped present, neatly wrapped with a ribbon tied around it. “I hope you like it.”
 

“I will because it’s from you,” she said as she carefully opened her gift.
 

She pulled out a cashmere sweater decorated with beautiful sequins. “Dave, this is so sweet,” she said as she nestled the sweater against her face.
 

“Thank you,” he said, kissing her forehead. “I thought maybe you could wear it to the benefit,” he said, hoping that she’d thought about it more and would accept.
 

“Actually, I was going to talk to you about that.”
 

He leaned in, waiting to hear her response.
 

“I think we’ll accept. It’s not something that I’m very proud of, but I thought a lot about it last night and I have to do it for her.”
 

“Do what?” Emma asked.
 

“We’re going to have a benefit on your behalf and any money raised will help other children with your condition,” he explained to her.
 

“What’s a benefit?”
 

“Um, it’s kind of like the fundraisers that you have at school,” her mom explained, trying to relate it to something that she would understand. “You know how your class sold chocolate bars when your teacher was raising money for a class pet that you could all play with?”
 

Emma nodded her head.
 

“Well, it’s kind of like that, only except the money will help pay for other little boys and girls who have the same thing you do. It will help pay
for their testing, medicine and equipment that they might need.”
 

“And you’re going to do that for
me
?” Emma asked Dave, shocked that she was so special to him.
 

“Absolutely! I have to tell you something, Emma,” he knelt down before her. “You and your mommy mean the world to me. You’re such a big piece of my heart and I want to help you and other children with your condition in any way that I can. Do you wish to have a party next week?”
 

“Next week?” Kelly asked, surprised it would be so soon.
 

“Yes, I thought we’d have a New Year’s Eve benefit. I can advertise on social media sites and have my assistant get in touch with some of our
close friends and family. We can have some food catered, order a band and, of course, have our star guest at the party,” he said, turning his glance to Emma.
 

“Can we? Can we mom? Huh? Please?” Emma begged. She couldn’t wait to be the star guest at the big event.
 

She smiled before she finally agreed that they could. As the evening wore on, the three of them laid around watching classic Christmas programs on television until Emma fell asleep.
 

“I feel so sorry for her,” Dave announced once she was conked out on the sofa.
 

“I know. She can hardly get around at all. I take her for more testing next week; I just hope
she doesn’t end up in a wheelchair before her tenth birthday.”
 

“Nah, that’s not going to happen,” he reassured her.
 

“I hope not, and I want to tell you how thankful I am that you’re doing this benefit for her. I know I was a pain in the ass about it at first and refused to go along with your little plan. But I did a lot of thinking and I decided that this was in her best interest. Sometimes it’s not all about me, it’s about her.”
 

“True,” he agreed. “I was wondering if it would be all right if I spent the night over here tonight. I have a lot more presents out in the car,” he confessed.
 

“You what?” she asked, confused and surprised.
 

“I know that you wanted her to have the best Christmas and you’ve been working so hard, but things just haven’t been working in your favor. I also wanted to make sure she had an awesome Christmas so I figured what could be better than two Santa’s?” he grinned.
 

“Of course you can spend the night, but you didn’t have to bring presents. I feel so sorry that I wasn’t able to get you anything,” she said again.
 

“Don’t worry about it. Really. You two are my presents. I couldn’t think of anything else in the world that I’d want more than you two. Now come help me carry in all of them,” he laughed as he joked around with her.
 

The couple tiptoed out of the front door and out to his SUV. Kelly’s eyes popped out of her head as she saw the entire hatchback filled to the rim with tons of presents.
 

“Oh, my God, Dave! You really didn’t have to do this!” she said as he lifted the trunk open.
 

“I know that I didn’t have to, but I wanted to. Here, take these and I’ll grab the bigger ones. After this trip, you just stand by the front door. I’ll bring them to you so you’re not out in this cold,” he said as the cold December wind whipped and cracked across his face.
 

They carefully placed each present under the tree until it was completely full. It was unbelievable how bare the tree had been only hours ago and now the presents were spilling out into the living room. The couple dozed off on the
couch watching Christmas movies until they were loudly awakened by Emma shrieking at the sight of all the presents that invaded their living room.
 

“Momma! He came! He actually came!” she shouted.
 

Kelly opened her eyes, rubbing the sleep out of them as she nudged Dave, who was lightly snoring. “Dave, Santa came,” she announced, “Emma’s ready to open her presents.”
 

His eyes popped open and a gleaming smiled spread across his face as he saw the excitement Emma was trying to contain. Present after present, she tore into the wrapping paper with the speed of a Tasmanian devil. She was almost to the end of the presents when she became discouraged.
 

“What’s wrong baby?” her mom asked.
 

“Nothing.”
 

“No, what’s wrong? You were so excited a few minutes ago. What happened?”
 

“He didn’t bring me the tablet I’d asked for.”
 

Kelly’s heart sank, feeling as though she was the worst mom in the world. “Well baby, maybe he forgot it when he left the North Pole. Maybe I can get you one for your birthday,” she offered. Hopefully, she thought, by the time May rolled around, I can scrounge up fifty bucks.
 

“You still have some more presents,” Dave said, handing her another package.
 

Unenthusiastically, she unwrapped the next present as if she were bored. With each passing present, she was tired of opening them. Her Christmas spirit was broken. I wish I wouldn’t have gotten her that other stuff, Kelly thought, I should’ve just bought her the tablet. Even if that would’ve been her only gift. With only one present to go, Dave gave her the last package and announced, “Last one.”
 

She took the package and began joylessly tossing the wrapping paper to the side. Suddenly, she began tearing into it as she had with the very first present. Kelly watched, confused as to why she was getting so excited.
 

“Momma! Look! Dave! Look! He didn’t forget it, momma! He didn’t!” she squealed.
 

“What?” Kelly asked, confused.
 

“He
did
bring me a tablet! And it’s even
purple
, my
favorite
color!”
 

Kelly’s jaw dropped. How could he have known? How would Dave had known that’s what Emma wanted so badly? And did he really remember her favorite color or was it an accident that he just happened to buy a purple one? Either way, she was glad that he’d gotten her the tablet she so desperately wanted. She turned to him and mouthed the words, “Thank you” without making a sound. He nodded and smiled.
 

“Who’s ready for breakfast? I’m starving!” he called out.
 

“Me! I’m hungry!” Emma said as she opened her tablet.
 

“I’ll make some cinnamon rolls while your mom helps you get that all setup,” he said as he walked into the kitchen.
 

On his way to the fridge, he peeked his head into the living where he spied Emma and Kelly working on her tablet, downloading the latest games and apps. It made him proud that he’d made her so happy. He reached for the can of cinnamon rolls and flipped them from his hand to his forearm and caught them mid-air as he made his way back over to the stove. Indeed, it was a good Christmas.
 

Chapter Eleven
 

The following week, Dave accompanied them to Emma’s testing appointment. As they walked in and registered her, he told Kelly to go sit with Emma while he took care of things. Once she was an earshot away, he began talking to the receptionist behind the check-in desk.
 

“I know that Emma already has a balance on her account. I’d like to pay that off and pay for all of her testings today as well, please.”
 

“Give me one moment while I look that up for you,” she said, looking over the top of her glasses while she pecked away at the keyboard.
 

The woman glanced at the screen, then to Dave and back at the screen. “Sir, are you sure you’d like to pay off the entire balance?”
 

“Yes, please.”
 

She did some more typing and finally said, “You do realize that with today’s testing, it will be several thousand dollars if you include all of her labs, right?”
 

“That’s fine,” he said, taking out his checkbook.
 

“I’m sorry sir, but before we can accept your payment, we’ll need authorization from her mother to give you the exact balance. Is it okay if I call her over here?”
 

“Sure, I’ll do it for you,” he said and turned to the waiting area. “Kelly, can you come here, please?”
 

She said something to Emma before getting up and walking over to the counter.
 

“What’s wrong?” she asked.
 

“This man would like to pay your account balance, but we need your permission to give him the exact amount. Do I have your permission to do so?” the woman asked Kelly.
 

“Yes, you have my permission.”
 

“Okay, sir that will be eight thousand, fifty-three dollars and twenty-nine cents, please.”
 

Kelly almost fainted when she heard the balance. “Why is it so high? My last bill was only for a few thousand.”