The Texan's Contract Marriage

Three

“Please don’t answer me now because I want you to think about it. Any answer you give me immediately will be a knee-jerk reaction. Marry me—it’ll be a marriage of convenience in the fullest sense,” he repeated. “At some point I would expect us to have a physical relationship. I think it would be unrealistic to expect otherwise.”

His voice sounded as if it came from far away, and she felt light-headed. Marry him! “Sorry, I think I’m going to faint.”

He stopped talking instantly and stood. “Put your head down for a moment.” She did as he said and soon felt a cold wet cloth being placed gently on the back of her neck. His warm fingers on her nape were disturbing in a far different way than his proposal had been.

As her head cleared, she sat up.

“Take a deep breath or two and just relax.”

“I broke your glass,” she said, glancing at the sparkling shards at her feet.

“Forget that. Just relax a moment. The proposal is a surprise, and that’s why I want you to think about it. When you feel clear and are ready to hear them, I can give you reasons I came up with this solution.”

“I suppose I’m ready.”

He studied her, and she gazed back, trying to calm down enough to listen to him. She wanted to blurt out a refusal now. Why would she have to think it over? How could he have ever expected her to accept?

“Marriage will give Noah the Rangel name. If we’re married, I think you’ll feel better about leaving him with me. We’ll work out times you can live with. I’ll be a dad for him. I would like to adopt him.”

“I’ll lose him,” she whispered. “He’ll be your son in every way except one. You’ll have far more claim over him than you will as his uncle.”

“You won’t lose him—I promise. And we will have a prenuptial agreement, a contract that you will approve. I will work with you on when I can be with him. I will see to it that financially you and Noah are completely taken care of. You’ll have a private plane whenever you want. You’ll have a generous allowance. You’ll be more financially free to pursue your career. I know you’re doing well, but I can help you do better, and I can definitely do a lot for Noah.”

“I don’t need money.”

“I know you don’t, but this will make it easier. Definitely better for him.”

“I want to do well with my career.”

“I expect you to,” he said. He took her hand again. While his hand held hers, his thumb brushed her knuckles lightly, keeping her aware of his contact. Married to him. Even as the proposal seemed impossible, the prospect made her pulse race.

“I hope to be part of Noah’s life,” Marek continued. “I want to be an influence in his life, to get to know him. By proposing, I feel I’m doing what Kern would have done if it had been my baby. I loved my brother. I just want to watch Noah grow up. I feel as if it gives me a tie to Kern,” Marek said, his voice deepening.

Camille’s eyes filled with tears.

“Camille,” he said quietly. “I don’t want to hurt or worry you. I want you to be happy with whatever we do.”

“How can I be happy with this? You’ll have Noah, and I won’t be able to do anything about it?” she cried, standing and walking away in embarrassment that she couldn’t control her tears.

He came up behind her to place his hands on her shoulders and turn her to face him. He framed her face with his hands and wiped away her tears with his thumbs.

“Stop crying. I promised I wouldn’t hurt you,” he said gently. “Causing you distress is not what I intended. If I were Kern and had just proposed—the two of you were not in love—wouldn’t you consider his proposal?”

Startled by his question, she gazed up at Marek while silence stretched. What would he do if she refused to marry him? He was far more powerful and had more resources. “I suppose I would give it thought,” she replied.

“I’m not Kern, but, believe me, I have his interests at heart.”

Mulling over what he said, she decided she would have given some serious thought to a proposal if it had been from Kern. “You’re a little more serious and forceful than Kern.”

Marek’s faint smile lifted one corner of his mouth, calming her slightly. “I’ll try to be less ‘forceful.’ All I ask is for you to think about the possibilities. Now, are you ready to hear what I propose in the way of finances?”

“Another surprise,” she said without thinking. “Finances are really incidental. That’s not the issue here.”

He released her. “I know it’s not the issue, but I think we ought to look at all aspects of this. Finances, arrangements, a physical relationship. Want some more tea while we talk?”

His voice deepened, and that surprising fire he could ignite effortlessly between them sent a shiver to her toes. With the flicker in the depth of his dark eyes, she guessed he felt the same sparks, too. “Yes, thank you,” she said, walking to the outdoor kitchen with him and watching while he poured another tall glass of tea for her. This handsome, wealthy Texas rancher intended to marry her. The idea was impossible.

After retrieving his tea, he directed her to a chair away from the broken glass and slid his chair close to hers.

As she sipped the icy tea, she focused on him. His eyes gave away nothing about his feelings. He could have been discussing the weather as far as his demeanor and expression were concerned.

“We will draw up papers so our arrangements are as binding as any contract. If you accept, I will pay you five million dollars.”

Her shock returned full force. What were his real intentions? To offer that much money, was he working toward getting custody of Noah? “If I marry you, I get five million dollars from you,” she repeated.

“That’s right,” he said quietly. “You’ll get one million when we sign the papers and four million as soon as we are husband and wife. You will get a million each year we are married, plus a generous allowance. I will set up a trust for Noah and pay for everything for him. You can spend the money I give you as you please because there will be no strings.”

Her shock mushroomed over the fortune that he was dangling as an inducement to accept what he wanted. She could only stare at him, speechless over his offer that would transform her life and the lives of every member of her family. The money was both frightening and dazzling. “Now I see why you get your way so often,” she whispered without even realizing she had spoken aloud.

She had been counting on her career to help her family. With this money she wouldn’t have to worry whether she made stardom or not. Life should be far easier, and yet…

“That’s a huge amount of money,” she said, thinking it was an even bigger power play. Marek looked relaxed, as if accustomed to bargaining with such high stakes, but these were the highest possible as far as she was concerned. This cool rancher had thought this out and come up with an offer that she might be unable to refuse.

“I can afford it and I’d want to do it. If you say yes, you’ll be giving me far more because I know I will become a permanent part of Noah’s life.”

“You hardly know Noah. How can you feel this strongly about him?”

“It’s easy,” Marek replied. “I feel this strongly about my brother. This baby is a definite tie to Kern.”

She nodded, touched and aware how vulnerable he was where his heart was concerned. “I can understand that.” She rubbed her forehead. “Wow. You’ve turned my life topsy-turvy. Actually, if I accept your offer—my whole family will be topsy-turvy. That fortune will change all our lives. You’ll want Noah a lot of the time. I’m sure you’ve thought about how much.”

“You and I would live in the same place some of the time. I don’t want to give up being a rancher or living on my ranch. But I don’t do that all the time now, and I can give up some of the time. When Noah gets to school age, you’ll have to give serious thought about how much he will travel with you.”

“I know, but I can’t foresee what my career will be. It’s filled with uncertainties at this point.”

“You’ll have enough money that you can give it up completely if you want.”

Momentarily, her tension lightened, and she smiled. “No, I’ve dreamed of this all my life, and things are beginning to open up for me. At this point, I definitely do not want to toss aside what I’ve gained. I want to sing. I want to be a star. I love opera. But I love Noah and I want what’s best for him.”

“Then I think you’ll have to seriously consider my offer.”

“I suppose I will,” she said, gazing beyond him, watching the splashing water in the fountain in the pool. “This is a beautiful place.”

“This is my Dallas home. The best place is the ranch.”

“I know very little about ranches.”

He reached over again to take her hand. “Camille, Kern was drawn to you, and I feel certain he would have proposed. I think you and I can have a workable arrangement that will benefit Noah. I’ve tried to do what will benefit you. This million a year I’ve offered—your monthly allowance will be enough that you shouldn’t need to touch that money. You should be able to invest it and I can help you and make it grow. I want what will make you happy—as happy as I will be if you accept.”

“Suppose you fall in love with someone later?”

“Divorce still exists, but I don’t expect to fall in love again in my life. I gave my heart to Jillian.” He looked away, and she instantly regretted bringing up a subject that would open his wounds.

This time she reached out to touch his arm, placing her hand on him. “Marek, I didn’t mean to cause you hurt.”

He inhaled deeply. “Sometimes it just comes out of the blue, and I feel weak in the knees. Don’t apologize. You had no way of knowing.”

“You talked about a physical relationship. I won’t have a lot of time, and I’m not about to jump into one when we’re strangers,” she said. “I did that once in my life, and I won’t do it again. Your brother charmed and captivated me that night. Now, a physical relationship will have to come later, maybe much later.”

“I keep busy at the ranch and try to do the hard, physical jobs. That’s helped. Remember, we’ll be married. You’re a beautiful woman, Camille. You’re getting shortchanged here, but you’ve told me you don’t have time for a man in your life and I won’t be in the way or demand your time. A physical relationship will have to be mutual.”

His answer reassured her. She smiled. “You’ll probably hope I’ll disappear for months on end.”

One corner of his mouth lifted in a crooked grin that she realized was about the best he would do for a smile most of the time. “I won’t be hoping any such thing,” he said. “We can work out a schedule. You think about what you’d like for a schedule.”

“I can’t even imagine. What about when I’m in New Mexico this summer?”

“You decide what you want, and I’ll look at it and we’ll go from there.”

She thought about all he had said to her as they sat in silence. “How different this might have been if Kern had lived,” she remarked, going from memories about Kern to thinking the two brothers were so different in looks, personalities, in nearly every way. The only similarity was their blood tie and their shared love of ranching.

“I still think he would have proposed and done something to convince you to marry him. He wouldn’t have wanted to leave Texas, either, any more than I do.”

She studied Marek’s handsome features. Mrs. Marek Rangel. The idea took her breath away and seemed totally impossible. Millions would be hers. She thought of all the things she could do for Noah and for her family. Marek would do so much for Noah that she wouldn’t have to factor in what she could do. It was staggering to try to deal with his proposal. But this was about so much more than money. It would give her a father figure for Noah. It would make him close with the Rangel family, and he would know ranching and a cowboy’s life. These were all things she wanted and the reason she had contacted Marek in the first place.

She had to think about his offer, discuss it with her sisters and with her family. Silence stretched between them. He sat watching the fountain, sipping his iced tea. How much had his solitary life contributed to this proposal? To lose his brother and his fiancée—the two people he was closest to and loved—that would be devastating for anyone. She could see why he had latched on to Noah so swiftly.

She studied his profile, his full black hair and thickly lashed eyes. What if she married him and fell in love with him? She didn’t want that distraction to her career. Even worse, Marek wouldn’t return her love, and that would be devastating. There were no doubts he would be agreeable to a physical relationship, but anything more? She believed what he said, that he would never love again. The pictures of Jillian had been breathtakingly beautiful.

“I guess I should go home and think about this. We’ve discussed it tonight, and I’m at least getting adjusted to thinking about your offer.”

“Good,” he said, giving her a bigger smile. “You’ll have to give up Noah sometimes, but you’ll be busy. You would have to anyway because of your career.”

She nodded and stood. “I think I really should go.”

He stood to take her arm. His slight touch caused another jump in her pulse. “I’ll see you home. Take as long as you need to consider my proposal and to talk to your family about it. When would you like to go out again?”

“Tomorrow I want to be with family. This is Friday. I’d prefer to wait until Tuesday to see you,” she said, thinking this would also give her time to talk to her attorney. “This will send my sisters into orbit. If I accept your proposal, our lives will have major changes.”

“Not anything you can’t live with, I hope. I tried to find something that would benefit all of us.”

Marek climbed into the limousine with her. As the limo pulled away, her gaze roamed over the colonial house with massive Corinthian columns along the front porch. This would be her home, too, if she married him. Dazed, she couldn’t envision that ever happening.

“Your parents will be all right with our marriage if I accept?” she asked as the limo drove through the tall iron gates.

“I’m a grown man. Yes, I expect them to be all right with it. They’ve made a life for themselves in California and are busy all the time with social and charitable activities. Dad plays golf and recently fell and broke his ankle, so he’s on crutches right now, which will slow him down about traveling to Texas. My mom hates to fly and they usually drive, but that’s out until Dad’s ankle heals.”

“I’m sorry about that.”

“You’ll definitely pass inspection. Although they loved Jillian. They were heartbroken over the crash besides being so hurt over the loss of Kern.”

“That’s understandable.”

“I’ve thought this proposal over. You’re beautiful, and you’re a rising opera star. They sounded impressed.”

“This is their first grandson. Is that correct? Your sister has two girls.”

“That’s right. My parents are not into grandchildren as much as a lot of parents or they wouldn’t live over a thousand miles away.”

“So your sister is the person you’ll be concerned about. I assume she’s happy with this.”

“She doesn’t know about it yet. I wanted to talk to you first.”

“Have you told Mr. Grayson?”

“Yes, I discussed it with him. Jess approves.”

“That surprises me. You’re very close to him, aren’t you?”

“Sometimes I think he’s more my dad than my own father. He taught me a lot about the ranch. He’s been around as far back as I can remember. I’m closer to him than I am to my parents. They were always busy, but Jess had time for me and Kern. Actually, for Ginny, too, but she didn’t hang out with him when she became a teenager. I did a lot. Now Jess is a best friend, maybe sometimes still a dad.”

“You can’t beat that combination,” she said, smiling at him. “I’m glad you have someone like that even though no one can take away your grief or replace your brother. But your sister may not be happy to see you marry without love.”

“Ginny will adjust. She knows I’m doing what I want. I take it you’re close to your sisters.”

“I’m closest to Ashley,” Camille replied. She lapsed into silence for a time. “My head is spinning with all this. I can’t believe this is happening.”

“My offer is real, and I hope you accept. I know you didn’t have it in your plans to share Noah a lot of the time, but I think when we do this, it will work out where both of us are happy. I hope you’d rather have him with Jess and me out on the ranch some of the time than backstage going from pillar to post.”

“Backstage is exciting to me, but backstage will not begin to hold the draw for him that your ranch will.”

“If you accept, the Circle R will be his ranch, too,” Marek replied. Startled, she stared at him, thinking about all the changes in their lives. If she married Marek, Noah would become Marek’s heir.

She shook her head. “The whole thing is staggering. You’re a very wealthy, powerful man. I forget about that when I’m with you, but then moments come when I’m reminded about your status. Is this a command instead of an offer?”

“Of course not. We’ll negotiate, but I’ve tried to be generous.”

“You’ve been generous far beyond my imagination. When I met Kern, I didn’t know how wealthy your family is. I’m not from Texas and at that time had never heard of the Rangels. Your brother was so down-to-earth and unpretentious. He was filled with fun and he was sort of happy-go-lucky. I didn’t dream he had this fortune. I didn’t know that until after the weekend.”

“That was Kern absolutely. Money meant little to him. We were born into wealth, and I’ve increased it. Kern worked for me and he helped. I’ve been lucky, but after a point where you’re comfortable and fed and have necessities, the wealth is not what makes you happy.”

“Whatever it was, your brother was a happy man.”

“If Kern had lived, you would have been Mrs. Kern Rangel. He would have charmed you into accepting. Kern wouldn’t have given up.”

They both became silent for the rest of the ride. At her door he took her hands. “Listen to me. Don’t worry. I want you to be happy. You’re Noah’s mother, and Kern would have done anything he could to make you happy. The last thing I want to do is hurt you. We’ll work out something here. This is a start, but I thought a marriage, even though it is definitely a marriage of convenience, would be the best solution for all. Especially for Noah.”

She nodded, aware of him standing close, holding her hands, trying his best to be nice to her while trying to persuade her to accept his offer. If they married, could she avoid losing her heart to him? Or letting the marriage destroy her career?

“I’m a little overwhelmed. Actually, a lot overwhelmed. I’ll talk to my sisters and my family and try to get accustomed to the idea. Start thinking about a few more details regarding when Noah would be with you and when he would be with me,” she said, realizing before the words were out of her mouth that he had probably already planned what they would do.

“You tell me what you want on that,” he said, surprising her.

“He’s too little to leave with you.”

“One more thing to think about—when I have him, will Ashley stay? I’ll need a nanny.”

Startled, Camille stared at him. “I hadn’t thought about that, but she would stay with Noah. I’d want her to continue as his nanny. I’ll have to ask because she may not want to do so. Staying on your Texas ranch would be entirely different for her than traveling with both of her sisters.”

“That’s right. But if she’ll do it, I’d prefer her to remain his nanny. I think everyone will be happier, including Noah.”

“If she stays, it’ll completely change her life.”

He gave that faint crooked smile again. “I hope it’s not that big a change. We have a great ranch and I’m usually working from sunup to sundown, so I won’t be underfoot. I’ll pay her salary. Whatever it is, you can promise her a raise.”

“You’re generous.”

“If you let me have Noah part of the time, you’ll be the most generous.”

Once again he framed her face with his hands. “Camille, I’ll try my best to make you happy. I just want to be part of his life and so does Ginny.”

“I understand. I want you to be in his life. That’s why I contacted you in the first place.”

She gazed into his earnest dark eyes and wondered about their future. She had tied her life to his and there was no turning back now. He was unbelievably handsome, and her heart drummed. He leaned forward to brush a light kiss on her forehead, and then he stepped away. “I’ll call you about Tuesday.”

He turned and headed to his limo in long strides.

Dazed, Camille stepped inside, locked the door and leaned against it. Ashley stood waiting farther down the darkened hallway.

“I didn’t think you were ever coming inside. I know you weren’t smooching out there, so what was going on?”

“I have to talk to you. I assume Noah is asleep. Where is Stephanie?”

“Stephanie is out with the latest guy. Noah is asleep. You’re later than I thought you’d be. We can go anywhere to talk. The baby monitors are on.”

“Let’s go to my room. Let me see Noah for just a second. I promise I won’t wake him.”

“Sure. What did you do tonight?” Ashley asked.

“We went to his Dallas home and he cooked steaks. He had a staff to do everything else.”

“I can’t even imagine. What’s the home like?”

“Not as fancy and elegant as I expected. Upper scale, nice, but not knock-your-socks-off elegance. Very comfortable with everything you could want. Pool, patio, outdoor living area and kitchen,” she replied as they paused in front of the nursery. “I’ll only be a minute.”

“I’ll be in your room,” Ashley said, walking ahead.

In the rosy glow of a small night-light Camille tiptoed across the nursery to the high-sided white crib and looked down at her sleeping son. Her heart felt squeezed, and she longed to hold Noah close. Tears stung her eyes. No matter what they did, she would lose Noah some of the time. He would have Marek’s influence now. He would spend part of his life with Marek. Stephanie had been right. Momentarily, bitter regret enveloped her, and she wished she could go back and undo telling him about Noah. She reached out to touch his hand lightly, feeling the smooth, warm skin that was so soft. She had never loved anyone the way she loved Noah. Even though it would be difficult to live with, deep down she felt she had done what was right by revealing his existence to Marek.

Hopefully, Marek would be a good influence for her baby. And the Rangels deserved time with Noah just as Noah deserved a dad and his ranching heritage. She wiped her tears and took a deep breath. “I love you, sweetie,” she whispered, touching a wispy lock of his hair. She wiped more tears and turned away, glancing back once at the sleeping baby.

She paused in the empty playroom, picking up a stuffed pink pig that Noah loved. Camille ran her hands over the pig while she tried to get her emotions under control. She didn’t want to go to Ashley in tears. Her sisters loved Noah, too. Stephanie would be furious, but the money might calm her. Stephanie had a profound appreciation for money.

After taking a deep breath and trying to think about something else for a few minutes, she went to the master bedroom.

Ashley was curled up on the sofa, quietly waiting.

“Let me change quickly and I’ll join you,” Camille said. “Do you want anything to drink before we start talking? We may be here awhile.”

“Now I’m getting really curious. I’ll go get us both something. How about lemonade?”

“Sure. I’ll be right back.”

When she returned in a turquoise T-shirt and plaid pajama pants, Ashley was waiting with two tall glasses of lemonade on the table near the sofa. A plate of cookies rested between them.

“Let’s hear what’s up.”

“Get ready for a shock. I’m talking a really big shock,” she said. Ashley nodded. “He’s proposed a marriage of convenience.”

“No!” Ashley’s brow furrowed while her eyes widened. “You turned him down, didn’t you? You can’t do that—”

“Ashley, listen to me. Remember, I contacted him in the first place because I wanted Noah to know his paternal family. I wanted Marek to be a father figure to Noah. I haven’t given him any answer. He asked me to think it over, and I told him I would get back with him next Tuesday after talking to my family.”

“You can’t even give his proposal a moment’s consideration. You don’t have any reason to agree and you have every reason to say no.”

“Do you want to hear everything or not?”

“I want to hear. Marriage is impossible. He would have far more legal claim on Noah. You’d be tied into a loveless union. Even though he is handsome, wealthy and sexy. I’ll give him that much. You’d have to share Noah. Big-time. Marek wouldn’t love you. He would interfere with you in every way. You can’t even consider it.”

“Do you want to hear his proposal or not?” Camille went through all Marek had offered. When she relayed how much money he would give them, all the color drained from Ashley’s face and her mouth dropped open.

Camille grasped Ashley’s hand, which was cold as ice. “Ashley. Are you all right?”

“Five million now and a million a year plus an allowance?” Ashley repeated breathlessly, sounding dazed.

“That’s right. I’m trying to avoid thinking about the money, but it’s impossible. With funds like that I can send you to school. I can give Mom and Dad financial help in taking care of Grandma. I can pursue my career without feeling I have to make it to be able to survive and help my family. Ashley, that money would lift a huge burden off my shoulders.”

“I knew he had money, but I didn’t know he had that much,” she said, still sounding dazed as she stared beyond Camille.

“It will change your life and mine, for sure. It will change Noah’s. He’ll have a trust fund set up for him, and I’m sure it will be generous. Marek will be a father to him. We’ll lose him some of the time, but definitely not all of the time. And Marek asked if you would stay as Noah’s nanny. That’s what he wants, and he said he would pay your salary, which, I’m certain, would be larger than what you’re getting now.”

“My word. I can’t imagine all this, Camille. Mom will faint. She doesn’t do well with surprises.”

“I know. I’ll break it to her slowly.”

“When you started, I figured Stephanie would be furious with you for revealing Noah to Marek. Now, I don’t think she will be if you tell her about the money at the same time you tell her about the proposal. You know Stephanie and money. That’s the driving force in her world. How much is he going to want Noah?”

“We haven’t gotten to that, but Marek keeps telling me that he wants me to be happy and he doesn’t want to hurt me in any way.”

“You’ll be a millionaire.”

“Ashley, get around the money. It’s a plus and you can’t ignore it, but that isn’t what’s critical here. I think Marek should be in Noah’s life. I also think a marriage of convenience might work and benefit Noah, which is the paramount criterion.”

“True, but I cannot stop thinking about the possibilities the money would give us.”

Camille listened to Ashley talk while part of her thoughts were on Marek and his proposal. Was he happy with the prospects? How much of the time would he want Noah at the ranch with him? Could Ashley live in the isolation of a ranch on the Texas plains?

She didn’t have answers to those questions, and she tried to focus on Ashley, who was still chattering about Marek’s offer. Camille couldn’t see how she could have any answer except one.

*

The next morning Marek sat over coffee with Jess, who had hung his hat on a hook at the door in the back entrance. Jess studied him as he sipped steaming black coffee. “What did Ginny say?”

“You can guess. She’s totally opposed, thinks I’ll regret getting locked into a loveless marriage. She’s certain I have a lot to lose. As you can imagine, she was wild.”

Jess merely nodded. When Marek’s phone rang, he glanced at the number. “Here she is again. I’ll have to listen to all her arguments this morning.”

“Hi, Ginny,” he said. He nodded. After a moment, he ended the call. “She’s on the drive coming in. The whole Dalton family came with her so the girls can ride while Ginny talks to me. Frank will stay with the girls. She wants to talk to me in person. For her to drive all the way out here from Dallas is even more serious.”

Jess drank the last of his coffee and stood. “That’s my cue to get the horses ready. I’ll see about Frank and the girls. You can deal with Ginny. She’ll come around, but you’ll have to listen to her vent about it. She’s just looking out for you and your best interests.”

“I know.” Marek walked out with Jess and watched Ginny and her family spill out of their van. Jess greeted Ginny, and they talked a moment with Ginny waving her hands before she walked toward the house. Jess shook hands with Ginny’s husband while the girls stood waiting for his greeting.

Frank Dalton, Ginny’s husband, was a no-nonsense accountant with his own business. Marek liked him and thought he was a good match for his sister. Jess hunkered down to say hello to the little girls, and they all headed toward the barn. Ginny sailed through the back gate, her short, shaggy black hair blowing in the wind.

Marek told himself to hang on to his patience with her.

She swept into the kitchen, her face almost as red as her shirt. “Marek, have you lost your senses? You can’t marry someone you don’t love.”

“Hi there, sis. You look a little hot and bothered. Want a cool drink?”

“No, I don’t. We drove all the way out here so I can talk some sense into you. Pray she turns you down.”

“Ginny, I’ll have the cool drink. And I hope she accepts. I think this is the solution to the problem. I don’t think it will create a bigger problem.”

“And when you fall in love again?”

“There is still something called divorce if this marriage becomes a burden. But I do not expect to fall in love again. Sometimes someone falls in love for a lifetime. He loves that one person and that is the only love of his life on this earth. You don’t believe that happens?”

“Maybe sometimes, but I don’t think that will be the case with you. You hurt now, but you’re strong and young and you’ll love again.”

“Is your crystal ball out in the car? You think you know me better than I know myself?”

“I don’t want you locked into something where you get hurt.”

He smiled at her. “Relax, Ginny. I appreciate your concern. I’ve thought about this and I think it’s a workable solution,” he said, retrieving a cold beer and opening the bottle. “Want to sit where it’s comfortable?” he asked, motioning toward the living area adjoining the kitchen. “You can see the girls riding around in the corral from there.”

“They brought their swimsuits because they’ll be hot after they ride. They were overjoyed to get to see the horses. Marek, please do not do this. I know you will be unhappy.”

“Stop worrying. I’ve looked at this every which way and I still think this is the best solution. I’ll have some control. We’ll have Noah with us far more. She’ll be in Budapest this fall. If I don’t do something, she’ll take him to Budapest and we won’t even see him all the time they’re gone. I don’t want to lose him. Or even be merely a tiny part of his life. He’s too important to me. I think he is to you, too.”

“He is, but so are you,” she said, frowning. “I don’t want you hurt.”

“Ginny, stop worrying. I’ve gotten myself into this. If it doesn’t work, I’ll get myself out. This is an ambitious, busy woman who doesn’t have time for a private life. She sings at the Metropolitan in New York next spring. Her career is rising, and she’ll need help with Noah.”

“She has help. Her sister is her nanny.” Ginny sat staring at him, rubbing her forehead. She shook her head. “I pray you’re right and you know what you’re doing. She’s trying to carve out a career for herself and she’s been somewhat successful so far. What happens if you fall in love with her? You’ll get hurt. She isn’t going to settle down and give up that career.”

“I would never ask her to, and I’m not going to fall in love.”

“You’re still suffering over your loss, but eventually you’ll heal and move on. You’ll hurt yourself. She will let you see Noah some without you marrying her. Please don’t do this.”

“I want more than brief visits with him several times a year.”

“Since when did you want to become a dad?”

“You know how I love your girls.”

“Yes, but you’re their uncle, not their dad, which is much more demanding. It’s a demanding, full-time job and you’ll love that baby like you can’t believe. Then, if you and Camille split, you’ll really be torn. Have you thought about that?”

“Yes, but life is fraught with hazards and you just have to take some risks when you love someone whether it’s a child or an adult.”

She turned away to watch her girls. “You don’t know what love is until a child comes into your life. Frank’s life and mine revolve around the girls. You take that baby to raise part of the time and you’ll love him more than you can possibly imagine. Maybe you already love him just because he’s Kern’s.”

“Ginny, stop worrying. I want to take the chance. I want him in our lives.”

Silence stretched while they studied each other. He waited patiently, certain of what he planned.

“Okay, Marek, I’ll try to stop worrying and I’ll stop arguing with you,” she said finally. “I’m going on record though. I think you’re making an enormous mistake.”

“If this were turned around and Kern was in the spot I’m in and it was my baby, I think Kern would want me to do the best thing for Noah. I’ve mulled it over, and this seems the best solution to keep Noah in our lives.”

“You might be right. When will she give you an answer?”

“Tuesday night we’ll get together again. I think I’ll know then, and I’ll call you as soon as I do. She’s talking to her sisters now.”

“I can’t imagine you doing this. I can’t imagine her doing it, either. Both of you have switched off your common sense. Maybe her sisters will talk her out of it.”

“Stephanie will try. I’ll call you Wednesday morning.”

“You call me Tuesday night. I’ll be a wreck. In the meantime, I’ll try to think up another plan.”

He smiled. “Thanks, Ginny. Tuesday night we’ll know whether I’ll marry Camille or not.”

*

Tuesday night, he had butterflies in his stomach. He had made multimillion-dollar deals without a qualm, but tonight he suffered uncustomary nerves. For once in his life he didn’t have a backup plan. This was it, and he could only pray she accepted. Stepping into the entrance of her condo, he experienced the same reaction as the first day he had met her, an awareness of how striking she was and the sense of energy surrounding her even as she stood still. Her hair was a midnight cascade, falling below her shoulders. Her sleeveless black dress with a scooped neckline revealed lush curves. A thin gold chain with a diamond pendant circled her throat.

“Hi,” she said, smiling at him. “Come in.”

“You look gorgeous,” he said.

Marek could not discern any indication of her decision from her expression. He realized she was an actress as well as a singer and she hid her feelings well. She would do well in a boardroom in a high-stakes negotiation. “You asked to see Noah before we leave for the evening,” she said, leading him into the living area and motioning toward the leather couch. “Have a seat, and I’ll go get Noah. I won’t be gone long.”

“So Noah is awake and happy?” Marek suspected that with one look at her sisters he would know Camille’s answer to his proposal.

“He’s awake and bubbly. Stephanie has gone out for the evening, and Ashley is on the phone.” She hurried out of the room to the nursery, where Ashley waited with Noah. “Thanks, Ashley. I’ll bring him back to you. Sure you don’t want to come say hi?”

“No, I might start crying,” she said, pushing up the sleeves to her gray sweatshirt.

“We’ve talked about this. The money should be some consolation.”

“I worry about you. I worry about how badly you’ll miss having Noah with you.”

“I’ll be fine. I have my career. Marek said he can change the schedule if we want to see Noah more.”

“I hope he holds to that.”

Camille took her son and hurried back to the front room. Marek stood by the piano, looking at sheet music. His navy suit and tie were a quiet understatement of his power and wealth. A tall, handsome and appealing man, always commanding. Was he ever at a loss or uncertain? He turned to cross the room.

“Ah, the happy baby,” he said, reaching for Noah, who kicked and held out his arms.

“Do you really want to take him? Your shirt looks fresh and it’s white as snow.”

“I’m not fragile and my shirt washes,” Marek said, taking off his coat and tossing it to the sofa. He turned to Noah.

“I think he remembers you.”

“Hey, that’s great. I hope so. I suspect he’s happy to see everyone. So far, I haven’t seen him unhappy.”

“He has his moments, but most of the time, he’s happy.”

Marek walked away, talking to Noah, carrying him to the window to show him the outside. Then he sat on the floor with him and handed him some toys. It amazed her to watch him, the wealthy, powerful rancher dressed in his immaculate suit, tailor-made white shirt and his hand-tooled boots that could have been custom-made, while he sat on the floor playing and making goofy noises for Noah. Noah laughed, a hearty sound that made him shake all over, and she couldn’t keep from laughing with him.

“Why will grown people do anything to get a baby to laugh?”

“Got me, but it’s fun. You can’t keep from laughing in return,” Marek said, making another silly sound and laughing with Noah. Her heart squeezed while her pulse jumped. Marek’s appeal soared when he laughed. Creases bracketed his mouth and his even white teeth flashed. Her heart was definitely in for a bumpy ride.

Finally, he stood. “I’ll give him to you. Another night we’ll play longer.”

“I’ll take him back to Ashley. Just a minute and we can go.”

She hurried out of the room, holding Noah tightly in her arms, wondering whether she was making the right decision or not. After tonight, there wouldn’t be any turning back.

Just as before, they went in a limo to his Dallas home, where they sat outside with drinks. He removed his navy suit jacket and tie as he had the last time. While she watched him, it occurred to her to wonder about his handsome appeal. Was she in any danger of falling in love? He sat close, facing her. He set both drinks on a glass table.

“I’ve waited long enough, and we’re alone now,” Marek said. “What’s your answer? Will you marry me?”