by Geri Krotow
“Because I’m going to throw up.”
Chapter 5
Shadow Creek appealed more to Alastair now than it had three months ago. The silhouettes of the houses, barn and stables became larger and he had a sense of comfort he hadn’t felt since...he’d left Bluewood. He took it all in as the Uber driver drove up to Halle’s house and again reviewed how he planned to convince her to marry him. She hadn’t sounded impressed with anything he’d had to say on the phone yesterday. And showing up without her invitation—only twenty-four hours after he’d found out he was going to be a father—ranked as his most impulsive decision yet.
Marriage wasn’t the option he came to most easily but it was the best solution to their issue at hand. It was the only way he’d guarantee that the child would be his legal heir, and provided a way for Halle to benefit, as well. He would help Halle out with Bluewood, make certain it would be around for a long while—long enough for his future child to know this part of his or her heritage. He only had to convince Halle to enter into a temporary marriage of convenience, which he considered his most challenging business deal to date. Halle was as smart and stubborn as his fiercest competitors.
The front door was closed, the screen door in front of it hanging on its hinge. Paint on the once-red house flaked and the shingles were a faded gray, from what he surmised had originally been black. Cosmetic upkeep on a building went by the wayside when the funds weren’t available. He understood that as a businessman. From all appearances nothing had changed—Halle was still struggling to keep the ranch afloat. It was good to know, an asset to take into his negotiations with her. Unlike regular business, though, he felt a tug in his chest that he never felt when anticipating a merger. Maybe expectant fathers had their own kind of morning sickness, some kind of paternal anxiety. It couldn’t be anything else. He hadn’t known Halle that long. Yet the anticipation of becoming a parent, a father, a dad kept inserting itself in all his thoughts. His life as he’d known it was about to change, and he found he welcomed it.
Now to convince Halle he was sincere about his offer of assistance. He wanted nothing less than to be a full parent to his child. Their child.
Alastair drew in a deep breath and knocked on her door. He heard several loud barks as her three dogs sounded the alert, followed by the sounds of someone hushing them, and then the woman he’d made love to a million times in his mind since he’d actually taken her on the Texas trail opened the door and stood in front of him.
“Alastair.”
“Halle.” Words refused to form, to squeeze past the jolt of seeing her again. Her amber eyes were a balm to his soul and her face reflected complete surprise and maybe even a little bit of joy. As if she were sizing him up and thinking the same thing. He offered a smile.
The blank look on her expression turned hard, but it didn’t diminish her beauty. Nothing could. “I told you not to bother.”
“I know.” He held up what he now realized was a ridiculously huge bouquet of pink roses. “A peace offering.”
She pushed back the broken screen door and reached for the flowers. He honest-to-God expected her to toss them to the ground, or better, feed them to her dogs, who all stood around her, staring at Alastair. They didn’t yip at him; there was that. At least the dogs were willing to give him a chance. Maybe they remembered him?
Halle looked at the pink blooms in her hands and bent her face to them, audibly inhaling the scent. “Mmm. I love roses.” The lines around her eyes and mouth softened, and he saw the shadow of her smile but she didn’t waste it on him. It was gone as soon as she looked back up. “You can go now.” She swung the door to close it.
“No, wait.” He put his foot on the threshold, preventing her from closing the door. Two dogs barked and one growled. “Easy, boys.”
“They’re all girls.”
“Right. Okay, easy, ladies. Is that better?” Now all three growled.
Halle showed no sign of relenting, either. “There’s nothing to ‘wait’ for, Alastair. I don’t need or want anything from you. This was a sweet gesture and I do adore roses. Thank you. We’re good. I’ll let you know what I name the baby when it’s time.”
“I’m not leaving, Halle.” Not until she heard him out. Not until she agreed to his proposal.
“Please tell me you didn’t fly from Scotland to make a florist delivery. Certainly you can afford an overnight express shipment.”
This was the Halle he’d missed. The strength that allowed her humor to come through in the midst of what had to be a tough time for her. He felt the warmth emanating from inside the house and saw the way she held her long cardigan wrapped around her body, still not showing any obvious sign of a baby bump.
“It’s cold out here, Halle.”
Whiskey eyes flickered to the retreating Uber car and back to him. “I’m sure there’s a heater in your ride. You should call them back before they get too far away.” She moved again to shut the door. Two dogs barked and one growled. Four sets of female eyes on him.
“No, don’t! I want, I hope—bloody hell, Halle! Will you please let me in? I’d like to have a reasonable conversation without the hounds of hell at my feet.”
She surprised him again and laughed. Did she have any idea how pretty she looked in her crumpled white blouse, blue jeans and pink sweater? Bare feet with pale blue polish? Her hair mussed as if he’d waken her up from—
“How do you feel?”
She stopped smiling. “Awful. I was just lying flat again—it seems to be the only solution to it. My worst times are now, late afternoon.”
“I’m sorry.”
Their gazes met and connected this time. Wariness and a deep sadness reflected in their bourbon depths. And maybe, just maybe—a flicker of hope?
She sighed, loud and long, her shoulders drooped in resignation. “Come on in. Girls, settle down and be quiet!” The Australian shepherds circled around them both, herding Alastair into a clump with Halle. It was his turn to laugh.
“They really think we’re sheep they have to manage?”
“Pretty much, yes. You’ve seen herding dogs in Scotland, I’m sure. I’d hoped to have sheep and alpaca on the ranch by now, something to keep them busy, but, well, I’ve got more work to do before that happens.” Money to earn was what she really meant, he’d bet. He didn’t know a whole lot about her yet but he knew she’d never admit she was worried about her finances, or lack thereof.
She led him through the small yet cozy house to a narrow kitchen in the back. “Have a seat.” He complied, easily settling at her maple wood table set.
“This is a comfortable chair.” He ran his hands over the wide arms of the wooden barrel seat.
A shadow flickered over her features, barely a whisper of yearning. “Yes, it was built for my father. He was tall, like you.”
Watching her as she chose a vase, filled it with water from the tap and trimmed the rose stems was oddly soothing. Homey.
Careful. Keep it strictly business.
“Here. We can enjoy them more.” She placed the arrangement on the table between them, against the window that overlooked her fields. The barn and corral were off to the right, decidedly empty.
“Where are the horses? Your steer?”
Halle lowered herself into the chair opposite his. Her figure was as sexy as ever, and while he couldn’t detect a curve where the baby they’d conceived grew, he couldn’t take his gaze off her smooth belly. An unfamiliar sense of protectiveness grabbed his heart—or was it possessiveness?
“It’s too early for me to show, Alastair. Although I’ve noticed my clothes are getting very tight these days.” Bam! She’d caught him. Instead of being embarrassed, he was intrigued. He’d actually helped make a baby that was in turn making Halle’s body change. This was far more interesting than any high frequency stock trade.
“You were going to tell me about your livestock?”
“Yes. I’ve had all but six of the horses moved and stabled at friends’ ranches until my profit margin increases, probably in the spring. I had to sell off some of my steer to pay bills. I can purchase more, one head at a time if necessary, as soon as things...settle down a bit.”
“So. You’re still having financial difficulty.”
“The ranch is, yes.” She spoke quietly, her face toward the window, her gaze far away. “I’ve had to depend totally on Charlie to take care of the horses while I get through this morning sickness. I’m lucky if I can manage to lead them through laps around the paddock. I’ve had to pay Charlie overtime. I’m not going to skimp on his paycheck. For now. And I’ll get back on my feet soon and hopefully be able to run some more trail rides. I saw my doctor today and she gave me permission to ride, although it should be at a much slower pace or even a walk. I have three tours scheduled over the next two weeks, starting this weekend.”
“How the hell are you going to do that when you feel so awful?”
“I’m pregnant, as eons of women before me have been. My doctor assures me that the nausea, while late-onset, will eventually pass. Or I’ll learn to live with it. I already have. I mean, look, I feel green right now but I’m not throwing up on you. Trust me, it’s progress compared to the last week or two.” She did have a strong game face, he’d give her that.
“Will those tours be enough to get you through the next several months?” He knew the answer but wanted her to hear it. Feel it. She had to see that his answer was the best for her.
“Are you kidding? Of course not. The fee you paid me is the highest I’ve ever earned, and I’ve put that toward stabling the horses. I need to finish ten to twelve tours before the baby comes, then I’ll be able to afford at least six weeks of not working much when he or she is a newborn.”
“That sounds stressful.” And her “not working much” comment meant that she’d be willing to work too soon after the baby was born, if necessary. That feeling of protectiveness toward Halle was getting too familiar. And it blew his mind that he was thinking of a child the size of a small plum as his son or daughter to forever protect. He’d done some internet searches on the stages of pregnancy and fetal development.
“You don’t think I can do it?” Her chin jutted out and her lips were pouty. Not that he was thinking about kissing her at this particular time.
“I know you can do whatever you want to, Halle. You pulled me out of a raging river, for God’s sake. That’s not the question.”
“The river was still by the time I got to you. Tell me, Alastair, what do you think is the issue? What’s your point?”
“The concern I have is how you’re going to make enough money to not only keep Bluewood running, but to invest in its future. I know you’re fully capable of making it all work, but darn it, Halle, I don’t want you running yourself into the ground. This should be a happy time for you, too.”
Tears glistened in her eyes as she bit her trembling bottom lip. Not that he was looking at it for any particular reason. “I’ll do whatever I have to, it’s how my daddy raised me. Fords aren’t quitters. Although Dad always found time for me, always let me know that I was first, the priority over the ranch. He was bringing in a lot more money when I was younger, though. I don’t know if the ranch will ever get back to those days.” She wiped tears off her cheeks.
“Are you sure you want to take on another full-time job on top of the ranch? With a new baby?”
“That’s the question, isn’t it?”
“That’s part of what brought me here, Halle. I want to help. To make this as easy a transition for you as possible. I’m hoping you’ll trust me enough to allow me to help you financially with the business. I know how much it means to you.”
“That...that’s awfully generous of you, Alastair. Thank you.”
She grabbed a napkin from the acrylic holder on the table and wiped her eyes, then blew her nose. He made a note to order the finest linen handkerchiefs for her, with the Scottish thistle embroidered on them. Her hands were long, her fingers graceful. Would their child have her hands?
“There’s one more thing, Halle. I know it’s going to sound absolutely crazy, so please hear me out.”
Her long, shuddering breath emphasized her ramrod-straight posture. He was certain she was made of steel. She rested her sharp whiskey eyes on him.
“Go on.”
“Marry me, Halle. For the sake of our child, marry me.”
Chapter 6
Alastair’s words “our child” had an unexpected effect on Halle. They calmed her. As ridiculous as the other part of his statement, a question that sounded more like a billionaire’s demand to her. Because if she allowed herself to believe for one instant that Alastair was starting to have feelings for her, she’d misinterpret his proposal. She’d start to see a different slant to his insistent words. As if he meant it, as if he was really going to stay there and help her through the next six months and beyond. As if he...
No. Do not go there.
Halle channeled the Ford side of the family, the good judgment her father had left her. The business sense that had helped him make a nice tidy sum over the years with the ranch. A sum she’d gone through quicker than she’d ever expected. But the ranch had needed improvements. Hell, it needed basic maintenance and she didn’t even have the money for that. Yes, she had to draw upon her father’s financial acumen. It was all she had left with the ranch failing and her bank accounts empty. Alastair wanted to literally bail Bluewood Ranch out of its financial straits, and set it up to thrive. With only one demand, apparently.
“You want to marry me? That’s rich, Alastair. I mean, you have to wonder if you can trust me in the first place, don’t you? Are you so certain that the baby is yours? I could be totally duping you! I can’t figure out if you’re crazy or, or...” She couldn’t say it. Couldn’t voice her dreams—that she’d fallen for a decent guy. Not that she was falling for Alastair. They shared potent chemistry, period.
“It’s the right thing to do. It’s not a real, romantic proposal, and I’m sorry for that. We can agree to divorce in a year, to prove to you my intentions are only to help the baby. But it’s an opportunity for both of us to do the best thing for our baby.” With his clipped Scottish brogue his words sounded like an edict from above. Not a statement from the man who’d made love to her like there was no tomorrow. Her inner thighs clenched at the memory, her lips throbbed with her attraction to him. Even in her throes of hormone-induced nausea, she remembered his kisses and longed for more.
Alastair didn’t look like he was thinking along the same lines as he drummed his fingers on the table. She saw those fingers caressing her, sliding up her waist to her breast...
“Don’t you agree, Halle?”
She looked away from his hands, from him. The pregnancy and recent vomiting made it difficult for her to keep her emotions locked down.
“It’s the right thing if you’re living in nineteenth-century Glasgow, maybe. But we don’t have to run off to Gretna Green just because you got me knocked up. A lot of parents wait until after the baby is born to get married.”
The drumming stopped. He raised his hand and ran it over his face, emphasizing the lines around the edges of his eyes. Even traveling in a private jet, he had to feel the effects of jet lag. Facing the consequences of fun he’d had three months ago couldn’t be helping, either.
“Halle, I’m not some anonymous rancher that’s gotten you pregnant. I’m a public figure, as much as I detest that part of my inheritance. Security is an everyday issue for me, and it’s going to be for the baby, too. My child. Since you’re the mother, you’re already at risk. This is the most expedient way to handle this.”
“At risk for what?”
“Kidnapping, extortion—God, Halle, plea
se don’t make me spell it all out for you.”
“You already have. And for the record, I’ve already obsessed over the future threats to our baby. And I don’t appreciate your slam against ranchers.” She leaned on her elbows and rested her head in her hands. The stability of the kitchen table where her dad had helped her solve all of her adolescent problems comforted her. What would her father have thought about Alastair? After he’d locked and loaded his rifle, for demonstrative purposes?
“You’re right. I realize I can come across way too intense. I have nothing against ranchers, you have to realize this.” He ran his hands over his face. “I came here to help you take a load off, to ease the stress of finding out you’re pregnant when you weren’t planning it. I’m not doing a very good job of it, am I?” His expression softened, the light in his eyes making them appear silver. “Can I do something for you? Make you some tea? I’ve brought my favorite ginger tea. It’s supposed to be an elixir for morning sickness.”
“What would you know about being pregnant?”
“Not a lot, but I’ve seen enough of my friends and my siblings go through it.” He stood up and walked to her counter. “Where’s your kettle?”
“Kettle? Do you mean a pot to boil water? Or better, there’s the microwave. That’s how I made your tea when you were here before.” She pointed to the appliance over the stove. “I usually heat up a measuring glass of water and then add enough tea bags to make a quart to pour over ice.”
Alastair’s blank stare was a first.
“I don’t think I’ve ever made iced tea.” He looked around. “I suppose an electric teakettle’s out of the question, then.” He sounded impatient and Halle couldn’t hold back her giggles.
“What’s so damned funny, Halle?”
“You. You have your own jet and you’re upset because I don’t have an electric kettle?”
“You’re right. It’s nothing to get worked up about.” Aggravation was overridden by determination on his face, complete with a day-old beard, and if they were a real couple, a twosome who’d planned to have a baby together, Halle would get up and hug him. Lean into him. She was going to have to settle for his financial support. Which made her skin crawl. Handouts were never part of Bluewood’s financial prospectus.
