A Decent Proposal

by Teresa Southwick

  “Yeah.” The boy looked down frowning, as if remembering the experience.

  “I’m sorry you had to go through that. The good news is that Mary will be okay after rest and recuperation. She’s retiring, but we’ll figure things out. At least you’ll have your house, yard and friends back.”

  “Yeah,” he said again, a little uncertain. “And I’ll have to leave the friends I made here. I thought it was boring at first, but I really like Blackwater Lake.”

  “Good. It’s a nice place. And since work will keep me here for a while, I’m glad you like it.”

  “You know what the best part is?” The boy looked up, a vulnerable expression in his blue eyes.

  “What?”

  “I get to hang out with you a lot.”

  “Really?” Burke felt a tightness in his chest. “You like doing stuff together?”

  “It’s awesome.” Liam nodded eagerly. “We don’t even have to do stuff. I like just hanging out or watching TV together.”

  The tightness in his chest squeezed a little more. This was one of those moments that he wished you could hang on the wall and look at when life kicked you in the teeth. But it also pricked his guilt. For a long time he’d been making excuses to justify pushing off his son on the housekeeper, when the truth was that he could adjust other things in order to spend enough time with his child. And he hadn’t. It took Blackwater Lake to make him see that things could be different. He could be different.

  “I’m sorry, too, Liam.”

  “What for?”

  “I haven’t been a very good father to you. I’m always busy. Not around. Blaming it on work.”

  “Mary says what you do is important. That a lot of people wouldn’t have jobs if not for your company.”

  Even his housekeeper was making excuses for his parenting—or lack thereof. “The truth is that I could have done better as a dad. I love you and I love spending time with you. And I’m making a promise that from now on we’ll hang out a lot more.”

  “Cross your heart?”

  Burke made the sign over his heart and held out a closed fist. His son bumped it with his own. This gesture was more sacred than a handshake and again one of those unspoiled moments that stand out in a father’s mind.

  “You know, Dad, if you don’t keep your promise Syd wouldn’t like it.”

  “No, she wouldn’t. I’ve never seen her mad and don’t ever want to.”

  “Me, either,” Liam agreed.

  They sat there for a few moments and Burke basked in the glow. Everyone he talked to in town said that it would be winter soon, but so far the only sign was that nights were colder. This Indian summer weather fit his mood perfectly, he thought. If he had to give the feeling a name, he would call it contentment. It was noteworthy that he recognized the sensation since it had been in short supply most of his life.

  “Dad, when we go back to Chicago, do you think she can come for a visit?”

  The words yanked him back but he wasn’t sure which “she” his son meant. “Who?”

  “Syd. Do you think she could come and see us?” The boy looked up hopefully and his feelings were there for the world to see. He was going to miss her.

  “It’s all right with me,” Burke said. “I hope she’ll visit. I’ll ask her.”

  “Then I’m sure she will.”

  “Why do you think so, son?”

  “Anyone can see that she likes you a lot. Do you like her?” Liam asked.

  “I would say we’re good friends.”

  Who slept together. But of course he wasn’t about to tell that to his eight-year-old son. If Burke was being honest with himself, he would admit that Syd was more than a friend, but how much more?

  “Todd is my friend. Do you think I could ask him to visit in Chicago?”

  “Of course. But that’s up to his parents.”

  Burke realized that Liam wasn’t the only Holden wearing his emotions in plain sight. He’d grown accustomed to seeing Syd almost every day. The frustrations that were constant in his work on a daily basis didn’t seem so bad when he knew that night he would spend time with her and talk about it. She was an excellent listener and often had good advice.

  Sydney McKnight was a goodbye he wasn’t yet prepared to handle.

  Hell, the other night after dinner he hadn’t been ready to say good-night. That’s one reason he’d taken her up to his room. And making love to her was nice.

  The word made him smile as he pictured her saying it. Once wasn’t enough; he wanted her again. It was another in a growing list of reasons for not wanting to say goodbye to her.

  Part of his job involved solving problems. This one was personal and more delicate. But an idea popped into his mind that could fix everything.

  * * *

  Sydney walked from the service bay to the office, where her father was working, and poked her head in. “Hey, Dad. I’m all caught up.”

  “So you’re done for the day?” He looked at his watch and his eyebrows rose. “Before quitting time. Are you that good? Or just motivated to get out of here early because you have a date with Burke?”

  “I’m that good,” she said with a grin.

  There was no date, but a girl could hope. Still, it was Monday and therefore a school night. She completely respected the restrictions that put on Burke’s social life.

  Alone time with him was precious, but she’d enjoyed hanging out with father and son yesterday. She liked watching the two interact and Liam was just a sweetie. The sullen child she’d first met had disappeared, thanks to whatever Burke was doing.

  Syd heard her father’s voice and realized she’d been lost in her own thoughts. “I’m sorry. What was that?”

  “I said, Loretta and I are going to the diner for dinner. You and Burke and Liam should join us.”

  “I’m free, but I don’t know about the boys.”

  That’s how she’d started thinking about them. The boys. While in the kitchen cooking, she’d glanced out the window and noted identical serious expressions on their faces, indicating a serious discussion underway. Burke had never mentioned what they’d talked about.

  But he’d been really attentive afterward. While eating dinner, he’d caressed her thigh underneath the table and stolen kisses when his son was out of the room. There was something different about him, an intensity and focus that were fine-tuned and firing on all cylinders. It was exciting, if a little unsettling. She didn’t know what to think. Was he making the most of every moment because the time was fast approaching for him to leave town?

  “If I hear from Burke, I’ll let you know.”

  “You could call him,” her dad pointed out.

  “Guess I’m a little old-fashioned.” And maybe a little insecure. A call from him meant he really wanted to see her. “Are you ready to leave?”

  “Not yet,” he answered. “I’m going to finish ordering the parts for Floyd Robinson’s truck since I have time to kill before meeting Loretta.”

  “Okay, then. ’Bye, Dad.”

  “See you, Syd.”

  She’d just walked outside when her cell rang, making her heart skip. It was like being a teenager again, waiting to hear from that special boy.

  She looked at the caller ID and smiled when she recognized that special boy’s number. “Hi, there.”

  “Hey, Syd. It’s Burke.”

  “I knew that.”

  “Right.” His voice was clipped, distracted. “Where are you?”

  “Just left the office.” She’d just mention dinner. What the heck? He’d called her. “Dad and Loretta are going to the Grizzly Bear Diner. If you and Liam want—”

  “There’s something I need to talk to you about. Are you going home?” He sounded weird.

  “Yes. On my way there now. Why?”


  “I’ll meet you.”

  “Burke, what’s wrong?” There was no answer and when she looked at the phone it said, call ended.

  Suddenly her heart wasn’t skipping but her stomach was, and not in a happy way. She didn’t want to face him in work clothes and needed time to change. It was a challenge to drive as fast as she could and still be just under the speed limit.

  After squealing into her driveway, she parked the car, unlocked the door and raced up to her room. She pulled off work pants and shirt then grabbed black jeans and a long-sleeved pink T-shirt. After brushing out her hair, she left it loose around her shoulders, then put on tinted lip gloss.

  As she was considering whether or not to put on makeup, the doorbell rang and she scrapped the idea. How she looked wouldn’t matter since what he had to say wasn’t going to be good. Being a pessimist was a downer but it was better to be realistic and prepared.

  She raced downstairs and opened the door. There he was on the porch and the sight of him made her heart swell to the point of aching. His white dress shirt was rumpled and the sleeves were rolled up to mid-forearm. The expensive gray-and-black silk tie was loosened at his throat. Five-o’clock shadow made him look incredibly sexy. If he hadn’t said he needed to talk, she would have grabbed that tie and tugged him upstairs.

  “Can I come in?”

  “Sure.” She shook her head to clear it, then stepped back and pulled the door wider.

  “Thanks.” He walked past her and stopped in the entryway.

  “Would you like a beer?”

  “Not now.” He dragged his fingers through his hair. “There’s something I need to talk to you about.”

  “So you said.” She braced herself for the brush-off. “What’s up?”

  “I think we should get married.”

  The words started a roaring in her ears, but his expression was intent and sincere. “I’m sorry. We should do what now?”

  “Get married.”

  She felt as if this was some kind of surreal board game and she’d just jumped to the end after skipping major steps in the process.

  “What’s wrong?” she finally asked.

  “Nothing. It’s all good.” He smiled at her as if that explained everything.

  “I think I need just a little more information than that.”

  “I’ve been thinking this over all night, but I can see where you’d need context.” He met her gaze with a “trust me” expression in his own eyes. “This makes really good sense.”

  On what planet? she wanted to ask. With an effort she held back and tried not to make a judgment until hearing him out. “Explain it to me.”

  “You like me—”

  “What makes you so sure about that?” Right this minute she wasn’t sure how she felt.

  “Because you’re not the kind of woman who goes to bed with a man unless she has feelings for him. Positive feelings. And believe me I know the difference.” His blue eyes darkened with intensity. “And Liam noticed it, too. He said you like me.”

  “He did?” What was this? Junior high?

  “Yes, he did.”

  She knew she was bad at hiding her feelings but hadn’t figured she was so obvious a kid would notice. She wasn’t sure why this conversation and his proposal were putting her on the defensive, but his declaration made her want to push back. Except she couldn’t deny she really liked him. That was the truth.

  “Okay.”

  “And I like you,” he added.

  She had to take his word for that because he wasn’t as obvious as she was. “Nice of you to say.”

  “Liam likes you, too. And you’re terrific with him.”

  “He’s a great kid.”

  “See?” He beamed at her as if she was his star pupil. “We could be a family.”

  That’s what she’d always wanted. And her dad wanted it for her. It’s what had made her approach Burke in the first place. But this was weird and was probably the reason he’d been acting differently last night.

  “A few days ago we agreed to take it one day at a time.”

  “And today I’m asking you to marry me.”

  Skeptical and weird was not how she’d expected to feel when a man she cared very much about proposed to her. “What happened to change your mind? What’s the rush, Burke? Are you going back to Chicago?”

  “Eventually.”

  “It’s a cliché to say this is so sudden, but— This is so sudden. Why?”

  His face took on a stubborn expression, not unlike his son when he didn’t get what he wanted, when he wanted it and under the terms he requested.

  “Why not?” he answered. “Think about what you’d have.”

  This was beginning to sound like a business deal and a chill started in her stomach then spread slowly outward. “Spell it out for me.”

  “First, there’s a big house. Cars. I know you’d like that.” He thought for a moment. “You talked about traveling to some place warm in the winter.”

  “Wow.”

  “Hawaii. Florida.” He completely missed the underwhelming tone in her voice so when he went on she didn’t interrupt. “Tahiti would work. Would you like to scuba dive? There’s a reef on a small island in Micronesia that’s supposed to be the best in the world for seeing manta rays.” He looked at her. “Have you been to Europe?”

  “No.”

  “I could take you there. It’s spectacular. London. Paris. Rome. Venice. Florence. We could lease a private yacht and see them all.”

  “And the only catch is that I have to marry you.”

  His brows drew together. Frustration or annoyance? It wasn’t clear. “I can take you away from all this...”

  She remembered the night he’d surprised her with flowers and dinner. Such a romantic gesture it took her breath away. But it was also the night when he’d said he would never marry again. Followed by the statement that the only commitment he could make was to do what was best for his son.

  This was a decent proposal, but it was coming from a place where it was best for Liam, which meant it would never work in the long term.

  “If that’s your best offer, you don’t know me at all.”

  There was a flash of something in his eyes and this time it was clearly anger. “We could be good together. You. Me. Liam—”

  “No thank you, Burke.”

  “Syd, think about this—”

  “It’s probably best if you go now.”

  Since she was so easy to read, Syd turned away before he could see the expression in her eyes that would be a giveaway about how hard it was to turn him down. Without another word he left and she was alone. Alone with the realization that she’d said no because she was in love with him. Hell of a time to realize the truth of her feelings.

  Now she understood why she’d been on the defensive when he made his case for marriage. He’d skipped the most important step.

  The one where he told her he loved her.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Syd was in no mood for a family get-together, but a girl didn’t always get what she wanted. Thoughts of Burke Holden immediately came to mind along with the scene of his proposal here in her home just the day before. If she’d gotten her wish, he’d have asked her to marry him as if he really meant it. Not because she was his solution to a child-care problem.

  Now she was standing in the kitchen with her dad, Loretta Goodson beside him, her brothers and their families gathered around the big, granite-topped island. They were all waiting.

  Her father put his arm around the waist of the woman standing next to him. “I have an announcement to make.”

  “You’re pregnant,” Ben joked.

  His pretty blonde wife, Camille, stared at him in mock horror. “You’re a doctor. Remarks l
ike that could start rumors that you skipped anatomy class.”

  “I’ve heard that rumor.” His older brother, Alex, elbowed him. “There’s another one currently circulating that he patched up a broken leg with Super Glue.”

  “Why don’t you guys just stuff a sock in it and let Dad speak,” Syd snapped. “Your daughters are more mature than you. I’d call you two-year-olds, but that would be an insult to toddlers.”

  “Wow.” Alex looked at her, one eyebrow raised in surprise. “Someone got up on the wrong side of the bed today.”

  “That better not be a remark about this being that time of the month.” Even as Syd’s anger shot into the stratosphere, she knew it was misplaced. Alex wasn’t the man she wanted to verbally eviscerate.

  “Why don’t y’all quiet down and hear what your dad has to say.” There was something peacemakerish in Ellie McKnight’s soothing Texas drawl. “And Alex, my love, apologize to your sister for that insensitive remark.”

  “Whatever you want, sweetheart.” Alex leaned over and kissed his wife’s cheek. “Syd, I’m sorry you’re irritable and surly.”

  “And I’m sorry you’re a male chauvinist pig.” Somehow she managed to keep her tone teasing and everyone laughed.

  “Okay, if you’re all finished?” Tom looked around expectantly and everyone nodded. There were no more smart-aleck remarks. He took a deep breath. “I asked Loretta to marry me and she said yes.”

  There was a moment of silence while the information sank in. No one was really surprised; they’d all known this was coming. And when the hush ended, whistles and words of congratulations started. It was clear that everyone approved. Then there was a lot of hugging and kissing.

  Syd did her best to hide her romantic trouble. How ironic that her dalliance with Burke had started because of her determination to convince her dad he could and should move on with his life. The romantic pretense hadn’t lasted long because she and Burke had a genuine connection and they never had to work at it. At least for her it was effortless. Her dad just made the announcement about getting married again and Syd couldn’t let him know that she and Burke were not now—and never would be—a couple.