by Tina Leonard
She backed up the car and drove away, her mind whirling over Gabriel’s proposal. She didn’t want to get married. He didn’t want to get married.
The only reason he’d asked her was because of his father. It had something to do with the wager his father had set upon his sons.
On the other hand, Gabriel really seemed to enjoy her children. He had even offered Ben a job, which she knew was against his better judgment, and maybe even hers. But the fact that he’d been willing to give her father a chance caught her attention. Sometimes a chance was all someone needed to start over, jump into better luck.
Her eyes widened as she realized he was giving her a chance, much like he had Ben. Gabriel was a giver, hiding behind a gruff exterior. She’d been fooled—or frightened—by his seeming harshness.
Marriage to him would be a business, just like everything else in the Morgan family. Because of their father, they couldn’t help but think coolly, strategically.
She missed Dave’s uncomplicated style. Day by day, come what may.
However, that lifestyle had led to being alone with two small children and financial hardship. Had it not been for Josiah Morgan—who’d seen fit to give her a chance—she’d still be knocked off her feet.
She was surprised to find herself mulling Gabriel’s offer.
The temptation shocked her.
Her gaze found Penny and Perrin in the backseat through the rearview mirror, and she knew she was looking at the one reason she would consider Gabriel’s offer. A chance for a wonderful father for her children didn’t come along that often. Maybe she was being selfish, but secretly she longed for that chance for them.
It didn’t hurt that Gabriel was sexier than any man had a right to be.
* * *
WHATEVER LABEL ANYONE wanted to put on marriage—partnership or love at first sight—Gabriel had never considered the option. He was too old to be fooled by sexual attraction, but he was insanely attracted to the little mother. Nor did he care that he was falling into his father’s plan willingly.
Fact was, he didn’t give a damn what his father or his brothers thought. He liked Penny and Perrin. He liked Laura. The piece of his life they’d begun to occupy felt like home to him, and he was smart enough to realize that all the houses and land Pop had acquired over the years were probably a filler for the feeling
of home.
Bottom line, a man shouldn’t be so dumb he let his pride rule him.
He knew Laura probably would never love him. Actually, his chances weren’t great on that score, since she was still in love with her deceased husband. He understood, but he didn’t mind waiting that out. The desire to own that piece of life they’d embedded in his heart, that intangible thing he’d craved all his life, was simply too strong. He was a risk taker; he wasn’t afraid of it. In fact, he almost relished the challenge.
A great chunk of the challenge—and he wasn’t afraid to admit it—was that he’d never planned to have children of his own. But he could be a father to two kids who needed one—at least he could try. This was the toughest part of proposing marriage: not knowing if he could be an adequate father. It required settling down for real commitment. Living in one town. This town.
And what if they stayed married beyond the year he needed to put in at the ranch? Little League, dance recitals, trying not to beat on teenage boys who would come to date his daughter, learning golf with his son. Golf was probably a good thing to learn, he mused. He’d have to attend church with them, something he had refused to do. God had been a very faraway component of his life in the world’s hidden outposts.
He’d have to change a lot about himself. Being a parent required sacrifice. He wasn’t afraid of sacrifice.
But the reality that he might let them down sent sweat trickling down the back of his neck. He’d had a stern role model for fatherhood—he hoped Laura didn’t factor that into her consideration of his proposal.
He really craved the piece of home she represented.
* * *
“HOME, SWEET HOME!”
The bellow from the foyer at 5:00 a.m. shot Gabriel upright in his bed. The voice was a nightmare; he remembered the lashing roughness of it.
It couldn’t be. He’d simply had a nightmare.
He heard familiar heavy boots clomping on the hardwood floor downstairs. His pulse rate jacked up. He went to stare over the rail. Dane and Pete met him there.
Suddenly he was an awkward teenager again, wishing he didn’t have to face the critical appraisal of his father. “What the hell, Pop?” he demanded.
The white-haired and strong Josiah Morgan looked up at his three sons. “I see money can buy a man everything.” His weathered face folded into a frown. “Except Jack. Where the hell is Jack?”
“Not being bought,” Gabriel replied. “Helluva price to pay for a family reunion, if that’s what you wanted.”
His father shrugged. “A good businessman checks up on his investments.”
“I’m leaving,” Dane said under his breath. “I don’t need this crap.”
Pete nodded. “Damn if he doesn’t make me remember all over again how much I despise him. Old goat.”
“Shh,” Gabriel said. “Don’t disrespect the chance to learn from life’s mistakes.”
“Are you crazy?” Pete asked. “The man isn’t a father. He’s a human computer.”
“Maybe he can be reprogrammed.”
“I don’t care,” Pete said. Their father ignored them, headed into the kitchen. They could hear his boots striding through to the den. “He doesn’t own me.”
“If Ben can turn over a new leaf, it’s possible Pop can, too.” Gabriel wasn’t going to run from his father’s dark bitterness. “He wouldn’t be here if he wasn’t up to something. Wasn’t it you who said we should keep our enemy tucked close to our chest?”
“Yeah, but that was when it was your ass in hot water,” Pete said, and Dane nodded.
“I personally don’t believe in that enemy theory,” Dane said. “It isn’t the way I handled being a Ranger.”
“I preferred distance between me and the enemy. The old saw about close enough for hand grenades worked for me,” Pete said.
“God hates a coward.” Gabriel turned to go downstairs to face his father.
“Nope, God gave me legs to depart.” Dane shrugged. “I don’t have a big enough shovel for all the crap Pop’s gonna give us. And it ticks me off that he lured us here under false pretenses. He just wanted us home.”
“I agree with Dane. I’m too old to be trapped into one of Pop’s sorry-ass confrontations. His approval hasn’t mattered to me in years. Gabriel, you’re on your own if you’re fool enough to stay.” Pete went to his room.
Gabriel figured he was used to that. Hell, they all were. “Well, maybe Pop’s carping won’t bother me as much as it would you. Otherwise, my backup plan for getting along with Pop is to get married,” he said, and grinned when his brothers stuck their heads back into the hall.
“Married?” Pete repeated.
Gabriel nodded. “I asked Laura to marry me.”
“Whoa,” Dane said, “you’re setting a bad precedent here. Do not think that I intend to do the same. In fact, I tore up Pop’s letter about that Suzy chick. I’ll be telling him that before I leave, too.”
“Why are you falling in line with Pop’s scheming?” Pete demanded. “This isn’t the military, you know. You don’t have to jump when sarge commands. Once Pop knows he can buy you, you’ll be screwed.”
“I’m doing it because Laura needs me,” Gabriel said, “although Laura would disagree.” Actually that reason was too simplified, but he wasn’t going to pour his heart out to his boneheaded brothers. They’d never understand.
“Well, probably no one can save you,” Pete said. “Good luck.”
“Yeah. Let me know where to send a gift,” Dane said.
Gabriel replied, “Here, of course. I’m sticking out my year like I planned.”
“With Pop in residence
? Does Laura know?” Pete asked. His expression said Gabriel was nuts.
“Doesn’t matter to me if Pop’s here or not. Doesn’t matter to me what Pop thinks about my marriage proposal.” Gabriel’s heart was singing at the freedom of not caring anymore. “To be honest, I couldn’t care less. Everything is in the past and that’s where it’s going to stay.”
“The optimism of a baby,” Dane said. “I hope you know what you’re doing.”
Gabriel shrugged and went downstairs. “So. What ill wind blew you in?”
His father looked up. “How the hell was I to know my place was being looked after?”
“You knew I’d be here. I’d bet you expected all of us to be here.” Gabriel slung himself into a leather chair opposite his father. For being apart ten years, he couldn’t say there was an outpouring of emotion at the reunion. Nor had the old man changed much. He was craggier, whiter of hair, maybe, but still looked strong as a bull and was obviously marching to his own drummer. “You set this all up knowing we’d all do what you wanted.”
“I wish it were that easy.” Josiah looked at him. “Are you still in the military?”
“Did my time. Now I’m house-sitting for you.”
“Mooching off me, you mean,” Josiah said sourly.
“Okay,” Gabriel said easily, rising to his feet. “I didn’t realize you regretted your own scheme. Ben will be arriving every morning at 5:00 a.m. to water and feed the horses you left for the neighbors to look after.”
“Ben? Ben Smith?”
Gabriel nodded. “You said you owed him something. So we gave him a job.”
“No one consulted me.” Josiah’s brows pulled together. “The man is a leech.”
“Well,” Gabriel said, putting on a hat, “fire him if you want, but you’ll let Laura down. Those kids of hers are something, aren’t they?” he said, not ashamed to be as sly as his father. “I’ll be seeing you.”
He went out, not listening to the expletives his father unleashed at him. Getting into his truck, he drove deserted country roads for hours. Then he headed to Laura’s. He sat staring at her house, thinking, trying to pull a plan of action together.
He knew she wasn’t likely to accept his proposal. But he could use the buffer between him and Pop. Pop liked Laura; she brought out his less antagonistic side.
She opened the door and seemed to hesitate. Then she waved at him to come inside.
He did before she changed her mind.
“I’m glad you came by,” Laura said, “because we should probably talk.”
That sounded good to him. He slid onto the bar stool she offered and watched as she made lemonade in the small, bright kitchen. “Where are the kids?”
“Napping. They’ve been tired lately, and I think it’s the June heat.” She pinched some mint sprigs, and he could smell the sweet green freshness. “The other night, you made me a proposal.”
He nodded. He pretty much knew what her answer was going to be. She looked so calm and refreshing in a white top and blue jean shorts, cute sandals. “I probably didn’t handle that as well as I should have.”
She looked at him. “But you were sincere?”
“Oh, yeah. Definitely.”
She took a deep breath. “I’m not going to fall in love with you.”
“I know.” Still, hearing the words stated so flatly threw a knife into his chest. He knew his odds were slimmer than a crack in a window. He thought about Pop, angry and pissed off at home, and wondered if he’d ever known real love. “I’m not the romantic type who expects notes signed with a heart.”
Pain seemed to jump into her eyes. “I’m not looking for romance. In fact, it would bother me if that’s what you’re looking for. I just don’t have that emotion available to me right now.”
“I understand.”
“I’d like to accept your proposal.”
He sat up straight. “You would?”
She nodded, holding his gaze. “With a couple of modifications.”
“Name them.” Suddenly, his heart was skidding with joy. He didn’t care what the qualifications were; he had never wanted anything so much in his life.
“My children,” she said, “come first.”
“I wouldn’t expect anything else.”
“You would in a marriage where you’d been my first love. You would have come first. But I understand that you’re offering me a proposition that’s pretty much cut-and-dried. As a single mother, I’ll admit I see benefits to what you’re offering.”
She had no idea what benefits he’d be getting. A family. A real wife and kids. Okay, maybe not totally real, but close. Closer than he’d ever expected. “What else?”
For a long moment she looked at him, then took a deep breath. “I know that you’re supposed to live in your father’s house for a year—”
“He’s back,” Gabriel interrupted. “As far as I can guess, he’s nullified his own game. Pop never did like to give up control.”
“I know Mr. Morgan’s back.” She motioned him to follow her into the garden and turned on a baby monitor. They sat an awkward distance away from each other, but at ten o’clock in the morning, there was no moonlight to confuse romance with negotiations. “Everyone knows he’s back. He left a generous donation to the church, the library and the school. And then there’s that.” She pointed, and Gabriel saw a plastic sandbox shaped like a dinosaur and bags of sand. Shovels and buckets lay in a gaily decorated basket nearby.
“I can’t figure him out. Pop came in the house snarling like his old self.”
“The whole town is reeling this morning from the gifts.” She shook her head. “Maybe you four were problem children?”
“Oh, he’d like you to think that. He’d like everyone to see his good, benevolent side. Thing is, it’s so much easier to be nice to people on the surface. Family requires time and effort. It requires being close enough to give a damn.”
“Which is why I really shouldn’t ask this of you,” she said, hesitating, “especially since you should be focusing on your father…”
He was afraid she’d get hung up on Pop and do something generous like decide to crawfish out of his marriage proposal. “Let me worry about Josiah.”
“You have to live here with us,” she said calmly, her tone serious.
He stared at her, his heart instantly shifting into a slow thudding beat. “Here.”
She nodded. “I can’t take the children from the only home they’ve ever known, even if it’s only for a year.”
“I guess you can’t.” He wouldn’t want them uprooted from their security, especially so soon after losing their father.
“I realize doing so would break the agreement between you and your father—”
“He wasn’t going to give any of us a million dollars, anyway,” Gabriel said. “It was one of his ruses to trap us. Because he can’t come right out and ask for what he wants.”
Her eyes went wide at the bitterness in his tone. “I don’t want to come between family—”
He got up, pulled her to her feet and kissed her on the mouth, long and hard, definitely not allowing her to retreat. She would never be able to say no to this man about anything, she realized, her heart falling.
Gabriel pulled slowly away from their kiss, brushed her cheek with his fingers, stroked her neck with his palms. “Don’t mention him again. This is the family I want.”
“I just think—”
“No, you don’t.” Gabriel shook his head. “Thinking about the old man invites decay into my life. I choose you and Penny and Perrin.”
“Your father has been giving away a lot of money,” Laura said. “Maybe he is sincere. Maybe he’s using his money to bring you closer to him.”
“Then he has no idea what I really want in life.” Gabriel kissed her hand. “Your children come first, and I live here with you. Have I got it?”
She nodded.
He felt happier than he had in a long, long time. “I’ll move in after we’re married.”
<
br /> “All right.”
“We can probably get the marriage license and blood work done in a week—”
“Or we could go to Las Vegas,” Laura said quickly.
He blinked. Was she hot for him? He didn’t think so. If anything, she looked scared to death. “What about the children?”
“Mimi and Mason would be happy to keep them.”
He didn’t really want an Elvis wedding, or one away from her children. Penny would make a darling flower girl. Perrin would be a cute ring bearer of sorts. “Are you sure?”
“Definitely. As soon as possible. Just the two of us.”
“I’ll pick you up tomorrow.” He walked to his truck, not feeling good about the arrangement.
It didn’t matter. He could wait a couple of days to find out what Mrs. Adams had up her sleeve. She was taking advantage of his offer of marriage for a reason—but she was forgetting who’d raised him. He knew all about ulterior motives, and he wasn’t afraid of hers.
He was finally getting a real family of his own.
* * *
GABRIEL FIGURED HE’D BUNKED in enough out-of-the-way places that he could sleep in the foreman’s cottage overnight. Hell, he could sleep in a barn if it meant staying away from Pop. Why the hell had the old man really returned? He hadn’t accomplished anything he’d supposedly wanted; Pete was gone, Dane had hightailed it and he wasn’t providing a sounding board for his father’s bitching.
Yep, he’d take the foreman’s deserted shack. Unlocking the door with the key hidden in a secret wall crevice, he went inside, glad to be finally alone.
It had been an exciting day. He’d made plane reservations, wedding reservations, had gotten Laura a ring. Of course, he couldn’t get married without buying a couple of stuffed animals for his new kids: a soft, fluffy horse for Penny, a paunchy, huggable teddy bear for Perrin. He couldn’t wait—he would be a hundred times better father than Pop.
The foreman’s shack hadn’t changed, and to his relief it wasn’t in the terrible condition he’d expected. He and his brothers had spent some happy hours here hiding from their father. They’d used it as a home away from home. Pop had never been able to keep much help around, so the cottage went for long periods of time unoccupied.
