by Kristi Gold
After they were on their way out of Houston, Erica shifted in her seat as far as the belt would allow. “Did you hear the news? Stormy tells me Candice has a new boyfriend. A very rich new boyfriend, according to Lisa.”
“A merger made in heaven,” Kieran muttered. “How’s Lisa taking it?”
“Stormy claims she’s okay. The man bought Lisa some kind of show pony and that seems to have made her happy. I sometimes worry about her influence on Stormy, though. But I guess I can’t choose her friends.”
Kieran reached over the console and laid a hand on her thigh. “Look at it this way. Stormy’s probably a better influence on Lisa.”
“That’s what I’m hoping.”
He took his eyes from the road and gave her a long once-over. “Did I tell you how great you look today?”
“Did I tell you you’re about to miss the exit?”
He crossed two lanes of traffic and turned off in the nick of time. “That top you’re wearing is distracting me.”
“It’s tasteful and covers enough.” And it showed her arms, something she’d only recently been brave enough to do in public. But with all the strength training, she’d gained some mighty fine definition. And she hadn’t gained a pound since she’d dropped twenty-five, a number Kieran had convinced her she should be happy with. She was happy. Ecstatic even. Besides, he remained rather fond of her butt, a good thing since it obviously wasn’t going to magically shrink.
“You made quite an impact today on the men in the stands,” Kieran continued. “When you stood up to go get the popcorn, even Logan commented on how good you look, right before Jenna punched him in the ribs. After that, Logan said pregnancy has made Jenna moody, and horny. She punched him again. It was great.”
Erica laughed. “Your brothers spend more time in hot water with their wives than out of it.” She considered one particular O’Brien brother that wasn’t far from any of their thoughts these days. “How was Kevin when you saw him yesterday?”
“He’s better, at least physically. He’s getting ready to move into the house Whit designed. I never thought I’d see Kev living in a house in the burbs.”
“I guess he’s decided to settle down.”
“By himself, maybe. He only leaves the house to have lunch with us on Sunday. He hasn’t mentioned a woman, and that’s not the norm at all. As bad as he was before, sometimes I’d like to see a glimpse of the old Kevin.” He smiled, a sad one. “Never thought I’d say that, either.”
Erica reached over and patted Kieran’s arm. “Give him time. Facing death changes a person. Someone will come along and give him his life back.”
Kieran took her hand and brought it to his lips for a kiss. “If he’s as lucky as me, that’s a possibility.”
At times like these, Erica counted her own blessings. Kieran had become much more open in recent months, and although he would never be the kind of man who spouted poetry on a whim, he did have his moments, and this was one of them.
As soon as they crossed the causeway into Galveston, Kieran turned on his blinker to exit. “I want to show you the progress they’ve made on the new club before we head to the beach. Looks like it might be ready for a July grand opening.”
The last time Erica had seen the building, it had been a maze of massive, unfinished caverns covered in sheetrock. “I’m looking forward to it, as long as we don’t stay too long. I’m ready to relax on the beach.”
He sent her that look, the one that said he had some innovative ideas on his mind. “The sandy one or the one in the bedroom?”
“Both. We could take advantage of that dune behind the house.”
“This will take ten minutes, tops. Five if we hurry.”
Kieran whipped into the parking lot, shut off the engine and practically pulled Erica out of the car before she could draw a breath. Once inside, he took her by the hand and bypassed the elaborate lobby before pushing through a pair of heavy wood grain double doors. Erica expected to see a room full of state-of-the-art exercise equipment. But never in a zillion years did she predict she’d be looking at balance beams and parallel bars. She could only stand there like a sculpture, speechless, until Kieran asked, “What do you think?”
“This is incredible.” She tore her gaze away to look at the man responsible for the surprise. “But what on earth made you decide to add a gymnastics studio?”
He slid his arms around her. “I thought it would be a good business venture. The parents can work out while the kids take lessons. And since I happen to know a former gymnast who’s always wanted to teach…”
Erica backed out of his arms and held up her hands, as if to fend him off. “Wait a minute. I haven’t done anything remotely resembling gymnastics for over ten years. I’m not qualified to teach.”
“You can do anything you set your mind to, Erica. You’ve proved that to me over and over again.”
Erica surveyed the room and remembered how much satisfaction she’d experienced when she’d had a particularly good practice. How much fun she’d had during her gymnastics days. Kieran was offering her the answer to an unrealized dream, and all she had to do was accept the gift with grace. She strolled around for a few moments, trying to picture herself guiding students to their full potential, as she had been guided once upon a long time ago. But when she spotted the rings suspended from the ceiling, she said, “If I agree to do this, you’re going to have to hire someone to train the boys. I don’t do the rings.”
“I’ve already taken care of that. The question is, will you do this ring?”
Erica turned to find Kieran holding up an emerald cut diamond solitaire flashing bright beneath the overhead lights. To counteract the sudden threat of tears, she said, “If you intend to hang it from the ceiling, it’s not quite big enough to hold me up.”
He cracked a crooked grin. “I intend to put it on your hand, but only if you’ll marry me.”
She crossed the room and practically hurled herself into his arms, shouting, “Yes!” She didn’t care that she started sobbing like a baby when Kieran slipped the ring on her finger. She didn’t care about anything when he followed the promise with the sweetest of kisses. She only cared that “one of these days” had finally arrived.
He pulled back and thumbed away a tear. “Are you going to be okay?”
More okay than she’d been in quite some time. “Sure. I’m just prone to fits of emotion when I’m happy. You should see me when I’m pregnant.”
“I plan on seeing you that way at least three times.”
Three? Lord, she couldn’t begin to imagine that. “One more.”
“Two.”
“Deal.” She was so certain that they were doing the right thing, but she wanted Kieran to be sure, too. “You realize we’re not always going to get along this well.”
“I know. You’re going to get angry with me when I shut down.”
“And you’re going to get frustrated when I won’t shut up.”
“I love you, Erica. Even your faults. Especially your faults.”
The honesty in his eyes told her he spoke from the heart. “We’ll both do well to remember marriage is always a work in progress, even when it’s not perfect. And heaven knows I’m anything but perfect.”
Kieran kissed her again, softly, sincerely, sealing the deal. “As far as I’m concerned, Erica Stevens, you’re as close to perfect as it gets.”
ISBN: 978-1-4268-2777-8
THE MOMMY MAKEOVER
Copyright © 2009 by Kristi Goldberg
All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilization of this work in whole or in part in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including xerography, photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, is forbidden without the written permission of the editorial office, Silhouette Books, 233 Broadway, New York, NY 10279 U.S.A.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the produ
ct of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events or locales is entirely coincidental.
This edition published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A.
® and TM are trademarks of Harlequin Books S.A., used under license. Trademarks indicated with ® are registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office, the Canadian Trade Marks Office and in other countries.
Visit Silhouette Books at www.eHarlequin.com
*Marrying an M.D.
*Marrying an M.D.
*Marrying an M.D.
*Marrying an M.D.
†The Royal Wager
†The Royal Wager
†The Royal Wager