by Caro Carson
If wasn’t good enough. He needed to know.
“Tana!” He bellowed her name every ten yards or so, until he reached the end of the sidewalk. She wasn’t here. He headed back toward his engine as he radioed the mobile command post to ask if the third floor evacuation was complete. He listened to the reports so intently, he almost missed her cry.
“Caden!”
She was standing next to the fire chief’s red SUV, she and Sterling both, the most beautiful sight he’d ever seen—so beautiful, Caden started to run. Tana met him halfway with the baby in her arms.
“I knew you’d be worried about Sterling,” she said, raising her voice over the shouted commands of the firefighters and the high-velocity spray of water. “I wanted the chief to let you know he was safe, so that you could focus on what you have to do. You have to put everything else behind you, so you’ll stay safe, too.”
It was a champion’s advice. Caden was in full gear, but he had to touch her. It had been too long since he’d touched them both. He started shedding his heavy gloves as he made himself heard over the noise. “I was worried about both of you. Both of you. Tana, don’t you see? I hated everything you said this afternoon. I hated it.”
She recoiled a step. Ladders and hoses were being directed all around them. She had to make her apology loud. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have told you I loved you, not after you made it clear that you don’t want—”
“I love you, too.” He threw his glove on the ground. “I hate that you’ve been treated so badly. Your parents. Coaches. Jerry. Husband—I hate that you were taken advantage of by a man older than I am when you were just twenty. I hate that your parents blame you for it. I hate that the woman I love has been treated so badly that she’s been scared for months to tell me about her life. I hate that she’s come to expect people to let her down, so that she wasn’t even surprised when I let her down, too. And God, I did. I’m so sorry, I did. I should never have walked out that night. I was so sure I was right.”
“You were right.”
“But I was wrong. I should have stayed. You shouldn’t have had to come find me today to make me listen.”
Sirens joined the cacophony as more units arrived.
Tana was still keeping an arm’s distance from him. She covered Sterling’s ear with her hand and shouted over the sirens. “Do you mean—do you mean you’ll give me a second chance?”
“You don’t need the second chance, baby. I do.”
“You don’t need it, either.”
“I’m so completely in love with you,” he shouted back. “That will never change, even if you never forgive me.”
“I love you, too. That will never change, even if I have to track you down again to tell you.”
They were yelling at each other, laughing now. He chucked his second glove on the ground and came close enough that he could have wrapped them in his arms, but his gear was too coarse and bulky. Instead, he touched them the only way he could, one hand holding Sterling’s precious head, one hand cupping Tana’s beloved face. He kissed Sterling gently. He kissed Tana hard.
“Incident time, eighteen minutes,” the dispatcher said.
“I have to go.”
“I know.” Tana kissed him again, quick. “Go save my apartment, or I’ll have to move in with you.”
“Move in with me, anyway. Forever. There was a diamond ring with that jogging stroller. I don’t have it on me, but it’s back at my house—”
This was insane. This wasn’t how he’d meant to propose, but he couldn’t go up on that roof without telling her his intentions. If anything happened, and she was left without knowing how he’d felt about her...
He couldn’t wait another minute.
He dropped to his knee. He had to shove his face shield up farther, so he could see her from under the brim of his helmet. He held out his hand, and she gave him hers, palm against warm palm.
“I want to marry you, Montana McKenna. You have my heart. You always have, you always will, and I was a fool to try to live without it for even one day. I never want to be apart from you again. It’s that simple. Will you marry me?”
His radio interrupted. “Incident time, nineteen minutes.”
Caden squeezed Tana’s hand. “I don’t mean to rush you, baby, but you have sixty seconds to decide.”
“Yes. Yes. Of course, yes.” She tugged on his hand, putting some of her world-class muscle into it and pulling him to his feet.
Time was up. They couldn’t kiss or cuddle or marvel at the miracle of finding their forever-partner. Instead, side by side, they headed for his team. The woman with the sexiest legs he’d ever seen matched him stride for stride easily, carrying the baby they both loved.
They reached the staging area. Caden moved close enough to speak into her ear, a brush of cheek against cheek. “When I get off this roof, I won’t come near you and the baby. The smoke is toxic. Particles get on the gear. I won’t touch you until I get showered at the firehouse.”
“Then I’ll be at the firehouse. I’ll touch you anywhere you’ll let me touch you. Unless you’re too exhausted.”
“Don’t worry about that. I’ll find a way to cowboy up.”
She laughed. “There are innocent ears listening.”
Caden dropped one more kiss next to the perfect little ear of his fussing, squirming baby—his baby, since that first breath.
Javier brought him his power saw. “You ready, Lieutenant?”
“Ready.”
The announcement came over the radio. “Incident time, twenty minutes.”
Caden lifted Tana’s hand to his lips. He kissed her ring finger, where he would place a diamond before the day was through.
Then he pulled on his glove, dropped down his face shield, and started up the ladder toward the sky, although he couldn’t get any closer to heaven than he already was.
* * *
Don’t miss the next book in the Masterson, Texas miniseries, For This Christmas Only, available December 2020 from Harlequin Special Edition!
And for more swoon-worthy single parent romances, check out these other great books, available now:
The Maverick’s Baby Arrangement
By Kathy Douglass
The Last Man She Expected
By Michelle Major
The Matchmaker’s Challenge
By Teresa Southwick
Keep reading for an excerpt from The Maverick’s Baby Arrangement by Kathy Douglass.
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The Maverick’s Baby Arrangement
by Kathy Douglass
Chapter One
Brittany Brandt double-checked the contents of her tan leather satchel, making sure she had everything she needed before snapping it shut. She closed her eyes, inhaled deeply then slowly blew out her breath, envisioning a successful outcome to her meeting with Daniel Dubois. Other planners at Bronco Hills Elite Parties, the event-planning firm where she’d been employed for the past several months, had been reluctant to take him on when he’d hired the firm to plan an important dinner party. While the others had cowered in fear, Brittany had stepped forward. She wasn’t afraid of a challenge—or of a man rumored to be impossible to please.
Besides, organizing his party was part of her master plan to advance her career and earn a promotion to partner. Shying away from hard situations and difficult clients wasn’t going to help her accomplish that goal. Showing her bosses and the upper crust of Bronco, Montana, what she was capable of doing would.
She’d been fully aware that Mr. Dubois wouldn’t be the easiest person to work with before
she’d volunteered to take on the job. The trail of other event planners who’d scurried away from Bronco with their tails between their legs made that abundantly clear. Everybody knew that BHE wasn’t his first event planner. Or second, for that matter. Originally, he’d hired a firm from L.A. with a reputation of catering to celebrities. They hadn’t lasted long. Next, he’d hired a big-name firm out of Chicago. They’d come and gone even more quickly. There’d also been some firm from New York, but their tenure had been so short they were hardly worth mentioning. He’d finally decided to toss the local firm a bone as if doing BHE a favor.
Others might be offended by being a last choice, but not Brittany. In fact, to her, the failure of the other firms was a good thing. Once she pulled off the event—and she had no doubt she would pull it off in spectacular fashion—the Who’s Who in town would take notice of her and beat a path to her firm, requesting to work with her specifically. Cornelius Taylor, the patriarch of the richest family in Bronco, would certainly be impressed enough to hire her. She’d pitched her idea of the Denim and Diamonds fundraiser to raise money for programs to aid low-income families in Bronco to him, but so far he hadn’t been persuaded. Although she’d put the idea on the back burner temporarily, she wouldn’t give up on it. But right now, she needed to focus on creating a memorable dinner party for Mr. Dubois.
Opening her eyes, she grabbed her satchel and purse, strode from her office and into the main area of the firm. Rachel, the assistant Brittany shared with two other planners, looked up from her desk and smiled. “Heading off to your meeting with Mr. Dubois?”
“Yes.”
Rachel pretended to shiver in fear. “You’re braver than I am.”
“He’s just a man.”
“A man who has chased off three firms already.”
Brittany waved a hand in dismissal. “I’m made of sterner stuff. Plus, they weren’t as creative as I am. Or as determined. There’s no way I’m going to run away in fear from any man.”
“Knowing you, you’ll have him eating out of your hand before the meeting is over.”
“I won’t go that far. I know he’s no pushover. But remember, I’m the oldest of five children. I have experience dealing with stubborn and demanding people. Trust me, nobody is more unreasonable than a two-year-old hopped up on sugar at bedtime.”
Rachel laughed. “I’ve seen the man, albeit from a distance. There’s nothing childish about his looks.”
Brittany already knew that. Although she had yet to meet Daniel in person, she’d seen pictures of him in gossip rags and business magazines. The creativity she used in her job failed her when it came to describing Daniel Dubois. The best she could do was tall, dark and handsome. Cliché as it was, the saying fit him to a T. He had a face designed to make a woman’s heart beat faster and a muscular body that had Brittany imagining things she shouldn’t if she wanted him as a client. In short, he was six feet of deliciousness.
“No, there isn’t. But since his personality isn’t nearly as appealing as his looks, I’d better get going. The last thing I want to do is get on his bad side by being late.”
“From what I can see, the man doesn’t have a bad side,” Rachel quipped.
Brittany laughed then left.
Daniel Dubois was a very wealthy horse rancher and his lifestyle reflected that. He owned a magnificent property in the exclusive section of Bronco Heights.
Two hours north of Billings, Bronco was actually two cities: Bronco Heights where the incredibly rich people resided and Bronco Valley where the regular folks lived. Bronco Heights was consistently included on lists of the country’s best places to live while Bronco Valley’s claim to fame was as a popular tourist destination.
As Brittany drove through the town, she passed by the business district. Exclusive boutiques, a high-end jewelry store and DJ’s Deluxe upscale barbecue restaurant lined the pristine streets. Shoppers strolled down the wide walks, enjoying the beautiful late-summer day.
After a relaxing ride, Brittany reached the winding road that lead to the Dubois mansion. Signaling, although there was no traffic behind her, she drove the nearly mile-long private road to his estate. The sprawling property was nothing short of magnificent and she slowed to take it all in.
The ranch had an air of serenity that only nature could provide. She was slightly nervous about her upcoming meeting and, with each breath she took, she felt more tranquil. In the distance, deer and elk meandered between the trees as if they, too, were at peace. Mountains soared in the background, reaching toward the wide sky. Given the amount of money Dubois had, she wasn’t surprised by the grandeur. What was surprising were the numerous small cabins she spotted in the distance. She briefly wondered what they were for and then dismissed the thought as unimportant. She was here to plan his dinner. Nothing else about Daniel Dubois was her concern.
Brittany parked her car at the end of the long circular drive, using the walk to the portico to prepare herself mentally for the meeting.
As she neared the covered walkway, she spotted Malone, the cook for one of Bronco’s established families—the Abernathys—coming out the front door. Although she didn’t know him very well, she liked the older man and called out a greeting to him. He spun around and looked at her. His face flushed momentarily before the color drained from it, leaving him pasty white. He appeared guilty, although she couldn’t imagine why.
“Hi. Funny seeing you here,” she said with a smile.
“Yes. Well.” Clearly flustered, he took a deep breath. “I’ve been working for the Abernathys for more than twenty years. And I like my job and am very loyal to them.”
“Of course.” Where was all this going? She’d only been making small talk. She certainly didn’t expect an accounting of the man’s time or an explanation of his presence.
“I didn’t know that Mr. Dubois had invited me out here to try and hire me away from the Abernathys. Had I known that, I would have saved both his time and mine.”
Brittany nodded as the older man continued on his way. Apparently, loyalty didn’t mean anything to Daniel Dubois. If he didn’t expect people to be loyal to their employers, he surely wouldn’t regard loyalty to his employees as something that he owed. She briefly wondered if he applied that same attitude to personal relationships then brushed the ridiculous thought aside. The only relationship she wanted with him was a business one. One where contracts would be signed and expectations clearly spelled out, not one where her heart was on the line.
Not that she was at risk of losing her heart to him—or anyone else, for that matter. She was a career woman through and through. Marriage and kids weren’t part of her five-year plan.
Brittany reached the front door and rang the bell. The sound of chimes filtered through the open windows and continued for several seconds until the melody finished. A moment later, the door swung open, revealing a uniformed woman who appeared a few years older than Brittany’s own thirty-three. The woman introduced herself as Marta, Daniels’s housekeeper, then she ushered Brittany inside and closed the heavy wooden door behind them.
“I’m Brittany Brandt.”
Marta smiled. “Welcome. You’re right on time, which will please Mr. Dubois. He’ll be right with you. He’ll meet with you in the study.”
Brittany followed the woman through the entry, through an impressive living room and several equally large rooms, before coming to a closed carved-mahogany door. Marta opened the door and waved Brittany inside. “Would you like a drink? The cook just made fresh lemonade.”
“Thank you, no. I’ll just wait for Mr. Dubois.”
“Okay.” Marta left, closing the door behind her.
Alone, Brittany took the opportunity to look around, trying to get a feel of Daniel’s style. In her experience, clients often could not put their likes or dislikes into words. She couldn’t count the number of times someone had told her they knew what they liked when they
saw it. Which was fine when it came to deciding which dress to buy. It wasn’t as helpful when putting together a special event.
Though she’d only glimpsed the other rooms, adding that bit of knowledge to her quick study of this room revealed that his taste ran toward the masculine and Western. And exceedingly expensive. She ran her hand across a carved horse and rider sitting on the corner of his massive desk then crossed the room to the far wall where a built-in cabinet was filled with trophies for horse breeding. Several awards and commendations from civic organizations were there, as well. Beside the trophy case was a prominently displayed framed letter thanking Mr. Dubois for his ongoing generous contributions to their organization supporting mental health. Another letter thanked him for funding the Francine Dubois scholarship. She briefly wondered whether the woman was his mother.
Apparently, he was a charitable man, which was a mark in his favor. He might be demanding, but clearly he cared about those who were less fortunate than he was. A believer in giving to others whenever she could, Brittany’s opinion of Daniel Dubois rose several notches. Not enough to put up with any nonsense from him, but enough to give him the benefit of the doubt when necessary.
But something was missing in the room. There were no personal items. No photos of people he loved. People who were important to him. She thought it best to keep business and personal lives separate, but this was his home office. Surely, a personal item here or there would be acceptable. Come to think of it, she hadn’t glimpsed anything personal in the other rooms, either. Curiouser and curiouser.
She heard the door open and she turned. Daniel Dubois stepped into the room. Brittany took one look at him and barely managed to stifle a gasp. The magazines hadn’t done him justice. They’d completely failed at capturing his good looks. Daniel Dubois was absolutely stunning.