A Convenient Proposal

by Lynnette Kent

  He called again with twenty minutes to spare, telling her to go on without him.

  Finally back at the cottage, he hurried into his dress pants, then went to the bathroom to shave. Arden must have waited until the very last moment before getting ready, and she’d left more of a clutter than usual—her makeup bag, cosmetics and hair tools littered the counter.

  Griff pulled out the electric razor to give his jaw a smooth finish, surveying the feminine disarray as he worked. A rolled up tube—obviously not toothpaste—caught his eye.

  The label stopped his heart for several seconds.

  Spermicidal lubricant.

  He flipped off the razor and looked at himself in the mirror. “Now why would you be trying to kill the little buggers if you wanted to make a baby?”

  AFTER WAITING AS LONG AS she dared, Arden reached the church just before the grandmothers of the bride and groom were to be seated. The Campbells filled up an entire pew, so she sat alone, farther back, leaving space for Griff on the aisle.

  When she’d confessed that she’d never attended a wedding, Griff had enacted for her, in hilarious detail, the traditional Southern marriage service. She now felt quite prepared to enjoy every aspect of Zelda and Al’s ceremony.

  Especially since she would not be having one of her own.

  The church, dating from before the Civil War, was lit by candles and filled with large arrangements of white lilies and gladiolas accented with red roses. The customary tune of Wagner’s “Wedding Chorus” played quietly as Zelda’s attendants came down the center aisle, each dress a slightly deeper shade of pink than the last, until Kayli Morgan appeared as the matron of honor, wearing a true, deep red. The five of them made a lovely gradient effect at the front of the sanctuary, balanced on the other side by Al’s friends, all wearing black tuxedos with red and pink roses in their lapels.

  Zelda’s entrance was heralded by trumpets from the organ and a sudden crescendo. She wore a lovely, fullskirted dress, with a long veil over her face, and carried a trailing white bouquet.

  Griff slipped into the pew beside Arden a moment before the minister started to speak. He gave her a tired grin, then took her hand and directed his attention to the bride and groom.

  So here they were. They’d accomplished what he’d set out to do six weeks ago—project the image of a successful and satisfied man as he returned to his hometown. She’d fulfilled her side of the agreement and given him an adoring girlfriend to show off. No one had expressed the least doubt about their relationship. She could go back to Chaos Key with pride in a job well done.

  And if her heart was broken, that wasn’t Griff’s fault. He’d done absolutely everything a man could to make her happy. The flaw was hers. And she would bear the cost alone.

  The marriage ceremony took only minutes, which seemed odd given the amount of time spent planning and anticipating it. Al and Zelda faced each other, holding hands, as the minister asked the standard questions. “Do you take this man…for better or worse, richer or poorer…as long as you both shall live?” After the vows, Al and Zelda lit a candle together, then knelt while the minister prayed. And then came the official pronouncement: “Ladies and gentlemen, I am pleased to present to you Alexander and Zelda McPherson.”

  Mendelssohn’s triumphant recessional rang through the church. Audience members rose to their feet as Al and Zelda returned along the aisle, smiling widely and greeting people on either side. The bridesmaids and groomsmen followed, creating a brushstroke effect of red against black, which would produce a lovely image to treasure through the years.

  Griff turned to Arden. “Are you okay?”

  “Are you?” He’d told her about talking to Zelda and Al at their new house, with a humorous slant that seemed to prove he’d recovered from the betrayal.

  “I’m great.” They made their way outside through the press of people, sharing the standard “Wasn’t it a lovely wedding?” comments as they went.

  On the front steps of the church, however, the conversations changed abruptly. “Look at that,” Griff said. “There’s your snow, Arden.”

  After a cloudy day of cold rain mixed with ice and a few snowflakes, nightfall had brought about a change in the precipitation. In the short time they’d been inside the church, a thin layer of white had coated the grass and shrubs. Like a heavy fall of powdered sugar, snow coated the bare tree branches and the individual needles of the pine trees.

  She clapped her hands in appreciation. “Beautiful. What a breathtaking scene—everything draped in white for the wedding.”

  “Except the roads,” Griff pointed out. “Safe driving and a winter wonderland. That’s the advantage of a Southern snowfall. No shoveling.”

  They were the only people still standing on the steps; the rest had hurried through the falling snow to their cars, heading toward the wedding reception at the country club. A limousine pulled up at the curb to collect the bridesmaids and groomsmen, and in the general confusion, Arden and Griff headed for the Jaguar.

  “We’ll party for a little while,” he promised as they drove. “But I want a few minutes alone with you during the evening. We need to talk.”

  “Yes,” Arden said quietly. “We do.”

  Chapter Fourteen

  “One thing you can always count on at the club,” Jake Campbell announced at dinner. “Decent food.”

  Arden smiled, and the rest of the family signaled their agreement. They had all been seated together again, but not at a table tucked into a corner this time.

  “A ringside seat,” Griff had commented as they sat down. “Right on the dance floor and with a direct line of sight to the head table. I guess it pays to be nice to the bride and groom.”

  The wedding reception was everything Zelda could have hoped for, Arden thought—beautiful, delicious and crowded. Red and white flowers emerged from tall vases on the tables and a red rose lay across each dinner plate. Confetti made up of tiny red and white foil hearts had been sprinkled across the white tablecloths. The new Mr. and Mrs. McPherson had given all their guests a memorable Valentine’s Day evening at no charge. Their wedding would, Arden suspected, be remembered for years.

  She knew she would remember laughing with the Campbell family all during the meal, dancing with Griff and pretending—just for a couple of hours—that she could share the rest of his life.

  Her final dance with his father would not be easily forgotten. He had asked and she had hesitated.

  “Afraid of me?” he said, with a challenge in his eyes.

  “Of course not.” But she was, and he probably knew it when she put her cold fingers into his warm hand.

  He didn’t say anything for a few minutes, leading her with his expert grace through some fairly complicated steps. Then he drew back so they could see each other. “You’ve improved.”

  “There have been several dances since that first one,” she reminded him. “Griff and I have practiced.”

  “And, of course, you have a natural sense of rhythm. You would have to, in order to play so well.”

  “Yes.” Here we go, she thought.

  “I’m sorry to hear you’re losing your hearing,” he said. “That’s a tragedy for your fans, as well as a personal loss.”

  “Thank you.” She looked over his shoulder, trying to hide her surprise.

  But he could read her as easily as Griff did, it seemed. “Didn’t think I could be human, did you?”

  “I wasn’t sure. But Rosalie married you, so I knew you must have a soft spot somewhere.”

  “Touché.” He sent her into a spin and brought her back again. “You’ve been good for Griff.”

  “I’m glad.”

  “I know he’s been restless. Small town veterinary practice isn’t the most exciting life path, being composed of hard work and never enough time off.”

  “But there are rewards in helping the animals and their owners.” She had driven with Griff out to check on Rajah one afternoon. Though the stallion’s wound was still healing, he wa
s back to his energetic, magnificent self.

  “I like it. Griff thought he might want something different, I think. Or somewhere different. That was one of the issues between him and Zelda. But since you’ve been here, I’m getting the feeling he sees himself settling down.”

  Arden blinked hard. “I think he’s seen his hometown in a new light. Less of a burden, more of a blessing.”

  “His mother and I would like that.” The song came to a close and Jake slowed their steps to a halt. Then, to Arden’s surprise, he bent low over her hand, pressing a kiss on her knuckles. “And we thank you,” he said.

  Speechless with astonishment and emotion, Arden returned to their table with her dance partner this time, instead of running off to the restroom. Jake made sure she had champagne, then solicited his wife’s hand for the next dance, and they left her alone at the table for a moment. As she scanned the crowd, she couldn’t find Griff. But his sisters were mingling at different places around the ballroom. Dana, in her bright orange gown, was talking to friends whose sons played soccer with her own. Lauren, wearing bright blue, was deep in discussion with her best friend, probably about a new cooking venture they hoped to launch on the internet. Kathy seemed to be showing off her elegant maternity evening dress in green silk to a circle of mothers-to-be. Not that she had much of a bump to accommodate.

  The sight of women with round bellies foretold of the babies to come drove a knife through Arden’s heart. She had known this evening would be hard—and the worst was yet to come. But maybe she could go to the restroom for a few minutes, while the rest of them were occupied, and regain some measure of strength and self-control.

  She met with a number of delays on her way to the ballroom doorway, as people she’d come to know stopped her to comment about the wedding, the gowns, the food…. Arden felt more desperate with each encounter, but forced herself to stay calm. Finally, she did cross the threshold and, with a last glance over her shoulder, turned toward the restrooms.

  Only to run straight into Griff. “I was just coming to get you,” he said. He wasn’t smiling. “Would you like to sit down for a while in relative peace?”

  Calm poured over her like cool water. “That sounds nice. I’m hoarse from talking.”

  With his hand at her waist, he walked down the hallway—past the lounge and the restrooms, all the way to the end, where he opened a door. “I think we’ll be safe in here. Most folks aren’t interested in the sunroom after dark.”

  Arden stepped in and gasped. “They don’t know what they’re missing.” Furnished with wicker chairs and ceiling fans, the room had been constructed with huge windows taking the place of walls. The sills were low enough to be stepped over, leading guests out to the garden beyond.

  Of course, tonight that garden was covered with snow. An inch more had fallen since they’d left the church, and the landscape illumined by the tall outdoor lights resembled New England more than the sunny South.

  “Add a sleigh and some reindeer and we could make our own Christmas card.” Griff spoke from somewhere off to the side. “I’ve never seen it quite so pretty.”

  She looked at him and he came toward her and took one of her hands in his, holding it lightly.

  “I’ve never known such a beautiful woman.” He kissed the back of it and then, to her surprise, released her and turned away.

  “Griff?”

  He stood staring out one of the windows. “Most of all, I have never allowed myself to be duped by anyone the way I have with you.”

  She realized all at once that the room was ice-cold. “What do you mean?”

  “You’ve been a woman of mystery from the beginning. That was part of your charm, I guess, especially after I’d been dumped by a girl I’d known since grade school.”

  He looked over his shoulder. “Is this a game you play with every man who wanders into your life? Or am I just really stupid?”

  “Don’t say that. I’ve never been with another man like…like this.”

  “I should be grateful for that, I suppose. If it’s true.” He turned to her, grim-faced, his spine straight and stiff. “You have kept so many secrets, I don’t know if I can trust even one piece of information you’ve given me.”

  “Everything you know about me is true.”

  “Ah, there’s the justification. I get it—you simply lie by omission. That’s a fine line you walk, Ms. Burke.”

  “What are you talking about?”

  “Were you ever planning to have a baby? I can’t figure out what you had to gain from this little charade, otherwise. Whatever, you’re clearly not expecting to have one now.” He sent her a humorless grin. “Spermicidal jelly doesn’t make good babies.”

  Arden put her hand to her mouth. She’d been rushing…it must have fallen out of her bag.

  At this point, she could only end the entire episode with dignity. “No, it doesn’t. I decided that…that I wouldn’t have a baby. We obviously weren’t staying together.”

  “We were never staying together, remember? Why would you think otherwise?”

  “Because I—” She caught herself before she could make the one irretrievable mistake. “I decided it wasn’t fair to take a child from its father and grandparents, to deprive your family of the baby they would have l-loved.”

  “You didn’t think I might want a part in this decision?”

  She squeezed her eyes shut, but felt tears escape, nonetheless. They slid down her face and dropped off her chin, no doubt making spots on the raw silk of her dress.

  With his hands in the pockets of his slacks, Griff shrugged. “I guess you’ll find some other fool to give you a baby. A guy with fewer family obligations to consider.”

  “No. I’ve decided I won’t have a child by myself. A baby needs a family.”

  A long silence stretched between them. Griff stood motionless, as if he’d turned to ice.

  Arden took a deep breath. “I lost a baby last year. Andre’s baby. I learned I was pregnant only a few days before I…found him with my mother. Then I—I miscarried. When you wanted me to come here, I thought I could replace that baby. Fill the empty place inside me with another child. But I wasn’t thinking about that little person, about what he or she would need. Now I am.”

  She cleared her throat. “That’s my last secret, Griff. If there’s anything else you want to know, send me a letter. I’ll answer any question you ask.”

  Turning on her toe, she forced her stiff legs to move, ignoring the pins and needles in her feet as she walked over the stone floor. She thought he might say something, might try to stop her at the last moment.

  But even though she hesitated, holding the door open for endless seconds, Griff’s pride made the final choice.

  Letting the door close behind her, Arden fetched her coat from the checkroom and waited for the valet to bring the Jag around. At the cottage, she made sure her note for Mrs. Campbell could be seen on the kitchen counter.

  Then she and Igor headed south.

  “IT’S A LITTLE CHILLY in here for a nap.”

  Griff hadn’t heard his dad open the sunroom door.

  But he didn’t reply, or move from his slouch in one of the wicker armchairs, even as Jake approached across the stone floor.

  Tall and slim in his tux, the elder Dr. Campbell crossed his arms and propped his shoulder against a window frame. “Where is Arden? Your mother and the girls have searched the ladies’ room. This was the last place in the club we hadn’t checked.”

  “Gone.” Griff cleared his throat. “Home.”

  “Alone?”

  He managed a jerk of his head. “Florida.”

  Jake pulled up a bench and sat down. “What happened?”

  His quiet, concerned tone broke through Griff’s defenses. “It was all a sham,” he confessed, keeping his gaze on the icy world outside. “I brought a beautiful woman home with me to avoid looking like a loser. We agreed she would stay through Zelda’s wedding, then we’d have a fight and go our separate ways.” A chu
ckle escaped him. “Mission accomplished. In record time.”

  “You lied, in other words. To your mother and your sisters.”

  “Yes. And to you. Hell, to the whole town.”

  “When did you cook up this scheme?”

  “I met Arden on New Year’s Eve. On the beach.”

  His dad gave a long, low whistle. “She’s quite an opportunist.”

  Griff erupted from the chair to stand over his dad, hands fisted at his sides. “That’s complete bullshit. The plan was mine alone. I had to convince her to come with me.”

  “And what does she get out of this collusion?” Jake didn’t appear to feel threatened. “Not cash, I gather.”

  As fast as his anger had surged, it drained away. Griff let his shoulders slump. “A baby,” he said roughly. “She wanted a baby.”

  “Dear God.” The wicker bench fell over as Jake straightened to his full height. “You let her leave when she was carrying your child?”

  A jangle of pain in his dad’s voice connected Griff to that moment, six weeks ago, when he’d glimpsed a vital repercussion of his plan but failed to follow through. Now he could see the detail he’d ignored all too clearly.

  He’d brought Arden to his family, thinking she might take away a baby they would love. That careless intent was bad enough. But he’d also given them the woman herself, asked them to accept her as a member of the family. To love her, worry about her, plan a future with her. And then just let her go.

  He had fallen in love with Arden Burke. Why wouldn’t his family do the same?

  “I’m sorry,” he said, for the first time looking his dad in the face. “I was drunk that night and scared to come home. Arden seemed like the answer to a prayer—I wanted her the moment I saw her.” He shrugged. “Maybe I fell in love with her at first sight. Maybe I thought I deserved some payback for what Zelda put me through.

  “But she’s not pregnant.” He answered his dad’s skeptical glare with a nod. “She changed her mind and started using birth control. I guess she didn’t want any ties to me at all.”