by Helen Lacey
“And if you married Marissa, she’d be our new mommy,” Breanna said, and Milly cheered from the other side of the room. “And that’s what we want more than anything.”
Not a pin dropping...
That’s all Marissa could think as Breanna’s announcement resonated around the room and then down the hall.
The blood rushed from her face and she gave a tiny gasp.
She waited for him to gently tell his daughter that it was impossible. That people got married only when they were in love with each other, or something else that she might understand. But he didn’t. He said something else.
“I’ll...I’ll see what I can do, okay?”
Breanna giggled. “Yay! But hurry, Daddy,” the child said, serious again. “Just in case she marries someone else.”
“I don’t think you need worry about that.”
His blasé words were enough to quickly get her to her feet. She went back in to say good-night to the girls, gave them each a kiss and left the room. By the time she reached the living room, she was shaking so badly she had to perch herself on the sofa.
I don’t think you need worry about that...
She felt like sobbing for all eternity. Was she so far from marriage material? Insensitive, unfeeling jerk! Grady came into the room a few minutes later, and there was more silence...this time thicker and hotter. She summoned all the strength she could and sucked in a long, steadying breath.
“How could you do that?”
He shrugged. “Do what?”
“I’ll see what I can do?” she reminded him. “What did that mean?”
He was frowning. “I was only—”
“Go back in there and tell them,” she demanded, springing to her feet. “Go and tell them that it’s impossible. Go and tell them that you made a mistake and shouldn’t have said it. Go and tell them or I’ll—”
“No,” he said, cutting her off. “You heard them, Marissa. It’s what they want.”
She wanted to clamp her hands to her ears and drown out the sound of his deep, seductive voice. She wanted to stop her heart from pounding like a jackhammer in her chest.
“But it’s not what I want.”
His head tilted fractionally. “No? Which part? Being their mother?” he asked and came farther into the room. “Or being my wife?”
“Don’t do that,” she said hotly. “Don’t make me out to be the bad guy here. You know this is impossible.”
He shrugged. “My daughters have asked me for something. And it’s something I can give them. Why would I think that’s impossible?”
Marissa gave him a death stare. “Because...because it just is. Yesterday you said you wanted to date me,” she reminded him. “And now you’re saying you want to marry me?”
He shrugged again. “I’m saying that my children have asked me to give them a mother, and I’ll do whatever I have to do to make them happy.”
Humiliation coursed across her skin. It sounded as if he was making some kind of supreme sacrifice. If she didn’t love him, she would have hated him in that moment.
“Even if it makes you unhappy?”
“But it wouldn’t,” he said quietly. “We get along, you love my daughters and we’re great in bed together. We could make this work, Marissa.”
They got along and had great sex. He’d lost his mind—it was the only answer. “I married the wrong man once. I’m not going to make the same mistake again.”
He scowled and then his cheeks slashed with color. “Seriously? You’re comparing me to that lowlife you were married to?”
“No, of course not,” she said quickly. “But I know what a bad marriage tastes like, Grady. And I don’t want another one. And sex isn’t enough to hold two people together.”
“What about three little girls who adore you?” he shot back. “Would that be enough?”
She wished it was. She wished it more than anything. But Marissa knew that wishes were for fools. He didn’t love her. He never would. He might care; he’d even told her as much only days earlier. But caring wasn’t loving. And lukewarm affection and great sex would never be enough to sustain a marriage.
She pulled her keys from her tote and rattled them. “Look, I understand why you think you have to make this offer. I love the girls, too...and I want them to be happy. But not like this.”
He stood perfectly still. “Tonight you said you wanted to get married and have a family. Well, I’m offering you exactly that, Marissa. There are three little girls down the hall longing for a mother’s love. You can have that and a baby or two of your own when you’re ready. And you’ll also have a faithful husband. What’s the problem?”
You’re the problem...
If she wasn’t so hurt, she would have said so. God, it was worse than Simon’s proposal. Grady Parker possessed all the romance and sensitivity of a rock.
“I have to go.”
“Marissa,” he said her name on a seductive breath. “We can make this work. Just say you’ll think about it, okay?”
She nodded, her heart breaking. It sounded so perfect. So easy. Too easy.
“Good night, Grady.”
Then she left.
* * *
“You did what?”
Grady was at the Loose Moose Tavern with Brant on Wednesday afternoon. Months ago the place had been partially gutted by fire, and his foolish little brother had gone and bought the building with plans to renovate and reopen it as a tavern with a restaurant and bar. The only good thing about the plan was how ticked off the O’Sullivans would be about the idea. He kicked at a small pile of burned timber and swiveled on his heels.
“You heard,” he said and crossed his arms.
Brant’s eyes widened. “And she turned you down?”
“Yep.”
“Harsh,” Brant said. “Did she give you a reason?”
“She gave me plenty.”
His brother smiled. “And do you plan on going back for more?”
He shrugged. “My kids want Marissa. She’s all they want.”
“And what do you want?”
Grady let out a long, weary breath. “I liked being married. I liked having someone to talk to. I miss that. And I’m tired of sleeping alone.” His brother grinned at his words and Grady frowned. “I was happy—you should try it sometime. It might make you less disagreeable.”
Brant laughed. “Not a chance. Does Mom know?”
Grady groaned. “No...and don’t say anything.”
“I won’t,” his brother assured him. “I’m staying away from Mom and that Cupid’s arrow of hers.”
“She did promise you were next,” Grady said and laughed.
They stayed at the tavern for another half hour and then Grady bailed to do a few errands and leave enough time to pick up the girls from school. He stopped by his mother’s to collect Tina about an hour before he needed to be at the school and was surprised to see Marissa’s car out front. He hadn’t been near her for days. And she hadn’t contacted him. There was another car parked outside, an old Honda Civic. Inside he found his mother, Marissa and Lucy Monero sitting at his mom’s kitchen table, drinking tea and laughing. Marissa glanced at him over her glasses and then quickly looked away. Tina was in Marissa’s lap, playing with her watch and bangle. He liked seeing them together, liked knowing how much his children meant to her.
Even if she won’t marry me...yet.
The more he considered it, the more it made sense. Marissa was exactly what he needed. She was one of the few people he trusted with his kids. And she loved them as they loved her. It was the perfect solution. His daughters needed a mother. And he needed a wife...despite how much he’d vetoed the idea over the past year. The last thing Liz had said to him was to be happy, and out of loyalty he’d stayed faithful to her memo
ry. But he needed more than memories to give his daughters the life they deserved. They’d told him what they wanted and Grady would do whatever it took to give it to them. They wanted Marissa. And he wanted her, too.
His mother looked up guiltily when he entered the room, and he would have bet his boots that they had been talking about him. Lucy quickly explained that she’d dropped by to see how Tina was doing, and Marissa stayed silent, seemingly immersed in chatting to his daughter. But Grady wasn’t fooled. The awareness between them throbbed with a will of its own. It had been building for weeks and now he could no longer deny it. And he was determined to make her see that marrying him was the best solution for them all.
“You’re later than I expected,” his mother said.
“I’ve been at the Loose Moose with Brant.”
“Colleen was telling us how he’s bought the place,” Lucy said and smiled. “It’s an ambitious project.”
“Damned foolish idea if you ask me,” he said and grinned. “But he’s determined.”
“You should drop over and see the place,” his mom said to Lucy, and Grady suppressed a chuckle. He knew that look in his mother’s eye. Pure matchmaker. He made a mental note to warn his brother next time they spoke. Then again, Lucy Monero was a pretty, friendly and successful doctor and Brant did spend too much time alone...so what harm could it do?
“Well, I should get going,” Marissa said. “I promised Aunt Violet I’d drop by this afternoon.” She kissed Tina’s head and propped her on the chair and then collected her bag.
“We’ll come with you,” Grady said quickly and scooped his daughter up. “I’m sure Miss Violet would like a visit from Tina.”
He saw his mother’s curious expression and promptly ignored it. She had better things to do now she’d set her sights on Brant hooking up with Lucy Monero. He thanked his mother for babysitting, said farewell to Lucy, grabbed Tina’s things and headed outside. Marissa was already by her car and he shuffled Tina on his hip as he walked toward her.
“I’ll meet you over there,” he said. “It’ll only be a short visit as I have to pick the girls up from school.”
She looked annoyed. “I thought you were getting a new housekeeper to help with all that.”
He shrugged. “I’ve interviewed a few but none were suitable.”
“Maybe you expect too much.”
“Maybe,” he agreed. “Anyhow, it’s not really a housekeeper I need. Or want.”
She glared, because she knew exactly what he meant. “I’ll see you at the hospital.”
They pulled up in the hospital parking lot at the same time and he was surprised that she waited for him before heading inside. Tina raced up and grabbed Marissa’s hand and Grady realized he’d been usurped. But he didn’t mind. Marissa was good for his kids. He just had to get her to realize that, too.
He was about to head into the building when he spotted Rex’s old pickup in the lot. What was he doing here? Grady’s gut dipped. Was Rex sick? Was that why he was at the hospital? He’d told the other man to tell Marissa the truth about her parentage and knew that hadn’t happened yet. He didn’t know what was holding Rex back. Sure, Marissa would be shocked, but he was certain she’d understand and eventually welcome her father into her life. But if he was sick? That made things a whole lot more complicated.
“So, how have you been?” he asked as casually as he could.
“Fine.”
“I thought I’d come around on Saturday about nine and give you a riding lesson.”
She started walking up the path. “Under what conditions?”
“No conditions,” he said and grinned. “Just being neighborly.”
“Said the wolf to the lamb.”
Grady laughed. “Rest assured, I have no ulterior motive in wanting to teach you how to ride. Except,” he said and grasped her free hand, “in getting you to agree to marry me.”
She pulled free and scowled. “You’re unbelievable.”
He grinned. “Incidentally, I talked to Breanna and Milly again this morning and they’re all for it. All we need to do is get a license and set the date.”
She kept walking. “You clearly have a hearing problem. I said no. I meant no.”
“We could do it at the courthouse,” he suggested, ignoring her protests. “Tanner and Cassie got married there a few months back.”
He saw her scowl, watched her shoulders go back and knew she was madder than hell. They entered through the hospital doors and swung left toward the small rehab ward where her aunt was staying. Tina was holding her hand, walking compliantly beside her, and it only amplified his need to get her agreement. His kids needed Marissa. And he needed Marissa. As he needed air in his lungs or ground beneath his feet. He wanted to marry her and raise his daughters with her and one day feel her belly filled with their child.
Because...
Because he was in love with her.
Completely and crazily in love with her.
She was in his heart and soul and he loved her more than he’d imagined he could ever love anyone again. The realization rocked him to the core and he stopped walking. He took a deep breath and watched as she headed down the corridor, his little girl at her side. Emotion clogged his throat and love swept over him like a wave. And he wanted to tell her, right then and there. He wanted to ask her to love him in return.
“Marissa?”
She was twenty feet away but had stopped walking and was outside her aunt’s room. When she turned her head back to look at him, Grady saw a kind of wary shock, even despair on her face.
“What’s wrong?”
She was shaking her head, and Tina, as though somehow sensing something wasn’t right, remained silent at Marissa’s side. Grady reached her in a few long strides, came to an abrupt halt and took his daughter’s hand.
And then he understood.
Voices were coming from the room.
Miss Violet and Rex.
“And I just don’t think now is the right time,” Violet said, clearly frustrated.
“Then when will it be the right time?” Rex shot back. “I’ve been waiting six years. Six long years, Violet. She has a right to know.”
Grady saw Marissa’s expression shift to suspicion and he immediately wanted to spare her what he knew was coming. She met his gaze, almost pleadingly, as she began to shake her head.
“Not yet,” Violet said. “Marissa’s been through enough these past couple of years and if you tell her now it will only—”
“I don’t want to hurt her. I just want to be a part of her life. Whatever you think, she’s my daughter, Violet,” Rex said, and Marissa’s gasp echoed down the hall.
The talking stopped, and before he could stop her, Marissa bolted into the room. By the time he moved through the doorway, Marissa was already demanding answers.
“What did you say?” She shot the question directly to Rex.
The older man looked at her despairingly. And then he spoke. “I’ve been wanting to tell you for a while... I’m your father, Marissa.”
Marissa shook her head. “That’s crazy.” She looked at her aunt. “Aunt Violet, tell me that this isn’t—”
“It is true,” Violet said, tears in her eyes. “Rex Travers is your father.”
Marissa was still shaking her head, still looking as if she couldn’t believe what she had heard. Finally, she glanced toward Grady. She wanted reassurance. Support. She wanted it contradicted. But he slowly nodded.
Everyone looked shattered. Except for Tina, who demanded attention, and Grady quickly lifted the toddler into his arms. Then took a step closer to Marissa.
“How about we go and—”
“You knew?”
He couldn’t miss the accusation in her voice. The disbelief. The suspicion.
“Marissa
...”
She backed up a few steps. “You knew and you didn’t tell me?”
Guilt pressed down on his shoulders. “I couldn’t tell you.”
“How long?” she asked. “How long have you known?”
He sighed. “A couple of weeks.”
She took another step back. “You’ve known this for weeks and you didn’t say anything?” she asked, firmer, harder. “After everything we...” Her words quickly disappeared and he could feel her pain with every fiber in his body.
Then she turned and left. Out of the room. Out of sight.
And away from everyone he knew she thought had betrayed her.
Including him.
Chapter Eleven
Broken and betrayed. That’s how she felt. That’s how she’d felt for forty-eight hours. Everyone had called her. Aunt “I should have told you sooner” Violet. Rex “father of the year” Travers. Grady “big fat liar” Parker.
Grady had come to the house twice. He’d knocked on the door and hung out on the steps for ten minutes each time until he’d finally gotten the message and left. Marissa had stayed resolute. She didn’t want to see anyone. She didn’t want to talk about it. She wanted to be left alone. And she didn’t want to hear excuses or explanations. She’d heard enough.
Mid-morning on Friday she went into town and did some grocery shopping and then headed to the feed store and arranged for some hay to be delivered for Ebony. Afterward she hung around outside the hospital with every intention of visiting Aunt Violet but couldn’t bring herself to go inside at first. She circled the lobby for twenty minutes and then finally summoned the courage to go into her aunt’s room.
Violet was by the bed, propped up in a chair, a bag by her feet that she was slowly filling with items from the small chest of drawers next to the bed. She looked up when Marissa entered the room and smiled.
“It’s good to see you,” her aunt said.
“You, too,” she said and sat down by the window. “You’re packing?”
“Yes. Moving to another part of the rehab ward tomorrow, and in a week I should be ready to move permanently.”
“Wonderful,” she said and looked out the window. “I’ve started clearing out the old greenhouses and—”