by Rachel Burns
“Adam, that’s enough. I won’t do anything to embarrass you or her. Nor will I do anything that might upset the boy. You’re being silly. Don’t make it so obvious how much you want this to work. You don’t want to look desperate.”
Adam gave her a look, letting her know that her encouraging words weren’t helping.
Ruth’s breath caught in her throat. The little boy who had once needed her so desperately had grown into a strong man. The kind of man that other men thought twice about before they picked a fight with them. He got that from his father’s side.
Ruth had thought that her sister had been a fool to marry a boxer, but he was exactly like Adam that way. When it was time to fight, he didn’t back down. At home, however, he was as gentle as a lamb with his family.
She never regretted taking Adam in, not even for one second. In fact, she believed that her life would have been extremely dull without him. He’d become her reason to live when she’d thought that she didn’t have one. He was her child.
If the woman and boy she were about to be introduced to, ended up being part of their family, then she’d do whatever she had to protect them too.
The truth was that Ruth was the lioness in their relationship. She could bully Adam into doing what she wanted.
Thankfully, she never had to. Adam was man enough to do what needed to be done without an old fool tricking him into doing it. She’d raised him well.
“This is the building. I liked it so much that I made a drawing of it. I gave it to the doorman who passed it on to the owner. It’s now hanging in the lobby.”
“The building is exquisite. You were right to draw it. It has a certain charm. I love these old historical buildings.” Ruth was pretending that she never seen the building before. The truth was that she too had spent the evening here last night. Mr. Romano had a way with words. He was also good in bed, but that had been a given with his Italian blood. Men like him were extremely passionate and giving.
This afternoon, they’d discussed what they were going to do with the rooms. They decided to break the penthouse up into four apartments. The largest would be for Adam and Samantha. The others would be a lot smaller.
Ruth was used to living with Adam, and she wanted to watch her grandnephew going up. When she announced that she’d be sharing the apartment with Mr. Romano, the other two had been shocked, but they quickly hid that fact.
Because The O’Brian’s were expecting their fifth child, it was decided that Samantha’s apartment be added onto theirs. That had been a worry that the three owners had also had. They didn’t want anyone to move away. They clearly loved everyone that they cared for.
Mr. Johnson held the door opened for them. “Good evening, Mr. Clark. Who is this lovely young lady escorting you this evening?”
Ruth snorted at the display of charm that was being sent her way. “I’m his aunt, Ruth Hastings.”
“You’re here to meet Jonah. He’s a lovely young man. He won’t give you any troubles. Still, if you need anything, feel free to call me or one of my colleagues.” There was a twinkle in his eye as he thought about his friend and the headstrong woman being a couple.
“I’m sure I know how to handle a young man. This is what turned out of the last one I got my hands on.”
“Of course, you must be very proud.” Mr. Johnson smiled at her politely.
“I am.” She walked past him like she was done talking to him. She didn’t want her nephew to know that he’d been set up. Still, Adam was so far gone that it wouldn’t matter anymore.
“I’ll go collect Samantha and do the introductions, and then we’ll come back down in about fifteen minutes,” Adam told Mr. Johnson.
Adam had gotten Samantha to agree to go on a real date with him. They wanted to talk and get to know each other. After the date, he’d collect his aunt, and they’d go home together.
It was a shame that he couldn’t spend the night with Samantha again. The sex had been beyond compare, but sleeping beside her had been amazing too.
He’d be lonely tonight without her.
Nevertheless, Jonah had school tomorrow morning, and he needed a normal morning before he took off for a tasking day in kindergarten.
In the elevator, Ruth commented about how friendly the doorman was.
Adam readily agreed with her. “He’s especially friendly. I like that Samantha and Jonah have him watching them while I’m away.”
“It would be difficult for her to give that up if you two were to marry. She’d of course come and live with us in our penthouse.”
Adam worried that she wouldn’t want to leave too. This building was honestly great. He’d immediately felt comfortable here too. “If she wants to stay here, I’ll move in with her.”
“You need room to work. Your young lady will have to understand that. Besides, no one who is related to me is going to live in a mere apartment.”
“I’ll discuss that with Samantha. We’ll decide together what’s best,” he told his aunt, letting her know that she wouldn’t have any influence on the decision.
Ruth looked away from him to hide her smirk. Adam Clark wasn’t the sort of man a person toyed with. In fact, she was the only person to ever do it without being called on it.
She wanted his best with all of her heart. No one could be mad at someone who acted out of love.
The elevator door opened, and Ruth stepped out full of confidence, thinking that this was better than waiting for Adam to fall in love and have a baby. This way she had someone she could talk to. Little boys were such interesting creatures who loved to ask questions and keep her on her toes.
Adam lifted his hand up to the door to knock, but then he stopped and turned to look at his aunt. “Please, don’t do anything –” He wasn’t sure how to put this.
“Knock already. I’m not getting any younger.” Ruth told him, knowing full well want he was trying to say.
Adam knocked, and the door opened up immediately. Jonah barreled into him. “I drew you a picture.”
“Thank you, Jonah. I’ll have a look at it right away, but first I want to introduce you to someone very special. This is my Aunt Ruth. She raised me.”
Ruth cocked her eyebrow at Adam for a moment, thinking that had been a rather lovely introduction after all the warnings that he’d been given her on the way over here.
Then she turned to Jonah. “I am very pleased to meet you young man. You and I are going to have a very nice evening.”
“He has to be to bed by eight.” Adam told her. He didn’t want to make Samantha worry. She was lingering in the door behind Jonah.
“Oh, he will be. Don’t worry. I know what I’m doing. Hello Samantha. It’s an honest pleasure to meet you. I’d recognize you anywhere. Adam stared at your portrait for so long.”
“That was exactly what I meant before,” Adam told her.
Samantha was pleased to hear that. Whenever Adam wasn’t next to her, she worried that things weren’t on the up and up. But he was with his aunt. This was starting to feel so real. She’d hoped that he’d still want to be with her when he found out that Jonah would be their only child.
“I’m pleased to meet you, Mrs. Hastings.” Samantha had a feeling that she’d get along especially well this woman.
“I’m not Mrs. Hastings. I’m Ms. Hastings, but you’re to call me Aunt Ruth exactly like Adam does. The same goes for you, young man.”
Everyone watched Aunt Ruth fish into her purse and pull out two game controllers. “Turn on the TV, Jonah. Were going to have a race.”
“Aunt Ruth, you can’t get him all excited with computer games before he goes to bed.” Adam was worried that Samantha would worry about Jonah and not be concentrated on their discussion.
“It’s six o’clock, Adam. Besides, I’m making a first impression here. Don’t cramp my style.”
Samantha looked at Adam and shrugged her shoulders.
“You act like he’s taking the bar exam tomorrow. We can play an hour, and then we can do a little
studying for school. After that, it’s bath time and bed. I have everything under control. You two go out and have fun. Samantha, you and I will get together sometime next week, so we can get to know each other. Adam will take Jonah in that time so we can really talk.”
“Aunt Ruth, I don’t know how to play,” Jonah tugged on her sleeve.
“That doesn’t matter, neither do I. I was informed that this thing is plug and play. We’ll figure it out together. Look, Jonah. It works. I’ll be the turtle fellow, and you can be the little plumber man.”
Samantha and Adam heard Jonah laughing as they left.
“They hit it off, didn’t they?” Samantha stated.
“Yes, she seems cooler now than she did back when I was a kid.” Adam was actually proud at how well his aunt handled this.
Samantha smiled at him. Her tummy was tied in knots. It was clear that not only was Adam child-friendly but his aunt was too. When he found out that she couldn’t give him a child of his own, he’d call it off. This may be a very short evening.
Adam helped Samantha sit down at the restaurant. He wondered if her backside was still nice and warm from last night. It was a shame that they weren’t married yet. They’d have gotten ready to go out together if they were, and he’d have seen her naked then.
He worried that she’d send him packing when she found out that Jonah would be their only child if she married him.
The meal went well. They found out that they had several things in common, and that they could talk about anything. Both smiled often throughout the meal in spite of the fact that they were keeping a secret from the other.
After they’d ordered dessert, Adam felt that he couldn’t push off their talk any longer. “How do you feel about having more children?”
He’d worded that badly. The look on her face told him so. Now she probably thought that was the only reason why he wanted her.
“I think I’d like to adopt a child one day, a little girl perhaps.”
“Adoption? That sounds great. There are so many children out there who could profit from being adopted into a loving family like ours.” Adam loved that idea.
“How many children are you talking about?” Samantha asked. At the same time, she was asking herself how many she wanted.
“I don’t know. I just think that it would be nice if Jonah had a brother or a sister. I always wished that I hadn’t been an only child.”
Samantha nodded at him. “If we were to ever have another child, the child would have to be adopted. After Jonah’s birth – There were complications. I can’t have anymore children.”
“I’m very sorry to hear that, Samantha. We’ll adopt as many children as you want. I don’t want you to worry about that ever again.”
“Why are you so good to me?” she asked him.
“Because I love you. And because I know how it feels. My girlfriend left me because I couldn’t give her children. I’ve always wanted to have children in my life. I thought that it would be a given that I’d have some one day. I was devastated when Dr. Kennedy told me the news. I thought that I’d never find someone who would love me the way I am.
“Then came the contest, and I met you. I love you, Samantha and I will do whatever I can to make sure that you’re happy and have everything that you need and want in life. I’d be so honored if you’d be my wife.”
“Are you asking me to marry you?” Samantha asked, flabbergasted.
That hadn’t been Adam’s attention, but he hadn’t said anything that he didn’t feel comfortable with. “I guess so. I hope I’m not being too forward with my attentions. However, I do want you to know that I have the best intentions for you.”
“I don’t know what to say,” Samantha confessed.
“I have an idea. You take this week to think about it. We’ll see each other again when Jonah is at his father’s. We can talk then. I realize that I’m being too forward and pushing too hard. Forgive me.”
“That’s okay. Women are always saying they wished that men would be clearer about their intentions. You’re only being honest, but I need to talk to Jonah before I decide.”
Their dessert arrived, and they started to relax with each other again.
Adam reluctantly traded Samantha for his aunt.
Ruth swore that Jonah had been in bed by eight o’clock. She’d practiced his flashcards with Jonah, and she had him read a story to her. His schoolbag was packed, and after Jonah had gone to bed, Ruth had made his lunch for school the next day.
“I fell right back into the routine of it. You have a wonderful son. Call me if you need anything, Samantha. We’ll get together to talk about my boy whenever you have time.” Aunt Ruth was very pleased with everything. Jonah was such a nice boy and that told her everything that she needed to know about Samantha. Only a wonderful person could have raised him so well.
In the elevator, Ruth turned to Adam. “Don’t mess it up, because I want Jonah as my grandson.”
Adam tried to smile. “I think I may have blown it with her this evening. We were talking about adoption, and then suddenly I was proposing.”
“She didn’t say yes?” Ruth asked, surprised. Who could turn down her boy?
“I stopped her before she could say yes or no. We agreed to meet next weekend to talk about everything. We were talking about adopting children together. It seemed like a good sign that I could ask about marriage.” He smiled at his aunt, hoping that she’d agree with him.
“Don’t humor me. Shouldn’t you be on the phone ordering her flowers? If I were you, I’d attach a card, thanking her for a wonderful evening.” Ruth left the elevator and went to the door. She winked at Mr. Johnson who was holding the door for her.
She’d be back here within the hour so she could spend the night with the man she loved.
Her fingers were crossed that her nephew would also find love.
Why did young people have to be so complicated?
Chapter 13
On Monday morning, Adam stood in front of an empty canvas. Last week he’d known what he wanted to paint on it, but today he couldn’t remember. Instead, he wanted to live with Samantha and talk to her. She’d be the inspiration that he needed.
That afternoon, Adam was still in front of the blinding white canvas. The blinding white color wasn’t inspiring him.
He looked at his watch; Samantha would be picking Jonah up from school in twenty minutes. She worked in a department store where she had to stand on her feet all day every day to be able to give Jonah what he needed.
Naturally, Samantha hadn’t complained about her ex-husband not paying the child support when it was due. He’d gotten that information from Mr. Johnson.
Adam had a feeling like he’d like to talk to Mr. Johnson right now. He wanted to hear from another man what would be the best thing to do. It was times like this that he missed having a father, or at least a father figure.
It was a shame that his aunt had never found anyone.
Adam went looking for her. “Aunt Ruth, could you give me the number of your friend. The one who owns the building where Samantha lives.”
Ruth felt a moment of panic. “Of course, what do you need it for?”
“Mr. Johnson said that I could call him if I needed anything. I want to ask him, how Samantha is doing.”
“I think that’s a wonderful idea.” She got out her cell, and a moment later she had him on the phone. “Here he is, darling.”
Adam took her cell and left the room with it, feeling like a teenager again. “I’m sorry to bother you, Mr. Johnson. Do you have a moment?”
“I always have time for you, Mr. Clark.”
Adam ended up confessing everything that was weighing on his soul. Mr. Johnson listened to him and gave him the advice that he shouldn’t stay away.
He told him the Samantha had never looked happier than she had this morning on her way to work. She’d had a spring in her step, he told him.
Adam was standing in front of Mr. Johnson twenty minutes later, holdi
ng a large bouquet. “This really doesn’t seem pushy?” he asked.
“No, besides, all women love flowers. They’re upstairs. Go on up.” Mr. Johnson was almost feeling giddy. The last person left in the building was about to get engaged. He could feel it. He’d been doing this for years, and now he was finally finished.
Adam got in the elevator and automatically pushed the right bottom. He looked upwards wanting to be close to his Samantha as soon as possible.
Adam was out of the elevator before the doors had completely opened. He knocked on the door knowing that he had to talk to her before he could get any work finished at home. This was more important.
The door opened, and Samantha’s jaw dropped. She had her cell in her hand, and a second later Adam’s cell vibrated. “I was just calling you,” she confessed, canceling the call.
“Why? What did you want to tell me?” Adam hoped that she wasn’t calling to tell him that she never wanted to see him again.
“I was going to say that I missed you. I came home, and you weren’t here, and it was going to take days before we’d see each other again.” Samantha wiped the tears away from her eyes. “I’m sorry. I’m acting so weird.”
“No, you aren’t. I’m here because I felt the same way.” Adam stepped forward and wrapped her in his arms.
“I don’t want to wait until Saturday to see you again. I want you to stay with me.”
“Then we’ll get married as soon as possible.”
“I don’t need a big wedding. I only want you.” Samantha was prepared to go to the courthouse right now. Now that she’d accepted that she was in love with him, she didn’t want to waste any more time.
“My aunt knows everyone here in this city. She’d be able to pull together a wedding as quickly as possible. Would you really like that?”
Samantha nodded.
“Mommy, why are you crying?” Jonah had been at the kitchen table doing his homework, but he came over to his mom now.