Billionaire Flawed 1(91)

“Mark, you have to think about our baby! You have to think about me! Don’t you love me?”

Mark looked at her with passionate eyes. He was obvious with his love and had let everyone he worked with know about it. He had made her feel like queen of the castle since her arrival. It was one of the reasons she couldn’t believe he had been hiding this from her.

Then again, when she thought about it, she understood, as well. He had fallen in love with her and then been too ashamed to admit his problem.

“Yes, I love you, Margie.”

She went to him again and he pulled her into a hug this time. “I have faith that we can get through this, Mark. I have been praying and I just know that God is going to come through for us. But you have to pray, too. You have to really believe that he will help you stop what you are doing.”

“How can I be a man and ask your father to bail me out of my debts? I am the one who sent for you! I promised him, even though I never told him, that I would take care of his daughter. I know how much you love and respect him. How can you love and respect me after I do something like this to your father?”

“You haven’t done anything to my father. If you refuse to let him help us, then you will really be doing something to him. You’ll be putting the safety of his only daughter in jeopardy. He would be very angry at you for that.”

“He would, wouldn’t he?”

“Yes, he certainly would! And our baby! His grandchild. He would be very, very angry.”

“But we need a substantial sum.”

“It won’t matter. The only thing that will matter is that when we have paid what we owe and begin paying my father his money back, you don’t gamble it away. Do you think you can break your habit?”

She rubbed his arm and looked up into his eyes. He was blinking and refusing to look at her.

“Mark, please. Please tell me you love me enough…and love our baby enough to do this for us.”

“I want to, Margie. I do love you and our baby.”

“We will keep praying about it. My papa will help us through this and then we will start again. From the beginning if we have to. But at least we will have our horses and our home.”

“And our baby.”

“Yes.” She smiled wide and he matched it.

“It’s so wonderful to think that we will have a little boy or girl here next year. I hope it looks like you.”

She giggled. “If it’s a boy, I don’t think he will like that.”

He shook his head. “I hope that he or she is healthy. I hope that you are okay through it all and that everything works out good in the end.”

“Ellie is going to help me. She will know what’s going on before I do.”

They both laughed at that.

“I’m glad she is wanting to help you.” Mark’s demeanor had lightened significantly from only moments before. She could see that he felt relief and renewed strength. She wondered if he would really be able to kick the habit. He was so good with money otherwise.

“Do you want me to start helping manage the finances of the track and stables, Mark?” She asked a little nervously. It had always been his job. She didn’t want him to feel that she was stepping on his toes.

He paused and looked at her thoughtfully. “I think it would be wise, yes.” He agreed. He put one of his hands on her tummy and the other on the small of her back. “You won’t be up for all that physical work taking care of yourself for the next year anyway.”

“Silly man, it doesn’t take that long to have a baby!”

“I know.” He laughed. “But you won’t be going back to grooming and cleaning out stables for a long time, honey. You’re going to have my baby to take care of!”

The thought of a happy family in her future lifted Margaret’s spirits back up into the clouds. She threw her arms around her husband and hugged him close. “I love you, Mark!”

“And I love you, my sweet little Margaret!” He replied, kissing her soft lips with a passion she would never be able to resist.

****

THE END





A Bride’s Destiny – A Clean Western Romance

Olive stared out the window, watching as the scenery went by. There was a chill in the car, and she wondered where it was coming from. There didn’t appear to be any cracks in the strong plate of glass she was gazing through. The door to the cabin was closed. She glanced quickly at the other passengers in the car but none of them looked chilly. They were relaxed, reading books or newspapers. One older lady was knitting quietly, her needles clicking together softly every now and then.

Olive rubbed her arms softly and lifted her hand to shield a yawn. It would be only a few hours until she was in Nevada. There was a small town there that would be Olive’s new home. At 23, she was ready for a change. Her large family left behind; she looked forward to a more solitary lifestyle, with just a husband until she would perhaps have a child. No more hustle and bustle. No more noise, talking, clamoring, complaining.