FOREVER MINE(37)

He couldn’t help but smile as relief flooded his insides. Things were definitely looking a lot better than they had on yesterday, after he’d gotten the call from Mrs. Summers. But still he had a feeling Rose’s offer wasn’t being made out of the goodness of her heart. There had to be more to it.

Earlier, she had mentioned something about getting married. Did she plan to suggest that her fiancé move in with them? How else would she be free to travel with him and the girls? And if that was the case, what sort of man would agree with such a thing? What did he do for a living?

An unsettling thought pricked his mind. Was she involved with one of his men and he hadn’t known it? He knew there were a number of them interested in her. A few had even asked her out but she’d refused by saying she was not interested in dating. Had she been secretly seeing one of them? If so, then that would explain why she felt she could follow him and the girls wherever they went. Usually, the same group of men worked for him and were a part of any project he headed.

Deciding she was the only one who could provide answers to his questions, he said. “A few moments ago, you mentioned something about getting married.”

He could tell by the way she was taking her fingers and tracing around the placemat that his statement had made her nervous again. She met his gaze. “In order to be able to be there for you and the girls like that means I’ll have to get married.”

He nodded. So she was involved with one of his men. For some reason finding out was like a sucker punch to his gut. He hadn’t known. He had no idea. He shouldn’t rightly care but he did. He inhaled deeply. “Who is it?” he heard himself asking. “Who’s the man you plan to marry?”

She hesitated for a brief moment and then said, “You, Parnell. I will need to marry you.”





Two




Rose leaned back in her chair and watched the different emotions that crossed Parnell’s face. First he blinked like there was some mistake and he hadn’t heard her correctly. And then there was shock, as if what she’d said was the most outlandish thing he’d ever heard. And then there was anger. The latter is what she was seeing now more than anything. He was no longer sitting down. He was now out his chair staring at her.

“Rose, are you crazy? That’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard.”

She immediately took offense to what he said. “Please keep your voice down. The girls are still taking their nap,” she hissed through her teeth as she also stood and placed her hands on her hips to glare at him. “And no, I am not crazy. I merely racked my brain yesterday trying to come up with something that would help you. Think about it, Parnell. You get to gain a lot more out of a marriage between us than I do.”

She could tell by the look that appeared on his face that now it was his time to take offense. “What the hell do you mean by that?”

She inhaled deeply, deciding to choose her words carefully since she hadn’t meant it the way it sounded. “What I mean is that I’m a single woman walking into a marriage that would require a lot of responsibility on my part, Parnell. It would be responsibility that I would not mind taking on but it will be a lot of responsibility just the same. The worse thing you can do right now for your girls is play musical chairs with a babysitter. They are at the age where they need someone constant in their lives. Someone who they know will be there when you aren’t. Someone they can grow to depend on. That’s all I’m saying.”

She sank back down in her chair when he moved to walk over to the window and look out. She knew he was thinking about what she had said. Moments later he turned around. “But why do we have to get married? Why can’t I just hire you to travel with me and take care of the girls?”

“Because there isn’t a guarantee that one day you won’t decide to get married and your future wife will see me as a threat and wouldn’t want me around any longer. And then it will be too late.”

He looked at her and raised a dark brow. “Too late for what?”

“To become detached.” She knew she had to explain things to him. Maybe then he would understand. “Years ago, I dated a divorced guy who had full custody of his two-year old son. While Mark and I dated, Little Mark became the world to me, and I always figured because Mark and I had such a good relationship that I would eventually become Little Mark’s stepmother. One day I found out that while I was home being the pretended wife to Mark and a mother to Little Mark that Mark was out seeing other women. When I confronted him about it, he said I was being too possessive and broke things off. Ending our affair wasn’t so bad but what really tore me up was losing Little Mark. I had begun to think of him as mine.”

She inhaled deeply. “I couldn’t go through something like that again, Parnell. I can’t travel around the country with you and have you come home one day to announce I need to leave because you’ve become involved with someone.”

“That won’t happen because I don’t ever plan on marrying again,” he said gruffly. “I never wanted another wife after Becky and planned to stay a widower for life.”

“And what about your lady-friends? What happens if one of them thinks it’s time for the two of you to get serious? ”

He frowned. “I don’t have any lady-friends, at least not the way you’re referring. I haven’t been involved with anyone, seriously or otherwise, since my wife died three years ago. My girls are the only female companionship I need.”

“You’re saying that now but that might change. Mark claimed he would be a divorcee for life; however less than a year after we split he had remarried,” she said softly. “I can’t take that chance. I can see myself getting attached to Joya and LaToya just like I did Little Mark.”

He didn’t say anything for a moment, he just glanced down as if studying his work boots and then he lifted his head and met her gaze and asked. “What if I were to go along with what you’re proposing. Exactly what type of relationship do you see us having?”

“I would be a good mother to your girls and -”

“I’m talking about us, Rose. You and I.”

Rose tried to ignore the heat that had started in the lower part of her stomach. Parnell Cabot was an extremely good looking man. She had thought that the first time she’d seen him almost eight months ago when her employer had sent her and Sage to a seminar here in Anchorage to represent the company. He was tall, nearly six-three if she had to guess, and he was well built with broad shoulders and a nice pair of lean hips. From the first, what had captivated her most was the color of his eyes, a color so dark it reminded her of charcoal. Then there was his hair, neatly trimmed and cut low on his head; his high cheekbones; and what she thought was a beautiful pair of full lips. Last but not least was the coloring of his skin, a deep, rich chocolate brown.

She knew he was thirty-eight, ten years older than she was. And he always came across as a kind and caring person who loved his daughters. She also knew he was highly respected by the men who worked for him. And she believed he was a man with strong values. He attended church regularly and from the three weeks she had been around him, she noticed that he didn’t drink, smoke or swear.

“Rose?”

“Yes?”

“You haven’t answered me yet. I inquired as to just what type of relationship you envision the two of us having?”

She nervously licked her lips, knowing he deserved an answer. “I can see our relationship becoming a relatively normal one . . . after a while, of course. Once we really get to know each other. I’m twenty-eight so at some point in time, hopefully before I’m too old to consider it, I’d love to have a child of my own.”

Parnell frowned. “Don’t you think getting married to me will cheat you out of the chance of ever meeting the guy who is really your Mr. Right? Someone who won’t already have all those responsibilities you’ll be assuming if you married me?”

She shrugged. “No. I’ve done the dating scene, more than I care to remember. Last year I made a number of important changes in my life and one of those was giving up men who meant me no good. I haven’t dated anyone seriously or otherwise for quite some time.” From his expression she could tell he knew just what she was trying to say. In other words, she hadn’t been intimate with anyone since then.

Silence stretched between them and then Parnell spoke again. “Look, I don’t know what to tell you other than I don’t ever plan to marry or get serious about anyone until possibly after the girls are grown and have spouses of their own. I appreciate your offer but I can’t take you up on it. As much as I need help with the girls, I don’t want a wife. I’ve had one and she couldn’t ever be replaced.”

He then glanced at his watch. “I’m sorry, but I need to leave and get back to work.”

And she watched as he opened the door and walked out.





Three




Parnell slid behind the steering wheel of his truck wondering if he’d dreamed the entire scene that had just played out with Rose. What on earth could she have been thinking to come up with some kind of proposal like that? People didn’t get married just for the convenience of doing so. Did they? What happened to people marrying for love? His parents had married for love over forty years ago. He then thought about the original owners of the Regency Group, Omar and Joella Blackwell. They had been married for just as long and he was certain they had married for love as well.