Ben was surprised that she could joke about that. “I thought you found that idea as terrifying as I do.”
“Maybe it’s growing on me.”
He stared at her in shock. “You have to be kidding me.”
Kathleen laughed at the unmistakable panic he didn’t bother trying to hide. She reached over and patted his white-knuckled grip on the steering wheel. “No need to panic. As flattering as it is to be considered a candidate to be your wife, I’m not interested.”
There was no question that she meant exactly what she said. Ben should have been comforted by that, but for some reason he didn’t understand, he felt as if someone had just doused him with cold water.
“Well, don’t you two look cheery,” Richard said as Ben and Kathleen arrived a few minutes later.
“You don’t look so hot yourself,” Ben retorted, shocked to see his usually impeccable brother covered with some sort of white paste. His hair was a mess and his expression was grim. “Things not going too well?”
“Don’t start with me,” Richard warned. “Otherwise you can take your sorry ass out of here right now.” He turned to Kathleen. “No offense.”
“None taken,” she said, her lips twitching as she fought a grin.
“Fine,” Ben said, holding up his hands in a gesture of surrender. “I’ll keep my comments to myself. Where’s Melanie?”
“Actually she’s in the nursery with her feet propped up, a glass of milk beside her and a gloating expression on her face. She’s having the time of her life,” Richard grumbled.
“Why don’t I order some pizza?” Ben suggested. “It looks to me like you could use a break and some food. It might improve your mood.”
“A professional wallpaper hanger would improve my mood, but I suppose pizza will have to do,” Richard said gloomily. “Better order two. Melanie’s appetite is huge these days. And don’t tell me she’s eating for two. I think she’s eating for a dozen future football players.”
“When the baby comes and it’s a delicate little girl, you’re going to regret those words,” Kathleen told him.
Richard merely shrugged. “So Melanie keeps telling me. I’d better get back in there before she climbs up on the ladder and tries to hang a strip of paper herself. She does that every time my back is turned. I finally had to turn off my cell phone and stop taking calls from the office.”
“It’s after seven. Why were you taking calls, anyway?” Ben asked.
“This was earlier. I took the afternoon off,” Richard explained. “I thought I could get this all done during Melanie’s afternoon nap. Naturally she wasn’t the least bit tired today. And then I ran into a little problem with the actual papering.”
“I could order the pizza,” Kathleen offered generously. “Ben could help you.”
Ben scowled at her. “You don’t win, if you’re the one who plants the idea in his head.”
Richard stared at them, clearly confused. “You two have some sort of bet going?”
“It doesn’t matter,” Ben assured him. “I’ll order the pizza and be right in. I can’t wait to see what you’ve accomplished so far.”
Richard shot him a look filled with pure venom, then hightailed it back to the nursery.
“I love what imminent fatherhood is doing to my big brother,” Ben said, watching him with amusement.
“I wouldn’t do too much gloating, if I were you,” Kathleen advised. “If Destiny has her way, you’re heading down this same path.”
She set off after Richard, leaving him to contemplate a future that not only included a wife but babies. His heart did a little stutter-step, but the effect wasn’t so bad. Once again, there was none of the expected panic at the idea.
Then he remembered what it was like to lose someone and his resolve to remain unattached kicked right back into high gear.
Forget the daydream about a house filled with rambunctious little ones. It wasn’t going to happen. There would be no wife filling the kitchen with the aroma of pies and cakes and bear claws. No Kathleen, he thought a bit despondently.
Dammit, for a minute there, the idea had held an astonishing appeal. No doubt that had been his hormones trying to rationalize what they wanted.
He picked up the phone and called for pizza, one loaded with everything, the other plain. Melanie didn’t need heartburn adding to her woes. She had enough to contend with just enduring her doting husband.
En route to the nursery, he stopped in the kitchen and picked up a few cans of soda, then went upstairs to find both women sitting side by side, feet propped up and instructions tripping off their tongues. He was amazed that Richard hadn’t bolted by now. He pulled up his own chair and was about to sit down when Melanie scowled at him.