The Proposition(32)

“He’s an obedience school flunkie,” Aidan muttered.

“Aw, I’m sure he’s really the bestest boy in the whole wide world! Aren’t you sweetheart?” Emma said, her voice raising an octave. Beau wiggled all over at her attention, his tail thawping against Aidan’s leg. He went into doggie heaven when she started scratching behind his ears, making grunting noises and finally sitting stock still.

“Okay, boy, time to go outside.”

Beau refused to budge from Emma. Aidan rolled his eyes in exasperation. “Outside. Now!”

Emma kissed the top of Beau’s head and then rose to her feet. “You better go on outside before you get us both in trouble,” she said, pointing to the backdoor.

Beau reluctantly started across the kitchen, his claws tapping across the hardwood floors. Aidan opened the door and let him out into the backyard. He shook his head as Beau frolicked after a butterfly. “Great. He’s already totally whipped by you.”

“I can’t help that everyone, even animals, love me,” Emma joked.

Aidan turned back to her and grinned. “Someone is cocky tonight.” His eyes widened at the sight of her legs. “Oh shit, I’m sorry.”

Emma glanced down to see the ragged holes where Beau’s claws had snagged her stockings. “It’s no big deal.”

“You want something to change into?”

She bobbed her head. “That would be great, thanks.”

“Follow me.”

Emma fell in step behind Aidan as they started down the hallway. She wasn’t too thrilled at the prospect of following him into the master bedroom, so she stopped in front of a wall of pictures. “Are these all of your family?”

Aidan turned back and then nodded. “Yeah, Angie, did that for me. She got all the pictures together and then arranged them for me as a house warming present.”

“She did a great job.” As Aidan dipped back inside the bedroom, Emma continued gazing at the photographs. Aidan was the spitting image of his late mother. Several of the pictures were of his parents when they were younger and older. “I love this one of your parent’s at their 50th Wedding Anniversary. Your mother was so beautiful,” she called.

“Thanks.”

“And your dad is handsome, too.”

“I told you I’d bring some attractive genes to the table!”

She rolled her eyes at his cockiness. “Your dad looks like a really sweet and nice man.”

Aidan poked his head out of the bedroom door. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

Emma shrugged. “I don’t know. I guess I had this impression of your dad being like Hugh Hefner, and you following in his footsteps.”

Aidan laughed as he handed her a pair of navy sweat pants and a white t-shirt. “Trust me, my dad is the farthest thing from Hef. My parents were high school sweethearts. I’m not sure if he ever slept with anyone but Mom. She’s been gone five years, and he’s barely dated at all.”

“That’s so romantic,” Emma gushed.

“Yeah, but he’s lonely. If he’s not hounding one of my sisters, he’s calling me, guilting me to come visit. I know he’d like someone to be there with him all the time, but he just can’t seem to let go of Mom. I keep telling him to move on, but he just refuses.”

Emma grew exasperated at his tone. “Maybe he’s not ready yet. Maybe a love as strong as theirs isn’t so easy to get over as you think,” she countered.

“I guess. But Jesus, he needs to lighten up on the expectations that I should always be at his beck and call.”

Emma threw her hands up in exasperation, unable to hold her temper any longer. “Has he been a good father to you or not?”

“Yeah, of course he has.”

“Then he shouldn’t have to call you to beg you to come by. You should be the one calling him and checking to see how he’s doing. Maybe paying him back for some of the sacrifices he made while you were growing up.”

“I know, it’s just—”

“Trust me when I say this Aidan, he won’t be here forever. I did everything I could for my mother while she was alive, and sometimes guilt still consumes me. I wouldn’t ever want you to be haunted by regrets.”

“Damn, Em, you make me feel like a real asshole.”

With her anger evaporating, she suddenly felt embarrassed for going off on him. She ducked her head. “I’m sorry. I just know you have a really good heart, that’s all.”

“Then if you believe in me that much, I’ll do better, okay?”

She peeked up at him through her lashes and smiled. “Okay.”

He cleared his throat and motioned across the hall. “You can go change in the bathroom.”