A sense of weakness shook through her before she threw it off. It didn’t do any good dwelling on the past when the future suddenly looked so bright. She straightened her shoulders. Her mother had taught her the hard way that she had to be tough and not let a man like Gabriel Stewart play with her emotions.
Or her heart.
“What do you say I help you buy out White Water Escapades,” he offered.
“I don’t want White Water. I have something else in mind.”
“Okay. Whatever. I’ll give you 50K in exchange for the next ten days.”
“As your happily married wife.”
“Yes.”
She knew it was a good offer. She needed the financial backing to open her day care center in Phoenix. She would need the stability once she started her family. The family she’d always
wanted. She’d be a fool not to agree to his proposition.
But she wanted more.
And Gabe was desperate.
“I might agree to that.” Reb could tell he was getting uncomfortable by the way he shifted in his chair. “But for someone with money that’s too easy. So I’m going to raise the stakes a little.”
He swallowed. “Okay. I’m listening.”
She paused for a second and took a steady breath. What she really wanted was what had ripped them apart. Would he agree this time?
The happy chirping of crickets could barely be heard over the steady pounding of her heart.
She took a step forward. She reached up and toyed with his tie. She urged him closer to her until they were just a breath away.
“I want your child.”
“You want my what?”
“A baby,” she said. “Your baby.”
Gabe didn’t know how she moved in so close, so quickly. And without him noticing until it was too late. Too late to slip away without being too obvious.
He should have known. She was always so willing to go after what she wanted.
It was the subject of children that had put a wedge in their relationship. And that wedge, along with the strains of his job, had ended their marriage. Hadn’t she learned enough then?
“Ah, Reb.” His voice was almost a croak. He stepped swiftly from her grasp. “We’ve talked about that issue too many times in the past.” He ran his fingers through his hair.
“No, we argued. We never talked.” She leaned away from him. “Remember?”
She had that mischievous glint in her eyes again. Which only meant trouble with a capital T.
His stomach tightened. “I remember. But do you remember what I said?”
“You didn’t want children.”
“I said when the time was right we’d discuss it.”
“The right time for you or me?” she asked.
“Reb, we never talked about children before we were married. Then a few weeks
after
we were married you brought up the subject. I just thought we had to slow things down a little, that’s all.
“So what makes you think I’ve changed my mind?” he asked. “Especially right before our divorce goes through.”
She watched him for a moment as though she were considering her words carefully.
“Gabriel Stewart, you’re a coward.”
He felt himself blush. “It’s nice to know you think so highly of me.”
“I always have.”
He rubbed at the knot of tension growing at the back of his neck.
Reb tipped her head to the side as she watched him. In the illumination cast by the bright moonlight, he could see a kind of fascination and caring in the deep sea-green depths of her eyes.
“Don’t worry so much,” she said. “You’ve got it all wrong.”
“I do?” He laughed. “You asked me for a child. I’ve told you I’m not ready. I don’t have time to be a good father. Not now anyway.”
“I’m not asking for a reconciliation. I’m not even asking that you have an active role as this child’s father. I just want you to be a sperm donor so I can be artificially inseminated.”
“What?” He sank back onto the chaise lounge. Was she crazy?
“It’s obvious that we’re not getting back together. So having sex is out of the question.”
“Reb … I …”
“I want your child, Gabe. Not some stranger’s. And there’s no one else in my life right now.”
“I need time to think about this.”
She walked to stand in front of him. “You don’t have time. The board is coming—”
“Tomorrow. I know.”
“I want this child. And with your help, I’ll be
able to start a business that will financially support my family.”
“Who would take care of the baby while you’re running this … what kind of business do you want to open anyway?”
“A day care center. It’s been a dream of mine for a long time.”
He never even guessed. He thought she’d always wanted White Water Escapades, not this. He swallowed, feeling guilty for not knowing his wife’s dreams or seeing this side of her.
Looking back, he remembered seeing Reb at the office with the children of other employees. She’d been great with them. At the time he’d thought nothing of it.
“I’ll play out your charade,” she said. “I’ll give you what you want if you give me what I want. What do you say?”
“I told you I need more time, that’s what.” He felt the hot pressure inch up his back.
“Which you don’t have.”
He looked away. He couldn’t bear to see the pleading in her lovely eyes.
He was stuck. What was worse, she knew it. So what was more important? The Toy Factory, or the fact that she wanted a sperm donation from him?
One donation might not even take, he reasoned.
He had worked too hard and too long for this merger to fall to pieces at the last minute. Could he afford to turn her down?
“Let me get this straight,” he said. “You want 50K and some of my sperm?”
“Uh-huh.”
“Is this a direct deposit or an overnight drop?” he asked.
She laughed. “Do you agree?”
“Exactly what are the terms?”
She looked him square in the eye. “Overnight drop.”
“I’ll think about it.” He knew she might be teasing him, hoping against hope to work out a reconciliation. She had to know that his conservative and responsible nature would mean they’d really have to discuss this.
So she couldn’t possibly be serious.
“I need a yes or no.”
“Why don’t we go inside.” He was over a barrel and she knew it. He directed her toward the house. “We can talk more.”
“All right.”
Rebecca turned her back and dropped the
towel, slipping on a T-shirt and black shorts. She picked up the towel and stepped into her sandals.
They crossed the lawn, each exchanging polite, but safe conversational tidbits, until they reached the house.
A slight figure appeared at the open French doors. “There you are, my darling,” Evelyn said to Rebecca.
Rebecca wrapped her arms around Evelyn and gave her a big hug. “It’s great to see you. I was outside swimming while I waited for you. How’ve you been?”
Evelyn beamed and winked at Gabe.
Gabe groaned. This whole fiasco would be a lot easier if he didn’t have to keep an eye on the two of them. The deal with The Toy Factory and Chapman and Fox might not be worth it. Especially now with Reb’s added proposal.
“Never better,” Evelyn told Rebecca as they walked into the spacious living room.
The room had high-beamed ceilings, sky windows that gave an outdoor feeling, along with dozens of large potted palms and other plants. White ceiling fans whooshed overhead, sending a cool breeze across the room.
Evelyn stood back and gave Rebecca the once-over. “My, you look charming.” She lifted
a wet strand of Rebecca’s hair, which by now had started to turn into a mass of riotous red curls. “How was the water?”
“I couldn’t resist.” Rebecca avoided Gabe’s stare. “It was so hot, and the pool looked so tempting.”
Evelyn chuckled and leveled her steely gaze at Gabe. The challenge in her eyes told him what a fool he’d been.
“I plan on using your pool a lot while I’m here, Evelyn,” Rebecca said. “I hope you don’t mind.”
“Only if you’re wearing a bathing suit,” Gabe threw in as a warning.
Evelyn raised her brows at the comment. She laughed as she turned to face Rebecca. “Darling, where are your things?”
“The front foyer. Gabe’s a little miffed because I forgot my swimsuit.”
“Well, darling,” Evelyn said to Rebecca, “if you need a swimsuit try Frenchy’s over on Palm Canyon Drive. They have a huge array of unique clothes and the latest in swimwear, all designed by local artists. You’ll love it.”
“I’ll do that, thanks.”
“This business nonsense has really gotten to me, though I admit I do like playing the tycoon.”
Evelyn made her way toward the wet bar. “It’s a shame that’s the only reason that got you here.”
“It’s nice to be back in Palm Springs,” Rebecca said with a soft sigh to her voice. “Although Phoenix is my hometown, I still miss it here.”
Evelyn poured herself a drink.
“Would you like something, my darling?” she asked Rebecca.
“Evelyn,” Gabe warned softly, “Doctor Solberg said you shouldn’t drink.”
Evelyn waved him off. “That old coot. The only reason I still see him is to make him think I need his advice.”
“You do need his advice,” Gabe said. “He’s supposed to make you feel better. And the doctor’s orders are no drinking.”
Evelyn paused for a moment then handed her drink to Gabe. “Here, you take it. I didn’t really want it anyway.”
Rebecca sidled up to the bar and slid onto a padded bar stool next to him. “I’d love a soft drink, if you have one.”
Gabe let out a sigh and sat down. If Jonathan Fox hadn’t insisted on seeing the “delightfully charming Mrs. Stewart” during the merger talks,
Gabe wouldn’t be in this sticky position, sitting next to his soon-to-be ex-wife.
Nor would he be thinking of children, sperm donations, or how wonderful Reb looked, or how much she still affected him.
He watched her chatting happily with Evelyn as though they’d just seen each other the day before.
He’d forgotten what a dramatic physical presence she was with her long, untamed red curls, her tanned complexion and tall, statuesque figure. Even more, she had a way about her. Her personality caught everyone’s attention, even in a crowded room.
Reb was electric, filled with fire and enthusiasm. It was one of the things that first attracted him to her. She had an innate ability to draw out of him all of the things he wasn’t. Maybe more so than he wanted.
His throat constricted.
She was confident, yet fragile at the same time, he thought, taking a huge gulp from the glass of Chablis that Evelyn had given him.
“You know,” Evelyn was saying, “it was the happiest day of my life when you two married.”
Gabe finished off the wine in one big swallow?
“Evelyn,” he said as calmly as he could, “must we go into all this right now?”
He could swear he detected a hint of challenge dancing in Evelyn’s gray eyes.
“Don’t be such a grouch, Gabriel dear.” Evelyn reached for a pack of cigarettes only to have them whisked out of her hands.
Evelyn shot Gabe a look of defiance and shrugged. “Rebecca knows exactly what’s going on here. And I’m sure she knows exactly how I feel about you two and the situation in which you’ve now found yourselves.”
Rebecca took a leisurely drink of her cola. “He told me, Evelyn.”
Evelyn settled in a seat across the bar. “Well, as I was saying, it was the happiest day of my life when you two married. And equally the most unhappy day when I learned about this nasty little divorce.”
“Evelyn,” Gabe warned, “there’s nothing nasty going on. We’re just two different people who can’t live together.”
“Or apart,” Evelyn finished for him.
She turned her attention to Rebecca. “Unfortunately, the timing of your divorce may cost The Toy Factory its merger. Jonathan Fox just simply adores you.”
“I know. Gabe’s told me. I’ll do my part.” Rebecca looked at Gabe. “And you do yours with my business … and your donation.”
“A business?” Evelyn asked. “Donation? What donation?”
Gabe groaned silently.
“He’s promised to help me open a day care center in Phoenix. It’s a dream I’ve had for years, Evelyn. Isn’t that wonderful?”
Gabe let out the breath he’d been holding.
Evelyn smiled at her grandson. “Why, Gabriel, darling, how generous of you. And smart.”
“I’m doing what’s best for The Toy Factory and this merger, Evelyn.” Gabe shoved his hands into his pants’ pockets, and wandered to the French door. His gaze traveled down the manicured lawn to the glistening pool.
He heard Reb let out a small laugh, the sound tinkling in his ears like a lost love song. Lord, help him, he prayed. It was going to be the longest ten days of his life.
“If it’s okay with him,” he heard Reb say.
Frowning, he walked back to where Reb and Evelyn were whispering together.
“What’s going on?”
“Evelyn reminded me that the board and the
other guests are arriving tomorrow morning around eleven.” Rebecca reached for his hand.
He froze. “And?”
“And there isn’t enough room to accommodate all five board members and the two guests from Chapman and Fox and you and me. So …”
“I’ve had Hines prepare the guest house for you two,” Evelyn explained.
“What?” Gabe practically shouted. “That small one-bedroom hideaway on the other side of the estate?”
“Of course, dear,” Evelyn said. “The very same.”
Gabe shook his head. “We can’t do that, Evelyn.”
“Why not?” Rebecca asked. “It’d be the perfect place for—”
“For nothing but trouble,” he finished for her. “It won’t work. We’re getting a divorce. Remember? And we’re not staying together, alone in that tiny little bungalow.”
Evelyn poured more Chablis into his empty wineglass.
“Here, darling,” she instructed. “Drink this like a good boy. And think about what you’re saying. You have to make this work. A happily
married couple would love to be secluded in a private, romantic hideaway.”
“We’ll have to think of something else.” Gabe refused to look in Reb’s direction. He could feel her penetrating stare boring into his back. A wave of heat fanned through him.
“Jonathan Fox,” Evelyn said, “would think it’s awfully strange that you two aren’t sleeping in the same room. He just might think you’re trying to pull something over on him. And the board is just sitting on pins and needles about pushing this merger through.”