Page 61 of An Unexpected Match

“But in case I don’t make it to one hundred, would you think about it, Arden? About becoming part of this family and being there for them?”

“I guess I could think about it,” she floundered.

He paused for a heartbeat, then said, “It’d simplify things if we got married.”

“Married?”

A spurt of joy hit before reality reasserted itself. The absolutely last thing to do that would simplify things.

Blood rushed through her, the pounding of her heartbeat sounding inordinately loud in her ears. She couldn’t think, could feel nothing beyond a stunned numbness.

Brendan Ferguson was suggesting they get married.

In that second, she figured out he wasn’t planning to fire her.

“I was going to quit,” she said, bewildered.

“Quit? What are you talking about?”

“I, uh, nothing. My mind is blank. I can’t marry you.”

He studied her, his eyes narrowed.

“I mean, you can’t want to marry me,“ she said sadly.

“I wouldn’t have brought it up if I didn’t,” he said evenly. “And after seeing the drawings, I suspect you don’t feel totally indifferent to me.”

She broke eye contact, and looked around the kitchen wildly, as if searching for something that would guide her, give her the proper words to respond.

Marry him.

As in live with him forever?

She loved him. How could she not wish to spend the rest of her life with him?

But he didn’t love her. The sketches she’d done showed onlyherfeelings.

He hadn’t even hinted at any emotional attachment on his part. Would she be just a substitute wife, someone to take care of his children?

She shook her head. He obviously didn’t know one important fact that would have him rescinding that crazy proposal in a heartbeat.

“I can’t have children,” she blurted out.

He looked taken aback.

“I didn’t know that. Do you want children? More, I mean, than Avery and Hailey?”

“Of course not. They are wonderful. But men want sons.”

“You say that as if it’s a law or something.”

“I know men want sons. I’ve heard it all my life. Sons to do things with, to relate to man to man. You said so yourself. You said you’d relate better to boys. And you need a son to carry on the family name.”

He stepped right up to her, crowding her back against the counter. He rested a hand on either side of her hips, effectively capturing her within his arms, yet not quite touching.

Arden felt as if the air whooshed from the room. She gazed up at him helplessly. It was too much to hope for, but she couldn’t extinguish the small flickering flame deep inside.

“I already have two wonderful children. Lannie and I didn’t plan to have any more. I don’t see that as a problem.”

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