Page 18 of Breaking the Ice

“Not really, but it’ll be just like any other goal I’ve set myself. I’mverygoal orientated. I manage multimillion-dollar accounts, I can manage a baby.”

“So… let me get this straight.” He was looking at her like she was utterly bonkers. “In the months that you have from now till when Bob comes crawling back on his hands and knees, you’re going to find yourself a man and get pregnant.”

“Yep,” she confirmed as another needle stung like the blazes and she squeezed Nick’s shoulder. “I know it sounds half-baked, Nick. But I’ve looked at all the angles. I can do this.”

“I thinkunhingedis more like it.”

“It’ll be fine, trust me.”

“Okay, well, I guess there’s only one way to find out.” He shook his head in a way that left Samantha in no doubt that he thought it would be 100 per centnotfine. “So… you said something about changing your demographic?”

She leaped on the change in conversation – she had no room in her life for naysayers, she had a man to find. “Right.” Samantha nodded. “Now I have more time on my hands I can take a more active role in choosing men. I’ve just let it happen in the past, too busy to make an effort. But I have to be smarter. So I’ve made a list.”

“There’s a surprise.”

Her eyes shut, blocking out his sarcasm. “The type of men I usually go for obviously aren’t ready for commitment. Bec says I’m subconsciously looking for my father.”

“And are you?”

“I don’t know. Maybe. He wasn’t very grounded. We moved a lot. I like being grounded.”

“Yes, but do you like that in your men?”

Samantha thought hard. “You wouldn’t think so from my choices so far. They’ve all been scarily Dad-like.”

“Psyches are funny things.”

Samantha fluttered her eyes open briefly and his gorgeous face filled her vision. Her father would have loved Nick. He’d been a real man’s man. She’d always vaguely felt, despite her ability with figures, that her dad had been slightly disappointed he’d not sired a boy.

But now wasnotthe time for that kind of psychoanalysis.

“Anyway.” She shut her eyes again. “I’m after someone who’s mature and knows what he wants out of life, not someone who’s still searching. Someone who’s ready to settle down. Someone like me.”

“Well that counts me out.”

Samantha’s eyes flew open. Nick Hawke wasdefinitelynot in her demographic. The old one or the new one. Hell, the man wasn’t even in the same planetary system as her demographic. The thought was slightly depressing.

“You don’t strike me as the baby type, anyway.”

He shrugged. “I like them just fine. I just don’t have the urge to make one of my own. I think the Hawke family have done more than enough to contribute to the world population. I’m happy to play favorite uncle.”

“Really? Youreallydon’t crave one of your own?”

Samantha knew she should understand. She’d felt exactly the same way until recently. But now, like a reformed smoker, she found the attitude hard to fathom.

“Really. And you know this whole demographic thing is going to backfire, right?”

“Why?”

“Because shouldn’t relationships just… happen? If they were meant to happen?”

Samantha laughed. This from a man whoneverhas to wonder where his next date is coming from. “I’m running to a schedule here, Nick. I can’t just” – she performed a set of air quotes – “wait for it to happen.”

“Okay, you’re done,” Reg announced.

Samantha blinked at the interruption. Thanks to Nick, that had gone quicker than she’d thought. Rolling off the table, she admired Reg’s handiwork in his oval freestanding mirror and shelovedit.

Let hermetamorphosisbegin.

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