Page 19 of Seaside Cowboy's Marriage of Convenience

Heat rose inside her, and she busied herself with putting another bright stroke onto the wall. When she looked up, he was still looking at her. Then he returned his attention to the paint.

Her heart fluttered, telling her she passionately wanted the real thing—what Skylar had with Dallas and Marina had with Kai.

Well, Kennedy had always been practical. She lifted her chin and gave another part of the wall a fresh coat, careful not to leave any drips. She’d had to be practical to prove her uncle’s expectations, to make it in the ruthless business world. So she’d always pushed away any thoughts of having children. That was the least she could do, considering he’d lost his only child because of her and then had raised her.

But that important question had to be decided before marriage.

“Do you want children?” She switched to a paintbrush to “cut in” near the taped-off molding on the floor. She should’ve asked that in the initial meeting at the restaurant. The answer mattered, but again, she sounded as if she were interviewing for a job. She winced, and her hand stopped before she resumed her work.

Wasn’t that what she’d done, though? She’d essentially offered him the job as her husband. Hopefully, he didn’t think she was trying tobuyhim.

“I do,” he said, obviously speaking from the heart. “Not as many as Mom had—though I love my brothers. Oh, and I’d love to have a few girls, plus two boys. What about you?”

“I never thought much about it until now.” But that was an important point in getting married, and she had to be sure. “My mom... She never seemed to like being around me or being seen with me, for that matter.” She paused. Austin was the first person she’d ever told this. “See, she was stunning and loved attention. And I... I was an awkward, chubby child. Sometimes, I think she was ashamed of me because I wasn’t as pretty as she was.”

He stopped painting. “What? Are you kidding me? First, of all, you’re gorgeous. Second, a mother’s love is unconditional. Not because the baby is pretty.”

She? Gorgeous? She almost suggested he should buy glasses, but that would be rude. “I guess I didn’t want to repeat the cycle. I didn’t want another child to go through what I did.”

Zoey’s mother, whom Kennedy called Auntie, was different. Auntie had adored her daughter and spent a lot of time with her and consequently with Kennedy, and Kennedy had spent many nights wishing for parents like her cousin’s parents. She swallowed hard. She’d gotten half of her wish at a high price.

Something nudged at her memory from that day. Zoey’s aquamarine-blue dress. It was important. But why? Then intuition told her the answer might be too painful to bear.

They also used to play with dolls together, and they’d been sure they would raise their children together, too. Things were so simple at that time.

A muscle moved in his jaw. “It was extremely unfair to you. But you can break that cycle. You’re not your mother. You’re you. And so far, everything I’ve been learning about you is amazing.”

As she looked at him, she realized there was another reason she’d never thought of having children. She hadn’t met a man she’d want to have them with. But now she had.

Her rib cage constricted, and she turned away to hide any sadness that might’ve appeared in her eyes. Austin hadn’t given his answer yet, making her question her decision for the thousandth time, so there might not be any children in the future, anyway. But she didn’t want to interview any other man for the job because, for her, this was it.

Her uncle had taught her early on that, in business negotiations, only people who could walk away held any kind of power. Her entire being wanted so much for Austin’s answer to be yes that she felt powerless here. A feeling she’d dreaded since she’d been a neglected, lonely little girl.

Should she withdraw her business offer—because that was what it was—to save herself some humiliation? Or do her best not to fall for him, no matter what?

“It’s cookie time!” Austin announced with childlike enthusiasm. Maybe it was because he spent so much time with puppies and kittens. “Mom says cookies make lots of things better. But then she makes the best cookies in the world. And she sent some with me here today.”

As he balanced his pail on the ladder’s paint tray and clapped, urging her to finish her last strokes, she liked that enthusiasm and the fact he didn’t hide it. She didn’t remember when she last felt childlike enthusiasm. Even as a little girl. And if her memory failed her, her childhood photos were proof.

“Sounds great.” She put down her brush, pulled off her gloves and cap, and shook out her hair. While she wasn’t a raving beauty like her mother, she had inheritedoneof Mom’s gorgeous features. The lustrous honey-blond hair now hanging down the length of her back. And a part of her—a large part—was eager to look good for Austin.

Skylar’s dog chose that moment to run into the room. Maybe reacting to the wordcookie. Before Kennedy could stop her, the golden retriever rushed to Austin and bumped into the ladder.

“Oh no!” Kennedy dashed to steady the ladder’s legs because she didn’t want him to fall and hurt himself.

“Kennedy, no! Step away!” His shout made her look up.

Then sticky pink paint flooded her head and face before the assault registered enough for her to jump back. She blinked, gasping for breath. She wasn’t just wearing the paint. She was wearing the pail on her head, as well.

“I’m so sorry!” He practically rolled from the ladder and removed the pail.

A furious heat shot through her, and her gunky hands fisted. She was no expert on paint, but surely, it wouldn’t be easy to get it out of her hair.

“I’ll be right back.” He returned with paper towels.

Tears prickled behind her eyes. She didn’t consider herself vain, or she’d have done plastic surgery a long time ago. But she did love her hair. Paint drops splattered her shoulders, but she didn’t worry about her T-shirt. The dog whined, crawled back, and covered her head with her paws.

“I can’t believe I did it again,” Austin muttered as he tried to wipe her hair. He took off his cap and goggles, giving her a better view of his handsome face. The guilt in his blue eyes struck her, but not enough to remove her anger.

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