The Proposition (18 page)

He hadn’t run away. Instead, he had tried to
find something to make her better. The gesture sent Emma’s emotions
reeling like an out of control Merry-Go-Round. “Thank you,” she
whispered.

Instead of leaving them on the counter and
running out the door, he grabbed the hand towel and ran it under
the cold water. He then eased down beside her, taking Emma’s face
in his hands. “Aidan, you don’t--” she protested.

“Shh, just let me take care of you.”
Tenderly, he swiped the rag across her cheeks and her forehead. The
gesture tugged at her heart, and overwhelming love for him radiated
in her chest. If there had ever been a doubt to the depth of her
feelings, it was cemented at that moment. She closed her eyes so he
wouldn’t see her tears. “Does that feel nice?”

Unable to speak, she bobbed her head.

“I’m so sorry about the puking,” he said.

Her eyes flew open. “It’s not your
fault.”

He grinned. “Well, it kind of is considering
I knocked you up.”

She gave him a weak smile. “But I asked you
to. If it’s anyone’s fault, it’s mine.”

“Has it been bad so far?”

She nodded. “Every morning…some afternoons.”
She shuddered. “And then certain smells.”

Aidan twisted the rag in his hands. “I wish I
could do something to help. I feel so helpless having to watch you
suffer.”

Her chest constricted again at his words.
“It’s enough you just being here—comforting me like this.” She
reached out to touch his cheek. “You have such a good heart and so
much love to give. You’re going to be a wonderful father.”

He stared at her in almost disbelief—his
chest rising and falling harshly. She could see him emotionally
shutting down right in front of her. He shook his head. “I think
you give me too much credit. Besides, I’d be a real jackass if I
left you alone when you were sick.” He rose off of the floor and
tossed the rag on the counter.

Chewing her lip, Emma realized this was
probably the best she was ever going to get from him—just enough
care and concern to keep his conscience from eating at him. It
wasn’t ever going to be enough to make him love her or commit. She
just needed to accept that fact so she could guard her heart. She
could only give herself to him physically—even though she
desperately hoped that physical intimacy would lead to a stronger
emotional one for Aidan.

So she drew in a deep breath and pulled
herself off the floor. “I’m going to take a shower.”

He whirled back around in surprise. “You
think you’re up to it?”

“The nausea and the puking never last long.
I’m feeling better now.” She smiled. “You want to join me?”

“Are you sure?”

“I’m not making any promises.” She pulled
back the shower curtain and turned on the water. “Besides, we both
need to be ready to go out in a little while because I’m going to
expect you to buy me some breakfast. You know, for knocking me up
and all.”

He grinned. “I think I can do that.”

An hour later, Emma buckled herself in while
Aidan let the top down on his convertible. “What sounds good?” he
asked as he pulled out of the driveway.

“Hmm, IHOP? I keep craving pancakes.”

“Then IHOP it is.”

While flipping through the radio stations,
Aidan’s phone rang. He glanced at the caller ID and grimaced. “It’s
my dad.”

“Haven’t you talked to him since you got
back?”

“No.”

Emma shook her head. “I can’t believe you
didn’t let him know you’re home safe and sound. I bet he’s worried
out of his mind.”

“Thanks for the guilt trip,” Aidan mused.

She stuck her tongue out at him playfully as
he answered the phone. “Hey Pop…yeah, I got in last night. Sorry I
didn’t call you. I was a little tired.”

Emma snorted at his lie. He hadn’t been too
tired to go a round with her. When she met Aidan’s gaze, he stuck
his tongue out at her, and she giggled.

“I’m planning on coming by to see you.” He
paused. “I know you’ve really been working hard on your rose
garden, but now isn’t actually the best time.”

Emma cleared her throat, and Aidan glanced
over at her. “Take me back home and go see your dad,” she
murmured.

He shook his head.

“Yes, he misses you and –”

“Dad, I’ll be happy to come over as long as
you don’t mind I have a friend with me.”

Wait, what? He was actually going to take her
to meet his father? That was a whole level of commitment she never
imagined from him.

Aidan must’ve registered her surprise because
he whispered, “You don’t mind?”

She shook her head, and he smiled. “All
right. We’ll be over in ten minutes.” After he hung up the phone,
he turned to Emma. “Are you sure you’re all right with this?”

“Why would I mind?”

Aidan shrugged. “I don’t know. My dad
is…well, he’s a blue collar, Irish Catholic ex-Marine who loves
puttering around his rose garden and playing with his
grandkids.”

Emma grinned at his summation. “Considering
most of my mom’s family is blue-collar, I think I’ll be fine.
Besides, he’s my child’s grandfather.”

“I just didn’t want to waste your Saturday
listening to my dad drone on and on about his different species of
roses or his war stories.”

“I think it sounds like fun.”

“You need to get out more, babe.”

Emma experienced the familiar tightening in
her chest at his flippant attitude. Her smile faded. “I think deep
down you really don’t want to introduce me to him.”

Aidan glanced away from the road to stare at
her. “What? Why?”

“You don’t want to have to explain anything
to him about what we are or what we aren’t. Not to mention you
don’t want to have to pretend I’m your girlfriend.”

“Well, I hadn’t actually planned on
introducing you as my girlfriend. I was going to lie and say we
were working on a project together for work.”

“Oh,” Emma murmured.

“You didn’t think I was going to waltz in
there and drop the bomb on him about the baby, did you? I think
that would freak him out a little.”

“Are you ever planning on telling him?”

“And what would I say? ‘Hey dad, this is the
girl who asked me to knock her up because her biological clock was
ticking. Maybe once and awhile, she’ll let you see the kid if you
want, but I signed a contract where I don’t have to have any
parental or financial obligations.’”

Emma shook her head. “You know I had that
part of the contract edited. Besides I would never keep the baby
away from its grandfather...or its father.”

Aidan glanced over at her in surprise. “You
mean you wouldn’t object to me having a bigger part in the baby’s
life?”

Emma’s heart thumped so loudly in her chest
she was sure Aidan could hear it. She fought to find her voice. “Of
course, I wouldn’t mind. I want you to do whatever you feel
comfortable with.”

Aidan remained quiet for a few seconds. Then
he sighed. “I want to make one thing clear. Having a bigger part
doesn’t mean I’m going to be a typical father and help you raise
it. And I’m sure as hell not changing diapers or getting up in the
middle of the night to feed it or anything.”

Emma bit her lip to keep from grinning. She
continued chipping away at his hardened veneer little by little. It
was a small step, but she would take what she could get.

“That’s okay. I didn’t expect you to do any
of that. I just wanted him or her to at least know who their father
was.”

“Then we’re good to go.”

Aidan pulled into the driveway of a modest
brick home. Just like at his house, the yard was breathtaking. “You
weren’t kidding when you said your dad had a green thumb,” she
mused as they got out of the car.

Aidan grinned. “Wait until he shows you his
rose garden.”

“He has an entire rose garden?”

“Yes, with several different breeds.”

“That’s amazing. Maybe he would be willing to
give me some gardening tips. I’d love to have more flowers growing
around the window of the baby’s room.”

“I’m sure he would be more than happy to
help.”

As Emma made her way up the driveway, she
stumbled. Aidan snaked an arm around her waist to steady her. “Are
you all right?”

“I’ve just been a little dizzy lately.
Another wonderful side effect of early pregnancy.”

“Glad to hear it wasn’t our exertions last
night making you lightheaded,” he replied with a smirk.

She smacked his arm playfully. “You’re
terrible.”

“Well, hello, there!” a silver headed man
called from the side of the house.

Surprise flooded Emma when Aidan didn’t drop
his arm from her waist. “Hey, Pop.”

“Good to see you, son,” Aidan’s father
replied with a smile. He shielded his eyes from the sun and gazed
at Emma. “And who is this pretty lady?”

“This is Emma Harrison. She and I work
together.”

Emma extended her hand and smiled. “It’s a
pleasure to meet you Mr. Fitzgerald.”

“Please call me Patrick,” he replied, shaking
her hand. “Do you like roses, Emma?”

“Yes, I do. I was just admiring all your
beautiful flowers.”

“Come then. Let me show you my rose garden.”
He held out his arm like a gentleman of the past, and Emma slipped
hers through it. They strolled across the front yard with Aidan
trailing behind them.

When they turned the corner, Emma gasped at
the rainbow of colors. “Oh it’s breathtaking!”

“Thank you. I’ve just worked on integrating
several new breeds.”

Aidan’s phone rang. After he grabbed it out
of his pocket, he groaned. Patrick and Emma glanced over at him.
“It’s work. I better take this.”

“Go ahead, son. The roses will still be here
when you finish,” Patrick replied, good-naturedly.

Aidan walked around to the corner of the
house. Emma delicately fingered a red rose before bending over to
smell it. The intoxicating fragrance perfumed her senses, and she
sighed with pleasure. “These are so beautiful.”

Patrick beamed with pride. “Those are Don
Juan’s or Sweetheart Roses. They’re also known as climbing roses
because they grow well on arbors and sides of buildings. The nice
thing about them is they’re so resilient they don’t need a lot of
pruning to come back year after year.” Patrick traced his finger
over one of the thorns. “My late wife actually planted these.”

Emma’s heart ached at his sad expression. She
reached over and rubbed Patrick’s arm tenderly. “Aidan told me
about her passing away. I’m very sorry for your loss. In a way, I
know what it feels like to lose someone who is your whole
world.”

“You do?” Patrick asked softly.

“My mother died of cancer two years ago. She
was everything to me, especially after my father was killed when I
was six.” She gave him a sad smile. “Sometimes it feels like I’ll
never get over it—like I’ll just have this gaping hole in my heart
for the rest of my life.”

Patrick nodded. “Yes, that’s exactly how it
feels.” He took her hand in his and squeezed it tight. “Thank you
for sharing that with me.”

“You’re welcome.”

Silence hung around them as Emma kept
admiring Patrick’s garden. She had just inhaled what she imagined
was a Yellow Rose of Texas when Patrick’s voice startled her. “So
you and my son work together?”

“We’re both at the same company, but he
actually works a few floors above me.”

“I see.”

Emma glanced up from the rose she was
admiring to find Patrick giving her a knowing look. “And you two
expect me to believe there’s nothing between you but that you
work
together?” he asked, with a smile.

Emma flushed. “Well, no, I mean, it’s
complicated.”

“Isn’t love always complicated?”

“I-I guess so. But we’ve only known each
other for a couple of months, so he’s not in love—I mean,
we’re
not in love.”

Patrick pinched his lips together. “Do you
see this rose?”

Emma nodded.

“It doesn’t look like it’s going to bloom,
does it?”

Tilting her head, Emma eyed the closed bud.
“No, it doesn’t.”

“Ah, but that’s where appearances are
deceiving. Sometimes the ones that bloom fastest fade quickly. It’s
these that are the toughest to coax out that make some of the most
gorgeous flowers.” He snipped a long stemmed Don Juan and handed it
to Emma. “You can tell me that you and Aidan aren’t in love, but
looks can be deceiving.”

She gasped and almost dropped the rose. She
opened her mouth to argue with Patrick, but Aidan came strolling
up. “Sorry about that.”

“It’s all right, son. I was enjoying getting
to know Emma better,” Patrick replied. Emma ducked her head to
avoid his intense stare. “Won’t you two join me for lunch?

“I was actually in the process of taking Em
out to brunch when you called.”

“Psh, who wants brunch when you can have a
home cooked meal? It’s your mother’s Shepherd’s Pie.”

Emma watched as Aidan’s eyes lit up, and she
knew she could forgo her craving for pancakes. “That sounds
delicious,” she said.

Aidan raised his eyebrows questioningly, and
she nodded. “Okay, then, we’ll stay.”

“Wonderful!” Patrick exclaimed, motioning
them to the backdoor.

Emma smiled. “I have to admit I’m very
impressed with the culinary skills of the Fitzgerald men.”

Patrick glanced at Aidan over his shoulder.
“Oh, you’ve cooked for Emma?”

She fought the urge to giggle at what looked
like a red flush creeping across Aidan’s tanned cheeks. “Yeah, just
some scampi. Nothing exciting.”

“He’s just being modest. It was
delicious.”

Patrick held the door open for them. “I guess
us Fitzgerald men have become forced into learning to cook—mine
because of being a widower and Aidan for being a confirmed
bachelor.”

“I’m sure whatever you have prepared will be
delicious,” Emma said.