Marriage Terms

But she hadn’t even let him make his case last night. She hadn’t even listened to his plan, she’d simply written him off along with the rest of his family.

As if Daniel didn’t have a life of his own. Sure, he liked to keep his family happy. It was usually easier to go with the tide than to fight it.

Truth was, he hadn’t really cared a whole lot since Amanda had left him the first time.

But he’d come back to life.

She’d brought him back to life.

He was about to do every damn thing she’d ever asked of him, and she wouldn’t even give him the courtesy of a fair hearing.

He plucked a gold pen from the holder on his desk and signed the letter of resignation with a flourish. Looked as though he was going to Madagascar alone.

His office door burst open.

He looked up, expecting Nancy, but Amanda rushed into the room.

She slowed her steps when she saw him, gazing quizzically, as if he’d sprouted horns.

Nancy quickly appeared behind her, clearly ready to escort Amanda back outside.

“It’s fine,” said Daniel, waving his secretary away.

Nancy nodded, pulling the door closed and leaving them alone.

“Something I can help you with?” he asked Amanda, focusing on the seascape behind her left ear. He wanted to cling to his anger, not take a good look at everything he was losing.

“I…uh…” She took another tentative step toward him. She cleared her throat. “I wanted…”

He plunked the pen back in its holder, not bothering to disguise his impatience.

It was proving quite easy to hold on to his anger.

He crossed his arms over his chest, feeling strong enough to look into her dark eyes. “I’m a little busy this morning.”

Her eyes were wide, liquid and strangely vulnerable, but he steeled himself against them.

She swallowed. “Why, Daniel?”

“Why what?”

She was silent for several heartbeats. “Why did you ask me to marry you?”

“I thought I made that pretty clear.”

“I thought your father had talked to you.”

“He talks to me all the time.”

“Did he tell you to marry me?”

“Not since the seventies.”

Her tone turned pleading. “Then, why?”

He shrugged. “Oh, I don’t know. Since I have no brain of my own, I called one-nine-hundred, proper behavior, and they told me I should propose after the fifth—”

“Daniel.”

“—date. They also suggested a carriage ride and champagne. Shipped me the ring, and gave me a wallet card full of catch phrases. You want to see it?”

“Daniel, stop.”

He sighed. “I’ve got a big day coming up. Can you say whatever it is you came to say and get out?”

She recoiled from his anger.

Too bad. He wasn’t feeling particularly charitable at the moment. Especially not with her standing there looking so sexy and desirable, reminding him of what might have been.

“You’re glaring at me,” she accused.

“No, I’m not.”

“Yes, you are. I can’t say what I want to say with you glaring.”

He let his arms drop to his sides and tried to soften his expression. Now he just wanted to get this over with. “Fine.”

“I came to say I’m sorry.” She moved in a little closer. “I also came to say…”

She raked her teeth over her bottom lip. “That was one perfect ring.”

His body went still, and her scent swirled out to tease him.

She gently touched his arm, making him flinch.

“I’m sorry I misunderstood,” she said. “But after your father—”

“My father?”

“He stopped at my office yesterday to apologize.”

Daniel all but staggered against his desk. “My father apologized to you?”

“He said you told him to.”

“Yeah, well…” Daniel nodded. “I did.” But he never thought his father would do it. Not in a million years.

“Then he told me you still needed me. And then you showed up with a ring, and I—”

“Put two and two together?”

“And came up with seven. I’m so sorry, Daniel.” Her hand trembled on his arm and she gazed into his eyes. “I really loved that ring.”

A weight lifted from his shoulders. His chest tightened and his heart thudded deeply. “You saying you want it back?” He’d already returned it, but he could fix that with one phone call.

“It was perfect,” she said.

“You hate perfect.”

“Yeah? Well, I’m working on that.” She slipped her arms around his waist and settled her body against his. “Because you’re perfect, and I really, really want you.”

“I don’t have the ring,” he confessed.

Her eyes mirrored her disappointment.

He felt like a cad. He should have been prepared for this. He usually had contingency plans for his contingency plans.

Then his gaze caught the paper clip holding his letter of resignation.

On the other hand, he could try for spontaneity. He slipped the paper clip off and twisted it into a loop.

He held the makeshift ring out to Amanda. “But will you marry me anyway?”

She grinned and presented her finger, giving him an eager nod. “Yes. But don’t think this gets you out of a big diamond and a well-planned proposal,” she said.

He slipped the paper clip over her finger. “You hate it when I plan.”

“I was thinking a suite at the Riverside. A few dozen roses. Champagne. A string quartet.”

“Think I’ll leave that one to you.” He reached behind him and lifted the letter from the desktop, holding it in front of her eyes. “Because I have other plans to make.”

“What’s—” She adjusted the focal length and started to read. “I don’t understand?”

“I’m offering Cullen my job as editor in chief.”

She stared up at him. “Why?”

“I’m going traveling.”

“Where?”

“Everywhere. I’ll be looking into a new adventure magazine.”

Her eyes went very wide. “Your father agreed?”

He shrugged his shoulders. “I don’t know.”

“You haven’t asked him?”

“It was a spontaneous decision. You want to come along?”

A grin grew wide across her beautiful face. “You bet.”

Amanda smiled to herself as she snuggled up to Daniel’s bare chest.

Cullen had accepted the position of editor in chief of Snap, and Patrick had agreed amazingly easily to let Daniel investigate an adventure magazine for Elliott Publications. Bryan and Cullen were ecstatic about the reunion   and made their parents promise to get married before they left on their travels.

They had no plans so far, but Amanda wasn’t worried. Sooner or later, Daniel would give in to temptation and rent a ballroom somewhere.

She kissed his chest. “Have I mentioned lately that I love you?”

Daniel kissed the top of her head and gave her a squeeze. “Not for about thirty minutes. But that yodel thing you did was good for my ego.”

She elbowed him. “I did not yodel.”

“Sure, you did.”

“Are you going to keep making stuff up?”

“Yeah.”

Then he stroked her hair with his wide palm. “No more planning. From now on, I’m making stuff up as I go along.”

Her chest tightened. “I don’t want you to change for me.”

“I’m changing for me. And partly for you, because you’re the best thing I never planned. I love you, Amanda,” he whispered gruffly and drew her into his arms.

The phone beside his bed interrupted their kiss.

Amanda checked the clock. “Who on earth—”

Daniel picked up the phone. “Hello? Cullen?”

Amanda sat straight up.

“Is she okay?” Then Daniel grinned. “Are they okay?”

They?

Daniel covered the mouthpiece. “It’s a girl.”

Amanda jumped out of bed and grabbed for her clothes.

“Seven pounds, six ounces,” said Daniel. “Maeve Amanda Elliott.”

Amanda’s chest contracted and her eyes filled with tears.

“Come on,” she whispered to Daniel.

“We’re on our way,” he laughed into the phone.

“We’re grandparents,” said Amanda as she climbed into her slacks.

They made it to the hospital in less than fifteen minutes.

While they stood at the nursery window, scanning name tags, trying to locate their new granddaughter, a harried Cullen burst through the swinging doors of the maternity wing.

“Mom,” he cried, his yellow paper gown flapping around the knees of his pants.

He immediately pulled Amanda into a tight embrace. She had to gasp for breath as he rocked her back and forth.

He kissed the top of her head, his strong voice cracking. “I can’t believe what you went through for me. How can I ever thank you?”

Amanda’s chest swelled, and she blinked back a sheen of tears. “You don’t have to thank me,” she whispered against his chest. “You were the most wonderful son in the world.”

Cullen pulled back to look into her eyes. “Oh, Mom.”

She grinned at him, smoothing back his damp hair from his forehead.

“Congratulations, Dad.”

He shook his head in disbelief.

Then he turned to Daniel and held out his hand. “And, Dad. You did this. You did this twice!”