A Proposal to Remember

‘I didn’t give the guy the job because I decided that I wanted it myself!’ Sam paced the room, his hands thrust in his pockets, his eyes stormy. ‘I decided that everything he was gaining I was losing, and I discovered that I didn’t want to lose it.’ He stopped pacing and looked at her. ‘I discovered that I wanted it for myself.’

Anna went still. ‘What did you want for yourself?’

‘The practice.’ He ran a hand over the back of his neck and swore softly. ‘And you. I wanted you. Which makes me an idiot, I know, because you’ve made it perfectly obvious that you don’t want me.’

He wanted her?

Anna struggled to speak. ‘Hold on.’ Her voice was scratchy. ‘When did I make it perfectly obvious that I didn’t want you? When?’

He shrugged. ‘When you started advertising for new partners.’

‘I was forced to look for another partner because you were leaving, McKenna!’

‘I never said I was leaving.’

‘Well, you never said you might stay.’ She lifted a shaking hand to her hair and scooped it back. ‘And—and you stopped sleeping with me.’

‘Because you’d clearly planned your life without me.’

‘Because that was how you wanted it!’

They were both shouting, emotions running high, oblivious to the fact that they had an audience. A highly entertained audience. Polly glanced at Glenda.

‘Time for us to leave, I think,’ she muttered, and Glenda grinned.

‘Can we listen at the door?’

They slipped out of the room, unnoticed.

‘Why would I have wanted it?’ He paced the floor again. ‘What we had was amazing. I’ve never had that with anyone before.’

Her heart jammed in her throat. ‘I’m not your sort of woman.’

‘What’s that supposed to mean?’

‘You don’t want me. I’m not girly and I can’t cook.’

‘I don’t give a damn whether you can cook.’ He frowned, confused. ‘I can cook perfectly well myself and if I can’t be bothered then Hilda’s always standing in the wings. I don’t see what your lack of skills in the kitchen has got to do with our relationship.’

‘You want a traditional woman. I’m not who you want.’

‘Damn it, Riggs! Haven’t you heard a single word I’ve said?’ He strode towards her and grabbed her by the arms, shaking her slightly. ‘You are exactly who I want. I love you. I want to be with you. I know you don’t love me back, but I can still be a decent partner in the practice.’

‘You love me?’

His hands dropped. ‘That’s what I said.’

‘Why didn’t you say that you loved me before now?’

‘Because I’m not some sort of masochist, and you made it perfectly clear that my feelings aren’t returned. That I’m not your type—or in your plans.’

Anna shook her head, feeling slightly dizzy. ‘They are returned. I love you, too.’

‘You stride around here making plans for my replacement while I’m still in your bed, and you—’ He broke off and stared at her. ‘What did you say? That last thing—what did you say?’

‘I said I love you.’ She tried hard to breathe normally. ‘And if I talked about your replacement, it was only because you never once mentioned the fact that you were tempted to stay on.’

He was still staring. ‘I don’t think we’ve been communicating very well.’