The Tycoon's Proposition

“What are you going to do now?”

“This and that.”

He paused in the entry. “I’ll hurry.”

Terri cleared the table and did the dishes, aware she was too happy. In a state hovering dangerously close to euphoria, her cell phone rang. The caller ID said out of area. Was it Juanita? She clicked on.

“This is Mrs. Herrick.”

“Señora? It’s Captain Ortiz.”

“Yes, Captain?”

“I have Juanita Rosario with me.”

She blinked. “Where are you?”

“We’re in my police car at the pier next to the second floating dock. After you and I spoke, I phoned the manager. He acted very strange so I drove out there. It seems he wouldn’t let her stay another day unless she paid him all the back rent your ex-husband owed.

“She handed over the money you gave her, then he told her to leave. Now she has nothing. But she swears the manager was lying. I believe her. Therefore, I had some officers take him to the station for questioning. I told her what you were prepared to do for her. She came willingly, but I fear she’s ill.”

“Do you think the baby’s coming?”

“I don’t know.”

“Thank you for going beyond the call of duty, captain. I’ll think of a way to repay you. If you’ll keep her there, I’ll call the hospital and ask them to send a medical team ashore to bring her aboard. Tell her I’ll be waiting in the E.R.”

For the next hour she was on pins and needles as she paced the E.R. lounge watching for the EMTs to bring in Juanita. Terri had already given what information she could to the triage nurse. When asked about insurance, Terri said she’d be personally responsible for the bill.

By the time this was over, she would have used up her savings, but it didn’t matter. Not when compared to the worth of two lives which were in danger.

At ten to ten, Ben left Carlos checking on some minor things and headed for the condo. Since dinner, getting back to Terri was all he could think about. The second the private elevator door allowed him entry, he called her name.

The fact that she didn’t answer back didn’t mean she wasn’t here. He went to the kitchen first in search of her. Everything looked tidy, the dishes were done. She’d cleared away all the gifts from the dining room table. Maybe she’d gone to bed.

He walked through the condo to the guest bedroom. Her bed was still made up. With pounding heart he hurried to his bedroom in the hope he’d find her asleep on his bed in front of the TV waiting for him.

When she was nowhere to be found, his disappointment was greater than he could

believe. It hit him then just how profoundly Terri had affected his life. Until the accident which had brought her into his world, he’d never felt anything missing from his bachelor routine.

For years he’d come and gone from his apartment in Guayaquil, and then more recently from the condo, without giving it a thought. When he did spend time with a woman, it was usually someone he’d met at a party when he’d flown to the States or Europe on business.

Then suddenly when he was at his lowest ebb in that hospital room, an angelic looking face appeared above him. A pair of eyes peered into his with so much pathos, it changed the meaning of existence for him.

Where was she?

He pulled out his cell phone and rang her. By the time she finally answered, he had to tamp down hard on his emotions to act normal. She had every right to go where she wanted and do whatever she felt like.

Ben had no business being upset because she wasn’t home waiting for him like a dutiful little wife. She’d already tried to do that for her ex-husband with disastrous results.

Do you honestly think she would put herself through that again for you, Herrick?

“Hi. Thought I’d check in with you.”

“H-how is everything going so far?”

His fingers tightened around the phone. Everything had been going fine until now. “Good.”