The Tycoon's Proposition

“I’ll do better than that. Tell Ben I’ll see him tomorrow.” She banged down the receiver.

Crushed to think she would probably never be alone with Ben again after the other woman arrived, Terri slowly put the phone back on the hook.

“What happened to make you lose color like that?”

“Did I?” she half gasped. “I guess it was because she sounded very hurt. She said you could expect to see her tomorrow.”

Ben cursed under his breath.

“I can understand her feelings. Ms. Shaw imagines I’m some kind of threat to her. Of course it’s perfectly ridiculous, but she doesn’t know that. Wouldn’t it have been better if you’d at least whispered you loved her?”

The second the question came out of her mouth, she wished she hadn’t asked it. His relationship with Martha Shaw was none of her business. Judging by the strange expression marring his features, she’d angered him.

Her deceased father used to tell her that her desire to fix every situation to make the world right was a wonderful character trait. But there were times it got her into trouble, so she had to be careful. Too bad she hadn’t followed his advice just now.

“I’m sorry, Ben. Please forgive me for speaking out of turn. It’s one of my worst faults.”

“At least you called me by my first name. I believe we’re making progress. Sit down on the chair, Terri. I want to talk to you.”

She did his bidding, but she had a pit in her stomach.

“Where did you get the insane idea I was in love with Martha Shaw?”

His question filled her with so much joy, she could hardly concentrate on giving him an answer.

“When Parker drove me to Richard’s apartment, her name came up in the conversation. I happened to make the comment that she was in love with you. Your brother asked me how I knew. I told him it was instinct. That’s when he went very quiet and changed the subject.”

She played with the end of her belt. “I—I just assumed that you and Ms. Shaw were involved in some kind of romantic relationship. Especially as she kept calling you at the hospital. When you refused to talk to her, I thought maybe you were having an argument of some kind. I didn’t know…”

She heard a weary sigh escape his throat.

“Martha is Parker’s ex-wife.”

“What?” Terri almost fell off the chair.

“A long time ago she went to work as a secretary for my brother Creighton who now runs the oil company for Dad. On one of my trips home to Houston a few years ago, I happened to meet her and she made a play for me. Though she was attractive, I like to be the one who does the chasing and let her know I wasn’t interested.”

Whoa.

“The next thing I heard, Parker had fallen hard for her. I love my brother and didn’t want to see him get hurt. When he told me he’d proposed to her, I should have told him about Martha. Instead I warned him off the institution of marriage. That was my fatal mistake. He just laughed at me. “When his big day came, I made certain I had an emergency down here that prevented me from attending the wedding. It didn’t take long for him to realize what I’d already found out. Martha was too self-absorbed to love anyone but herself. According to Mom and Dad, he did a lot of soul searching before he asked her for a divorce.

“The settlement was too generous of course. Even then she only agreed to give him his freedom as long as she could have her old job back with Creighton. My older brother didn’t want any part of it. But he finally caved in to help speed up Parker’s divorce with the proviso that Martha had to take back her maiden name.”

After hearing Ben’s explanation, there was no doubt in Terri’s mind that Martha Shaw had fallen in love with the elusive bachelor of the Herrick family. Parker’s ex-wife had never gotten over Ben. Terri could understand that better than any woman.

“I wish I’d known the truth before I blurted to your brother that I could tell she was in love with you. That must have hurt him terribly. I’m so sorry. What can I do?” she lamented.

“Nothing. You had no way of knowing Martha’s history. I’m not so sure you didn’t do Parker a favor. Since the divorce he has blamed himself that the marriage didn’t work.”

“So now he’s going to blame you?” she blurted in agony.

“No, Terri. He knows my home has been here for the last eight years. If I don’t miss my guess, your innocent observation may have helped him to see that she was never committed to their marriage. It has probably removed a burden of guilt he should never have felt in the first place.’

“I hope you’re right.” Her voice shook. Tears smarted her eyes. “How does she live with herself? Parker’s a wonderful person. It was so cruel to marry him, and utterly unfair to you.”

“That’s all history. Right after the divorce, he flew down here and spent a month with me. We’re closer than ever.”

“That will change if he finds out she’s coming to see you tomorrow.”