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“Shoot,” he said, and braced himself.
“Why would you want to get married again? Since your divorce you’ve been swearing that no woman would drag you down ball-and-chain lane again. So why would you do this?”
“Why should I marry thee, let me count the whys.”
“You’re not a poet, Mike. And you’re not funny.”
“I’m not trying to be funny.” He put his hands on his hips. “I’ve got a proposition for you.”
“Is this one going to be more outrageous than the last one?” She rolled her eyes, but couldn’t help laughing.
“I’m going to ignore your sarcasm, Ms. Walker. How about this? If I can come up with ten good reasons why we should get married, you’ll say yes to my proposal.”
Kelly had him now. There was no way he could come up with one really good reason, let alone ten. “All right. You’re on. Is there a time limit?”
He looked offended. “This isn’t ‘Jeopardy.’”
“That all depends on your point of view.” She settled herself comfortably against the cushions of the couch and looked at him, waiting for him to start. “Any time you’re ready. Reason number one.”
He leaned a shoulder against the oak mantel and thought for a minute. “You don’t hate football. My first wife couldn’t stand it, except for the so-called celebrity perks.”
“Remember, these have to be good reasons.”
“What’s better than football? But if you don’t think that’s good enough, I’ve got nine more.” He started walking back and forth in front of her. Then he stopped and said, “Okay, I’ve got it. If I’m married, women will leave me alone, and I won’t have to beat them off with a stick. And we could use two-for-one coupons at restaurants.”
“Will you stop being ridiculous? Marriage is not a prerequisite for a dinner date. And don’t forget I live across the driveway. I haven’t seen more than a babe or two beating a path to your door. That doesn’t seem like a problem that requires this drastic a solution.” She folded her arms and looked at him sternly. “I need serious, personal reasons.”
“All right. What about repaying your family for taking me in as a kid when I needed discipline and guidance? What about the fact that the night before she died, I promised your mother I’d look out for you? And the fact that I didn’t keep that promise or you wouldn’t be in this situation now?”
His commitment to that vow touched her deeply. He was a wonderful guy and it was comforting to know she had someone like him in her corner. But she had to convince him that he wasn’t to blame for everything that happened to her.
“My.parents wanted you to live with us because they cared about kids and you were in trouble. They knew you’d turn out all right, all you needed was a firm hand. They were absolutely right.” She placed her palm on her stomach. “My mother didn’t expect you to be my keeper. I’m not your responsibility, Mike.”
“Yeah? Then why do I still feel responsible? You called me the night after the funeral, right after your brother went back to Phoenix. I wasn’t here.”
“And I called Doug because I needed someone to talk to. What I didn’t know was that he didn’t have talking in mind when he came over.”
“I’d still like to break his neck for taking advantage of you the way he did.” Mike looked angry, furious in fact She was surprised that he still felt that strongly after all these months.
What would he do if he knew Doug was trying to get in touch with her? He’d left messages at school and on the answering machine at home, but she hadn’t returned any of his calls. For Mike’s sake she decided it would be best not to tell him.
“Guilt is not a good reason to marry, Mike. Let’s go at this from a different angle. What would I get from marrying you? Besides the obvious reason,” she said looking at her stomach.
He thought for a minute. “Joint tax return. You could be the official team tutor.”
“I’m that, anyway. Why would anything change?”
“Then what about a name for the baby?” he asked.
“I’ll pick out names. I don’t need help for that.”
“No. I mean a last name.”
Kelly’s gaze met his, and she knew what he was thinking. Mike’s mother had never married his father. In school he had gotten into fights because of what the kids had called him. “Bastard.” A dirty, filthy name. All the more hurtful because it was true. He was politely telling her that if she wasn’t married when her baby was born, the child would be a bastard. She felt a tightness in her chest, a small pain around her heart
“That was hitting below the belt, Mike.”
“You don’t have a belt anymore, Kel.”
She blinked and looked away. “You’ve gone from ridiculous to the Dark Ages. This is the nineties. A lot of women are choosing single parenthood.”
“I may be old, but I can still remember how it feels to be different from the other kids. That hasn’t changed.”
“I don’t want to play this game anymore.” Kelly stood up and started toward the kitchen.
Mike took her arm to stop her, then turned her to him. “I’m not trying to hurt you, but there are some things you should think about. I’ve given you a lot of outstanding reasons why marriage is a practical solution to your situation.”
“You haven’t given me one that’s good for you. And don’t tell me about running interference for Bambi and Fawn, or the guilt factor or football. Why in the world would you want to get married?”
He sighed and dropped his hand from her arm. “As you pointed out, I’m old. Old men get tired of living alone.”
Mr. Bachelor Mike Cameron tired of living alone? For just an instant she saw a trace of loneliness on his face. She’d never seen him this way and it warmed her heart that he would share that with her.
“I didn’t say you were old. I said you were living in the Dark Ages.”
“Means the same thing.”
“All right, you’re ancient and you want someone to share the rocking chair with. Why me, Mike? I’m going to have a baby. Doesn’t that make you want to kick that rocker into high gear and run the other way?”
“No. You want to know why?” He looked into her eyes and she nodded. His expression told her he was being completely serious now, and that got her attention in a big way.
“We’re friends, Kelly. The best. That’s more than most people ever have. You know what else?” She shook her head. “It’s all. I ever expect to have. So that makes it pretty good.”
“But it’s not all I ever expect to have.”
“You said you’ve sworn off men.”
“Not forever. Someday I want to find real love, romantic love.” She walked back into the kitchen to continue dismantling her personal possessions. She climbed onto a chair and reached for her cow picture with the words Feeding Time.
“What are you doing on that chair?” Mike took her elbow and helped her down. “Don’t ever do that again. I’ll get that stuff for you.”
He reached the things she couldn’t—the clock her mother had made, the brass plaque that said, “On this spot in 1897, nothing happened,” and the picture of her newest words to live by, “Success is the intelligent use of mistakes.”
“You’re holding out for something that doesn’t exist, Kelly. There’s no such thing as true love.”
Her eyes filled and she turned away so that he wouldn’t see. “I think it exists. My parents had it. I don’t want to settle for less. Thank you, Mike. Someday I’ll probably kick myself for being a stupid fool. But I have to say no to your proposal.”
He let out a long breath. “If you change your mind, the offer’s open.”
“I can’t think of anything that would make me change my mind. But I appreciate it. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got a lot to do. The apartment management company is going to check out my application and let me know in a day or two if I have the apartment.”
He stacked the things he’d taken down. “You’re determined to move out?”
“I think it’s for the best.”
He shook his head, and she expected an argument But all he said was, “See you later, Kel.”
“Good night, Mike.”
The sight of him walking away, then the sound of the front door closing behind him were just about the loneliest things Kelly could imagine. She slumped into a chair and stared at nothing in particular. Mike Cameron had just asked her to marry him, and he was serious. Not only that, he was angry that she’d refused his proposal. His kindness made her heart ache. A tangle of emotion tightened her chest and clogged her throat.
She was pregnant. She was unemployed. She was moving. She was probably crazy to boot. What woman in her right mind would say no to a hunky, handsome sweetheart like Mike? Tears gathered in her eyes and she sniffled. She reminded herself that she was doing this to protect him. But she couldn’t stop the single teardrop that slipped from the corner of her eye, rolled down her cheek and plopped on her chest.
If she was doing the right thing, why did it feel so wrong and so awful?
Mike was in a bad mood the next day. At football practice the players couldn’t do anything right. In his office afterward, he sat behind his desk and tried to figure out why. It didn’t take him long to realize that it was him, not them. He was tired. Thanks to Kelly he hadn’t slept well. She had made him mad as hell. Partly because she was moving out, but mostly because she had refused to marry him.
Once the idea had taken hold, he’d really warmed to it. He wasn’t quite sure why he wanted it so much until he glanced around his office. Everywhere he looked were reminders that without the Walker family, he wouldn’t be where he was today. In the glass trophy case across from the door were high school, college and professional awards. There was a photograph of the football banquet during his senior year in high school when Frank Walker had insisted on giving Mike the most valuable player award. Even though the man had suffered a heart attack shortly after that night, Mike had tried never to let Frank Walker down. That had to be the reason why he wanted to marry Kelly and why he was so ticked off that she wouldn’t.
Maybe his ego was bruised. But he had thought about that and was pretty sure that wasn’t the case. Glancing at the wall again, he spotted a picture of him after college graduation. Kelly had talked him into attending the ceremony which he had thought a waste of time. Kelly had asked him why he didn’t want to show off how smart he was. She had blitzed his cockiness when she had told him she couldn’t stand guys whose IQ matched the circumference of their biceps. He respected her for that. Unfortunately he had married a woman who wasn’t so discriminating.
The elbow injury that had ended his football career ended his marriage, too. The saying that things come in threes had never been more true. For him it was surprises. The first was that he hadn’t really missed Carol after she left The second was the realization that he was happier without her. The third that he hadn’t liked her much.
That wasn’t the case with Kelly.
He knew he would miss her if she moved. He liked having her around. He just plain liked her. The more he had thought about it the more he was convinced that marrying her would be good for both of them. He just didn’t think he could make Kelly see that
A knock on his office door interrupted his thoughts.
“It’s open,” he said.
Jake Saterfield, a blond, blue-eyed, husky seventeenyear-old, walked in. He handed Mike a piece of paper. “There was only one message in your box in the office, Coach.” The look on his face said he expected to be chewed out for that fact. Mike felt bad about taking out his problems on the players.
“Thanks for picking this up, Jake.” The boy nodded and started to turn away. “That was a good run you had today. Keep it up and you’ve got a shot at breaking the school record for yards rushing.”
Jake grinned. “You got it, Coach.”
“How’d English go today?”
“Mrs. Wishart said she’d let me know my test grade, first, thing tomorrow.”
“How do you think you did?”
He shrugged. “I knew most of the answers.”
“Good. Hey, see you tomorrow.”
“Right”
After the boy had gone, Mike checked the message. It was from the Southern California Real Estate Management Co.
He dialed the number and a woman’s voice came on the line. “Miss Anderson.”
He leaned back in his chair. “This is Mike Cameron. You left a message for me. I’m assuming this is about my tenant Kelly Walker?”
“That’s right, Mr. Cameron. She listed you as a reference on her application for an apartment.”
Mike wasn’t quite sure when the idea hit him, he only knew that it seemed like a good one. If Kelly didn’t have a place to go, she couldn’t move.
“How long has Miss Walker been a tenant of yours, Mr. Cameron?”
“Not long.” He put just a hint of disapproval in his voice.
“Oh?” He heard a hundred questions in that one syllable.
“I guess you’d like me to be specific. She’s rented from me for just under eight months.”
“And you’ve had problems with her?” The tone was definitely suspicious.
Mike reminded himself that he owed it to her family to watch out for her. He could do that better if she stayed in the guest house. He propped his feet up on his desk. He didn’t like doing this to Kelly, but there were times when she was too stubborn for her own good. “I wouldn’t say problems,” he said, putting just a hint of hesitation in his voice. “Did you know she’s pregnant?”
“Yes, she gave us that information. The building accepts children, so that’s not an obstacle. Is there anything else we should know about Miss Walker?”
Mike winced, but he had to do it. “She’s unemployed.”
“She put on her application that she’s a teacher with the Newhall High School District”
“She is, but just until the end of the school year.”
“Does she have another position lined up?”
“Not that I’m aware of.”
“Is there anything else that you think I should know?” she asked.
“No. I think I’ve said enough.”
“Yes, I think you have Mr. Cameron. I appreciate your candor.”
“Glad to help, Miss Anderson.”
Mike hung up the phone and couldn’t help feeling like he’d drop-kicked a kitten. It had been a splitsecond decision. He hadn’t said anything that wasn’t the truth. She didn’t need to move out; he was doing this for her. His mouth pulled tight as he shook his head. No matter how he tried to whitewash it, he was a little surprised at how low he’d sunk. Still, a little guilt was a small price to pay. He wasn’t sorry he’d sabotaged her.
Kelly carried another batch of boxes from her car into her bedroom, then went to the kitchen. The red light on her answering machine blinked twice. She pushed the button and after rewinding, a male voice came on. “Kelly? If you’re there, pick up the phone. It’s Doug. Either you’re not there, or you’re not talking to me. Probably the latter. I don’t blame you, but I need to speak with you. Since you won’t return my calls, I’m going to drop by. See you later.”
Kelly groaned. “Great. What else could go wrong?”
Then she heard the second message. “Miss Walker, this is Leigh Anderson. I wanted to let you know the apartment you looked at has been rented, and I’m sorry to say there are no other vacancies. Give me a call if you have any questions.”
