Page 62 of An Unexpected Match
“But a son. You don’t have a son.”
“What’s wrong with girls?”
“Nothing.But all my life, I’ve heard how sad it was my folks didn’t have a son, that my dad didn’t have a boy to follow in his footsteps, to carry on the family name. My aunts still talk about it to this day.”
Brendan stared into her eyes for a moment, then said, softly, “So maybe your folks wanted a boy. But I bet they loved their little girl. They didn’t want a boy instead of you, just in addition, right?”
Arden thought back. He was right. She’d heard them say another baby would be wonderful. But she'd never heard anyone express the wish that she’d been a boy.
Even her aunts had said there should have been more children. More, not instead of.
“I guess. But,”
“Is that the reason you said you’d never marry? Because you couldn’t have kids?”
She nodded, her throat closing up, her heart beat raggedly. Could he possibly still want to talk about marriage? Despite her inability to have children, was he still interested?
“That’s not an issue with us. We’ll have the girls. And I have two brothers who can carry on the family name. That was never my goal in life.”
Hope blossomed. There was still so much to overcome. Could she do it? Could she marry a man she loved, knowing he loved a dead woman?
“So you want us to marry so Hailey and Avery would have a new mother,” she clarified.
Brendan hesitated, his eyes staring deeply into hers. Was that desire she saw? Or only a projection of her own feelings?
“Not exactly.”
“What then,exactly?” she demanded.
She felt sheltered standing in his arms. She wished he’d kiss her. She didn’t have to think when he kissed her, only feel.
What was she going to do? Follow her heart? Or her head? Today’s decision would impact the rest of her life.
How could she say no?
Yet, could she say yes?
“I want a wife. I wantyoufor my wife, Arden.”
Tears filled her eyes. If only he meant that.
“Don’t cry. I didn’t mean to make you cry,” he said softly. “If the thought of being my wife is so repugnant, we’ll come up with an alternate plan.”
She smiled through her tears. “That sounds so business-like, an alternate plan.”
“You can still get your degree, find a great job wherever you like. We’ll work it out. Arden don’t cry. It tears me up inside. I’ll do whatever you want.”
“Could you love me?” she said forlornly.
Oh, no. Had she said the words aloud?
Brendan froze, his eyes blazing down at her. “What did you say?”
“Nothing, I said nothing.”
She wished the floor would open up and swallow her whole. Could she duck under his arm and run for her life and never look back?
“One thing I thought I’d have to do was give enough time, so maybe you’d come to care for me as much as you care for my daughters,” Brendan said slowly. He dropped his arms to draw her into a warm embrace.
