Texas Tycoon's Christmas Fiancée (12 page)

“I think your wish is granted.” He framed her face. “You've given me a fortune with your agreement. I'll make this marriage good for you in return. I just want to let Dad know and I want to have the ceremony as quickly as we can. Then I want to make love to you all night and all day long for at least a two-week honeymoon.”

“Sounds wonderful, Nick,” she said. “In your past relationships, I'm curious, have you always been the one to walk or have you ever had heartbreak?”

“No heartbreak, Grace. Either I've been the one or it's been mutual. Don't worry about when we part. We haven't gotten together yet.”

She smiled at him. “You want this to be great and I do, too. Maybe our marriage will work the way we both hope,” she said, wishing again that if she fell in love with him, it would be mutual and he would love her in return.

“What if I ask your father to escort me in place of my dad who's no longer living? Will that be too difficult for him? I really don't have anyone to ask. Clara's sons aren't close to me—I doubt if they'll even attend. Alicia's parents are
gone, too. She had fewer relatives than I do, hence I have Michael.”

“I'll check with Megan, but I doubt if it will be too hard for Dad. He can hang on to you. He will be overcome with delight that you asked him. You'll see—he will show his gratitude to you in some tangible way for the marriage and for asking him to escort you.”

“I don't need that,” she replied, and Nick shook his head.

“You're unique, Grace. Stop resisting accepting something good.”

“You got what you want. I'm going to marry you. Now you go.”

He smiled. “I'll go, but I'll be back and I will think about you while we're apart.”

She walked to the front door with him, stepping outside where a chilly wind buffeted her. “I'll wait to tell anyone except Aunt Clara and my sisters until we've told your dad.”

“Good.”

Nick climbed in his car to drive away and she went to her office to call her aunt.

How would Clara react?

N
ick called his father's house and let Megan know he was coming to the house to see his dad. The next call was to Jake and one to Tony, arranging to meet them at the club where they could eat. He called Jake's brother and asked Gabe to join them. With excitement humming in him, Nick drove away, thinking about the wedding. He would have to decide which of his friends he would ask to be in the wedding party. Tony and Jake definitely. Gabe would have to be included, perhaps as an usher. Who would be best man? He might have to flip a coin, but if he decided in such a manner, he would tell Jake and Tony when he was with both of them. The fortune was his. He had won over Grace. He'd lose his bachelor freedom—the minute he thought about the prospect, he remembered making love to Grace and became aroused. He wanted her constantly. He didn't mind losing his freedom if it meant sex constantly with Grace.

Except no sex until the wedding. Seemed silly to him
because she obviously wanted him and she was the sexiest woman he had ever been with. He couldn't concentrate on work today and too much of the time he had daydreamed about a honeymoon with Grace, something he hadn't given a thought to until after last night.

At his father's mansion, he went to the library and found his dad reading. His father looked up from his book. “To what do I owe this visit?” he asked. “You don't usually appear at this time of day.”

“I can't stay long. I stopped by because I have some news that I think you'll like.”

“Good. Maybe I can guess. I hope this involves my grandson. Grace has agreed to the name change.”

“Better than that,” Nick stated, his satisfaction increasing. “You know Grace and I have been seeing each other. Dad, I proposed and Grace has accepted. We're going to be married.”

“I'll be damned,” Eli said. A rewarding smile wreathed his face and Nick's spirits climbed another notch. “I hoped that might happen, but didn't think it would. Nick, this is the best news. You did it. Michael will be your child and you can adopt him.”

“Grace has already agreed to the adoption.”

“This won't be a long engagement, will it?” his Dad asked, squinting his eyes at Nick who smiled.

“No. We're definitely doing this—Saturday, January fifteenth.”

“Excellent! You'll have to take time to have a drink with me now while I celebrate. You should have brought Grace,” Eli said. His tone of voice had strengthened, sounding more like his former self.

“She wanted to come, but she had a party lined up. We'll both be here late afternoon tomorrow.”

Nick poured two glasses of wine, taking one to his father, who stood to accept it.

“Tomorrow night we'll have champagne. I'm pleased beyond measure. I'll call about my will as soon as you leave. The bulk of my estate will go to you because now Michael will be your heir and it will pass to him someday.”

“Thanks, Dad.”

“Here's to success and a marriage that gives you tremendous joy. You did it, son. I knew you could.” He raised his glass in a toast and Nick clinked his glass lightly against his dad's, then sipped his wine.

His father lowered his glass. “I like Grace, also.”

“Of course you do. You like beautiful women.”

His father chuckled. “This is a night to celebrate. I'll have to tell Megan the news.”

Nick spent a leisurely hour with his dad and Megan before heading to the club to meet his closest friends.

When he joined Tony and Jake at their table in the bar, Jake frowned. “You look like the cat that swallowed the proverbial canary. What gives?” Jake groaned and slapped his hand against his face. “Aye-aye-aye. I'll bet I know why you wanted to see both of us. You did it?”

“Yes, I did,”

“Will you two stop the riddle and tell me what is going on?” Tony asked. “Oh, hell, I bet I know, too. Jake told me you were thinking about proposing to your caterer because of your dad. That's what this is about, isn't it?” Tony asked.

“You're exactly on target. Grace accepted my proposal.”

“No surprise there,” Tony remarked in a cynical tone. He stared at Nick. “You're loco and desperate to do this. Can't blame you. All three of us have manipulative dads. Whatever Eli threatened, he would carry it out, including cutting you off.”

“It's a bummer and I hope you don't get hurt or aren't too miserable.”

Nick smiled. “You've both seen Grace. I don't expect to be miserable one minute.”

His friends stared at him, heightening his amusement over their glum reactions.

Just then, Gabe joined them. “Evening. Sorry I'm late. Have I missed anything?”

“Only that Nick is getting married,” Jake drawled. “A damn marriage of convenience.”

“You might hold the congrats,” Tony said. “Unless you want to congratulate him for getting his inheritance.”

“Sorry, no congratulations here. I'm surprised you look as happy as you do, because you just lost one million in that bet you three made.”

“I've already heard about that,” Nick said, smiling at them.

“You're loco. You're smiling when you've lost a million, you're getting a loveless marriage and you will be a dad overnight. You know nothing about babies,” Tony said. “I'll manage.”

“He's lost his mind,” Tony said, and the others agreed while Nick took some more good-natured kidding.

“You're not scared or worried about this marriage, are you?” Jake asked.

“I'm not thrilled with what I have to do, but scared or worried to have a marriage of convenience with Grace and inherit my father's fortune? No. I think this is going to work.”

Jake looked at Tony and they both nodded. “He's done it,” Tony said.

“So we might as well accept the inevitable and toast him on succeeding in getting back his inheritance. That would have been a hell of a loss,” Jake said. All three men raised glasses and Nick raised his to touch each glass lightly.

“Here's to success, Nick, and a rewarding bargain with Grace.”

“Thanks for the grudging wishes,” Nick said and sipped his martini. As he lowered his glass, Gabe stood. “I'm meeting a friend for dinner. I'll see you guys later. Congratulations, Nick.”

“Thanks, Gabe. Keep in mind, the wedding is mid-January.”

“You're not wasting any time,” Tony remarked as Gabe walked away.

“Nope, I'm not. There's no reason to and that's the first question from Dad—he wanted to make certain this wasn't a long engagement. He's talking to his attorney about his will as we speak. Now, will both of you be able to be there?”

As soon as they gave him affirmative answers, Nick set down his glass to get a quarter from his coat pocket. “Okay. I can't choose between my lifelong closest friends, so I'll flip a coin for best man unless one of you definitely doesn't want the task.”

Again his friends exchanged a look and then Jake shrugged.

“Flip away, but you won't hurt feelings if you make the choice without the coin. We're too close and have been that way for too long to get bent out of shape. Especially after offering to flip.”

“We'll flip first to see who calls it.” Nick flipped and the two men looked at each other waiting a second before Jake spoke. “Tails.”

They looked down at the coin. “Tony gets to call this time for best man.” Nick tossed the coin in the air.

“Tails,” Tony said as the quarter dropped to the table.

“It's heads. Jake, you're my best man if you want to be.”

“Sure. Thank you. I'm honored.”

“So am I even though I lost,” Tony said.

“So we'll have another drink on me to say goodbye to your freedom. You have three weeks to back out. You really don't have to have the money,” Jake said.

“Oh, yes, I do. I'm not letting that fortune get away. You two will marry in the next few years, so stop grousing over my marriage.”

“We're not marrying in the next few years. I don't plan to ever,” Jake said firmly.

“I don't until I'm fifty. By then I'll have enough sense and experience to continue to avoid the marriage trap,” Tony said.

“You cynical guys,” Nick said good-naturedly. “I'll be astounded if one of you isn't married or planning to marry before next year is up.”

“No way,” Tony protested.

“Just watch us,” Jake added.

“I will watch.” Nick grinned. “How about we order dinner now?” he asked, and their conversation shifted to basketball. He tried to pay attention though his thoughts constantly returned to Grace.

 

The first morning Clara was back in town, she went to Grace's house to keep Michael. As she held Michael and Grace finished her coffee, Clara sat at the kitchen table and put Michael in a high chair to feed him breakfast.

“Grace,” she said, and dread filled Grace. “Why are you marrying Nick? When I left town before Christmas, you were totally against an arrangement like this.”

Grace looked into eyes as green as her own. “I could tell you it was a whirlwind courtship and we both fell in love, but I think you'd know that's not the truth. It's a marriage of convenience. I'll get a lot out of agreeing.”

“No!” Clara said, looking down at Michael.

“Wait until you hear Nick's proposition,” Grace urged, and related Nick's offer to her aunt.

Clara stared at Grace with her mouth open for a moment. She seemed to realize what she was doing and her mouth snapped closed. “A million dollars,” she whispered. “Grace, if he adopts Michael and then divorces you, he can sue for full custody and as the father, he will stand a chance. With his resources, he can hire more and better lawyers than you can. You may lose Michael.”

“Nick isn't after Michael. He wants his father's inheritance. He has no desire to take Michael from me. He is a confirmed bachelor and not into kids or marriage. He's looking at this as a temporary arrangement.”

“His father may live for years.”

“We'll face that as time passes.”

“You've had a complete turnaround since I left town.” Clara's eyes narrowed. “Grace, have you fallen in love with Nick?”

Grace looked down at her hands in her lap. “I might be on the verge of it,” she answered quietly.

“You have. Has he declared love for you?”

“No, or it wouldn't be a marriage of convenience.”

“No, it wouldn't. You'll get hurt in this. He'll break your heart when he walks out of your life. And he may break Michael's, too.”

“Frankly, from the way he talks about his father's health, I don't expect Nick to be around long enough for Michael to form that strong an attachment. He's a baby and he won't remember Nick clearly.”

“A million dollars and Michael taken care of financially. Plus you'll have an allowance, a new car, clothes, all sorts of things.” Clara sighed. “I suppose I can't blame you, but I'd hate to see you get hurt.”

“Maybe I can make him fall in love with me,” Grace replied quietly.

“Don't count on any such dream happening,” Clara said. “The world is filled with brokenhearted women who've had that dream.”

“I know you're right.”

“I suppose I would do the same thing if I were you,” Clara admitted. “I doubt if either of my boys can get here for your wedding.”

“That's all right. It's not like it's the real thing. I keep thinking of this as a business arrangement,” she said, knowing she didn't altogether. Grace smiled. “I'll have enough money to buy you a house close to us.”

“Have you considered what you'll do about your business?”

“I'm keeping my catering business for the time being, but I'll turn the running of it over to Jada most of the time. I'll begin working at home, making plans for a restaurant because now that can actually happen. I promise, you'll get to keep Michael plenty.”

“I suppose, but I'm going to worry about you going into a loveless marriage no matter how much he bribes you to do it. I can't blame you for what you've done, though. That's too much money to turn down. I just hope it protects Michael for you. Have you told your sisters?”

“I did and they're coming for the wedding. They'll be bridesmaids.”

“Are they excited over the man you're marrying?”

“Doreen and Tanya don't know Texans. They don't have any idea who Nick Rafford is. I just told them he's a Dallas oilman and let it go at that.”

“They will be beside themselves when they find out. Your sisters both like men with money.”

Grace smiled. “I want you there for the wedding.”

“Of course.”

“I can fly Chet and Miles here should they want to come. Nick is paying for everything. If you can, I'd like you to go with me tomorrow when I shop for my wedding dress.”

Clara shook her head again. “You're moving way too fast. I'll have to get a dress, too. And we'll have to get Michael a tux—a baby in a tux,” she said, and Grace laughed. “I suppose we can dress him in a suit,” Clara added.

“He'll have a tux,” Grace said. “Right now, nothing seems real about the marriage or the wedding ceremony.”

“The middle of January will come soon.”

 

Enchanted, Grace looked around the huge ballroom of Eli's mansion. A fire blazed in a massive stone fireplace while an orchestra played and she danced in Nick's arms.

“I can't believe I'm here in your arms and I've had an enormous wedding with hundreds of guests. This is a dream come true.”

“I'll say that about eight hours from now,” he said.

“Or sooner if we can,” she added breathlessly. The weeks since his proposal had been a dream—the excitement, the preparations, the presents, and in the center of it all was Nick. She had difficulty believing she was actually his wife now. Mrs. Nicholas Rafford.