The Tycoon's Paternity Agenda (17 page)

Calling and asking her to meet him was one of the smartest things he'd ever done.

“We'll manage,” Emilio said, sending Jordan a sharp look. “Can you two give me and Adam a minute?”

Nathan and Jordan left, and Emilio sat on the corner of Adam's desk.

“Okay, what's up?”

“What do you mean?”

“Jordan is right. You never leave during a crisis.”

Emilio was going to find out eventually, so why not tell him now. “Something happened the other day when I was in Peckins. Something…unexpected. When I heard about the
accident, I told Katy I had to leave, and said I might have to miss her appointment.”

He winced. “You've missed two already.”

“I know. And you know what she said?”

“I'm guessing it can't be good if it has you rushing back there.”

“She said it was fine. That I could just go to the next one. She said knowing that I want to be there is good enough. And when I thanked her for being so understanding, she said that's what you do when you love someone.”

Emilio's brow lifted. “She told you she loves you?”

He laughed. “Yeah, she just kind of blurted it out. And my first instinct, after I got over the surprise of her saying it, was that I love her, too.”

“So did you tell her that?”

“I didn't get a chance. She got really embarrassed, and asked me to forget she said anything. I had to go. It didn't seem right to throw it out there, then leave.”

“So you're going to tell her when you get there?”

“At this point, considering everything I've put her through, I don't think telling her is good enough, so I'm going to show her, too.” Adam pulled the ring box out of his desk drawer and tossed it to Emilio.

Emilio laughed. “Is this what I think it is?”

Adam grinned.

He opened it and gave a low whistle. “I thought you were never getting married again, never taking the chance on burying another wife.”

“It wasn't losing Becca that had made getting over her so hard. It was the regrets. The things we
didn't
say. And I can't go on pretending that we didn't have problems. Almost from the start.”

“So why have kids?”

“I guess I thought that having a baby would fix everything.
I thought it would bring us closer together. But honestly, it probably would have just made it worse. Neither one of us was very happy. If she hadn't gotten sick, I don't doubt we would be divorced by now.”

He knew now that Celia was right, Becca
wasn't
his soul mate. She wasn't the love of his life, and he was pretty sure she sensed that.

“It's never easy admitting our mistakes,” Emilio said.

“It's different with Katy. She's unlike anyone I've ever known. She couldn't care less about my money. And if she thinks I'm acting like an ass, she isn't shy about saying so. She's everything I could possibly want or need in a wife. I can't even imagine my life without her in it.”

“So what are you still doing here?” Emilio asked, tossing the ring back to Adam.

“It's only three.”

“Yes, but you have a long drive ahead of you. Besides, we can handle things without you.”

Emilio didn't have to tell him twice.

 

They weren't expecting company, so when Katy pulled up the driveway after a quick trip to the bank, she was surprised to see a car there. Before she got a good look she thought it might be Adam, but this was a dark sedan. A Mercedes, or BMW or something similar. And she knew Adam drove a red and sporty car.

She parked by the barn, thinking maybe they really did have a rich uncle. But she didn't have time to worry about that. She had a letter in her jeans pocket that could very well change the rest of her life. She got out and walked to the house, wondering who it could be. She went through the kitchen, the scent of home-fried chicken making her mouth water.

“Smells delicious, Elvie.”

“That man is here,” she whispered.

“What man?”

She nodded to Katy's belly. “The baby's father.”

“
Adam
is here?” Elvie had to be mistaken.

She nodded, wide-eyed, and crossed herself. She was convinced, because Adam was so tall and dark and handsome, that he was
el Diablo
in the flesh.

She pushed through the kitchen door to the great room, expecting to see some man who looked like Adam sitting there with her parents, but it actually
was
Adam. And the instant she saw him, she knew all that stuff about them not being friends anymore was just bull.

When they heard her come in everyone turned in her direction.

She thrust her hands on her hips and asked Adam, “Exactly how many cars do you own?”

He grinned at her, then turned back to her parents and said, “I think that about covers it.”

The three of them stood and her dad shook Adam's hand. Why would he do that?

“What's going on?” Katy asked them.

“Let's take a drive,” Adam said.

“Why?”

“So we can talk.”

“But it's almost suppertime.”

“We won't be long.”

Whatever he had to say must have been pretty bad if they had to leave the ranch. “Where are we going?”

“Not far.” He crossed over to where she stood and took her hand, leading her to the front door. She looked back at her parents, but their expressions didn't give anything away.

Would he hold her hand—and in front of her parents—if he was about to tell her something awful? Or did he think it would soften the blow?

He opened the passenger door for her and she slid into the soft leather seat. He walked around and got in the driver's side, saying, as he started the engine, “Buckle up.”

He waited until she was fastened in, then put the car into gear. It felt a little weird being in a car with him while he was actually behind the wheel. In the past it was always Reece driving. Not that she expected him to be a terrible driver. It was just…different.

“How many cars do you own?” she asked as he made a left onto the road.

“Just the three.”

They drove about a half a mile, then Adam made a sharp left and pulled up the road to the abandoned horse farm next door.

“What are we doing here?”

“I'll explain,” he said cryptically.

The house and stables were in disrepair and the property overgrown, but it used to be a beautiful piece of land. And had the potential to be again someday. Her dad had talked about buying it, and she'd been disappointed when he changed his mind. Though she had never admitted it to anyone, she had even considered purchasing it. She had enough for a down payment in the bank. She just didn't like the idea of living alone.

Adam parked in a clearing by the stable and they got out. The sun was just beginning to set and there was a chill in the air.

“Are you warm enough?” he asked.

She nodded. He took her hand again and they walked slowly toward the stables. “Does this mean you're staying for my appointment tomorrow?”

The question seemed to surprise him. “Of course. Why would I drive all this way and not go?”

She shrugged.

“What do you think of this land?” he asked her.

“It's nice. Perfect for a small horse farm.”

“What would you think if I said I bought it?”

She stopped in her tracks. “What? Why?”

He grinned. “So I could build a house here. And probably a new stable.”

“You're serious?”

“Yep.”

Well, if the baby was hers, and he was going to be visiting a lot, didn't it make sense that he had somewhere to stay? But they weren't even sure yet.

They started walking again, past the stables and along the corral fence, the overgrown grass and weeds grabbing at her pant legs. “I think that sounds like a good investment.”

“So you wouldn't mind living here?”

Living here? He was going to build a house for
her?
Did he know something she didn't? Had the lab sent him a letter, too, and had he read it? After they agreed they would look at the results
together
.

“Adam, what's going on?”

They stopped where the corral turned, near an apple tree that had probably been there longer than the house. “This should do,” Adam said.

“Do for what?”

“There are a few things I have to tell you, Katy.”

She swallowed hard, bracing for the worst, her hands clammy she was so nervous.

“We had to launch an investigation into the accident at the refinery, and as soon as it's resolved, I'm leaving Western Oil.”

For a full ten seconds she was too dumbfounded to speak. And when she found her voice, it was uncharacteristically high-pitched. “Leaving? As in quitting?”

“I'll still be on the board, but I'm stepping down as CEO.”

“W-why?”

“It's time. I want to be around to see my child grow up.”

“That's wonderful,” she said, wondering what that meant for her, if it meant anything at all.

“Remember the other night, when you said you love me?”

She cringed, still mortified that she had actually done something so stupid. “I thought we agreed not to talk about that.”

“You issued an order, and I didn't agree to anything.”

It was obvious he wasn't willing to let it go. He was going to torture her. “Okay, what about it?”

“I'll admit I was a little stunned—”

“You were way more than stunned. And I don't blame you, Adam. It was wrong of me to put you on the spot like that.”

He took a deep breath and exhaled. “Can I finish?”

She nodded, even though she knew she wasn't going to like what he had to say.

“I was in a hurry to leave, but if I'd had more than thirty seconds to think about it, I would have told you that I love you, too.”

He heart climbed up into her throat. She had never expected him to admit it, to say it out loud.

“Aren't you going to say anything?” he asked.

“I…I don't know what to say.”

“You could say that you love me, too.”

Unable to look in his eyes, and see the sincerity there, she looked down at the ground instead. “You already know that.”

“I
need
you, Katy.”

For now. But what about a month from now? He didn't want to get married, and she couldn't accept any less than that.

She wanted forever.

Adam bent down on one knee in the weeds. She thought he was going to pick something up off the ground, then she saw that he already had something in his hand.

“What are you doing?”

“Something I should have done months ago.” He opened his hand and sitting on his palm was a black velvet box. It actually took her several seconds to figure out what was happening. Then she started to tremble so hard she wasn't even sure her legs would hold her up.

Adam opened the box to reveal a stunning diamond solitaire ring. He looked up at her and grinned, “Marry me, Katy?”

“You're serious?”

“I've never been more sure of anything in my life.”

“But…Becca—”

“Is gone. Becca was my wife, and I loved her, but I didn't need her the way I need you. You're my soul mate. I don't want to go another day, another minute, knowing you aren't going to be mine forever.”

She'd imagined this moment so many times in her head, but none of her fantasies compared to the real thing, and she'd be damned if she was going to give him even a second to change his mind.

She threw herself in his arms so hard that they lost their balance and tumbled backward in the weeds.

He laughed and said, “Should I take that as a yes?”

“Definitely yes,” she said, kissing him, wondering if this was a dream. Was it even possible to be
this
happy?

Adam sat them up and pulled her into his lap. “Would you like this now?” he asked, holding up the ring box.

She'd almost forgotten! “Will you put it on me?”

He took it from the box and slid it on her finger. It was
a perfect fit. “I have
huge
fingers. How did you guess the size?”

“I didn't. I asked your mom.”

“When?”

“Sunday morning.”

Katy's mouth fell open. “She's known about this since
Sunday?
”

“I didn't tell her why I needed it, but I think she had a pretty good idea.”

Suddenly it made sense why he was sitting there with her parents when she walked in, and why her dad shook his hand. “Oh, my gosh, did you ask my parents'
permission?
”

“I thought it would be a nice touch, since I kind of missed that step last time. I figured they deserved it.”

She threw her arms around his neck and hugged him, the baby pressed between them. That's when she remembered the letter in her pocket. They were together now, and no matter whose baby it was, she would be raising it. But he deserved to know the truth.

“I have to show you something,” she said, pulling the letter out. “This came in today's mail.”

“The DNA results?”

She nodded.

He took the letter from her, and for a minute he just looked at it, then he looked up at her, shrugged and said, “I don't care.”

“You don't care?”

He took her hands. “What difference do genetics make? This is
our
baby, Katy. Yours and mine. Either way, it's a miracle. So unless you really need to know—”

“I don't,” she said. “Though I tried to be impartial, and not get attached, I've felt like this baby has been mine pretty much from the day it was conceived.”

With a smile on his face, Adam ripped the envelope in
two, then into fourths, then he kept on ripping until there was nothing left but scraps, then he tossed them in the air.