Deal of a Lifetime Page 16

  “Poor baby,” he cooed. “You had a rough day.”

  She leaned into his strength. “That’s putting it mildly.”

  He took her laptop case from her and set it aside, then ushered her to the table. “Sit. I’ll get your dinner.”

  “Don’t go to any trouble. I don’t think I could eat.”

  “Try, please, it’s no trouble, everything’s ready. I made some of that chili you taught me to make, and there’s a bottle of merlot breathing on the counter.”

  “I didn’t realize you remembered that I love chili, let alone the recipe I gave you.”

  He winced. The comment hurt. He couldn’t forget Tam or anything about her. He turned, locking gazes with her before dishing chili from the slow cooker to a bowl. She needed to know he was dead serious, not just mouthing empty words. “I remember everything about you.”

  She sucked in a breath.

  He smiled. “However, I did need a little help with the recipe from Susa. She got a kick out of ordering me around the kitchen and was tickled to find out that I liked chili. She said it’s her favorite food.”

  Tam sank back in her chair. A faint smile smoothed her worry lines. “It is. She’d rather have chili than chocolate. I don’t know where I went wrong.”

  Con chuckled. “You’ve done an excellent job. Susa’s a delight to be with and a very thoughtful child. She’s the one who suggested I make the chili in the slow cooker so you’d have a hot meal when you got home.”

  “You’re right. I’m very proud of her, and we’re lucky to have a daughter who thinks of others.”

  Con almost dropped the bowl as he set it before Tam along with a spoon. This was the first time he could recall her discussing Susa as their daughter. Previously, Susa was always Tam’s daughter, as if conception occurred by sperm donor. The pointed exclusion of him from their lives had bothered him more than he realized, until the moment Tam began to include him. Our daughter sounded mighty good to him. He wanted more of it. One part of getting the family he was determined to have was to listen to Tam. She needed a good ear. He knew because he’d had Tam listening to him during that year they’d been together. Neither her aunt, nor Susa, could really empathize with the difficulties of growing a corporation.

  He poured two glasses of wine, set them on the table next to Tam, then pulled out a chair and sat beside her. “Tell me what happened at the loan office.”

  Between bites of chili, she told him of the conversation with Ms. Appleton and the astonishing revelation of the loan company’s corporate discrimination.

  Con listened, commiserated, and asked the occasional question, but for the most part he just absorbed the information and drank in the pleasure of being with Tam.

  Not until they’d cleaned up in the kitchen and settled on the living room couch with the last of the wine did he say, “TLC needed that loan. I’d be more than happy to lend you the money. A straight loan at standard interest with no strings.”

  He held his breath, watching her face. She’d been adamant that he not interfere in her business. He wasn’t trying to interfere, but he had resources that she needed. He didn’t see any reason why he shouldn’t give them to her.

  She gave him a weary smile. “Thank you, but I can’t accept.”

  “I promise not to interfere.”

  “It’s not that. We share a daughter and a history, maybe a future. Accepting your loan would muddy some very sensitive waters. I won’t do that.”

  “I have friends…”

  She held up her hand. “No. My company. My problem. My job to find a solution.”

  Lord, she was stubborn and proud, and he loved her for it. “What will you do?”

  “I thought about going to Buddswell, but he’s a client. A loan from him presents a conflict of interest. I decided to re-establish the consortium of local investors who helped me start TLC.”

  “The lender you met with today didn’t give TLC its first loan?”

  She shook her head and swallowed some wine. “No, when I started five years ago, TLC was too small an operation for a multinational loan corporation, or even a local one. I amassed my start-up funds from local retailers who weren’t satisfied with their current distributor or wanted products my competition didn’t carry. I made service my top priority, and the business grew exponentially. By the start of year three, I’d paid off my original creditors and needed a bigger loan if I wanted to keep growing.”

  “That’s pretty phenomenal. I shouldn’t be surprised. Even as an intern you were the contract team’s biggest asset. Nobody could beat you at the negotiating table.”

  “You did okay without me.”

  “O’Neal Corp. did okay. Me, I was a basket case for several years, but I don’t want to review old history. Did you get the consortium members to commit?”

  “I spent all day on the phone and in meetings. Most of the retailers are eager, but they won’t make any snap decisions. I should get answers back over the next forty-eight hours.”

  “That’s cutting things close. Your contract signing with Buddswell comes up on Friday, just before our date. Do you have a fall back plan?”

  She nodded. “Yeah, I wait another year before expanding. I already spoke with the company building the trucks and told them to put the order on hold.”

  “At this late date those trucks are already built. You’ll pay a hefty penalty fee if you delay the order.” He set his glass on the table then placed his arm around her shoulders, tucking her into his side.

  “I know, but I don’t have much choice. I won’t take money from you. I can’t take money from Buddswell. Either the consortium comes through or I have to back off. The next two days will be tough, because I can’t do anything except wait.”

  Tam deposited her glass beside his, dropped her head into the hollow between his shoulder and his neck, and placed her hand on his chest.

  “Susa and I will wait with you. It might be a good idea if you get some quality time in with our daughter. What do you say we have homemade pizza tomorrow? I’ll shop while you’re at work, and we can introduce Susa to the O’Neal home pizzeria tradition.”

  She didn’t answer.

  “Tam?” He looked down to find her sound asleep.

  How many evenings in the year she’d lived with him had they sat just like this, talking over the day’s challenges and victories until one or the other of them nodded off. Usually the one who remained awake woke the other and they moved to the bedroom to make slow easy love and rest tangled in each other. He could probably do that tonight. What would Susa think if she found him in her mother’s bed—the place where a father belonged? A few nights back they’d been lucky that Susa hadn’t seen them being intimate. That couldn’t happen again, nor could he risk raising her hopes or his own. Until Tam made a clear commitment to marry him, he’d keep his hands off, at least here in the house. When Susa wasn’t around, different rules were in play.

  He eased out from beside Tam then took her in his arms and strode down the hallway to her bedroom. He didn’t dare remove her clothes. That was more temptation than he could handle. He did take her shoes off and cover her with a lightweight blanket. Dropping a kiss on her forehead, he forced himself to leave, praying for the time to come when he could stay.

  ****

  Tam was on the phone getting the last of the consortium members to commit, ironing out some language in the agreement that her CFO would sign while she went with Con and Susa to meet Buddswell. Con had his SUV loaded and running in the driveway.

  Tam hurried to conclude the call, then rushed to grab her tablet and purse. Locking the door, she ran for the car.

  “Hooray! Now we can get going.”

  Smiling at their daughter’s enthusiasm, Tam buckled her seatbelt, wishing she could share Susa’s joy. Her daughter anticipated a day full of pony rides and romping with the Basenji pups that Ava Firesong raised on her personal patch of Valentine Canyon. Tam worried over the discussions she’d have with Buddswell before they signed the
contracts. She had to let him know that the financing arrangements had changed, were nearly but not yet final, and give him the chance to pull out.

  Then there was Con. For the past week, he’d been simmering with some sort of surprise. She’d asked a couple of times, but he refused to tell her anything while TLC’s financing occupied her. He claimed he and Susa wanted her full attention and wouldn’t share her with work. Curiosity had her working that much harder. If Buddswell signed the contracts then the work would be worth it.

  In little more than an hour they were unloading the SUV. Ava had greeted them and taken Susa off to choose a pony for the after lunch trail ride. As they set the finishing touches to the picnic table, a second SUV roared into the ranch parking area. Buddswell got out. Within minutes he and Tam were huddled over the contracts. Giving them privacy, Con wandered off to find Susa and Ava.

  Mike expressed some concern over the timing of things. The financing really should be in place before he committed his conglomerate to the deal with TLC. “You’re one hundred percent certain that all of your consortium members can fulfill their promises, and the contracts will be signed today?”

  “My CFO was supposed to sign as TLC’s representative with the last consortium member this morning. Why don’t we call and ask if that’s complete?”

  “Sure, but will we get cell phone service out here?”

  “Guaranteed. This ranch may look a little rundown, but cell phone service is an essential both for running the ranch and for Ava’s veterinary business.”

  Mike studied the buildings and corral. Speculation gleamed in his eyes. “From what I can see most of the wear and tear looks cosmetic. Not that the place couldn’t be improved.”

  Tam spoke as she dialed her CFO. “I know for a fact that Ava wants to upgrade a number of services and has other plans for the ranch. You’ll have to ask her for specifics, if you’re interested.”

  “Hmmm.”

  Finally her CFO picked up. “Hi, how did the meeting with our last investor go? We got more than we asked for? That’s great! Would you mind giving Mike Buddswell some of the details?” She handed the phone to Mike, then walked over to the dog pen.

  The Basenji pups were playing tug-of-war with a couple of rubber toys. Their mother trotted over to sniff and inspect the new arrival. Tam put her hand out for the dog to smell and was soon rubbing the bitch’s silky ears.

  A shadow blocked the sun, and she heard footsteps crunching behind her. Con’s hand settled on her shoulder, and his arm warmed her back.

  He handed her cell phone to her. “Mike asked me to return this to you. He said you could sign the contracts at lunch.”

  Relief flooded through her, and she relaxed against him. She knew she’d been tense, but she hadn’t realized until now just how tense. Without Con’s support, things could have been much worse. “If you hadn’t been around I probably wouldn’t have gotten the consortium together, and I’d be sitting at home wondering how to pay the bills instead of being here about to sit down to a celebratory picnic lunch.”

  “I didn’t do much. Keep Susa safe and occupied, make a few meals, wash a little laundry.”

  She turned in his arms and placed her palms on his chest. “But that’s huge. I couldn’t bear it if Susa suffered because of my business.” Tam rose on her toes and kissed his cheek. “Thank you.”

  “I agree the care of our daughter is a major undertaking, but you wouldn’t have neglected her. If you’d had to choose between her and your business, Susa would come out the winner. I maintain that I didn’t contribute in any way that I wouldn’t have, had circumstances been completely different.”

  That’s when it hit her, he hadn’t done anything. She’d asked him not to interfere, and he hadn’t. When she couldn’t be with Susa, Tam hadn’t even needed to ask him to watch over their daughter. He just did. He’d done a hundred things to support her, but nothing to interfere. The evidence was clear. They complemented each other perfectly. He was willing to work on changing his interfering ways. Was she willing to trust?

  They were a family, had been acting like one practically from the day Con arrived at her front door. He’d wanted to form a family from the first. She’d been the one dragging her feet. She’d been making the very same mistake she made seven years ago. She was underestimating him, judging him by the yardstick of their history, her father, and her groundless fears. The urge welled in her to tell him that she finally knew what she wanted. She wanted him to be Susa’s father, wanted them to be a family. But she held back. Yes, he’d asked her to let him prove to her that marrying was the right thing to do. He almost had. She didn’t want to rush into anything. If she took her time telling Con that she’d changed her mind, then she could form a plan B. After all, it wasn’t likely, but he might decide to change his mind. Solid as the evidence was and sound as his arguments were, she still hadn’t heard him say he loved her. He’d tried to show her, but she needed to hear the words, when he had nothing to gain but her love. Hesitation felt odd under the comfort of his hands massaging her shoulders. She needed to know how Con really felt before she did anything.

  She should ask him now. Just come out and say, Con, do you love me? Faced with such a bald question what could he say? Of course I love you? He’d have to say something like that simply to be polite. Was she certain? Con had never minced words before. If she asked, he’d tell her the truth. So why hesitate? She didn’t know, but she couldn’t make herself form the words.

  “Mommy, Mommy, did you see him?”

  The context of their daughter’s question was a bit disconcerting, so Tam chuckled. “Of course I see Con. He’s standing right here next to me.”

  Susa stopped in front of them, fisted her hands on her hips and shook her head. “Not Con, Mommy. Did you see Terry?”

  “Terry?”

  “Yes.” Susa dropped her hands, stepped between Tam and Con, and climbed up to sit on the top rail of the dog pen fence. Their daughter pointed at a pair of pups wrestling over a ball. “Terrific Thomas Basenji, Terry for short. That’s him right there.”

  “Which one is he?”

  “The one with the brown patch on his eye and the spot on his tummy.”

  Tam peered at the tussling dogs. They both seemed to have brown patches over their eyes, but only one had a broad swath of brown on his round little belly. “Okay. I see him.”

  “Isn’t he bee-u-ti-ful?”

  “I suppose.”

  “He’s the bestest dog. I saw him defend his baby sister from the other boy dogs. He’s a hero, and he’s the one I want.”

  “Now Susa, we’ve talked about this.”

  “But Con said—” Their daughter stopped abruptly.

  Tam looked up at Con who ceased his frantic signaling at Susa.

  “Exactly what did Con say?” Tam had a good idea, but she wanted Con to confess on his own.

  “I only said I’d talk to you. I didn’t make any promises, not really.”

  “Not really?”

  “Well, I did say if we decided I should be Susa’s daddy that I would do everything I could to make certain she had a dog by Christmas.”

  “Is that what he said?” Tam turned to her daughter.

  “Uh-huh.” She nodded vigorously.

  “And you’ve already picked out a dog, when you can’t be certain you’ll be allowed to have one?”

  “But I will. Con’s gonna be my daddy, I just know it. He’ll love us and we’ll love him and we’ll have to have a dog because that’s what little girls and daddies do together. They take care of the dog. Please, Mommy, please.”

  Tam tried, she really tried to suppress the laughter that bubbled within her, but she could do nothing about the smile spreading across her face. “We’ll discuss this again, after we decide if Con should be your daddy. Is that understood?”

  Susa frowned. “Yes, ma’am.”

  Their daughter had to be confused. Tam was a little confused herself. She should be furious with Con for even allowing the topic
of a dog to come up, but all she could feel was bright shiny happiness. Still she stuck to her guns with Susa. Happiness was no reason to go back on a personal policy when the policy was a sound one.

  “Come on you two,” interjected Con. “Let’s go get some lunch. I hear there are ponies begging to be ridden, and we can’t go on the trail ride until after lunch.”

  Tam lifted Susa down from the fence rail. Con took their child from Tam and sat Susa on his shoulders.

  Together they ambled toward the table.

  Ava stalked from the direction of the barn, head bent, arms crossed over her chest. Behind her Mike strolled, hands in pockets. He was trying to look casual, but Tam saw how his eyes followed Ava. What had he been up to? If he’d offended Ava, Tam would tear strips off his hide whether it cost the contract or not.

  Chapter Eighteen

  The contracts were signed and lunch finished. Tam and Ava with Susa in tow headed for the barn to saddle the horses while the men handled the clean up.

  Con waited until the women were out of sight. “What did you do to Ava?”

  Mike raised his brows in mock innocence. “What makes you think I did anything to the woman?”

  “Let me see. This morning I am introduced to a smiling, laughing woman who’s happy to entertain my daughter—the most girly tornado I’ve ever met—and eager to help the woman I love succeed. Then Ava spends five minutes alone with you in the barn, and she comes out looking like a thundercloud. Her restraint is admirable, but even I could see the lightning strikes she was throwing your way.”

  “Lightning strikes?” The wrinkles in Mike’s brow made him look genuinely puzzled.

  “You asked for the potato salad, and she passed it to me, even though you sat next to her. She didn’t look at you for the entire meal and spoke to you as little as possible.”

  Mike slouched against the picnic table. “I did notice she was a little testy, but why should I think I caused that? For all I know the woman is testy all the time.”

  Con shook his head and put the last of the dishes in the basket. “For a man with a reputation as a lady-killer, you sure don’t seem to know your way around a woman’s feelings. Now stop dodging and tell me what went on in that barn.”