Nash raised his hand. “Now, now. He’s not upsetting me. We’re just having a chat.”
She kept her eyes on Zack. “About me, naturally.”
Zack folded his arms, torn between a worrying stab of desire and annoyance.
“Get yourself some breakfast, girl,” her father ordered. “Let’s talk this thing out.”
Skylar narrowed her eyes even more for good measure then stalked to the buffet and poured some juice into a glass. She returned to the table and sat.
Zack looked pointedly at the glass. “Shouldn’t you eat something?”
“Don’t start,” she retorted.
Both guns blazing, he thought with wonder. Where had this spitfire been hiding?
Nash looked at her daughter. “Zack has asked me for your hand.”
She scowled. “How quaint. Is that a New Zealand custom?”
“Skylar,” Nash hushed her. “Do you like him at all?”
She exhaled and looked away with a shrug.
“Well, I assume you liked him well enough to make a baby with him,” Nash rumbled.
Skylar’s eyes shot around the room, resting on Peggy clearing a table over by the window. “Dad!” Her freckles almost disappeared in the crimson glow. “I’ve told him I’ll take care of everything,” she said in a low voice. “He can see the baby whenever he wants. If he wants.”
Zack swallowed his scathing reply. He would deal with that when they were alone.
Nash cleared his throat. “See, I think Zack might be a little like me. When I asked your mother to leave, it was on the proviso that she leave you kids here. I couldn’t bear to be parted from you, any of you.”
“Lots of people are single parents,” she began. “Statistics say…”
Nash cut her off. “Not in this family, girl. You’re a Fortune. I would ask you to consider the implications of that in all you do.”
Skylar’s eyes widened.
Nash continued in a softer tone. “Just because it’s the modern way doesn’t mean it’s right for everyone.”
She glanced meaningfully at Zack. “If you want to be more involved, then you’re just going to have to spend more time in the States.”
He frowned at her. She seemed to have left the stammer behind, as well.
Then she did something that rocked him to the core. She leaned right back in that age-old pose of pregnant women everywhere, one hand cradling the bottom of her belly and the other moving slowly, lovingly, just under her breasts.
Something slammed in his chest. Man, he’d never wanted to touch something so much.
“Zack?”
Nash’s voice cut through his longing. Zack cleared his throat for the second wave of attack. “We can come over two or three times a year. I know you’ll want the baby to grow up knowing family.”
Skylar’s sweet mouth compressed and she huffed out a sigh. He frowned at her, annoyed with himself for being distracted, even charmed by her. “Skylar, I’m offering you marriage. Security. A good life for that baby of ours. There will be no stigma about single parents, or why Daddy doesn’t live with you. You and I aren’t romantics. We are sensible, well-grounded people. We’ll damn well make this work for the sake of the child.”
Her mouth still a straight line, she put her nose in the air and looked away.
Nash rested his elbow on the table, his fingers moving through his graying hair. “I wish Patricia were here. She’d know what to say.”
Skylar looked at him, concern softening her lips.
“After we talked last night, Sky, I made a couple of calls, to Teddy and another business contact I have in those parts,” Nash commented, eliciting startled glances from both of them. “Zack is wealthy, successful at what he does, and if there are any skeletons in his closet, they’re so far back, it doesn’t matter a damn. He is well liked and respected. He has never been married, has no children. Teddy and Max are behind him one hundred percent. You could do a lot worse, you know.”
Skylar looked at him, smudges of betrayal darkening her eyes. “You’re talking about the rest of my life here.”
Nash’s head rolled back, his broad chest rising on a deep inhalation. “Where does it say marriage is forever? Ask me.”
Her eyes shone with sympathy. “Oh, Dad. She’ll come back. I know she will.”
“She will or she won’t.” Nash sighed and his stern gaze moved to each of them in turn. “But I have bigger things to worry about than two young people who are very well suited, even if they don’t know it yet.” He leaned forward and put his hand on his daughter’s shoulder. “Love grew for me and Patricia. It didn’t happen overnight. Now you have a baby to think of and a family name that has been besmirched once too often for my liking. And I’d like to tell you differently, girl, but there are no guarantees in this life.”
Zack watched Skylar’s face fall. He actually felt a pang of sympathy for her, even though her father was on his side. But he kept silent. This salvo was between her and Nash.
“Just tell me you’ll think about it. Don’t set your mind against it on some girlish notion.” He put both hands on the table and pushed himself up, sadness evident in his stooped shoulders. “Give me something good to tell Patricia if she calls. She’s got a real soft spot for you. She’d love to see you expecting. A marriage in the family is just what’s needed to bring us all together again.”
“That’s blackmail,” Skylar whispered.
“Whatever works for you,” Nash said comfortably. “Just promise you’ll consider it, Skylar. It’s not a bad proposition.” He turned to Zack, putting out his hand. “Shall I tell Peggy to air out the empty apartment upstairs? No sense wasting time and money on a hotel.”
Zack shook his hand. “Maybe in a few days. I’d appreciate it.”
The silence lasted minutes after Nash walked heavily from the room. Zack was torn, wanting to comfort her, guessing she felt let down. The temptation was there to go in for the kill while she was vulnerable, the words of her father fresh in her mind. But sometimes, as in business, it was best to let the opposing party lead and hang themselves.
“You can stop looking so smug,” she muttered, suddenly, drawing herself up in a tense line.
Her eyes flashed, warming his blood. How could he have forgotten the fire in her? He recalled having the skin of his back raked when he’d realized she was a virgin and momentarily pulled back. That straightened his spine and made him grin. No way would spitfire Skylar allow that!
Catching her eye, he arranged a more sober expression on his face and put his hands behind his head.
“What are you looking at?”
“It occurs to me I’ve been a bit insensitive.”
“Really?” Her mouth curved in what she probably meant to be a sneer, but Skylar’s mouth didn’t do sneer. It was still a sweet smile.
“So I’m asking. Skylar Fortune, will you marry me?”
The indignation drained out of her. Her eyes were troubled, her mouth turned down. “Oh, Zack.”
He leaned toward her, taking one of her hands before she could pull back. “It’s not the perfect start, I give you that. But a child should have two parents. We are responsible, independently wealthy, sexually compatible…” He smiled at the blush scooting up her throat and face. “And we like each other. We always did.”
Skylar