Page 59 of Say You Will

When Franki emerges from the craft room more than an hour later, I meet her as she heads for the stairs. “Do you need a hand?”

She shakes her head, then stops. “You know what? Yes. Can you carry these?”

I reach for the small plastic box she’s carrying, and she hands me her phone, as well. “It’ll be easier. One hand holding my cane, one hand on the rail.”

“Do you need help up the stairs or for your room to be moved downstairs? I should have thought of that.”

Franki shakes her head. “If I need help, I’ll speak up.”

She turns her head toward me and smiles. “Thank you for offering, though, and thank you for carrying my stuff.”

As we walk up the stairs, she’s much slower than I would be, but I match her pace. “Of course.”

She clears her throat. “I owe you an apology.”

I stop, surprised, then continue on as she takes another step. “For?”

She cringes. “I ran into someone who wanted to go out with me, and I basically used you as a shield. I let him think we were together even before we’d gone on a date. I didn’t think about how if you were looking for a wife, me confirming rumors about us might have made that more difficult for you. It was inconsiderate.”

We’ve reached the top of the landing. “You and I should talk.”

“We could go in my room.”

I usher her into her room and close the door behind us. She sets her cane aside, takes the box from my hands and places it on her dresser, then tosses her phone onto the bed. She smooths her hands down the soft fabric of her pajamas. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have done that.”

“Don’t apologize to me for this. You can use me as a shield anytime. And, since Iwantus to be together, I hardly see you telling people we are as a problem.”

Her lips part on an indrawn breath.

“Do you think I’d be kissing you today and looking for someone else to sign on the dotted line tomorrow?”

“You said you need a wife.”

Slowly, I crowd into her space. She backs up as I approach until her shoulder blades touch the wall, but the lift at the corner of her mouth and her narrowed eyes are pure sass.

I plant both my hands on the wall on either side of her head. It’s not a posture I would assume with anyone else. It leaves me open and vulnerable, despite the fact that I’m the one looming over her. “What I need”—I lean closer—“is you.”

She makes a huffy little sound. “Okay.”

I lean back, slightly suspicious. I expected this to go quickly, but something here is off. I’m not certain we’re talking about the same thing.

Her phone vibrates. She flinches, but makes no move to retrieve it.

“Why do you look afraid of your phone?”

She thunks her head back against the wall as the incessant vibration continues. “Because it’s one of two people. If it’s my mother, she’s calling to yell at me because I’m not in California. If it’s my father, he’s calling to yell at me for refusing to go out with one of his business partners.” She takes a deep breath. “I haven’t answered his phone calls all day, but I have to face the music sooner or later.”

“Do you?” I ask softly.

A new phone call comes through, and I glance over to see Jonny’s name as the incoming call. He’s trying again. I step back and tip my head to the phone. “By all means, Franki. Let’s hear what Jonny Lennox has to say.”

“Should I tell him we’re together? You don’t mind me doing that?”

I show her my teeth in a facsimile of a smile. “I’d accept nothing less.”

She picks up her phone and puts it on speaker. “Hey, Jonny. How are you?” Her voice shakes, and I could kill him for that alone.

“You’ve upset Leo,” Jonny barks.

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