Page 56 of Blitzing Emily

Brandon carefully transferred Kate back to her mother. “Bye, sweetheart. Maybe we can play at the park another day,” he said.

“Are you here often?” Kate’s mother asked.

He glanced over at Emily. “Not usually, but I see that’s going to change.”

Emily held out her hand. “I’m Emily. This is Brandon.”

“I’m Brianna. Maybe we’ll see you around.”

With a wave, Brianna and Kate hurried up the path to the parking lot. Brandon pulled Emily a little closer as they continued watching other children play in the sand.

“What do you think our baby would look like?”

“Hmm? What are you talking about?”

Emily was a million miles away. Actually, she imagined a small, soft bundle in her arms and the look on Brandon’s face when he saw her for the first time. Amy was always the one who longed for a home and a family. Suddenly, Emily knew why. She couldn’t rock a career to sleep at night, or watch it play in the sand.

He waved one big hand in front of Emily’s eyes. “You’re daydreaming.”

“Our baby? Are you on crack?” she said. He let out a laugh. Emily smiled in response. “Probably lots of blond curls, like you.”

“Maybe I want her to be a redhead, like you.”

“She’d probably be a spitfire, then.” She patted him on the thigh. “It could be a boy.”

“Maybe. I think I’d like a daughter,” he mused. Brandon stared out at the lake in front of them. “She sure was cute.”

Something new and sweet unfurled inside Emily. In only a few minutes’ time, the biological clock she believed was broken beyond all repair started ticking. Surprisingly, she knew the only man she wanted to remedy the problem sat next to her.

He hadn’t said a word about the time ticking away on their engagement. Then again, she hadn’t brought it up, either. Obviously, bookings had never been better. The arrangement worked well for both of them. At the same time, she enjoyed his company. She looked forward to seeing him. She realized that after all the hours of talking there was still more to talk about. She confided things to Brandon she never told anyone else before, and he seemed equally comfortable with her.

The silence stretched on as Brandon and Emily watched people strolling through the park. She tugged the ring off her finger. After all, he’d said thirty days.

“You probably want this back,” she said.

He turned toward her, and she put the ring in his palm. “What are you talking about, sugar?”

“The thirty days is up,” Emily said. It was hard to force the words out past the lump in her throat. It was best to keep this businesslike. “We agreed.”

She saw momentary confusion in his eyes, but as she watched, amusement took over. He raised one eyebrow. “So, you think you’ll get rid of me that easily.”

The tiniest flicker of hope came to life.

“Let’s see how it goes,” he said.

He took her hand in his, and put the ring back on her finger. Emily didn’t realize she was holding her breath till that moment. Their fingers tangled, he slid his arm around her shoulders again, and she moved closer. She saw the dimple in his cheek deepen as he smiled.

TWO WEEKS LATER,Emily was scheduled to take part in Seattle Opera’s annual fundraising auction. It was a great chance for those who loved opera to meet performers and bid on items such as dinner with major opera stars that typically performed at The Met, Covent Garden, or La Scala. It was formal, so she spent most of the afternoon getting ready to go.

She glanced out the upstairs window in time to see Brandon pulling into the driveway. He got out of the Land Rover, and her mouth went dry. He wore a tailored black tuxedo. For a guy who spent most of his time in threadbare Levis and rugby shirts, formalwear suited him. All that black, combined with his angelic blond curls and perpetually innocent expression, was scalding hot. He dazzled.

Emily’s biggest job at the moment was getting down the stairs without tripping over her dress. She could drool over him later.

She wore a royal blue silk, sleeveless gown that ruched from the deep V-neck down over her abdomen, pulling the fabric against her hips. The dress flowed into a full skirt with a short train. It fit her like it loved her. She left her stilettos in the closet; low-heeled sandals worked better, since she’d be on her feet all evening. The only jewelry she wore were Brandon’s engagement ring and the diamond studs he gave her.

She managed to sweep to the front door without sustaining a sports injury, and she pulled it open for him.

“You changed your mind about the powder blue tux,” she said. Her fingertips strayed down his sleeve.

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