Page 59 of Whispers at Seaside
Her heart skipped. She’d never tire of hearing those words from him.
He didn’t wait for an answer. It was like he just couldn’t hold back telling her, and that made her a little dizzy in the best possible way.
“You gave them both the same presentation,” he reminded her. “They’ll probably discuss it at great length, and if Ken wants in, he may help sway Martin. You can follow up in a day or two with a phone call. Remember, sunshine, he didn’t know you at all before today. Give him time to digest and reflect on you and your presentation. I’m sure he’ll come around, but if not, we’ll see where we are after you’ve met with everyone at the end of the week.”
Over the course of the afternoon she grew terrified that this wouldn’t work and she’d let everyone down. How could Matt be so calm about it? Heneverseemed to get flustered. When she and Hagen had woken up that morning, Matt had already been writing for two hours, wearing those heart-stopping glasses. He hadn’t given any indication of being annoyed when Hagen tore out of the bedroom and leaped into his lap, disturbing the little work time he had while they traveled. He’d simply pushed his laptop to the center of the table and fell into a conversation about “While Mommy’s at her meeting…”
Like I would have.
Like a parent.The thought surprised her. Their lives had melded together in every way. They’d had dinners together every night for the last few weeks, saw friends together, put Hagen to bed together. They’d become afamilyas seamlessly as they’d become lovers.
She shifted her eyes to the library shelves, scanning the spines of the books to distract herself from the impact of that thought, but all she saw was Hagen in his pajamas sitting on Matt’s lap at the table in the hotel and the smiles that brightened her little boy’sandMatt’s features. Her pulse quickened at the enormity of her emotions. Being in love was magical and wonderful, but a lifelong commitment was a whole other story. And what if the co-op didn’t work and she let everyone down? Would it affect their relationship?
Her mind righted itself on that thought, forcing rational thoughts to the forefront and pushing her girlish dreams aside. She had a little boy’s heart to protect, even if it already belonged to Matt, too.
“Aren’t you worried that I might blow this?” she asked quietly, to keep Hagen from hearing.
“Not even a little. I have unwavering faith in us.”
Was he talking about the co-op or their relationship? “But this is your family’s legacy. What if we can’t make the co-op work?”
“Then we’ll try something else. I know how important this is to you, and now that I’ve finally got my head out of my a—” He glanced at Hagen, then back at Mira and lowered his voice. “On straight, I realize how important it is to me and the rest of my family. We’ll make it happen. There’s nothing we can’t do. We’re a team.”
He glanced at Hagen again. “A team of two and a half.”
He placed a hand on her lower back and reached for Hagen’s hand as they headed into the hallway. “Ready for the Children’s Library, buddy?”
Hagen nodded eagerly.
As much as she loved knowing he believed in herandin them, she felt like she was under a mountain of pressure. There was a good chance she wouldn’t be able to pull off the co-op, even though she truly believed it was a smart business move. Ken and Martin mightbothdecide they weren’t interested. Maybe all six prospective partners would.
She glanced at Matt as he listened intently to Hagen telling him what books he wanted to find at the Children’s Library, and her chest filled with love for both of them. She was wholly and completely in love with Matt, and she knew her little boy was right there with her.
They were a team of two and a half, and that just might be more powerful than any six people could ever be.
Chapter Twenty-Four
MIRA BURST OUT of the bedroom of their New York hotel suite Friday afternoon after changing out of the professional outfit she’d worn to her last meeting and flopped onto the couch with a loud sigh, looking beautiful in a peach-colored top and sexy, summery skirt.
“It’s finally over.” She rested her head back against the cushions. “Five meetings in four cities over five days. I don’t knowwhatI was thinking. Don’t ever let me do anything this crazy again.”
She looked at Matt, and he wondered if she saw how much he adored her. Could she tell when she left the hotel each morning how proud he was of her for having the courage to take on such an enormous endeavor when she already had such a full life? She glanced at Hagen, sitting on the floor playing with his robot, and her expression warmed. The look of love that came over her when she looked at her brilliant boy was the most beautiful thing he’d ever seen. She met his gaze again, and he wondered if she realized that the way she was looking at him, like she was desperately in love, made his insides melt. Did she know he felt like the luckiest guy alive to have her and Hagen in his life?
He smiled and touched his toes to hers. “I guess I won’t tell you about the road trip Hagen and I are planning for his Christmas break from school.”
“Do I have to talk people into going into business with strangers?”
“No,” he answered. “But you might have to go on Space Mountain.”
Her eyes filled with disbelief—and just as quickly, with excitement.
“And to the Animal Kingdom!” Hagen added with a wide grin.
“Animal Kingdom I can do, but Space Mountain?Nothappening. I’d get too nervous.” She mouthed,Disney World?to Matt, and he nodded. She shook her head, as if he were making promises he shouldn’t, but the smile on her face told him she wasn’t really upset.
“Remember how nervous you were when we went parasailing? And then you loved it. And in Boston, before your meeting? By the time you did the presentation in Connecticut, you said you only had minor butterflies. And this morning you were like a true New Yorker, full of guts and glory and ready to take on the world. There’s nothing you can’t do. You’re a force of nature.”
An incredibly enticing force of nature.
