Stephanie Dees - The Marriage Bargain

He’d spent his entire adult life traveling from one exotic locale to the next, moving on just when things started to get real. He was good at short-term relationships, sliding in and out of other cultures with ease.

It was the long-term ones that gave him pause. But that would have to change if he wanted a relationship with his nieces.

Tires crunched on the driveway behind him and he turned to see a patrol car cruising toward him. Perfect. Just what he wanted to do today: deal with a cop who wanted to bust his chops for no reason.

A muscular man with short-clipped hair and mirrored aviator glasses stepped out of car. “Cameron Quinn?”

“That’s me.” He walked closer to the huge cop, eyes on the hand closest to the service weapon still snapped in the guy’s holster. Cam was a black man on someone else’s property and, like it or not, that made him a target. “Can I help you?”

The hand slowly extended and a smile spread across the cop’s face. “You don’t remember me, do you? Joe Sheehan. We were in the same class in the fourth grade.”

Cam gripped Joe’s hand, hyperawareness slipping away as he laughed. “Oh, yeah, it’s been a while. I’m not sure you had those biceps in the fourth grade.”

Joe chuckled. “No, I was pretty hungry in those days. I heard you were back in town. Planning to stay awhile?”

“Thinking about it. My nieces are here.”

Joe nodded. “I know. They live with my sister.”

“I forget just how small small towns are.”

The cop laughed again. “Yeah, I moved back a couple of years ago and it was definitely an adjustment. Fortunately, there are some advantages to everyone knowing everyone else, especially if you have teenage kids. Ours can’t do anything without their mom and me hearing about it.”

“I guess that would be an advantage...if you’re the parent.”

Joe’s rolling laugh bounced off the house behind them as a black sedan pulled into the driveway. The real estate agent, Cam assumed.

“So, you interested in this place?”

“I haven’t looked at it yet.” Cam glanced again at the house behind him. “I guess we’ll see.”

“Well, it’s a beautiful place. Good luck...and welcome back to town, however long you decide to stay.” Joe backed toward his patrol car. “If you’re around on Saturday afternoon, some friends and I play a pickup game of soccer down at the park. And tell my sister I said to bring you to Sunday lunch at the farm.”

“Thanks, I will.”

The real estate agent walked up to Cameron and held out a hand. “You must be Mr. Quinn. Hey, Chief.”

“Marjorie Ann, good to see you. I was just leaving. Nice to see you again, Cam.”

The agent, an older lady with a short white bob, had a perky smile on her face. “Shall we?”

“Sure.” Cam followed her through the front door. He’d asked for something near his nieces—which the agent had delivered—but this house was massive.

“The whole estate’s in perfect condition and it comes with the furnishings. Everything’s included, right down to the dishes in the cabinets. I know you said you have young nieces. There’s even a beautiful nursery and a playroom.” She walked toward a wide bank of windows and pulled open the curtains.

It was definitely way more house than he needed. When she’d emailed him the possibilities, he’d almost rejected the property without looking at it because of its size, but wow—that view made him glad he’d reconsidered.

Rolling pastures stretched out behind the house, swirling fog still lingering. A clear blue pond reflected the slightly rosy sky. In that second, he could see two little girls cartwheeling on the lawn. “It’s very nice.”

The agent’s heels tapped across the wide pine plank floor. Her thick Southern drawl drifted back from the kitchen. “Gourmet eat-in kitchen. Top-of-the-line appliances. Fully stocked with anything you might need, except the food, of course.”

He followed her into the expansive room. Once again his eyes were drawn to the windows and the large farm table in front of them. A family could sit and linger around that table. “And that building down the hill, that’s the barn?”

“Yes. There’s a small apartment on the second floor. Any questions so far?”

“Do you think it would it be possible for me to rent the place until the closing date if I make an acceptable offer?”

The older lady turned to him, a delighted expression on her face. “Why, yes. I think that could be arranged. I don’t believe the owner has any interest in the property at this point.”

“Write it up at full price. It’s worth that, probably more.” He could see the dollar signs like stars in her eyes and smothered a laugh. “Let’s try and get this done today. I’ll come by your office in an hour or so to sign the paperwork.”

That brought an instantaneous furrowed brow. “That timeline’ll be pushing it, but I’ll do my best. Feel free to look around. I’ll just head back to the office and get started.”

He walked her out before turning back to the great room to look around. The space had warm wood tones and comfortable furniture. He envisioned a puzzle on the round table in the corner and a cozy fire burning in the fireplace. Laughter echoing off the vaulted ceiling.

Half-embarrassed, he shook off the thoughts. He couldn’t shake off the longing as easily.

Cam tried out the word: home .

He’d been traveling for more years than he could count. A few months here and a few months there. He’d had all kinds of adventures all over the world and people paid him to write about them.

Was it possible that he could build a life here? Have family nearby? He wouldn’t have considered it until he’d seen the faces of those little girls, seen their beautiful eyes full of sass and darkened with sorrow.

He wasn’t a family man, but with that first glimpse of his nieces came a rush of love and a desire he’d squashed for years. He wanted roots. He wanted...

Home.

* * *

“So he just knocked on the door and introduced himself?” Juliet’s older sister, Wynn, sat on a stool beside the frosting station in the kitchen of the bakery, her eleven-month-old baby sleeping in a stroller beside them. “Girl, that is gutsy.”

Juliet looked up from the tray of doughnuts she was filling with pastry cream. “I know. I wanted to hate him, but I couldn’t. It was obvious that he was blown away by the girls.”

“Of course he was. We’ve all fallen in love with them.”

Jules paused in her work to glance at her phone. Nothing.

“It must’ve been hard to come back here after what happened with his mom and stepdad. It was hard for me and I had you guys.” Wynn paused. “Jules, what’s going on with you? I’ve never seen you so tied to your phone. You’ve checked it at least six times since I’ve been sitting here.”

“It’s the girls’ first day at day care. I’m a nervous wreck. It’s only been a few weeks. What if I’m pushing them too hard?”

Wynn shrugged, but Jules noticed she glanced over at the stroller, where Addie Jane lay sleeping. “You have a business. You can’t take off forever. Did they fuss, going in?”

“Not really. Eleanor saw a friend from church and she was excited to play. She’s outgoing like her mom.”

“See? It’s going to be fine. What about Emma?”

“Stuck her bottom lip out, but didn’t cry. The ladies in the baby room are sweet. They’ve already sent me one picture of her, playing with blocks on the floor.” Jules slid a doughnut over to Wynn and twisted the pastry bag to keep the pressure on the tip as she continued.

“Thanks. I’m glad you’re testing the waters before I have to put A.J. in there.” Wynn glanced at the baby again. “She looks angelic when she’s sleeping, doesn’t she?”