C.J. Carmichael - A convenient proposal

And so was he. Sharon had probably passed out by now. He should’ve insisted on seeing the children, bundling them over to his house for the night. Friday he would. He’d take the afternoon off work, and tell Sharon she needed a break and he was looking after the kids for the weekend.

“Let me meet them, see how they react to being around me. Give me a chance, Mick.”

She wanted this so badly. And he couldn’t take care of the children on his own. Could it be that this was the solution?

“Let’s do it Friday,” he said, thinking of the phone call he’d have to make to Abby. You were right, he’d tell her. I haven’t been fair to you.

So was he being fair to Kelly? He didn’t know. But at least he was being honest—they both were—about the reasons for contemplating a union.

“Do you like pizza?” he asked.

“I love pizza. And Friday is perfect.”

“MICK MIZZONI is so gorgeous…”

The group of them were gathered in the study of the bed and breakfast. Dylan sat at the desk, recording deposits, while Cathleen, Poppy and Kelly ate popcorn around the glowing fireplace.

“He looks just like a brooding Lord Byron, wouldn’t you say, honey?” Cathleen slouched in a large leather chair, her booted feet propped on the low table in front of her.

Kelly leaned against the fireplace wall, regretting that she’d raised the subject.

“Lord who?” Dylan sounded irritable. Cathleen had forgotten to record some check stubs and he was having a devil of a time reconciling the account book with the bank statement.

“Lord Absolutely Delicious, that’s who.” Cathleen wasn’t concerned by her new husband’s foul mood. “Never mind him,” she said to Kelly. “I was in the same grade as Mick, so I should know. All us girls were crazy about the guy, but he never asked any one of us out. We wondered if…well, you know, if…” She shrugged and glanced at Poppy.

The elderly woman didn’t even blink. “If he was gay, you mean?”

“Yes. That’s it, exactly. I’ve heard he spends lots of time in Calgary. Maybe he’s living a double life. Respected journalist by day in Canmore, but wild drag queen by night in—”

“Knock it off, Cath!” Kelly said. Dylan had stuck his head up from the books long enough to laugh, but she was not amused. “Mick dates women, and yes, most of them have been from Calgary. So what?”

“I did hear that lately Mick has been dating Abby Stevens, the kindergarten teacher,” Cathleen admitted.

Not for much longer. Kelly hoped Abby wouldn’t be too disappointed when that new romance fell flat after only a couple of weeks. She felt a little bad for diverting Mick’s interest, but in the long run she was certain it would be to Abby’s benefit. Abby deserved to be married to someone who loved her, not just her child-raising skills.

And what about you, Kelly? Don’t you want to marry for love one day? The irritating voice that had nagged her since her conversation with Mick last night just wouldn’t shut up.

Yes, Kelly acknowledged to herself. Love and marriage were what she had once wanted for herself, too. But shooting Danny Mizzoni had changed everything. Especially now that she knew Sharon was pregnant.

One more life irrevocably affected by the events of that day. That baby would never have the opportunity to know his natural father.

How could Kelly expect the kind of normal happiness that her actions had denied to others?

“Why did you bring up Mick, anyway?” Cathleen wondered.

“Well, it’s just that we’re going out for pizza tomorrow night….”

“A date?”

Kelly saw the startled glance that Cathleen and Poppy exchanged. After the first ripple of surprise, Cathleen appeared pleased, while Poppy only seemed puzzled.

No. It wasn’t a date. More like a job interview. But she couldn’t tell her family that. “Sort of.”

“Oh, Kelly, that’s great. Just the thing to stop you from moping. Only…” Now Cathleen and Dylan checked in visually with each other. “He doesn’t blame you for his brother’s death, does he?”

“Cath, your ability to reduce situations to their simplest denominator always astounds me.”

“I’m sorry. You’re right. That was kind of rude.”

“But still an issue you’ll need to face if you plan to see much of the man.” Dylan turned off the desk lamp and came to Kelly’s side. “All any of us want is to see you happy. Especially me. What you’ve been going through…it’s all my fault. I know she’d fight me tooth and nail about this, but I shouldn’t have taken Cathleen out to the ranch with me that day.”

Neither of them should have gone to the ranch. But Kelly had given up arguing that point. She didn’t blame Dylan or Cathleen for what had happened. No one could have predicted Danny’s bizarre reaction.

“I appreciate your concern,” she said, shaking her head as her new brother-in-law offered her a refill of her drink. “But you don’t need to fuss over me. I’m just going out for pizza with Mick.” Along with his nephew and niece.

She didn’t mention that last part, though. If she was going to marry Mick, she had to get her family used to the idea gradually.

Not that they wouldn’t see right through her. But she was going to do her best to pretend this was a real courtship and a real marriage. She’d thought long and hard about what Mick had said the other night. He didn’t want a temporary solution, and she agreed. Billy and Amanda deserved better. When it came to family, they deserved the real thing.

Or at least a reasonable facsimile.

SELLING SHARON on letting him have the kids for the weekend hadn’t been tough. She’d even permitted him to give her another lecture as part of the bargain.

“Fetal alcohol syndrome isn’t the bogeyman, Sharon. This is real, serious trouble we’re talking about. That baby—” he’d glanced at her still slender stomach “—could be handicapped for life with learning disabilities and behavioral problems.”

“I already promised I wouldn’t do any more drinking.” She’d been in her housecoat, her hair a mess. Sharon was only in her mid-twenties, about five years younger than him. But she looked about ten years older. Life had been hard on her, but she’d been hard on herself, too.

“Go visit your sister in Banff,” he suggested. “A change of scene might do you good.” If she stayed here in this house, dwelling on her loneliness, he didn’t see how she’d avoid the bottle.

Sharon looked around, as if only just becoming aware of what a disaster her home was. “I should really clean up this mess.”

“I’ll take care of it,” he promised. Perhaps his cleaning lady would do the extra job—if he paid double. “You need to have some fun. Here, let me give you money to buy gas and to take Carrie out for a nice dinner.”

He handed over a hundred-dollar bill, praying he wasn’t financing another terrible drinking binge.

“A nice dinner…” Sharon sounded as confused as if he’d spoken in a foreign language.

“Sure. Get all dressed up and go to the Banff Springs Hotel for the evening. Wouldn’t that be fun?”

Mick bundled the kids in their snowsuits, boots and mittens. “Say goodbye to your mom, kids. We’re having a sleepover at my place.”

He had a hamper of dirty clothes to take with him, plus Amanda’s favorite stuffed animal, some kind of turtle, and her blankie. When he’d asked Billy if he wanted to bring anything special along, Billy just shook his head.

That had been several hours ago. Since then, he’d taken the kids for a play in the park, then brought them home to settle in before Kelly arrived at six for pizza. He got out the box of toys he kept handy for their visits, then zipped down to the basement to put in a load of laundry.