his jaw. “I’m happy that I have a son and a fulfilling career. Aside from that—”
When Sam began to fuss, Adan withdrew a bottle from the tote, uncapped it and handed to her. “It seems he’s getting hungry more often these days. The books I’ve read clearly state that an increase in appetite in an infant signals a growth spurt.”
“Spoken like the consummate father,” Piper said, bringing the return of Adan’s smile.
“I am certainly trying my best.”
“And you’re succeeding,” she said as she laid the baby in the crook of her arm and watched as he downed the formula with gusto. “He’s definitely grown. Before you know it, he’ll be riding a bike. I can’t wait to see that.” The statement left her mouth before she’d considered how unrealistic she sounded.
“Perhaps he should learn to walk first.”
That drew her attention back to Adan. “Yes, you’re right. Time is too short to wish it away.” After a bout of awkward silence, she added, “How is Elena these days?”
He leaned back against the sofa and draped an arm over the back of the cushions. “She is doing well. We’ve had several discussions about my father. She insists he was proud of my accomplishments, and claims he had difficulty expressing his emotions. I’m going to endeavor not to do that with Samuel. He deserves to know that his father supports him at every turn.”
“And I’m positive you’ll manage that just fine.”
“You always have had more faith in me than most.” He studied her eyes for a long moment. “I didn’t realize how much I would miss your company once you left. But I have missed you. Very much.”
She had no idea what to say or how to react. She certainly knew better than to hope. “That reminds me. I never saw where you released the statement outlining the reasons behind my departure.”
His gaze drifted away. “That is because I never issued that particular statement. We led the press to believe you were on a sabbatical in the States, visiting family.”
That made no sense to her at all. “What was the point in delaying the truth? You’re eventually going to have to explain why I left and never came back.”
Finally, he brought his attention back to her, some unnamed emotion in his eyes. “Perhaps that will not be necessary.”
She put the now-empty bottle on the side table and set Sam upright in her lap. “You’re hoping that if you sweep it under the rug, everyone will forget I ever existed?”
“I am hoping after you hear what I have to say, you will realize my mission entails alleviating that necessity.”
The man insisted on speaking in riddles. “By all means, continue. I’m waiting with bated breath for clarification.”
He pushed off the sofa and stood before her. “And I pray I have not waited too long to do this.”
As if she’d been thrust in the middle of some surreal dream, Piper watched in awe as Adan fished a black velvet box from his pants pocket and lowered to one knee. She couldn’t catch her breath when he opened that box to reveal a massive princess-cut diamond ring. “Piper McAdams, I have never met a woman quite like you, and I have never been in love until you. I probably do not deserve your forgiveness for my careless disregard, but I sincerely believe we both deserve to be together.” He tugged the ring from the holder and held it up. “Now, will you do me the honor of being my real wife, and a mother to my son?”
Heaven help her, the cat that had dragged her into the garage now had hold of her tongue. She could only stare at the glistening diamond, awed by Adan’s declaration of love and the knowledge the fairy tale could soon come true. But then came the questions. Should she take this leap of faith? Could she trust that he really wanted her as his wife, not only as a mother for his child? Or was she overanalyzing everything? Then suddenly the baby reached back, grabbed a wayward tendril of hair at her nape and tugged hard, eliciting her involuntary yelp and Adan’s scowl.
“That was not the reply I had hoped for,” he said gruffly.
She laughed as she extracted Sam’s grasp and offered him her pointer finger. “Apparently he was tired of waiting for my answer.”
“And I am also growing impatient.”
She pulled Sam up from her lap and turned him to face her. “What do you think about this whole thing, little boy? Should I say yes?”
When the baby squealed in response, Adan said, “I do believe he agrees that you should.”
She turned Sam around in her lap to face his father and held out her left hand. “I do believe you’re right.”
After Adan slid the ring into place, he stood and motioned for Piper to join him. Then with baby Sam nestled between them, he kissed her softly and smiled. “I do love you, Piper. More than my MiG-20 jet.”
He could be such a cad. A very cute cad. “And I love you more than my purple fluffy slippers that you always found so comical.”
His ensuing smile soon disappeared. “On a serious note, as soon as we are wed, I want you to legally become Samuel’s mother.”
“I would be honored,” she said. And she would.
His expression remained overtly somber. “He has a right to know about Talia, although I am at a loss over what to tell him.”
“That’s simple. When he’s old enough to understand, we’ll say that his mother loved him enough to give him up because she felt it was the best thing for him. And if I’ve learned anything at all, I suppose in some way that’s what my own mother did for me and Sunny. She wasn’t equipped for parenthood.”
“But you are,” he said. “And I’ve come to realize that not knowing about Elena did not discount the fact she was always the best mother a man could ask for. She’s also a very good grandmother, and she is dying to have you as her daughter-in-law.”
Piper couldn’t ask for more. “Any idea when we’re going to take care of the wedding business?”
“As soon as possible. Perhaps before we return to Bajul.”
“We could always hold the ceremony in the family backyard. I provide the groom, and my grandfather provides the shotgun.”
Adan laughed as if he didn’t have a care in the world. “No need for that. I am a willing participant in establishing a future with you.”
And very soon she would no longer be his pretend wife. She would be the real deal.
If a woman wanted to live in a palace, the gorgeous guy standing a few feet away could be just the man to make that come true. And three months ago he had—in a civil ceremony surrounded by her grandparents’ lush gardens, sans shotgun. Now Piper McAdams was more than ready to legitimately assume her role as his princess during the elaborate reception held in their honor.
For the past twenty minutes,
