The Proposal (The Proposition #2)(38)

John and Percy then appeared in the doorway. “You know, I’m a little fuzzy on that one too, so maybe you can explain it to us all,” John said, with an amused smirk.

Aidan turned to scowl at John. “Georgie,” he began, “where babies come from is really something you need to ask your mom and dad about.”

Georgie’s blonde brows furrowed. “Why? Is it a secret?”

“No, it’s just, um, well…” Aidan rubbed the back of his neck while trying to come up with an answer. Finally, he remembered what his own mother had told him when he was just a kid and his sister Angie was pregnant. “It’s like this. When a man and woman love each other very much, the love grows inside the woman and makes a baby.”

Rubbing his chin, John asked, “So I guess that means you love Emma, huh?”

Aidan shot him a death glare before turning his gaze back to Georgie. Wonderment flickered on his face at the explanation. “That’s so cool that I grew as my Mommy and Daddy’s love,” he murmured.

When Aidan dared to look at Emma, she stared wide-eyed, open-mouthed back at him. Although he insinuated it every day, he still hadn’t managed to actually say the words. Maybe now was the perfect time to say it and seal the deal between them.

“Hey guys, there’s some homemade brownies from Emma’s Grammy in the kitchen if you want some.”

Georgie scrambled off the bed while John and Percy hightailed it down the hall. Once they were alone, he smiled at Emma. “How was my explanation?”

She sucked in a breath. “Good…and sweet. And he totally bought it.”

“But did you?”

“What do you mean?” she whispered.

His heartbeat pounded in his ears. This was it. It was now or never. He took a tentative step forward and opened his mouth.

“Aidan Fitzgerald, what are you doing giving my sons chocolate before dinner?” Becky demanded from the doorway with a hand on her hip.

Fuck! His moment had been totally ruined. He whirled around to glare at Becky. She gave him a funny look. “Between John and Percy, I’m not sure if you have any brownies left for Emma.”

He raked a hand though his hair and sighed resignedly. “I’m sorry, Sis. They helped me lug in the groceries, so I thought they could use a snack.”

She grinned. “I guess you’re forgiven then.” Becky then turned her attention to Emma. “Everything go okay while I was gone?”

Emma nodded. “They were the best baby-sitters I’ve had so far.”

Becky laughed. “I believe they’ve been your only ones besides my little brother here.”

With a teasing smile at Aidan, Emma said, “Oh, he’s so much more than just a baby-sitter.”

He arched his brows at her. “Oh, really?”

“Mmm, hmm. You’re a cook, a house-keeper, and an entertainer.”

Aidan shook his head but laughed in spite of himself. “Yes, I am all those things.”

“Well, I guess I better round up the boys and head out,” Becky said. She came over to the bed and gave Emma a kiss. “Take care of your self, Mama.”

“I will…and Aidan will.”

At the loving expression on Emma’s face, Aidan couldn’t help smiling. “Of course I will.”

“Work him hard then,” Becky said. She gave Aidan a playful nudge before kissing his cheek.

“You can bet she will,” he mused.

“Bye then,” Becky called with a wave.

Aidan stared at Emma for a moment. Should he go ahead and say it now or wait until a more opportune moment? Emma’s phone going off confirmed that he might as well wait.

CHAPTER ELEVEN

The next few days rolled along in a monotonous rhythm. Before long, Emma had completed her first week of bed-rest. She read, she watched TV and movies, and she visited with Casey and Connor as well as Aidan’s sisters. True to her word, Grammy came down for a day, and neither Emma nor Aidan could keep her from cooking them a huge meal along with a dessert. Emma especially enjoyed when Patrick came by. She was so glad to see him looking healthy and a complete opposite from when she had seen him last. They were both on the road to recovery, and she was so grateful.

Fortunately, Aidan’s leave of absence had turned into more of a work from home situation. Emma liked the fact he was kept busy so he wouldn’t be hovering over her 24/7 acting like a deranged mother hen. It wasn’t that she didn’t enjoy having him around. She loved the fact he was willing to do anything and everything she asked him to. He was good company with the fact he ate all his meals with her and usually fell asleep watching movies, which meant he ended up sleeping by her side.

Every day they seemed to grow closer and closer. But worry gnawed deep in the pit of her stomach. She feared her hormones and the close quarters of her bed-rest situation were making her blind to the truths of Aidan’s character. After all, she’d been fooled by him once before. Could she really ever trust him completely again? Could she emotionally withstand building a life with him only for it to all fall apart if he cheated again?

On Monday afternoon, she had just settled in to watch a marathon of one of her favorite old series, Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman, when her phone buzzed beside her. At the name on the screen, her heartbeat accelerated so fast it threatened to beat out of her chest.