The Proposition (The Proposition #1)(48)

Patrick shook his head. “She’s pregnant, isn’t she?”

Aidan’s own stomach churned, and he fought the urge to bolt from the table just like Emma. “What would possess you to think that?” he croaked. He sure as hell hoped Emma hadn’t mentioned something to Patrick while they were looking at the roses. If anyone was going to drop the bomb about his impending fatherhood, it was going to be him.

“Because of your mother. She couldn’t stand to be in the same room with meat when she was pregnant with you. Even the faintest smell would send her to the bathroom. The worst was when we were in the city and passed a hotdog stand.” Patrick smiled wistfully. “I haven’t seen anyone have that kind of reaction since her, not even your sisters.”

Aidan cast a glance down the hall. “Emma’s only about six weeks along. The morning sickness, or I guess I should say nausea, is hitting her really bad.”

“I assume the child is yours?”

“Of course it is,” Aidan growled.

“Surely you can see why I would question you. After all, you introduced her as a friend from work and now you’re telling me she’s pregnant with your child.”

“I didn’t quite know how to tell you.”

“Are you planning on marrying her?”

“It’s not that simple.”

Patrick’s eyebrows arched in surprise. “It isn’t? I thought when you got a woman pregnant, you did the honorable thing and offered to marry her. Why the hell were you sleeping with her if you didn’t love her or see a future with her? Or are you still hell bent on being the ass**le who uses women for his selfish own purposes?”

Aidan narrowed his eyes and gripped the edge of the lace tablecloth. “Jesus Christ, Pop, don’t hold anything back. Tell me how you really feel!”

“I’m sorry, but you’re thirty-two years old. You haven’t had a single long-term relationship since you broke it off with Amy.” Patrick shook his head sadly. “If I’m being completely honest, I could say that Amy and Emma remind me a lot of each other. I certainly don’t want to see Emma get hurt like Amy did, especially if she’s carrying my grandchild.”

“Look, quit playing me out as the villain. Emma wanted a baby, so I agreed to help her.”

Patrick opened and closed his mouth like a fish out of water. Once he had a moment to adjust to the news, an amused smile curved on his lips. “Ah, you’re like her stud horse or something?”

“Not funny.”

“Sorry, son. I couldn’t resist.” He patted Aidan’s arm. “All joking aside, I just want you to think long and hard about what you’re doing. I can see you care deeply for Emma, and she does for you.”

Aidan shifted in his chair and stared down at his hands. “I don’t know how I feel.”

“You know what your mother would say, don’t you?”

Sinking fast in the quick-sand of his father’s words, Aidan swept out of his chair and went to pour himself a drink. He pulled the Scotch from the cabinet. “Don’t bring her into this. She badgered me enough herself. Always wondering why I broke Amy’s heart, or why I wouldn’t settle down, marry some nice girl from church, and punch out a bunch of kids.” He conveniently left out the part about how she had made him promise on her deathbed to have children one day.

“Don’t you realize son she knew that’s what would really make you happy.”

Aidan scowled. “But she never saw the real me—she only believed the good parts. If she had really stopped to think about it, she would have realized I never wanted to be tied down or be stuck with the same woman day in and day out.”

Hurt radiated in Patrick’s eyes. “Is that what you think of the forty-five years I had with your mother?”

Aidan threw his head back and stared at the water stain on the dining room ceiling. He wished he had never answered his phone or agreed to come over. Most of all, he wished he had never, ever thought bringing Emma with him would be a good idea. She had been right when she anticipated her presence would bring on the third degree. Aidan sighed and looked over at his father. “No, Pop, that’s not what I think. But we’re different people.”

“Emma could be the best thing that’s ever happened to you.”

A snort erupted from Aidan’s lips. “How the hell would you know that? You’ve been with her all of an hour!”

“I may be an old man, but I’m not blind. She’s the total package, son. She’s just as beautiful on the inside as she is on the out. How can you not be amazed by what a special young woman she is? Why if I was your age, I’d be doing everything in my power to make her mine—especially if she was carrying my child.”

Aidan opened his mouth to argue, but at the sound of the bathroom door creaking, he closed it. “Not a word,” he whispered to his father. When Emma appeared, her face was positively ghost-like except for the flush of embarrassment on her cheeks. She eased down in her seat and tentatively glanced across the table at Aidan.

“Are you all right?” he asked.

She gave a weak smile. “I’m fine.” She then turned to Patrick. “Mr. Fitzgerald, I’m so sorry for ruining your lunch like that.”

He held up his index finger to silence her. “You did no such thing.” He reached across the table to squeeze her hand. “Besides, it does an old man’s heart good to hear he’s going to be a grandfather again.”