The Texan's Contract Marriage - By Sara Orwig Page 0,29

so after the jewelry store you can shop for a wedding dress. If you prefer, I can fly you to New York to select your dress.”

“I’ll find a dress in Dallas,” she said, thinking this would never be as important as it would have been had she been in love.

“This jeweler is good. You can work with him on the engagement and wedding ring you’d like to have. Do not worry about the price. That’s why I’m going. I want to make sure you spend at least a certain amount, but you might as well select your ring.”

“I don’t need some fabulous ring.”

“I want you to have a ‘fabulous’ ring for marrying me and bringing Noah into my life. Kern would definitely want you to have a spectacular ring. We might as well discuss this now instead of in the jewelry store. Don’t hold back. I want you to get what you want. I mean that. I want you to have at least an eight-carat diamond. You can go from there.”

“Marek, that is an enormous diamond that isn’t necessary or logical. It doesn’t represent our love.”

“It represents my gratitude,” he said. Continuing to hold her hand, he sat close and she looked at the slight curl of his thick, dark lashes that framed his eyes and added to his handsome looks. “If we were deeply in love, I would select your ring and surprise you with it. Under the circumstances, I thought you might as well get what you want. I want it to be nice. I want it extravagant, a constant reminder of my gratitude to you. You can select a design working with this jeweler. He’s excellent.”

“Thank you,” she replied, feeling touched that he had made such a huge effort to convey how grateful he was. A tiny twinge of guilt fluttered because she knew if she could go back and undo telling him about Noah, she might do so.

The day would have come when Noah would ask about his father, and she would have to tell him, but not while he was a baby. She might have waited the first formative years until he was in school and she was separated from him anyway. At the same time, her guilt would have been greater because this way, she felt she was doing the right thing for Noah. He should benefit all his life from this union.

They sat back down when their steaks had been served, but Camille had no appetite. The monumental changes she faced were all she could think about. To her relief, they both lapsed into silence and Marek didn’t seem compelled to talk or try to entertain her.

“You’re worried, aren’t you?” he said finally.

“I can’t keep from thinking about all of the plans we’ve made. I’ve been accustomed to goals and schedules. Suddenly I’m facing a whole new way of living.”

“You’re not eating. I didn’t want all this to upset you.”

“It’s just different. You’re not exactly wolfing down your dinner, either,” she said and received a faint smile.

“Want to dance again? Would you rather go home?”

Relieved, she nodded. “I would rather go home. This has been quite a night.”

In a short time they were in the limo headed to her condo. “Can you go at ten in the morning to look at rings?”

“Yes,” she said.

He half turned toward her and folded her hand in his. “If you want to call me during the night, I don’t care what hour, go ahead. If you have questions, worries, let me know.”

“Thanks. I have a million questions. Will this work out? How will I get through giving up Noah? Will he be happy?”

“Ashley will still be with him.”

“Right now, I’d rather be his nanny and have her be the singer.”

“Do either of your sisters sing?”

“No. Stephanie, absolutely not. Ashley has a nice voice but not a strong one, and she doesn’t have the drive to want this. She loves children, wants to be a teacher. We’re all rather different.”

“As different, I guess, as Kern, Ginny and I are. I wish I could take away your worry, but I can’t. The money was supposed to help. This goes way beyond money, which becomes insignificant.”

She had to smile. “Millions do not become insignificant,” she said. “Well, maybe the thrill of the money does diminish next to the rest,” she admitted.

“I know it does. It shows in every way. If I told you I’d changed my mind and didn’t care and was going to stay out of your life and