The Texan's Contract Marriage - By Sara Orwig Page 0,66
like this.”
“I know, Ginny,” he said, looking away and she let the subject drop.
Through the meeting Marek thought about the future. He flew back to the ranch, the one haven in his life and now even the ranch seemed empty and hurtful.
That evening Jess appeared at the back door with a six-pack of cold beer. “Want company?”
Marek smiled slightly. “Hell, yes. I can use some company, Jess. Beer looks good, too. Come on in.”
Jess’s boot heels clicked against bare floorboards as he headed to the kitchen. In minutes they sat at the kitchen table while silence stretched between them.
“Camille was meant for opera. I can’t take her from that because she has the talent to be a star.”
After another stretch of silence, Marek ran his finger along the cold bottle. “Maybe I’ve been looking for what I had with Jillian, but Camille is different. I can’t expect her to give me what I expected with Jillian. Camille has all this talent. I’m going to have to settle for being a small part of her life, something I’m not used to doing.”
“If you love her and that’s what it takes, that’s a good decision,” Jess said. “I’d give anything for a small part of my family.”
“You’re right, Jess. I suppose it’s because I’m not used to being the one who compromises.”
“I don’t think you are.”
“For Camille, I’m willing to try to make this marriage work.”
“If you love her, that’s a good solution. You’ll do what you have to. So will she. You won’t lose Noah. What boy wouldn’t want to come to the ranch?”
“Might be a few, particularly one who’s raised backstage at operas.”
“You’ll see,” Jess said, and Marek felt a degree better. His cell rang. “That’s her, Jess.”
“Go ahead. I’ll head home anyway. Keep the beer for next time,” Jess said, standing and picking up his hat to go while Marek answered his phone. His heart missed a beat when he heard Camille’s voice.
*
After talking for over an hour to Marek, Camille lay in bed and contemplated her future. She loved Marek and she didn’t think she would ever love again. Life without him looked unbelievably empty. What did she want in her future? Would it matter to him what she wanted? One time he had asked her about scaling back her career, and she couldn’t. The last time they had been together, he had seemed restrained, preoccupied, yet their lovemaking had grown better and more passionate each time they were together.
What did she want in the future for herself? As his wife, money was no longer in the equation. Did she want to sing for the thrill and enjoyment of it? For the success? It was grinding work—voice and language lessons, daily voice practice, studying operas and arias, working out. She had Noah to consider. What did she want for her future?
She wanted Marek in her life and Noah’s. She wanted another baby. She also wanted to sing at La Scala and to reach a pinnacle in opera where she became a name.
Tears flowed freely and she turned, burying her face in her pillow to cry silently. She wanted it all—the best of both worlds, her love, her baby and her career. What did she want to sacrifice?
*
All the time Camille was in Saint Louis, she thought about her future. At night she sat up long hours, staring out the window at the familiar yard where she had grown up. What did she want most of all? Marek couldn’t make that decision for her. That one she had to make herself.
Making her decision, she cut her visit home short by two days and returned to Dallas, calling Marek and telling him she knew what she wanted to do.
Eleven
When Marek met her at the airport, as arranged earlier, they took Noah to Ginny’s before going to Marek’s Dallas house.
Struggling to wait to hold and kiss her, Marek finally placed his hands on her waist and took another long look at her, relishing every moment of having her with him. In a clinging, low-cut black dress that ended above her knees, she looked breathtaking. Her hair was pinned up on the sides, hanging free in the back. While it was gorgeous, he longed to take it down. Take down her hair, kiss her, seduce her and spend the rest of the day and night in bed making love.
“You can’t imagine how much I’ve missed you,” he said, kissing her passionately.
Minutes later, she leaned away to frame his face with her hands.