she’d read enough romance novels to have an idea about how it was done.
What if she failed? What if he never loved her? Knowing Garth, he would still do all the things that would truly matter, for the woman he chose as his wife. He would respect her, be faithful to her, honor her and protect her. In his own way, he would even adore her, although he might not ever truly love her.
Regan decided then and there that even if Garth never fell in love with her, she had enough love for the both of them.
Garth paced his bedroom knowing he’d blown things with Regan. It wouldn’t surprise him if she was in her bedroom packing. How could he have been so stupid to admit something like that to her in the name of being honest.
No matter how he’d tried explaining things to her, it had gone from bad to worse. He wouldn’t be surprised if she took Harold Anders’s job offer now. Hell, it would serve Garth right if she did.
He stopped pacing. He needed to talk to someone, confess to being stupid and have that person agree with him. Pulling his phone out of his back pocket, he called Walker.
“Hello?”
“You awake, Walker?”
“Awake? Man, it’s daytime here.”
Garth had forgotten about the time difference. “I forgot.”
“Whatever. And since I know it’s nighttime there, is there a reason you’re calling me and not in bed with that woman? The one you met through the dating service?”
“She didn’t show due to a mix-up in dates.”
“Oh. So now you’re alone and bored with nothing to do.”
“I’m not exactly alone. Regan’s here with me.”
“Regan is always with you, Garth. She’s your pilot.”
Walker didn’t get his meaning. “Regan was to leave after dropping me off and then come back for me in two weeks. I convinced her to stay.”
“Oh.”
He still wasn’t sure Walker got it. “I want her, Walker. I want Regan.”
His best friend laughed. Walker was honestly laughing.
“What the hell is so funny?” Garth asked.
“You. It took you long enough to figure that out, Garth. You don’t think I haven’t noticed that you want Regan? Hell, even Bailey noticed it. Why do you think she suggested you invite Regan to the Westmoreland Charity Ball?”
Garth rolled his eyes. “That’s not possible. I only started wanting Regan at that ball.”
“Wrong.”
Garth frowned. “Wrong?”
“Yes, wrong. I began noticing how taken you were with Regan long before then. It might have been the night of that charity ball before you finally admitted it to yourself, but trust me. It’s been long before that night. A year or so before. Maybe even longer.”
Garth’s frown deepened. Had it? As if Walker could read his mind, he said, “Trust me, Garth. I’m your best friend. I notice things, especially when they concern you.”
“Then why the hell didn’t you say something?”
Walker chuckled. “It wasn’t my place. Besides, I was dealing with my own issues with Bailey. If you recall, I was fighting my own battles against falling in love. I didn’t have the time or inclination to take on yours.”
Garth leaned against the dresser in his room. “Love? Who said anything about love? I want Regan. I didn’t say anything about loving her. You of all people know I could never love any woman but Karen.”
Walker didn’t say anything for a minute. “So, why are you calling?”
Garth rubbed his hands down his face. “I told you. I want Regan. Desire got the best of me. With us under the same roof, I told her I wanted her.”
“And?”
“And I also told her all I wanted was an affair and nothing more.”
“Okay. That’s fair. You told her what to expect and what not to expect, which is what all men should do with women. So, what’s the problem? Regan is a grown woman. She either agrees to the affair or she doesn’t.”
“That’s not all I told her.”
“What else did you say?”
“I told her that the woman who didn’t show up here, the one from the dating service, was someone I had contemplated marrying.”
“And?”
“And that although I wanted Regan way more than I wanted that woman, I could not consider marrying her.”
“You actually told Regan that?”
“Yes, but I tried to explain why. I don’t want Regan to settle for a loveless marriage. She deserves more.”
“I agree Regan deserves more, but I think you made a mistake in telling her that. Think about it, Garth. You’re willing to marry a woman you’re not even sure you’d want. Yet you know you want Regan, but aren’t willing