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“Are you sure? If your other contracts come in, and you want to stay in San Francisco and honor them, we’ll make it work. You can come here on the weekends, or I can come there. I’ll come as often as I can.”
Her heart melted in her chest. He looked so earnest, that she wanted to call and tell the other companies that she wouldn’t be able to work with them.
She rested her hand on his shoulder and rolled up onto her tiptoes to kiss him. “Of course, I’m sure. You are the most important thing in the world to me. I love you.”
His eyes shone bright blue when he smiled at her. “I love you, too.” He frowned at the sound of a car approaching and edged her over to the side of the lane so that it could pass.
Alyssa saw a glimpse of an older man who raised his hand and waved, so she waved back.
Bentley laughed. “I hope you realize that you’re going to make a lot of new friends today.”
They started walking again. “Are you being serious or sarcastic?” She was used to going into new companies. She was used to being treated with suspicion, too. It came with the territory when you went in as an auditor.
“Totally serious! Don’t think you have anything to worry about there. The staff is like a family. We’re fortunate that everyone gets along, and there’s a great atmosphere. But I should probably warn you now … They’ve all been after me for years. Telling me that it’s time I met someone and settled down and … Never mind.”
He broke off so abruptly that she wondered what his problem was. “Hey. What’s wrong?”
“Sorry. I was just running my mouth. I’ll shut up.”
“Please don’t. Tell me what you were going to say?”
He met her gaze and held it for a long moment before he said, “They’ve all been telling me that I need to meet a good woman, settle down, and … and produce the next heir to the DuPont Wineries empire.”
“Oh!” It took her a moment before it dawned on her. She let out a short laugh. “Sorry, I can be a bit slow sometimes. I shouldn’t have put you on the spot, should I?”
“I thought it was me putting you on the spot.”
She gave him a puzzled look.
“I told you that you’re going to make a lot of new friends today because when they meet you, they’ll know that you’re a good person, that you’re good for me, and they’ll make no secret of the fact that they think I should settle down with you. I’m hoping that’s the way it will work out. But …”
“But what – you don’t want to produce the next heir?”
“More like I don’t know if you do. It’s not something that we’ve talked about yet.” He blew out a short laugh. “And it doesn’t seem right to me that we’re discussing it now just because the people at work might want to know.”
She laughed. “I don’t think that’s quite why we’re doing it. It might have forced the timing but …” She shrugged. “I don’t have any problem telling you that I want kids.” She smiled. “In fact, I so much more than just want kids. If we get there, you might have to watch me. You see, I plan to let my kids know every day and every way just how loved they are. I didn’t have a terrible childhood or anything, not compared to some people, but it wasn’t great. I want my kids to have so much better than that.”
She hesitated, wondering if she was saying too much. But it wasn’t too much, it was the truth. It was her truth, and he needed to know it.
“After the whole deal with my dad, I want my kids to know that both their parents love them.”
She stopped talking when she saw the way that he was smiling. “What?”
“Just that it looks like we’re on the same page with that too,” he said. “What you just described? That’s the way I want things to be for my kids.”
Her heart felt like it melted in her chest when he cocked an eyebrow and added, “Our kids.”
His words sent a shiver through her, and she laughed to cover her embarrassment. “Don’t you dare go thinking that I’m laughing at you. It’s just that I think my ovaries may have exploded when you said that.”
He looked puzzled for a moment and then laughed with her. “Okay, good to know.”
They were almost to the office building now, and Alyssa sobered a little as they started up the steps.
Bentley squeezed her hand that he was still holding. “Don’t worry, there’s nothing to be nervous about. They’re going to love you. And if you’re not sure of anything, I’ll be right there beside you.”
~ ~ ~
“Hello, Mom. How are you?”
