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  “You didn’t come here to tell me how well his leg is mending, did you?”

  Robbins grinned wryly. “No, I didn’t.” He walked over to her father’s desk and turned to face her. “It isn’t any of my business what went on between you and Rowdy. In fact, I’d rather not know.

  “I realize he’s in love with you. Both Kincade and I saw it happening. We sort of enjoyed watching the transformation. I’m certainly no expert on love. I’m not married myself. But it seemed to me that you felt just as strongly about Rowdy.”

  “I do,” Norah admitted. “Oh, I do.”

  “From the minute he was discharged from the hospital, all he thought about was you. He drove the staff crazy. It’s a miracle that group of stockholders didn’t walk out on him in San Francisco. Ms. Emerich told me he bolted upright in the middle of the conference, as if he didn’t know where he was, then sat down and mumbled something no one heard.”

  “He was probably worried about his stock,” Norah said.

  “I don’t think so. My guess, and that of everyone else who’s close to him, is that it was you he was thinking about in San Francisco. The same way he has ever since you two met.”

  “He isn’t thinking about me anymore,” Norah said.

  “Don’t kid yourself. I’m not here for my health, Norah, and if Rowdy ever found out, he’d have my hide as well as my job. He’s miserable.”

  “I suppose he’s making everyone else miserable, too.”

  “No, and that’s what’s got us worried. I’ve never known Rowdy to be so…nice. He’s keeping his unhappiness to himself. He’s polite, cordial, thoughtful. No one knows what to make of it.”

  “I—I’m sure it’ll pass.”

  “Perhaps,” Robbins agreed, “but I can’t help thinking it might not. No one’s ever seen Rowdy like this. We don’t know how to help him. You’ve got your family, but Rowdy doesn’t have anyone.”

  “He’s got CHIPS,” she said, not meeting the man’s direct gaze.

  A knock sounded on the door, and her father came in, bringing Robbins a glass of iced tea. David glanced from him to Norah and back again, then edged out the door.

  “Thank you.” Robbins took a sip of tea and set the glass aside. “I came because Valerie seemed to think it was important for you to know what’s happening to Rowdy. She wants you to understand how much he misses you…how lonely and lost he is. That’s all. Now I won’t take up any more of your time.”

  “Thank you for telling me.” Although Norah was aware that Valerie had encouraged him to come, she was grateful. Earl Robbins had given her a lot to think about.

  He nodded. “Listen, if it wouldn’t be too much to ask, I’d appreciate if you didn’t say anything to Rowdy about my stopping in.”

  “Of course,” Norah agreed.

  Robbins looked significantly relieved.

  It took Norah about two minutes to decide what to do with the information Robbins had given her, and two days to make the arrangements.

  She kissed her father on the cheek late Thursday afternoon, picked up her suitcase and headed down the porch steps to Valerie’s car. Her sister was waiting to drive her to the airport.

  “You call, you hear?” her father shouted after her.

  “Of course I will,” Norah promised. “Although he just might throw me out on my ear.”

  David chuckled. “That isn’t likely. That man needs you—the same way I needed your mother. Be gentle with him. The poor guy doesn’t have a clue what’s about to happen.”

  Norah found his parting words a bit odd. She didn’t have a clue herself. All she could do was hope for the best.

  Early Friday morning, Norah arrived at CHIPS dressed in a new suit. The seventeen-floor headquarters was an impressive piece of architecture, designed in smoky black glass and glistening steel.

  The first thing that occurred to Norah was how far from Orchard Valley she’d come, but that didn’t deter her from her purpose. Armed with Valerie’s directions and an elevator code, Norah entered the top floor that housed Rowdy’s office.

  “Ms. Bloomfield,” Rowdy’s assistant said softly when she saw Norah. The middle-aged woman slowly stood up and beamed her a wide smile.

  “Hello, Ms. Emerich,” Norah said uncertainly. She was having a difficult time taking everything in. She’d had no idea CHIPS was so big.

  “Oh, my heavens, I’m so glad you’re here.” Ms. Emerich hurried from behind the desk and hugged Norah enthusiastically. “It’s what we’ve all been praying would happen—your coming, that is. Rowdy isn’t in the office just yet… I never know when he’s going to show up these days. Would you like to wait for him?”

  Norah nodded and followed her into Rowdy’s private office.

  “I’ll get you some coffee,” the older woman said, hands fluttering in her eagerness. “Sit down, anywhere you like. Just make yourself at home.” She turned to leave. “Oh, Norah, I’m so glad you’ve come…”

  Perhaps it was a bit presumptuous of her, but Norah chose Rowdy’s chair. She sat in the plush black leather and whirled around to face the window, with its dramatic view of Houston.

  Hearing someone step into the room, she turned around again and smiled, expecting to see Rowdy’s assistant. Only it wasn’t Ms. Emerich who’d entered, it was Rowdy Cassidy himself. And he didn’t look pleased.

  “What the hell do you think you’re doing in my office?” he demanded.

  Ten

  “Rowdy.” Norah couldn’t take her eyes off him. It was the first time she’d seen him stand without his crutches. He looked tall and proud—and unyielding. It didn’t matter; Norah had never loved him more than she did at that moment.

  “What are you doing here?” he asked again.

  “I—I came to talk. Sit down, please.”

  He leveled the full force of his scowl at her. “You’re in my chair.”

  “Oh…sorry.” She leaped up as though propelled by a spring and hurried around to the other side of the desk.

  “Unfortunately, you made an error in assuming I wished to speak to you,” he informed her coldly once he was seated. “As it happens, I have several appointments this morning.”

  Just then Ms. Emerich appeared, carrying two steaming coffee mugs, which she set down on the desk. “Good morning, Mr. Cassidy,” she said cheerfully. Winking at Norah, she continued, “Mr. Deavon called and canceled his nine o’clock appointment.”

  Rowdy glared at her as if he didn’t believe her. “Call Kincade and have him here by nine.”

  “I’m sorry, sir, but Mr. Kincade phoned in sick.”

  “Murphy, then!”

  “Mr. Murphy’s out, as well,” she informed him, then glanced at Norah and winked again. With that, she was out the door, closing it quietly behind her.

  “Annoying woman,” Rowdy said under his breath. “All right,” he growled, “you wanted to talk. So talk.” He looked at his wristwatch. “I’ll give you exactly five minutes.”

  Norah picked up her large purse and deposited it in her lap. The zipper made a hissing sound as she opened it. She rummaged through, then gave up and leaned forward to sip her coffee, noticing that Rowdy hadn’t touched his.

  “I thought you wanted to talk,” Rowdy reminded her impatiently.

  “I do, but I brought a list and I want to go over it with you.”

  “A list?”

  She nodded absently, sorting through the objects in her purse. “There are some important issues I feel we have to discuss.” She still couldn’t seem to locate it and ended up setting her billfold and a paperback novel on the edge of his desk. She could feel Rowdy’s disapproval, but was determined not to let him distract her. “Here it is,” she said triumphantly, taking the folded slip of paper from the bottom of her oversize bag.

  After returning everything to her purse, she zipped it shut. “Now,” she began in a businesslike voice, “the first thing has to do with the engagement ring.”

  Rowdy’s face tightened. “You can skip that one.”
/>   “Why?” She looked up from her list.

  “Because there won’t be one.”

  “All right,” she said with a meaningful sigh. “I’ll go on to item number two. The vice president. You’ve got an excellent management team, but as I said earlier, you take on far more than necessary yourself, so I’m suggesting you appoint a vice president you could work closely with over the next few years.”

  “Vice president of what?”

  “CHIPS,” she returned shortly. “What else? The way I figure it, you’re going to need two, possibly three. Valerie said she’d recommend Bill Somerset, John Murphy and/or Earl Robbins. All three are familiar with the operation of CHIPS and very good managers. Valerie also seemed to think it would be a wise move because you’re probably going to lose Somerset if you don’t promote him.”

  “In a pig’s eye,” Rowdy argued. “Bill’s completely happy working for me.”

  “Perhaps now, but he’ll be wooed away by some other company that’ll trust him with added responsibilities. A vice presidency is a natural progression for him.”

  “What makes you so confident of all this?”

  “I’m not,” she readily admitted, “but Valerie obviously knows a lot more about it than I do. These are her recommendations.”

  “I gathered as much.”

  She moved her fingernail down the list. “Another thing. We’ll need to make some kind of compromise on the issue of traveling.”

  “Traveling?” he repeated.

  “I’m not sure how much is justified or necessary, but I’d appreciate having it held down to a minimum. I should be able to go with you on some trips, and it would be ideal if we could combine business with pleasure. Maybe two or three times a year—depending, of course, on our schedules.”

  Rowdy’s response was a humorless laugh. “You must be joking. I take that many trips in a month.”

  “Exactly. That’s far too much. The children won’t even know they have a father if you’re gone that often.”

  “Children?” he exploded.

  “That’s point number seven, but I’ll address the subject now. I’d like more than one child, Rowdy. I enjoy children, and I’m looking forward to being a mother. Now, I agree six may be out of line, but—”

  “Six.” He leaned forward, arms rigid and hands clutching the edge of his desk.

  “I know, I know,” she said with a sigh. “My dad seems to have that number fixed in his mind. But don’t worry, I was thinking four would be good. It’d be nice if we had two boys and two girls, but it really doesn’t matter.”

  Rowdy eyed her as if she’d gone completely berserk.

  “Item number three,” Norah went on without a pause. “You probably won’t ever work less than forty hours a week and more likely fifty. Valerie told me there were times you didn’t even bother to go home—you just slept at the office. However, I feel that would be detrimental to your health and to our relationship. If I’m going to marry you and move to Houston, I’d appreciate if you made an effort to come home every night. I do realize you’re needed here and I can live with whatever hours you deem necessary, provided the house is within easy commuting distance.”

  “Anything else?”

  “Oh, yes, there are several smaller items. Things any couple needs to discuss before marriage.”

  Rowdy made a show of glancing at his watch. “You might want to hurry since you’ve got approximately two minutes left.”

  “Only two minutes?”

  He nodded, his look stern and unwavering.

  She folded the piece of paper. “Then I won’t waste any more of your time on compromises.”

  “Fine.”

  “I’ll talk about my most important reason for coming here. I made a mistake when I rejected your proposal, Rowdy. You caught me off guard—I wasn’t expecting it. You were right, all I could think of was what I wanted, not what you were looking for in our relationship. So I’ve given you my list of possible compromises to think over.”

  “One minute left.”

  Norah stood, forgetting that her purse was in her lap. It fell unceremoniously to the floor. She stooped down to pick it up and straightened awkwardly. “Could we meet and talk again soon? Then I’ll listen to whatever you have to say. Actually, I’d be interested in knowing why you want to marry me when you’ve always been so set against marriage.”

  “Which is the question I’ve been asking myself for the past two weeks. It’s unfortunate that you don’t understand business practices, Norah.”

  “I don’t even pretend to.”

  “And that explains why you came here. You see, the offer was made and you rejected it.”

  “Yes, but as I told you, I acted in haste. I should’ve thought things through before I—”

  “Apparently you don’t understand,” he said without emotion. “I’ve withdrawn my offer.”

  She blinked, and a feeling of dread overwhelmed her. “But—”

  “It’s too late, Norah. Two weeks too late.”

  A numbness took hold of her limbs and she forced herself to exhale slowly. “I see… I’m sorry. I assumed, erroneously it seems, that your proposal was genuine.”

  “At the time it was.”

  “No, Rowdy, it couldn’t have been. Love isn’t a business transaction, something to be offered and retracted at will. It’s a feeling and it’s a commitment. That doesn’t disappear overnight.”

  “I’m not an impulsive man, Norah…generally,” he added with some reluctance. “But I was when I proposed to you. Actually you did us both a favor by rejecting my offer.”

  Norah was too stunned to respond for a moment. “You don’t mean that.”

  Rowdy said nothing, and since there didn’t seem to be anything else for her to say, either, she turned away from him, barely aware of where she was going.

  “Goodbye, Norah.”

  She didn’t answer him and walked blindly out of his office. She paused and closed her eyes to compose herself before proceeding.

  Ms. Emerich’s voice drifted toward her. “My, that didn’t take long, did it?”

  “Not at all,” Norah returned cordially, smiling at the older woman. She stood, as though paralyzed, in the outer office. She’d made such an idiot of herself coming to Rowdy like this!

  “Are you okay?”

  It took a few seconds for Ms. Emerich’s question to sink in. “Ah…oh, yes, I’m fine. Thank you for asking.” She nodded toward the closed door that led to Rowdy’s office. “Take care of him for me, will you, Ms. Emerich? He doesn’t eat right and he works far too many hours. He—he needs someone.”

  “I’ve been telling him that for the past five years, but he doesn’t listen.”

  “He’s too stubborn for his own good,” Norah agreed with a weak smile.

  “Won’t you be here? I was so hoping you two could patch up your differences.”

  Norah slowly, sadly, shook her head. “I’m afraid I…waited too long.”

  Ms. Emerich’s eyes revealed her dismay. “Oh dear, and I was sure everything would work out.”

  “So was I,” Norah whispered and moved toward the elevator.

  The hotel where she was booked was a short distance from CHIPS’s headquarters. Norah almost wished she’d walked, but with traffic so heavy and huge semitrucks roaring up and down the streets it didn’t seem prudent, so she opted for a taxi.

  The first person she called when she got back to the hotel was Valerie. When she told her sister what had happened, Valerie exploded.

  “The man’s a fool!” her sister snapped. “He’s doing the same thing with you that he tried with me. Obviously he didn’t learn anything the first time. Okay, fine. We’ll just have to teach him all over again.”

  “He didn’t try to bribe me, Valerie, nor did he issue any threats.”

  “How could he? You’re holding all the cards.”

  Norah didn’t know what her sister meant, and frankly she felt so defeated and miserable that it didn’t matter. “I’ve alr
eady changed my flight plans. I’ll be home this afternoon.”

  “No, you won’t,” Valerie told her. “That’s exactly what Rowdy expects you to do. He doesn’t mean a word of it, you know.”

  “That’s not the impression he gave me.”

  “Wait and see,” Valerie assured her. “My advice to you is stay where you are. Take in the sights, do a little shopping, relax, vacation. The last place Rowdy will ever think of looking for you is in his own backyard.”

  “But, Valerie—”

  “Promise me,” Valerie demanded. “Not a peep out of you. I can’t get over this,” she fumed. “That man’s certainly a slow learner! Don’t you worry, though, we’re going to educate him once and for all.”

  “He isn’t going to call me.”

  “I’m betting you’ll hear from him in twenty-four hours. Thirty, tops.”

  “All right,” Norah agreed reluctantly, although from the look on his face, Norah couldn’t imagine hearing from Rowdy in thirty days, let alone thirty hours.

  “Trust me, Norah. I know how Rowdy Cassidy operates. The only way he can deal with emotions is by treating everything like a negotiation. A business deal.”

  “I did what you and I discussed. I approached him as though it was a business deal, and I went through my list.”

  “Good. That he can understand.”

  “But it didn’t do any good.”

  “It will, it will. Now stay right where you are, and I’ll let you know as soon as we hear from the great and mighty Rowdy Cassidy.”

  Norah wasn’t sure she was up to playing hide-and-seek, but she trusted her sister and accepted Valerie’s advice. Really, she had no other option if she intended to work out her relationship with Rowdy.

  For two days she lazed around the hotel pool in the morning, shopped in the afternoon and visited museums and art galleries. In the evenings she dressed for dinner and dined by herself at the hotel. She’d never felt lonelier.

  On the morning of the third day, her phone rang. Norah was still in bed, although it was almost noon. She’d stayed awake most of the night worrying, certain that she should have arranged a flight back to Orchard Valley. Hanging around a hotel room like this was crazy.