surprise
me.”
“Mom worked long hours when I was growing
up. Being the oldest of three brothers, who were always hungry,
left me with the job of getting supper on the table.”
A powerful tugging sensation worked at the
core of Betsy’s heart as she listened to the sadness in his tone.
“It must have been hard having so much responsibility at such a
young age.”
Skylar stood up and pulled the bottle of
champagne he had chilling from the bucket of ice. He filled two
long-stemmed glasses with the clear bubbly, handed Betsy one, then
spoke. “It played havoc on my social life.” He smiled. But Betsy
saw the underlying sadness he attempted to hide with the smile.
“Seriously though, without those tough years, I probably never
would’ve pushed so hard to get where I am today.”
“Would that be a terrific cook or successful
businessman?”
He chuckled before his mouth narrowed with
seriousness as did his eyes. “I’ve made it to the top of my
profession. I could retire right now if I wanted to.”
“And do what?”
He shrugged. “I don’t know-travel. Maybe get
married and have a few kids.” His eyes searched Betsy’s. “I haven’t
figured out why I’ve been having thoughts about getting married
lately.”
Betsy couldn’t breathe and quickly tipped
the glass to her lips to divert her eyes away from the magnetizing
glare of his. But when she swallowed, the fluid got stuck in her
throat and she started coughing to keep from choking.
Skylar’s expression radiated panic. Betsy
threw up her arm to let him know she was okay.
“You sure you’re all right?”
“I’m fine.”
“I didn’t think my cooking was that bad,”
came out in a joking manner. But Betsy saw genuine concern in his
eyes.
“It was the champagne. Must have gone down
the wrong pipe, I guess.”
She watched him relax a bit as he eased back
down in his chair. She couldn’t help notice him glance at his
watch. “Are you expecting someone to join us?”
“No.”
“I saw you checking your watch.”
He heaved a disgruntled sigh. “Yeah, well, I
promised to meet Stephanie at the club for a drink later.”
Betsy’s heart plummeted to her feet. And as
it slowly beat its way back to its proper location, she felt a
surge of strength combined with anger and a whole lot of hurtful
feelings stampeding through her all at once. Was it because of
Stephanie he suddenly had thoughts of getting married?
A sick sort of churning sensation landed in
the center of her stomach. She feared if she didn’t do
something-anything, she might bring up the food she hadn’t had time
to fully digest.
“I have to be going anyway,” she told him as
she put her plate on the tailgate.
“But you haven’t had dessert.”
“I’m sorry. The meal was splendid, but I-I
promised a client--”
“I understand.” Skylar looked more
disappointed than disturbed. Betsy ordered her stomach to calm
itself as she watched him reach into the backend of old Betsy and
pick up the apple pie. “If you really must go, I insist you take
this.”
“The whole pie?”
“We could share a piece over coffee in the
morning,” Skylar said. “What time should I stop by?”
What’s with this guy, Betsy wondered. He was
about to propose marriage to Stephanie Rogers and here he was
inviting himself for breakfast at her house.
She was tempted to tell him seven would suit
just fine. Her stomach even felt better thinking she’d see him
again first thing in the morning.
Have you totally lost your mind woman, Miss
Sensible made her presence known after a long period of peaceful
silence. What happened to the agreement the two of you made earlier
anyway?
“I don’t think sharing breakfast is such a
good idea,” Betsy heard herself say.
A moment of silence.
“Suppose you’re right,” Skylar agreed as if
he’d read her mind. “But I still want you to have the pie. What you
can’t eat now, you can freeze.”
“I didn’t know you could freeze pie. But
then I’m
me.”
“Mom worked long hours when I was growing
up. Being the oldest of three brothers, who were always hungry,
left me with the job of getting supper on the table.”
A powerful tugging sensation worked at the
core of Betsy’s heart as she listened to the sadness in his tone.
“It must have been hard having so much responsibility at such a
young age.”
Skylar stood up and pulled the bottle of
champagne he had chilling from the bucket of ice. He filled two
long-stemmed glasses with the clear bubbly, handed Betsy one, then
spoke. “It played havoc on my social life.” He smiled. But Betsy
saw the underlying sadness he attempted to hide with the smile.
“Seriously though, without those tough years, I probably never
would’ve pushed so hard to get where I am today.”
“Would that be a terrific cook or successful
businessman?”
He chuckled before his mouth narrowed with
seriousness as did his eyes. “I’ve made it to the top of my
profession. I could retire right now if I wanted to.”
“And do what?”
He shrugged. “I don’t know-travel. Maybe get
married and have a few kids.” His eyes searched Betsy’s. “I haven’t
figured out why I’ve been having thoughts about getting married
lately.”
Betsy couldn’t breathe and quickly tipped
the glass to her lips to divert her eyes away from the magnetizing
glare of his. But when she swallowed, the fluid got stuck in her
throat and she started coughing to keep from choking.
Skylar’s expression radiated panic. Betsy
threw up her arm to let him know she was okay.
“You sure you’re all right?”
“I’m fine.”
“I didn’t think my cooking was that bad,”
came out in a joking manner. But Betsy saw genuine concern in his
eyes.
“It was the champagne. Must have gone down
the wrong pipe, I guess.”
She watched him relax a bit as he eased back
down in his chair. She couldn’t help notice him glance at his
watch. “Are you expecting someone to join us?”
“No.”
“I saw you checking your watch.”
He heaved a disgruntled sigh. “Yeah, well, I
promised to meet Stephanie at the club for a drink later.”
Betsy’s heart plummeted to her feet. And as
it slowly beat its way back to its proper location, she felt a
surge of strength combined with anger and a whole lot of hurtful
feelings stampeding through her all at once. Was it because of
Stephanie he suddenly had thoughts of getting married?
A sick sort of churning sensation landed in
the center of her stomach. She feared if she didn’t do
something-anything, she might bring up the food she hadn’t had time
to fully digest.
“I have to be going anyway,” she told him as
she put her plate on the tailgate.
“But you haven’t had dessert.”
“I’m sorry. The meal was splendid, but I-I
promised a client--”
“I understand.” Skylar looked more
disappointed than disturbed. Betsy ordered her stomach to calm
itself as she watched him reach into the backend of old Betsy and
pick up the apple pie. “If you really must go, I insist you take
this.”
“The whole pie?”
“We could share a piece over coffee in the
morning,” Skylar said. “What time should I stop by?”
What’s with this guy, Betsy wondered. He was
about to propose marriage to Stephanie Rogers and here he was
inviting himself for breakfast at her house.
She was tempted to tell him seven would suit
just fine. Her stomach even felt better thinking she’d see him
again first thing in the morning.
Have you totally lost your mind woman, Miss
Sensible made her presence known after a long period of peaceful
silence. What happened to the agreement the two of you made earlier
anyway?
“I don’t think sharing breakfast is such a
good idea,” Betsy heard herself say.
A moment of silence.
“Suppose you’re right,” Skylar agreed as if
he’d read her mind. “But I still want you to have the pie. What you
can’t eat now, you can freeze.”
“I didn’t know you could freeze pie. But
then I’m
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