Kyle’s Bargain (26 page)

“Okay.” He hung up a few minutes later. He expected a call
from his father to berate him again for letting a woman lead him around by the
balls. It didn’t come, though.

He spent all day Monday and Tuesday waiting for it as well.

On Wednesday he got a rejection of the last financing
application he had outstanding.

Reluctantly, he took the news to his partner.

Ryder didn’t look surprised when Kyle told him about the
series of rejections. He didn’t express any sympathy or doubts either. He cut
to the bottom line. “What are you planning to do now?”

“Ride it out for a bit. It doesn’t become an issue for a
while since I’ve got enough financing to finish the first phase. Then the
income from rentals in the completed section, along with some supplementing
from my personal funds, should be enough to cover the shortfall in funding for
the second phase.”

“You can cover any shortfall personally?” The question held
more surprise than doubt.

“Maybe.”

Ryder nodded. “Have you talked to your father about it
again? Does he know about your engagement?”

“He wasn’t there when I called. I told my mother, so he
knows. He hasn’t called back to congratulate me.”

Again Ryder nodded acceptance. “The company can cover some
of the shortfall if needed.”

Ryder’s bland tone didn’t hide the subtext. The company
wouldn’t want to cover the shortfall and if it was big enough, it could ruin
them all.

“Won’t be needed,” Kyle said. “I’ll handle it. Once Phase
One is making money, I should be able to reapply for more financing anyway.”

“True,” Ryder agreed. “You should talk to your father.”

Kyle curled his fingers into the arms of the chair and held
on tight. “Why would his answer be any different now?”

“He’s met Meg, hasn’t he? I’ll bet he was impressed. And now
that he knows you’re committed to her, he might change his mind in the interest
of family unity.”

“If he was impressed, he hasn’t bothered to tell me about
it. And family unity has never seemed a big priority for him.”

His partner shook his head. “You’re definitely a chip off
the block. You’ve both got more stubborn pride than good sense sometimes.” He
paused a moment, and said, “Sorry. Didn’t mean to veer off into personal
comments. It’s your business. But I’ve known both of you for a while and you’re
both good men. I hate to see you at odds.”

Kyle shrugged. “I promise that we will meet the projections
on this project. One way or another. I
won’t
let the company down.”

“I believe it,” Ryder said. “That stubborn pride does have
its virtues.”

Kyle couldn’t keep back a small grin. “Glad to hear I have a
few things going for me.”

Ryder rolled his eyes. “Oh, for God’s sake… Get out.”

Laughter felt good after Ryder’s dissection of his
character. Pride was a fault and he knew he had his share, but he couldn’t
allow his father to tell him how to run his life. That wasn’t just pride, it
was survival. He was a man. He’d earned the right to make his own decisions.

When he called Meg later to ask her out to dinner, she had
to decline yet again because of another meeting relating to Laurie’s school. He
struggled to remain patient, to remind himself that he’d already accepted the
demands her sister would make on Meg and the affect on him.

“We’ll need to talk about you and your sister moving to the
house,” he said. “I don’t think you’ve seen the third bedroom. I’ve been using
it as a home office, but I’ll move my stuff to the guest bedroom so Laurie can
have it.”

“Our lease on the apartment is up in August,” Meg said. “I
guess it would make sense to move then.”

“Do you want to get married first?”

“Wouldn’t give us much time for planning,” she said. “On the
other hand, it will have to be pretty simple since I’ll be paying for it
myself.”

“
We’ll
be paying for it,” he corrected.

“Okay. But neither one of us can really afford to put on a
big wedding.”

“True.”

“But I’d still like a bit more time to prepare. Maybe
October?”

“Fine with me. You still want to move in August?”

“Yes.”

He didn’t tell her about the last application. He wanted to
do it in person and he’d be seeing her that weekend at Rick and Lindy’s
wedding.

* * * * *

Laurie had been elated when Meg told her that she and Kyle
were going to get married and showed her the ring. The girl jumped up and down,
hugged Meg, laughed and cried a bit. “Can I be a brides—what is it?” she asked.

“Bridesmaid,” Meg said. “Yes. In fact you’re going to be my
maid of honor.”

“WhoooHooo!” She almost sang it in her joy.

That exuberance lasted for the rest of Sunday and into
Monday, but by Monday evening it seemed to have faded into a fretful worry. She
wouldn’t say what was bothering her, however, though obviously it had something
to do with her sister and Kyle’s relationship. Meg suspected the girl wondered
if she’d ever find a Kyle of her own. It was a concern for both sisters.

She didn’t get a glimpse of the real reason, though, until
Meg talked to Laurie on Thursday to warn her that they would be moving in a few
weeks.

Laurie gave her a sad look. “Where am I going to go, Meggie?
I like living with you. Will I go to a home like some of the other kids?”

The light finally dawned. “You’re coming with me, of
course.” She embraced her sister. “Kyle’s cleaning out a bedroom for you now.
He’s been using it as his home office, so it’s kind of cluttered, but we’re
going to make it over into a bedroom for you.”

Laurie’s expression cleared and she hugged Meg so fiercely
it threatened to drive all the air out of her.

It didn’t surprise her when Carla showed up the next morning
with doughnuts and burning curiosity. The woman set down the bag and lifted
Meg’s left hand. The ring drew a smile. “So it’s true. Laurie’s been telling
everyone you’re going to get married. To Mr. Sex-on-the-hoof Kyle Harrison.”

“Yup.”

“Gotta admit I’m relieved. I was a little afraid he was just
jerking you around. Or that you’d let Laurie’s needs outweigh your own. So
when’s the wedding?”

“We haven’t set a date yet, but we’re thinking September or
October.”

“October we could do, maybe. September’s too soon.”

“Too soon for what?” Meg poured them each a cup of coffee.

“Well… We were thinking. You see, we know that weddings are
usually put on by the bride’s family, but you don’t really have any family.
Well, except for us. We kind of are your family, and you must think so too
since you went to bat for us and took care of us when it looked like we’d be
tossed out of here. Anyway, since we’re about the closest thing to a family you
got, we figured we could kind of help you out, put on a party for you,
whatever. I don’t know if you’re doing a church wedding or what, but we thought
we could help you out.”

She stopped to put sugar and cream in her coffee. “Of course
then I remembered that Mr. Kyle Sex-on-the-Hoof Harrison is a big-time
developer, kind of a muckety-muck in this town and his family’s up in the
social register, so maybe they’d want to do something a bit… I don’t know.
Higher class, maybe.”

For a moment the lump in her throat kept Meg from speaking.
Finally after some struggle, she answered. “I don’t think Kyle’s family really
approves of me, so I doubt they’ll do anything. I’m just hoping they’ll come to
the wedding. I’m overwhelmed by your offer.”

“It’s the least we could damn well do after all you’ve done
for us,” Carla said. “Of course you did get another side benefit from helping
us. You met Mr. Sex-on-the-Hoof and snagged him.”

“True.” Meg gave her a watery smile.

They spent another twenty minutes discussing wedding plans
before Carla said she had to run back to the store.

The offer warmed Meg all the way down to her toes, reminding
her why she’d decided these people were worth fighting for in the first place.

Her good mood lasted until two thirty that afternoon.

When the telephone rang, the voice that asked for “Meg
Travis” sounded familiar but she couldn’t place it until he identified himself
as “Walt Harrison. Kyle’s father.”

“Mr. Harrison,” she acknowledged carefully. “I hope you’re
well.”

“I’m fine,” he said. “Kyle isn’t.”

Her heart leapt into her throat. “What’s wrong? Has
something happened? Is he hurt?”

“Not that way. I meant his financial situation. Has he told
you that he’s not the rich man you might think he is? That, in fact, he’s near
bankruptcy? Your marriage might be the thing that tilts him over into it and
ruins him.”

“He’s told me about being turned down for refinancing. He
seems to think he can manage for now. And who knows what the situation will be
a year or two from now?”

“He doesn’t want you to know how bad the situation is. He’s
likely going to lose everything.” Harrison paused a moment before he dropped
his bombshell. “You could stop that from happening.”

“How?”

“Give him up. Break the engagement. Tell him you’ll never
see him again. Do that and he’ll get the financing he needs.”

“You…” It took her a moment to connect the dots and absorb
the implications of his words. “My God! You’d do that to your son? He’s a grown
man but you’re trying to manipulate him like he’s still a child.”

“Kyle’s got a weakness for…a pretty face and a certain type
of woman. A woman who can manipulate him in subtle ways. As you did with the
shopping center.”

“I didn’t manipulate him. I showed him what the problems
were. He decided the rest on his own.”

“Can you honestly tell me you weren’t sleeping with him when
he made that decision?”

Meg debated how to answer. “No, I can’t tell you that. I can
tell you that I wasn’t using our relationship to manipulate him. But I can’t
make you believe it either.” She drew a deep breath. “Why are you telling me
this? You still want me to break up with him? Break his heart? You want to do
that to your own son? I love Kyle.”

“Do you love him enough to put his interests above your own?
Let him go and he’ll get the money he needs to do this project any way he wants
to.”

“I love him enough to respect his decisions and let him make
them for himself. Which appears to be more than can be said for you.”

“Think it over,” his father said. “You can save him from
ruin or be his ruin.”

Despite the fury Walt Harrison inspired, Meg did think it
over. She was still considering it as she got ready for the wedding on
Saturday. Since Kyle was the best man, he’d be tied up with preparations before
the ceremony, so Meg drove herself to the church. His father’s words roiled in
her head and gut the entire way.

Rick looked handsome and surprisingly nervous as he waited
at the altar for the service to begin. Kyle, standing next to him, was even
more handsome and considerably calmer. As if he felt her gaze on him, Kyle
turned his head and met her eyes. The smile he gave her sent shivers of heat
and pride racing down her spine.

The organ music swelled and the ceremony began. Lindy was
beautiful in an off-white gown with a traditional veil and train. Meg couldn’t
help a daydream or two about her own wedding. It would be simpler… Lindy’s
family was clearly solidly middle-class or better and her software job was
almost certainly lucrative. Neither Rick nor Lindy had the kind of financial
commitments and responsibilities both Meg and Kyle had. Still, their ceremony
would be beautiful, memorable…

Happiness radiated from both Rick and Lindy as they made
their vows then turned to face the congregation as husband and wife.

Lindy smiled at her as they made their way back down the
aisle. Kyle winked as he went by, a taller version of Lindy on his arm. The
maid of honor must have been the bride’s sister. The glances she bent on Kyle
made no secret of her interest in the best man. Meg felt a little sorry for
her. She’d have Kyle’s attention for a while, but that was it.

She didn’t actually get to be with Kyle until after the
dinner when the dancing began and he’d done his turn with the maid of honor.
They didn’t talk much until well after that when the bride and groom had finally
left and the party wound down.

Only when they were at his place for their usual Saturday
night routine did she bring up that she’d talked to his father.

“He called you? He’s trying to get you to dump me?” Kyle’s
astonishment escalated to anger. “I don’t believe this.” He reached for his
cell phone, started punching in buttons, then stopped and drew a deep breath.
“I don’t suppose this is the right time.”

“It’s definitely not.” Meg took the phone from him. “You
need to calm down first.” She set it down on the kitchen counter. “Why didn’t
you tell me?”

“Tell you what? He told me weeks ago that he’d see I got the
financing if I got rid of you. I told him I wouldn’t. End of story.”

“What are you going to tell him now?”

“Go to hell?”

“He’s your father. He thinks he’s looking out for your
interests.”

“I’m thirty-three years old. It’s time he learned to keep
out of my life.”

“He really does think he’s doing what’s best.”

Kyle shook his head. “Let it be. I’ll talk to him tomorrow.
Tell him to leave you alone if he wants to continue to have any kind of
relationship with us.”

He drew her to him and kissed her—deep and hot, the way that
always made her insides melt and drove all other thoughts from her brain. The
desire to be with him, to give him everything she could of herself and become
part of him overrode everything else that night.

For the rest of the weekend they discussed plans for the
future and carefully didn’t bring up his father’s interference or the rocky
financial situation they faced down the road.

But by Monday morning Meg was thinking about it again. It
occupied her mind for the next two days until she finally couldn’t stand it and
called Walt Harrison.