“I’m glad I was there to help.”
The door swung open and she grabbed her things before slipping out of the vehicle.
“Wait,” he called. “You never answered me about staying on the payroll until after the first of the year.”
Her pink lips pursed. Little lines formed between her brows, as though the decision was a real struggle for her. He’d thought his offer had been sweet enough. Could she sense his desperation? Was she holding out for more money? Or did she simply hate the idea of working for him?
“Come on, Kara. Don’t make me beg. I’ve sunk everything I have into the resort. If you’re worried about working together, don’t be. The past is behind us.”
“How can you say that when I still don’t know the whole story about why you called off our engagement and skipped town?”
His back teeth pressed together and his jaw ratcheted tight. Why did she have to keep harping about the past? Nothing he could say would make it any better for her; in fact, it would make things so much worse.
He gazed into her eyes and saw steely determination reflected there. She was clinging to this need to know worse than a cat holding on to a catnip mouse.
An exasperated sigh passed his lips. “If I agree to tell you, will you stay on at the resort until we have it up and running?”
“Are you still willing to provide the severance package and reference?”
He didn’t want to see her go, but he didn’t have any right to stop her. If she could just help him get through the reopening, he’d be able to take it from there.
“I promise you’ll get the severance package and the reference. Now do we have a deal?”
“I’m still waiting.” She crossed her arms. “You owe me one more thing...?”
“You surely don’t expect me to dig into my past right here in the middle of your driveway.” He checked the time. “Besides, the tow truck guy will be waiting for me to guide him to your car.”
She bit down on her lower lip as though weighing his words. “But you’ll tell me?”
He nodded. The hum of the idling engine and the occasional gust of wintry air were the only sounds as he waited, hoping she’d see reason.
“You have a deal,” she said. Before he could breathe a sigh of relief, she added, “But don’t think I’ll forget about your end of the deal. I expect a candid explanation from you.”
“I understand.”
“Then I’ll see you Monday morning.”
As the door thudded shut, he took comfort in the fact that there was no time limit on her request. Kara had always been persistent when it came to something she wanted, but she wouldn’t be the first person he’d put off. Eventually she’d get tired of asking, wouldn’t she?
A groan grew in the back of his throat. His temples started to pound. He needed a distraction. He glanced down to turn on the radio, then spotted the pink bear on the passenger seat.
With the fluffy thing in hand, he jumped out of the vehicle. “Hey, you forgot this.”
Kara turned as he rushed up to her. “Oh, can’t forget Bubbles. Samantha would never forgive me.”
“We wouldn’t want you getting in trouble.”
“Mommy. Mommy,” cried a child’s voice. “Can we put up the Christmas tree?”
A young girl dressed in jeans and a pink winter coat ran toward them, her arms pumping. This was Kara’s daughter?
Where was the baby—the toddler—he’d imagined? This little girl was so much older. She looked to be school-age. He glanced from mother to daughter. The child’s pert nose, rose-petal lips and dimpled chin resembled her mother’s, but there was something else. Something very familiar about her. The eyes. They were the same shade as his. So was her brown hair....
Could she be mine?
The air whooshed from Jason’s lungs. The stunning suspicion bounced around in his mind at warp speed, making him light-headed.
Even though he and Kara had taken precautions when they’d made love, he wasn’t foolish enough to think that accidents didn’t happen.