The Tycoon's Proposition

The engine was idling when Terri returned to the car. Within seconds they were off.

Captain Ortiz drove a few miles before he said, “You are a kind person, but I’m afraid it was a mistake to give her money.”

“If I were in her shoes, I would hope someone would do it for me. It will buy her food for a few more days. Perhaps by then we’ll have found Richard.”

“Let us hold that thought,” he muttered, but he didn’t sound as if he believed it any more than she did.

CHAPTER THREE

AS TERRI entered Mr. Herrick’s hospital room, she could smell flowers. Obviously the word had gone out he was here because a dozen fabulous arrangements had been brought in on carts. A huge fruit basket stood near his closet door.

Which gift was from his wife? Had Martha Shaw sent one, too?

Stop it, Terri. It’s nothing to do with you.

She looked around. His room held wall-to-wall chairs. Someone had been to visit already. The clothes she’d bought him were no longer visible. As for the man in question, neither he nor the IV stand were anywhere in sight.

The door to the bathroom had been left ajar. He wasn’t in there. Anxious to know if he was all right, she rushed out of the room and down the hall to the nursing station.

But before she reached it, an animated group of people turned the corner in her direction. She would have walked right past them if she hadn’t caught sight of the dark-haired man in the center who was dressed in a navy robe and pajamas.

As Terri’s gaze flew to his, she felt the impact of his piercing eyes and her feet came to a complete standstill.

It didn’t matter that he had dressings at his hairline and beneath his strong chin. The ruggedly handsome face that went with those unforgettable gray eyes took her breath. No preconceived notion of the features she’d imagined hidden beneath the mask could live up to the vital, living presence of Benjamin Herrick.

When she realized the group’s conversation had stopped and everyone was staring at her because Mr. Herrick had refused to move on, her cheeks went hot. She knew she had to say something.

“I-I’m afraid we’re all at a disadvantage. I’m Terri Jeppson.”

“You’re the woman Martha told us about,” the older man in the Stetson interjected in a Texas accent. “If it hadn’t been for you discovering the mix-up, our family wouldn’t have known Ben was even in here. We’re indebted to you, Mrs. Jeppson.

“I’m Ben’s father, Dean.” He shook hands with her. “This is my wife, Blanche, our daughter Leah and our son Parker. Our other son Creighton and his wife are on vacation and Leah’s husband Grant couldn’t make it, otherwise they would have flown down with us.”

Everyone said hello.

Terri muttered an appropriate greeting, but relief that Leah wasn’t Ben Herrick’s wife dominated her chaotic emotions. Of course it didn’t mean he wasn’t married. Or engaged. Or living with a woman…

“I’m pleased to meet you,” Parker said with a dashing smile. He let go of the IV stand to shake Terri’s hand. His charm reminded her a little of Richard who knew he was attractive to women.

Like his father, he wore a Stetson. She thought he looked younger than his brother Ben who appeared to be in his mid-thirties. Both men bore a strong facial resemblance to their lovely mother, whereas sandy-haired Leah took after their father.

“Is your husband all right?” Mrs. Herrick asked in a compassionate tone of voice.

My ex-husband.

“I think so, but I haven’t caught up with him yet.”

Terri didn’t want to believe Richard would shirk his responsibility for his pregnant girlfriend at this late date. Hopefully he’d show up before too much longer.

Refusing to look at the silent man for fear he’d read too much feeling in her eyes, Terri said, “It’s been very nice meeting all of you, but at this point I’m sure Mr. Herrick is tired after his walk. He probably wants to lie down. Now that I know he’s with his family, I’ll go.”

“Don’t worry about Ben. He’s tough.” His father patted his son’s left shoulder. “But since the doctor said this is his first day out of bed, you may have a point.”

As Terri started to walk toward the elevator around the corner, she heard a distinct groan of protest. It was a familiar sound. Loud enough to wake the dead, but she kept on going.

Already emotionally involved in ways she wasn’t ready to examine, she knew any more time spent in his company could only backfire on her. The best thing to do was head for the hotel and stay put until she heard from Captain Ortiz.

“Mrs. Jeppson? Wait up!”

Terri had just emerged from the elevator on the main floor when Parker Herrick approached. He put a detaining hand on her arm. Then he grinned.

“You move faster than a nervous filly trying to outrun a twister.” The analogy made her chuckle. “If there hadn’t been another elevator going down, I would have missed you. My brother wants you to come back upstairs.”

“I’ll visit him again before I fly home to the States.”

He shook his head. “Not good enough. He’s more upset than I’ve ever seen him. If you don’t show, there’ll be hell to pay.”

“Tell him I’ll come by later when he doesn’t have family around. I don’t want to impose.”

Parker pushed his hat back on his head. “We’ve been here six hours and that’s longer than we’ve all been corralled together at one time in I don’t know how many years.”

In spite of her misgivings, she laughed.

His gray-blue eyes twinkled. “Knowing my brother, he was ready to throw us out ten minutes after we got here. It’ll be doing the whole family a real favor if you’d be willing to baby-sit for a while.

“You see,” he said in a confiding voice, “the hospital staff’s been singing your praises. With you here, Mom will feel like we can leave for an hour to grab a bite to eat.”

After having to fly down here at a moment’s notice, Terri could well imagine how tired and hungry they were. It would be churlish to refuse when she’d come here with every intention of trying to get more information out of Mr. Herrick about Richard.

“All right. I’ll go back with you, but I can’t stay long.”