A Professional Engagement

‘Because you’re all ape-faced over her.’ Kasey’s mouth quirked into a mischievous grin.

He shook his head. ‘No way.’

She laughed. ‘And it’s so rare for a woman to dump you. I figure she’s the one that got away.’

‘No, she isn’t.’ Rick slipped his hands into his trouser pockets, shrugging off the ripple that coursed through him. ‘She’s a proposal planner.’

‘What?’

‘Your father hired her in the hope that I’d agree to use her services so I’d propose to you properly.’

‘Propose? Wow…’ She giggled. ‘Daddy—you have to love him for his dedication to the role. But do you really think he’s accepted I’m going to marry you?’

‘Sounds like it.’ Rick couldn’t bring himself to be as touched by the sentiment as Kasey obviously was.

‘What do you think we should do? Proposing sounds serious…’ She bit the end of her thumbnail. ‘But I’m not ready to break this all off. Are you?’

Rick shook his head. ‘I could do with another week or two.’

‘Me, too.’

Rick rubbed his jaw. ‘Then I should play along with this proposal stuff.’

‘It couldn’t hurt.’

‘No, it couldn’t.’ Rick mulled over his meetings with the SportyCo company about the merger, flashes of Tara Andrews’s fine eyes and deep red lips invading his thoughts. ‘And agreeing to this proposal plan business would…buy us some time.’

‘Yes. I can’t have him suspect what’s really up.’ Kasey shook her head, sobering. ‘There’s no way I want him grilling Jack, pressuring him or sacking him.’

‘Are you sure he’ll be hard on Jack?’

‘I know my father. The only reason that he’s tolerating you is because you’re as close as I’ve come to his idea of what a good prospect is for me. He’ll probably be sizing you up as the father of my children too…’

‘And although I’m cute…’

‘Ugh, not a chance.’ Kasey shook her head, grinning. ‘But if he suspects there’s no passion between us and his chance of grandkids is zilch…he could do anything.’