His Made-to-Order Bride

‘Going to run an ad in the personal column?’ she asked dryly. ‘That should bring every single woman in Mercer knocking on your door.’

‘Nope,’ he said, wrapping his hands around the bottle. ‘No personal ad. Like you said, since I’m such an eligible bachelor and a great catch, I’ll have females crawling out of the woodwork.’

The smooth brown glass felt cool against his sweaty palms. Katie was vital to the success of his plan and if he couldn’t convince her he was doomed.

‘Then how are you going to search for Mrs Right?’

He clutched the bottle tightly. ‘I’ll ask someone to help me.’

‘Who?’

‘You.’

She blinked owlishly, then leaned back in her chair as she narrowed her eyes to study him. ‘Me?’

He drew a deep breath and forged ahead. ‘Yeah. I’d like you to help me find a wife.’

CHAPTER THREE

THE silence between them lengthened. J.D. held his breath, waiting and watching for Katie’s response.

She rose in disgust. ‘You’re drunk.’

He was affronted. ‘Not a chance. I’m only on my second beer.’

‘Well, something has interfered with your thinking process,’ she snapped. ‘I’m going home.’

He jumped up to grab her elbow. ‘You’re the logical choice. It makes perfect sense.’

Her eyes shot sparks. ‘To you, maybe. To me? Not a chance. I’m not running a dating service and I don’t intend to start one either.’

‘Will you hear me out?’ He hesitated. ‘Please?’

A mulish look appeared on her face, but she finally acquiesced. She sat, folding her arms across her chest.

‘I’ll listen to your nonsense for three minutes. Your hare-brained idea doesn’t deserve that long, mind you, so start talking.’

J.D. pulled a chair away from the table, turned it around and sat down. He flashed her his most appealing smile, but her stiff countenance remained unchanged. This was going to be harder than he’d thought.

‘You helped me find Martha and Henrietta.’

‘Interviewing a housekeeper is different to scouting out prospective wives.’

He ignored her sarcasm. ‘The point is, you know both Daniel’s and my tastes and our personalities. All I want is for you to recommend a few women and if necessary, make a few introductions. Consider yourself in an advisory capacity, screening the candidates, if you will.’

‘Screen them yourself,’ she said pertly. ‘Or ask one of your friends for advice, like Tristan. I’m sure you’d rather have a male perspective anyway.’

He shook his head. ‘Tristan and Beth won’t be back for another month. Even if they hadn’t left on their extended but well-deserved vacation, I trust your opinion and your instincts.’

‘What’s wrong with your instincts?’

‘Nothing, but women are often more intuitive than men. You also know me better than anyone in Mercer.’

Katie toyed with the ends of her hair and looked thoughtful, but didn’t reply.

‘I want to do this discreetly,’ he continued, leaning forward. ‘I know what it’s like to be chased and believe me when I say it’s not an experience I want to repeat.’

He recalled one woman he’d gone out with BE—before Ellen—who’d convinced his apartment manager that she was a relative. He’d come home to find her preparing a Polynesian dish and wearing nothing but a lei and a grass skirt minus ninety-five per cent of the grass.

‘Ask your mother for help. She’d be delighted.’

‘I’d rather do it myself.’

‘See?’ she said brightly. ‘You just admitted you’d rather find a wife yourself.’ She started to rise and he grabbed her wrist with lightning speed.

‘Please?’ he asked, using his most cajoling tone.

‘No.’

‘Why not?’

‘Why should I?’ she countered.

‘You’d have your life back.’

He watched her stiffen and her tone became brittle. ‘What do you mean by that?’

‘You’ve helped me from day one with whatever I needed and given up a good share of your life, caring for Daniel. To my regret, we haven’t had an equitable arrangement. The list of what you’ve done for us is endless. Daniel and I have taken more from you than we’ve given in return.’

She squared her shoulders and her eyes burned brightly. ‘For your information, J.D., I haven’t done anything that I didn’t want to do.’

‘I know, but I can’t help feeling that we’re—that I’m—taking advantage of your generosity. When I consider how hard you worked for your nursing degree and still looked after Daniel…’

‘Don’t forget how you helped me study,’ she reminded him.

‘Yes, but wouldn’t it have been easier if you had let us fend for ourselves?’

She fell silent and he pressed on. ‘At least think about what I’ve asked. Give me your answer tomorrow.’

‘I won’t change my mind.’

He played his trump card. ‘If I didn’t have to worry about Daniel, I wouldn’t ask for your help. Being a woman, you can sense who’d make a good mother.’

Pain flitted across her features and he quickly tamped down the shafts of guilt spearing his heart at causing her distress. Desperate times, however, required desperate measures.

She tugged her hand free. ‘It’s late and I want to go home.’

Afraid he’d already pushed her too hard, he nodded. ‘I’ll talk to you tomorrow.’