Pierce Hutton gave him a highly amused smile as they went over updated security information from the oil rig in the Caspian Sea.
"So you've finally decided to do something about Cecily," Peirce murmured. "It's about time. I was beginning to get used to that permanent scowl."
Tate glanced at him wryly. "I thought I was doing a great job of keeping her at arm's length. She's pregnant, now, of course," he volunteered.
The older man chuckled helplessly. "So much for keeping her at arm's length. When's the wedding?"
Tate's smile faded. "That's premature. She ran. I finally tracked her down, but now I have to convince her that I want to get married without having her think it's only because of the baby."
"I don't envy you the job," Pierce replied, his black eyes twinkling. "I had my own rocky road to marriage, if you recall."
"How's the baby these days?" he asked.
Pierce laughed with wholehearted delight. "We watch him instead of television. I never expected fatherhood to make such changes in me, in my life." He shook his head, with a faraway look claiming his eyes. "Sometimes I'm afraid it's all a dream and I'll wake up alone." He shifted, embarrassed. "You can have the time off. But who's going to handle your job while you're gone?"
"I thought I'd get you to put Colby Lane on the payroll." He held up his hand when Pierce looked thunderous. "He's stopped drinking," he hold him. "Cecily got him into therapy. He's not the man he was."
"You're sure of that?" Pierce wanted to know.
Tate smiled. "I'm sure.
"Okay. But if he ever throws a punch at me again, he'll be smiling on the inside of his mouth!"
Tate chuckled. "Fair enough. I'll give him a call before I leave town."
"So you've finally decided to do something about Cecily," Peirce murmured. "It's about time. I was beginning to get used to that permanent scowl."
Tate glanced at him wryly. "I thought I was doing a great job of keeping her at arm's length. She's pregnant, now, of course," he volunteered.
The older man chuckled helplessly. "So much for keeping her at arm's length. When's the wedding?"
Tate's smile faded. "That's premature. She ran. I finally tracked her down, but now I have to convince her that I want to get married without having her think it's only because of the baby."
"I don't envy you the job," Pierce replied, his black eyes twinkling. "I had my own rocky road to marriage, if you recall."
"How's the baby these days?" he asked.
Pierce laughed with wholehearted delight. "We watch him instead of television. I never expected fatherhood to make such changes in me, in my life." He shook his head, with a faraway look claiming his eyes. "Sometimes I'm afraid it's all a dream and I'll wake up alone." He shifted, embarrassed. "You can have the time off. But who's going to handle your job while you're gone?"
"I thought I'd get you to put Colby Lane on the payroll." He held up his hand when Pierce looked thunderous. "He's stopped drinking," he hold him. "Cecily got him into therapy. He's not the man he was."
"You're sure of that?" Pierce wanted to know.
Tate smiled. "I'm sure.
"Okay. But if he ever throws a punch at me again, he'll be smiling on the inside of his mouth!"
Tate chuckled. "Fair enough. I'll give him a call before I leave town."
( Diana Palmer )
[ Paper Rose ]
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