“I’m having your baby.”

“Prove it.”

He’d been duped—hard—once before, so ex–hockey star Leo Wallace can’t take Tess at her word. Yes, they had one amazing night, but she told him to forget it ever happened. And now she wants Leo’s help to save her family business? Leo agrees to be the partner Tess needs. But it’s going to take a paternity test to make him believe this baby is his. He just can’t trust his heart again...no matter what it’s saying.

TERESA SOUTHWICK lives with her husband in Las Vegas, the city that reinvents itself every day. An avid fan of romance novels, she is delighted to be living out her dream of writing for Mills & Boon.

Also by Teresa Southwick

Finding Family…and Forever?One Night with the BossThe Rancher Who Took Her In ADecent ProposalThe Widow’s Bachelor BargainHow to Land Her LawmanA Word with the BachelorJust a Little Bit MarriedThe New Guy in TownHis by Christmas

Discover more at millsandboon.co.uk

An Unexpected Partnership

Teresa Southwick

www.millsandboon.co.uk

ISBN: 978-1-474-09096-4

AN UNEXPECTED PARTNERSHIP

© 2019 Teresa Southwick

Published in Great Britain 2019

by Mills & Boon, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers 1 London Bridge Street, London, SE1 9GF

All rights reserved including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form. This edition is published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, locations and incidents are purely fictional and bear no relationship to any real life individuals, living or dead, or to any actual places, business establishments, locations, events or incidents. Any resemblance is entirely coincidental.

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Version: 2020-03-02

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To my friend Vicki Kahler Goeres. It seems like

yesterday we were new neighbors who clicked

immediately and bonded over our hair. We don’t

live on the same street anymore, but the friendship

is still going strong. Thanks, buddy.

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text

About the Author

Booklist

Title Page

Copyright

Dedication

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Epilogue

Extract

About the Publisher

Chapter One

Tess Morrow needed to cry.

Grief had been trapped in her chest all day, and the pressure to let it go grew more painful by the second. She’d been strong during her grandfather’s memorial service here at The Pub. All Patrick Morrow’s friends had shared their stories of him, the funny, generous, kind man who’d raised her, and she hadn’t shed a tear. People offered condolences and she gracefully thanked them. But if one more person said “I’m sorry for your loss,” the composure that was making her face hurt would shatter. If the stragglers didn’t leave pretty soon, she couldn’t guarantee they wouldn’t see her ugly, wet, snotty cry.

She both yearned and dreaded to be alone when it happened. Still, the sooner she sped up them up, the sooner she could mourn privately.

She walked over to the booth by the front window and smiled at the three men and one woman there. They were here to pay their respects. “Can I get you anything? Another beer? Glass of wine?”

All four shook their heads. They were older, longtime friends of her grandfather. Silver-haired John Alexander gave her a sympathetic look. “How are you holding up, honey?”

“Okay,” she lied. “I learned how to be strong from him.”

“That was Pat,” he agreed. “Strongest person I ever knew.”

The older woman sitting beside him touched his arm and gave the other two men a look. “We need to go. It’s been a long day for Tess.”

The others murmured their agreement and slid out of the booth. Every one of them asked if she needed anything and then hugged her. Made sure she knew to call if they could help her at all. Finally, blessedly, she closed and locked the door behind them. She lowered the shades on the big glass windows looking out on the nearly empty parking lot. Finally she was alone.

“Tess?”

She whirled around, heart pounding. “Dear God, Leo. You scared the crap out of me.”

“Sorry. I didn’t mean to.”

“What are you doing here?” She blew out a long breath.

“I came to pay my respects to Pat,” he said. “He was my friend.”

“I meant still. What are you still doing here?”

“Just wanted to stick around. Make sure you’re okay.” He shrugged one broad shoulder.

Leo “The Wall” Wallace used to play professional ice hockey up until two years ago when an ankle injury ended his career. That sucked for him, but prevented female heartbreak in every major city with an NHL team.

He was a really big man, not just tall, but muscular, too. He had dirty-blond hair that insisted on curling and blue eyes that normally sparkled with mischief and flirtation. Right now they were somber and a little sad. Her grandfather had had a soft spot in his heart for this man. Tess’s heart? Not so soft for him.

“Where did you come from?” Her pulse was finally slowing to normal.

“My favorite booth.”

She glanced at it in a far, shadowy corner that Pat had called the penalty box. In honor of Leo and his time spent in one during his hockey career.

“Well, I didn’t see you.” That was only half a lie. She’d ignored him, or tried to. He was a reminder of problems—personal and otherwise.

In the last year or so, bar revenue had declined. They were losing business to trendier establishments, and six months ago her grandfather had approached Leo about investing in The Pub. He’d introduced her and suggested lending Leo’s celebrity name and a bit of capital to modernize and shake things up. She’d assured Pat that the two of them together could come up with a plan to make the place profitable again. But he was sick. Losing the man who’d taken her in when she was six years old hadn’t been part of that plan.

Tears stung her eyes but she managed, just barely, to hold them back. “I’m fine.”

He moved closer, stopping right in front of her. The man was like a mountain. Hence his nickname, “The Wall.”

“Are you really?”

“I have to be.” She looked up and met his gaze, trying to pretend her heart wasn’t pounding too hard, and if it was, that it had nothing whatsoever to do with him standing so near. “Okay, thanks for coming. You can go now.”

She turned her back on him and resolutely walked to the door and opened it. “Goodbye, Leo.”

He hesitated a moment, then nodded and joined her at the exit. “Good night. I know how much you’ll miss him. I’m very sorry for your loss.”

His voice was so gentle, soft and sincere, yet somehow it popped the bubble of strength around her. She just couldn’t keep it up any longer. Moisture blurred her eyes, and big, fat tears rolled down her face. Then the sobbing started, deep, wrenching cries that broke loose from inside her. She covered her face with her hands. If there was anyone she didn’t want to see her like this, it was Leo Wallace.

“Tess?”

She couldn’t answer, not even to tell him to go away and leave her alone. A moment later she heard the door close and the dead bolt click. Then she felt strong arms come around her and she was folded against his body. He made shushing noises, patted her back and mumbled nonsense about everything being okay.

Tess would never be sure when the closeness stopped being about comfort and turned into awareness. There was a reason women were drawn to him and right this moment Tess didn’t have the reserves of strength to pretend she was different. No matter how ill-advised it might be.

The good news was that she had stopped crying. The bad was that she looked at him and their gazes locked, and suddenly it was hard to breathe. One moment they were staring at each other, the next he was kissing her. And she was kissing him back!

She opened her mouth and he didn’t hesitate to accept the invitation. Their tongues dueled and breathing escalated. He threaded his fingers into her hair as their bodies strained even closer. She could feel that he wanted her and she wanted him, too.

“Leo...” There was no mistaking the pleading in her voice.

“Are you sure?” His eyes darkened with intensity as he searched her gaze. “Maybe this isn’t—”

“Don’t say it.”

Right this second she didn’t feel sad or lonely and holding on to that bubble of painlessness was vital. For as long as it lasted, she wanted passion to cancel out the grief. She didn’t want to think about anything but this. She tugged him closer to the booth and her butt bumped up against the table. Leo lifted her onto it but there was still a question in his eyes.

“Yes,” was the single word she said.

That was all he wanted to hear. As she leaned back onto the table, he slid the hem of her black dress up and hooked his fingers in the waistband of her panties. Quickly he slipped them down her thighs, over her knees, letting them fall down her legs until she kicked them off.

And then he was inside of her, filling her completely. There was no room for thinking; all she could do was feel and take what he offered. He moved slowly, thrusting in and out until she wrapped her legs around his hips to draw him in deeper. One more push and the knot of tension in her belly dissolved as pleasure roared through her. When her shuddering stopped, he thrust one more time and then went still, groaning with the power of his own release.

Tess lay there with her eyes closed. She could feel Leo standing between her legs, palms flat on the table. The only sound in the room was their mingled breathing slowly returning to normal. She didn’t want to move. She didn’t want to talk. She just wanted to hold on to the haze of pleasure and forgetfulness he’d given her.

“Tess?”

And the glow was gone. She opened her eyes and let him take her hands to help her sit up. He smoothed her dress over her thighs and bent to pick up her panties from the wooden floor.

He held them out. “I don’t know what to say.”

It was the first time she’d ever seen him less than cocky and self-assured. That was a surprise. “Just don’t say you’re sorry.”

“Should I be?”

“No.”

“Are you?” he asked. “Sorry about it?”

“It never happened.” She so didn’t want to talk about this. “You were never here. I don’t want to hear about it. We will never speak of this again. And I don’t want to ever hear anyone else talk about it. Is that clear?”

“With women nothing is ever clear,” he said.

“Then let me point out that I’m not crying anymore.” A vision of what she must look like flashed through her mind because she had ugly-cried. Snot and tears and sobs, oh my. “I’m sorry you had to see that.”

“At least you weren’t alone.”

“It would have been so much better if I was.” Oh, dear God, what had she done?

“So you do regret it.” His mouth pulled tight for a moment.

“No. It never happened.”

“Or do you regret that it was me?”

She didn’t want to hurt his feelings. Although he didn’t seem to extend that courtesy to the plethora of women he took up with and threw away like used tissues. Still, he’d been considerate enough to pay his respects to her grandfather. Pat had always told her to be nice to Leo. He’s not a bad guy. Tess could pull it together just this once. After all, there was nothing like hot, unexpected sex to take your mind off grief.

“Leo, it’s just that you and I are like oil and water.”

“A minute ago we mixed just fine,” he said, the cockiness back in all its glory.

“Nothing happened,” she reminded him. But heat crept into her cheeks and if there was a God in heaven, Leo couldn’t see it in the dim light. Suddenly she was exhausted and her eyes felt puffy and sore from crying. “If it’s all the same to you, I’d like to be alone.”

“Whatever you want.” For a second it looked as if he would say more, but then didn’t. He straightened his clothes and went to the front door, steps away. After opening it he said, “See you, Tess.”

“When hell freezes over,” she whispered, locking the dead bolt behind him.

* * *

Six weeks later Leo was surprised when Tess called and asked him to stop by the bar. Where “it” had never happened. He was on his way there now and very curious about what was on her mind. After the night of Pat’s funeral, he’d avoided The Pub, respecting Tess’s wishes. But he missed the place, missed the older man who’d been more like a father to him than his own.

She wouldn’t talk about whatever it was on the phone but he figured she wanted to discuss investing in her business. Not long before he died, Pat had told him it was in trouble and the best hope of saving it for Tess was to take on a partner. He’d heard what she said when he left after the memorial and figured hell must have frozen over. Her call came out of the blue and the only reason she would speak to him was finances.

He pulled his car into the nearly empty lot outside The Pub. The only other vehicle was a small, fuel-efficient one that had a few years on it. Probably Tess’s. Anticipation hummed through him and adrenaline started to flow. Not unlike the way he used to feel before a hockey game.

After parking, he turned off the car and exited. “Let’s see what the lady has to say.”

He walked to the door, where the Closed sign was displayed. Peeking inside, he saw Tess behind the old-fashioned wooden bar with a brass foot rail. She was wiping everything down.

Leo would have to be a moron to miss the fact that she didn’t like him very much. Other than his ex-wife, who was a lying bitch, Tess was the only woman who’d given him the cold shoulder. Maybe he couldn’t get her off his mind because she was a challenge. Without hockey to consume his competitive nature, he was channeling it to her.

That was as good an explanation as any because she wasn’t his type. She was pretty enough, but not the kind of woman who gave men whiplash turning to stare. But there was something fresh and appealing about her brown hair and eyes, something friendly and inviting. For everyone but him. Until that night he’d never made a move on her. Why waste time on a woman who showed no sign of ever warming up when an abundance of ladies lined up to be photographed on his arm?

Except she did warm up to him that night. She could pretend it never happened, but he had the scorch marks to prove her wrong.

Time to get his head on straight and talk business. He tried the door and found it was unlocked. Tess looked up but her expression didn’t signal that she was happy to see him.

“Hey,” he said, closing the door behind him.

“Leo.” She stopped wiping the bar and watched him walk over and sit on one of the stools in front of her.

He could almost feel the tension radiating from her. Maybe he could put her at ease. “I want you to know that I respect what you said that night—”

She held up a hand to stop him. “Don’t.”

“Understood.” He met her gaze. “So, why did you ask me to come over and talk?”

“It’s about The Pub—” Her lips trembled for a moment as grief slid into her eyes. She blew out a breath and continued, “I’m aware that Granddad came to you with a proposition to invest.”

“That’s right. I talked with him a lot when I suddenly couldn’t play hockey anymore. About what I was going to do.” That had been a personal low. He was dealing with an injury that forced him to retire prematurely from the sport that defined him at the same time his wife admitted she’d been cheating with a former lover. She announced she was leaving and taking their child with her. Leo had spent a lot of time at The Pub, drinking and spilling his guts to Patrick. “Your grandfather told me I needed an act two and I had a good head for business. He was right about both.”

“He told me you bought the local ice rink and it was finally turning a profit.”

“Yes. Among other ventures.” All of them had been going down when he took over. Now every one of them was prospering.

“Before I make my pitch, you should know that The Pub was doing fine until Granddad got sick. The medical bills after he was diagnosed were substantial. Even then things were okay. But recently—”

“So you’re letting me know you’re a good manager.”

“Yes. And the good news is that there’s been an uptick in business.”

“Yet you’re approaching me, I assume for help, even though you fought Pat tooth and nail when he suggested I put up money and lend my name to improve declining revenue.” At her surprised look he added, “Yeah, he told me you weren’t in favor of partnering with me. So why now, Tess?”

“I had to let a full-time employee go and cut hours for others. That’s enough to keep the doors open but not to grow.” She didn’t exactly answer the question of what had changed.

“Okay.”

“This place has been my home since I was six and came to live with Granddad. I grew up here. Did my homework in the office in the back. Swept floors because I wanted to help. Did inventory. But there’s a lot of debt from his cancer treatment and medical bills. I want his legacy to go on. I just don’t want to see it turned into a sports freak show.”

He winced at the dig to his former profession but sympathized with the sentiment. Or maybe the sheen of unshed tears in her eyes and the fierce pride on her face made him go soft.

“So, tell me what you’re proposing.”

She outlined the high points: an infusion of capital to update the place, a percentage of the business and a few other things. She finished up with, “If that’s acceptable, I’ll take you on as a silent partner.”

What she outlined was agreeable to him and at this point in the negotiations it was probably best not to tell her “silent partner” was never going to happen. The thing was he really wanted to buy in. The place was conveniently located and had a lot of potential. Leo also wanted to preserve Pat’s life’s work.

“Do you have any objection to using my lawyer to draw up a contract?” he asked.

“No.”

“Okay, then. I’ll get in touch with her first thing in the morning.”

“Figures your attorney would be a her.”

“I didn’t hire Annabel because of her gender. She’s a damn good lawyer.” And beautiful, too. But it was strictly business and a line he wouldn’t cross even if there was an attraction between them.

“If you say so.”

Tess was starting to get under his skin, and not in a good way. “Clearly you have a low opinion of me. Why is that?”

“The parade of women through your life for one thing. That speaks to being shallow, self-centered and commitment resistant.”

Any guy would run in the face of commitment if he’d been through what Leo had. A guy would have to be an idiot to go through that again. Hockey had given him highs and lows—sanctuary from a lousy home situation, a college education and more than one Stanley Cup championship. The game was physically aggressive and injuries left marks. But they were nothing compared to what losing his career and family at the same time had done to him.

It was best to change the subject and get back to business. “You said The Pub was doing all right until recently. What changed?”

She suddenly looked nervous. “I probably should have led with this, but I wanted to get business details wrapped up first. Although if you have a problem with the fact that I didn’t tell you this up front, feel free to change your mind about investing. You don’t have to help if you don’t want to.”

He’d promised Pat he would look after Tess whether she wanted him to or not. There was no way to know what was going through Pat’s mind when he made Leo swear, but a vow was a vow. If she was trying to scare him away, it wasn’t going to work. “You’re not making any sense.”

“I know. I just want to make it clear that I’ll figure out some other way. I could have worked eighteen hours a day with little pay before and it would have been all right. But things have changed. Now I have to—”

“Tess.” That stopped her babbling but not the tension and nerves still making her twist her fingers together. “What’s going on?”

She blew out a breath and stood a little straighter, as if bracing herself. “You know that thing we’re not talking about that never happened?”

“For the record you can pretend we didn’t have sex on that table over there. You can semantics the hell out of it, but that won’t change anything. The fact is that we did it. You can bury your head in the sand but that leaves your backside exposed.”

“You’re not wrong about that.” She looked everywhere but at him.

This was really starting to get on his nerves. “What’s going on, Tess? Just spit it out.”

“I’m pregnant.”

He blinked at her and couldn’t wrap his mind around the words. “I’m sorry. What?”

“I’m going to have a baby.”

Bingo. That was the scariest thing she could have said to him. He couldn’t believe it. No way this was happening to him. Not again. He wasn’t getting sucked in for a second time by a woman who was lying about having his baby. Leo stood up and walked out of the bar.

Chapter Two

The door closed behind Leo, and Tess could almost feel the sting of a slap on her face. She couldn’t decide if she was more shocked or angry that he’d walked out on her. And his child. This was the man her grandfather had wanted as a partner? She’d had her reasons for pushing back on that but none of them were about him not taking responsibility for his actions.

It was about the revolving door of females in and out of his life. Well-publicized, short-term affairs with actresses and models. Glorified one-night stands with glamorous women, rich and famous. Even the not so famous made headlines with him. But in all the publicity surrounding his “over in fifteen minutes” relationships, he’d invariably taken the blame for why things hadn’t worked out. Always a version of “she’s a great girl and I’m not good enough for her.”

As much as she wanted to believe he had no feelings and hurt women from coast to coast when he threw them away, the only one he trashed was himself. One had to conclude he wasn’t mean; he just had a problem with commitment. She wasn’t into it either. That’s what happened when the man you loved cheated repeatedly. He was a cocky college jock and that baggage had affected her opinion of Leo from the moment they were introduced.

In a way, Tess respected the way he characterized the end of his affairs, even if she didn’t condone “quantity over quality” behavior. So yeah, she was more shocked than angry right now. All the scenarios she’d imagined of how this conversation would go down never included him turning his back and walking away.

Tears filled her eyes and she didn’t miss the irony. The last time she’d cried in this room, Leo had been there to comfort her and they’d had sex. Now there was a baby and he left her, taking his investment money with him.

Suddenly the door opened and Leo walked back inside. He stood there, staring at her, eyes narrowed dangerously. “A baby. You’re sure.”

“Peed on a stick and confirmed by a doctor.” She had questions, too. “Why did you walk out just now?”

An angry, intense look pulled his mouth tight and made his eyes narrow on her. “I had to think before saying anything.”

“Okay. So what are you thinking?”

“Is it mine?”

She was sorry she’d asked. The question tweaked her temper, implying that she was an underhanded opportunist. He was questioning her integrity, but she grudgingly admitted that he had a right to ask. “Yes.”

“How do I know it’s mine?”

“Because I said so and I don’t lie.” She glared at him.

He finally closed the door. “Right now, for the sake of argument, let’s assume it’s mine—”

“Stop calling me a liar. Of course this baby is yours. I’ve been pretty busy trying to save this bar, my grandfather’s legacy. When would I have time to date?”

“You don’t have to date,” he said wryly.

“That’s where you’re wrong. I would have to date before doing...” As soon as she realized what was going to come out of her mouth, she stopped talking.

“You and I never went out before we...” He glanced at the booth by the door, where they’d done the deed. Then one corner of his mouth curved up as he looked back at her. “But wait, I forgot. That never happened.”

“Obviously you don’t intend to let me forget I said that.”

“Not likely.” He moved closer, stopping on the other side of the bar from her. “You’re going to have it.” It wasn’t a question.

The part of her that wasn’t super annoyed with him respected that he wasn’t pushing for termination of the pregnancy. Truthfully, that had never entered her mind. “Not that you get to tell me what to do, but yes, I will have this baby.”

“I need a test.”

To make sure he was the father. As infuriating as it was to be doubted, she’d actually anticipated this. At her first doctor’s appointment, she’d asked questions about prenatal testing.

“Before the baby’s born it would require an amniocentesis to determine paternity. It’s an invasive procedure that requires insertion of a needle to take amniotic fluid. This test poses the risk of miscarriage.”

“Okay.” His frown deepened. “So we have to wait.”

“No. There’s a blood test that can determine a very high probability that you’re the father. Even though I’m telling you that.”

“Like I said. I need a test. Let’s do that.”

“Okay.” She folded her arms over her chest and met his gaze. “I’ll set it up. We can have results in one to two days.”

“Either you’re a very good bluffer or—”

“I’m telling the truth,” she finished for him. “Look, Leo, I didn’t plan this.”

“Okay.”

“I can tell that’s what you’re thinking. I guess if I was in your shoes, the thought would cross my mind.”

“Very understanding of you.”

“I don’t know what to say. I’ve never been in a situation like this,” she defended herself. “It’s not like I did it on purpose.”

She glanced past him to the booth where it had happened. Heat slid into her cheeks as memories rolled through her mind. Those passionate moments in his arms were all that stood between her and the overwhelming grief of losing her grandfather. She’d never felt so out of control but she couldn’t speak for Leo.

“You’ve had a lot more experience at that sort of thing than me. Since the responsibility should be shared equally, I won’t ask why you never brought up the subject of protection.”

He shifted his feet, the only sign that her comment struck a nerve. “That’s fair. If—”

“I’m telling the truth,” she finished. “I never planned to get pregnant. I was upset. I just buried my grandfather and that was a long, horrible day. I’m sorry I couldn’t hold back the tears any longer. For the record I didn’t ask you to comfort me. In fact I thought I was alone.”

A hint of sympathy softened his gaze for a moment. “You weren’t. And I assumed you were on birth control.”

“I wasn’t. And you know what they say about people who assume. Makes an ass out of you and me.”

That was an understatement. He and his consolation had taken up every square inch of her attention. And now she was paying a really high price for it.

“I had a lot on my mind that day.” She looked around the room. There were pictures on the walls of The Pub while it was being built. Opening day. The surrounding area before homes and businesses popped up. Her glance settled on the wood floor, the scarred bar between them, every mark with a story that was part of the history. “I grew up here with my grandfather. I live in the apartment upstairs. This is my home, as well as my livelihood. My business. My career. It’s everything. You’ve got no skin in the game. Not really. To you it’s just an investment.”

“Which you’re against.”

“But Granddad trusted you. And I think you would understand why I feel that way if you were in my situation. For a few weeks after losing Granddad, my bottom line improved.” Although that probably had more to do with cutbacks than actual customer expansion. “I thought I could make it. Cost reductions saved money but required me to work more hours.”

“Then you found out you were pregnant.”

She nodded. “I can’t put in the time necessary to keep the business afloat. I have to take care of the baby. And I don’t want my grandfather’s legacy to disappear, but—”

“So it’s the pregnancy that changed your mind about contacting me.”

She’d vehemently told him she wasn’t a liar. There was no point in starting now. “Yes.”

“Because it’s the only way to save The Pub.”

“Maybe there’s another investor I could interest. But Granddad liked you.” She would give anything to know why. If only she shared the opinion. She didn’t have a problem with him professionally. It was the personal that she was afraid of. Look what happened that night. But there was so much more at stake here. And she didn’t have a lot of choices. The only thing she trusted unconditionally was her grandfather’s judgment. Other than warm memories and this business, there was nothing left of him. And the thought of it ceasing to exist broke her heart. “Are you still going to invest in the bar?”

“You’re having the baby.”

“How many times do I have to repeat it? The child I’m carrying is the only reason I need your help. If I wasn’t pregnant I’d muddle through without you. Yes, I’m having the baby.”

“Then I’m definitely going through with our deal. I’ll contact my lawyer to draw up papers.”

“I’ll make an appointment for blood tests at a private lab.”

“Fair enough.”

“Okay, then.”

She said that with way more enthusiasm than she felt. He obviously didn’t believe her about the baby, and the juxtaposition of his agreement implied that if he had no connection to the child, she and her business could dry up and blow away. He was sticking around just to keep her honest.

She couldn’t wait to see the look on his face when he had to admit he was wrong about her.

* * *

Leo offered to pick Tess up for the meeting at his attorney’s office to sign the partnership agreement but she politely declined. In a very cool and distant tone, she’d said it would be best to meet there. Fine with him. He hadn’t seen her for a couple of weeks and that was for the best. A cooling-off period gave him time to brace himself to deal with her as they saved her bar. But out of sight didn’t mean she was out of his mind. Her and the baby. Damn.

He rode the eight-story building’s elevator to the top floor, where Annabel Sanders had her office. The doors opened into the reception area with a view of the whole valley. Huntington Hills in Southern California had a population right around two hundred thousand and was beautiful in the spring. Trees and flowers were blooming, and the vibrant colors of purple, pink and yellow stretched all the way to the mountains.

He walked over to the receptionist. “Hi, Geraldine.”

“Mr. Wallace.” The attractive woman was in her fifties and had stylishly cut short blond hair. Her blue eyes twinkled with humor. “And you know perfectly well the name is Geri.”

“Right. I keep forgetting.”

“It’s a common problem with our former-hockey-player clients. Too many shots to the head.”

“How many hockey-playing clients does Annabel have?”

“Only you. Thank goodness.”

“Ah. Maybe I can shake the bushes, contact some of my teammates. Send some business your way.”

“Please don’t. You keep us busy enough. What with all the investment opportunities you’re researching.”

He had to make up for lost time. His career ended abruptly, and not long after his marriage ended, too. It was a dark period, most of which he’d spent in Pat Morrow’s penalty box. He owed that man a lot for pulling his head out of his ass.

“You know you love me,” he said. “If you weren’t already happily married...”

She leaned back in her chair and looked up at him. “You’re a shameless flirt. I should leave my husband and call your bluff.”

“You should. But we both know you won’t. You’re way too smart to toss aside a good man for the likes of me.” Leo felt someone behind him and turned. “Tess. Hi.”

“Leo.”

“I didn’t hear you.” No doubt she heard Geri calling him out on his crap.

She ignored him and smiled at the receptionist. “Hello. Tess Morrow to see Annabel Sanders.”

“Nice to meet you.” Geri gave her the friendly receptionist look. “Annabel is with a client. Her meeting is running a little late. I apologize for that. If you’ll just have a seat in the waiting area, she’ll be with you both as soon as possible.”

“Thanks,” Tess answered.

“May I get you something? Coffee?”

“No.”

Leo noticed her already pale face go a little whiter. “You okay?”

“Fine.” She smiled at Geri, then walked over to the cushy chairs by the windows and sat.

Leo followed and took the seat at a right angle to hers. Because she’d told him she was pregnant, he knew she was nauseated from morning sickness. He still couldn’t quite wrap his head around the fact that the baby was his. Maybe.

“So, I got the results of the blood tests,” he said.

“Me, too.” There was a “told you so” look in her brown eyes.

“It’s not conclusive,” he pointed out.

“It conclusively confirmed you can’t be excluded as the biological father.”

She was right about that. He’d done the research. The most accurate results came from an infant’s umbilical blood or tissue from the placenta, and that would have to wait another seven or so months. Fetal DNA could be observed in the mother’s blood and rule out someone who absolutely couldn’t be the father. Right now the test results were not admissible in court for purposes of custody or child support.

But they prevented a guy from getting emotionally involved for months only to find out he had no biological connection. And sometimes a man was led to believe he was a father for several years before finding out he wasn’t. He didn’t intend to be that naive a second time.

“Leo? Are you all right?”

“Hmm?” He met Tess’s questioning gaze.

“You look weird.”

Not surprising. He was remembering a weird, painful time in his life. It still hurt and he’d be damned if he’d let another woman pass off another man’s child as his. “I’m fine. But I was going to say the same about you. You’re a little pale.”

“It occurs to me the term morning sickness is inaccurate. This icky feeling doesn’t just happen in the morning. It can be anytime, day or night.”

“So that’s why you turned green when Geri mentioned coffee.”

“I thought I did a good job of hiding it,” she said.

“No.” She might be concealing other relevant facts, but not her current distaste for coffee. “But you’re not supposed to have it anyway, at least not much,” he qualified. “It’s not a complete no on caffeine, but it has to be less than two hundred milligrams a day...” He stopped because she was staring at him as if he’d grown another head. “What?”

“How did you know that about coffee during pregnancy?”

He knew because he’d married the last woman who said she was having his baby and embraced the experience with her. Along with the pain of finding out the son he loved more than life wasn’t his, he remembered pregnancy do’s and don’ts. “I guess I just heard it somewhere.”

“You do meet a lot of women.” There was sarcasm in her voice.

“One of the perks of being a hockey star,” he said, hoping to change the focus of this conversation.

“Must be a difficult cross to bear.” Now bitterness mixed with the sarcasm.

If he didn’t know better, he would say she was a little bit jealous, but that proved again just how bad he was at reading women. She’d taken a dislike to him almost from the moment they met. There was definite female interest in her eyes, right up until Pat Morrow introduced him as a former professional hockey player. An athlete, she’d said, in a disdainful tone that lumped him in with litterbugs and dog haters. Neither of which he was.

He’d liked her from the first but she gave him the cold shoulder. Until the night of her grandfather’s memorial service, when she was hot as hell and took him to heaven. She was right about one thing. He had had no room in his brain to think about protection that night. Holding her felt that good. If the baby was his, the blame could be shared fifty-fifty. But that night proved one thing. Tess was attracted to him even though she disapproved of him personally.

He met her gaze. “I do like women. That’s not a hanging offense.”

“No one said it was.”

“You didn’t have to say it. Judgment is written all over your face.”

“Wow,” she said. “Apparently my face gives away more than just the fact that the thought of coffee makes me want to barf.”

“Was it coffee? I assumed it was the sight of me.”

“Wow again. I’m surprised you could find a helmet big enough for your swelled head. Not everything is about you, Leo.”

“And jumping to that conclusion just proves—”

“Hello, Leo.” His attorney interrupted him. The pretty, green-eyed redhead smiled at Tess and held out her hand. “I’m Annabel Sanders. You must be Ms. Morrow.”

“Tess.” She shook the other woman’s hand.

“I apologize for keeping you waiting. I didn’t expect my last client to take as long as he did.”

“I didn’t see him leave,” Leo said.

“I’m not surprised. You were having an intense chat.” Annabel’s eyes narrowed on him for a moment, and then she smiled at Tess. “It’s nice to meet you.”

As the two women chatted, Leo studied his lawyer. She was a beautiful woman. Spectacular curves were showcased in the body-hugging hunter green dress with the flaring skirt. She was also funny and brilliant but he’d never felt the slightest hint of attraction to her. Not once in the nearly two years he’d known her. Maybe because their relationship was professional.

“If you’ll both follow me into my office, we can go over the agreement.”

He let the women precede him into the large corner office with floor-to-ceiling windows on two sides. In one corner was a conversation area, defined by a leather love seat, two matching club chairs and a glass coffee table. The attorney sat behind her large desk. These digs were much nicer than the small, cramped office where they’d had their very first meeting.

Annabel opened a file on her desk and put on her lawyer face. “Tess, you got the email I sent with the attachment containing the agreement?”

“Yes.”

“You had a chance to read it over and have your attorney look at it?”

“I read it,” Tess said. “It looks fine to me.”

Leo had clued Annabel in on the background that the partnership was a go because Tess was strapped for cash and trying to save her business. He could see her making that connection as the reasoning for not getting a second legal opinion.

“I can assure you that the terms are extremely fair,” Annabel told her.

Tess nodded. “I agree.”

“Do you have any questions?”

“No.”

The attorney nodded. “Leo was very clear that he didn’t want to take advantage of your grief and your grandfather’s passing. My condolences, by the way.”

“Thank you.” Tess glanced at him and the paleness in her cheeks disappeared, replaced by a charming pink. Must be the “taking advantage” comment.

As he saw it, they’d had a mutual taking advantage, and the memories were never far from his mind.

“The thing is, Ms. Sanders—”

“Annabel, please.”

“Okay. Annabel. Before he died, my grandfather approached Leo about the partnership because he trusted him. I have faith in his judgment. And I didn’t see anything in the paperwork that changed my mind.”

“Okay, then. We’ll get this done.”

She went through each page, having them sign and initial where indicated. It was a lot of paperwork, but finally they reached the end.

“Congratulations,” the attorney said. “You two have a partnership.”

“In business,” Tess clarified.

“Yes.” Annabel looked from one to the other. “By definition partners need to work together.”

“Are you lecturing us?” Leo asked.

“No. Yes. Maybe.” She looked at him. “I heard you talking in the waiting room and got the feeling there’s an adversarial aspect to your relationship. If you’re going to make a success of this venture, it’s important to work together.”

“Of course,” he said.

“I mean it.” She looked at Tess. “I don’t know you, but I’ve worked with Leo for several years. He has an excellent head for business and a successful track record to prove it. Don’t let his cocky attitude fool you.”

“If you say so,” Tess said defensively. “I should point out that I’m no slouch. I have a degree in business and I’ve worked at the bar my whole life. There’s a loyal core of customers and we have to build on it.”

“That’s the plan,” Leo agreed.

“Okay. I didn’t mean to overstep, but I see the other side when things don’t work out. I dissolve partnerships, too.”

“Our joint venture will be fine,” Leo assured her. It was also necessary. “So, Tess, I’ll come by The Pub in the morning and we’ll discuss strategy?”

“Fine.”

“Is nine too early?”

“No.” But she looked as if she had swallowed a worm.

He’d never expected to go into business with Tess Morrow. But now that she was allegedly carrying his child, it was the best way to keep tabs on her. If she slipped up, he would be around to call her on the deception.

The last time he got screwed, he lost everything. He wasn’t so gullible now. He would do whatever he had to in order to protect himself.

Chapter Three

Morning sickness really sucked!

It especially sucked when Tess had to see Leo bright and early. The early part she could do. Bright? Not so much. But he would be arriving at nine o’clock sharp and she needed to look her best. Well, at least the best she could what with feeling like something the cat yakked up.

She showered, put on makeup and blew her hair dry. Unlike her unruly tummy, it cooperated, falling past her shoulders in its shiny straightness.

She stared at her reflection in the bathroom mirror and ignored the dark circles under her eyes. “You look fabulous. This will be the first of many productive and profitable meetings.”

She managed to choke down a piece of toast with peanut butter. The doctor had said to eat lots of protein but she’d never expected that to be such a challenge. Five minutes before nine o’clock, she walked downstairs from her apartment. The staircase ended in a hall where a left turn went to public restrooms and the bar. Going right would put her in the office and storeroom, with high-capacity refrigeration, an ice maker and shelves. She went left.

In the bar, chairs were turned upside down on tables, where they always spent the night. There were two more rooms off the main area—one for pool and darts, the other with tables for a quieter space for grabbing a bite to eat. Some people might still enjoy eating even though she wasn’t one of them right now.

A knock on the door pulled her from the brink of self-pity and she moved to let Leo in. “Good morning.”

“Hi.” He handed her a bag.

“What’s this?”

“Thought these might come in handy.”

She peeked inside and saw soda crackers. “Wow. Be still my heart.”

“What were you expecting?”

“Nothing actually. So, thanks.”

“Keep them by the bed and eat one before you get up. It helps with morning sickness.”

“And you know this how?”

He shrugged. “I picked up the information somewhere.”

“It’s unexpectedly thoughtful, so I won’t say anything snarky about your women clueing you in.”

“That’s very generous of you.” One corner of his mouth quirked up. Then he indicated the briefcase he was holding. “I’ve been consulting with a building contractor—”

“Wait.” She held up a hand to stop him. “We only just signed the papers yesterday.”

“Since our verbal agreement, I talked to someone I’ve worked with on other business ventures. The guy is creative and does great work. He came up with some changes and I happen to think they’ll be a better use of the space we have.”

We? Apparently just signing the papers didn’t make her a team player. But since she’d put her name on the bottom line, telling him to take a flying leap didn’t seem like something she could do.

“Okay. Show me.” She grabbed one of the chairs from a table to make room for a conversation with visual aids.

“You shouldn’t be lifting things.”

“Why not? I’m fine. Just pregnant—not an invalid.” She rested her hands on her hips. “If not me, who’s going to lift things?”

“Not while I’m around.” He set down his briefcase, then removed the other three chairs.

“Thanks.”

There he went being sweet again. That was twice in one morning. Tess didn’t trust sweet. It was easy to heft chairs and bring crackers, but a man like him couldn’t keep up sweet for long.

They sat and he pulled out his laptop, then set it on the table. He opened a file and then slid his chair closer to hers so they could view the screen together. He smelled good, disarmingly masculine. Some combination of soap and cologne that made her tummy flutter—with something besides nausea. It was attraction, damn him. That’s what had gotten her into this mess in the first place, and still fascination survived. There was something seriously wrong with her that she couldn’t shake this feeling.

“Okay. So, what am I looking at?”

“This is what the bar would look like with the two walls knocked out, making it one big room.”

Not ten minutes ago she’d been thinking how cozy and perfect the setup was with quiet dining and game rooms separated. “But what about the pool tables and dart boards? And some people like a peaceful corner for food and conversation.”

“A few customers might appreciate that. If they don’t like the change, there are quiet restaurants to take their business. That isn’t our core customer, not the clientele we want to attract.”

“We can’t afford to lose anyone.”

“We’ll more than make up for that with new business. Look at the way Nate has it drawn out. The tables are still there. And we’ll add an air-hockey table to the game area.”

“We will?” She shifted and their arms brushed. The touch made her hot all over but he didn’t seem to notice.

“Hockey is trendy.”

“Pool is classic.”

“We can do both. Open that customer-interest window wider.” He met her gaze and something intense flared in his when his knee grazed hers under the table.

Not unlike the way he’d looked at her the night it had happened. She swallowed and forced herself to look at the computer screen. She pointed to the opposite corner.

“What’s this?”

“We took some of the dining space for live music and dancing. On the weekends people want to de-stress.”

“You mean relax.”

“I mean let off steam. Loud music. Singing. Maybe karaoke. Watching games and yelling at their team or booing the opponent. Dancing. Contests. Promotions.”

He was so enthusiastic but she was looking at the end of an era and it made her sad. “Did my grandfather know about any of this?”

“I talked to him a little bit. Brainstormed as ideas popped into my head.”

“What did he say?”

“Pretty much what you are,” he admitted. “But he didn’t shoot anything down. He knew status quo wasn’t working.”

That was honest. He could have lied. Pat Morrow was gone and she’d never know what he thought. She couldn’t dispute that the current situation was less than successful, but she wasn’t ready to concede the point yet.

“Would you like some coffee?” It was a delaying tactic, giving her more time to think.

“Yeah. If it’s not too much trouble.”

“There’s a pot right here.” She needed to put some distance between them and was willing to risk the smell.

She went behind the bar and put water and grounds into the drip coffee maker, then hit the on switch. When there was nothing left to do but wait, she walked back to the table, careful to stand far enough away so that she couldn’t be distracted by his body heat and manly smell.

As if there’d been no pause, Leo started talking. “We need to put in TVs around the room to show football, baseball, hockey games. Make this the designated place to watch my former team.”

“Lend your celebrity name to bring in customers?” She meant women but kept that to herself.

“Yes. Anything that will get the word out there so people will give us a try.”

“I don’t know about this, Leo.” She frowned. Apparently he’d forgotten what she’d said about turning her grandfather’s legacy into a sports freak show.

“Look, Tess, I’m aware that this is an emotional time for you—”

“Hold the phone. Don’t make my hesitation about me being pregnant. I have a business degree with a minor in marketing.”

“That’s not what I meant. Your grandfather just died and this pub was his baby. He put everything he had into every corner. But he knew that change isn’t a bad thing. We can make it fresh and still keep his heart and soul. You just have to trust me.”

And there was the problem. He was too much like the guy who had broken her heart, which made trust in his judgment hard to come by. But that was personal. This was business and his lawyer had assured her he was good at it. Plus her grandfather had chosen him to invest.

While they’d debated, coffee brewed and the smell of it was everywhere. Or maybe it was her supersensitive nose due to pregnancy. Didn’t matter why, but the stronger the smell, the worse she felt. She fought back as long as possible but it was a losing battle.

“I’m—oh, God—I’m going to be sick.”

She put her hand over her mouth and raced upstairs for the privacy of her own bathroom. She made it—barely—and lost her breakfast. No way the perfect Leo Wallace was going to see her toss her cookies.

“Tess?”

Dear God, no. He followed her! “Go away.”

The next thing she knew, he was beside her, scooping her hair back from her face as she bent over the toilet. She’d be furious if she didn’t feel hot, sweaty and humiliated. He held her hair with one hand and rubbed her back with the other.

No, no, no. “Go away. Please,” she mumbled.

“Not happening.”

Her stomach was empty but she waited a few moments to make sure it was over. With a shaking hand, she pressed the handle to flush and then straightened up. After closing the lid, she stood and sat down on it, refusing to meet his gaze.

“I’m okay now. Really. You can go. I’ll meet you downstairs in a minute.”

Her eyes drifted shut, but she heard the sound of running water in the sink. A moment later he pressed a cool washcloth to her forehead and rubbed it across her neck. It felt so good she could cry. That might be about gratitude, or hormones, or both.

“Stay here. I’ll be back in a second.”

Before she could pull together the energy to say “don’t tell me what to do,” he was gone. Several moments later he was back with the box of crackers. He opened it and one of the four individual packs inside, then handed her a salty square.

“This will help.” He crouched in front of her so they were eye to eye. His were full of sweetness and sympathy.

“The last thing I want to do is eat,” she said weakly.

“I know, but you have to. This will settle your stomach.”

If she didn’t feel so crappy, she would have asked how he could be so sure. Instead she gave him a skeptical look. “If you’re wrong and I lose it again, will you promise to go away?”

“Cross my heart.”

“Do you have one?” She took a small bite of cracker, chewed and swallowed.

“There’s the snark I know and love. You must be feeling a little better.”

When there was no adverse reaction to the single nibble, she took another and waited. It went down easily. Even more surprising, she was suddenly hungry. “Can I have another one?”

He handed her the package. “Knock yourself out.”

She took small bites and chewed slowly. “You know, when I took the pregnancy test and it was positive, I couldn’t believe it was true. There was nothing tangible to prove I was going to have a baby. Then bam. I feel like roadkill, proof that there are changes going on.”

“Nature is pretty amazing.”

She nibbled two more crackers and began to feel more like herself. She knew that because her defenses against him were going back up.

“You’re being awfully nice to me for a man who doesn’t believe this baby is his.”

He looked down for a second, then back at her. There was a glint of humor in his blue eyes. “About that... I asked around, to see if you’d slept with anyone else.”

“You didn’t!”

“Everyone said no. But you might have said it never happened.”

“Okay. Now you’re being a jerk so all is right with the world.” But was it? Her heart seemed to swell a couple of sizes. “Make no mistake. If it gets out how sweet you’re being to me, there will be hell to pay.”

“Oh?”

“More women will throw their panties at you.”

“More than zero?” He arched an eyebrow. “No one does that now.”

“Like I believe that,” she scoffed.

But she couldn’t shrug off how incredibly nice he was being, even with questions still surrounding the pregnancy. She didn’t think he had a sweet bone in his body. But she was wrong and that was a problem.

* * *

Leo stood outside The Pub, waiting for Tess to let him in for their meeting with the contractor. Nate Stratton would be here any minute, and Leo wanted a few moments to reassure her, yet again, that the changes would be profitable in the long run. Which was what her grandfather had ultimately wanted.

He hadn’t seen her since the morning a couple of days ago when she’d tossed her cookies. She’d been a trouper then, no question. It wasn’t often her vulnerability showed, and she probably hadn’t been able to brazen it out. The pregnancy hormones were in charge after all. But, damn, seeing her toughness slip brought out a protectiveness he hadn’t experienced since—

The door opened and there she was, looking so pretty and... Dare he say it? Glowing. “Hi.”

“Good morning,” he managed to say.

She glanced at the store-bought cups of coffee he was holding, one in each hand. “I hope you didn’t bring me one. Not after last time.”

“No. It’s for Nate. So you don’t have to make coffee.” He’d expected her expression to soften or maybe get a hint of a smile, but her frown deepened. “What?”

“That was very thoughtful of you.”

“Then why do you look like that?”

“Like what?” she asked.

“Like you want to brain me with a coffeepot.”

“I didn’t think it showed,” she admitted.

“You lost me.”

“You’re being nice. Thoughtful. I don’t trust it.” She shrugged, defiance in her eyes.

At least she was being honest, he thought. “Well, I’m not sure how to defend myself against that. What if I promise not to be nice anymore?”

She nodded approval. “I’d appreciate that.”

“Can I come in now?”

“Oh. Sure. Sorry.” She stepped back and pulled the door wide. “It’s half yours now.”

And she wasn’t happy about it. The tone, the body language, the glare she tried to hide. All of it said she wasn’t yet reconciled to him being her partner. Only financial results would show her this was a good thing, and that wasn’t going to happen overnight. Still, he did miss the sexy woman who’d clung to him and kissed him back. He was fighting that feeling because it was dangerous. It would be months until he knew for sure she was telling the truth about the baby. Speaking of which...

“How are you feeling?”

“So far, so good. Today. The crackers are helping.”

“Glad to hear it.”

“I’m really curious how you know so much about pregnancy nausea.” She folded her arms over her chest and looked up at him as if he was breaking some rule.

The truth was his wife was pregnant when they’d married, and he’d gone through it with her. Reading the books. Researching on the internet. Catering to her cravings. It was hard to shake the bitterness about how that had all turned out. Tess’s grandfather had helped him deal and obviously hadn’t spilled the facts to her, treating Leo’s story like attorney/client privilege. That was then; this was now and he didn’t want to talk about it.

“I must have seen it in a movie.” If only. Then it wouldn’t still hurt like a son of a bitch.

“Anyway. Thanks for the tip.” She glanced at the watch on her wrist. “Your friend is late.”

“He’s busy. I had to do some fast talking to get him to take us on.” Although now that he thought about it, Nate’s attitude had changed a little after meeting Tess and looking at the bar.

“No rush as far as I’m concerned.” Translation: she didn’t care if it never started.

“That’s emotion talking. Because in your business classes I’m sure you learned that the sooner you start increasing profits, the sooner your business is out of trouble.”

She nodded. “And the sooner you can turn everything over to me and we’ll see less of each other.”

Only if the baby wasn’t his.

“Since we’re going to turn this place into a sports freak show, I suggest lending my name,” he said. “It’s recognizable.”

“To who? Besides your female fans, of course.”

“I have two Stanley Cup rings.” The look on her face didn’t change, so he said, “You do know the significance of that, right?”

“Actually, no.”

“In hockey it’s the equivalent of winning the World Series in baseball. Or the Super Bowl in football.”

“Ah.” She still didn’t look impressed.

“And we came close to winning it at least five more times.”

“So, lending your name. Does that mean we’re going to call it Leo’s Lounge or The ‘Wall’ Flower?”

“Funny.” Until now he hadn’t been aware that she knew his hockey nickname. “We can talk about names later. I’m more interested in getting the inside ready.” He looked at his watch. “And if Nate doesn’t get here soon—”

“Knock, knock.” The door opened and in walked Nate Stratton, bachelor, builder, businessman. “Sorry I’m late. Had a crisis at another site.”

“Glad you made it,” Leo said.

“Hi.” Tess smiled in a way she’d never smiled at Leo. It was a friendly look, but a little flirty around the edges. She held out her hand. “Nice to see you again.”

“Same here.” Did the guy hold her hand a little too long when he shook it?

Leo was aware that women found his friend attractive. They’d been each other’s wingman more than once, and a time or two his date had made a move on the guy. It never bothered him before but it damn sure did now.

“So, what have you got to show us?” Leo wanted to move this along.

“I’ve got the plans on the computer.” He put it down on the table without chairs on top of it. “Here we go. I think you’re really going to like this.”

Tess and Leo moved chairs and sat on either side of the contractor. Was she close enough to Nate that their arms brushed? he wondered. The thought did not make him happy.

Nate went through more detailed, three-dimensional plans from the initial one Leo had originally shown Tess. They were good. He could easily picture the changes opening up the interior of the bar and infusing life into the place. He glanced at Tess but had no idea what was going through her mind.

“This is just a thought,” Leo said. “But since we’re doing some makeover anyway, I propose we upgrade the kitchen. We can hire a chef and shake up the menu. Another marketing strategy.”

Tess looked less than thrilled. “I feel everything my grandfather put into this place slipping away.”

“I promise when I’m finished there will be a mix of old and new,” Nate promised. “Not that I get a vote, but I agree with Leo about the kitchen. Atmosphere, fun and good food will bring in the customers.”

“Nothing is sacred,” Tess muttered.

“If you don’t want—” Nate started.

She held up her hand to stop him. “No. If we’re going to make changes, let’s go all in.”

“You won’t be disappointed,” Leo assured her.

“I agree.” Nate looked at each of them. “Let’s talk logistics.”

The contractor explained how many weeks total for the work, the mess involved and the estimated time frame The Pub would have to close for construction. He gave Leo a copy of the plans on a flash drive and instructions to contact him after they had discussed everything. He would draw up a contract and give them a start date. Then he excused himself to go to another meeting he was already late for.

When they were alone, Tess met his gaze, her own worried. “I didn’t think about keeping this place open during construction. Or that it would have to close.”

“It’s a lot to consider, but remember he said it would only close for a short time. When water and electricity would have to be turned off, we can’t conduct business.” Leo thought for a moment. “But before that stage, we can have a ‘pardon our dust’ promotion. Half off drinks and food. Extended happy hour. BOGO. See the before and after. Customers will respond.”

“When life gives you lemons, make lemonade?”

“Exactly,” he said enthusiastically.

“We can’t afford to lose anyone.”

“I know. It will be all right. But there’s something else that concerns me more than that.” He turned his chair toward her, the now-empty one sitting between them.

“What could possibly be worse than shrinking our customer base?” she asked. “Or losing four to six weeks of revenue?”

“Construction means dust and paint fumes in this building.”

“Okay. We can utilize the patio area more. Use outside heaters if necessary until summer is here.”

“No. I meant I’m concerned about you living upstairs during the demolition and painting. Plus if the water and electricity are off, you can’t be here.”

“I can make do. I’m tough.”

“You’re also pregnant. None of that will be healthy for you and the baby.”

Now she looked uneasy. “I’ll get fans and open the windows upstairs. It’s spring. It will be fine.”

“I’m not comfortable with that.” No matter whose baby she was carrying, the scenario they were discussing was bad.

“It’s where I live. What do you want me to do?”

“Move out.”

“Where?”

“Can’t you couch surf with friends?”

She thought for a moment and then shook her head. “Anyone I’d feel comfortable asking either doesn’t have room or is living with a parent.”

“Then an extended-stay hotel.”

She shook her head. “I’ll just have to make this work here at The Pub.”

“Why are you pushing back so hard?” he asked.

“Because I don’t have the money to stay somewhere else.”

“I’ll pay for it. The cost of doing business,” he explained.

“I can’t let you do that.”

Her face was showing all kinds of stubborn kicking in, so he didn’t pursue that approach. There was one more thing he could think of.

“Move in with me. I don’t live with my parents.” Heaven forbid. He couldn’t wait to get out of that battle zone when he was a kid. “And I have plenty of room at my place. We’d probably never see each other.”

“That’s not a good idea.”

“I disagree. It’s the perfect solution. And it won’t cost any more out of pocket. So everything is settled. It won’t be for long. It’ll be great.”

The best part was that he could really keep an eye on her. To make sure she ate properly and took care of herself. If he could also see for himself that she wasn’t going out with another man that would be okay, too.

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