"Kate," Magnus said, opening the door to her.
She stood, taking the letter from her pocket and pushing it into his chest. "I gather you wanted to see me."
Magnus took the crushed envelope from her hand and guided her into the kitchen. He pushed her into a seat at the table, and she gratefully leaned back . Kate felt as though she was going to fall. Her hands were shaking and she clasped them together in her lap.
"You wouldn't talk to me when I wanted you to. This seemed like the only way," he said, pulling his chair closer to her. "We need to discuss this, Kate."
"There is nothing to discuss. You have said all I want to hear."
"Not by a long shot," Magnus retorted. "You are carrying my child, and I have a right to know what you are going to do about it."
"I'm going to have it and bring it up alone, not that you should concern yourself because I won't ask you for anything. I already told you that," she said, her chin up in the air, goading him to disagree with her.
Magnus looked at her, and she thought he was going to start trying to convince her otherwise, but he stood up and reached for her hand. "Dinner tonight, just you and me. We will talk this out so if you have anything that you think should be said, make sure you bring it up tonight because we will settle this once and for all, Kate. Of that you can be sure."
"I'm not one of your flash city models, Magnus. You can't tell me what to do."
"The contract still has a few weeks to run. I can and will tell you what to do. Don't be late."
"But I need to talk to you about—"
"Later, Kate," he said, guiding her to the door, closing it behind her.
Kate shook her head. This wasn't how she thought this meeting would end. A dinner date. Hell, all I wanted to do was sort out the water issue and go home and crawl into bed and sulk over the mess my life was turning into. I didn't even get to mention it.
She stormed back to her vehicle and slammed the door once she was inside the truck. Magnus could get her so fired up without even trying. The scent of his aftershave pricked her nose, and she breathed deeply, trying to hold onto the smell. Who am I kidding? If he let me sign another contract absolving him from all liability with this baby, I would be devastated, but what choice do I have.
The last thing she wanted was to never see him again and she didn't want to deny her baby its father, but she wouldn't let him brand her a money-hungry farm slut either. This baby would grow up with morals, not money, but at least it would learn to be honest and work for what it wanted like she always had.
There would be no family snaps of the three of them together, and that thought saddened her. She drove home, exhausted already. A nap before I go back for my appointment should set my mood right.
* * *
The sun was setting as Kate pulled up to the farmhouse. Before she could open her door, she spied Magnus walking toward her, a basket in his hand and a blanket thrown casually over one shoulder. He came around to her door and opened it, smiling at her as she climbed out to stand in front of him.
"What's going on?" she asked, wary of him.
"I invited you to dinner, didn't I?" He guided her toward the farm truck. The basket and blanket went in the back, and he opened the front door and helped Kate into the passenger seat before climbing in and turning the key.
She looked at him sideways while they drove away from the house. He was silent as he drove, a small smile twitching at the edge of his mouth, making her stomach squirm with the need to reach out and touch him. She kept her hands clasped tightly in her lap and tried to concentrate on watching the sun going down over the paddocks.
When the car stopped, Kate realized that they were by the dam. Magnus helped her out of the car, and grabbing the basket and blanket from the back, he led her to the gate between the two properties.
She gazed around in the twilight as he walked her to the small patch of trees that was lit with candles hanging in jars from their branches.
"Oh, what…" she started to ask, her hand over her mouth in wonder.
"It was your idea," he said, holding his hand up as she tried to interrupt. "Please just listen to me. You said I had a lot to learn, and you're right. I've worked so hard making money and trying to protect myself from being hurt again that I haven't taken the time to find the things that really matter. Like the woman that has stolen my heart and tipped my world upside down. The life she carries within her body. I can't let you go, Kate. You mean too much to me, and I nearly blew it. It took more than I bargained for it to register in my brain. I know it's no excuse, but I didn't mean to hurt you."
"The night we made love in the hay made me think that you where exactly what I needed in my life. Things were going so well and then I realized that you might be pregnant. I panicked." He grinned sheepishly and shifted his feet. "I didn't know if I could go through that again, the worry you
