A Chesapeake Shores Christmas
said, clearly disgruntled. “She said something about having privacy for her gentlemen callers. Since when does my mother have gentlemen callers, I’d like to know?”
    Megan chuckled. “Maybe that’s the point,” she suggested. “She doesn’t want you to know about them and meddle the way you have in your children’s lives.”
    He shuddered. “She’s probably right. Knowing my mother is getting involved with some old codger is probably more information than I need to have.”
    “I think it would be sweet for her to have someone special in her life,” Megan said thoughtfully. “Look at all the years she’s sacrificed her own needs to take care of our family. It’s her turn to find whatever happiness she can.”
    “I suppose. Now let’s stop talking about my mother and Connor, and focus on us. How soon are you going to quit your job and move down here? Two weeks’ notice ought to be enough, don’t you think?”
    “Not with a major show coming up at the gallery,” she said. “Besides, if I want Phillip to consider opening an extension of his gallery here, then I have to handle this with care.”
    “You don’t need his backing,” Mick argued. “I’ll bankroll your gallery.”
    “It’s very generous of you to want to do that,” Megan said, “but I just finished telling Connor that I wasn’t marrying you for your money. How will it look to him if you pour thousands of dollars into my new business? No, Mick. I have to make this come together on my own.”
    “How?” he asked, his skepticism plain…and highly annoying.
    “That’s my problem now, isn’t it?”
    “Is this the way it’s going to be from here on out?” he demanded. “You refusing to accept any kind of help from me? I want to do things for you, Megan. It makes me happy.”
    “Then buy me a bouquet of flowers from time to time, or take me out for a romantic dinner. I don’t need lavish gestures for you to prove how much you love me.”
    Mick shook his head. “You are the most contrary woman I’ve ever known. What kind of person turns down help from someone who loves them?”
    “One who needs to maintain some independence,” she responded candidly.
    “Why, so you can turn right around and leave me again?”
    “No, so there will never be a question in your mind that I’m with you because I love you, not because of what you can do for me.”
    “That’s Connor talking,” he said. “I won’t have him meddling in our relationship or making you question the way every little thing we do might look to him.”
    “It’s not about Connor,” she insisted. “It’s about me, Mick. I’ve learned to stand on my own two feet. I’m not the naive, dependent girl who expected you to dance attendance and make my life complete. If it’s going to work between us, we have to be equals.”
    “So if I decide on impulse to give you a car, you have to turn right around and buy something for me?” he asked.
    “That might be exaggerating just a bit,” she said dryly.
    “Well, I should hope so, because it sounds ridiculous. If I’m your husband and I decide on a whim to give you something, what happened to accepting it graciously?”
    “Mick, this isn’t about cars or jewelry or impulsive gestures.”
    “Then explain it to me.”
    Megan wasn’t sure she could. She just knew that gifts per se weren’t the problem. It was all the strings implied. And if she wasn’t careful, those strings were going to bind them together for all the wrong reasons.
    And their marriage wouldn’t stand a chance.

    Mick had been thoroughly frustrated by his conversation with Megan the night before. He was still stewing over it on Monday morning after he’d driven her to Baltimore to the airport. He knew Connor was behind her attitude, no matter how much she’d tried to deny it. He also knew he needed to settle a thing or two with his younger son.
    He pulled out his cell phone and called Connor at the office. “Take a break,” he ordered without
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