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snapped the lid closed. “We’ll get you another one.”
    “No, you big dumb cowboy. I love it, but I can’t accept it.”
    “Why not?”
    “I can’t answer your question until you answer mine. Why me?”
    “I trust you.”
    Well, it wasn’t poetry or flowers, but it was something he never gave idly. And he’d answered quick enough that she believed him. She supposed it was enough. It wasn’t like she expected him to profess his undying love for her. She never would’ve believed it anyway.
    She slowly stuck her left hand out. “Then yes, I will marry you.”
    He reopened the box and took the ring out. Poppy made another swipe for it, but he slipped it on Lucy’s finger before the baby could get a hold of it. It fit perfectly, and her eyes started filling up all over again.
    “God, darlin’, you’re killing me with those tears.” He swiped the tear that escaped down her cheek with the pad of his thumb, following it with a kiss. “It won’t be so bad, I promise. You might actually like being married to me.”
    She sniffed, waving his words away. “No, it’s not that. I just can’t believe what we’re going to do. It’s crazy.”
    “It is. It’s completely insane.”
    “While we’re talking about crazy, improbable things, do you think it would be okay if Poppy and I move in here before the wedding? My lease is up at the end of the month, and it doesn’t really make sense for me to pay the extra expense of a month-to-month lease. You know, if we’re going to be married soon.”
    She held her breath. This was too much to ask. It was a complete betrayal of his trust not telling him the real reason she needed a new place to live. But the fact was, she was too ashamed to tell him how bad things were for her. She’d lost the only babysitter she could afford, which meant she couldn’t go to work tomorrow. And she couldn’t look for a new job without someone to watch Poppy. Not to mention she’d be homeless at the end of the month.
    “That’s next week,” he said, still on bended knee.
    “Yes, I know.” She shook her head. “It’s okay. Never mind. I’ll make it work.”
    “No. It’s fine. You can move in whenever you like.”
    She let out a heavy, relieved breath. “Thank you. That’s very generous of you.”
    “Now I have a question for you.” He grabbed his drink and stood up. “Why did you agree to marry me ?”

 
    CHAPTER FOUR
     
    Ah, yes. He would ask that. Nothing was ever easy or taken at face value with Cal. He always looked at cause and effect. He hadn’t gotten to where he was in business without examining things from every angle before coming to a decision or making a commitment. She supposed she should’ve been relieved he took the same care in his personal life, however impersonal this marriage really was.
    He’d opened his home to her in her most desperate time. Whatever he was getting out of this marriage, she was getting far more. It wouldn’t be fair not to let him know exactly what he was getting himself into. She only hoped he wouldn’t back out once he learned just how screwed up her life was and how much of it she was bringing to his doorstep.
    “Well,” she began. “I need the money. If I could find a job with the same pay, hours, and perks, I’d take it.”
    He swallowed a rather large amount of his drink. “No doubt.”
    “I recently lost my babysitter, so I’ll have to look for a new one right away. Which brings up another question—when will I start getting paid?”
    “Don’t worry about it.”
    “Well, see , I kind of need to. Without someone to watch Poppy, I can’t go in to work tomorrow.” She hated how reedy and needy her voice sounded.
    He refilled his drink and then hers. She hadn’t realized she’d drained the glass.
    “Darlin’, I’d really appreciate it if you’d get to the part where you answer my question. Why did you agree to marry me?”
    She looked down at Poppy, who had fallen asleep with her little fist in her mouth.