civility?â
âDonât you think Tomâs death might be a good opportunity to draw up a truce?â She stared up at him with innocent baby blues, but he wasnât buying it.
âWhat do you want from me, Delaney?â
âWe need to talk, Ty. Weâve got some unfinished business.â
âNo we donât.â
âYes we do,â she insisted. âLook, I know the timing is horrible, but Uncle Phil wants an answer. I can maybe put him off for another week, but heâs not going to wait forever. If you donât decide soon, heâs gonna take his gazillions and move on to another investment. I donât think youâre in a position to take that chance. Do you?â
Ty scowled back at her. âHow would you know what kind of position Iâm in?â
âI know you donât have many options,â she said. âYouâll never get a conventional loan large enough to renovate the hotel. Itâs too risky without a big corporate name behind you.â
âIf I went into business with him, he could sell his share anytime he wants to anyone he chooses. I canât have that, Delaney. Iâm not taking that chance.â
âIf you want to gain a controlling interest in the place, youâll need to come up with another twelve million. So what are you going to do?â
âAs it turns out, I have a controlling interest.â
âHow?â Delaney asked.
âTomâs will. Youâre looking at the new CEO of Brandt Morgan. No one can sell the place out from under me anymore but I still need money to renovate.â
âHow are you going to get it?â she asked.
âFuck.â He tossed his hat on table and clawed a hand through his hair. âI donât know.â
âUm, what if you took on a silent partner, someone you already have a vested interest with?â
âLike who?â
Her lips stretched into a broad smile. âMe, of course. You know Iâm good for it, Ty. All I have to do is sell some of my oil stock. I could have millions in the bank within two weeks.â
âAnd whatâs in it for you?â
âWell,â she hesitated and then took a deep breath. âRemember a while back I said I had a favor to ask? Something I wanted to talk about when the time was ripe? Well, I think this is the ripest itâs ever gonna get.â
âWhat is it, Delaney? Quit hedging.â
âAll right. You want it straight out. Iâll give it to you.â Her eyes met his levelly. âI want a baby, Ty.â
Tyâs head jerked back in disbelief. âWhat the fuck did you just say?â
âYou heard me right. I want a ba-by.â
âWhat the devil put that harebrained idea into your head?â
âI donât know. Maybe my cows did.â
âThe cows?â
âYes. They all look so happy with their babies. Please, Ty! Just hear me out. Canât we just talk about this like two rational adults?â
âThatâs a tall order when one of us is out of her ever-lovinâ mind.â
âLook, itâs not like Iâm asking for us to get back together. Itâs just a little sperm, Ty. How hard can that be? Hell, youâve probably wasted enough of it over the years to populate half of Oklahoma.â
He returned a glower. âIâd never be so reckless. Iâve never gotten a woman pregnant.â
âI didnât say you had . I just said you could have , given all the ones youâve slept with.â
âItâs probably only a fraction of the number you think Iâve been with.â
âWhatever.â She waved a hand. âItâs water under the bridge.â
âLook, we hashed through this once before when we were married. Iâm no more ready to settle down now than I was back then . . . and we ainât married anymore, Delaney, in case you forgot. And I have no intention of changing that. Iâve been