Page 7 of The Rented Bride

Trent snorted. “Don’t pretend to give me an out. If I hadn’t found her, you would have married me to the granddaughter of one of your cronies back in Scotland—and she’d probably be a tavern wench.

His grandfather grunted. “Some tavern wenches can be very entertaining.” His expression sobered. “My pushing you to settle down never meant I wanted you to marry just any lass. I only wanted you to realize that you need more than business. Contracts and million dollar deals don’t warm your bed or give you babes.”

Trent lifted a brow. “That’s easy to say now that I have someone.”

His grandfather’s gaze clouded over. “I know you don’t remember her very well, but your grandmother…” He released the same slow sigh he did every time he spoke of his wife.

“I know,” Trent said, “she was something special.”

He nodded. “I want the same for you—and you want it, too.”

It was a nice dream. Grandfather’s marriage had been a love match, as had been his parents’. But they’d faded in memory, and Trent’s focus had become the company.

“You don’t want to be alone,” his grandfather said.

Trent started. He’d always known his grandfather missed his wife. She died at fifty-four. Far too young. But despite his grandfather’s devotion to her memory, Trent had never considered the possibility that he was lonely. He’d had women. No one serious enough to marry, but Trent had attributed that to his grandfather’s round-the-clock work hours as he built the empire that Trent now governed. When James Weston had left Scotland, he’d left with a sizeable piece of the family fortune, but in America he’d found unmatched success. And when Granddad passed the torch, Trent took the helm with the same dedication—which left little time for romance. He’d been damned lucky to meet Lindsey at a party hosted by a business associate, and even luckier that she was as dedicated to her career as he was to his.

That would change, now, however. The more the reality of his grandfather’s condition sunk in, the more Trent realized how much family meant to him—to both of them. Once they were married, Lindsey had agreed to take a couple years off to have a child right away. She knew how much children meant to Trent, how he wanted to prove to his grandfather that they were a happy—growing—family.

“Okay, Granddad, the party will go on. But the instant I think the celebration is too much for you, you’re coming back up here to bed—even if I have to carry you upstairs myself.”

His grandfather snorted and the tension Trent hadn’t realized had tightened his shoulders loosened. The last thing his grandfather needed was to dwell on the past and what he’d lost.

Trent wiled away the rest of the afternoon with his grandfather. After a game of chess, they had an early dinner in his room. With all the commotion happening downstairs, he didn’t want to aggravate his grandfather’s condition.

After their empty plates were taken away, Annie approached the bedside.

“Leave me alone,” James bristled. “I’m spending time with my grandson.”

“He can stay, but you need your medication.”

“You need your rest.” Trent stood. “I’ll see you in the morning.”

Even he could admit he was excited for tomorrow, to finally introduce his grandfather to Lindsey. Tomorrow he’d no longer just be Trent Weston, billionaire businessman. Tomorrow, he would be an engaged man…a family man.