A Father's Love

Crossing the plush carpet, she found out she was right. Max’s room was larger. She knew he had a small gym in the second room off the main room, as did Rand. Max had explained the layout of the house once to her.

“Oh, my,” she breathed, looking in the room. Yellows and green pastels decorated the bedroom, along with pink and blue pastel watercolors hanging on the walls. She wondered who had decorated this. Certainly not an interior decorator. Her bag was sitting on the bed. She unpacked, putting everything in the cherry-wood armoire as she went. Her last thing to unpack was the first thing she had packed—her Bible.

Taking it out, she sat down on the bed and opened it. She was surprised to find she had opened it to a familiar scripture, “You will not fear,” it started, and ended with, “I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him.”

Smoothing her hand over the worn pages, she prayed, “Father, please help me, guide me in what You would have me do. I thought this would be so easy, coming here and facing the past. But, well, I’ve discovered I still have some kind of feelings for Max. Oh, I’m not sure what they are, but they’re there. I don’t want to hurt Max again, but I refuse to put myself in the path of hurt, either. Open the doors for healing between us even if that means we solve the problems and never see each other again. All I know is this has to come to a head. Thank You, Father.”

She laid her Bible down and stood. Taking her suitcase, she tucked it under the bed and then turned toward the door.

“Round one goes to Daniel,” she whispered. She had faced the lion in his den and come out unscathed.

“Now let’s see what happens in round two,” she murmured.

Chapter Four

“I’ve got Dugan Lawrence, head of security at our stores, checking into the twins’ background,” Max said, hanging up the phone and turning to where Kaitland had just entered the den. “And Jennifer is buying the store out, if I know her.”

“Jennifer?” Kaitland asked quizzically.

“My secretary. She loves kids and became my secretary when Rand had his accident.”

Max watched Kaitland digest that as she seated herself across from him in one of the overstuffed chairs. He couldn’t get over how good she looked. His heart beat a staccato as he unobtrusively studied her again. She was like manna for a starved soul. He thought he’d gotten over her, was no longer empty without her, but seeing her now…He forced himself to push those feelings aside and remember how she’d betrayed him. It would not be good to act the fool again. “Do you have any problems with living in? What about your own house or your job?”

“Jake gave me time off. I’m on vacation. I have four weeks built up but hadn’t taken any of it until now. As for my house, I imagine if I can run by once or twice a week, it’ll be okay. I can call and stop the paper, and my mail all goes to a post-office box anyway.” She shrugged daintily. “There’s nothing else to worry about”

“What about personal phone calls and such? Do you need to forward your phone?”

“No. The only people who would need to get in touch with me are at the church. Jake will forward any urgent messages to me.”

He nodded. “About publicity. I’d like to keep this situation quiet. You know how the news media constantly hounds Rand and me. This would be a field day. Not that I have anything to hide. But I’d like to have some answers, know who these kids belong to before this hits the papers.”

“I understand.”

“But?” he asked, seeing the look on her face.

She hesitated. “I’d as soon not be in the middle of a media feeding frenzy, either. If you’ll remember, I almost was, five years ago…”

“I thought we agreed to keep the past in the past?” Max asked, his tone harsher than he’d intended.

Kaitland sighed. “I’m sorry. You asked.”

“Yes, I did. And yeah, I wondered why those pictures never hit the newsstands.”

“Oh, Max, you had that all figured out Remember, I was in on the conspiracy with whoever it was that slipped you the pictures. They were angry at me and wanted to make sure you knew I didn’t really love you.”

“Katie,” Max began.

“You brought this up, Max,” Kaitland said, remembering those years when she had waited day after day then week after week until she had figured out that the sick person who had snapped pictures of her and ruined her soon-to-be marriage was not planning to release the photos to the media and ruin the rest of her life, as well.

“I don’t want to fight,” he warned.

“Oh, no, of course not,” Kaitland said gently, defeat in her voice. “It was easier to accept what you saw in those pictures and find me guilty.”

“You can’t deny you were in Senator Richardson’s arms kissing him,” Max said desperately, the old pain boiling up anew. “I saw the pictures. How can you explain it?”

Kaitland smiled, but it wasn’t a smile of pleasure. She remembered that night. Going up to her stepbrother’s room. She’d thought, at the time, that the note sent to her had been from her stepbrother. Who else would call her to his bedroom in the middle of a party? Of course, later she realized that the person had simply gotten their rooms mixed up. Her and her stepbrother had connecting rooms. But at the time, she had simply thought her brother might be ill.

She’d found out differently. Going into the darkened room, looking around, she had been surprised when large muscular hands had closed around her shoulders. Gasping, she had spun around, only to see Senator Richardson, very drunk, standing there smiling at her. She remembered his words about inviting, her room and cook up our own little fun. Realizing his intentions, she had backed away, but he’d thought it funny, some grand game. It was during that struggle that someone had snapped shots of their intimate embrace.

She almost shuddered, remembering how close she’d come to getting raped. Shame had prodded her not to tell anyone of the fiasco in the bedroom. Since she was spending the night, she had escaped to her room and changed her ruined gown. But she’d not gone back down to the party. She’d hidden in her room, crying over what had almost happened.

And if she’d pulled away from Max’s touch for the next few weeks it had only increased her shame, and her inability to explain why she suddenly didn’t want to be touched.

She hadn’t been able to tell him, certain he would look at her differently. When she’d finally decided to confess, it was too late. That someone else who had evidently witnessed her humiliation and taken pictures had sent them to Max. Yeah, she didn’t much like the media, either, for whoever the scum was that had taken the pictures had certainly gotten revenge. She still couldn’t understand why one of the magazines hadn’t bought them…assuming that is what happened, as she was almost certain it was.

“That’s the problem, isn’t it?” she said sadly now. “You never once asked me to explain the pictures. You just waited until I showed up for our date that night and then dropped the pictures in my lap and told me they had been delivered to you, anonymously. And since they were pictures of the bash over a month before, the one you didn’t go to with me, it was obvious, according to you, that I was not as committed to the relationship as you were.”

“You never even offered an explanation,” Max argued.

“You should have trusted me,” Kaitland said unhappily.

“But the pictures…” Max raised his hands helplessly, then let them fall back to his sides.

Kaitland saw the hurt and pain that she was sure was mirrored on her own face. She remembered her terror when she’d seen the pictures, the sinking sensation in the pit of her stomach when Max had stared so coldly down at her. She had opened her mouth to explain, but suddenly realized all of her fears were coming true. Max was not going to believe whatever she said. She was doomed to even try. And belatedly, she realized the main reason he wouldn’t believe her was because she had not been the one to tell him. Still, the pictures were so incriminating.

“Yet you won’t explain?” he said now.

Pride stiffened Kaitland’s spine. It would do no good. She knew his mind was set against her. Had those pictures not shown up, they would have worked through the situation, but all Max could see was that she had not come to him until someone else had implicated her so he believed what he saw in the photos. “No,” she finally said, thinking it useless to argue further.

He shook his head. “Then it’s best we forget it and remember this is only a job between us.”

Kaitland’s heart breaking, she nodded. “Agreed, again.”

“Very well.” Max cleared his throat and wiped the emotion from his face. Kaitland could still see what he thought of as her betrayal burning in his eyes. “I told Jennifer to have the furniture delivered by noon today. I’ll be calling my lawyers to make sure we’re not breaking any laws by keeping the kids here. Would you be willing to act as an emergency foster parent should the need arise?”

Kaitland inclined her head. “Of course. I imagine, though, you won’t have any problem housing them here temporarily since the note was left for you.”

“How do you know about the note?” he asked, surprised.

“Sarah showed it to me.”

Max rolled his eyes. “I should have known.”

Kaitland giggled, the tension between them finally easing. “She was ecstatic at the thought that you might be getting served back some of what you put her through when you were a child.”

“Hey, it was Rand, not me, that drove the woman to gray prematurely.”

“Not according to her,” she replied. “You were, after all, the one with all the broken bones each time something went awry.”

“But it was Rand who masterminded the situations.”

“We only have your word for that,” she said, smiling with the good memories they had once shared. “As I remember, Rand has a completely different story.”

“Ask Elizabeth. I’m sure Rand has told her the truth.”.

“I know Elizabeth,” Kaitland said. “And I’m sure she wouldn’t divulge a secret Rand might share.”

Max’s smile immediately dimmed. Kaitland realized the issue of trust between Rand and Elizabeth had reminded Max of the betrayed trust he felt Kaitland had dealt him. “If you’ll excuse me, Max. I need to get upstairs and make sure everything has been moved,” she said abruptly. “I’ve got Darlene sitting with the little ones right now. She’ll be helping me out as I need it. After making sure Sarah has a menu for the children, I’ll go relieve Darlene. Bobby and Maddie should be awake by then and I’ll take them outside to play until the room is ready. You’ll have your office back and can work in peace.”

Max nodded. “If they need anything, come tell me.”

Kaitland imitated Max’s nod, so formal, polite and distant “I’ll do that”

She stood and strode from the room.

Max sighed, his rigid posture deflating the minute Kaitland was out of sight. She’d just had to bring up those pictures. It seemed like only yesterday when a courier had hand-delivered the package to him. Thinking it was something Rand had sent over from the store, Max had strolled into his office/gym in his room upstairs. He was running late. Kaitland was due any minute and he still had his cuff links to apply and his jacket to slip into. He’d bought a special gift, a matching necklace to go with the ring he planned to give her tonight. Oh, they were engaged, but the ring she had worn was his mother’s. He’d asked her to wear that until he found the perfect ring for her—which he’d discovered and which had just been delivered that day. A beautiful teardrop emerald surrounded with diamonds. The wedding band was emeralds with clusters of diamonds around them. It was exquisite. And to go with the ring was a matching necklace. He knew the color would bring out the glow of Kaitland’s eyes, accentuate the gold highlights in her hair.

He could hardly wait to present it to her over dinner.

Grabbing his letter opener, he’d slit the manila envelope, tipping it so the papers would slide out.

Pictures had slid out instead. Pictures and a note demanding money.

Pictures of Kaitland and Senator Richardson as he kissed her, his arms wrapped around her, holding her tightly to him. A picture of Richardson falling onto the bed with her while her hands tangled in his jacket, her own leg showing up to her thigh. Another of the senator’s hand pulling her dress from her shoulder while her head was flung back in abandon.

His face had flushed hot before every bit of blood had drained from it He’d dropped into a chair, certain he was going to pass out. Then he’d thrown up.

His stomach had twisted with rage. He’d wanted to go out and destroy the senator with his bare hands. And Kaitland. He’d almost cried over the pain of her betrayal. He probably would have, had Sarah not chosen that moment to tell him Kaitland was there.

Instead, holding on to every shred of dignity he could muster, he’d marched downstairs and dropped the pictures in her lap, wanting her to break down and tell him they were a lie. Even though he knew they couldn’t be, he wanted her to tell him that.

But when she’d paled and looked guiltily up at him, he’d known the truth. She was seeing the senator. All of her odd skittishness the past month suddenly made sense. And he’d thought it had been because he hadn’t given her the official engagement ring yet The joke had been on him. She hadn’t wanted a ring, was probably flinching at the thought of having to wear it when she was interested in someone else.

He’d never felt such pain or betrayal as in that moment, especially when he accused her and she didn’t deny it. No, she’d simply stood, with an unfathomable look in her eyes, and turned and walked out the door.

And he hadn’t seen her since.

In five long years.

Except in his dreams. Yet those dreams were less and less frequently, and through prayer he had been certain he had put her behind him.

Then she showed up on his doorstep, just when he was finally going forward again with his life. He’d found his niche at work, had plenty to keep him busy, had even been thinking about asking his secretary out, though he wasn’t really interested in her romantically.

“Katie.” He whispered her name out loud, shuddering at the feelings just saying her name evoked. “And I’m fool enough to keep you on, even when I realized what you’re here for.”

Well, what had he hoped her to be here for? To start up their relationship again? Preposterous. It was way too late for that. He should have known she was here for the kids, not to see him. But for one tiny moment he had forgotten everything. When she’d first walked through the door, he had remembered the feeling of joy, of contentment, before the ugly memories had rushed in.

“I was a fool,” he repeated. “A total fool if I think I’m going to get any work done with you in this house.”

Hearing his own weak voice, he vowed not to let Kaitland Summerville interrupt his life in the least. No, he would continue to work, would ignore her presence, would get on with his life as he’d been doing for the past five years. And she wasn’t going to stop him.

Standing, he left the library, heading toward his office. She was not going to bother him in the least. Everything was going to proceed according to his neat little schedule, and peace would again reign in his house.

Chapter Five

“Sarah! Katie! Get in here!”

Peace, indeed, he thought sourly. Had it only been a half hour ago he had thought that? “Darlene, grab Maddie. No! Not the fax—”

The crash sounded all the way into the hall.

“I’m so sorry, Mr. Stevens. I thought they were asleep so I just ran to the bathroom…”

Max looked in dismay to the overturned fax machine. The beep of an incoming fax had obviously been the culprit behind the kids’ untimely wakening. But the fax wasn’t the only casualty. His desktop had been cleared and Bobby sat in the middle of it, eating a pencil.

Maddie was covered with dirt from the plant she had dug up, one of his Easter lilies or prayer plants or something. He wasn’t sure of the name of the plant that opened only occasionally. The tan carpet was dotted with little footprints that reminded him of a bear cub. It looked as if one of the children—probably Maddie since he knew her propensity for dancing—had padded in little circles all over the floor.

Running to Bobby, Max immediately removed the pencil from the child’s mouth, only to find a rubber band in his mouth, too, and…“Ouch!” He jerked his finger back, looking at the red swollen digit.

Bobby simply grinned toothily at him then spit out what looked like his eraser…or what was left of it. “Open up,” Max said, wanting to check, but afraid to stick his finger back in there.

“Oh, no, Maddie. No. No!”

Max looked over at Darlene and groaned. The contracts his secretary had sent over were demolished. Even now Darlene was digging pieces of paper out of Maddie’s mouth. Those that the little girl hadn’t tried to eat were covered with muddy little paw prints.

“What happened?” Kaitland came running into the room, her eyes widening in despair at the signs of chaos. She hesitated, not sure which child to take until Max held Bobby up.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t know they were awake. I was in with Sarah—” She stopped midsentence, looking at Max with growing dismay.

Max didn’t have to ask why. He felt the warm liquid running down Bobby’s leg wetting his tan shirt. “His diaper is leaking,” Max said bleakly, thinking that at this rate his dry-cleaning bill was going to bankrupt his company.

“I’m sorry, Max,” Kaitland said. “I’ll just take him. Darlene, bring Maddie. I’ll, uh, come back and clean up…”

“Let Darlene or Sarah see to that.”

“Of course, Max.”

She turned toward the door, talking to Bobby as she hurried out.

“And Katie?” Max called, picking up the ruined contracts and looking at the chew marks on them.

Kaitland paused, glancing warily back at Max. “Yes?”

“I think Maddie’s hungry.”

“Yes, Max,” she said and scuttled out the door. Then to Sarah, “Could you get the children some carrot sticks. I’m going to take these two out back where they can wear off some of their energy.”

Toting one child in each arm, Kaitland went into the library and grabbed the checked quilt then went out back. She avoided the formal gardens—no telling what they’d eat there—and the pool area. Instead, she went farther out toward the outer wall where there was a huge section of green lawn. The children could run there and do little damage.

“Here you go,” Sarah called, huffing up behind Kaitland.

“Oh, thank you,” Kaitland said, gratefully seeing not only the snacks, but drinks, a washcloth and a diaper bag, too.

She spread the blanket then called both children.

Maddie immediately came over and plopped down on the quilt. “It’s going to take a little longer for little Bobby to get used to his nickname,” Sarah said, bringing Maxwell Robert over to where Kaitland was. She dropped by her with a groan. “Should have gotten closer to a bench, young lady,” Sarah grouched good-naturedly.

“I’m sorry, Sarah,” Kaitland responded, even as she wiped up Maddie. She exchanged children with Sarah and went to work on Bobby, including changing the sopping-wet diaper.

She pulled out the snacks and sipper cups from the bag and said a quick prayer with the children. Amazingly, they both settled right down and began munching their snacks. “Good thing they like this. I wasn’t sure what to fix them. I guess it’s just going to take time for us to figure out what food they like.”

“The way those two wolfed down the cookies Max fed them earlier, I doubt you’re going to find very little those two don’t like to eat.”

Kaitland sighed as she watched the two little ones exchange snacks and resume eating. “They’re so adorable,” she said. “But at the rate everything has gone this morning, I’m afraid Max will let me go before I have a chance to find out their likes and dislikes.”

“Oh, pshaw,” Sarah said. “I have to disagree with you, Kaitland, dear. I haven’t seen Max this animated in years. Not since you left his life.”

“Since he dismissed me from it, you mean.”

Sarah leaned forward and patted Kaitland’s hand. “Don’t know why you’ve waited so long to come back and straighten it out. Should have been taken care of a long time ago, if you ask me. But of course, Max is so closemouthed. It doesn’t matter what happened back then. It’s obvious Max still cares for you.”

Kaitland raised surprised eyebrows. “What in the world makes you say that? It’s obvious every time I’m in the room that Max is in a foul mood and can’t wait to get away.”

“Exactly.”

Kaitland wrinkled her forehead in confusion. “You’re not making sense.”

“Of course I am. Ever heard the old saying, where there’s a spark, you can get a fire going?”

Kaitland laughed. “Yeah, but don’t you know an out-of-control fire can destroy everything around it?”

“Not this, dear. Max is led by God, and so are you. You’re both just too stubborn to forgive and forget, though. When Max finally let’s go of his hurt, I think you’re gonna find that fire back. But with God tempering it, it ain’t gonna get too out of control that either one of you gets hurt again, if you both remember to rely on God this time.”

Kaitland blinked back sudden tears. If they relied on God this time. How true. When they’d had their problems before, instead of turning to God for help, they’d both allowed their wounded pride to stand in the way. That had caused untold problems. However, unlike Sarah, Kaitland didn’t believe this was a second chance. She just wanted to make peace so she could get on with her life. She knew Max would never trust her again, not that she couldn’t really blame him. Her mistake had cost her someone very dear to her. If she and Max could part as friends, she would take that and be happy. If Max could only forgive and forget. That was the key. And with her in the house, around him every day, that might happen.

“I hope you’re right, Sarah. I’d like the pain between us healed.”

“Ms. Summerville?”

Kaitland glanced up to where Darlene stood. “I wanted to let you know the furniture has arrived. I’ve got some people working on arranging the room right now. And there’s someone here to see you.”

“Me?” The only person Kaitland could think of was Jake. “Could you stay with Bobby and Maddie?” she asked Darlene.

“Sure. I led the person to the gardens. I wasn’t sure where to put him…”

“That’s fine,” Kaitland said, wondering where Timms, the butler, was.

“And I have to get back to cooking,” Sarah said. “Don’t you let them young ‘uns outta your sight, Darlene. You hear me?” Sarah added, heaving her body up off the ground.

“Yes, ma’am,” Darlene said, sitting down next to the children. Bobby immediately plopped into her arms. Maddie, obviously feeling left out, pushed her brother then squirmed up next to him on Darlene’s lap.

Kaitland laughed and, with a kiss to each one’s head, she turned and headed toward the gardens. Who in the world could it be that had come to visit her?

Then she spotted the dark brown head and knew.

Her stepbrother, Robert.

Robert and Max didn’t get along. Darlene wouldn’t want to leave him where Max might run into him. Kaitland had never understood the hostilities between the two men. She knew Max didn’t approve of Robert’s lifestyle, but he’d never discussed it with her, just told her to be careful around Robert What could her stepbrother do to her that Max worried about—or had worried about, she amended.

Except take her to a party where she ended up getting attacked, she told herself. Well, Max had been right and she’d learned her lesson.

“Robert,” she said, stopping at the garden gate where Robert stood. “What are you doing here?”