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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 (#ulink_e20948ef-3081-525e-81b3-71dd8f8ffb15)
“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?”
“I couldn’t believe it when your pastor told me where to reach you,” he said. In many ways, his dark brown eyes and dark complexion reminded her of Max. He, too, had Cajun blood in him from his mother’s side of the family. Whereas Kaitland was light and fair, taking after her mother, Robert took after his mother. Her father, who was Irish, left only his green eyes and gold highlights to Kaitland.
Robert, being no blood relation, had no look of the family about him. Of course, her grandmother had raised them most of their life as their parents had died in a tragic car accident not long after they married. With no relatives, Robert had been raised by Kaitland’s grandmother, too.
That was part of the ongoing tension between them now. Robert had never thought Kaitland’s grandmother cared for him. And Kaitland refused to listen to Robert bad-mouth the woman who had raised them both. That was one reason she was so surprised to see him.
“Max Stevens needed a sitter. I was available.”
“Those his kids?” Robert asked, nodding toward where the two little children sat playing with Darlene.
“No, those aren’t his kids.”
“Then what’s he doing with them?”
Kaitland sighed. “Don’t ask me to gossip about my boss, Robert. You know I won’t do it. Suffice it to say, they aren’t his children.”
“Your boss, huh?” Robert asked.
“Yes, my boss.”
“He was once much more.”
“Robert,” Kaitland warned. Robert was not a Christian, and scorned anything to do with church. He loved to find anything at all to needle Kaitland with when it came to morals.
“Okay, okay,” Robert finally relented. “I don’t know how you could work for the man after what he did, but that’s up to you. I just wanted to check on you and find out what happened at the day care to send you running off.”
“I wasn’t running off.” Pushing open the gate, she headed down the curving pathway, ignoring the sweet fragrance of roses and azaleas, the climbing honeysuckle bushes, until she arrived at a bench. Seating herself, she motioned to Robert, who had followed her, then told him about the confrontation she’d had with the man at the day care. “Jake felt it was better for the children who witnessed the incident, and their parents, if I took some time off,” she finished. “This job was available. So, after reassuring the children that there was no harm done, I came out here for the next few weeks. Besides, Jake has been encouraging me to relax. The pressure of the expansion project we’re planning has been exhausting and he thought that coming here and straightening everything out might give me a chance to clear the air of the past. Satisfied?” Though that wasn’t the entire story. Kaitland had wanted to do something new and different. Jake had known that, too.
“Your pastor thinks you need rest?” Robert asked, a conniving look on his face.
Instantly wary, for Robert rarely showed such interest in her, she said, “Yes, why?”
Robert reached out and took her hand. “I have a function to attend next week. You know my girlfriend deserted me a year and a half ago and I haven’t found anyone to replace her at these social occasions.”
“Is this one of those dinner parties?” she asked suspiciously.
“Please, Kaitland. Senator Bradley will be there. It’s very important I talk to him. He’s one of the men against the gambling issue and I need a chance to sway his decision.”
Of course. She should have guessed that Robert’s desperate need of her company had to do with his work as a lobbyist.
Kaitland removed her hand from her brother’s grip. “You know I told you after what happened with Senator Richardson that I’d not go to those parties. I hate them.”
“That was an accident Richardson was drunk. Things like that don’t normally happen.”
“So you say. I don’t like the way everyone judges me by what I wear, eyeing me, attaching a price tag to my dress. It’s demeaning. Besides, I don’t have the money to buy a dress for one of those functions.”
“I’ll buy you the dress,” he said, grabbing her hand again. “And it’s only because you don’t know anyone that you’re uncomfortable. Max Stevens attends those parties sometimes. I bet if he was there you’d attend.”
“If I went with Max, then I might,” Kaitland agreed. “But I’m not going with Max. I’m his employee. Therefore, the point is moot.”
Robert’s face turned red. “You’d go with him, yet you won’t go with your brother.” He shot to his feet, his hands fisted. “Your grandmother brainwashed you against me. It’s always been like that, you know. I’ve always been the outsider.”
Kaitland shot to her feet, too, dismayed at the turn of the conversation, though not surprised. “That’s not true, Robert. You know Mimi loved you just like she did me.”
“No. She loved you, tolerated me. And you’re the same way. I come here begging for one small favor and you turn me away like she always did. You’d think you’d care a little more about me than that, you who profess to love thy neighbor. Or is that it? You can love your neighbor—” he motioned toward the mansion “—but not your own brother.”
With that, he stormed down the path.
Kaitland collapsed back against the bench. It would do no good to chase Robert right now. He’d only argue more. And she did feel a little guilty about what he’d said. She loved her stepbrother. But her grandmother had disinherited Robert, and left everything to Kaitland.
However, she was terrified of those parties. Why couldn’t Robert understand the burden she carried inside her after that night? She didn’t want any part of what had caused the pain and fear in her life. Not again, not just when Max had come back into her life.
If she went to a party like that now, it would only dredge up more hurt and probably get her fired faster than she could blink.
Wearily, her shoulders drooped. “Why now, Father? It looks like I might have a chance to clear the air between Max and myself and suddenly all of these old problems are making themselves known again. Why?”
With a sigh, she rose from the bench and went back out the gate and toward where Darlene sat with the children. She wondered how she could have thought it would be so easy coming back here, seeing Max and then going on with her life after this temporary job was over. She was afraid this was just the beginning of more momentous things to come.
