A Father's Love

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?”