“WELL, THAT COULDN’T HAVE gone any worse,” Kate said, excruciating moments later after she and Kev had said goodbye to her mother—who had stayed behind to talk to Reverend Baxter.
Kev looked over at her wordlessly from his side of the passenger seat. Clearly, Kate thought, he didn’t understand a lot of what had been discussed in the five-person telephone conference, but he knew enough to realize that the end of the discussion had been full of tension, much of which had been caused by Craig. Only six, Kevin also seemed to sense that Kate, who’d gone into the meeting feeling frazzled, was now more upset than ever.
“Yes, I am upset, but it’s nothing for you to worry about,” Kate explained, smiling at him. She reached over and patted his knee, “I am just having a really really bad day.” She switched on the ignition and turned on the air conditioner to full-blast. As she leaned over to help Kev with his seat belt, the cell phone in her purse began to ring.
“Probably Craig, calling to apologize,” she said. Which, given the difficult way Craig had just behaved, he really needed to do. “Hello?”
“Kate! It’s Jenna. I’m glad I caught you.”
Hoping this at least was going to be good news, Kate said, “Hi, Jenna. What’s up?”
“I finished the wedding gown I think may be just what you are looking for. I’m booked solid for appointments all afternoon, but if you want to come over to the boutique now, and take a look, maybe try it on, I can fit you in. Otherwise, we’ll have to make it sometime next week.”
This may be just what I need to turn my day around. “I’m just a few blocks away, Jenna, but I’ve got Kevin with me—”
“No problem,” Jenna interrupted cheerfully. “He can play with Alexandra’s toys out in the showroom, if he likes.”
JENNA HAD THE DRESS waiting for Kate when she arrived, and to Kate’s bliss, it was everything Jenna had said it was. Even on the hanger, it looked perfect. Kate couldn’t wait to try it on. “Kev, you want to come back to the fitting room with Jenna and me and watch me try on the dress?”
Kev looked at her expressionlessly, then said abruptly, “I’m hungry.”
Kate’s pleasure at hearing Kevin actually articulate his needs out loud—something he could do but usually chose not to these days—was muted by the difficulty of his request.
“Oh, dear,” Jenna said, looking over at Kate. “Food is the one thing that I don’t have and I don’t allow in the shop. Expensive merchandise, you know.”
“It’s okay.” Kate knelt to talk to Kev. She knew she could handle this. Besides, trying on the dress would not take long at all. But she did so want to try on this dress, and Jenna had made it clear this was the only time Kate could do so until next week.
Kate looked into Kevin’s eyes and told him softly, “You have been so patient this morning, Kevin, and I appreciate it so much. Thank you.”
Kevin’s lower lip shot out. He seemed to know what was coming next.
“I promise you, it’s just going to take a couple of minutes for me to try on this dress. And then I’ll take you to any restaurant in town that you want to go to, and you can have whatever you want for lunch, okay? But first I do have to try on this dress,” Kate said firmly, letting him know with a glance there was no debating that. “Now, do you want to come back with Jenna and me?”
Kevin refused to answer Kate’s question. Instead, he walked over to the child-size table and chairs Jenna had set up in the corner of the showroom. He sat and picked up a stuffed dinosaur and a toy car and, ignoring both her and Jenna, began to play.
Kate got his attention long enough to show him where she was going to be—right around the corner and down the short hallway to the fitting room—if he needed her, and then went on with Jenna. Hurriedly, she shimmied out of her dress and with Jenna’s help stepped into the bridal gown.
“Oh, wow,” Jenna said as Kate stepped up on the pedestal.
“Wow is right,” Kate said, spinning around and gazing at herself in the three-panel mirror. “You are right,” Kate said breathlessly. “This is absolutely the dress for me.” The off-the-shoulder gown was spectacularly beautiful. It had a closely fitted, Alençon bodice beaded with pearls, layers of English-net skirting which was also trimmed with Alençon and pearls, long, closely fitted sleeves, and a detachable cathedral train. It made her look and feel as elegant and feminine as she had always wanted to look and feel on her wedding day.
Jenna grinned, delighted. “I thought it would be just the thing. Let’s try on a few headpieces so you’ll get the full effect.”
She handed Kate a headpiece trimmed with Alençon and pearls, and a long tulle veil. “Now it’s really perfect,” Kate sighed, content.
Jenna was already reaching for another. “Let’s try on a few more, just so you can see how different they all look.”
They tried on several different styles of tiaras, with both short and long veils. All were contenders, as far as Kate was concerned. Then they tried a picture hat. “Not me,” Kate said firmly as she studied her reflection in the mirror. “Not at all.” Even though it did go with the dress and conjure up visions of a beautiful English garden.
“How about a simple floral wreath, or better yet, a little baby’s breath on a comb?” Jenna asked, holding up both for Kate’s perusal.
Kate had just put a wreath of white satin flowers in her hair when the front door to the boutique slammed. Loudly. Kate and Jenna looked at each other in alarm. “Kevin,” they both said at once. And then seconds later Sam McCabe came charging in.
He was breathing hard. His face was all red, his eyes accusing.
“What are you doing here?” Kate gasped, her hand automatically going to her throat.
Sam stared at her for a long, uncomfortable moment, the set of his mouth as hard and uncompromising as his eyes. “I might ask the same question of you,” he said, very coldly taking her in from head to toe.
Kate flushed, her heart knocking wildly in her chest. She didn’t know what was going on with Sam, exactly. She did know, from the way he was looking at her, that she was at the center of it.
A muscle clenching in his jaw, Sam looked at Jenna. “Do you mind if Kate and I have a moment alone? That is, if she can spare a moment when she’s obviously so busy trying on wedding dresses.”
“Um, sure.” Jenna looked as confused as Kate by Sam’s sudden appearance and deeply sarcastic tone. “I’ll just go out in the showroom with Kevin.”
Sam grimaced. Turning back to Kate, he gave her another sharp, unforgiving look, before saying to Jenna. “He’s not out there.”
“What?” Kate and Jenna said in unison, stunned, disbelieving.
“He’s at Isabelle Buchanon’s bakery, finishing a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and a chocolate shake,” Sam informed them grimly.
Kate and Jenna exchanged uneasy glances before looking back at Sam. “How do you know that?” Kate climbed down off the pedestal on shaking legs.
“Because Isabelle just called me to come get him!” Sam shouted furiously, towering over her. He leaned down until the two of them were nose to nose. “Isabelle couldn’t figure out how Kevin got there, but she knew I would never let him go wandering around town alone. So, figuring something was wrong, she phoned the house to let me know where he was. Fortunately, she kept him with her until I got there, and she is going to continue to keep him there until I go back for him!”
“Oh, my word.” Kate covered her face with her hands, thunderstruck. Kevin had never wandered off before. What had he been thinking? What had she been thinking! He’d said he was hungry! She knew what a tough morning he’d had. That he was unlikely to come to her—or anyone else—with any complaint. Why hadn’t she anticipated something such as this might happen? Why hadn’t she absolutely insisted he come back to the fitting room with her and Jenna, or better yet, put off trying on the dress until some later time?
Jenna looked at Kate and Sam uneasily. “You know what? I think I’ll just let you talk this out alone.” Jenna backed out of the room. She had a panicked, remorseful look on her face.
“You do that,” Sam muttered. He turned back to Kate, fury etched in his face.
Guilt closed like a vise around her heart. She couldn’t believe she’d lost track of Sam’s youngest, even for a moment. Kate had never felt lower, or more inept, in her life. Moving closer yet, she whispered helplessly, “I am so sorry, Sam.” She knew she had given Sam one hell of a scare, and obviously let down Kevin, too. “Kev was supposed to be playing with the toys in the showroom. I thought—”
“And I thought I could trust you!” Sam stormed right back.
“You can!” Kate countered, hurt. Surely Sam could see this was a most unusual circumstance, one that would never ever happen again. But apparently not.
“Like hell I can!” he said.
Tears filled Kate’s eyes as she realized how completely and utterly she had failed both Kevin and Sam, in allowing this to happen. “It won’t happen again,” she repeated firmly. Damn it all. She wouldn’t let it.
“You’re absolutely right it won’t,” Sam agreed, dark eyes flashing. “You’re fired.”
SHORT OF CHASING AFTER Sam in the wedding dress she was now determined to buy, and causing even more of a sensation than she had by losing track of Kevin, there was nothing Kate could do but watch him leave. As soon as the boutique door slammed, Jenna came rushing into the fitting room.
“Oh, Kate, I am so sorry.”
“It’s not your fault,” Kate said as steadily as she could. “It’s mine.” She’d gotten so caught up in her desire to have a wonderful wedding, to find the perfect gown, the one that would make her feel the way she wanted to feel, she had lost track of what was important.
“Let me help you get out of that dress,” Jenna said.
“By the way, I do want this dress,” Kate said as she slipped on the dress she had been wearing when she’d walked in.
“You don’t have to make a decision today,” Jenna said evenly. “Especially after what just happened. You can think about it.”
“Nope.” When it came to her wedding, Kate had done far too much thinking and procrastinating as it was. She had spent too many years engaged, waiting for the “big day” to finally arrive. “I’m buying it today. And I’m purchasing the very first veil I tried on, too.” Determinedly, Kate wrote out a check.
“You’ll need to come back for a fitting,” Jenna cautioned. “We have got to get the hem right.”
Kate nodded. “I’ll call your assistant next week and schedule a time. Meanwhile—” Kate slung her bag over her shoulder “—I’ve got to talk to Sam.”
Jenna sighed. “Lots of luck.”
“Thanks,” Kate said. Judging by the look on Sam’s face when he’d left, she was going to need it.
SAM WAS IN HIS STUDY when Kate returned. Kevin was curled up next to Sam on the leather sofa, sound asleep, a stuffed animal held tight in his arms. Music from Will’s stereo drifted down from the third floor.
Seeing Kate, Sam eased himself away from the sleeping Kevin and walked over to his desk. He picked up a check and headed straight for Kate. Taking her by the elbow, he led her into the front hall and shut the door behind him. “Here’s your check.” He shoved it into her hand. “I’ll expect you and your things out of here in the next ten minutes.”
Kate’s jaw dropped open in astonishment. She knew Sam was angry with her. He had every right to be. She also knew this was something they could overcome. “At least give me a chance to make it up,” she pleaded quietly, determined to not let her stay with them end the way every other household manager’s had—in dismal failure.
Sam quirked a sardonic brow in her direction. “Why? Losing Kev once wasn’t excitement enough?”
Kate stiffened her spine indignantly. “I didn’t lose him. He slipped away from me. And I told you, it won’t happen again. I’ll make sure of that.”
In Sam’s study, the phone rang. Sam swore beneath his breath. “Do something about that—” he pointed to the third floor “—while I get the phone in there.”
Hoping she could get there before the pounding rock music woke Kev, Kate headed for the stairs. She raced up first one flight, then the next and rapped on the door. “Will! Turn it down, would you?”
No response.
Which wasn’t surprising, Kate thought. He probably couldn’t hear a thing over the thudding bass. “Will!” she knocked again, pushed open the door and gasped at what she saw. Kate backed out into the hall.
Seconds later, Will stormed out of his bedroom, still tugging on his shirt. “What the hell’s your problem?” he shouted. “Don’t you know how to knock!”
Behind them, Sam came dashing up the stairs, his expression grim. He glared at Kate. “I thought I told you to make him turn that down!”
“I did,” Kate said.
Sam shouldered past Will, and shoved open the door to his room. Sam backed out just as quickly as Kate had. He turned to glare at her. You could have warned me, his look said.
Sam turned back to Will. “Turn off the music—now!”
Will went inside. The music ended. He stepped back out into the hall, Amanda clinging to his arm and hiding behind him. She ducked her head, avoiding eye contact with the adults. “I’ve got to go,” she murmured to Will. Then leaving him to face Sam and Kate alone, Amanda dashed down the stairs. Neither Kate nor Sam made a move to stop her.
“What the hell was going on here?” Sam demanded of Will.
Will was silent.
Sam looked at Kate. “What exactly did you walk in on?”
Kate swallowed. “I think you should ask Will.”
“I’m asking you. What just happened here?”
“I walked in on Will and Amanda.”
“And?”
Kate turned bright red despite herself.
“We were making out, okay?” Will said, clenching his jaw.
Kate looked at him. “It was more than that, Will.” She wasn’t going to let him pretend it wasn’t.
Sam looked very unhappy. “This is just great, Will. Exactly how I want to spend my Saturday afternoon.”
“Don’t blame me. It’s all her fault. She’s the one who barged in without knocking.” Will pointed a finger at Kate.
“I did knock,” Kate said. “You couldn’t hear over the music.”
“Well, then next time don’t walk in!” Will shouted.
“That’ll do, Will,” Sam said sternly, commanding his eldest son’s attention once again. “What were you thinking, disobeying me? You know you’re on restriction.”
“You said I couldn’t go anywhere,” Will protested heatedly. “You didn’t say that no one could come to see me.”
Sam seemed to be counting backward from ten in an effort to hang on to his temper. “Leaving that pathetic excuse aside for the moment—although I assure you I do plan to come back to it—you know we have rules about girls in the bedrooms. We don’t allow it here. Ever. In addition, you know I expect you to be responsible for your actions, Will—”
“It’s not like Amanda and I intended for this to happen,” Will interrupted, clearly irked they had to discuss this at all.
Unable to keep quiet a moment longer, Kate said, “Will, you barely know her!”
Will glared at Kate. “That would be none of your business, Kate,” he said with barely contained fury. “And why don’t you lay off the Good Mother routine.”
Sam grabbed Will by the shoulder. “All right. That’s enough. You apologize to Kate. Now, Will.”
“Sorry.” He didn’t sound it.
Kate knew enough to back off.
Silence fell between them. Sam looked at Kate. “Maybe you should go downstairs and wait for me there.”
Kate didn’t need to be told twice. She fled.
Miraculously, Kevin was still asleep on the sofa in Sam’s study. She spread an afghan over him, then went into the living room to wait for Sam. He came down fifteen minutes later, no longer dressed in the polo shirt and khakis he’d had on earlier in the day, but in a suit and tie. As if on cue, the limo pulled up out front. Kate looked from it to him. Still looping a tie around his neck, Sam said, “I’ve got to go to Dallas. One of the execs from California is stuck at the Dallas airport on an unexpectedly long layover and he wants to get together. I’m going to the Admiral’s Club to meet him.”
Kate’s eyes widened. “Why are you telling me?”
“Why do you think?” Sam shook his head in exasperation. “Because you have to watch Kevin.”
Kate didn’t know whether to be relieved she hadn’t been booted out, after all, or furious at his audacity. “I thought I was fired,” she reminded him less than politely.
“You are. But you’re also hired back until I can find your replacement.” Sam peered at her from beneath lowered brows. “You think you can manage this without losing my son again?”
“I think, if you mention that one more time, I’m going to deck you.”
Sam almost—almost—smiled as he regarded her with something akin to respect. Clearly, sometime in the last few minutes he had come to the conclusion he needed her. Kate wasn’t certain how she felt about that. But it was better than being considered extraneous and a royal pain, that was for sure. “What about Will?” Kate continued after a moment, beginning to panic. Given the morning they’d had, she was not entirely sure she was up to this alone.
“He’s now grounded for a whole week,” Sam reported matter-of-factly, quickly taking Kate for granted once again. “He’s not to leave the house for anything but scheduled activities.”
Kate folded her arms in front of her. She was convinced this was not going to be as easy as Sam thought it was. “Does he know that?”
Sam looked her square in the eye. “Yes.”
“Did you talk to him about the rest of it?” Because she sure couldn’t!
“Briefly,” Sam conceded. The evasive look on Sam’s face told Kate that Sam didn’t intend to bring it up again. Will needed a long talk with his dad about that, and probably a lot of other things, as well.
Kate sighed, her frustration with both Sam and the situation mounting. “Look, Sam—”
“Not now, Kate.” Sam grabbed his briefcase and hurried toward the door.
Feeling more like a harried spouse than the temporary household manager she was, Kate followed him to the door. She knew this wasn’t really her problem, but it still felt as if it was. Which meant that everyone was right and she was getting too emotionally involved in the situation. All she knew for sure was that she was worried about all of them, especially Will and Kevin. And if Sam ever let himself stop to really think about what was going on she knew he would be, too. “When will you be back?” she asked, wishing like heck he wasn’t going at all.
Sam shrugged. “I don’t know. Late, probably,” he said. Then he was gone.
“I NEED TO GO RUNNING. Are you gonna let me or not?” Will asked.
Kate looked up from the stack of library books on her lap. She glanced at the clock. “Now? Will, it’s ten o’clock!”
“So?” Will sat to put on his athletic shoes.
“So, isn’t that a little late to go jogging?”
Will shrugged. He pushed to his feet and began going through his stretches like the seasoned athlete he was as he continued to chide Kate defiantly. “It isn’t going to make any difference to your dad, the football coach from hell. He wants us all running two to six miles a day, in addition to our regular practices. I didn’t get mine in yet.” Finished with his calf muscles, he began his hamstring stretches as he waited for her to make a decision.
“I don’t know about this, Will,” Kate said, unsure whether he was pulling a fast one on her or not. She knew her dad wanted the kids on his team to run daily—it was the best way for the players to condition themselves to the heat. But Will had had all day to do this. Instead he’d sulked in his room, refusing the dinner she had made him, Kevin and herself, and playing his stereo much too loud. “Your dad isn’t home and you’re supposed to be grounded.” And she doubted Sam would appreciate a call from her about something like this.
“Fine.” Will abruptly stopped limbering up and glared at Kate. “Then you call your dad and explain to him why I can’t run tonight. Because I’m sure as hell not going to—he’d kick me off the team for sure if I did that.”
Will was probably right about that, Kate thought. Her father was not one to accept excuses. “You promise me this isn’t a ruse?” She looked Will straight in the eye. “That all you’re going to do is go out and run and then come straight home?”
Will shook his head and looked away for a very long moment. Finally he turned back to her and said with a sardonic smirk, “I’m not going to be having sex tonight, Kate, if that’s what you’re worried about.”
Unprepared for the audacity of his remark, Kate sucked in a breath.
Happy he’d shocked her into silence, for the moment, anyway, Will shot Kate another disrespectful look, than headed out at a clip. The door slammed after him. Kate had no sooner picked up her book of love poetry again when she heard a car motor in the driveway. She went to the window, hoping to see Sam’s limo. Instead, she noticed Brad’s Mustang. As soon as he cut the motor, Brad and Riley vaulted out of it and stormed toward the house.
As Brad tromped furiously into the soft yellow glow of the porch lights, a chuckling Riley hard on his heels, Kate blinked at Brad in astonishment. “What in the world happened to you?”