A Father's Love

Chapter Six (#ulink_0a841681-94e0-5912-b9b4-11515f7a0c88)

Max was avoiding her and the children.

Kaitland juggled the diaper bag as she arranged Maddie in her arms and urged Bobby onward down the long carpeted hall of the building that housed Stevens Inc.

Oh, it had not been obvious at first as Kaitland had adjusted herself to the children’s rigorous schedules. But as Maddie and Bobby had settled into a routine, it had quickly become apparent to Kaitland that Max wasn’t just missing supper and spending more time than usual at the office. She had no doubt he was doing his best to detach himself from the situation.

The children didn’t notice, as they had not grown used to Max yet But Kaitland noticed. He’d taken to coming up the balcony stairs to his room in the evenings. And if he did pass through the house when she and the children were still up, and happened to run into them, he made some excuse about being tired, or making it an early night and they’d discuss anything that might need discussing at a more opportune time.

And to think, that first night she’d caught him unawares, she had only planned to ask him if she could take the children to the zoo.

Well, he was done avoiding her. She was about to put an end to that, she thought again determinedly. After all, Max had made the decision to keep the children until their mother, whoever that was, could be located. He should at least spend time with them. The children had no one else. It was up to her to make Max realize that, whether he wanted to or not. She assured herself that was her only motivation and that she wasn’t upset that he’d been treating her as if she had the plague every moment since that first day.

“Door!”

Kaitland, brought abruptly out of her reverie by the lunging child as she pointed at the door, glanced at the squirming Maddie in her arms and noted how intently she examined each door they passed. “Yes, Maddie. Door. No, Bobby,” she admonished gently as the toddler on her right reached toward the leg of a very delicate table with a very expensive china vase sitting on top of it. “Come on. Take my hand,” she urged him, grabbing hold of his chubby little hand just in time.

She swerved to avoid the cherry-wood table that sat just outside the main doors leading to Max’s office.

Taking a deep breath, she nodded to the receptionist who was just coming out of a side room, then barged into the secretary’s office before the receptionist could stop her.

A young girl, no more than twenty-three years old, Kaitland guessed, looked up from her computer. “May I help you?” she asked, her glance taking in one child, then the other. Surprised, Kaitland watched the woman smile sweetly at both children with a gaze that was soft and loving. Maddie clapped and squealed.

“Go!” Bobby said, reaching toward the secretary.

The secretary winked before glancing back in query at Kaitland.

“I’m here to see Max…Mr. Stevens.” Kaitland suddenly realized she didn’t even know if Max was in. In the past, he had rarely done the traveling for the company. He had held simple nine-to-five hours unless problems cropped up. Of course, back then, Rand had been around to take care of most of the problems. Now, Max was doing the bulk of the work. Maybe he wasn’t here.

“I’m sorry, Jennifer,” the receptionist said, coming into the office almost on Kaitland’s heels, but the young blonde interrupted her.

“It’s all right, Mary.” With a small nod, the younger girl dismissed the older woman. “You must be Ms. Summerville?” she inquired politely if a little coolly.

The children were both squirming and despite her resolve, Kaitland suddenly felt like squirming, too. She knew how much Max demanded of his secretaries. How could a woman so young be in such a position of responsibility? Long blond hair coiled in a French twist at the back of her head gave the woman an air of sophistication. Remarkable blue eyes regarded her with wisdom beyond her years. Her long slender hands were more suited to modeling than typing, Kaitland thought. She in her plain jeans and short-sleeve sweater, suddenly realized how underdressed she must look compared to the woman’s tailored suit and silk blouse. “Yes, I’m Kaitland Summerville. I know Max said he had to work today, but I needed to see him…”

The girl frowned over Kaitland’s use of Max’s first name, causing Kaitland to wonder if maybe there wasn’t more going on between the secretary and Max than she realized. She watched as the woman buzzed the office. “Yes, Jennifer?”