The Good Father

occurrence.”

Jane winced. “She didn’t object?”

“Maybe it’s the medicine she’s taking, but she seems to not be repulsed by me anymore.”

“You didn’t repulse her,” Jane objected. “She just met you on a bad day under bad circumstances. She generally likes everybody.” Except maybe Billy the bunny-snatching bully. “But that’s beside the point. Was the meeting ruined?”

“Actually, no. As it turns out, Ellen Lowenstein loves kids, and she was impressed we had a ‘kid-friendly’ office.”

“Oh. So it actually…worked in your favor?”

“This time. But, Jane-”

“I know, I know. This isn’t really a kid-friendly office, and I can’t continue to bring Kaylee in to work. But she should be able to return to school tomorrow. Or the next day at the latest.”

“You can’t bring her back here,” he said in no uncertain terms. “She’s an accident waiting to happen. I’ve got work crews coming in later today, and tomorrow, too. She could get hurt, not to mention exposed to the wrong people-”

“I understand. I’ll take her home, and I’ll try to find a sitter. That is, if I still have a job.”

“I’m not firing you,” he said, his voice gentle now. “If I ever fire you, you’ll know it.”

Jane nodded, afraid to speak. She’d once again dodged the unemployment bullet, but only just. She dashed back to her office before Max could change his mind.

Carol gave Max an arch look. “You were kind of tough on her.”

“Was I? I didn’t mean to be. I had to stress the point, that’s all. Kaylee could get hurt.”

“Kaylee probably helped you land that account,” Carol shot back, though she lowered her voice. “Ellen Lowenstein is gaga over the child, and she thinks you’re her father. You should be thanking Jane, not reprimanding her.”

“I didn’t reprimand her.” He balled up the towelette, now dry, and tossed it in the wastebasket. “And I haven’t won the account yet. Not by a long shot. Ellen might have been charmed by a child running around the office, but Ogden Purcell clearly wasn’t. For all we know, he’s the real decision-maker.”

“The account is yours,” Carol declared. “I could see it in her eyes. She adores you.”

“Yeah, but that could all change if she finds out I’m not a family man after all.”

“Hmm, now what are you going to do about that?”

Max got the distinct impression Carol was enjoying his predicament. “I’m not going to mention it again, that’s all. If I have any more meetings with Kidz’n’Stuff, we’ll do it at their offices in Houston.”

“What about the baseball game?”

“Ellen probably wasn’t serious about that,” he reasoned. “If I don’t mention it again, it’ll probably be forgotten.”

“Uh-huh.”

IT HAD TAKEN SOME DOING, but Jane had arranged for babysitters the following day. Sara couldn’t do it; she was busy catering some women’s club luncheon. Allie was free in the morning, but she had a fishing charter after lunch. So she had agreed to run Kaylee over to the bed-and-breakfast at noon, where Reece, who ran his accounting business out of the B and B, had agreed to look after the child until Sara got home around three.

At least Jane wouldn’t have to worry. Her friends would take good care of Kaylee. But just making the arrangements had been exhausting. She’d never before appreciated how hard it was to be a working single mom.

She arrived at the office a little later than usual, having spent extra time organizing Kaylee’s medicine and explaining everything to Allie, who would in turn have to explain things to Reece. Then Kaylee had gone through a minimeltdown.

But it was still before nine.

Carol was at her desk, and two workmen were busy setting up an aquarium in the reception area.

“Oh, this’ll be fun,” Jane said. “Kaylee loves fish. Of course, I won’t be bringing Kaylee in here anymore,” she quickly added, glad Max hadn’t heard her slip.

Carol smiled. “Max was a real grump about that. The stain came right out of his shirt, by the way. I have to get me some of those stain remover wipes.”

“They save me on a daily basis.”

“I think the boss must have felt a little guilty, ’cause he bought you a present.”

“Really?”

“It’s in your office.” Carol smiled mysteriously, but offered up no more hints.

Jane all but sprinted down the hall to her office. When she got there, she found a shiny new laptop computer sitting in her chair.

A laptop? He’d bought her a laptop?

She turned to seek him out and get an explanation, but she didn’t have to go far. He was standing right behind her.

“Is that for me?” She pointed to the ultra thin computer.

“Yeah. I’ve loaded it with the graphics program and set up the e-mail. Everything you need to work at home, if you have child-care issues.”

“Oh, Max! This is so thoughtful. I’ve never had my own computer before. I mean, I know it belongs to the company, but-I can take it home with me? Are you sure?”

He laughed. “That’s what I bought it for.”

“I can practice with the graphics program after Kaylee goes to bed.”

“Just make sure you don’t stay up all night.”

She felt the heat rushing to her face. How embarrassing and unprofessional that she’d shown up at her job looking a wreck, then had taken a nap on her boss’s sofa. “I’ll try not to.”

She picked up the lightweight computer, sat in her chair, and opened it. “Does it have an instruction manual?”

“I’ll get it for you. But it’s pretty easy.” He reached down and pushed a power button, and the machine hummed to life. “You haven’t forgotten the Mattress Master ad, have you?”

“I’ll get right on it.” Actually, she had. If he hadn’t reminded her, she’d have probably gotten engrossed in checking out her new toy, and then the Mattress Master deadline would come and go without her noticing.

But her own laptop! Scott had owned a laptop, of course, but he literally hadn’t let her touch it, claiming that if she used it, Kaylee would end up getting peanut butter on it or some such nonsense-as if Jane weren’t smart enough to prevent that. She had wanted to get a home computer, but Scott had nixed the idea, claiming he saw no reason for her to have one.

Looking back, she realized now that was just one more way he had controlled and isolated her.

“I have a favor to ask,” Max said, sounding uncharacteristically uncertain of himself.

“Anything.”

“How do you feel about traveling for business?”

“Traveling?” She couldn’t imagine where she would need to go. Unless…did he want her to sit in on client meetings? The thought thrilled her. She hoped to someday have more responsibility at her job. “I hadn’t really thought about it. I hate to keep beating the same drum, but child care would be a big issue. If it’s important, though, I can try to work something out.”

“I appreciate that. In this case, however, you can bring Kaylee with you.”

Take a child on business trip? “Maybe you better explain.”

Max came into her office and closed the door, then settled into her office’s only other chair, a small club chair that looked like an afterthought. With its red-and-yellow floral print, it didn’t really match anything.

“Here’s the deal. Ellen Lowenstein was quite taken with Kaylee. As she was leaving she mentioned all of us attending a baseball game in Houston. I thought she would forget, but she called and offered tickets to a game next week. We would leave after lunch on Tuesday, go to the game that night, stay over, and the next day we would tour the Kidz’n’Stuff offices and the manufacturing plant, stay for lunch, then drive home Wednesday