work.”
That wasn’t really her biggest concern. Yes, workplace romances could cause heaps of trouble, but she was more concerned about her heart. She wasn’t just attracted to Max. She saw the potential for a deep emotional attachment, as well. And how could she trust her judgment right now?
He made her feel appreciated and valued, all the things she hadn’t gotten from Scott. And he related well to Kaylee, also another of her ex’s shortcomings. Her budding feelings for Max could be nothing more than a knee-jerk reflex.
“We shouldn’t, Max. Really.”
His mischievous grin disappeared. “Okay. Guess I’ll have to flirt with Wendy.”
“Wendy?”
He nodded toward the siren.
Jane’s reaction was swift and instinctual. “Stay away from her. She’s a barracuda.”
Max’s grin returned. “I like barracudas.”
Just then something catapulted into Max’s leg.
“Max!”
He looked down as Kaylee wrapped herself around his leg, and his grin widened. “Hey, there, Kaylee. Are you ready to eat some fish tonight?”
She nodded and held her arms out, wanting to be picked up, and Max obliged. Apparently she’d either forgotten or forgiven him for kicking Scott at the restaurant. Max hugged Kaylee and she hugged him back, her eyes squeezed shut as she reveled in the experience.
Jane watched with a lump rising in her throat. Scott had never hugged his daughter that way. The child was starved for fatherly affection. Last weekend during his visitation he’d barely spent any time with her, leaving her with his parents while he partied.
But Max?
Why had Kaylee formed a bond with him so quickly? She’d spent a lot of time around Cooper and Reece, both of whom had babysat, and she liked them fine. But she had especially close feelings reserved for Max.
Maybe it was that overnight trip, when they’d behaved so much like a family.
Kaylee had pretty much lost the only father she’d ever known, a father she loved, as lousy as he was. Jane was determined to prevent her daughter from forming an attachment to Max, who certainly wasn’t destined to be around long-term.
That meant she had to keep Kaylee and Max apart.
Though it pained her to do so, she pulled Kaylee out of Max’s arms and set her on the ground. “Kaylee, your new little friend looks lonely. Don’t you want to play with him? Why don’t you two try out the teeter-totter?”
“Okay, Mommy.” She dashed off, unconcerned, confident that Max wasn’t going anywhere. How many disappointments would it take before she would become mistrustful, slow to give affection?
“She’s a great kid,” Max said.
“I know. I’m lucky. She likes you an awful lot.”
“You say that like you think it’s a bad thing.”
She answered cautiously. “Kaylee’s vulnerable right now. She’s anxious to attach to someone.”
“And you don’t think I’m the right someone.”
This discussion wasn’t going so well. She started to argue that she hadn’t meant any slight, but he interrupted.
“It’s okay, Jane. I know what you mean. She might have gotten the wrong idea in Houston.”
“Exactly. I explained it as best I could, but she’s too young to reason with.”
“So you won’t ever have another man around because you’re afraid of disappointing Kaylee?”
She frowned. Single parents shouldn’t be forced to isolate themselves just because they’re afraid of disappointing their children. Yet…
“Okay, Max, let’s just put it on the table. If you and I should, um, start dating, I know you and Kaylee would grow close. It’s obvious. Then what if something happened and you suddenly disappeared from our lives? She’s already so confused about her father’s vanishing act-”
There, she’d said it. The worst was over. Now he knew how she felt, what she’d been thinking about.
“I understand. More than you know.”
“So…we move on.” She had to force the words out of her mouth. “If I ever get involved with someone else-and that’s a big ‘if’-it will be when I’m ready to settle down, and the man is, too. That doesn’t describe you and me. I mean, I just got divorced and you…well, I’ve seen your little black book.”
She held her breath, half hoping he would argue with her. And for a moment, he stared at her intently. But then suddenly he grinned. “You looked in my black book?”
So, he agreed. He wasn’t the settling-down type. “Just by accident.”
“I haven’t put a girlfriend in there in months. Well, weeks, anyway.”
“Slowing down, are you?”
His grin faded. “You don’t have to put it like that. I’ve been too busy to date. No, that’s not it,” he quickly added. “Maybe I’m not ready to settle down. But since the day you walked into my office and strong-armed me into a job, I haven’t been interested in other women. If I were, I’d be all over Wendy. Dating her would be easy-no complications.
“But I don’t want Wendy. I want you.”
Chapter Eleven
Max tried to swallow, but his mouth was too dry. Had he actually just said that? Had he thrown himself at Jane Selwyn, his employee and a freshly divorced single mom who was
Yes, he had. He’d broken every rule he’d ever made for himself regarding women.
Max pinched the bridge of his nose. “Before you say anything, let me just make it clear that no matter how you react in the next thirty seconds, your job is completely secure. You could throw your drink in my face and I would still be happy to see you at the office come Monday morning.”
At least she wouldn’t have to worry about her job, which she seemed to do on a daily basis.
Her eyes widened slightly. “So despite everything I just said, you…uh…”
“I’d like to see you outside of work. Socially.” Sexually. He trusted she understood that part without him spelling it out. “You can say no.”
“It wouldn’t be smart for either of us,” she said a little desperately.
“So was that a no? One simple word, Jane, and you can easily put an end to this discussion. I’ll never bring it up again.”
She opened her mouth. But no words came out.
“Just think about it.” He walked away while he was ahead.
JANE MANAGED to get through the fish fry with no further contact with Max. She took him at his word-she was going to think long and hard about taking the next step with him. No impulsive moves.
She had until Monday, anyway, before she saw him again. She spent the weekend quietly shopping for a new place to live. She’d thought she would probably go with one of the new beach condos. They were small, but they had ocean views.
Then the Realtor showed her a quaint little cottage. Well, not so little. Three bedrooms. It was in desperate need of paint and repairs. The kitchen was completely outdated, the tiny yard overgrown. But it had a big deck overlooking the dunes and the ocean beyond.
“I like this one, Mommy,” Kaylee said as she stood at the railing, watching a trio of seagulls fly overhead.
“Really. What is it you like?”
“I don’t know.”
Funny, but Jane felt the same way. As dilapidated as the place was, it had a good feel to it. She could see it all
