doing in A.W.’s office with her husband?
She lit out for the door, intent on gaining entry.
The secretary jumped to her feet. “Mr. Winthrop’s in a meeting, madam. And he’s not to be disturbed.”
Kat paused with her hand on the door handle. “Watch me.”
She wrenched open the door just as Andrew’s words rang loud and clear.
“I have no intention of divorcing my wife to gain a partnership.”
ANDREW TURNED, annoyed at the interruption. He watched in amazement as Kat and Toto barged forward, shrugging off his father’s secretary, with Bitsy and Eddie in tow.
All hell broke loose as everyone spoke at once.
“Kat, you’re here. And Toto, too. I’ve missed you.” God, but she was beautiful.
“What the hell are all of you doing here? Why is there a dog in my office?” A.W. appeared apoplectic.
“I tried to stop her, sir.” The secretary wailed.
“Hi, Dad.” Bitsy smiled cheekily.
“We found her in your office,” Eddie offered to Andrew.
“I wish I could say it was nice to see you again, Claudette.”
“Claudia.” The entire room chorused the correction.
Mayhem threatened to escalate. Andrew executed an ear-splitting whistle, effectively silencing the roar.
“Kat, I wanted to clear this up before I talked to you, but I’m glad you’re here now.”
“What do you mean you’re not divorcing me for the partnership? You were supposed to marry me for the partnership!”
“This is a damn fool decision, Andrew. The door won’t be open when you come crawling back,” A.W. threatened with a heavy scowl.
“And I won’t wait forever,” Claudia chimed in.
“Count your blessings,” Kat muttered in A.W. and Claudia’s general direction.
“You go, girl,” Bitsy cheered Kat from the doorway.
Kat turned her piercing azure eyes to him. The hurt he’d read in her gaze the last time he’d faced her had been replaced with tenderness and something he dared not name. The rest of the room faded to nothingness.
“What’s going on, Andrew?”
She befuddled his senses. He couldn’t think clearly. He ran the fingers of one hand over her shoulder. “You wore my favorite shirt.”
Kat plucked at the lime green T-shirt. “Just for you.”
“My God, that thing is hideous,” Claudia opined.
Kat and Andrew turned to her with amused smiles. “We know,” they acknowledged in sync.
“A.W. gave me a choice-you or the partnership.”
“But…”
“You’re a mistake, girl. I wanted to help him figure it out sooner than later.” A.W. sneered.
“Let me remind you, you’re speaking to my wife.” Andrew’s jaw ached with the effort to remain civil.
“You conniving old poop,” Kat sputtered at A.W.
Lucky for “the old poop” there was no glassware handy. Kat looked mad enough to exercise her pitching arm. Andrew shifted slightly, putting himself between his outraged wife and the brandy decanter.
Ignoring Kat, A.W. looked at his son and scoffed, “Might I remind you, you’re unemployed?”
“Correction. Self-employed. As of my resignation, I’m in partnership with Eddie. We’re having lunch with a realtor to finalize an office location.”
In the periphery of his mind he registered Bitsy, Eddie and A.W., all talking at once. Although he answered A.W.’s assertion, his gaze never shifted from Kat. He watched the delight chase incredulity across her face.
“You gave up your partnership for me?”
He hadn’t exactly planned on an audience, but what the heck. He felt like shouting it from the rooftop. Cupping her face in his hands, his thumbs caressed the freckles gracing her cheekbones. “I love you, Kat. Nothing else in my life compares to what I feel for you.”
His heart thundered in slow motion as he awaited her response.
A smile lit her face like a bright sun peering through a dark cloud. “You know I’m a woman of excess,” she warned. “I either eat the entire pan of brownies or I don’t touch them.” Her gaze devoured him.
“I’m counting on it.”
“I love you. To distraction.”
“I think I’m going to be sick,” Claudia snapped.
Bitsy, Eddie and the secretary played the part of the Greek chorus. “Shut up, Claudia.”
“Speaking of sick…” Kat began.
Once upon a time, following her train of thought had been scary. Now he just enjoyed the ride.
“Have you been? Are you?” Was he on his way to being a dad, as well as a husband?
“I took a test this morning. But I wanted to wait until I was with you to check the result.” She shifted Toto to one side and turned her purse toward him. “It’s in there. Looks sort of like a thermometer.”
Andrew rummaged through what amounted to a small suitcase with an unsteady hand. “That’s it.”
He slowly pulled out the cylindrical stick and took the cap off. His hand shook like a leaf in a storm as he showed the window to Kat. “What does that mean?” He could barely speak as the blood thundered through his head.
“I don’t remember. Pull out the instruction box.”
He snatched the box and matched the stick to the back. A roaring filled his ears. “We’re going to have a baby! I’m going to be a daaaad…”
Stunned, Kat stared at her stuffy attorney husband stretched out in a dead faint.
Claudia sprang from the couch. “I know CPR.”
“Touch him and you die,” Kat challenged.
Toto took advantage of her lax hold to leap from Kat’s arms. Barking like a maniacal bundle of fur, he charged at Claudia.
Kat dropped to her knees and put her ear next to Andrew’s mouth to check for breathing-just in time to catch a faceful of ice water tossed by the efficient secretary.
Revived by the cold water, Andrew jackknifed up, catching Kat in the eye with his head. Kat clutched at her eye. “I think you just paid me back for that black eye,” she moaned, half laughing, as she clutched at the injury.
With her one good eye, Kat watched Claudia jump up onto the sofa to escape the marauding Toto. “Get this mutt away from me!”
With exquisite timing, Toto performed his well-rehearsed trick. Outrage distorted Claudia’s perfect features as she climbed down from the couch. “I hope I never lay eyes on any of you again.” Claudia stamped out with damp indignity.
A.W. growled from his leather chair. “She’s going to make your life a three-ring circus.”
Kat basked in Andrew’s boyish grin. “I’m counting on it. For a lifetime.”
She pulled a moderation tape out of her purse, tossing it over her shoulder. “Andrew in excess.” She’d never known such complete joy. “Now that has a nice ring to it.”
Epilogue
EIGHT MONTHS LATER
“Breathe. Breathe. Breathe. Okay, baby, relax. Catch your breath.” Andrew coached Kat as she labored in the birthing room.
A jumble of emotions assaulted him. Excitement. Tension. Delight. Awe. Nausea.
They were about to become parents! Kat knew the sex. He’d opted for the surprise element.
