New and…Improved? & Andrew in Excess

Her mother tossed the empty cookie wrapper in the garbage with a smile. “That’s my girl. I checked before I came over this morning and tomorrow’s numbers showed something special.”

Kat walked her mother to the door, her brain racing like a runaway locomotive. “I think I’ll give my husband today to recover from his jail time and hangover. But tomorrow morning, he won’t know what hit him.”

Her mother threw out one last piece of advice. “Honey, invest in one of those home pregnancy tests. I believe I’m gonna be a grandma.”

ANDREW LEANED AGAINST the stucco wall and aimed the shower of water at the profusion of pots flanking the front door. His reconciliation attempt with Kat last night had wound up an exercise in humiliation. Eddie’s words echoed in his brain like a litany. The life he’d had and the future he’d envisioned before Kat no longer meant anything. She’d turned his house into a home. She’d brought him into the land of the living. With gusto. The best sex in his life was mere icing on the cake-although he’d developed quite an affinity for icing.

And if Kat turned out to be pregnant, he’d make the best damn dad any kid could want. Juliana and Toto liked him well enough, and weren’t kids and animals supposed to be the best judges of character?

That was all just damn great except for the niggling detail that she wouldn’t even talk to him.

He squinted against the afternoon sun as a car turned into his driveway. Claudia. And he’d thought the past twenty-four hours couldn’t get any worse. Even if he turned the water hose on himself he wouldn’t drown before she got to him. Too bad.

He ignored her as she climbed out of her car and swayed down the walk. “You look like hell.”

Aside from trading his dog-marked pants for a pair of shorts, he still had on the previous night’s clothes. He hadn’t shaved in two days. Nor had he combed his hair today and he knew his eyes were bloodshot. “I look better than I feel. I don’t know what you’re doing here, but go away, Claudia,” he growled in no uncertain terms.

Claudia’s practiced pout came into play. “There’s no need to be nasty, darling. A.W. told me he thought your, um, circumstances were about to change. Then Mamie Prewitt told me she’d seen her out at the beach house all this week. I just wanted to let you know I forgive you for marrying that dreadful woman. I’m ready to stand by you.”

Andrew fought to keep his expression neutral. Kat had more going for her in her little finger than Claudia did in her entire phony package. “Just satisfy my curiosity. How much is A.W. paying you?”

“Now darling, don’t be that way. He’s just concerned about you,” she purred. Stepping closer, she trapped his arm in the valley between her silicone mountains. Her eyes narrowed to slitted seduction as her tongue licked suggestively along her lower lip. The perfected moves of a courtesan. “I believe I could satisfy much, much more than your curiosity.” She trailed a red nail down his chest to the waistband of his shorts.

The thought of touching or being touched by any woman other than Kat repulsed him. He took a slight step back, eyeing Claudia cagily. She, in turn, took a larger step forward, wrapping her fingers around his arm, a seductive smile stretching her mouth into a red slash.

It cheered him immensely to realize that Kat was the only woman for him. He offered Claudia a genuine smile, deciding her jets needed cooling.

Turning his entire body to face her, the stream from the water hose caught her square between her jutting hipbones. Her shriek could have woken the dead.

He strove to appear contrite as he redirected the water hose. “Sorry. You just shook me up there, Claudia.” That much was true. She didn’t have to know she’d revolted him.

He watched with amusement as she strove to contain her anger. A.W. must have really sweetened the kitty. “I suppose I’m flattered I have that effect on you, darling.”

If you only knew.

“Perhaps I could come inside and dry off.”

Over my dead body. But it wouldn’t come to that. Andrew made a slight move with the water. She jumped back like a scalded cat. “Let’s not rush anything. I’ve got a meeting with A.W. in the morning. Why don’t you join us. Nine-thirty. His office,” he instructed. He planned to get his proverbial house in order before he began his courtship of his wife in earnest.

Premature satisfaction swept away Claudia’s annoyance. “I’ll be delighted.”

If you only knew.

KAT TUCKED THE HOME PREGNANCY stick into her purse and vowed not to look at it again until she reached Andrew’s office where they could check it together. The box specified first thing in the morning. Something about concentration of hormones. Exhaustion had claimed her the night before and she’d overslept this morning so concentration shouldn’t be a problem.

Odds were that she and Andrew weren’t on their merry way to parenthood. She’d always thought she’d magically, mystically feel different when she conceived.

Nothing.

Nada.

Zippolo.

Oddly enough, she felt fine at the prospect of not being pregnant. She still wanted a baby-her and Andrew’s child. But it was no longer a mission. Winning Andrew came first.

She tossed a suitcase into Charlemagne. As she opened her door, Toto settled into the passenger seat. Nine o’clock. Half an hour to the esteemed offices of Winthrop, Fullford, and Winthrop. Half an hour until she laid siege to her husband.

“Come on, Toto, we’re going home.”

ANDREW HUNG UP THE PHONE, satisfied with his conversation with Eddie. A new sense of purpose and determination had claimed him following his arrest. He pressed the intercom connecting him with his secretary.

“Gloria, I’ll be leaving for my nine-thirty with A.W. You and I need to meet afterward. See if you can set up a lunch meeting with Joey Chalmers. I’ll be out of the office this afternoon. Oh, yeah-and see if you can’t find some boxes.” He straightened his tie.

One last stab at the intercom.

“Also, have a dozen Waterford crystal tumblers delivered to my beach house before noon.” He briefly indulged in a smile before he regrouped. He wouldn’t allow himself to think of Kat now. He had to get this meeting over with.

Andrew left his office through the side entrance leading to the partners’ hallway. His heritage flanked him. Ornately framed generations of somber, sober Winthrops watched as he made the trek down the long hall. Nodding at his father’s secretary, he let himself into A.W.’s office.

His father sat planted behind his desk. Claudia draped herself on the leather sofa lining one wall, an inordinate amount of leg showing.

Andrew stepped forward.

Closed the door behind him.

And embraced his destiny.

“Father. Claudia. I’ve reached a decision. As you know, the law’s always been my first love…”

KAT EYED THE LOBBY of Winthrop, Fullford, and Winthrop with affection. Why, she’d used that very sculpture to stake out Andrew! Toto strained in that direction. Tugging on his leash, she redirected his attention. “Come on, Toto. Let’s go see Daddy.” She tried out the name for practice. It had a nice ring.

A uniformed guard stepped into her path. “Excuse me, ma’am. The dog’s not allowed.”

“Dog? What dog?”

The guard’s pointed look zeroed in on the leash clasped in her hand.

Kat scooped up Toto in the best interests of the man’s pant leg. Covering his canine ears with her hand, she bluffed. “Oh. This dog. We don’t use that word. He doesn’t think he’s a d- o-g, and it upsets him to no end.”

The man eyed her as if she were a nut case. “Oookay. He still can’t come in.”

Kat didn’t want to waste her time arguing with this man. She had a mission. In for a penny, in for a pound.