After Richard left, Max gave Kari ten minutes to change into her running gear, declaring he wanted to take her on a five-mile trek through the Hollywood Hills. At the moment, he was a good ten feet ahead of her. He had on a pair of all-weather cargo shorts, a snug sun-washed tee shirt, and a backpack.
“We’re here,” Max said an hour into their run when they reached the top of the hill. He glanced at the band around his arm as he waited for her to catch up. “Nearly six miles today. All uphill. Pretty good, wouldn’t you agree, Ms. Kari?”
She stopped at his side, the palms of her hands resting on her thighs while she tried to catch her breath. “Show off.”
He laughed and said, “Come on.”
Before she could protest, he cut to the right side of the road, taking a dirt trail that led down the middle of the hillside.
She watched him go, the muscles in the backs of his legs flexing as he went. For the first time in a very long while, she felt out of shape. She’d definitely met her match when it came to exercising. The guy was about two hundred twenty pounds of hard lean beautifully sculpted muscle.
“Where are we going?” she asked, falling behind once again.
“It’s a surprise,” he called back over his shoulder.
Ten minutes later, she’d completely lost sight of him. Nearly out of breath, she was about to turn around and head back up the trail when she heard him call out, “Over here.”
Following the sound of his voice, she pushed through a wall of shrubbery and found him sitting on a blanket with a bottle of wine, two glasses, and a plate full of fruit and cheese laid out on a cozy blanket. He sliced an apple and offered it to her.
“What are you doing?”
“Since you refuse to date your clients, namely me, I decided to bring the date to you.”
She took a good long look at the remarkable view of the San Fernando Valley and the San Gabriel Mountains. “This is lovely.”
“You’re lovely.” He patted the empty space next to him on the blanket. “Have a seat.”
She did as he said.
He handed her a glass of wine, then held up his glass to make a toast. “Cheers,” he said, clinking his glass against hers. “To good exercise, good food, and great company.”
She smiled, but her mind kept darting off to places she didn’t want it to go. For the past hour, she’d been trying to figure out how she might tell Molly about Max, and Max and Molly, but she kept chickening out. The tabloids didn’t know everything about Max. He was kind and considerate, attentive and sweet. She didn’t have to know him any better than she already did, to know that he would never abandon his only child. He deserved to hear the truth directly from her, but she was a coward.
He held a piece of cheese close to her mouth, waiting for her to open up so he could feed her. She opened her mouth, chewed, then swallowed. “Delicious.”
“Compliments of Vincent.”
She lifted her glass. “Cheers to Vincent.”
There was a long peaceful pause as they ate cheese and apples and enjoyed the view.
“Do you come here often?” she asked.
“Not nearly often enough. I enjoy finding secluded places like this where I can go and sit and think for a while. Back in the day, I used to take long walks around Folsom Lake. I’d stare out at the lake for hours and dream about my future.”
“Your future in the NFL?”
“That, and everything else too, including having a family of my own someday.”
“Sounds nice,” she said, wondering if she should just blurt it out and tell him he had a daughter. Or maybe she should enjoy this quiet moment between then and wait until he dropped her off at home. The contented look in his eyes, made her opt for the latter. “I spent most of my childhood listening to my parents fight. I worried about whether or not they were going to stay together,” she said, stretching her legs in front of her.
“They fought a lot?”
“All the time.”
“Are they still together?”
“Dad recently married wife number four and Mom is still single and bitter. Mom says she doesn’t care what Dad does, but every time he moves, she moves to the same city.”
“Do they visit you often?”
She shook her head. “They’re busy people.”
“I’m sorry.”
She smiled. “Don’t be. I’m content with my life, happy with the way things turned out.”
“Molly is a wonderful kid.”
“Yes, she is. I only wish I knew what was going on in that little head of hers. Snippy and talking back. Cutting class. That’s not my Molly.”
“I remember my parents complaining about my sisters when they were teenagers. Mom chased Sally around the house with a broom after finding ‘the pill’ in her purse.”
Kari laughed.
#
Max liked the way Kari threw her head back slightly when she laughed, the way the sunlight played in her hair, and the twinkle in her eye when she smiled. He enjoyed talking to her.
Dream Girl.
He still couldn’t figure out why he hadn’t noticed before. It was all in the eyes. When he’d first seen her in Dr. Stone’s office, he should have known. The only question begging to be answered was why had she been so angry in Dr. Stone’s office? Was she angry because he hadn’t recognized her? A million scenarios spun through his head last night. But he came up with zero...nada, which is why he brought her here today...to a nice peaceful spot where they could talk.
The corners of her lips curved upward. “What are you doing?”
“Just looking.”
She playfully nudged his arm, prompting him to set their wine glasses aside. Then he pulled her into his arms and rolled over so that her back was pressed to the blanket, her head nestled in his palms, his lips hovering over hers. He kissed her then. And just as she did in his dreams, she kissed him back: sweet, lovely, perfect. She tasted like the moon and the sun and everything he’d ever dreamed of. He loved the taste of her, the feel of her body close to his. He couldn’t seem to get enough of Kari Murphy. It had been way too long since he’d held her. Yeah, sure, he wanted answers, but he wanted this even more.
“I thought you weren’t going to kiss me or touch me anymore,” she teased between kisses.
“I lied.”
This time she was the one who brought her lips to his. Swept into the moment, he felt the urgency in her touch, her splayed hands beneath his shirt, exploring, stroking. He touched her back, but he didn’t want to move too fast. She’d made it clear over the past few days that she was apprehensive about there being anything between them. He wanted to show her that he could control himself, although he was beginning to have his doubts.
“Max,” she said the moment he lifted his mouth from hers and left a trail of kisses across her neck.
“Kari,” he answered back in a husky whisper.
“We should stop.”
“What are you afraid of?”
“I’m not afraid.”
He peered into her eyes. “That’s not true. You’re afraid of allowing yourself to feel things for me and it’s driving me crazy. Never mind that it’s only been a week or so. You want to get close to me and I want to get closer to you, but you keep holding back. You make me yearn for things I never thought I wanted before I met you.”
“You don’t know what you’re saying.”
“I know what I’m feeling, and it’s downright corny. Every time I see you I feel something inside of me, something euphoric and real...real enough to keep me up at night.”
He knew she might not be ready for his confession, but he didn’t care. “I want you, Kari. I know it’s crazy to feel so strongly about someone after spending such a short time together, but being with you has made me feel alive again. I don’t want to let you go...ever.”
Her eyes sparkled in the sunlight, prompting him to kiss her again, deeper and longer this time. He rolled onto his back, bringing her on top of him so he could protect her fro
m the hard ground. She sighed before giving in, and he knew she’d surrendered completely when she began showering his neck and jaw with tender kisses. She sat up, straddling him while her fingers grasped onto the hem of her shirt. She pulled her top up and over her head, revealing a lacey pink push-up bra. His heart thumped wildly against his chest. “Nice,” he said, his voice hoarse.
She smiled.
He pulled her close and whispered, “Dream Girl. Who would have guessed?”
Her fingers brushed across his jaw before she leaned forward, letting the full weight of her cover him completely.
“You have no idea how many times,” he told her, “I’ve thought about holding you since being with you so many years ago...too many times to count.”
Her body tensed, but he refused to stop now. He wanted her to know that he remembered. “When I awoke in bed and you were gone,” he said into her ear. “I asked everyone who’d been at the party if they knew the name of the girl who had come upstairs with me. But nobody recalled seeing me with anyone that night; nobody knew the name of the mystery girl with the warm smile and expressive green eyes.”
She tried to pull away, but he held tight, talking close to her ear. “You have no idea how long I’ve been thinking of you, wondering if you were real, or just a dream. I’m never going to let you walk out of my life again.”
She pushed herself upward, still straddling him as she raised her fingers to her temples. “You don’t know what you’re saying.”
“Tell me you are Dream Girl.”
“Max. You don’t want to do this. There are too many things you don’t know about me. About us.”
“I think I’m falling in love with you.”
She shook her head.
“None of this came to me until last night. I don’t know why the hell it took me so long to see that it was you, but bang! Last night, surrounded by family, everybody talking at once, it hit me like a brick to the skull. I should have known...should have seen it sooner.”
He reached up and used the pad of his thumb to brush her tears away. “Why are you crying?”
She reached for her discarded shirt.
“The moment I first laid eyes on you in Dr. Stone’s office, I knew there was something about you, something familiar,” he said, wondering why she was upset.
“I can’t do this,” she said, trying to get out of his grasp.
“Tell me you’re the girl I spilled punch on that night. The girl I took to my room. The girl I haven’t forgotten after nearly fourteen years.”
The panicked look on her face wasn’t the response he’d been hoping for, but blurting it all out like this probably wasn’t helping matters. Still, he needed to hear her say it. “Tell me I’m right and I’ll drop the whole thing.”
“I was that girl, okay? It was me. Now please let me go.”
He did as she asked, surprised at the speed in which she popped to her feet, put on her shirt, and started off for the trail.
“You can’t just walk off,” he said, leaving their things behind and following after her. “You can’t leave me hanging like this again.”
She turned so fast, he nearly fell over backward. She poked his chest with two fingers, forcing him to take a step back. “I came back the day after Sally’s party, Max, and you were gone. What I’ve never told anybody, though, is that your mother said you were out with Alyssa. Weeks later I came back yet again. You were off to college, but I left a two-page letter with your mother explaining everything.” Tears welled in her eyes. “I never heard from you, but being a glutton for punishment, I returned to your house one last time. There was a for-sale sign on your front lawn. There was also mail addressed to the Dutton family in your mailbox, so I tucked a note inside with all the other mail, letting you know I was moving to Los Angeles with Lindsay. But did I ever hear from you?” She wiped a stream of tears from her face. “Five years later, I tried contacting you through the Condors’ franchise. And now you’re standing here telling me that I can’t leave you hanging?”
“I didn’t know,” he said. “I’m sorry. But it doesn’t matter because we’re both here now and we’re together. I can’t believe I found you after all this time.”
“We spent one night together,” she said. “You don’t know me.”
He reached for her hand. “I want to know you. Can’t you see that? I know how I feel when I’m with you. And I definitely know how I feel when I’m without you.”
Looking to the ground, she shook her head. “You don’t know anything.” She turned away, leaving him with more questions than before. He held up his hands. “If I don’t know anything then tell me what I need to know. Tell me why you refuse to give us a chance? Tell me something dammit.”
CHAPTER 13
“What’s wrong?” Lindsay asked Kari the moment she walked through the front door.
“Max remembers me.”
“It’s about time. So, did you tell him about Molly?”
“Is Molly home?”
Lindsay shook her head. “She’s at Jennifer’s house. I told her she could have dinner there. I know I probably shouldn’t have let her go, but she’s been so quiet, and I was hoping that getting her out of the house might open her up again. She’ll be back before seven o’clock.”
“She’s grounded. No more dinners with her friends, okay?”
“Got it.”
Kari glanced around. “It’s only five. Where are the kids?”
Lindsay gestured toward the backyard. “Out back with Cole. I must admit, he makes a pretty good daycare assistant, but enough about him. Did you tell Max about Molly?”
“I wanted to, but I couldn’t. Not yet. I need to tell Molly first.”
“What happened?”
“He had the audacity to act as if I was the one who had disappeared without a trace so many years ago.” Kari inhaled, still trying to grasp what had happened. “He said he’d been thinking about me all of these years and then suddenly last night he realized I was his ‘Dream Girl’.”
“Sounds crazy romantic to me.”
Kari groaned. “That coming from a man-hater.”
“I don’t hate all men. And I’m glad Max finally remembered. I always say, ‘better late than never’.”
“You never say that.”
“I say it all the time. Ask the twins?”
“They’re four-years old, for God’s sake.”
“They’re very intelligent four-year olds.”
Kari shook her head. “I don’t know what to do anymore.”
“Yes, you do. You’ve got to come clean with Molly and Max. And please do us all a favor and do it before this all blows up in your face.”
#
It was a little past eleven in the morning on Sunday when Kari walked into her daughter’s room. For a moment, she only stood there and watched the sleeping form beneath the fluffy white comforter. Molly’s silky dark hair fanned across her pillow. Hair the same rich texture and color as Max’s. Kari had never loved anything as much as she loved her daughter. She wanted the best for her, that’s all she’d ever wanted for Molly, which is why it was time to tell her the truth—she just needed to get through one more day. After the barbeque was over and his family left for Santa Barbara, she would tell Molly and then she would tell Max.
“Molly,” she said, gently touching her shoulder. “Wake up.”
“It’s Sunday,” Molly grumbled. “Go away.”
“We’re going to Mr. Dutton’s house for a barbeque, remember? I need you to hop in the shower and meet me downstairs in thirty minutes. Cole and Lindsay already left. We’re late so get up and let’s get going.” Kari walked out before Molly could protest further.
An hour later, Molly sat quietly in the passenger seat of the jeep while Kari made a sharp right and pulled up to the gates leading to Max’s house. “We’re here,” Kari said, knowing Molly wouldn’t respond. Lindsay speculated that Molly had started her period, so Kari had given her daughter the benefit of the doubt, but now she was b
eginning to wonder if there was more to her daughter’s sudden change in attitude. “This is our last chance to talk before we go in. You’re still not talking to me?”
Molly stared straight ahead. Not a word. Not a sound. If her daughter’s eyes weren’t open, Kari might have reached over and felt for a pulse. Instead, she punched in Max’s gate code and waited for the gate to slide open. “Did you start your period? If you need to talk about it...”
Molly moaned, which Kari took as a no. “This is his house?” Molly asked. “It looks like a hotel.”
“She talks,” Kari said, eliciting a scowl from her daughter.
Within minutes they were at the front door where Max greeted them. Her heart pounded. He didn’t look angry, Kari decided, just confused. Understandable, considering she hadn’t seen or talked to him since their picnic three days ago. She missed him. On more than one occasion, she had been tempted to call him. He had told her he was falling in love with her, but she wondered if he’d still feel that way after he knew the truth. Heck, she’d probably taken care of that loving feeling the moment she ran away. Breathe, Kari. Breathe.
“Hey, there,” he said to Molly.
“Hi,” Molly managed, her voice weak from disuse.
Her daughter was one step ahead of her. At least Molly had a voice and appeared to be giving him eye contact. Molly already hated her, but what about Max? How would Molly and Max respond when she told them they were father and daughter? The three of them made their way across the foyer and down the hallway, the click of their shoes against the tile the only sound. Max led the way. The blue short-sleeved shirt he wore fit snug against his broad back and his Tommy Bahama shorts showed off his strong calves. Breanne was the first of his sisters to greet them as they stepped into the backyard. Max guided Molly around the pool area and introduced her to his family. The smell of charcoal briquettes and the mouth watering aroma of burgers on the grill made Kari’s stomach rumble. She’d hardly eaten over the past three days.
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