He was out of his element here, a stranger in this land of skyscrapers and crowds of people. This was Katherine’s territory. She probably wasn’t pregnant, and so she’d decided they shouldn’t communicate again until Amanda was old enough to visit him by herself. She wouldn’t welcome his intrusion into her busy workday.
But the fact that she was so close drove him crazy. A ride up the elevator and he’d be able to see her again, talk with her, even if only for a few minutes. And he was damned sure going to see Amanda. To leave without quenching his soul’s thirst for a glimpse of his child would probably kill him. If Katherine became upset with him for showing up like this, he could take it. After all, she’d been upset with him before. He’d endure her anger for a chance to see his daughter.
He punched the elevator button.
Moments later he stood in the reception area. He looked around with a sense of doom. Everything from the glass-and-brass receptionist’s desk to the white upholstered chairs lining the wall spoke of money and sophistication. He’d known his world and Katherine’s were very different, but he hadn’t realized just how different.
But by God, he’d get what he came for. By the time he left this slick world of hers he’d see how Mandy had grown and he’d know whether he’d made Katherine pregnant that night or not. If he had, she might even be regretting it by now. Ice surrounded his heart at the thought that she might have changed her mind about the baby, might have...no. She wouldn’t do that. He believed in her more than that. He had to.
“May I help you?” The receptionist, a well-manicured brunette wearing a telephone headset, looked friendly enough.
“I’d like to see Katherine Seymour.”
“Do you have an appointment?”
“No, but...I think she’ll see me.”
The receptionist gave him a long look. “And your name?”
“Zeke Lonetree.”
“If you’d like to have a seat, I’ll buzz her office, Mr. Lonetree.”
“Thanks. I’ll stand.” He couldn’t sit still if someone paid him to do it, he thought.
The receptionist punched a number into her phone. “Ms. Seymour? Oh, yes, Ms. Rutledge. I didn’t expect to find you there. I see. Well, I have someone here who wants to see Ms. Seymour. His name is Zeke Lonetree.” The receptionist fiddled with a gold pen while she listened. “All right. I’ll do that. Thank you, Ms. Rutledge.”
The receptionist cut the connection and glanced up at Zeke. “Ms. Seymour is in a meeting, but Ms. Rutledge will see you. She’s in Ms. Seymour’s office watching Amanda.” She smiled, and her professional mask slipped a little. “That’s Ms. Seymour’s baby.”
“I know.” Zeke just bet Naomi would see him. She’d probably tell him to get the hell out of town. But Naomi didn’t have that kind of power over him, despite her money and her connections. He’d stay until he saw Katherine, but in the meantime, he could get a look at his sweet baby girl.
The receptionist now gazed at him with frank curiosity, as if she had begun to put two and two together. “Do you know how to get up to Ms. Seymour’s office?”
“No, I don’t.”
“Just go down that hall and take the elevator all the way to the top. Her office is the door on the left. Her name is on it.”
“Thank you.” Zeke walked down a hall carpeted in a black-and-white pattern he thought was called herringbone. The walls were lined with framed Cachet covers. The place was a maze, he thought as he rode the elevator to the building’s top floor. And standing guard to make sure he didn’t penetrate it and find Katherine was Naomi Rutledge. Well, he’d open every door in the place, if necessary.
Once he stepped off the elevator he saw Katherine’s office door immediately. It was partially open. A similar door with Naomi’s nameplate on it was right across the hall. Cozy.
He tapped on Katherine’s door.
“Come in, Zeke.”
He opened the door and stepped into one of the most elegant offices he’d ever seen, but then, he didn’t spend much time in elegant offices. A wall of windows looked out on Fifth Avenue, and when he stepped through the door, his boot heels sank into thick cream-colored carpeting. Naomi sat behind a delicately carved cherry desk, but he didn’t waste much time looking at her. His glance went immediately to a small crib in the corner of the office where Amanda lay fast asleep. Next to the crib were a rocking chair and a changing table.
He crossed the room to gaze down at Amanda. He couldn’t believe how much bigger she seemed and how much more hair she had. His throat tightened as he watched her sleep, his beautiful daughter, growing so fast. And he’d missed all those days. He wondered if she still loved to play when she took her bath, if she’d learned how to roll over and when she’d get her first tooth.
“Hello, Zeke.”
He’d forgotten anyone else was in the room. With an effort he returned his attention to Naomi. “Hello, Naomi.” She was about as he’d expected, polished and attractive in her black suit. Although she might be in her sixties, she carried her age well. Not a silver hair was out of place and her skin was in excellent condition.
“I wondered if you’d show up,” she said.
“And why is that?”
She motioned to a chair in front of the desk. “You can sit down, you know.”
“Thanks, but I’m just here to see Katherine for a minute.” He didn’t want to leave his position by the crib, just in case Mandy woke up.
Naomi’s eyebrows lifted. “You came all the way from Wyoming to see her for a minute?”
“I—there’s something we need to discuss.” Amanda stirred and he turned back to the crib. If only she would wake up, then he could hold her.
“Try not to wake her up,” Naomi said. “Katherine managed to feed her and get her to sleep before the meeting, which is a small miracle that doesn’t always happen.”
“I won’t wake her.” He was bothered by Naomi’s attitude, as if he couldn’t be trusted around Amanda. He was the father of this kid, and if he accidentally woke her up, he knew what to do about it.
“Katherine tells me you want visitation rights,” Naomi said.
“Yes.” He gazed down at the sleeping child. She was so perfect. Still. The tiny dimple in her chin made her even more perfect. He thought of it as the Lonetree stamp. She made a little sucking noise in her sleep, and the sound took him back to those magic moments in the cabin when he’d watched Katherine nurse her.
“Of course, she wouldn’t be able to come out and stay with you for quite a while yet,” Naomi said.
“Not until she’s weaned,” Zeke said. He wasn’t sure how long that was, but he hoped not too long.
“Oh, I’d think you’d want to wait much longer than that. I’d say when she’s four or five, then she might be ready.”
Zeke turned to face Naomi as a slow-burning rage seared his gut. “I have no intention of waiting four or five years to spend time with my daughter.”
Naomi regarded him quietly for several long seconds. “I see. It seems you became quite attached to her while the three of you were trapped in that little cabin.”
Zeke glanced around Katherine’s office. “You know, traps come in all shapes and sizes.”
“And what is that supposed to mean?”
“Nothing. I—” Whatever he’d been about to say disappeared from his mind as Katherine walked in the door.
“Zeke!” Her face lit up with surprise and delight, but she quickly doused the light of those emotions and glanced nervously over at Naomi. “I wasn’t expecting you,” she said with more composure.
He held on to her first reaction and ignored her second. She looked great, charcoal business suit and all. “I know this is a surprise. I thought about telling you I was coming, but then I just...came.”
“It’s good to see you.” Her eyes held a
special glow as she gazed at him.
He lifted his eyebrows, silently asking the question. When she smiled back, he knew. Pleasure washed over him in a wave and he started grinning like a kid with a ticket to a major-league baseball game. Hot damn. Another baby.
“Zeke said he had something to discuss with you, so I should probably leave you two alone.” Naomi stood and rounded the desk.
Zeke glanced at her. Once again he’d forgotten she even existed. Good thing he hadn’t followed his impulse to swing Katherine up in his arms and twirl her around the room. Of course he wasn’t supposed to be doing stuff like that anyway. They were officially off-limits to each other now. He’d said he wanted it that way, as a matter of fact.
“Oh!” Katherine seemed similarly surprised to find Naomi still in the room. “Well, maybe that would be best.”
Naomi held out her hand to Zeke. “I’m glad I finally had a chance to meet you.”
He took her hand. He’d never held one with so many rings on it. “Thank you again for your contribution to the ranch. I stopped by there not long ago and construction’s started on the new bunkhouses for the boys. You made that possible.”
“Actually I think you made that possible. I hope you enjoy your stay in New York.”
“I’m leaving this afternoon.”
“Really? What a shame. It’s a great city.” She withdrew her hand and turned to Katherine. “May I see you when you’re finished here? There’s a detail that’s been nagging at me concerning the layout we approved yesterday.”
“Certainly. Thank you for watching Amanda.”
“As always, it was my pleasure. She’s the light of my life.” She left with the graceful air of a queen taking leave of her subjects.
Zeke waited until she’d walked across the hall and into her own office before he turned back to Katherine. “When did you find out?”
“A week ago.”
His gut tightened.
“Don’t look like that. I had my hand on the phone to call you, and then it seemed so impersonal.”
“Damn it, Katherine, I’ve been practically living by the phone!”
Katherine glanced across the hall, where Naomi’s door remained open. She nudged hers shut. “I’m sorry.” Her eyes pleaded for understanding. “But I wanted to tell you in person. I tried to figure out a way to get out there, but I couldn’t see how I could leave again, so I mailed you a plane ticket yesterday. Believe it or not, I talked your boss into telling me when you’d have a few days off.”
“I switched those days so I could come now. I couldn’t stand it another minute.”
She clasped her hands in front of her. “I’m really sorry. I’ll be glad to reimburse you for—”
“Not on your life.” He cleared his throat. “You look terrific.”
Self-consciously she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “Thanks.” She blushed. “You, too. I’ve never seen you so...”
“Clean?”
She laughed, but her laughter had a nervous edge to it. “Don’t you think Amanda’s grown a lot?”
He couldn’t seem to stop looking at the color of her eyes, the texture of her hair, the shape of her lips. “I can’t believe how she’s grown. She’s going to be a big girl.”
Katherine nodded. “Tall. Like you.”
“And you. Both of them will probably be tall.” Excitement churned within him and he couldn’t help looking down at her stomach. “And you’re absolutely sure?”
“Yes. I had it confirmed by a doctor yesterday. So you’re really leaving this afternoon?”
“I only came to find out. Now I know, so I can get out of your hair.”
“Oh.” She looked disappointed. Turning away from him, she walked over to her desk. She drummed her fingers on it a few times before wheeling back to face him. “I’m going to resign.”
“You what?”
“I’ve been thinking about it all week, which is why I finally decided to mail you a ticket. I wanted to warn you that I was doing this, so it wouldn’t come as a shock.”
Panic rose in his chest. “Katherine, no. Don’t do this. I shouldn’t have made love to you again. It was selfish of me, and—”
“Look, you don’t have to change any of your plans. Well, you might have to make a little more time in your life for your two children, because they’ll be living in Jackson with me, instead of here in New York, so naturally I hope that you’ll spend more time with them.”
“What are you saying? You can’t throw all this away. My God, you have a window overlooking Fifth Avenue! Do you know what that means?”
“Yes.” She lifted her chin. “Not much anymore. I have a lot to work out with Naomi, and it won’t be easy. I’ll hate letting her down, but I need to make...other plans. I’m not asking you to marry me, or take care of me. But I will be near enough that our two children can know you, know you really well. I will find something creative and challenging to do there, something that will involve the outdoors. It’s—”
“No!” He’d ruined everything for her. Ruined everything with his selfish, greedy desire to give her another child.
Amanda started to fuss, but Katherine stayed where she was, her expression filled with pain. She put a hand to her chest. “Are you saying you...don’t want me to be that close to you?”
Standing in this expensive office and knowing what she’d be giving up, he decided to lie. But he had to look away to do it. “That’s what I’m saying.” He knew he had to get out of there, and damned fast. “Goodbye, Katherine. Keep me posted on...everything.” He flung open the door and practically ran down the hall.
The elevator opened just as he arrived, and he stepped inside. He had to put as much distance between him and Katherine as he could before he got down on his knees and begged her to spend the rest of her life with him. But what he had could never compare with all of this. Never in a million years.
* * *
KATHERINE STOOD WITHOUT moving. If she moved she might break. Soon she’d go over and pick up the baby, soothe her and get her back to sleep. Soon.
“What the hell was that about?” Naomi burst into the office. “Where was he going in such a hurry?”
Katherine blinked. Her voice was strangely calm. “Away from me, I believe. I scared him to death.” She gazed at Naomi. “I didn’t mean this to be so abrupt, and I hate that I’m messing up everything you’ve planned for, but...I need to resign. I had planned to move to Wyoming, but...”
“Because you love him.”
Katherine felt as if she were enveloped in some sort of thick fog. “Yes, but I didn’t tell him that. Listen, Naomi, I’m so sorry about this. You’ve been the most supportive, most loving, most wonderful—”
“Never mind that. Why haven’t you told him you love him? It’s true. And he loves you.”
Katherine gazed at Naomi in confusion. “That’s just it. He doesn’t.”
“The hell he doesn’t! He’s giving up everything so that you can keep the job of your dreams!” She shook her head. “Young people are so dense these days.”
Katherine stared at her. “You really think he loves me?”
“I would bet my fortune on it. In fact, I think I will. I’ve had a pretty good idea this would happen, and I’ve started looking into selling the magazine.”
Katherine’s mouth dropped open.
“Oh, for heaven’s sake, don’t look so shocked. I’ve known from the minute you came back that you were gaga over this ranger of yours. So go get him. Chase him down before he gets out of town.”
“But, Naomi, you’re going to sell Cachet?”
“Lock, stock and barrel. Well, maybe I’ll keep some stock. Then I’ll travel, come to Wyoming to visit my god-grandchild and have a life. That’s something you have a chance to build, by the way. Create your own dre
am, Katherine. Don’t chain yourself to mine. Now go, go get him!”
Still Katherine hesitated. “But what about Amanda? She’s fussing and probably needs to be fed.”
“I’ll deal with her until you come back. And don’t come back without that gorgeous hunk of man. He’s worth twenty jobs like this one.”
“Oh, Naomi, I don’t know if he really wants me.”
“Have I ever steered you wrong?”
“No.”
“Then let me advise you one last time. Chase that man down. Use the express elevator at the back of the building.”
“Okay.” Katherine began to grin. She ran down the hall and through a double door that led to the express elevator. Rumor had it that the original owner of the building had had the elevator installed so that he could slip away with his mistress if his wife was spotted coming in the front of the building. The elevator plummeted her to the ground floor quickly enough to make her stomach jump, if it hadn’t already been doing cartwheels at the prospect of blatantly throwing herself at Zeke.
Once on the ground floor she dashed out another set of double doors, through the lobby and into the street. Thank God he was tall and wearing a Stetson. She spotted him a block away.
Dodging pedestrians, she ran as fast as her tight skirt and designer shoes would allow. “Zeke!” she shouted.
He turned. The minute he caught sight of her he started making his way back toward her. “What is it?” he called as he drew near. “Is Amanda okay?”
“Amanda’s fine.” She leaned over and put her hands on her knees while she caught her breath.
“Then why are you here?”
She straightened. Maybe she’d been too coy. Maybe, in spite of her newfound courage, she’d been too cowardly when it came to Zeke. Well, she’d do her damnedest now. “Because I love you.”
He stared at her.
“Naomi seems to believe the feeling’s mutual, and that the only reason you’ve been pushing me away is because you’re thinking of me, and this job I would be giving up.” She looked into his dark eyes and her courage began to falter. “I’m here because I’m taking the chance she’s right.”
Bachelor Father Page 23
