The Mistaken Heiress

by Shelba Shelton Nivens

  And she wouldn’t worry about her family’s land.

  After all, as Scarlett O’Hara said, Tomorrow is another day. She’d sort it out later.

  * * *

  Kate’s and Steve’s conversation was light and impersonal as they drove home. They admired the elaborate Christmas creations decorating old mansions and expansive lawns in an older section of Homewood. They exclaimed again over the lights of the city from an overlook on Double Oak Mountain.

  When they reached Steve’s front yard, he jumped out of the truck as soon as it stopped.

  Kate waited while he ran around and opened her door. “I wish you had let me come pick you up so you wouldn’t have to drive home this late alone, Katie.”

  “It’s only about a quarter of a mile down the road. Besides, I’m a big girl now.”

  He laughed. “Of course you are. But my mama taught me to be a gentleman. Or at least she tried.”

  Kate smiled up at him as they crossed the yard in the moonlight. “Oh, I don’t think she did such a bad job. And I thank you, kind gentleman, for a great time this eve...” Her foot slipped on gravel and she stumbled.

  Steve caught her in his arms. He looked down at her in surprise, touched his lips lightly to hers and then put her away from him. “Good night, Kate.” He spoke softly as he opened her car door. “Sleep tight.”

  She slid onto the car seat, too flustered to explain to him how she’d wound up in his arms.

  “I know he thought I was looking for a good-night kiss,” she muttered, gunning the motor as she started up the driveway. Her face burned as she thought about the way he only briefly touched his lips to hers before pulling away. Evidently their earlier kiss had not meant to him what it had to her.

  Well, she would just put that kiss and their entire evening together out of her mind. Like she hoped to soon put Stephen Q. Adams out of her house.

  Chapter 13

  A few days before Christmas, Kate stood at the printer watching it spit out the pages of a legal document.

  A sudden gust of wind swept in as the back door burst open. “Where’s Daddy?” Paul’s daughter burst in. “Is Daddy here?” Her voice held a note of desperation and she looked frantically around the outer office. “I didn’t see his car.”

  “It’s being serviced. He’s in his office. Are you all right, Lisa?”

  The girl ran back outside without answering.

  Kate reached the open doorway as a car drove away.

  Lisa ran back in, almost knocking her down. “I need Daddy.”

  “I’ll let him know.”

  Mr. Boyer walked out of his office, papers in his hand. “Lisa! What are you doing here?”

  Lisa let out a wail. “Mommy’s not coming home today like she said.” She ran to clasp him around the waist.

  “How do you know she’s not coming today?”

  Kate closed the door and walked back to the printer.

  Lisa looked up at her father with tears in her eyes. “She called Mrs. Mason. She was supposed to meet me here. She promised to take me shopping for a new outfit for Julie’s party.”

  Kate watched printed sheets slip into the printer tray.

  Her boss untangled himself from his daughter’s arms, handed Kate the papers he was holding and then looked at his daughter. “Why are you here so early? Are you skipping school? Who brought you?”

  “Don’t you remember, Daddy? Today’s the beginning of Christmas vacation. I told you we were getting out of school at lunchtime.” She let out an anguished cry and clasped him round the waist again. “And Mommy’s not here like she promised.” Tears streamed down her face.

  He glanced at Kate. “Calm down, Lisa. You’re embarrassing Miss Sanderson.” He took Lisa’s shoulders and turned her toward his office. “I’m sure your mother will be home by the weekend.”

  “But that’s too late.” Lisa wailed her frustration and disappointment again. “Julie’s party is tomorrow night. And I’m supposed to get my hair trimmed today, too.”

  He reached around her to push his office door open.

  She looked up at him, a pleading expression on her pixie face. “Will you take me?”

  “Lisa, I can’t spend the afternoon in the mall. Mrs. Mason will take you. That’s what I pay her for.” He left Lisa and hurried to the back door. “Where is she?”

  “She left me here. She has a doctor’s appointment. Mommy was supposed to take me.” She dropped her head and bit her lip. “I told her to go on, that I talked to you and you would take me.”

  “You shouldn’t have told her such a thing.” He looked at Kate.

  She busied herself with papers from the printer.

  He cleared his throat. “Miss Sanderson—uh, do you think...?”

  She looked up as he approached the desk.

  His expression was much like that his daughter had worn when she pleaded with him. “Could you possibly take her?”

  Kate glanced at the papers on her desk. “What about these?”

  “Those can wait until tomorrow.” He looked at the papers she had taken from the printer. “You’ve finished the most urgent ones.”

  Lisa’s tears stopped. She watched them with interest.

  “I’ll pay you for your time and trouble.”

  Lisa’s young mouth hardened. Her eyes narrowed.

  Kate smiled at her. “You don’t have to pay me. I think I’d enjoy a shopping spree with Lisa. And I may get my own hair trimmed while hers is being done.”

  “All right!” A big smile spread across Lisa’s face. “Can we go to the Galleria? There’s a salon where I got my hair cut one time. You’ll like it. They do all the new funky dos.”

  Kate laughed. “I don’t know about a—funky do for me.”

  “Don’t you come back here with purple hair, young lady.” Her father pulled a bill from his wallet and handed it to her, then handed another to Kate. “That should do for your haircuts. Shouldn’t it?”

  Kate glanced at what he’d handed her. A hundred dollars? “Y-yes, sir. But you don’t have to pay for mine.” She reached the bill out to him.

  “No, keep it. You probably wouldn’t spend as much on a cut if you weren’t taking Lisa. I’m sure you could get a less expensive one here in town.”

  “Then I will.”

  He held out two twenties. “This should get lunch. Lisa will probably want pizza and a half-dozen Coke refills.”

  He pulled out a credit card. “She should be able to get what she wants with this. Have the clerk call me and I’ll okay your signature.”

  Kate stood with her mouth agape while he extracted another card from his wallet. He handed it to her. “Stop at the station on the corner and fill your gas tank. I’ll call and let Pete know you’re coming. It will probably be late when you and Lisa get back, so she can bring the cards to me.”

  He looked at his daughter. “And don’t you lose them, Lisa Louise.”

  Kate didn’t bother to argue anymore. He seemed accustomed to such actions.

  But not with her! She wondered if Jane got this kind of treatment from him.

  “Come on, Kate. I’m starving.” Lisa stood at the door, stuffing her hundred-dollar bill into her shoulder bag.

  “On my way.” Kate pulled her own bag from a drawer.

  Her boss followed her to the door. When she lifted her tan jacket from the coatrack, he took it and held it for her to slip into. “Buy yourself a nice coat with one of those cards.”

  Kate’s arm missed the coat sleeve. “Oh, no. I couldn’t do that.”

  “A bonus. You’ve earned it. Stepping in to help me out while Jane’s been indisposed.” She slipped into her jacket and he patted her shoulder in a fatherly gesture.

  She followed Lisa out the door, her cheeks burning even in the
cold December air.

  * * *

  It was dark when Kate pulled her little car into the Boyers’ circular driveway later that evening.

  Lisa unlocked her seat belt and turned and smiled at her. “Thanks, Kate. I had a fantastic time.”

  Kate stopped the car at the front steps and returned the smile. “I’m glad. It was fun for me, too. I love your new clothes and your new hairdo. You’re going to be the prettiest girl at the party.”

  Lisa patted her new bob. “It is pretty, isn’t it?” She turned her head to one side and studied Kate in the light from the porch. “You look pretty, too, with your hair short. But I couldn’t believe you were having it all cut off.”

  Kate laughed. “Well, I thought if I was going to do it, I may as well go all the way.”

  Lisa giggled. “You did, too. But it looks sooo good. I love it.”

  “Thank you. Now you’d better run in. Don’t forget to give your father the credit cards.”

  Kate smiled as she watched Lisa run up the wide steps and let herself in the double doors of the white Victorian-style house. Then she pulled down the sun visor and looked at her reflection in the mirror on the back of it. She smiled. I think I’m going to like it, too. If I ever get used to it.

  She raised the sun visor and glanced over her shoulder at the large box on the backseat. Her new hairdo should go great with her new black coat, green silk dress and black pumps.

  The only problem now was finding someplace to wear them. Or someone to wear them for.

  Chapter 14

  Steve stirred the pot of chili hanging on a hook in the fireplace. He straightened and listened again. Was that a car?

  He went to the window and looked out. No car lights. She hadn’t even been by to admire the Christmas tree.

  He pulled the rocker close to the fire, sat down and propped his work boots on the hearth. He stared into the flames. Was she angry with him for kissing her? The look in her eyes on the balcony at Vulcan had appeared to give him consent. Of course, she could have just been caught up in the magic of the night. Like he was. Standing above the city lights, blanketed with a canopy of stars, who could help but feel romantic?

  But in the front yard, when she’d stumbled and fallen into his arms, that was a different story. He was lucky she hadn’t hauled off and walloped him.

  He thought about the first time he saw her, when she’d come storming into camp and knocked him off his stool. Man, she was something with those green-and-gold-flecked eyes snapping and that red hair flaming around her face.

  He probably should check on her.

  He touched the phone on his belt. Why had he never thought to get her cell number? He should have the house number someplace.

  He went to the desk, took an envelope from the drawer and pulled out several papers. He laid aside the deed Kate’s mother and uncles had given him and picked up a sheet of handwritten notes. “Aha, here it is.”

  He punched in the number, but no one answered.

  As he slid the envelope back inside the desk drawer, another document caught his attention. He pulled it out, unfolded it and frowned.

  Every time he read this thing, he became more puzzled. For the life of him, he couldn’t figure out the reasoning behind such action. Sooner or later, Kate was bound to find a record of this document—unless he could convince her to give up the search. And he could think of no way to do that short of handing the place over to her.

  Even if he could afford to do such a thing, or had the inclination to do it, he couldn’t just drop plans for the property. It would affect too many other lives. Young, innocent lives.

  He slid the document under other papers and closed the drawer.

  Standing with a hand propped against the mantel, he watched red-and-gold flames leap up the chimney. The color of Kate’s hair.

  If he didn’t hear from her today, he’d go by the house in the morning on his way to Atlanta.

  * * *

  On Monday Kate hurried from the car to the back door of the law office, shivering in the cool morning air. She liked the way her short hair curved around her cheeks, but her ears and neck missed the warmth of her long mass of curls.

  She hung her jacket on a hook inside the back door, opened her bag and dropped her keys inside. Smiling, she pulled out the slip of paper she’d found on Aunt El’s front door when they’d returned from the grocery store Saturday.

  She read it again.

  Dear Kate. On my way to Atlanta for Christmas. Back around 3:00 p.m. Sunday. How about supper? I’ll cook.

  She hugged the note to her. Steve wanted to see her again.

  “Excuse me. May I help you?”

  Kate jumped and turned.

  Mr. Boyer stood by the door with briefcase in hand. A shocked look crossed his face. “Miss Sanderson! I didn’t recognize you.”

  Kate smiled and touched her hair. “Thank you for the haircut.”

  “You’re welcome. It looks nice.”

  Kate felt herself blush. “Thank you.”

  He bustled toward his office door. “I hope you bought the coat, like I said.”

  “Y-yes, I did. It...”

  But he had disappeared inside his office.

  When he came out, she glanced at the plastic container sitting on the top of a file cabinet. “Would you like a slice of chocolate cake?”

  His eyes widened. Then he smiled. “Yes. Thank you. That sounds good.” He pulled a chair near her desk and sat down, waiting while she cut the cake and served him a slice on a small paper plate. After he took the first bite, Kate almost laughed aloud at how much his expression was like his son’s the day he’d shared her cake.

  “Katerina—that is the correct pronunciation of your name, isn’t it?” He took another bite.

  Kate nodded.

  “I’ve been thinking I should hire another full-time person for the office. Jane will likely be out a good deal with her baby. I was wondering if you might be interested.”

  Kate’s mouth dropped open. “But I have another term at the university before I get my diploma.”

  “I understand. But, if you would like to train as a legal assistant, you can go to evening classes locally.”

  “Legal assistant? Me? I—don’t know. I’ll have to think about it.”

  “I—the firm, that is—would pick up the tab. A lot of employers today pay educational expenses for employees.”

  “Yes, someone told me McDonald’s does that.”

  A wry smile twisted his lips. “I think your talents would be wasted slinging hamburgers.” He took another bite of cake. “This is very good.”

  He licked icing from a finger, and then picked up the napkin Kate laid before him. “You can think about my offer and let me know.” He cleaned his fingers on the napkin and threw it in the wastebasket. Then he picked up his chair and placed it against the wall before turning toward his office.

  Legal assistant. Kate turned to the computer shaking her head. I can’t see me as a legal assistant.

  Well, right now she didn’t have time to think about it. She had to get these letters typed or she wouldn’t have a job at all.

  She began keying in the first letter her boss had dictated but stopped and turned toward his office door when she failed to hear it close. He stood in the open doorway looking at her.

  She frowned. “Did you need something else?”

  He cleared his throat. “Uh, no. Not right now.” He turned to step inside his office. But as she turned back to the computer, she heard him clear his throat again. “I would like for you to accompany me to court in the morning.”

  “Me?”

  “To take notes. It’s the Lockhart case you typed up notes for earlier. Print out a copy and study them. We’ll go over them later.”

 
“Y-yes, sir.”

  “I think tomorrow will wrap up the case and then we can close the office until after the holidays.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  “And you don’t have to say ‘sir’ to me. I’m not all that old.”

  “No, sir. I mean, no, you aren’t—old.”

  She stared at the closed door after he left the office. Why had his attitude toward her suddenly changed? He was calling her by her given name. And not just Kate, but Katerina, as though it fit her.

  She glanced down at her black slacks and new white blouse with simulated pearl buttons at the wrist, which she had bought on her own credit card. She touched her hair. Was it her new look? Had a haircut, a little makeup and different clothing changed her so much in his estimation?

  Maybe it was because she’d been nice to his children. And helped him with them. Or was it because she could bake cakes?

  What kind of assistance would he expect from her if he paid for her to go to school?

  Kate, stop being so cynical. And speak up about the legal help you need while you have a little leverage.

  The next time he came through the office, on the way to the door with his briefcase, she cleared her throat and stood. “Mr. Boyer, I really do need to talk to you about my grandfather’s—”

  The telephone cut her words short. He waited while she answered it.

  “Hi, Kate. How are you?”

  “Hello, Lisa. I’m fine.” She glanced at her boss. He made a move toward the desk. “Do you want to talk to your father?”

  “No. I called to tell you about the great time I had at the party.”

  Kate shook her head at Mr. Boyer and pointed at herself.

  He nodded, looking relieved, and hurried out the door.

  She wondered if he was relieved because he didn’t have to talk to his daughter or because he could postpone—again—talking to her about her grandfather’s will.

  Whatever it was, she couldn’t worry about it now. She had to print out Mr. Boyer’s notes on the Lockhart case and try to wrap her mind around it before court convened in the morning.