by Raye Morgan
His current scheme was to use this lunch to build a sense of camaraderie between the two of them, get her to feel like a friend, and then to enlist her in the search. It was underhanded, sneaky, and not very nice. He knew that. But desperate times called for desperate measures. He was going to have to put aside all scruples and go for the throat.
As they entered the building that housed his favorite restaurant, he glanced at her sideways and his gaze accidentally cruised down to where her blouse gaped to show a bit of cleavage. She had nice cleavage. It gave him a little jolt of pleasure to see it, and he didn’t even feel guilty about it. After all, it meant nothing. She was married. Out of bounds and absolutely safe.
He put a protective hand at the back of her neck as he ushered her into the restaurant itself, and felt another pleasant sensation at the smoothness of her warm skin. It made him want to slide his hand down under the collar of her blouse, but he resisted the urge. That might be taking friendship a little too far a little too fast.
The Shoreline Grill combined old-fashioned semi-private booths with a modern menu that included mesquite-grilled meats and inventive pizzas. The manager hurried out and personally escorted them to one of his prime locations, with a view of the lake.
“It’s good to see you again, Mr. Haley,” he said, handing them menus. “We haven’t seen you for quite some time.”
“I haven’t been going out much lately,” Kane told him vaguely.
“Ah, but now, I’m sure we’ll be seeing you again regularly,” the manager said, giving Maggie a significant look.
He left before Kane could think of an answer to his insinuation, and for just a moment, both he and Maggie stared after the man, neither knowing what to say.
“Well, I guess…” he began.
“I don’t think…” she began at the same time.
They both stopped, their gazes caught and then quickly detached again. Kane frowned. Things weren’t working out quite the way he’d thought they would. He was feeling a strange awkwardness he wasn’t used to, and he wasn’t sure what was bringing it on. It seemed to have something to do with Maggie.
Probably because of his plan, he thought with a sense of relief that he’d pinpointed the problem. After all, it was manipulative. But necessary.
“Maggie,” he said firmly, smiling at her in a friendly fashion. “We’ve worked together for a long time now. I think it’s high time we put our relationship on a more personal level.”
“Oh no,” she said, paling and looking positively dismayed at the thought. “Let’s not.”
It seemed an odd reaction, but he patted her hand in what he hoped was a reassuring manner. “I’m talking about names, Maggie. I want you to call me Kane from now on. Except when we’re in board meetings, of course. Things like that. But for the most part, you can call me Kane.”
“I don’t think that’s a very good idea,” she said, “I like it the way we have it. You’re the boss and I’m the assistant. I can’t call you by your first name.”
He stared at her for a moment. Had he ever noticed how blue her eyes were before? He couldn’t remember. They sparkled like diamonds, making him wonder what she would look like all dressed up with fine gems draping down into that lovely cleavage.
But he shouldn’t think that way about a married lady. And he shouldn’t let himself get that tingle he was suddenly getting when he caught a hint of her spicy scent.
Shoving all that aside, he smiled at her. “Come on. It’s easy once you get used to it. Say Kane. You’ll see.”
“No, I’d rather not.” She pushed a strand of hair back into the twist at the back of her neck and he noticed, startled, that her fingers were trembling. “Actually, I just think there’s a lot of value in keeping the lines of responsibility clear. I like things in order. I like things to make sense.”
He stared at her for a long moment, strangely touched by how fierce her statement was, despite the fact that she was obviously very nervous. Was she afraid of him? That couldn’t be. She’d faced him down in many a battle over work and he’d never noticed this trepidation in her before. It made him want to protect her.
They ordered lunch and once they were alone again, he cast about for some subject he could bring up that might get her mind off whatever was bothering her. The room was filled with customers. People-watching was always good for a comment or two.
“Look at that tall woman over there,” he said, tactfully gesturing with his head and averting his eyes so that it wouldn’t be obvious whom he was talking about. “The one in red. Do you see her?”
Maggie glanced up casually and looked back at him. “I see her.”
He nodded knowingly. “I’d lay odds that she’s pregnant,” he said.
Maggie’s mouth fell open with a slight gasp.
“I’m sure of it,” he told her, gratified at her reaction. “I’d say almost five months along. What do you think?”
Her voice was choked when she answered. “I wouldn’t know,” she said. Reaching out for her glass, she took a huge gulp of ice water.
He glanced across the room again, then looked back, smiling. “I’m getting pretty good at judging how far along the mothers are. It’s becoming a real interest of mine. I can spot a pregnant woman across the room, even at about four months.”
Maggie folded her hand primly in front of her on the table and tried to smile back. “Really?”
He leaned closer and went on earnestly. “Have you noticed that lately, there seem to be pregnant women around everywhere? It’s like an epidemic or something. Every other woman I see is about to have a baby.”
She seemed to swallow before answering, and then she turned her bright-blue eyes on him, looking puzzled. “I…I’ve got to admit, I’ve been having the same experience.”
He nodded and muttered to himself, “See? It’s not just me. I’m not going nuts.”
But maybe she was. She shook her head as though to clear it. Too many things were coming at her too fast. She didn’t know what to think any more. First there was the staring, then he’d asked her to call the clinic where she’d had her artificial insemination done. Then he’d made her come out to lunch with him, something he’d never done before, and now he was talking about babies and pregnant women. It was all too much. She felt as though she were out on a very high ledge and one misstep would send her plummeting into the void.
She took a deep breath, as though to steel herself, and looked him in the eye. “Mr. Haley, are you…?” She stopped, then went on in a rush. “Are you…I don’t know… in love or something?”
Her words went through him like an electric charge and he recoiled. “In love? Whatever gave you that idea?”
She shook her head and another strand of hair escaped the twist and curled in a gentle tendril in front of her tiny ear. “Well, you keep talking about babies, and…”
“Babies!” He glanced around as though to make sure no one had heard her. “Who said anything about babies?”
“You did, sir. And I think I’d better tell you…”
“Wait a minute.” He glared at her. “I was not talking about babies. I was just trying to make conversation. And I’m definitely not in love.”
“Oh.” She sat back and pressed her lips together.
His glare lightened into a doubtful frown. “Why would I be talking about babies?”
She glanced up at him. “You said earlier that there was something magical about babies.”
“It was just a common observation.” His gaze sharpened. “Why would that make you think I was…in love?”
She shrugged, then looked at him searchingly. “Well, usually a man who is thinking about babies is planning to get married.”
“Hah!” He nodded knowingly. “There’s the problem right there. The marriage thing. That’s where everything always goes wrong.”
Maggie frowned at him. Her own marriage had been far from ideal, but she was definitely in favor of the institution. “What have you got against marriage?”
“I’ve seen a lot of marriages,” he told her, nodding the waiter away. “I know a thing or two about them.” He took a bite of his garlic pickle and savored it as he thought over what he was about to say. “My uncle Joe, for instance, has been married seven times so far, and counting. And every single time, he’s sure that this is the one, the true love of his life. The honeymoon is terrific. He’s walking on air. And before the year is out, he’s headed for divorce court. Again.” He took a bite out of his sandwich as though he’d settled the matter for good.
She watched him eat through narrowed eyes. She couldn’t let his opinion stand as though it were proven fact. “Have you ever considered that the flaw might reside in your uncle, and not the institution of marriage?” she asked him crisply.
“Of course. I’m not naive.” He looked up and met her gaze.
As usual, that set off a tingle of reaction that she was beginning to wonder about. She could see that he was about to come back with something he obviously considered a zinger, but suddenly he hesitated. He seemed to remember that he was trying to charm her, not browbeat her, and he smoothly shifted gears.
“All this is just my opinion, of course. I know you’re married, and for all I know, you may be quite happy with that situation. It seems to agree with you just fine. You’re certainly blooming.”
Maggie blinked. Two years a widow and he didn’t know it. Well, that just about took the cake. It was beginning to look as if she wouldn’t dare go on maternity leave. He wouldn’t recognize her when she tried to come back.
Kane went on talking, but Maggie was having trouble following what he was saying. The food was delicious, but she couldn’t eat more than a few tiny bites, and she spent most of her time pushing food around on her plate with her fork, hoping he wouldn’t notice how little she was consuming.
She was getting very nervous. She had to find a way to tell him about her pregnancy. She’d tried once, but he hadn’t let her get her sentence out. She had to do it. Now.
“Mr. Haley,” she said when he’d paused for more than a few seconds. “There’s something I really have to tell you.”
“Say, look at the time,” he said, glancing at his watch. “We’d better get back to the office. We still have that contract to get out before five.”
She opened her mouth to try again, but he was already sliding out of the booth and reaching to help her. It was too late to do it now. Maybe back at work would be better anyway.
Chapter Three
But it wasn’t. Once Maggie and Kane were back in the office there were a thousand things that had to be taken care of right away, and there was the contract, and the phone kept ringing. And all the time, the phrase beat like a drum at the back of her head—you’ve got to tell him, you’ve got to tell him.
But there didn’t seem to be any time, and she was growing desperate. Any moment he was going to look at her and notice she was pregnant. After all, he was the expert, wasn’t he? That almost made her laugh, but she held it back, knowing any laughter now would easily turn to hysteria. She had to get this done.
And then he cornered her in his office, and she knew it was too late.
“Maggie,” he said, her name curling off his tongue in a way that made her shiver. “Come here and sit down.” He gestured toward the little couch against the wall, near his floor-to-ceiling bookcase. “I want to talk to you.”
Her mouth was dry as she lowered herself to the leather cushion. He’d noticed. She was sure of it. Oh, why hadn’t she had the nerve to tell him sooner?
He dropped down to sit beside her. Reaching out, he took one of her hands and held it between his, looking deeply into her eyes.
“Maggie, I’m glad we got to know each other better today,” he said softly. “That’s very important to me.”
She nodded, though she didn’t know why. Heart in her throat, she waited. Was this about her pregnancy or not?
“Because now that we are…well, a bit closer,” he said, his eyes smiling. “I feel that I can confide in you.”
Not. This was something else. Her heart did a flip. Something else. Something he wanted from her. What on earth…?
“I would like to presume upon our fledgling friendship and ask you to help me with something very personal.”
Oh my. She didn’t like the sound of this at all. “Mr. Haley, I don’t think I’m the one for the job,” she said so quickly, her words tumbled over each other. She tried to pull her hand from between his. “Really. I’m not too good at personal things.”
He smiled warmly, though he wouldn’t let her hand go. “You know, that’s one of the attributes I like best about you. You’re usually all business.”
“Yes,” she agreed, clinging to hope. “That is good, isn’t it?”
“Usually. But right now, I’ve got a very big problem and I’m afraid I really need you to help me with it.”
“Oh.” Hope was fading.
“If it will help you to treat it like a business problem, why don’t you do that? Take mental notes or whatever. Keep your perspective.”
“I…I’ll try.”
“This is going to sound crazy. I can’t really go into all the details right now and explain everything. You’ll have to trust me. There’s a logical explanation.” He hesitated, then plunged on, staring earnestly into her eyes. “The fact is, someone in this building is pregnant with my baby. And I need your help to find her.”
“Pregnant?” she whispered, stunned. Had she heard right? “How? I mean, wouldn’t you know who she is?”
He shook his head. “Artificial insemination,” he explained curtly. “It was a big mix-up. That was why I wanted to get in touch with the fertility clinic I asked you to call. It happened there.”
“Oh.”
The room was beginning to spin. It started very slowly, but she noticed right away. And at the same time, there was a strange buzzing in her ears. A funny little tune was playing in her head. “No, no, no, no,” seemed to be the words.
“Maggie,” he implored, holding her hand tightly. “I want you to know I’ve tried to do this on my own, but I’ve struck out every time. I really need your help.”
“No, no, no,” sang the little buzzing noise, and she realized she was holding her breath. What would happen if she let it go?
“You know a lot of the women here,” he was saying. “I’m sure you could get a line on who she might be.”
She tugged on her hand again, and he finally let it go, distracted by the plans he was making.
“Now, she should be about five months pregnant….”
She shook her head. This couldn’t be happening. “No, no, no,” she said softly, as though she could ward off the truth with the chant.
He looked at her strangely, but he was caught up in his agenda and didn’t realize her reaction was so strong. He didn’t seem to see that her eyes were slowly filling with tears.
“If you could just ask around, talk to some of the women you know, see what you can find out about anyone who might be five months pregnant….”
She sobbed. It came out involuntarily, like a big hiccup. He stopped dead and stared at her. She rose shakily from the couch. Tears were spilling from her eyes.
“Maggie,” he said, surprise in his voice. He reached for her. “Why, what’s wrong?”
The telephone rang. She turned as though to answer it, reacting automatically, and he let her go, though he followed her. She picked up the receiver and handed it to him without answering it herself. “It’s for you,” she said in a broken voice.
Confused, he took it and said, “Hello?” and before he could stop her, she was dashing from the room, and then onto the elevator and the doors were sliding shut.
Kane caught Maggie just before she reached her car. At first he thought she had herself under control again, but when she turned her tear-stained face up and he looked into the tragedy mirrored in her damp
blue eyes and saw the way her lower lip was trembling, something skipped a beat near where his heart should be, and he felt an overwhelming urge to take her in his arms and comfort her.
“Maggie! What on earth?”
He resisted the impulse to pull her close, but he did take hold of her shoulders, holding her there and looking down at that beautiful mouth he was suddenly aching to kiss. Just for comfort, of course.
“Maggie, tell me what’s wrong. Did I say something? Or do something?”
“No. No.” She shook her head, her hair flying completely loose from the twist and spilling out over her shoulders. “It’s…I’ve got to go. Please, Mr. Haley…”
She seemed to be afraid of something. Was it him? He couldn’t stand the thought of it. He loosened his hold on her shoulders, caressing rather than gripping. And he tried to soften his face with a smile.
“Maggie, please. I have to know what’s wrong. What did I do?”
“Nothing. It’s nothing.”
He reached for her chin, tilting it up in gentle persuasion. “You’re going to have to tell me, you know.”
“No. Mr. Haley….” She stopped, feeling trapped. It’s none of your business. That was what she wanted to say. But she put her hand over her mouth because she was afraid it was very much his business. It was so much his business, she could hardly stand it. So she couldn’t really say that, could she? Her huge blue eyes implored him.
“I have to go. I have to get home.”
His long fingers curled around her fragile arms. “Why?”
She stared up at him. His face betrayed impatience, but his eyes shone with concern. It had to be done at some point. Why not now? She took a deep breath. “This is a terrible time to tell you, but I’m…I’m…I’m…”
She couldn’t say it. Mute, she stared up helplessly and shook her head.
“You’re what?” Frustration was beginning to take its toll. “Sick? Angry with me? Bored with the job? Getting a divorce? What?”
She closed her eyes. “I’m pregnant.”
There. It was out. She opened her eyes and looked at him.
