A.W. dismissed his assertion with a wave of his hand, as if it were a pesky gnat. “Infatuation. It’ll pass. But this firm’s been here for ninety years. It’s your heritage—it’s in your blood.”
“I don’t want to talk about Kat anymore. I want to talk about my partnership.”
“Ah, but the two are intertwined.”
“You wanted me married. I am. Now announce my partnership.”
A.W. stood and paced behind his desk, his hands clasped in back of him. “I’d like to. I really would. There’s just one problem.” He stopped pacing and faced Andrew. “You made a bad choice.”
“What are you talking about?”
“You joined the wrong country club, son. You bought a suit off the rack when you should’ve had one custom-made.” His eyes were flat and cold despite his jovial tone.
Andrew quelled his instinct to knock the supercilious look off his father’s face. “You’ve gone too far. You’ve always been manipulative, but I never expected you to be a cheat.”
“Drexall and Altman want you off their account. Let’s see, Ben Altman’s exact words were, ‘After that showing on Saturday evening, I don’t trust his judgment.”’ A.W. resumed his seat.
Andrew enunciated in brief, very impolite terms what Ben Altman could do.
“Ben would probably like that, but I’m afraid it’s physically impossible. What you need to do is very quietly, very quickly, get a divorce. You made a mistake, recognized it and took care of it. We’ll announce your partnership when the divorce papers are signed.”
Andrew paced to stand before the bookcase lining one wall. He stared at the leather-bound tomes with blind eyes. He didn’t care for A.W.’s power plays, but all things considered, wasn’t his father merely bumping up the time-line he and Kat had privately set? “And if I don’t divorce her?”
“Well, I fear I’d have to say I don’t think you have the sound judgment to be a partner in this firm.”
Andrew turned to face him. “You manipulative bastard.”
“You’re upset now, but you’ll thank me one day. This is for your own good. Trust me, son, I know you better than you know yourself. You think you love her, but I know you love this firm. You’ve got a week to decide which one is more important. I know you’ll make the right decision.”
Andrew wanted to tell him to go to hell then and there, but he couldn’t. God help him but he didn’t trust his feelings for Kat enough. He couldn’t throw away the partnership he’d courted for so long. Instead he walked silently out of the polished mahogany door.
The intercom on the secretary’s desk buzzed. A.W.’s disembodied voice filled the room. “Sheila, put Andrew on my schedule for next Monday at the same time. And go ahead and begin the renovation on the office next to mine.”
KAT JUMPED TO HER FEET when she sighted her brother heading toward her table at Mama Leone’s and toed the shopping bag further under the table. Jackie definitely didn’t need to know about the stock of edible underwear she’d purchased earlier. Andrew, it seemed, was very fond of cherries.
They exchanged a brief hug.
“I’m glad you could make lunch today. How was the christening?” she asked.
“It was fine. The little guy’s cute. How was the soiree? What’d I miss?” quizzed Jackson.
Kat relayed an abbreviated version but still included the fish eggs sliding between Claudia’s cleavage. She and Jackson shared a conspiratorial smile. “You’re hell at a party, aren’t you, sis?”
Pulling apart a garlic roll, Kat shrugged as she popped a piece into her mouth. “I’m a weird magnet. I think it’s something to do with my natural force field.”
“Careful, Kat girl, you’re starting to sound like Mom.”
“Speaking of the weekend, she and Vince stopped by last night.”
“And?”
“Just the usual. His ’n’ her crystal pendants as a wedding gift. Our numbers update. They spent the night on the sofa because they were so enchanted with the karma there.”
“I’m sure Andrew thinks he’s surrounded by loonies.”
“Undoubtedly.” She grinned foolishly. She felt like singing. “I think he likes it.”
Jackson sliced her with his best interrogating-attorney look.
Kat continued. “I made a big mistake with Andrew. No, not that kind of mistake. He’s just not what I thought he’d be. Beneath that cool, starched shirt, he’s warm and caring and considerate. What am I going to do?”
“Exactly what are you saying?”
“This just sucks, but I think I’m in love. I’ve been listening to my behavior tapes several times a day now and it’s just not helping.”
“Have you mentioned this to Andrew? Maybe he feels the same way.”
“No. I know he cares about me, but that’s not the same thing as love. And I don’t want him to feel obligated to keep a wife and child he doesn’t want.”
“Kat girl, maybe I’m not the sharpest knife in the drawer, but he did marry you, and it was specifically so you could make a baby.”
“Exactly. Making a baby and keeping a baby—there’s just a tad of a difference between the two. Remember the contract you helped draft? Both Andrew and I were so up-front about everything up until now. I feel I’m not holding up my end of the bargain. I feel deceitful.”
“Are you pregnant?”
“Too soon to tell.”
Jackson passed a weary hand over his eyes. “Perhaps he’s not as eager to give up this child as you think.”
“What makes you say that?” It wasn’t as if Andrew and Jackson were confidants.
“Just talk to Andrew about it.” Guilt washed his face.
Suspicion unfurled and spread through her. “No, I think you and I will talk right now.”
“What the hell. I knew this day would come, I just thought it’d be a lot later than sooner.”
Kat had the same queasiness in the pit of her stomach coupled with calm dread that she’d experienced when the FBI had raided her home looking for Nick.
“Spit it out, Jackson.”
“There’s a clause in your contract that gives Andrew the right to name the baby as his heir. You know how Andrew feels about family heritage. I thought it was in your and the baby’s best interest.”
Betrayal slapped her in the face.
“Are men genetically incapable of trustworthiness? Or have I just managed to surround myself with jerks? Since you obviously have all the answers, maybe you can tell me.”
“Kat—”
“It doesn’t matter.” She yanked money out of her purse and threw it on the table. “I’ve lost my appetite.”
She jumped up, cutting him off. If she could just reach the sanctuary of her car before the threatening tears flooded.
“Kat, let’s talk about this—” Jackson trailed her out of the restaurant.
“I don’t want to talk to you, Jackson. Not for a long time.” She threw off his restraining hand. “But I can’t wait to get my hands on that low-down, conniving, back-stabbing husband of mine.”
She slammed the door and threw the car into reverse. Jackson jumped out of the way.
Andrew, the vegetarian, would be dead meat when she got through with him.
ANDREW TURNED INTO his driveway. After his meeting with A.W., he’d instructed Gloria to clear his calendar for the rest of the day. A drive out to the beach house and miles of walking the shoreline of the gray Atlantic hadn’t come close to clearing his head.
Logically, there should be no choice. He either went with a lifelong goal—his heritage—or a woman he’d known for the span of less than a month.
He parked Gertrude in the garage—hell, he was even calling his car by that ridiculous name these days—and noticed Kat’s station wagon packed with boxes. Probably that summer art program she’d been planning.
He let himself into the house. Something felt different. His in-laws had left. Perhaps that accounted for the odd atmosphere he sensed.
He started down the
tiled hallway, loosening his tie, and called out, “Kat?”
A noise in the den caught his attention. Sheer instinct guided him to duck to the right as something flew past his head. Glass crashed against the wall behind him. “What the…?”
Another Waterford tumbler sailed past his head. Thank God she had terrible aim.
“Kat? What’s wrong?”
She looked like absolute hell. Her eyes were red and swollen, and she could have doubled for Rudolph in a Christmas play. She’d either indulged in a crying jag or developed a severe allergy.
“You double-crossing, belly-crawling snake.” His allergy theory flew past with another piece of crystal.
“Can you stop throwing glass long enough to talk?” Surely today would go down in his personal history as the worst day of his life.
“Talk? You want to talk?” Kat stalked around him like a prizefighter biding time on a punch. “That would be an exercise in futility, considering I can’t believe a word that comes out of your mouth.”
Andrew slumped onto the sofa, tasting bitter regret. His day of reckoning had arrived. How she’d found out didn’t matter. “The contract. I’m sorry, Kat. I wanted to talk to you about it. I’d planned to last night.”
Stubborn hurt etched her face as she sneered, “How convenient my mother and stepfather dropped in. But what about before? I trusted you. I thought if there was one thing this ridiculous marriage had going for it, it was that we’d been totally honest with each other. I can’t believe that, once again, I’ve allowed myself to be played for a fool.”
“It was never my intent to play you for a fool. I’m sorry. And I don’t think our marriage is ridiculous. We can work through this.”
“There’s nothing to work through. And don’t worry, I know you’re still waiting on your partnership. I’ll uphold my end of the bargain until it comes through. We should know within a week whether I’m pregnant. If I am, I’ll fight you on that contract. If not, well…that’s the end of that.”
“Where are you going?”
“I’m not sure yet. And it’s really none of your business.”
Desperation swelled at the thought of not knowing where she was or how to get in touch with her. She was already so angry with him, he’d go one step further if it meant keeping her nearby. “Go to the beach house.” As her mouth opened in sure protest, he continued, “It’s hardly ever used. At least I can tell everyone you wanted to spend the week at the beach instead of that you left me. Don’t forget your end of the bargain on my partnership.” And you may very well be carrying our child. Her lips tightened, but she didn’t throw anything else, thank God.
“Okay. But I don’t want to see you.”
“I won’t bother you there.”
“That doesn’t mean squat. I just found out today how much your word can be trusted.”
Andrew didn’t try to defend himself. He could try to build a case for his deception, but there was no way around it. Motive aside, he had deceived her. He took the beach-house key off his key ring and placed it on the coffee table.
“The freezer’s fairly well stocked, but you’ll need to pick up some fresh things.” He squared his shoulders against the onslaught of loneliness that her leaving would precipitate. Hadn’t this been inevitable from the start? When had he begun to hope that it might be different? “Do you need any help with loading anything in your car?”
“No. I’ll send for the big stuff in a few weeks. I’ll clean up the glass and then I’m gone.”
“Don’t worry about it. I’ll clean it up.” He felt so goddamned guilty about her red swollen eyes he’d walk barefoot through the pieces if it would atone for his deception.
“Okay.” She scooped Toto up from his perch on the love seat and swept past Andrew.
“Kat.”
She slowly faced him, bitter hurt behind the anger sparking her eyes.
“Take care of yourself.”
Without a word she turned and walked out of the room. Moments later, he heard the door slam.
Had she just walked out of his life as well?
10
STUPID. STUPID. STUPID.
Kat loaded a mass of peanut butter onto a slice of whole wheat bread and slapped it on another piece laden with jelly. She bit into the sandwich and stared out the window at the waves beating against the shore. Life was at a low ebb when a PBJ brought no joy.
Who was she kidding? All the flipping misery and public humiliation meted out by Nick’s embezzlement and defection had been child’s play compared to finding out she couldn’t trust Andrew.
And then to turn around and agree to spend a week at the beach house—of all the idiotic things to do. Everywhere she looked, memories assaulted her. She’d proposed to Andrew in this very room. She’d been hiding behind that oleander when he’d sneaked up on her and she’d flipped him. She’d had such high hopes then.
The doorbell interrupted her morose reverie. Dropping her sandwich onto the counter, she marched to the front door. All she’d asked for was a little time. Couldn’t he even respect that wish?
“Go away,” she shouted without opening the front door.
“Please let me in, Kat.” Even though the door muffled Bitsy’s voice, her distress came through clearly.
Kat sagged against the door in relief. She hadn’t realized just how much she really needed someone to talk to until she heard Bitsy. But Bitsy was no longer just a friend. She was still a sister-in-law. Had she known about the clause in the contract?
Turning the lock, she slowly opened the door. Bitsy wasted no time bulldozing in and wrapping her in a huge hug.
“Oh, sweetie, I’m so sorry.”
Kat pulled back and posed the question that begged asking. “Did you know?”
Bitsy’s lips formed a straight line. “Not until about an hour ago.”
Kat shut the door. Of unspoken accord they moved into the den.
“Andrew called you?”
“I don’t think he would’ve except—” Bitsy pulled a wrapped object out of her purse “—he was adamant you needed this tonight.”
Curiosity overcame pride. Kat unfolded the toilet paper to reveal her night-light. “I forgot it when I left.” Tears spilled over. Why’d he have to be so damned nice and thoughtful? Why couldn’t he just leave her to wallow in her anger over his lie?
Bitsy gaped at the pink plastic. “He came clean with me and then forced me over here for a night-light?”
“I don’t like the dark.” Kat dashed away her tears and blew her nose on the crumpled toilet paper.
Bitsy fell to the couch as if it was too much for her to stand up. “What am I going to do with the two of you?”
“Bitsy, you can’t imagine how it felt to once again find out that my husband had a little secret he’d been keeping from me. And, once again, I was the last to know.”
“You’re right. I don’t understand what it feels like to be deceived by my husband. But what I do understand is this thing with Andrew is not the same thing as Nick.”
Kat wrapped her arms around her middle and leaned her head against the window frame. “It feels the same. And he knew, Bits. He knew it was the one point I was adamant about.”
“I’m not saying I agree with the way he did it, but I can’t say that I disagree with the underlying principle. Andrew will make a terrific dad. I’ve always known that, but I’d about given up on it ever happening.”
Kat silently agreed he had some pretty powerful father potential as she turned to face Bitsy. “Maybe. But I wasn’t looking for a stick-around dad or husband. You know—The Plan.”
Bitsy’s eyes narrowed. “Maybe your plan needed a little tweaking.”
“Oh, the plan was fine. I just picked the wrong man.”
Bitsy humphed inelegantly. “And I say you did a fine job picking.
“You would. He’s your brother.”
“Nothing to do with it. He’s yin to your yang or whichever way it goes. You two need each other and it doesn’t have anyth
ing to do with partnerships or babies.” Bitsy pushed back a strand of blond hair and queried with an arch look, “Or are babies already an issue?”
Kat remembered their weekend activities and felt the slow heat crawl up her face. “It’s a possibility.” She couldn’t stop her hand reflexively rubbing over her stomach.
Bitsy resembled the proverbial cat munching a canary. “Mmm-hmm.”
“We did have an agreement, you know.”
“Oh, okay. So it was all cool and detached. A business agreement fulfilled.”
She didn’t have to close her eyes to picture Andrew’s sweat-slicked body merging with hers in the garden. They’d been fulfilled all right, but there’d been nothing cool or detached about it. A wet warmth pervaded her just thinking about it. “Bitsy, I absolutely am not discussing my sex life with you.”
“Did I ask you to? Sweetie, I can’t tell you how thrilled I am to know you have one finally. What are you gonna do if there’s a little bun in the oven?”
The beginnings of a headache nudged her, and she massaged her temples. “I don’t know. I could drag Andrew to court to fight the clause in the contract, but neither one of us wants or needs the publicity.”
“And that’s the only reason?” Bitsy certainly knew how to press an issue.
“And I…care about him. I’ll stay until he gets his partnership. I know it means everything to him.”
“It used to. I’m not so sure anymore.” Bitsy scooted off the couch and stood. “I’ve got to pick up Juliana. Call me if you want to talk. And take care of yourself. You may have my niece or nephew in your Easy Bake oven there.”
Despite herself, Kat smiled at Bitsy’s nonsense as she followed her to the door. Kat hugged her. She’d needed a sounding board. Although she still felt terrible, at least she had vented.
“Thanks for listening. I’ll call you later in the week.”
New and…Improved? & Andrew in Excess Page 26
