She′s Having My Baby!
She's Having My Baby!
Raye Morgan
To: Sharon, Jen, Lauren, Julia From: Maggie Date: 2/02 RE: The boss's little secret… It's true - I'm pregnant! I've kept it quiet because I wasn't sure how you'd react to my visiting a sperm bank. You know all the gossip about our boss Kane's behavior the past few months? Well, it turns out that fertility clinic made an error. That's right, I'm having the boss's baby!Kane's demanding marriage, but I've sworn that my next husband will truly love me. So I'll gladly take Kane's name - if he'd only give me his heart….
“The fact is, someone in this building is pregnant with my baby. And I need your help to find her.”
“Pregnant?” Maggie whispered, stunned. Had she heard Kane right? “How? I mean, wouldn’t you know who she is?”
Kane shook his head. “Artificial insemination,” he explained curtly. “It was a big mix-up. That was why I wanted you to get in touch with the fertility clinic I asked you to call. It happened there.”
“Oh.” A funny little tune was playing in her head. “No, no, no,” seemed to be the words.
“Maggie, I’ve tried to do this on my own, but I’ve struck out every time. I really need your help. You know a lot of the women here. I’m sure you could get a line on who she might be. She should be about five months pregnant….”
She shook her head. This couldn’t be happening. “No, no, no,” she said softly.
“Maggie,” he said, surprise in his voice. He reached for her. “What’s wrong?”
“I’m five months pregnant.”
Dear Reader,
Brr… February’s below-freezing temperatures call for a mug of hot chocolate, a fuzzy afghan and a heartwarming book from Silhouette Romance. Our books will heat you to the tips of your toes with the sizzling sexual tension that courses between our stubborn heroes and the determined heroines who ultimately melt their hardened hearts.
In Judy Christenberry’s Least Likely To Wed, her sinfully sexy cowboy hero has his plans for lifelong bachelorhood foiled by the searing kisses of a spirited single mom. While in Sue Swift’s The Ranger & the Rescue, an amnesiac cowboy stakes a claim on the heart of a flame-haired heroine—but will the fires of passion still burn when he regains his memory?
Tensions reach the boiling point in Raye Morgan’s She’s Having My Baby!—the final installment of the miniseries HAVING THE BOSS’S BABY—when our heroine discovers just who fathered her baby-to-be…. And tempers flare in Rebecca Russell’s Right Where He Belongs, in which our handsome hero must choose between his cold plan for revenge and a woman’s warm and tender love.
Then simmer down with the incredibly romantic heroes in Teresa Southwick’s What If We Fall In Love? and Colleen Faulkner’s A Shocking Request. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll fall in love all over again with these deeply touching stories about widowers who get a second chance at love.
So this February, come in from the cold and warm your heart and spirit with one of these temperature-raising books from Silhouette Romance. Don’t forget the marshmallows!
Happy reading!
Mary-Theresa Hussey
Senior Editor
She’s Having My Baby!
Raye Morgan
RAYE MORGAN
has spent almost two decades, while writing over fifty novels, searching for the answer to that elusive question: Just what is that special magic that happens when a man and a woman fall in love? Every time she thinks she has the answer, a new wrinkle pops up, necessitating another book! Meanwhile, after living in Holland, Guam, Japan and Washington, D.C., she currently makes her home in Southern California with her husband and two of her four boys.
KANE HALEY
Note to self: Who’s having my baby?
Trudy—hopeless romantic, office gossip, can’t keep a secret. If it’s not her, she might know who it is!
Lauren Connor—dates a lot, trying out new looks to impress her boss, was out sick with stomach flu. Hmm…
Sharon Davies—recently trapped in an elevator with a major client, blushes whenever he’s around, looking a little green lately. Could she be carrying my baby?
Leila—makes eyes at me. Is it more than a crush?
Maggie Steward—my personal assistant, wants children, clock is ticking. She would never go to a sperm bank!
Julia Parker—worries that her endometriosis could make her infertile. No man in her life. Definite sperm bank material!
Jennifer Martin—eight months pregnant. Is it her late fiancé’s baby? Is it mine?
WHEN THE LIGHTS WENT OUT…
A PREGNANT PROPOSAL
THE MAKEOVER TAKEOVER
LAST CHANCE FOR BABY
SHE’S HAVING MY BABY!
KANE HALEY, INC.
CHICAGO, IL
Contents
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter One
Kane Haley was staring at her with that weird look again. Maggie Steward bit her lip and leaned forward toward her computer monitor so that her crisp navy blue linen jacket would fall out and hide her stomach. Her heart was thumping. Had her boss guessed she was pregnant?
She went back to typing up the letter he’d asked her to write and wished he would close the door to his wood-paneled office so she couldn’t see him sitting in there, staring out at her. And even more important, so he couldn’t see her.
She should have told him by now. She’d meant to. But she just hadn’t found the right words. Once he knew she was going to have a baby, she had a feeling things would change drastically—not only professionally, but personally.
Nervously, she pushed a stray strand of golden-blond hair back into the twist at the nape of her neck and tried to concentrate on what she was doing, but thoughts and regrets were straying as well. Once he found out, she had no idea what he might say or do. What if he decided he needed someone he could depend on over the next few months? What if he asked her to transfer to another department so he could begin training someone new?
She valued her job as his administrative assistant, but more than that, she really needed it. The money was much better than for any other position she could qualify for in the company. And finances were turning out to be much tighter than she’d expected. She had no one to depend on but herself. Having a baby cost so much money!
The letter was finished and sliding slowly out of the printer. Ordinarily, she would go right in and have him sign it, but she was hesitating, worrying about what he might be thinking. Was he framing the question right now? Was he wondering why she hadn’t told him?
Maggie! Get a grip!
She scolded herself and rose from her ergonomically correct chair, being very careful not to move in any way that might emphasize her pregnancy, grabbed the letter and marched right into his office.
“Mr. Haley, if you’ll sign this, I’ll get it out right away.”
“Hmm?” He gazed at her blankly.
As always when her eyes met his, there was a little frisson of excitement that scattered along her nerve endings. Just one of the hazards of working for a man who looked like a cross between a young U.S. senator and a cowboy—smoothly handsome grace leavened by a core toughness that defined masculinity at its best, as far as she was concerned.
“Oh,” he said as he realized what she was there for. Picking up a pen, he held out his other hand for the page. “Sure.”
She waited apprehensively for his gaze to make a quick trip down toward her slightly protruding stomach, for his eyes to narrow and his brows to furl, but it didn’t happen. He signed the paper, tossed the pen down and stared into space again, ignoring her completely, his mind obviously captivated by some puzzle that wouldn’t let him be.
She frowned, turning her head to see what he was looking at, then turned back again, muffling a sigh of relief. Thank goodness. He hadn’t been staring at her at all. He was staring into space, and the space he was staring into just happened to be in her direction. He hadn’t noticed a thing. Her heart lightened.
Still, something about all this staring did bother her. She cleared her throat, and when that didn’t conjure up a response, she added crisply, “Do you have those notes on the new estimates ready for me to incorporate into the contract for the Bellingham people?”
“Contract?” His dark eyes flashed her way, and then he seemed to shake himself back to the present. “Oh, the notes for the contract. Don’t worry, I’ll take care of them.” He glanced at the cluttered surface of his desk and made a vague gesture. “They’re around here somewhere.”
“It’s got to be in the mail by five,” she reminded him.
He gave her a long-suffering look. “I know that. And I’ll have them ready for you.”
She raised an eyebrow. “Sure you will,” she said, lightly mocking him in a way that she’d become accustomed to and he usually enjoyed. “By four fifty-seven, no doubt.”
But he’d already forgotten she was standing alongside his desk. His dark-eyed gaze had glazed over and taken on a faraway look again.
She watched him, frowning, her gaze sliding from his handsome face to his wide shoulders to his strong but idle hands. This was not good, and it wasn’t like him. His mind wasn’t on his work. She’d been noticing that more and more often lately. What was going on?
Walking back toward her desk, she carefully closed the door to his office, then went over possibilities of disaster as she slid into her seat. What if he was thinking about changing his life in some way? What if he was bored and wanted to start a new business in some other place? What if he was about to quit his position and sail around the world on a catamaran? He’d talked about doing that once—gone on and on about the romance of the high seas.
“Just man against the ocean,” he’d told her, striking a pose, as though he had the mast at his back and a headwind before him. “What could be more thrilling?”
A steady paycheck, that was what. She didn’t want him to go anywhere. Not only would she lose her job, she would lose…him. Her cheeks reddened even though there was no one there to see them. She had to stop thinking about him like that.
Of course, there was no use pretending she hadn’t had a low-level crush on him from the beginning. What red-blooded woman wouldn’t find a man like Kane Haley attractive? But she’d never for a moment held out any hope that he might look at her in a romantic way. She was a person of common sense, and her instincts told her she wasn’t the sort of woman a man like Kane fell for.
And that was okay. She had her own life to live—a life that had become a little more lonely since her husband Tom had died in a car accident coming home from a deer-hunting trip two years ago. Glancing down at her left hand, she was startled to realize it had been almost six months since she’d taken off her wedding and engagement rings. It still surprised her whenever she noticed they weren’t there. She’d been a new widow when she’d been promoted to cover for Kane’s assistant who’d been out on maternity leave, and she’d thrown her heart into her work. When the woman had decided to stay home with her baby, Maggie had already fit in so well, Kane had asked her to stay on permanently. It was a dream of a job and he was a dream of a boss. She adored him.
What he thought of her was a little more ambiguous. Did he think about her at all? Sadly, evidence suggested he didn’t pay much attention to her in any way except as an efficient manager of his time and business affairs.
Even more annoying, sometimes she actually had a feeling that Kane Haley thought she was still married. He’d said something in passing about her husband a couple of times, and she’d let it go, thinking it really didn’t matter. After all, their relationship was totally work-related. But a little part of her had wondered if she should make it clear to him that she was free, just in case….
But that was going nowhere. He was a terrific boss. Their relationship was very special to her. She wouldn’t do anything to ruin it if she could help it. She only hoped he wasn’t planning anything that would do exactly that.
Of course, her decision to go ahead and have a baby might be enough to put a damper on things. It had all seemed so easy back when she’d begun. Lately, she’d had second thoughts. Not about the baby—but about her timing. Things just weren’t falling into place the way she’d hoped.
With a sigh, she went back to work at her computer, resolving to think of a way to tell him she was pregnant.
“Gotta do it today,” she promised the empty air. “No more excuses.”
Kane watched Maggie walk away and close the door behind her and he groaned with envy. There went a woman without a worry in the world. She was the most efficient assistant he’d ever had, always on top of every situation, always ready with a calm smile and a quick retort when he needed snapping into shape. He couldn’t remember how he’d managed before she’d appeared like Mary Poppins to organize his life. He really didn’t know what he’d do without her. Sometimes he thought she knew more about what made his company run than he did. She was terrific. Her husband was a lucky man. He couldn’t help but wonder if she ran as tight a ship at home as she ran here. Did she keep her husband in line, too?
Odd that in almost two years of working together, he’d never met her husband. But that seemed to fit with the coolly detached way she handled things between the two of them. She never got personal, and neither did he. She was all business and she ran this place, to all intents and purposes.
And that was a good thing, too, especially right now, because his work was going to hell lately, and he knew it. He had his mind on only one thing and it was driving him nuts. If he didn’t find out soon just who in this company was carrying his baby, he was going to go crazy.
Closing his eyes, he swore softly. Crazy. That was a good word for this situation. It had started out in a relatively sane and sober way. When his good friend, Bill Jeffers, had had a cancer scare and had come to him about it, he’d been ready to do anything he could to help out. He’d taken Bill to see his cousin, a world-class oncologist, and then had gone with him to the various testing labs, including the clinic where Bill was encouraged to deposit sperm to be used in case his radiation treatments destroyed his chances of ever having children. Kane himself had been surprised when the technician suggested he deposit some as well, to put Bill, who was quite nervous, at ease. Of course, he’d been glad to do anything to help his friend at this tense time.
The radiation treatments were, thank God, successful, and Bill was fine today. Just a few months ago, Bill had called to let him know he and his new wife Tracy were going to have a baby.
“You didn’t have to make use of that little deposit you made at the clinic that day, did you?” Kane had asked him, jokingly.
Bill had assured him it hadn’t been necessary, but once Kane had hung up, he’d begun thinking about his own deposit. He hadn’t ever done anything about it. It really wasn’t one of those things you should leave hanging around. The next morning, he’d called the clinic to tell them to have it destroyed. And that was when this nightmare had begun.
When he’d found out that his sample had been mistakenly used just weeks before—and by someone who worked in his company—he’d been stunned. The clinic had adamantly refused to tell him the name of the woman, even though he’d threatened legal action. And he’d been trying ever since to figure out which of the many women who worked at Kane Haley, Inc., was walking around incubating his baby!
“Let it go,” his brother Mark had said just that morning when they were playing their usual Friday racquetball game at their health club. “Forget about it. It’s out of your hands. You really aren’t involved in any meaningful way. Get over it!”
“I can’t,” he replied glumly, giving the ball a vicious slash. “You don’t understand.”
Mark, with his bouncy redheaded wife and his two bright kids in his beautiful house in one of the nicest suburban villages in the Chicago area, really didn’t understand. How could he? His life had been smooth sailing from day one. Kane didn’t resent his happiness, but he was sharply aware of the differences in their experiences, despite having grown up more or less in the same family. Mark believed in happy marriages, for one thing. He had one. Kane knew from his own past—including a very miserable marriage—that they were few and far between.
“There’s just no way of finding this woman,” Mark went on. “And even if you found her, what could you do about it?” He dodged a ball that came ricocheting off the wall at him, batting it down to where he could handle it and toss it back to his brother. “Give it up.”
“I’ve got to find her.” Kane served an ace and felt a glow of triumph as Mark flailed at it and missed. “I can’t rest until I do.”
Mark winced, shaking his head as he looked back at his brother. “Why?” he asked simply.
In answer, Kane hit the ball just right again and practically laid Mark out against the wall. The sound the hard ball made against the wood echoed through the little enclosed court and he grinned and flexed his biceps. Served Mark right. It was high time he learned to treat his older brother with a little respect.
Unfortunately, respect didn’t seem to last the way it once had, and in minutes, Mark was in charge of the service, putting across his own winning aces. Kane’s attention evaporated along with his game. His mind was back on his problem, and his brother could tell.
Hitting another hard one, Mark asked again, insisting, “Why?”
“Because,” Kane said in exasperation, letting the ball go by and not even reacting to it. “Just because. I can’t help it.” He knew his voice was sounding choked, but he had to try to make his brother understand. “I’ve got to find my baby. Mark, it’s like a fire smoldering inside of me. The need to find him haunts me all the time.”
Mark stopped and turned toward him, frowning. He hesitated, then went ahead and spoke softly. “Kane, it isn’t your baby. You gave it away.”
Anger flared in his heart, but he managed to keep his voice low and steady as he dropped down to sit on the lowest step of the stairway out of the court. “That wasn’t my doing.” He was forcing himself to breathe evenly, to keep this under control.
“Maybe not, but it was done.” Mark slumped down beside him. “Hell, Kane, go out and find some woman and marry her and make your own baby. Forget about the sperm thing. It’s over.”
He looked at his brother and laughed softly. “Come on, man, do you think the old lord of the manor cared about the kids he fathered when he went out rolling in the haystack with the milkmaids? This is like a modern-day version. After all, you’re president of the company. Your employees are like the old-fashioned tenants on the land.” He frowned comically. “Same deal, except with these twenty-first-century methods, I think you’re getting rooked out of the fun part.”
Kane avoided his gaze, shaking his head. “This isn’t funny, Mark. I’m quite serious about it. I’m going to find my baby.”
Mark put a hand on his arm. “And do what once you do? Ruin things for some nice young couple who managed to get pregnant with your help? Don’t you think they would be much happier not knowing you’re involved?” He hesitated and his voice softened with sympathy. “Come on, Kane. Whoever she is isn’t going to want you in her life. Face facts. You’d be nothing but an intrusion.”
Kane looked Mark in the eye. “You may be right, but I have to know.” He tried to smile at his brother, but his emotions were running too close to the surface to risk it. “Anyway, I could be a help to them. I could be like an uncle. I could come at Christmas with gifts for everyone. I could make sure he had a college education….”
Mark groaned and rose, heading for the showers. “You’re hopeless,” he tossed back over his shoulder. “I give up.”
But Kane wouldn’t give up. He couldn’t give up. His baby was out there somewhere. It was just a matter of time before he would know where.
He had a thing about kids and their fathers, a special need that had a lot of history attached to it. Back in his office, pacing the beige carpet until a path was being worn in it, he knew one thing for sure. Somehow, he was going to find out where his child was.
But what could he do next? He’d already harassed four women who worked at Kane Haley, Inc., thinking each might be the one because of one thing or another. False leads each time, but he’d tried, damn it. And now, as far as he knew, there weren’t any pregnant women left.
Running a hand through his thick hair, he frowned. He was going to have to go back to the clinic. He just couldn’t see any other way. He was going to have to threaten legal action again, and force them to tell him who she was.
Either that, or sign himself up for full-time therapy.
Flopping down in his office chair, he reached forward and clicked on the interoffice communicator. “Maggie,” he said crisply.
“Yes, sir?”
“Look up the number of the Lakeside Reproductive Clinic…”
The gasp on the other end of the line interrupted him.
“Are you okay?”
“Yes.” She sounded breathless, but her voice was strong. “Yes. Did you say the Lakeside…?”
“Lakeside Reproductive Clinic. That’s the one. I want you to put in a call to the chief of operations for me, will you? Put him right through when you get him. Thanks.”
Kane leaned back in his chair, drumming his fingers on the desk pad and marshaling his arguments. It was time to get tough.
Chapter Two
Maggie looked down at her hands. They were still shaking. When Mr. Haley had told her to call the Lakeside Reproductive Clinic, she’d nearly had a heart attack. That was the very clinic where she’d undergone artificial insemination just five months ago. What on earth did he want to talk to them about?
Whatever it was would have to wait until Monday. She’d made the call, but the clinic was closed on Fridays. He would have to call back next week. When she’d told him, he’d growled, but he hadn’t given as much as a clue as to what business he had with them.
Taking a deep breath, she tried to settle herself. All right. This was it. She had to find the words to tell her boss that she was pregnant, and she had to do it right away. She couldn’t go on like this.
A sound from behind made her jump, but it was only the company mail delivery.
“Hi, CeCe,” she said to the short, dark-haired woman counting out envelopes to leave in her box. “So what’s new out there in the Kane Haley, Incorporated, world?”
“Well, let’s see,” CeCe offered, narrowing her dark eyes as she thought things over. “Jolene Brown on the third floor says since we’re putting in a day-care center for the babies, we should have one for pets, too.”
“Pets!”
“Yup. Seems she’s having trouble with a new Yorkie she inherited. It’s eating up her house while she’s gone, one room at a time. She’d rather have him here where she can keep an eye on him.”
“Call a dog psychologist,” Maggie suggested with a laugh.
CeCe nodded. “I’ll pass on your advice,” she promised, turning to go. “Meanwhile, got any hot rumors you want me to spread?”
“Rumors?” Maggie’s smile faltered. “No, of course not. Why do you ask?”
CeCe looked at her curiously. “No reason,” she said slowly, narrowing her eyes. “No reason at all.”
And Maggie cursed her own guilty reaction as the woman left, her mail cart squeaking. “Way to go, Maggie,” she scolded herself. “Nothing like planting a seed in fertile ground.”
The phone rang and she jumped, grabbing it.
“Hello?” she said breathlessly, expecting bad news, just because it seemed to be that sort of day.
“Maggie?” Her friend Sharon sounded surprised. “Are you okay?”
“Oh.” Maggie tried to laugh. “Of course I am. I was just…sort of rushing around here when you called and you startled me.”
“Oh.” Sharon sounded a bit bewildered, but ready to accept the explanation as offered. “Well, listen. A bunch of us are going out to the Copper Penny for lunch, and I was just wondering…would you like to come along?”
Maggie grimaced. It was awfully nice of Sharon to include her. As the administrative assistant to Kane Haley, she didn’t often get treated like “one of the girls.” And she loved the Copper Penny. They had the greatest Caesar salads. But she knew she had to decline.
“I’d love to, Sharon, but I’m afraid I’ve got too much work to do.”
The work wasn’t the reason. Money was. She couldn’t afford to go out to lunch any longer. She had to save every cent for her baby.
“I think I’ll just stay in the office and have a sandwich,” she told her friend.
“You want me to bring you one back?”
“No. No,” she said quickly. “Thanks, though. I brought one from home.”
“Okay. We’ll miss you.”
She chatted with her friend for another moment, then hung up, smiling as she replaced the receiver, but feeling just a hint of envy. Sharon was pregnant, too, but she wasn’t hiding it. And she had a group of good friends to support her, not to mention the baby’s father. It must be nice having all that help.
Suddenly Maggie felt very much alone. Placing her hand over her stomach, she thought of her baby. Was she really sure she’d done the right thing? Was she going to be able to make it on her own? And was it fair to her child? She wished she’d waited a while longer before doing this. If only she’d confided in a few people, talked it over, listened to some other experiences before she’d jumped into this. Now she was about to make her boss her only confidant. Nothing was turning out to be the way she’d expected.
Pushing aside doubts, she got very busy during the next half hour or so, and had to run down to Financial to discuss some statistics they’d sent up that morning. When she returned, she assumed her boss had gone out to lunch. She knew Hannah and Kate, the two secretaries in the adjoining office, had gone. The building was quiet. Everyone was either off at a restaurant or down in the cafeteria. Pulling her paper bag out of a bottom drawer, she spread the contents out on her desk and looked at it.
One simple peanut butter sandwich on wheat bread, with just a touch of marmalade, one little box of dried cranberries and an apple. She’d had the same thing for lunch every day for the last month. Staring down at it, she tried to work up some enthusiasm.
“Eating at your desk again?” Kane Haley came out of his office, startling her. He peered at her lunch bag, then at her paltry meal. “Peanut butter sandwiches?”
“They are very nutritious,” she replied defensively, unwrapping the plastic and placing the sandwich out on a napkin as she glanced his way.
He was so handsome, his skin tanned even in the depths of winter, his dark hair just unruly enough to look casual. All in all, he was a very sexy guy. Funny how she seemed to be noticing that more and more lately.
He raised one sleek dark eyebrow as he gazed at her skimpy sandwich with a sardonic twist to his mouth. “I’m sure they’re full of good things. But not exactly gourmet fare.”
“I can’t afford gourmet fare at this point.” She looked away quickly, feeling flustered and wishing he would go on toward the elevator and leave her alone.
But he seemed in no hurry to leave. Instead of heading for the exit, he casually propped himself on the corner of her desk, one leg swinging, as though he were planning to oversee her lunching activities.
“Why Maggie,” he said, his voice warm with teasing humor. “Are you angling for a raise?”
Her eyes widened. “No, sir, I…”
He laughed. “Don’t worry. I put in a great evaluation for you just last week. I’m sure there will be something for you when Personnel gets through with their calculations.”
“Oh.” She wanted to thank him, but she didn’t want to sound too desperate. Even if she was exactly that. “I’m…well, thank you very much, Mr. Haley.”
“Don’t thank me.” His smile made her toes curl. “Your work is tops and you know it. I’d rather lose an arm than lose you.”
That did it. Guilt choked her. How was she going to tell him? He’d been so great to her and here she was, pretty much betraying him with this pregnancy. No matter how she worked it, she was bound to leave him in the lurch for a few months. There was just no way she could avoid it. Was there? She tried to think, but nothing came to mind. Unless she could work out a way to deliver her baby in the conference room and keep it stashed in the closet and never miss a minute of work. But she had a sneaking suspicion that wouldn’t work out. She was going to have to take some time off.
But luckily Mr. Haley was firmly behind the new day-care center that was being set up, right here in the building. She was planning to get her baby into it as soon as possible. But in the meantime, she was going to be leaving him in the lurch. And she felt downright crummy about it.
“Aren’t you going out to lunch, Mr. Haley?” she asked pointedly, hoping to jog his memory and speed him out the door.
He sighed, and, for the first time, she noticed that he was looking preoccupied again, despite his sense of humor. “No,” he said in answer to her question. “I don’t think I’ll go out. I can’t really eat anything.”
She studied him, concerned. He looked tired. Suddenly she wished with all her heart that she knew what was wrong. If she knew what was troubling him, maybe she could help.
“You don’t have any children, do you Maggie?”
Her shocked gaze met his and she flushed. How could she answer that one? “N…no. Not…not really.” Not yet, anyway. Was that lying? Technically, she didn’t think so, but she didn’t like it even so.
But he didn’t seem to notice her unease. He had a hint of that faraway look again. “I just wonder what it would be like to have a kid,” he said softly. Absently, he picked up one half of her peanut butter sandwich and began to munch on it. “Do you ever wonder?” he asked, looking into her eyes as though he thought an answer might be hiding in there somewhere.
Maggie’s breath caught in her throat. He was sitting so close and his eyes were so dark…. Suddenly she was very much aware of how the way he was sitting revealed the muscularity of his thighs.
Thighs! What was she thinking? She shouldn’t be noticing that. Swallowing hard, she tried to keep some perspective.
“Yes. Yes, of course I wonder,” she murmured, but she hardly knew what she was agreeing to.
“There’s something almost magical about babies, don’t you think?” he was saying.
But she was losing her train of thought. Her attention had been captured by the realization that his eyelashes were incredibly long. Why that made her feel light-headed she couldn’t have said. But she stared at them, fascinated, and the room faded around him. He had the most gorgeous eyes she’d ever seen. Weren’t eyes supposed to be windows into the heart? Did he have a beautiful soul to match his wonderful eyes?
She was swaying toward him and she knew it, almost as though he were drawing her closer magnetically, and somehow she seemed to be powerless to stop herself. Those deep eyes, the tiny hairs curling at his hairline, the tanned skin—masculinity radiated from him like heat. She came ever closer, experiencing his pull, taking in his air of casual acceptance, his handsome face, his straight nose…the peanut butter on his lower lip.
“Can you pass me a napkin?” he was asking.
She blinked at him as though he’d just gone off like a camera flash in her eyes, staring at him like a deer in headlights.
But he didn’t seem to notice. Looking down, he groaned. “My God, I’ve eaten your whole sandwich.”
Her peanut butter sandwich. She shook herself and reality washed over her like a cold ocean wave. Her heart began to thump in her chest. What was wrong with her? She’d almost made a very big fool of herself. Was it her pregnant condition? She was being irrational. Had he noticed?
“Your whole sandwich,” he was saying, looking at her as though it were her fault. “Why did you let me do that?”
Taking a deep breath, she steeled herself and fought hard for distance.
“How was I going to stop you?” she said, managing a tart tone, hoping to wipe away any lingering hints of her recent plunge into near-dementia. “You bolted it down like a starved wolf.”
“You’re right. But it was tiny. And suddenly I am hungry.” He looked almost embarrassed as he wiped his mouth with her only napkin. Not actually embarrassed, but almost.
“I’m really sorry.” His lopsided grin was meant to make up for it. “Listen,” he said impulsively. “I know how to fix everything. I’ll take you out to lunch.”
She gasped. Quick. She had to think of an excuse. “But it’s almost one o’clock. I have to be at my desk by one.”
He wasn’t buying it. “Hey. Who makes the rules around here?”
“I don’t know.” She frowned, thinking. She did not want to spend any more time with him if she could help it. That silly little trance she’d gone into might have been a harbinger of things to come if she didn’t watch out. She couldn’t risk it. Besides, she needed time to think up a good way to tell him she was going to be having a baby. It had to be done today. “I guess you do.”
“Damn right,” he said, sliding off her desk. “Come on. Let’s go.”
“I…I really can’t,” she said quickly. “I have so much work and…”
“Nonsense. We’re going to lunch. And that’s an order.”
“Mr. Haley…”
“Besides, I owe you. Remember on Secretary’s Day I gave you a rain check?”
How could she forget? He’d done that every year since she’d come to work for him. He’d never been keen on doing the lunch thing. Why now? Why with her?
“I’m not a secretary,” she tried feebly.
“Administrative assistants should get special days too,” he told her cheerfully. “And this is it. I’m finally going to pay up. You’re going to get your lunch.”
And the next thing she knew, she was stepping into the elevator, heading for lunch with the boss. And looking back longingly at her little office area, seeing it as a haven, a safe harbor. How long before she would get back to that safety?
This was going to be great.
Kane had a plan. A rather good plan, if he did say so himself. He was going to get his superbly skillful assistant working with him to find his baby. He was sure that she would attack the problem with all her legendary efficiency. He didn’t know why he hadn’t thought of doing this before. It was perfect.
There was only one flaw he could think of—getting her to do it. Instinctively, he knew she would resist. She would think it was a part of his personal life and she had no role there—and, of course, she was right. But he would have to find a way to convince her.
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?”
He paused while the waiter set a crab salad before Maggie and a steak sandwich in front of him.
“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.
His dark eyes were clouded, and she couldn’t read a thing in them.
“Well,” he said at last, speaking slowly. “I guess…well, congratulations.”
“Thank you very much.” She tried to peel away his fingers. “Now I’ve got to get home.”
His grip on her only tightened. Maggie was pregnant. It probably had nothing to do with him. She had a husband, after all. And she was very unpregnant looking, so she couldn’t be very far along. He would have noticed. So this had nothing to do with his situation, nothing at all.
“I suppose you’re anxious to get home to talk to your husband about it,” he said, his voice flat, his gaze probing hers.
She opened her mouth to tell him she had no husband, then closed it again. He noticed the gesture and a frown darkened his eyes, and then, quickly, a decision.
“Come on,” he said, turning and forcing her to turn with him. “I’m driving you home.”
“Oh, no! I can drive myself.”
“No you can’t. You’re too upset.”
Something was very wrong, and he was going to take care of it. If it had something to do with her husband, she might need him there as a backup. He didn’t know why he was thinking along these lines. Some instinct was telling him to take care of her and that was what he was going to do.
They reached his silver Mercedes and he used his remote to open the doors. “My car is right here. Hop in.”
“I’m fine,” she protested, looking back down the parking structure at her own car.
“No, you’re not. Get in or I’ll pick you up and put you in.”
She got in. “The contract!” she cried, turning to look at him as he slid into the driver’s seat.
“Hell with the contract, Maggie. Your well-being is much more important than any damn contract.”
Their gazes held for a long moment, and then she looked away. But it wasn’t a surrender, and he didn’t take it that way.
Still, he knew she was afraid of something. Was it her husband? Or something else? He didn’t know, but he was going to take her home and assess the situation for himself. Right now, making sure Maggie was safe and secure was the most important thing.
Pulling out of the parking garage, he glanced at her sideways. Maggie was pregnant. He had to digest this, take it in and evaluate it. He was not going to jump to conclusions this time. He’d done that too often already with other women in his firm. It had been downright embarrassing when the truth had come out—that they each had perfectly rational explanations for their pregnancies that had nothing to do with him. He’d sworn he wouldn’t get caught up in something like that again.
Besides, there was the husband. Was that what had her so upset? He’d brought up pregnancy and here she was, pregnant herself. Maybe her husband wasn’t happy about it. Maybe there was something wrong with the baby. Maybe…
He glanced sideways at her and saw what he was looking for. She wasn’t wearing a wedding ring. He remembered that she’d had one once. He’d noticed, because it had looked very much like the one he’d bought for his wife, Crystal, all those years ago. But it was gone now. His pulse began to race.
Don’t be a fool, he told himself. It doesn’t mean anything. A lot of women take off their wedding rings when they become pregnant. Sometimes it’s because their fingers swell, sometimes it’s because any kind of metal makes them itch during pregnancy. It’s a funny time for a woman.
She gave him directions and they pulled into the parking garage of a high-rise apartment building.
“I’m coming up with you,” he told her before she had a chance to dismiss him. “I want to make sure you’re okay.”
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Raye Morgan
To: Sharon, Jen, Lauren, Julia From: Maggie Date: 2/02 RE: The boss's little secret… It's true - I'm pregnant! I've kept it quiet because I wasn't sure how you'd react to my visiting a sperm bank. You know all the gossip about our boss Kane's behavior the past few months? Well, it turns out that fertility clinic made an error. That's right, I'm having the boss's baby!Kane's demanding marriage, but I've sworn that my next husband will truly love me. So I'll gladly take Kane's name - if he'd only give me his heart….
“The fact is, someone in this building is pregnant with my baby. And I need your help to find her.”
“Pregnant?” Maggie whispered, stunned. Had she heard Kane right? “How? I mean, wouldn’t you know who she is?”
Kane shook his head. “Artificial insemination,” he explained curtly. “It was a big mix-up. That was why I wanted you to get in touch with the fertility clinic I asked you to call. It happened there.”
“Oh.” A funny little tune was playing in her head. “No, no, no,” seemed to be the words.
“Maggie, I’ve tried to do this on my own, but I’ve struck out every time. I really need your help. You know a lot of the women here. I’m sure you could get a line on who she might be. She should be about five months pregnant….”
She shook her head. This couldn’t be happening. “No, no, no,” she said softly.
“Maggie,” he said, surprise in his voice. He reached for her. “What’s wrong?”
“I’m five months pregnant.”
Dear Reader,
Brr… February’s below-freezing temperatures call for a mug of hot chocolate, a fuzzy afghan and a heartwarming book from Silhouette Romance. Our books will heat you to the tips of your toes with the sizzling sexual tension that courses between our stubborn heroes and the determined heroines who ultimately melt their hardened hearts.
In Judy Christenberry’s Least Likely To Wed, her sinfully sexy cowboy hero has his plans for lifelong bachelorhood foiled by the searing kisses of a spirited single mom. While in Sue Swift’s The Ranger & the Rescue, an amnesiac cowboy stakes a claim on the heart of a flame-haired heroine—but will the fires of passion still burn when he regains his memory?
Tensions reach the boiling point in Raye Morgan’s She’s Having My Baby!—the final installment of the miniseries HAVING THE BOSS’S BABY—when our heroine discovers just who fathered her baby-to-be…. And tempers flare in Rebecca Russell’s Right Where He Belongs, in which our handsome hero must choose between his cold plan for revenge and a woman’s warm and tender love.
Then simmer down with the incredibly romantic heroes in Teresa Southwick’s What If We Fall In Love? and Colleen Faulkner’s A Shocking Request. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll fall in love all over again with these deeply touching stories about widowers who get a second chance at love.
So this February, come in from the cold and warm your heart and spirit with one of these temperature-raising books from Silhouette Romance. Don’t forget the marshmallows!
Happy reading!
Mary-Theresa Hussey
Senior Editor
She’s Having My Baby!
Raye Morgan
RAYE MORGAN
has spent almost two decades, while writing over fifty novels, searching for the answer to that elusive question: Just what is that special magic that happens when a man and a woman fall in love? Every time she thinks she has the answer, a new wrinkle pops up, necessitating another book! Meanwhile, after living in Holland, Guam, Japan and Washington, D.C., she currently makes her home in Southern California with her husband and two of her four boys.
KANE HALEY
Note to self: Who’s having my baby?
Trudy—hopeless romantic, office gossip, can’t keep a secret. If it’s not her, she might know who it is!
Lauren Connor—dates a lot, trying out new looks to impress her boss, was out sick with stomach flu. Hmm…
Sharon Davies—recently trapped in an elevator with a major client, blushes whenever he’s around, looking a little green lately. Could she be carrying my baby?
Leila—makes eyes at me. Is it more than a crush?
Maggie Steward—my personal assistant, wants children, clock is ticking. She would never go to a sperm bank!
Julia Parker—worries that her endometriosis could make her infertile. No man in her life. Definite sperm bank material!
Jennifer Martin—eight months pregnant. Is it her late fiancé’s baby? Is it mine?
WHEN THE LIGHTS WENT OUT…
A PREGNANT PROPOSAL
THE MAKEOVER TAKEOVER
LAST CHANCE FOR BABY
SHE’S HAVING MY BABY!
KANE HALEY, INC.
CHICAGO, IL
Contents
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter One
Kane Haley was staring at her with that weird look again. Maggie Steward bit her lip and leaned forward toward her computer monitor so that her crisp navy blue linen jacket would fall out and hide her stomach. Her heart was thumping. Had her boss guessed she was pregnant?
She went back to typing up the letter he’d asked her to write and wished he would close the door to his wood-paneled office so she couldn’t see him sitting in there, staring out at her. And even more important, so he couldn’t see her.
She should have told him by now. She’d meant to. But she just hadn’t found the right words. Once he knew she was going to have a baby, she had a feeling things would change drastically—not only professionally, but personally.
Nervously, she pushed a stray strand of golden-blond hair back into the twist at the nape of her neck and tried to concentrate on what she was doing, but thoughts and regrets were straying as well. Once he found out, she had no idea what he might say or do. What if he decided he needed someone he could depend on over the next few months? What if he asked her to transfer to another department so he could begin training someone new?
She valued her job as his administrative assistant, but more than that, she really needed it. The money was much better than for any other position she could qualify for in the company. And finances were turning out to be much tighter than she’d expected. She had no one to depend on but herself. Having a baby cost so much money!
The letter was finished and sliding slowly out of the printer. Ordinarily, she would go right in and have him sign it, but she was hesitating, worrying about what he might be thinking. Was he framing the question right now? Was he wondering why she hadn’t told him?
Maggie! Get a grip!
She scolded herself and rose from her ergonomically correct chair, being very careful not to move in any way that might emphasize her pregnancy, grabbed the letter and marched right into his office.
“Mr. Haley, if you’ll sign this, I’ll get it out right away.”
“Hmm?” He gazed at her blankly.
As always when her eyes met his, there was a little frisson of excitement that scattered along her nerve endings. Just one of the hazards of working for a man who looked like a cross between a young U.S. senator and a cowboy—smoothly handsome grace leavened by a core toughness that defined masculinity at its best, as far as she was concerned.
“Oh,” he said as he realized what she was there for. Picking up a pen, he held out his other hand for the page. “Sure.”
She waited apprehensively for his gaze to make a quick trip down toward her slightly protruding stomach, for his eyes to narrow and his brows to furl, but it didn’t happen. He signed the paper, tossed the pen down and stared into space again, ignoring her completely, his mind obviously captivated by some puzzle that wouldn’t let him be.
She frowned, turning her head to see what he was looking at, then turned back again, muffling a sigh of relief. Thank goodness. He hadn’t been staring at her at all. He was staring into space, and the space he was staring into just happened to be in her direction. He hadn’t noticed a thing. Her heart lightened.
Still, something about all this staring did bother her. She cleared her throat, and when that didn’t conjure up a response, she added crisply, “Do you have those notes on the new estimates ready for me to incorporate into the contract for the Bellingham people?”
“Contract?” His dark eyes flashed her way, and then he seemed to shake himself back to the present. “Oh, the notes for the contract. Don’t worry, I’ll take care of them.” He glanced at the cluttered surface of his desk and made a vague gesture. “They’re around here somewhere.”
“It’s got to be in the mail by five,” she reminded him.
He gave her a long-suffering look. “I know that. And I’ll have them ready for you.”
She raised an eyebrow. “Sure you will,” she said, lightly mocking him in a way that she’d become accustomed to and he usually enjoyed. “By four fifty-seven, no doubt.”
But he’d already forgotten she was standing alongside his desk. His dark-eyed gaze had glazed over and taken on a faraway look again.
She watched him, frowning, her gaze sliding from his handsome face to his wide shoulders to his strong but idle hands. This was not good, and it wasn’t like him. His mind wasn’t on his work. She’d been noticing that more and more often lately. What was going on?
Walking back toward her desk, she carefully closed the door to his office, then went over possibilities of disaster as she slid into her seat. What if he was thinking about changing his life in some way? What if he was bored and wanted to start a new business in some other place? What if he was about to quit his position and sail around the world on a catamaran? He’d talked about doing that once—gone on and on about the romance of the high seas.
“Just man against the ocean,” he’d told her, striking a pose, as though he had the mast at his back and a headwind before him. “What could be more thrilling?”
A steady paycheck, that was what. She didn’t want him to go anywhere. Not only would she lose her job, she would lose…him. Her cheeks reddened even though there was no one there to see them. She had to stop thinking about him like that.
Of course, there was no use pretending she hadn’t had a low-level crush on him from the beginning. What red-blooded woman wouldn’t find a man like Kane Haley attractive? But she’d never for a moment held out any hope that he might look at her in a romantic way. She was a person of common sense, and her instincts told her she wasn’t the sort of woman a man like Kane fell for.
And that was okay. She had her own life to live—a life that had become a little more lonely since her husband Tom had died in a car accident coming home from a deer-hunting trip two years ago. Glancing down at her left hand, she was startled to realize it had been almost six months since she’d taken off her wedding and engagement rings. It still surprised her whenever she noticed they weren’t there. She’d been a new widow when she’d been promoted to cover for Kane’s assistant who’d been out on maternity leave, and she’d thrown her heart into her work. When the woman had decided to stay home with her baby, Maggie had already fit in so well, Kane had asked her to stay on permanently. It was a dream of a job and he was a dream of a boss. She adored him.
What he thought of her was a little more ambiguous. Did he think about her at all? Sadly, evidence suggested he didn’t pay much attention to her in any way except as an efficient manager of his time and business affairs.
Even more annoying, sometimes she actually had a feeling that Kane Haley thought she was still married. He’d said something in passing about her husband a couple of times, and she’d let it go, thinking it really didn’t matter. After all, their relationship was totally work-related. But a little part of her had wondered if she should make it clear to him that she was free, just in case….
But that was going nowhere. He was a terrific boss. Their relationship was very special to her. She wouldn’t do anything to ruin it if she could help it. She only hoped he wasn’t planning anything that would do exactly that.
Of course, her decision to go ahead and have a baby might be enough to put a damper on things. It had all seemed so easy back when she’d begun. Lately, she’d had second thoughts. Not about the baby—but about her timing. Things just weren’t falling into place the way she’d hoped.
With a sigh, she went back to work at her computer, resolving to think of a way to tell him she was pregnant.
“Gotta do it today,” she promised the empty air. “No more excuses.”
Kane watched Maggie walk away and close the door behind her and he groaned with envy. There went a woman without a worry in the world. She was the most efficient assistant he’d ever had, always on top of every situation, always ready with a calm smile and a quick retort when he needed snapping into shape. He couldn’t remember how he’d managed before she’d appeared like Mary Poppins to organize his life. He really didn’t know what he’d do without her. Sometimes he thought she knew more about what made his company run than he did. She was terrific. Her husband was a lucky man. He couldn’t help but wonder if she ran as tight a ship at home as she ran here. Did she keep her husband in line, too?
Odd that in almost two years of working together, he’d never met her husband. But that seemed to fit with the coolly detached way she handled things between the two of them. She never got personal, and neither did he. She was all business and she ran this place, to all intents and purposes.
And that was a good thing, too, especially right now, because his work was going to hell lately, and he knew it. He had his mind on only one thing and it was driving him nuts. If he didn’t find out soon just who in this company was carrying his baby, he was going to go crazy.
Closing his eyes, he swore softly. Crazy. That was a good word for this situation. It had started out in a relatively sane and sober way. When his good friend, Bill Jeffers, had had a cancer scare and had come to him about it, he’d been ready to do anything he could to help out. He’d taken Bill to see his cousin, a world-class oncologist, and then had gone with him to the various testing labs, including the clinic where Bill was encouraged to deposit sperm to be used in case his radiation treatments destroyed his chances of ever having children. Kane himself had been surprised when the technician suggested he deposit some as well, to put Bill, who was quite nervous, at ease. Of course, he’d been glad to do anything to help his friend at this tense time.
The radiation treatments were, thank God, successful, and Bill was fine today. Just a few months ago, Bill had called to let him know he and his new wife Tracy were going to have a baby.
“You didn’t have to make use of that little deposit you made at the clinic that day, did you?” Kane had asked him, jokingly.
Bill had assured him it hadn’t been necessary, but once Kane had hung up, he’d begun thinking about his own deposit. He hadn’t ever done anything about it. It really wasn’t one of those things you should leave hanging around. The next morning, he’d called the clinic to tell them to have it destroyed. And that was when this nightmare had begun.
When he’d found out that his sample had been mistakenly used just weeks before—and by someone who worked in his company—he’d been stunned. The clinic had adamantly refused to tell him the name of the woman, even though he’d threatened legal action. And he’d been trying ever since to figure out which of the many women who worked at Kane Haley, Inc., was walking around incubating his baby!
“Let it go,” his brother Mark had said just that morning when they were playing their usual Friday racquetball game at their health club. “Forget about it. It’s out of your hands. You really aren’t involved in any meaningful way. Get over it!”
“I can’t,” he replied glumly, giving the ball a vicious slash. “You don’t understand.”
Mark, with his bouncy redheaded wife and his two bright kids in his beautiful house in one of the nicest suburban villages in the Chicago area, really didn’t understand. How could he? His life had been smooth sailing from day one. Kane didn’t resent his happiness, but he was sharply aware of the differences in their experiences, despite having grown up more or less in the same family. Mark believed in happy marriages, for one thing. He had one. Kane knew from his own past—including a very miserable marriage—that they were few and far between.
“There’s just no way of finding this woman,” Mark went on. “And even if you found her, what could you do about it?” He dodged a ball that came ricocheting off the wall at him, batting it down to where he could handle it and toss it back to his brother. “Give it up.”
“I’ve got to find her.” Kane served an ace and felt a glow of triumph as Mark flailed at it and missed. “I can’t rest until I do.”
Mark winced, shaking his head as he looked back at his brother. “Why?” he asked simply.
In answer, Kane hit the ball just right again and practically laid Mark out against the wall. The sound the hard ball made against the wood echoed through the little enclosed court and he grinned and flexed his biceps. Served Mark right. It was high time he learned to treat his older brother with a little respect.
Unfortunately, respect didn’t seem to last the way it once had, and in minutes, Mark was in charge of the service, putting across his own winning aces. Kane’s attention evaporated along with his game. His mind was back on his problem, and his brother could tell.
Hitting another hard one, Mark asked again, insisting, “Why?”
“Because,” Kane said in exasperation, letting the ball go by and not even reacting to it. “Just because. I can’t help it.” He knew his voice was sounding choked, but he had to try to make his brother understand. “I’ve got to find my baby. Mark, it’s like a fire smoldering inside of me. The need to find him haunts me all the time.”
Mark stopped and turned toward him, frowning. He hesitated, then went ahead and spoke softly. “Kane, it isn’t your baby. You gave it away.”
Anger flared in his heart, but he managed to keep his voice low and steady as he dropped down to sit on the lowest step of the stairway out of the court. “That wasn’t my doing.” He was forcing himself to breathe evenly, to keep this under control.
“Maybe not, but it was done.” Mark slumped down beside him. “Hell, Kane, go out and find some woman and marry her and make your own baby. Forget about the sperm thing. It’s over.”
He looked at his brother and laughed softly. “Come on, man, do you think the old lord of the manor cared about the kids he fathered when he went out rolling in the haystack with the milkmaids? This is like a modern-day version. After all, you’re president of the company. Your employees are like the old-fashioned tenants on the land.” He frowned comically. “Same deal, except with these twenty-first-century methods, I think you’re getting rooked out of the fun part.”
Kane avoided his gaze, shaking his head. “This isn’t funny, Mark. I’m quite serious about it. I’m going to find my baby.”
Mark put a hand on his arm. “And do what once you do? Ruin things for some nice young couple who managed to get pregnant with your help? Don’t you think they would be much happier not knowing you’re involved?” He hesitated and his voice softened with sympathy. “Come on, Kane. Whoever she is isn’t going to want you in her life. Face facts. You’d be nothing but an intrusion.”
Kane looked Mark in the eye. “You may be right, but I have to know.” He tried to smile at his brother, but his emotions were running too close to the surface to risk it. “Anyway, I could be a help to them. I could be like an uncle. I could come at Christmas with gifts for everyone. I could make sure he had a college education….”
Mark groaned and rose, heading for the showers. “You’re hopeless,” he tossed back over his shoulder. “I give up.”
But Kane wouldn’t give up. He couldn’t give up. His baby was out there somewhere. It was just a matter of time before he would know where.
He had a thing about kids and their fathers, a special need that had a lot of history attached to it. Back in his office, pacing the beige carpet until a path was being worn in it, he knew one thing for sure. Somehow, he was going to find out where his child was.
But what could he do next? He’d already harassed four women who worked at Kane Haley, Inc., thinking each might be the one because of one thing or another. False leads each time, but he’d tried, damn it. And now, as far as he knew, there weren’t any pregnant women left.
Running a hand through his thick hair, he frowned. He was going to have to go back to the clinic. He just couldn’t see any other way. He was going to have to threaten legal action again, and force them to tell him who she was.
Either that, or sign himself up for full-time therapy.
Flopping down in his office chair, he reached forward and clicked on the interoffice communicator. “Maggie,” he said crisply.
“Yes, sir?”
“Look up the number of the Lakeside Reproductive Clinic…”
The gasp on the other end of the line interrupted him.
“Are you okay?”
“Yes.” She sounded breathless, but her voice was strong. “Yes. Did you say the Lakeside…?”
“Lakeside Reproductive Clinic. That’s the one. I want you to put in a call to the chief of operations for me, will you? Put him right through when you get him. Thanks.”
Kane leaned back in his chair, drumming his fingers on the desk pad and marshaling his arguments. It was time to get tough.
Chapter Two
Maggie looked down at her hands. They were still shaking. When Mr. Haley had told her to call the Lakeside Reproductive Clinic, she’d nearly had a heart attack. That was the very clinic where she’d undergone artificial insemination just five months ago. What on earth did he want to talk to them about?
Whatever it was would have to wait until Monday. She’d made the call, but the clinic was closed on Fridays. He would have to call back next week. When she’d told him, he’d growled, but he hadn’t given as much as a clue as to what business he had with them.
Taking a deep breath, she tried to settle herself. All right. This was it. She had to find the words to tell her boss that she was pregnant, and she had to do it right away. She couldn’t go on like this.
A sound from behind made her jump, but it was only the company mail delivery.
“Hi, CeCe,” she said to the short, dark-haired woman counting out envelopes to leave in her box. “So what’s new out there in the Kane Haley, Incorporated, world?”
“Well, let’s see,” CeCe offered, narrowing her dark eyes as she thought things over. “Jolene Brown on the third floor says since we’re putting in a day-care center for the babies, we should have one for pets, too.”
“Pets!”
“Yup. Seems she’s having trouble with a new Yorkie she inherited. It’s eating up her house while she’s gone, one room at a time. She’d rather have him here where she can keep an eye on him.”
“Call a dog psychologist,” Maggie suggested with a laugh.
CeCe nodded. “I’ll pass on your advice,” she promised, turning to go. “Meanwhile, got any hot rumors you want me to spread?”
“Rumors?” Maggie’s smile faltered. “No, of course not. Why do you ask?”
CeCe looked at her curiously. “No reason,” she said slowly, narrowing her eyes. “No reason at all.”
And Maggie cursed her own guilty reaction as the woman left, her mail cart squeaking. “Way to go, Maggie,” she scolded herself. “Nothing like planting a seed in fertile ground.”
The phone rang and she jumped, grabbing it.
“Hello?” she said breathlessly, expecting bad news, just because it seemed to be that sort of day.
“Maggie?” Her friend Sharon sounded surprised. “Are you okay?”
“Oh.” Maggie tried to laugh. “Of course I am. I was just…sort of rushing around here when you called and you startled me.”
“Oh.” Sharon sounded a bit bewildered, but ready to accept the explanation as offered. “Well, listen. A bunch of us are going out to the Copper Penny for lunch, and I was just wondering…would you like to come along?”
Maggie grimaced. It was awfully nice of Sharon to include her. As the administrative assistant to Kane Haley, she didn’t often get treated like “one of the girls.” And she loved the Copper Penny. They had the greatest Caesar salads. But she knew she had to decline.
“I’d love to, Sharon, but I’m afraid I’ve got too much work to do.”
The work wasn’t the reason. Money was. She couldn’t afford to go out to lunch any longer. She had to save every cent for her baby.
“I think I’ll just stay in the office and have a sandwich,” she told her friend.
“You want me to bring you one back?”
“No. No,” she said quickly. “Thanks, though. I brought one from home.”
“Okay. We’ll miss you.”
She chatted with her friend for another moment, then hung up, smiling as she replaced the receiver, but feeling just a hint of envy. Sharon was pregnant, too, but she wasn’t hiding it. And she had a group of good friends to support her, not to mention the baby’s father. It must be nice having all that help.
Suddenly Maggie felt very much alone. Placing her hand over her stomach, she thought of her baby. Was she really sure she’d done the right thing? Was she going to be able to make it on her own? And was it fair to her child? She wished she’d waited a while longer before doing this. If only she’d confided in a few people, talked it over, listened to some other experiences before she’d jumped into this. Now she was about to make her boss her only confidant. Nothing was turning out to be the way she’d expected.
Pushing aside doubts, she got very busy during the next half hour or so, and had to run down to Financial to discuss some statistics they’d sent up that morning. When she returned, she assumed her boss had gone out to lunch. She knew Hannah and Kate, the two secretaries in the adjoining office, had gone. The building was quiet. Everyone was either off at a restaurant or down in the cafeteria. Pulling her paper bag out of a bottom drawer, she spread the contents out on her desk and looked at it.
One simple peanut butter sandwich on wheat bread, with just a touch of marmalade, one little box of dried cranberries and an apple. She’d had the same thing for lunch every day for the last month. Staring down at it, she tried to work up some enthusiasm.
“Eating at your desk again?” Kane Haley came out of his office, startling her. He peered at her lunch bag, then at her paltry meal. “Peanut butter sandwiches?”
“They are very nutritious,” she replied defensively, unwrapping the plastic and placing the sandwich out on a napkin as she glanced his way.
He was so handsome, his skin tanned even in the depths of winter, his dark hair just unruly enough to look casual. All in all, he was a very sexy guy. Funny how she seemed to be noticing that more and more lately.
He raised one sleek dark eyebrow as he gazed at her skimpy sandwich with a sardonic twist to his mouth. “I’m sure they’re full of good things. But not exactly gourmet fare.”
“I can’t afford gourmet fare at this point.” She looked away quickly, feeling flustered and wishing he would go on toward the elevator and leave her alone.
But he seemed in no hurry to leave. Instead of heading for the exit, he casually propped himself on the corner of her desk, one leg swinging, as though he were planning to oversee her lunching activities.
“Why Maggie,” he said, his voice warm with teasing humor. “Are you angling for a raise?”
Her eyes widened. “No, sir, I…”
He laughed. “Don’t worry. I put in a great evaluation for you just last week. I’m sure there will be something for you when Personnel gets through with their calculations.”
“Oh.” She wanted to thank him, but she didn’t want to sound too desperate. Even if she was exactly that. “I’m…well, thank you very much, Mr. Haley.”
“Don’t thank me.” His smile made her toes curl. “Your work is tops and you know it. I’d rather lose an arm than lose you.”
That did it. Guilt choked her. How was she going to tell him? He’d been so great to her and here she was, pretty much betraying him with this pregnancy. No matter how she worked it, she was bound to leave him in the lurch for a few months. There was just no way she could avoid it. Was there? She tried to think, but nothing came to mind. Unless she could work out a way to deliver her baby in the conference room and keep it stashed in the closet and never miss a minute of work. But she had a sneaking suspicion that wouldn’t work out. She was going to have to take some time off.
But luckily Mr. Haley was firmly behind the new day-care center that was being set up, right here in the building. She was planning to get her baby into it as soon as possible. But in the meantime, she was going to be leaving him in the lurch. And she felt downright crummy about it.
“Aren’t you going out to lunch, Mr. Haley?” she asked pointedly, hoping to jog his memory and speed him out the door.
He sighed, and, for the first time, she noticed that he was looking preoccupied again, despite his sense of humor. “No,” he said in answer to her question. “I don’t think I’ll go out. I can’t really eat anything.”
She studied him, concerned. He looked tired. Suddenly she wished with all her heart that she knew what was wrong. If she knew what was troubling him, maybe she could help.
“You don’t have any children, do you Maggie?”
Her shocked gaze met his and she flushed. How could she answer that one? “N…no. Not…not really.” Not yet, anyway. Was that lying? Technically, she didn’t think so, but she didn’t like it even so.
But he didn’t seem to notice her unease. He had a hint of that faraway look again. “I just wonder what it would be like to have a kid,” he said softly. Absently, he picked up one half of her peanut butter sandwich and began to munch on it. “Do you ever wonder?” he asked, looking into her eyes as though he thought an answer might be hiding in there somewhere.
Maggie’s breath caught in her throat. He was sitting so close and his eyes were so dark…. Suddenly she was very much aware of how the way he was sitting revealed the muscularity of his thighs.
Thighs! What was she thinking? She shouldn’t be noticing that. Swallowing hard, she tried to keep some perspective.
“Yes. Yes, of course I wonder,” she murmured, but she hardly knew what she was agreeing to.
“There’s something almost magical about babies, don’t you think?” he was saying.
But she was losing her train of thought. Her attention had been captured by the realization that his eyelashes were incredibly long. Why that made her feel light-headed she couldn’t have said. But she stared at them, fascinated, and the room faded around him. He had the most gorgeous eyes she’d ever seen. Weren’t eyes supposed to be windows into the heart? Did he have a beautiful soul to match his wonderful eyes?
She was swaying toward him and she knew it, almost as though he were drawing her closer magnetically, and somehow she seemed to be powerless to stop herself. Those deep eyes, the tiny hairs curling at his hairline, the tanned skin—masculinity radiated from him like heat. She came ever closer, experiencing his pull, taking in his air of casual acceptance, his handsome face, his straight nose…the peanut butter on his lower lip.
“Can you pass me a napkin?” he was asking.
She blinked at him as though he’d just gone off like a camera flash in her eyes, staring at him like a deer in headlights.
But he didn’t seem to notice. Looking down, he groaned. “My God, I’ve eaten your whole sandwich.”
Her peanut butter sandwich. She shook herself and reality washed over her like a cold ocean wave. Her heart began to thump in her chest. What was wrong with her? She’d almost made a very big fool of herself. Was it her pregnant condition? She was being irrational. Had he noticed?
“Your whole sandwich,” he was saying, looking at her as though it were her fault. “Why did you let me do that?”
Taking a deep breath, she steeled herself and fought hard for distance.
“How was I going to stop you?” she said, managing a tart tone, hoping to wipe away any lingering hints of her recent plunge into near-dementia. “You bolted it down like a starved wolf.”
“You’re right. But it was tiny. And suddenly I am hungry.” He looked almost embarrassed as he wiped his mouth with her only napkin. Not actually embarrassed, but almost.
“I’m really sorry.” His lopsided grin was meant to make up for it. “Listen,” he said impulsively. “I know how to fix everything. I’ll take you out to lunch.”
She gasped. Quick. She had to think of an excuse. “But it’s almost one o’clock. I have to be at my desk by one.”
He wasn’t buying it. “Hey. Who makes the rules around here?”
“I don’t know.” She frowned, thinking. She did not want to spend any more time with him if she could help it. That silly little trance she’d gone into might have been a harbinger of things to come if she didn’t watch out. She couldn’t risk it. Besides, she needed time to think up a good way to tell him she was going to be having a baby. It had to be done today. “I guess you do.”
“Damn right,” he said, sliding off her desk. “Come on. Let’s go.”
“I…I really can’t,” she said quickly. “I have so much work and…”
“Nonsense. We’re going to lunch. And that’s an order.”
“Mr. Haley…”
“Besides, I owe you. Remember on Secretary’s Day I gave you a rain check?”
How could she forget? He’d done that every year since she’d come to work for him. He’d never been keen on doing the lunch thing. Why now? Why with her?
“I’m not a secretary,” she tried feebly.
“Administrative assistants should get special days too,” he told her cheerfully. “And this is it. I’m finally going to pay up. You’re going to get your lunch.”
And the next thing she knew, she was stepping into the elevator, heading for lunch with the boss. And looking back longingly at her little office area, seeing it as a haven, a safe harbor. How long before she would get back to that safety?
This was going to be great.
Kane had a plan. A rather good plan, if he did say so himself. He was going to get his superbly skillful assistant working with him to find his baby. He was sure that she would attack the problem with all her legendary efficiency. He didn’t know why he hadn’t thought of doing this before. It was perfect.
There was only one flaw he could think of—getting her to do it. Instinctively, he knew she would resist. She would think it was a part of his personal life and she had no role there—and, of course, she was right. But he would have to find a way to convince her.
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?”
He paused while the waiter set a crab salad before Maggie and a steak sandwich in front of him.
“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.
His dark eyes were clouded, and she couldn’t read a thing in them.
“Well,” he said at last, speaking slowly. “I guess…well, congratulations.”
“Thank you very much.” She tried to peel away his fingers. “Now I’ve got to get home.”
His grip on her only tightened. Maggie was pregnant. It probably had nothing to do with him. She had a husband, after all. And she was very unpregnant looking, so she couldn’t be very far along. He would have noticed. So this had nothing to do with his situation, nothing at all.
“I suppose you’re anxious to get home to talk to your husband about it,” he said, his voice flat, his gaze probing hers.
She opened her mouth to tell him she had no husband, then closed it again. He noticed the gesture and a frown darkened his eyes, and then, quickly, a decision.
“Come on,” he said, turning and forcing her to turn with him. “I’m driving you home.”
“Oh, no! I can drive myself.”
“No you can’t. You’re too upset.”
Something was very wrong, and he was going to take care of it. If it had something to do with her husband, she might need him there as a backup. He didn’t know why he was thinking along these lines. Some instinct was telling him to take care of her and that was what he was going to do.
They reached his silver Mercedes and he used his remote to open the doors. “My car is right here. Hop in.”
“I’m fine,” she protested, looking back down the parking structure at her own car.
“No, you’re not. Get in or I’ll pick you up and put you in.”
She got in. “The contract!” she cried, turning to look at him as he slid into the driver’s seat.
“Hell with the contract, Maggie. Your well-being is much more important than any damn contract.”
Their gazes held for a long moment, and then she looked away. But it wasn’t a surrender, and he didn’t take it that way.
Still, he knew she was afraid of something. Was it her husband? Or something else? He didn’t know, but he was going to take her home and assess the situation for himself. Right now, making sure Maggie was safe and secure was the most important thing.
Pulling out of the parking garage, he glanced at her sideways. Maggie was pregnant. He had to digest this, take it in and evaluate it. He was not going to jump to conclusions this time. He’d done that too often already with other women in his firm. It had been downright embarrassing when the truth had come out—that they each had perfectly rational explanations for their pregnancies that had nothing to do with him. He’d sworn he wouldn’t get caught up in something like that again.
Besides, there was the husband. Was that what had her so upset? He’d brought up pregnancy and here she was, pregnant herself. Maybe her husband wasn’t happy about it. Maybe there was something wrong with the baby. Maybe…
He glanced sideways at her and saw what he was looking for. She wasn’t wearing a wedding ring. He remembered that she’d had one once. He’d noticed, because it had looked very much like the one he’d bought for his wife, Crystal, all those years ago. But it was gone now. His pulse began to race.
Don’t be a fool, he told himself. It doesn’t mean anything. A lot of women take off their wedding rings when they become pregnant. Sometimes it’s because their fingers swell, sometimes it’s because any kind of metal makes them itch during pregnancy. It’s a funny time for a woman.
She gave him directions and they pulled into the parking garage of a high-rise apartment building.
“I’m coming up with you,” he told her before she had a chance to dismiss him. “I want to make sure you’re okay.”
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Raye Morgan
Тип: электронная книга
Жанр: Современные любовные романы
Язык: на английском языке
Издательство: HarperCollins
Дата публикации: 16.04.2024
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О книге: To: Sharon, Jen, Lauren, Julia From: Maggie Date: 2/02 RE: The boss′s little secret… It′s true – I′m pregnant! I′ve kept it quiet because I wasn′t sure how you′d react to my visiting a sperm bank. You know all the gossip about our boss Kane′s behavior the past few months? Well, it turns out that fertility clinic made an error. That′s right, I′m having the boss′s baby!Kane′s demanding marriage, but I′ve sworn that my next husband will truly love me. So I′ll gladly take Kane′s name – if he′d only give me his heart….