LITMIR.BIZ

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liquid running down Bobby’s leg wetting his tan shirt. “His diaper is leaking,” Max said bleakly, thinking that at this rate his dry-cleaning bill was going to bankrupt his company.

      “I’m sorry, Max,” Kaitland said. “I’ll just take him. Darlene, bring Maddie. I’ll, uh, come back and clean up…”

      “Let Darlene or Sarah see to that.”

      “Of course, Max.”

      She turned toward the door, talking to Bobby as she hurried out.

      “And Katie?” Max called, picking up the ruined contracts and looking at the chew marks on them.

      Kaitland paused, glancing warily back at Max. “Yes?”

      “I think Maddie’s hungry.”

      “Yes, Max,” she said and scuttled out the door. Then to Sarah, “Could you get the children some carrot sticks. I’m going to take these two out back where they can wear off some of their energy.”

      Toting one child in each arm, Kaitland went into the library and grabbed the checked quilt then went out back. She avoided the formal gardens—no telling what they’d eat there—and the pool area. Instead, she went farther out toward the outer wall where there was a huge section of green lawn. The children could run there and do little damage.

      “Here you go,” Sarah called, huffing up behind Kaitland.

      “Oh, thank you,” Kaitland said, gratefully seeing not only the snacks, but drinks, a washcloth and a diaper bag, too.

      She spread the blanket then called both children.

      Maddie immediately came over and plopped down on the quilt. “It’s going to take a little longer for little Bobby to get used to his nickname,” Sarah said, bringing Maxwell Robert over to where Kaitland was. She dropped by her with a groan. “Should have gotten closer to a bench, young lady,” Sarah grouched good-naturedly.

      “I’m sorry, Sarah,” Kaitland responded, even as she wiped up Maddie. She exchanged children with Sarah and went to work on Bobby, including changing the sopping-wet diaper.

      She pulled out the snacks and sipper cups from the bag and said a quick prayer with the children. Amazingly, they both settled right down and began munching their snacks. “Good thing they like this. I wasn’t sure what to fix them. I guess it’s just going to take time for us to figure out what food they like.”

      “The way those two wolfed down the cookies Max fed them earlier, I doubt you’re going to find very little those two don’t like to eat.”

      Kaitland sighed as she watched the two little ones exchange snacks and resume eating. “They’re so adorable,” she said. “But at the rate everything has gone this morning, I’m afraid Max will let me go before I have a chance to find out their likes and dislikes.”

      “Oh, pshaw,” Sarah said. “I have to disagree with you, Kaitland, dear. I haven’t seen Max this animated in years. Not since you left his life.”

      “Since he dismissed me from it, you mean.”

      Sarah leaned forward and patted Kaitland’s hand. “Don’t know why you’ve waited so long to come back and straighten it out. Should have been taken care of a long time ago, if you ask me. But of course, Max is so closemouthed. It doesn’t matter what happened back then. It’s obvious Max still cares for you.”

      Kaitland raised surprised eyebrows. “What in the world makes you say that? It’s obvious every time I’m in the room that Max is in a foul mood and can’t wait to get away.”

      “Exactly.”

      Kaitland wrinkled her forehead in confusion. “You’re not making sense.”

      “Of course I am. Ever heard the old saying, where there’s a spark, you can get a fire going?”

      Kaitland laughed. “Yeah, but don’t you know an out-of-control fire can destroy everything around it?”

      “Not this, dear. Max is led by God, and so are you. You’re both just too stubborn to forgive and forget, though. When Max finally let’s go of his hurt, I think you’re gonna find that fire back. But with God tempering it, it ain’t gonna get too out of control that either one of you gets hurt again, if you both remember to rely on God this time.”

      Kaitland blinked back sudden tears. If they relied on God this time. How true. When they’d had their problems before, instead of turning to God for help, they’d both allowed their wounded pride to stand in the way. That had caused untold problems. However, unlike Sarah, Kaitland didn’t believe this was a second chance. She just wanted to make peace so she could get on with her life. She knew Max would never trust her again, not that she couldn’t really blame him. Her mistake had cost her someone very dear to her. If she and Max could part as friends, she would take that and be happy. If Max could only forgive and forget. That was the key. And with her in the house, around him every day, that might happen.

      “I hope you’re right, Sarah. I’d like the pain between us healed.”

      “Ms. Summerville?”

      Kaitland glanced up to where Darlene stood. “I wanted to let you know the furniture has arrived. I’ve got some people working on arranging the room right now. And there’s someone here to see you.”

      “Me?” The only person Kaitland could think of was Jake. “Could you stay with Bobby and Maddie?” she asked Darlene.

      “Sure. I led the person to the gardens. I wasn’t sure where to put him…”

      “That’s fine,” Kaitland said, wondering where Timms, the butler, was.

      “And I have to get back to cooking,” Sarah said. “Don’t you let them young ‘uns outta your sight, Darlene. You hear me?” Sarah added, heaving her body up off the ground.

      “Yes, ma’am,” Darlene said, sitting down next to the children. Bobby immediately plopped into her arms. Maddie, obviously feeling left out, pushed her brother then squirmed up next to him on Darlene’s lap.

      Kaitland laughed and, with a kiss to each one’s head, she turned and headed toward the gardens. Who in the world could it be that had come to visit her?

      Then she spotted the dark brown head and knew.

      Her stepbrother, Robert.

      Robert and Max didn’t get along. Darlene wouldn’t want to leave him where Max might run into him. Kaitland had never understood the hostilities between the two men. She knew Max didn’t approve of Robert’s lifestyle, but he’d never discussed it with her, just told her to be careful around Robert What could her stepbrother do to her that Max worried about—or had worried about, she amended.

      Except take her to a party where she ended up getting attacked, she told herself. Well, Max had been right and she’d learned her lesson.

      “Robert,” she said, stopping at the garden gate where Robert stood. “What are you doing here?”

      “I couldn’t believe it when your pastor told me where to reach you,” he said. In many ways, his dark brown eyes and dark complexion reminded her of Max. He, too, had Cajun blood in him from his mother’s side of the family. Whereas Kaitland was light and fair, taking after her mother, Robert took after his mother. Her father, who was Irish, left only his green eyes and gold highlights to Kaitland.

      Robert, being no blood relation, had no look of the family about him. Of course, her grandmother had raised them most of their life as their parents had died in a tragic car accident not long after they married. With no relatives, Robert had been raised by Kaitland’s grandmother, too.

      That was part of the ongoing tension between them now. Robert had never thought Kaitland’s grandmother cared for him. And Kaitland refused to listen to Robert bad-mouth the woman who had raised them both. That was one reason she was so surprised to see him.

      “Max Stevens

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