was sacred.
Kate went over and kissed Lorna's cheek. The skin was still fresh and youthful under the untidy gray hair, and smelled comfortingly of primrose soap.
"I really must run, Mother. Say hello to Justine and the kids for me."
"Very well, but come back soon, Katie. You know I always love to see you. And bring your young man along."
"Mother, there is no young man!"
"Whatever you say, dear, but I'd still like to meet him."
Kate left the house, shaking her head. At least now she knew why she'd come here today. It wasn't just for maternal comfort. She'd needed to remind herself what could happen when a woman gave up her independence for a man. Her mother had given up everything from the very beginning, just for the chance of winning and keeping one man. Kate couldn't allow that to happen to herself. She'd fought too hard to escape her parents' home and what it meant. She wouldn't let any man take charge of her happiness, her life. Especially not Steven Reid.
"That's right, Steven," she declared, climbing back into her Bug and accelerating forcefully. "Especially not you."
CHAPTER FIVE
Kate tried to be casual, flipping through magazines in the reception area of Steven's office. She'd spent the rest of the weekend searching for a way out of her financial bind, only to return again and again to the same inevitable solution. This time she had been the one to arrange an appointment with Steven.
Now Mrs. Adler looked up from her typewriter to give an encouraging smile. Kate wondered if the businesslike secretary gave that smile to everyone who waited out here, or merely to those who seemed most in need of fortitude. The prospect of venturing into Steven's office was certainly daunting.
Kate set the magazine down, crossed her legs and then uncrossed them. Her dress of turquoise blue settled in soft folds about her, the color giving her confidence. She glanced around. The walls were painted stark white—of course—and the carpet was a dull gray. Only a few pictures adorned the room: nondescript scenes in muted shades. Even Mrs. Adler was dressed in a subdued gray suit, her brown hair drawn tightly back. Kate shifted in her hard, straight-backed chair, only to receive another smile from Mrs. Adler. Goodness, this was worse than waiting to see the dentist.
Mrs. Adler's telephone buzzed once and she answered it instantly. "Yes, Mr. Reid?… Of course, Mr. Reid." She replaced the receiver gingerly, then slid out of her chair. "Mr. Reid will see you now," she said in a hushed tone. She tiptoed down the hall, leading Kate to the inner sanctum.
Kate lifted her head and sailed into the office straight past Mrs. Adler's horrified gaze.
"Good morning, Steven," she said cheerily. "Wonderful weather, don't you think? Of course, you can't see a bit of it in this gloom. There…that's better." Kate yanked on the blinds, sending a
dazzle
of sunlight into the room. Mrs. Adler choked.
"Oh, Mr. Reid…" she sputtered.
"It's perfectly all right, Mrs. Adler," Steven said dryly. "Ms Melrose has a way of taking over a room."
His secretary hesitated but finally retreated, the door closing slowly behind her.
Steven was standing with his elbows propped on the back of a big, ugly leather chair. But that didn't stop him from looking fresh and vibrant, as if he'd carried a brisk ocean breeze right into this dreary office. Kate imagined him at the helm of an old sailing ship, a rakish sea captain…
Why did he have to affect her like this? She sank down in the chair across from his desk, her dress floating about her. Steven's eyes swept over her as he moved around his big, unwieldy chair and settled into it. They had not seen each other since their kiss in the attic, but Kate's heart still felt bruised. He had rejected her that day; perhaps only a glamorous and sophisticated woman like Gloria Nestor could touch his heart. Kate sat up a little straighter, reminding herself fiercely that emotional independence was the most important thing in
Kate went over and kissed Lorna's cheek. The skin was still fresh and youthful under the untidy gray hair, and smelled comfortingly of primrose soap.
"I really must run, Mother. Say hello to Justine and the kids for me."
"Very well, but come back soon, Katie. You know I always love to see you. And bring your young man along."
"Mother, there is no young man!"
"Whatever you say, dear, but I'd still like to meet him."
Kate left the house, shaking her head. At least now she knew why she'd come here today. It wasn't just for maternal comfort. She'd needed to remind herself what could happen when a woman gave up her independence for a man. Her mother had given up everything from the very beginning, just for the chance of winning and keeping one man. Kate couldn't allow that to happen to herself. She'd fought too hard to escape her parents' home and what it meant. She wouldn't let any man take charge of her happiness, her life. Especially not Steven Reid.
"That's right, Steven," she declared, climbing back into her Bug and accelerating forcefully. "Especially not you."
CHAPTER FIVE
Kate tried to be casual, flipping through magazines in the reception area of Steven's office. She'd spent the rest of the weekend searching for a way out of her financial bind, only to return again and again to the same inevitable solution. This time she had been the one to arrange an appointment with Steven.
Now Mrs. Adler looked up from her typewriter to give an encouraging smile. Kate wondered if the businesslike secretary gave that smile to everyone who waited out here, or merely to those who seemed most in need of fortitude. The prospect of venturing into Steven's office was certainly daunting.
Kate set the magazine down, crossed her legs and then uncrossed them. Her dress of turquoise blue settled in soft folds about her, the color giving her confidence. She glanced around. The walls were painted stark white—of course—and the carpet was a dull gray. Only a few pictures adorned the room: nondescript scenes in muted shades. Even Mrs. Adler was dressed in a subdued gray suit, her brown hair drawn tightly back. Kate shifted in her hard, straight-backed chair, only to receive another smile from Mrs. Adler. Goodness, this was worse than waiting to see the dentist.
Mrs. Adler's telephone buzzed once and she answered it instantly. "Yes, Mr. Reid?… Of course, Mr. Reid." She replaced the receiver gingerly, then slid out of her chair. "Mr. Reid will see you now," she said in a hushed tone. She tiptoed down the hall, leading Kate to the inner sanctum.
Kate lifted her head and sailed into the office straight past Mrs. Adler's horrified gaze.
"Good morning, Steven," she said cheerily. "Wonderful weather, don't you think? Of course, you can't see a bit of it in this gloom. There…that's better." Kate yanked on the blinds, sending a
dazzle
of sunlight into the room. Mrs. Adler choked.
"Oh, Mr. Reid…" she sputtered.
"It's perfectly all right, Mrs. Adler," Steven said dryly. "Ms Melrose has a way of taking over a room."
His secretary hesitated but finally retreated, the door closing slowly behind her.
Steven was standing with his elbows propped on the back of a big, ugly leather chair. But that didn't stop him from looking fresh and vibrant, as if he'd carried a brisk ocean breeze right into this dreary office. Kate imagined him at the helm of an old sailing ship, a rakish sea captain…
Why did he have to affect her like this? She sank down in the chair across from his desk, her dress floating about her. Steven's eyes swept over her as he moved around his big, unwieldy chair and settled into it. They had not seen each other since their kiss in the attic, but Kate's heart still felt bruised. He had rejected her that day; perhaps only a glamorous and sophisticated woman like Gloria Nestor could touch his heart. Kate sat up a little straighter, reminding herself fiercely that emotional independence was the most important thing in
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