Read Online The Way They Were by Mary Campisi - Free Book Online Page B

better come up with a way to control yourself because he doesn’t strike me as a man who likes to lose, even if he doesn’t want the prize.”
    Kate thought about Angie’s words the rest of the day as she cut strips of carpeting for the house she was working on. It was a rich wheat-flecked Berber. Did Rourke have Berber like this in his home? And why did he have a heart-shaped tub in his bathroom?
    ***
    Maxine Simmons did not arrive a moment too soon. Rourke wasn’t used to a child, let alone a teenager who questioned every time he breathed. Not that Maxine had any idea how to respond to a thirteen year old, but the woman had estrogen pumping through her body, and that was a start.
    Besides, he missed Maxine’s stingy smiles and superior organizational skills. The woman could give lectures on maximizing time and minimizing waste. How would she parlay that into looking after his niece?
    “I got you a desk,” he said, eager to get her situated so she could work her organizational voodoo. “Try out this chair, not our usual, but the best Office Max had to offer.”
    She pushed her cat-eye glasses up her thin nose and perused the entire room. “Thank you, sir.” It was hardly the penthouse of RF Renovations but she didn’t seem to mind. “I’m very anxious to get to work, Mr. Flannigan.” She set her suitcase behind the desk and turned toward the computer.
    “Don’t you want to go to the Manor first, freshen up maybe?” See the second half of your job?
    She touched her cheeks, patted her curly hair in place and smoothed her skirt. “No, sir. I rested on the plane.”
    “Oh. Well then.” Abbie was probably running around with Julia Maden. He’d yet to meet the girl and wasn’t looking forward to the product of Kate and Clay’s union smacking him in the face.
    He was almost grateful when the front door jingled open, signaling another disruption to an already unproductive morning. He was even more pleased to see the disruption was Kate. “Hi,” he said, trying to keep his voice non-committal. Maxine followed his gaze and tilted her head just so as she processed Kate’s entry.
    “Rourke,” Kate began, “I need—” her gaze swung to Maxine. “I’m sorry, I didn’t realize you were busy.”
    “Kate, this is Maxine, my secretary.”
    Kate forced a smile and extended her hand. “Pleased to meet you, Maxine.”
    “Likewise.” Maxine hesitated a second, preparing to formalize the introduction with a Miss or Mrs., but Rourke had conveniently left it off, leaving Maxine no choice but to finish with a feeble, “Kate.”
    “Maxine flew in from Chicago to help me.”
    “Oh?” Kate cleared her throat and turned to him. “How long are you staying?”
    He shrugged, avoiding both women’s curious stares. “I haven’t decided.”
    This made Maxine cough and sputter like a tea kettle. For God’s sake, what did she have in Chicago anyway? A cat? A fish? The dog she had died last year and Rourke only knew about that because she’d come to work with bloodshot eyes. It wasn’t as though she had a family there. Not even a mother or father. Did she? He made a note to find out.
    “How can I help you, Kate?” God, you look wonderful.
    She lifted a large packet of papers from a shopping bag. “I met with a lawyer yesterday and I don’t really understand all the ramifications, but he thinks we have a strong case.”
    “I’ll help you.”
    She gave him a hesitant smile. “Thank you. Do you want me to leave these with you?”
    “That would be fine.” He felt like a fifth grader with a cheat sheet. He was helping Kate, he reminded himself. There were too many swindlers out there and she was too innocent to tell one from the other.
    Kate pushed back a tangle of dark hair and said, “He’s going to call me tomorrow to discuss how I want to proceed.”
    “I’ll review this today and get back with you. You’ll be home tonight?” A chance to see where she’d spent her days and nights with another