New and…Improved? & Andrew in Excess

9

“THINK OF IT AS AN organ donation of sorts,” Andrew argued. He found it downright frightening that he was beginning to not only understand but anticipate Kat’s logic. He knew convincing her to get rid of her junk heap and drive the Volvo was going to take some smooth talking.

“I just can’t bear to think of strangers disassembling Carlotta. We’ve been through a lot together.” Kat’s genuine distress brought him to the couch. He leaned over the back and rubbed the spot on her shoulder he’d discovered in the past week.

“Carlotta’s old and tired, honey. And think how many cars can be kept on the road because of her.”

Kat glanced up at him suspiciously. “Are you laughing at me?”

“Absolutely not. I’m just trying to find a solution that works for everyone.” He refrained from adding that it’d be over his dead body that she ever placed herself in that wreck again.

He felt her shoulders relax as he rubbed lower. “I could arrange for you to ride with the tow-truck driver if you want.” He’d initially thought her attitude toward her old bomb plain nutty. Now Kat’s loyalty and capacity for caring overwhelmed him. She would make their kid a terrific mom. And he’d begun to believe he might make a pretty okay dad.

She sniffled. “Thanks, but I think a clean break might be for the best. I’ve been driving Charlemagne, and Carlotta looks so sad every time I pass by her.”

He didn’t ask. He knew. She’d christened the purple station wagon Charlemagne.

“I think that’s a good idea.”

Fessing up about that clause in the contract would be an even better idea. In hindsight, Andrew realized he should have negotiated the point up front. He should have worked out a compromise so that he had rights to the baby, also. His deception was going to cost him in her emotional trust and the longer he delayed the higher the stakes.

“Kat, there’s something else we need to talk about-”

The doorbell chime cut him off in mid-sentence. Someone had lousy timing.

“It’s two o’clock on a Sunday afternoon. Who could this be?” he muttered as he stamped to the door.

“Jehovah’s Witnesses?” Kat offered.

Andrew checked the peephole. A couple caught in a sixties’ time warp stared back from the other side. “I don’t think so.”

He opened the massive door, and the woman launched herself at him. “Son!”

Behind him, Kat jumped to her feet. “Mother!”

“IT’S THE NINETIES, not the sixties. New Age, not hippies,” Kat explained while squirting cheese from a tube on a cracker. Raising her voice, she called out, “We’ll be just a minute, Mom, Vince.”

“Take your time, baby. We’re just absorbing the karma.”

Andrew smirked at the karma comment. “What about these matching love beads for a wedding present?” He fingered the necklace dangling about his neck.

“Crystals. They’re crystals, not love beads.” Kat licked a glob of gooey cheese off her finger. “And I think it was a lovely gift.”

“I agree. It gives a whole new meaning to wedding crystal.” Andrew arranged the bottled seltzer on a tray. “Crystals-the gift that keeps on guiding.”

Kat snickered. “Bring your crystal and that seltzer and let’s get back out there.”

Kat’s mother and stepfather were in the den, busy soaking up karma like a pair of New Age sponges. The pair beamed beatifically while Kat and Andrew settled the trays.

“So, dear, we not only wanted to bring you your wedding gift, but we wanted to let you know how your numbers came in.”

“What numbers?”

“Why, yours, and Andy’s.” Marcia laid out a chart, glowing at them like an oracle of good fortune. Vince maintained his meditative pose on the floor.

Kat tugged a still-puzzled Andrew onto the love seat beside her. “Remember, Mom’s into numerology.”

“Right. My birthday.”

“I ran yours and Kat’s.” Marcia looked up from her charts to shoot them a coy look. “You’ve got some very good numbers together.”

“How long have you been involved in the study of numerology, Mrs. Stevens?”

Kat recognized the attorney tone. Andrew was going somewhere with this, she just wasn’t sure where.

“Right after Rand and I got a divorce. Too bad it wasn’t before we got married. But then I wouldn’t have my two wonderful children, so I guess I don’t mean that. But I’ve studied numbers for about twenty-five years. And the numbers don’t lie. Mom. Call me Mom. According to the numbers, we’re going to be family for a long time, son.”

Kat indulged her mother because she loved her, but she figured Marcia would be just as well off interpreting tea leaves. Vince continued to stare off into space. Even for Vince, he was acting weird. “Uh, Mom, is Vince okay?”

Marcia waved an airy hand. “Sure. He took a workshop on trance channeling in California. He’s been trying for days.”

“Did you run the numbers on Nick?” There was nothing subtle about Andrew’s question. Good thing she was already sitting down, because his question floored her.

“Does ginseng have a root? Of course I did. That Nick, he was a bad number. A very bad number. Made me wish the numbers were wrong, but of course they never are.”

Kat was shocked. “Mom, you never mentioned it. Are you serious? Nick’s numbers came up bad?”

“Some of the worst I’ve ever seen. I’ll tell you, it took some heavy-duty meditation to work through that.”

“Why didn’t you warn her?” Andrew’s question held a hard edge.

Kat wished he’d remember this was a conversation, not a hearing. But it was rather sweet that he seemed so indignant on her behalf.

“Our children don’t always make the choices we’d like, and the only true recourse is to accept them graciously and be prepared to stand by them when the bottom drops out. If I’d told Kat she’d picked a bad number in Nick, do you really think it would have swayed her decision to marry him?”

Two pair of eyes pinned her for an answer. Kat remembered her desperate resolve at twenty-one to live up to everyone’s expectations. She’d also fancied herself in love. Her answer came swift and sure. “Absolutely not.”

Something flickered in Andrew’s eyes at her response before he resumed his cool demeanor.

“That’s what I thought. My headstrong little girl would’ve told me to find some tea leaves to read and gone about her merry business.”

A guilty flush climbed up Kat’s neck.

Marcia winked at her knowingly before turning her attention to Andrew. “One day when you’re a parent you’ll know what I mean. You’ll go through the same thing with your kids.”

Kat mentally noted the reference to kids. Emphasis on the s. Plural. As in more than one.

“Kids?” Andrew’s stunned voice echoed her reaction.

Marcia beamed. “Kids. I don’t want to take the surprise out of it, but it was in the numbers. And it doesn’t matter a whit to me that big families are out of vogue these days.”

Kat couldn’t stop the thrill her mother’s words brought. She’d always wanted her own little brood. That’s why having this one was so important. She couldn’t imagine her life without a child. Somewhere along the way she’d tripped herself up and now she couldn’t imagine herself without Andrew’s child.

His eyes met hers. Behind his dubiousness lay a spark of tender excitement.

“YOU’RE SURE YOU don’t mind if they stay the night,” Kat asked as she helped Andrew scout out blankets and pillows.

“I don’t mind them staying over. It’s just not clear to me why they can’t avail themselves of a guest room.” Kat’s mother and stepfather were entertaining and charming but pushing the weird side. And how the hell could he talk to her about his clause in their contract if he had in-laws bunking down with them? Not that he was looking for an excuse to put off an explosive topic.

“I know. But when Mother decides the karma’s good in a room, there’s no changing her mind.” She opened the laundry room door. “How about in here?”

Andrew quirked a wry smile. “I guess good karma’s hard to find these days.”

Kat laughed, an undercurrent of sexuality sparkling in her eyes. Andrew tucked away a mental note card-his wife found humor arousing. Maybe they’d spend next weekend in bed watching the comedy channel.

They both squeezed into the confines of the laundry area. Kat’s hip brushed against his thigh, throwing his body and imagination into overdrive. He came up with a new use for the ironing board mounted on the wall. What the hell was wrong with him? He didn’t even have an imagination. And if he did have one, it’d never encompassed ironing boards.

Kat explored a row of narrow shelves. “Bingo!”

Laughing over her shoulder at him, Kat bent forward to select a pillowcase from the bottom shelf. Andrew’s erection swelled further. He framed her delectable derriere with his hands and pulled her backward, until her soft curves met his jutting angles. She wriggled against him. Not in protest, but enticingly. Still pressing against her from behind, in blunt, straightforward terms he outlined his plans for her, him and the ironing board.

Kat’s breath came in ragged, short gasps as she arched her back, much like a cat soliciting attention. He slipped a finger past the leg of her shorts and the elastic of her panties to find her soft woman’s folds. Moist heat slicked his finger and he slid in another one.

With his fingers, he fondled and rubbed against her core. She mewled softly and thrust herself against him. Andrew thought he might explode from her unrestrained response. At that point, bringing her pleasure seemed the most important and natural thing.

Bending his head, he traced the shell of her ear while his fingers plumbed her. He shared with her in a low growl how much he enjoyed touching her. His hardness nestled against her soft bottom told its own story.

He felt the magic tension coiling tighter and tighter within her as he stroked against her core until she exploded, drenching his fingers with her nectar.

When her shudders subsided he turned her around to face him, bracing her between his thighs. She slumped against him as he pressed kisses into her rioting curls. He ached to sink himself into her honey-drenched warmth.

“What planet is this?” she murmured huskily. “No wonder Claudine was so uptight when you married me.”

Exuberant at her obvious pleasure, he tilted her head back to meet her dazed expression. “Claudia.” He sobered. “And it’s never been this way with anyone else. Only you.” And he knew it never would with anyone else.

A lazy, dreamy smile lit her generous mouth at his assertion, but it was quickly followed by a stricken look. She reached between them to touch his unrelieved tension. “Oh, no. What about you?”

Andrew gritted his teeth and removed her well-intended hand. “Just get your mother and Vince settled as quickly as possible. Tell them I got an important phone call.”

“Andrew, the phone hasn’t rung.” The little minx shot him a cheeky grin as she seemed to regain her equilibrium. “I’ll tell them you had an important call to make.”

Leaving him where he was, she scooped up the linens and made for the door. She leaned forward and brushed her full mouth against his, her tongue foraging swiftly. “Meet me in our room in ten minutes. And where’s that underwear Bitsy gave us?”

And then she was gone.

Ten minutes to more ecstasy.

“THAT GIRL IS MAKING a goddamned spectacle of all of us. Get rid of her.” A.W.’s order filled Andrew with a cold fury. Nonetheless, he leaned back in the leather club chair with an air of nonchalance. His Monday morning meeting regarding his partnership was off to a less-than-stellar start.

“That’s my wife you’re talking about. Not a piece of furniture you object to.” He stared his father down across the massive desk.

“Not much of a difference really. Think of wives as accessories, like a membership in a good golf club. They enhance who you are-show the world what you’re made of. Why the hell do you think I spend so much money on keeping your mother looking good?”

His father’s philosophy was nothing new to him, but suddenly he found himself sickened by the attitude.

“I love her.” What should have been an act came out as the gut-wrenching truth. Inwardly he reeled at the impact of the revelation.

A.W. smiled condescendingly. “Andrew, my boy, you’re thinking with that head between your legs, and it never makes good business decisions. You’re like me, son. You were born to practice law. You love it just like you love the power and prestige that goes with it.”

His father’s words struck a chord. He did love his work and everything that came with it. Since he’d been a small child, it had defined him. His adolescent fantasy had been his name on that brass plate downstairs. With desperation, he held on to his feelings for Kat. “Don’t talk about my wife that way. I love her.”

A.W. dismissed his assertion with a wave of his hand, as if it were a pesky gnat. “Infatuation. It’ll pass. But this firm’s been here for ninety years. It’s your heritage-it’s in your blood.”

“I don’t want to talk about Kat anymore. I want to talk about my partnership.”

“Ah, but the two are intertwined.”

“You wanted me married. I am. Now announce my partnership.”

A.W. stood and paced behind his desk, his hands clasped in back of him. “I’d like to. I really would. There’s just one problem.” He stopped pacing and faced Andrew. “You made a bad choice.”

“What are you talking about?”

“You joined the wrong country club, son. You bought a suit off the rack when you should’ve had one custom-made.” His eyes were flat and cold despite his jovial tone.

Andrew quelled his instinct to knock the supercilious look off his father’s face. “You’ve gone too far. You’ve always been manipulative, but I never expected you to be a cheat.”

“Drexall and Altman want you off their account. Let’s see, Ben Altman’s exact words were, ‘After that showing on Saturday evening, I don’t trust his judgment.”’ A.W. resumed his seat.

Andrew enunciated in brief, very impolite terms what Ben Altman could do.

“Ben would probably like that, but I’m afraid it’s physically impossible. What you need to do is very quietly, very quickly, get a divorce. You made a mistake, recognized it and took care of it. We’ll announce your partnership when the divorce papers are signed.”

Andrew paced to stand before the bookcase lining one wall. He stared at the leather-bound tomes with blind eyes. He didn’t care for A.W.’s power plays, but all things considered, wasn’t his father merely bumping up the time-line he and Kat had privately set? “And if I don’t divorce her?”

“Well, I fear I’d have to say I don’t think you have the sound judgment to be a partner in this firm.”

Andrew turned to face him. “You manipulative bastard.”

“You’re upset now, but you’ll thank me one day. This is for your own good. Trust me, son, I know you better than you know yourself. You think you love her, but I know you love this firm. You’ve got a week to decide which one is more important. I know you’ll make the right decision.”

Andrew wanted to tell him to go to hell then and there, but he couldn’t. God help him but he didn’t trust his feelings for Kat enough. He couldn’t throw away the partnership he’d courted for so long. Instead he walked silently out of the polished mahogany door.

The intercom on the secretary’s desk buzzed. A.W.’s disembodied voice filled the room. “Sheila, put Andrew on my schedule for next Monday at the same time. And go ahead and begin the renovation on the office next to mine.”

KAT JUMPED TO HER FEET when she sighted her brother heading toward her table at Mama Leone’s and toed the shopping bag further under the table. Jackie definitely didn’t need to know about the stock of edible underwear she’d purchased earlier. Andrew, it seemed, was very fond of cherries.

They exchanged a brief hug.

“I’m glad you could make lunch today. How was the christening?” she asked.

“It was fine. The little guy’s cute. How was the soiree? What’d I miss?” quizzed Jackson.

Kat relayed an abbreviated version but still included the fish eggs sliding between Claudia’s cleavage. She and Jackson shared a conspiratorial smile. “You’re hell at a party, aren’t you, sis?”

Pulling apart a garlic roll, Kat shrugged as she popped a piece into her mouth. “I’m a weird magnet. I think it’s something to do with my natural force field.”

“Careful, Kat girl, you’re starting to sound like Mom.”

“Speaking of the weekend, she and Vince stopped by last night.”

“And?”

“Just the usual. His ’n’ her crystal pendants as a wedding gift. Our numbers update. They spent the night on the sofa because they were so enchanted with the karma there.”

“I’m sure Andrew thinks he’s surrounded by loonies.”

“Undoubtedly.” She grinned foolishly. She felt like singing. “I think he likes it.”

Jackson sliced her with his best interrogating-attorney look.

Kat continued. “I made a big mistake with Andrew. No, not that kind of mistake. He’s just not what I thought he’d be. Beneath that cool, starched shirt, he’s warm and caring and considerate. What am I going to do?”

“Exactly what are you saying?”

“This just sucks, but I think I’m in love. I’ve been listening to my behavior tapes several times a day now and it’s just not helping.”

“Have you mentioned this to Andrew? Maybe he feels the same way.”

“No. I know he cares about me, but that’s not the same thing as love. And I don’t want him to feel obligated to keep a wife and child he doesn’t want.”

“Kat girl, maybe I’m not the sharpest knife in the drawer, but he did marry you, and it was specifically so you could make a baby.”

“Exactly. Making a baby and keeping a baby-there’s just a tad of a difference between the two. Remember the contract you helped draft? Both Andrew and I were so up-front about everything up until now. I feel I’m not holding up my end of the bargain. I feel deceitful.”

“Are you pregnant?”

“Too soon to tell.”

Jackson passed a weary hand over his eyes. “Perhaps he’s not as eager to give up this child as you think.”

“What makes you say that?” It wasn’t as if Andrew and Jackson were confidants.

“Just talk to Andrew about it.” Guilt washed his face.

Suspicion unfurled and spread through her. “No, I think you and I will talk right now.”

“What the hell. I knew this day would come, I just thought it’d be a lot later than sooner.”

Kat had the same queasiness in the pit of her stomach coupled with calm dread that she’d experienced when the FBI had raided her home looking for Nick.

“Spit it out, Jackson.”

“There’s a clause in your contract that gives Andrew the right to name the baby as his heir. You know how Andrew feels about family heritage. I thought it was in your and the baby’s best interest.”

Betrayal slapped her in the face.

“Are men genetically incapable of trustworthiness? Or have I just managed to surround myself with jerks? Since you obviously have all the answers, maybe you can tell me.”

“Kat-”

“It doesn’t matter.” She yanked money out of her purse and threw it on the table. “I’ve lost my appetite.”

She jumped up, cutting him off. If she could just reach the sanctuary of her car before the threatening tears flooded.

“Kat, let’s talk about this-” Jackson trailed her out of the restaurant.

“I don’t want to talk to you, Jackson. Not for a long time.” She threw off his restraining hand. “But I can’t wait to get my hands on that low-down, conniving, back-stabbing husband of mine.”

She slammed the door and threw the car into reverse. Jackson jumped out of the way.

Andrew, the vegetarian, would be dead meat when she got through with him.

ANDREW TURNED INTO his driveway. After his meeting with A.W., he’d instructed Gloria to clear his calendar for the rest of the day. A drive out to the beach house and miles of walking the shoreline of the gray Atlantic hadn’t come close to clearing his head.

Logically, there should be no choice. He either went with a lifelong goal-his heritage-or a woman he’d known for the span of less than a month.

He parked Gertrude in the garage-hell, he was even calling his car by that ridiculous name these days-and noticed Kat’s station wagon packed with boxes. Probably that summer art program she’d been planning.

He let himself into the house. Something felt different. His in-laws had left. Perhaps that accounted for the odd atmosphere he sensed.

He started down the tiled hallway, loosening his tie, and called out, “Kat?”

A noise in the den caught his attention. Sheer instinct guided him to duck to the right as something flew past his head. Glass crashed against the wall behind him. “What the…?”

Another Waterford tumbler sailed past his head. Thank God she had terrible aim.

“Kat? What’s wrong?”

She looked like absolute hell. Her eyes were red and swollen, and she could have doubled for Rudolph in a Christmas play. She’d either indulged in a crying jag or developed a severe allergy.

“You double-crossing, belly-crawling snake.” His allergy theory flew past with another piece of crystal.

“Can you stop throwing glass long enough to talk?” Surely today would go down in his personal history as the worst day of his life.

“Talk? You want to talk?” Kat stalked around him like a prizefighter biding time on a punch. “That would be an exercise in futility, considering I can’t believe a word that comes out of your mouth.”

Andrew slumped onto the sofa, tasting bitter regret. His day of reckoning had arrived. How she’d found out didn’t matter. “The contract. I’m sorry, Kat. I wanted to talk to you about it. I’d planned to last night.”

Stubborn hurt etched her face as she sneered, “How convenient my mother and stepfather dropped in. But what about before? I trusted you. I thought if there was one thing this ridiculous marriage had going for it, it was that we’d been totally honest with each other. I can’t believe that, once again, I’ve allowed myself to be played for a fool.”

“It was never my intent to play you for a fool. I’m sorry. And I don’t think our marriage is ridiculous. We can work through this.”

“There’s nothing to work through. And don’t worry, I know you’re still waiting on your partnership. I’ll uphold my end of the bargain until it comes through. We should know within a week whether I’m pregnant. If I am, I’ll fight you on that contract. If not, well…that’s the end of that.”

“Where are you going?”

“I’m not sure yet. And it’s really none of your business.”

Desperation swelled at the thought of not knowing where she was or how to get in touch with her. She was already so angry with him, he’d go one step further if it meant keeping her nearby. “Go to the beach house.” As her mouth opened in sure protest, he continued, “It’s hardly ever used. At least I can tell everyone you wanted to spend the week at the beach instead of that you left me. Don’t forget your end of the bargain on my partnership.” And you may very well be carrying our child. Her lips tightened, but she didn’t throw anything else, thank God.

“Okay. But I don’t want to see you.”

“I won’t bother you there.”

“That doesn’t mean squat. I just found out today how much your word can be trusted.”

Andrew didn’t try to defend himself. He could try to build a case for his deception, but there was no way around it. Motive aside, he had deceived her. He took the beach-house key off his key ring and placed it on the coffee table.

“The freezer’s fairly well stocked, but you’ll need to pick up some fresh things.” He squared his shoulders against the onslaught of loneliness that her leaving would precipitate. Hadn’t this been inevitable from the start? When had he begun to hope that it might be different? “Do you need any help with loading anything in your car?”

“No. I’ll send for the big stuff in a few weeks. I’ll clean up the glass and then I’m gone.”

“Don’t worry about it. I’ll clean it up.” He felt so goddamned guilty about her red swollen eyes he’d walk barefoot through the pieces if it would atone for his deception.

“Okay.” She scooped Toto up from his perch on the love seat and swept past Andrew.

“Kat.”

She slowly faced him, bitter hurt behind the anger sparking her eyes.

“Take care of yourself.”

Without a word she turned and walked out of the room. Moments later, he heard the door slam.

Had she just walked out of his life as well?