The Good Father

Chapter Eight

Jane’s stomach plummeted. Here she’d been feeling on top of the world, so pleased by the successful outcome of the meeting.

But one sharp word from Max, and she was crushed.

She straightened her spine. “I was saving your bacon, what do you think I was doing?”

“Your instructions were to smile and nod.”

“I smiled and nodded for six years when I was married to Scott. I’ve decided I won’t do that anymore. Are you saying you wish I hadn’t said anything? Because those three people were getting ready to bail. You’d lost them.”

“I hadn’t lost them. Listen, I can persuade anyone to do anything. It’s my gift.”

“So you think the right thing to do was persuade them to go with a logo they didn’t like?”

“That bank needs to step into the twenty-first century.”

“Are you saying my ad doesn’t do that? It’s bold, it’s modern-”

“And I told you yesterday it wouldn’t work.”

“But they like it,” she argued.

“My job isn’t just to land accounts. My job is to create advertising that pulls in business.”

Carol looked on from her desk, obviously fascinated.

Jane pushed up her sleeves. “My logo is going to drive people away? Is that what you’re saying?”

“You might know a lot about art, but you know nothing about marketing.”

“So educate me. What, in your expert opinion, is wrong with my logo?”

“Well, it’s…it’s too much like their old logo.”

Jane took a step back. She walked to the coffeemaker and poured herself some in a foam cup, giving herself time to think. He was her boss, and she was obligated to do what he said. But he was also being pigheaded here.

“I think you don’t like it because you didn’t think of it. You want to be the boy genius behind everything. It’s why you didn’t show Kidz’n’Stuff the sketch I did with my own concept. You want to keep me in my place.”

“Whoa, girl,” Carol said, a cautionary note in her voice.

Max stomped around the reception room. There wasn’t much room to stomp, so he ended up right next to her again. The frond from an overhead Boston fern tickled his hair, and he brushed it away, annoyed. “That is so utterly not true. I believe in teamwork.”

“Then why did you tell me I should just smile and nod during the meeting?”

Carol’s jaw dropped. “Max, you didn’t really say that, did you?”

“Because each person on the team,” Max said steadily, “needs to work to their own strengths.”

“Fine. I’ll stick to my colored pencils and I won’t say a word. But don’t ask me to any more meetings. Do you want me to work up that logo or not?”

“We’re committed to it now.”

“I guess that’s a yes.”

“Work it into the ads. I’ll see if I can find some stock photos of young people without beards. I’ll need it all by the meeting next week.”

“Yes, sir.” She clicked her heels and stalked out of the room. Okay, maybe she’d gone too far. He was the boss. He signed her paychecks. But she couldn’t sit by and let that account slip out the door.

She wanted a career that allowed her to use her brain as well as her creativity. She’d thought Max valued her opinions. But apparently she’d been wrong.

Maybe she would get to work on that portfolio for the agent. She would need the portrait thing to fall back on when Max fired her.

“THAT WASN’T PRETTY,” Carol said, clearly amused.

“Don’t start on me. You didn’t see it-she took over the whole damn meeting.”

“And that wounds your male ego.”

“It’s not that. It’s just…”

“You landed the account. Aren’t you happy about that?”

“Sure, but now I have to deliver results. I’m not sure I can.”

“Because…why, exactly?”

He didn’t know. Jane’s logo was fine. More than fine, it was good. She had sensed exactly what the client wanted, and she’d delivered it in a way that should have made everyone happy.

So why wasn’t he happy? Was it simply because they’d liked Jane’s idea better than his? Was he that shallow?

“I’m going to lunch.”

“Okay.”

“Maybe while I’m gone you could…unruffle some feathers?”

“I can try, but she was pretty steamed.”

“Just don’t let her quit, okay? I need her.”

And he wanted her, worse than ever.

He thought about heading to Old Salt’s for a burger. But instead he called Reece. “Want me to bring over some takeout?”

“Be still my heart. Sara has me eating so much salad and baked chicken it’s coming out my ears. I’d kill for a greasy burger and fries.”

“I’ll get us chicken sandwiches.” He wasn’t going to risk Sara’s wrath. Reece had been on the fast track to a heart attack before Sara had gotten hold of him, and Max wasn’t going to be an enabler. He could probably stand to improve his diet, too, since it was his father who’d had the heart attack a few years ago.

“To what do I owe the honor of your presence?” Reece asked a few minutes later. They were sitting at the B and B’s kitchen table, digging into their sandwiches. “You’ve been so wrapped up with work, we’ve hardly seen you.”

“I’m trying to turn a profit. It’s not going too well.”

“Sounds like something I should know about.”

He couldn’t meet Reece’s steady gaze. “I lost the Kidz’n’Stuff account.”

“Damn.”

“But that’s not what I came to talk about. I have a bigger problem than cash flow.”

Reece looked confused. “Is there a bigger problem than cash flow?”

“Jane.”

“Ahhhhhh. We all saw that one coming, dude. All of us but you, anyway. Did you cross the line?”

“No. I haven’t touched her. But it’s killing me. Seeing her every day, smelling her perfume or shampoo or whatever it is. And even if she didn’t work for me…there’s Kaylee.”

Reece nodded. He, if anyone, would understand. He’d been around during the Max and Alicia breakup fiasco. “You don’t want another Hannah situation on your hands.”

“Exactly. During the trip to Houston, when I was pretending that Jane and Kaylee were my family…it felt good. Incredibly good.”

“Really?”

Of course Reece would be surprised. Max hadn’t acted like a man ready to settle down, especially over the past few years. After Alicia he had played the field like a madman, never dating the same woman more than a month or two.

“I could never see myself married to Alicia. But Jane is different.”

“So you might bend your ‘no dating single moms’ rule for her?”

He thought about Kaylee, about how she’d pushed him away after she’d seen him bring her father down. It still stung. How much worse would it be if they truly bonded and then things ended badly? “I don’t want to hurt Kaylee.”

“It’s not like you to be fearful of risk. Cooper and I have spent half our lives pulling you back from the brink of one disaster or another because you are fearless.”

Max pondered that as he sucked down the last of his root beer. He’d risked all of his personal wealth on a business venture. But one little blond girl and her mother scared him to pieces.

“Even if I wanted to go for it,” he finally said, “I can’t. She’s my employee. And don’t tell me to fire her.”

“Find her another job, then.”

“I can’t. I need her.”

“You could find another artist. Didn’t you have three or four panting for the job a couple of weeks ago?”

“Jane is more than an artist. She’s brilliant with the clients. She comes up with concepts. I landed Coastal Bank today because of her.”

“You’ve answered your own question, then. You can’t date her.”

“I know that.” Maybe he’d just wanted someone else, someone he trusted, to confirm it.

“Or maybe you’re just using the boss-employee thing as an excuse because you’re afraid.”

Max didn’t dignify that observation with a response.

Reece polished off his sandwich and wiped his mouth. “Thanks for lunch.”

“Thanks for being a sounding board. I think.”

“Any time. What else can I do for you?”

“Can you get me an extension on my business loan?”

“I told you you spent too much on the remodeling.”

“I don’t need a lecture, I need cash. Payroll is coming up. I’ve hired two new account executives and a media buyer.”

“I’ll try to get the extension. But you can always borrow a little from me or Coop.”

Max shook his head. “No. I have to do this on my own. After the way I left Remington Industries, burning all my bridges because I was so confident, I can’t go borrowing from family, not even you guys. Especially you guys. You’re newlyweds, you and Sara have a kid on the way, you’re both trying to run businesses of your own.”

Reece nodded. “Okay. But we’re here if you change your mind. Whatever you do, do not default on that loan. You know who holds it, right?”

“Uh, no.” He never paid attention to that stuff, he just signed papers and spent the money.

“Coastal Bank.”

“HE DIDN’T MEAN IT,” Carol said. “It’s just that male ego thing.”

Jane studied her computer screen, refusing to even look up. “That’s no excuse. His attack was completely unjustified. When I first took this job, you said he was fair.”

“He is…most of the time. You’re not going to quit, are you?”

“And do what? I have mouths to feed. Is that all Max is worried about? Making sure I don’t quit?”

Carol came all the way into Jane’s office and settled in the ugly flowered chair. “You know why this is happening, don’t you?”

“Yeah, because Max is a jerk.”

“The tension between you two has been building since the day you arrived. I can feel it in the air every time you’re in the same room. Something had to give. Either you were going to have a big fight or you were going to wind up in bed.”

That made Jane look up. Was she really that transparent? “You’re crazy.”

“No, I’m not,” Carol said with utter certainty. “Personally, if it was me, I’d stop fighting and go with plan B. The constant tension is going to make it hard for you to work together.”

“We can’t,” Jane almost wailed, realizing too late she’d just admitted to Carol that she was right. “He’s my boss, and it’s unethical.”

“Oh, please. People who work together do it all the time. If we worked in a big corporation where there was a policy against it, that would be one thing. But we’re just a little company.”

Jane shook her head. “Workplace romances are a bad idea. Sure, it’s fine at first, but what about when things don’t work out? Then people quit or get fired, which can lead to jealousies, charges of harassment…” She had no firsthand experience about this, but she’d heard stories of what went on at Scott’s office.

Carol rolled her eyes. “Can you see anyone around here who would sue anybody else? And who would be jealous? Not me. I don’t need a man in my life.”

“Exactly! Neither do I. What I do need is this job. I love this job, even if my boss does behave like a jerk. I’m not going to mess things up because of a few hormones.”

“Well, I think you’re crazy, throwing away a fine man like Max Remington. How many women would give up their hair extensions to hook up with him?”

Jane saved her file and turned away from her computer. It wasn’t as if she was actually getting any work done. “Plenty do go out with him. Have you ever seen his little black book? He left it open on his desk once, and I couldn’t help but see it. He actually puts stars by their names.”

“Was your name in there?”

“I don’t know.” He’d walked in before she could flip to the S’s.

A soft knock sounded on the door, and Jane’s heart did a little dance. She wasn’t ready to face him yet. She didn’t have her temper completely under control, and she didn’t trust herself to behave rationally.

“Come in,” Carol sang out, as if she had the perfect right to. “I was just leaving.” She scurried out behind Max, giving Jane a mischievous wink over her shoulder just before disappearing.

The look on Max’s face nearly did her in. He was actually nervous about facing her.

“If you’re here to lecture me,” she began, going on the offensive, but he cut her off.

“No more lectures.” That was when he produced the flowers, which he’d been holding behind the door. Roses. Red roses. A dozen of them.

No one had brought her flowers since…well, since the last time Scott had tried to win her back after she filed for divorce. She’d thrown them in the trash.

They’re just flowers. But she knew these wouldn’t end up in any Dumpster.

“I was totally out of line,” he said, laying the flowers on her desk. The heady scent of roses filled her nose and softened her brain. “You were right. It was my ego. From the start, this agency has been my baby. At my old job, I never got credit for my ideas ’cause I was just part of a big team. This time around, I didn’t want to share credit for any success.

“But that’s just stupid. A company is only as good as the people working there. You’re my greatest asset, a talented artist with marketing instinct and people skills. Thank you for saving the Coastal Bank account.”

“I…um, you’re welcome.” Jane couldn’t seem to come up with anything more intelligent to say. She hadn’t been expecting an apology, much less for Max to admit he’d been wrong. Scott’s apologies had always been something like, “I’m sorry you’re upset,” as if he’d had nothing to do with it.

“I would give you a raise,” Max said, “but I can’t.”

“I don’t need a raise,” she lied. They stared at each other for several long seconds. Finally Jane couldn’t stand the silence-she had to fill it. “The roses need water. I don’t have a vase.”

She pushed up from her desk and walked around it, dangerously close to Max.

He picked up the flowers again and extended them to her. “I didn’t know what kind of flowers you like, but the florist said roses were pretty safe.”

She paused and smiled. “No sane woman dislikes roses.” She took the flowers, immediately surrounded again by their heady scent. She closed her eyes so she could isolate the sensation and experience it fully.

“Jane?”

Her eyes flew open and she smiled. “Sorry, I was on a little mental vacation. Where can I find a vase?”

“You’re asking a guy, remember. Try the kitchen, maybe.”

Jane hurried out of her office before she did something crazy, like touch Max. Like hug him for taking the time and care to make this gesture, to make her feel valued.

Yes, that was what Max did that no one else ever had. He made her feel valued not for her looks, but her abilities.

Max followed her into the break room, and they both started opening cabinet doors, searching for a proper container for the flowers. Unfortunately, they came up empty.

“I have an idea.” Max exited the kitchen, and Jane followed, curious. He went to one of the unoccupied offices, which were still unfinished. “Just as I thought.” The workmen had left an empty bucket, which had once been filled with paint.

“Why, what a lovely vase.”

“Hey, do you want your roses to wither?”

“I suppose I shouldn’t complain. You did buy the flowers, after all.”

They rinsed out the bucket and filled it at the sink in the break room. Then Max set it on a table, and Jane unwrapped the flowers and put them in the water, rearranging them until she was satisfied.

She admired the effect. “Hmm. Kind of kitschy. Maybe we’ve started a new decorating trend. I can see fashionable matrons all over the country putting spattered paint buckets filled with roses in their living rooms.”

She looked up to see if her lame joke had scored with Max, but he wasn’t smiling. He was looking at her with such naked longing on his face that her knees turned soft and she went light-headed.

“Your smile is so pretty.” His voice was ragged. “Not even a dozen roses outshine you.”

The compliment was so simple and heartfelt that it brought tears to Jane’s eyes. “Th-thank you.”

“I want to touch you. But you’re so perfect I’m afraid to.”

“Max…you really better stop there.” Although she didn’t want him to. She wanted him to push those flowers out of the way and come across the table at her. She wanted him to push her against the wall and kiss her until she ran out of breath. She wanted to feel his body pressed up against hers, all that hard masculinity…

“I can’t think about anything else. Are you saying you don’t feel the same way?”

She felt exactly the same way. She didn’t go five minutes without thinking about him. Even when she was angry with him, sensual images of him, of them together, plagued her.

Could she lie? Could she look him in the eye and say she didn’t want him? If she could, it would make all of their lives simpler. She did not need another man in her life, and neither did Kaylee, not unless that man would stick around forever.

Yes, closing the door firmly on any type of personal relationship was the sane, wise thing for her to do. Max would totally respect her decision. She knew that about him.

She looked him in the eye, steadily, and stiffened her spine, rehearsing exactly what she would say. She opened her mouth, intending to be firm but kind. But what she said was, “I want you worse than I’ve ever wanted anyone in my whole life.”