Come Home To Love (Harlequin Signature Select)

by Joan Hohl

  plans for the next few weeks. He had turned and was halfway across the room when she spoke. He paused then shook his head again. "Not now, Katherine, I've told you I must go. Jack's waiting." Hardly breaking stride, he continued to the door.

  "But..."

  "Not now, Katherine, it'll have to wait. I have no idea how long I'll be gone, we'll talk when I get back. Goodbye, Katherine."

  He was gone. What good would it be to talk when he got back? For all she knew she would be back by then. Katherine shrugged, oh well, if he was that uninterested she certainly wasn't going to worry about it.

  Now, as the car ate up the miles into town, she thought about it again. Matt had seemed almost anxious in his haste to leave before she could speak. Had he been afraid she'd be difficult about the amount of time he'd spent with DeDe? No. The very idea of Matt being afraid of anything she had to say was ludicrous.

  Katherine sighed, then, pushing all thoughts of Matt away, felt again the surge of freedom bubble inside. She was going to enjoy the next two weeks.

  The car slowed then turned onto the ramp that led to the underground garage of the large apartment block on the fringes of the city. A grinning Jack ambled up to the car as John slid from behind the wheel.

  "Morning Mrs. M., Mary. Hi, Dad, you heading right back to the house?"

  John gave a brief nod of his head and seeing Katherine step from the car, went to the back seat to help Mary with Jon.

  Jack removed their cases from the trunk, then walked slowly around the car, his eyes missing nothing.

  "I guess there's no time for me to take a quick look under the hood?" he asked his father, a faint tinge of hope in his voice.

  "That's right," came the flat reply, but then relenting a little added, "you can play with the engine later."

  "Okay," he answered cheerfully, and his grin broadened at the understanding smile that passed between Katherine and John.

  "Goodbye, John, and thank you," Katherine said as she walked toward the elevator.

  "See you, Dad. Buzz me if there's anything."

  Again John nodded briefly, then slid behind the wheel.

  Jack watched as his father backed, then turned the car. Then, picking up the cases, followed Katherine and Mary into the elevator.

  Jack talked playfully to Jon as the elevator rose swiftly, silently, then halted and stopped at the penthouse floor. They stepped onto the deep pile carpeting of the wide hall just as the black painted door of the apartment directly opposite opened.

  The man waiting by the door was large for a Filipino. Not quite six feet tall, he had a muscular frame, straight black hair and expressionless black eyes in a round, bland face completely devoid of any sign of age. From a distance he looked like a young man. Katherine knew him to be seven years older than Matt.

  He had sole charge of the apartment, doing all the housework and cooking himself. The six months Katherine had lived there he had moved about the rooms silently, competently. The place was always spotlessly clean, the food perfectly prepared.

  The only emotion Katherine had ever seen him display was one of almost dogged devotion to Matt. In

  all other respects he was quietly independent. How he and Matt met or the circumstances surrounding their relationship of almost master and slave, Matt had never told her. And she'd been too timid to ask.

  Smiling slightly now as he held the door wide he said, "Welcome, Mrs. Martin. Hello, Mary, Jack. How is young Jonathon today?"

  "Fine, thank you, Clyde," Katherine answered as she stepped into the wide foyer landing. The smile inside was wider than the one on her lips. The incongruity of the man's name never failed to amuse her. She had decided, on first meeting him, that his mother must have been in a very humorous frame of mind when naming him.

  Jack sat the cases on the floor and with a wave of his hand left the apartment saying, "I'll be in the garage if you need me, Mrs. M."

  Clyde picked up the cases and stood back waiting for Katherine and Mary to precede him down the three shallow steps that led from the landing to the short hall leading to the bedrooms.

  He set Katherine's case inside Matt's bedroom and said softly, "I'll serve lunch whenever you're ready, Mrs. Martin."

  "Give us an hour to get settled, Clyde. Will it keep 'til then?"

  He nodded, then walked down the hall to the rooms kept ready for Mary and Jonathon.

  Less than an hour later Katherine and Mary entered the dining room and seated themselves at the table placed close to the large picture window. The tall buildings of the city were visible from this height and Katherine felt a small curl of anticipation just looking at them.

  Clyde moved about the room silently as Katherine

  and Mary sat discussing plans for the next two weeks as they ate lunch. He had cleared the table and was serving coffee when Katherine mentioned her idea of calling Matt's secretary about a babysitter, to allow the two of them to shop together. "That won't be necessary, Mrs. Martin." He offered softly, "I'll be here with Jonathon."

  Katherine looked up startled. "But I can't let you take care of an infant besides all your other duties," she protested.

  "I assure you, he'll be no trouble for me at all. I'm really very good with youngsters. I had six younger sisters and brother."

  "Well," she faltered. "I insist, Mrs. Martin." His voice, though still soft, was firm. Katherine capitulated with a laugh. "All right, Clyde, but I hope you fully realize what you're letting yourself in for."

  "I do. And now, shall I leave the coffee pot and can I get you anything else?"

  "Yes, leave the pot and would you bring the phone to the table, please?"

  He did as she asked and left the room. Mary followed soon after, telling Katherine she'd leave her to her phone calls.

  She lit a cigarette, then picked up the receiver and punched out Carol's number on the push buttons.

  Carol's phone rang a long time before she answered it and on a sigh of relief Katherine said, "Hello, Carol, how are you?"

  "Katherine!" Carol cried joyfully. "How wonderful to hear from you. I was beginning to think you'd died or something. How are you?"

  Katherine laughed. "I'm fine. I'm at the apartment, staying about two weeks, when can we get together?"

  "How about coming for lunch tomorrow?" Carol asked, then added, "I'm on the last chapter of my latest masterpiece and then my time's my own for a while. Why don't you come early and stay late? We have a lot of catching up to do."

  "Just what I had in mind," Katherine answered. "How does eleven o'clock sound?"

  "Sounds great. I'll roll out the red carpet," Carol enthused.

  "I'll be there. Now I'll leave you to get on with your labor pains. See you tomorrow."

  Katherine was still smiling as she cradled the receiver. It would be good to see and talk to Carol again. She was a good friend and could always get her to laugh. And as Mary had said, it was a long time since she'd really laughed. Then her smile turned pensive. It had been through Carol that she'd met Matt.

  The following Monday she had called again, completely stunning Katherine with her first words. "Mother, I've met the man I'm going to marry."

  It was a few seconds before Katherine could ask, "Marry? Janice what are you talking about?"

  "I've just told you, Mother," Janice answered coolly. "Now don't interrupt and I'll tell you about him. He's from Argentina." And at Katherine's soft gasp, she went on quickly, "Don't get upset, Mother. He is very handsome and very aristocratic. His name is Carlos Varga Ramirez, he is twenty-six, the second son of an old, respected family and is an aide with the diplomatic corps. And of course, as you've guessed, I met him at the house party. I mean it, Mother, I'm going to marry him."

  "But good heavens, Janice!" Katherine exclaimed, "you don't mean to tell me the man has already proposed?"

  Janice's cool, sweet laugh rang along the wire. "Mother, really, of course he hasn't. But he will. Oh, yes, he will. And very soon, too."

  "Janice." Katherine's voice had taken
on an edge of impatience. "Aren't you being just a little premature? You're only eighteen, you've just started college. I don't think—"

  "Mother," Janice interrupted, "I mean what I say, so there is no point in arguing about it. Besides which, this phone call will cost a fortune. I've invited him home next weekend, then maybe you'll understand."

  Maybe she'd understand? Did Janice think she was an idiot? These were Katherine's thoughts as she cradled the receiver. To her way of thinking, her daughter had become infatuated with a man's good looks and demeanor. A teenage crush, which would soon pass.

  It hadn't. Katherine told herself later that she should

  have known better. Janice was not like other girls her age. Had never been. Everything had gone as Janice had said it would, from beginning to end.

  The following weekend had brought Janice and Carlos. Katherine had not known what to expect, but by Sunday evening, she was completely charmed with him. As Janice had informed, he was extremely handsome, dark with classic features. Added to that he was sophisticated and urbane with a dry, sharp wit. And to put the icing on the cake he was charmingly warm and friendly. Katherine found herself won over.

  Their engagement was announced in March and for the next twelve weeks Katherine found herself in a frenzy of wedding preparations. Nothing would do for Janice but a June wedding. A lavish June wedding.

  Katherine still paled at the thought. She had fought a rising panic as the bills mounted during those weeks. Janice would not be dissuaded from the smallest trifle. She was marrying into a very old, very wealthy family, she had explained to Katherine. Everything had to be perfect.

  Everything had been. The wedding was solemn and beautiful, the reception a smashing success. By the time the bride and groom left on their wedding trip to Europe and Katherine could go home and relax, she was depleted, both physically and financially.

  When the last of the bills were finally paid, Katherine was appalled. Her bank balance, so carefully guarded over the past sixteen years, was practically wiped out. In another year Tom would be ready for college and she had barely enough to cover his expenses for one term.

  The fact that the sixteen-year-old Tom didn't seem very concerned over her financial state didn't fool Kath-

  erine for one minute. She knew how much he had looked forward to college.

  Tom had never given Katherine any trouble. He and Janice were as different as day and night. Where Janice was cool and disdainful, Tom was easygoing and calm. With a nature not unlike her own, he and Katherine had always been close. As he grew, his attitude had changed from one of dependence on her to protection of her.

  It was Tom, more than anyone else, who had kept her stable during those frantic weeks before the wedding, laughingly telling her to "Keep it cool, Mom, you can handle it," every time she groaned over another expense.

  His attitude to Carlos surprised her. She had expected him to be overwhelmed by the sophisticated Argentinian. He wasn't. Though he obviously liked him, he was in no way impressed. When she had gently probed his reason he had answered bluntly. "What's the big deal? Carlos is only an aide with the corps and what money he has comes from his family. He'll very probably have a brilliant political career, but up to now he's done nothing spectacular, so like I said, what's the big deal?" She had been too stunned to find an answer.

  He had even gone as far, in the weeks before the wedding, as to stop teasing his sister. Giving up, he told Katherine in mock seriousness, his mission in life, that of deflating his sister's overinflated ego. Then, when it was finally all over, he had given Katherine's own ego a boost by telling her that next to the bride, she was the most beautiful woman there.

  Katherine had been determined to get the money for Tom's education. How to get it together was the problem that gave her many sleepless nights. Tom

  would be ready to enter college in a little over a year. Not nearly enough time to save the money, and the idea of taking a loan, going into debt, gave Katherine the horrors.

  This was her state of affairs when Carol Benington came on the scene. Some three weeks after Katherine had submitted her illustrations of Carol's story she had answered her door chimes to an unfamiliar woman.

  "Katherine Acker?" the woman had asked. "Yes, I'm Katherine Acker," she had replied.

  "I'm Carol Benington, may I come in?" Katherine had been delighted to meet the author of that enchanting story and told her so as soon as they had seated themselves in Katherine's living room.

  Carol had laughed lightly, assuring Katherine the feeling was mutual. "Your illustrations are beautiful. I'd like you to do all my stories."

  They saw quite a bit of each other after that. Not only because Carol was very prolific, but also because they became fast, firm friends.

  Carol was a human dynamo. Of average height with a thin, wiry frame, a mass of fiery red hair around a vibrantly alive, pretty face, she was seldom still for more than a few minutes and seemed to charge the very air around herself.

  They had been friends for months before Katherine confided her monetary problems to Carol. Carol had said at once, "That's no problem."

  "What do you mean, no problem?" Katherine had asked mystified. "Well, of course it's a problem, but easily solved," came the prompt reply.

  "How?"

  "Sell the house."

  "Sell the—I can't do that!" Katherine had blurted.

  "Why not? Doesn't it belong to you?" Carol had asked bluntly.

  "Yes, of course it belongs to me." {Catherine's voice had become defensive. "But it's my home. Tom and Janice's too. I can't give it up."

  "Katherine, I can give you a number of reasons why you not only could but should. Would you listen?" At {Catherine's nod, she went on. "In the first place, you no longer have to make a home for Janice, that's Carlos'job now. As for Tom, once he starts college all he'll require is a place to touch home base every so often. That scamp would be happy anywhere you are. Now you. Katherine, have you any idea how empty this house is going to be after Tom goes away to college? The time is going to hang very heavily on your hands. Besides which, it's time you thought of yourself. You're a damned good illustrator, and you should be closer to where the action is. Sell the place, get an apartment in the city. Believe me, in no time you'll have more work than you'll know what to do with, and no time at all to feel homesick." Then she sat back, regarding Katherine steadily.

  Katherine's thoughts were visible on her face. She had lived in this house seventeen years, had raised her children here. It was her home. But by the same token she knew Carol was right. Once Tom was no longer in and out every day, the house would be empty, too full of memories, both good and bad. She returned Carol's steady gaze. "I suppose you're right, but I must think about it."

  "Of course you must," Carol had answered. "A decision like this is not easy to make. But it is a way out."

  Katherine thought of little else the following weeks

  and finally decided Carol was right. Her mind made up, she wasted little time in placing the house on the market.

  Tom took the proposed change in living accommodations in stride, surprising Katherine more than a little when he said candidly, "It's the best thing for you to do, Mom, and my going to college or not has nothing to do with it. You're too young and much too talented to bury yourself in the suburbs."

  Janice's reaction to the move was the direct opposite. She was shocked and upset at the idea, claiming that as long as Katherine had the house it gave her (Janice) some sort of background.

  Katherine wavered, not wanting to cause Janice any unhappiness, until Carlos ended the discussion telling Janice quietly but firmly not to interfere with her mother's plans.

  The house sold quickly, bringing almost double the amount they had paid for it. With Carol's help, Katherine found and rented a small two bedroom apartment in center city. She and Tom made the move and were settled in just two weeks before he started college in New Jersey.

  Even with the capital gains tax she had to pay on th
e profit made from the house, Katherine again had enough money in the bank to cover the cost of Tom's schooling.

  As the weeks went by, Katherine found she had little time to miss either Tom or the house very much. She was working in the office now, putting in regular hours as well as many hours overtime. She was swamped with work, and she loved it.

  She was leaving the apartment one Friday morning in October, on her way to work, when the phone rang, stopping her in mid-stride toward the door. She hesitated

  a moment, not wanting to miss her bus, then, thinking it might be one of the kids, ran back across the room and lifted the receiver. Carol's voice greeted her with, "I don't want to make you late, Katherine, so I'll make it quick. Do you have any plans for the weekend?"

  "No."

  "Good. How would you like to come out to the homestead with me? It will give you a chance to see the gorgeous horse who is the hero of my new book, plus give the two of us a chance to discuss the illustrative end of it before you get started. What do you say?"

  "It sounds fine," Katherine laughed. "What time?"

  "Well, if you can cut out of the office a bit early, I'll pick you up at the apartment about six-thirty. Can do?"

  "Can do."

  "Good, see you then. Bye." And the line went dead.

  Katherine laughed softly to herself as she hurried out the door. How like Carol to save her from a quiet weekend. Tom had already informed her he was not coming that weekend as he had too much to do. Katherine was sure the real reason was that at the advanced age of eighteen, Tom was feeling his independence. At last, she thought, I'll finally get to see Carol's family home. She had heard all about it, in installments over the last year, and was looking forward to seeing it. Carol and her brother Richard had been born in the house and although Richard and his family were now in residence, Carol's parents having retired to Florida, Carol had been granted the right to come and go as she pleased.

  Katherine stowed her case in the backseat of Carol's small car then herself in the front seat and said, "My coming along is all right with your brother, isn't it?"