“Yes.”
More time to catch Adrian in his lies.
More time to recover from her accident.
More time to remember.
MAX WAITED IMPATIENTLY for Caroline to call. She’d promised to do so as soon as she came back from Adrian’s apartment.
There must be something he could do. He felt so helpless, letting others search for clues.
“Max?” Susan said from the door of his office. “While you were on the phone, a couple called to set up an appointment to see the house on Crider Lane. I made it for tomorrow evening at seven.”
“Tomorrow? No, I can’t make it.”
“But Max, they sounded really enthusiastic. They’ve looked at it already. I think they’ll buy it.”
“See if Jim or someone can be there. I’ll be busy tomorrow night.”
“I didn’t know you had anything planned. What are you going to do?”
Too bad she was his sister. Had Susan been a real secretary, he could have told her to mind her own business.
“Sorry, I should’ve let you know.”
“You’re going out with Caroline, aren’t you? I don’t know why you’re keeping it a secret. I’ve already met her.” Before he could say anything, she added, “First thing you know, the two of you will be looking at rings.”
He stared at her. Rings. He’d never thought of that. Without another word, he got up and headed for his truck.
“Max? What did I say? Where are you going?”
“I’ll be out of the office the rest of the day. And tomorrow, too.”
He slammed the door of his truck and gunned the motor. Rings. He certainly was not going to use a ring purchased by Adrian Meadows. If he got the chance to marry Caroline tomorrow, she would wear his ring, not Adrian’s.
Though his first impulse was to go to a jewelry store and buy a ring at once, almost as a talisman to prove he had a chance of marrying her tomorrow, he reluctantly decided he should consult Caroline first. He would go to her house and wait for her to return.
Mrs. Lamb opened the gate and met him at the front door.
“Caroline hasn’t returned?”
“No, she hasn’t. Would you care to wait?”
“Yes, thank you.”
She stood back to let him in. “I’m afraid we’re a little topsy-turvy with all the activities for the wedding.”
“Who was it, Mrs. Lamb?” Amelia asked, coming into the foyer. “Oh, it’s you, Mr. Daniels.”
“Yes, ma’am. I’d like to wait for Caroline’s return if you don’t mind.”
“Of course not. In fact, you can make yourself useful. We need another pair of hands. You don’t mind, do you?”
Good manners insisted he agree, but he wondered what he was getting himself into.
“Good. Come with me. I’ve ordered some things for Caroline and they’ve just arrived. You can help me open boxes to see if the order is complete. The women I hired this morning have been on the phone calling to invite guests, so they’re too busy. And Mrs. Lamb is constantly having to open the door. Presents have already started arriving.”
Somehow, Caroline’s mother didn’t feel his opening boxes of lingerie for Caroline, the woman he loved, that she would wear for another man, was inappropriate. He certainly found it interesting as he held up scraps of lace. His imagination worked overtime picturing Caroline in those garments.
And made him more determined than ever that he would be the husband, not Adrian.
“Well, the order is complete. And I don’t think I’ve forgotten anything. Where is Caroline? She needs to start opening the gifts. We have to record them or she’ll never get the thank-you notes right.”
During their inventory of the lingerie wardrobe, Mrs. Lamb had brought in numerous deliveries of gifts. Max was astounded at how complicated things could become in three days.
“You’ll just have to start opening the gifts, Max, and I’ll write down who they’re from. Let me get pencil and paper.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“Oh, call me Amelia. You’ve been very helpful.”
Max watched her leave the room and then stared around him at the neatly folded stacks of lace and satin. Caroline wouldn’t need to buy lingerie for several years. Which was a good thing when he saw the price tags.
He picked up a teddy, one that had particularly intrigued him, in bridal white. Yeah, Caroline would look terrific in that.
“Max! What are you doing?”
The woman in his head had suddenly appeared in the doorway. He quickly dropped the teddy.
“Uh, inventorying your new lingerie.” The stunned look on her face amused him. “It was your mother’s idea. Next, we’re going to open your wedding gifts.”
“You can’t be serious,” she protested.
“That would be highly inappropriate,” Chelsea chimed in, looking over her sister’s shoulder.
Amelia appeared behind them. “Oh, hello, I’m glad you’re back. There’s so much to do. Caroline,” she continued as she pushed past her daughters, “I bought you new lingerie as a wedding gift. Max has been so helpful. I believe they sent everything I ordered. Isn’t that right, Max?”
“Yes, Amelia, every item.” He grinned at Caroline.
“Mother, you shouldn’t have asked Max to help with my lingerie.”
Amelia turned to her in surprise. “Well, I had to have some help, Caroline. You and Chelsea certainly weren’t available. Now, there’s quite a lot more to do. We must begin opening the gifts and recording them so you can start on the thank-you notes. I’m sure Max will help. You’ve been such a dear, Max.”
“Thank you again, Amelia, but I’m afraid I’ll have to borrow Caroline for a little while.” He’d like to do more than borrow her. The sexy lingerie gave him all kinds of ideas about what he’d like to do with Caroline.
The approving smile Amelia had been sending his way disappeared. “What? Don’t be ridiculous. Caroline can’t leave. She has too much to do.”
“What is it, Max?” Caroline asked, crossing the room to his side.
He liked the concern in her voice, her instant attention. He took her hand in his and whispered, “We need to buy rings for the wedding tomorrow.”
Staring up at him, she blinked several times, as if having difficulty understanding. “But, Max—”
“What are you two whispering about?” Amelia demanded.
“Umm, Max and I need to talk—alone. We’ll be right back,” Caroline promised, pulling him toward the door.
“I certainly hope so. I have several things for Max to do. He’s such a helpful man.”
“Thanks for being so helpful!” Caroline exclaimed in exasperation, raising her eyebrows at him as soon as they were in the foyer. He pulled her into his arms in spite of her protests.
“You wanted me to refuse to help your mother? I don’t want to start off my marriage with my mother-in-law unhappy with me.”
“Max, you talk as if we’re—as if it’s our wedding.” Caroline looked away from him. “I may have to marry Adrian.”
He took her chin in his fingers and turned her back to look at him. “No. You’re going to marry me. Those detectives will find something. You’ve got to believe that, sweetheart.” His lips briefly touched hers. He couldn’t risk losing control at the moment. But, oh, how he wanted to.
“I want to believe, Max. But we’re almost out of time.”
“We’ll make it. And when we do, I’m not about to use a ring purchased by Adrian. So, we’ve got to go pick out a ring now, so they’ll have time to size it.”
She stared up at him, unsure, and he hoped she wouldn’t refuse his request. Ever since the idea of a ring occurred to him, it had been growing stronger in his mind. He wanted a ring, his ring, that would show that Caroline belonged to him. He breathed a sigh of relief when a grin slowly appeared on her face.
“Two grooms, two licenses, why not two rings? And one for you, too?” she asked. When he nodded, she added, “After all, I seem to be d
oing everything in pairs.”
“I guess I should’ve told you twins run in our family,” he said.
“Don’t joke, Max,” she protested, her grin still in place.
“Uh, Caroline, I’m not joking.” And he wasn’t. Hoping to distract her from his latest revelation, he pulled her against him and tasted her lips again. He couldn’t stand to hold her and not kiss her. Especially after picturing her in that teddy.
“Caroline? What—” Amelia’s voice intruded on the kiss, and Max slowly released Caroline.
“Well, really, Max, you’ve been very helpful, but I don’t think that kind of behavior is appropriate,” Amelia protested. “Why, it’s almost as if you were the groom instead of Adrian.”
His gaze still trained on Caroline, he said, “We have to keep our options open, Amelia. There could be a last-minute change.”
“Oh. Does Adrian know?” Amelia asked, a confused look on her face.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
“DOES ADRIAN KNOW WHAT?” James Adkins asked as he entered the house.
Caroline turned to face her father, but she remained in Max’s arms. It was her mother, however, who answered her husband’s question.
“That there may be a change of grooms. I certainly was surprised, and I would imagine he is, too.” She paused, studying Max. “But I must admit, Max, you have definitely been more congenial than Adrian ever is.”
“What are you talking about?” James demanded in his normal roar. “Adrian is the groom. He had proof!”
“Daddy, I don’t believe his proof,” Caroline said, trying to keep her voice calm.
“Why not?” James set his briefcase down on the floor and put his hands on his hips. “Give me a reason.”
“I was wearing a brown dress!” she replied in exasperation.
“What? What does your dress have to do with anything?”
“I didn’t know you ever wore brown, dear,” Amelia commented, looking at Caroline in continued confusion.
“I agree,” Chelsea said as she came into the foyer.
“Caroline, don’t tell me you’re turning into your mother? You’ve always been the sensible one,” James moaned, slapping his forehead with his hand.
Chelsea was the only female to protest his criticism. Her wail about her father not loving her was background to the anger Caroline felt as she said, “I am sensible, but no more than Mother and Chelsea. They both realize something is wrong. Why don’t you?”
“The only thing wrong is you won’t do what you’re supposed to.”
“According to whom?” Caroline asked, moving closer to her father, challenging him.
“According to me! I’m your father! And you promised!”
“So, you don’t care about my happiness?”
“I didn’t say that!” James protested.
“I made you a promise, and I’m going to keep it, Daddy. Even though I know I didn’t keep the promise I made you about work, I will keep this promise. But I want a promise from you.” Caroline watched her father squirm. He loved tying others down, but he hated it himself. “What promise?”
“If I find proof that Adrian lied, then you must be happy with my decision, whatever it is.” She held her breath. Even if she didn’t marry Adrian, that didn’t mean her father would accept Max. Unless he made this promise. He kept his promises.
James met Caroline’s gaze. “Very well. I promise. But it has to be good proof. I don’t think Adrian would lie. He’s an honorable man.”
“Is he?” Caroline asked. “What was his reaction when I wanted to see his apartment?”
“He wants to make sure it’s tidy for you. There’s nothing wrong with that. We men aren’t as neat as women.” James’s voice sounded sure, but Caroline noticed that his gaze shifted from hers.
“I think he wants to get rid of evidence,” she said with determination.
“Evidence? You’re beginning to make this whole thing sound like an episode of ‘Perry Mason.’” He stared at each of them before bringing his gaze back to Caroline. “Why? Just because of a brown dress? You put her up to this, didn’t you?” James asked, swinging his gaze to Max.
“Not the brown dress bit,” Max said. “I’m afraid I wouldn’t have noticed anything like that. Besides, I didn’t see the picture. Did you?”
“Of course I did. In spite of what she said, I care about Caroline’s happiness.”
His gruffness touched Caroline and she hugged him briefly. “I know you do, Daddy. But there’s more.”
“More what?”
“More evidence,” Caroline assured him, taking his hand and pulling him toward the sun room.
“Adrian has more proof?”
“No, Daddy. I do.”
Everyone followed them.
“Then why haven’t you told anyone?” Chelsea asked.
“Yes,” James agreed, “why haven’t you produced this evidence? Where is it? I want to see it.”
Caroline regretted her impulsive words. “Well, I can’t exactly show it to you.” She felt better when Max moved to her side, his arm going around her waist.
“Just as I thought. You don’t have any proof,” James said triumphantly.
“What about the fact that Adrian never touches me?”
“I’ve seen him touch you. He took your hand the other evening.”
“That’s not—”
“Besides,” James continued, ignoring her response, “it’s probably because this—this stranger is always pawing you.”
Max stepped away from her, his arm falling to his side, as if guilty of some great sin.
Caroline swung around to glare at him. “Are you going to let him intimidate you?”
“No,” Max answered in measured tones, as if he resented her question. “But I am a guest in his house and you are his daughter.” He raked his hand through his dark hair. “Besides, I told you you couldn’t convince your father with that.”
“Aha! So, it’s a conspiracy!” James exclaimed.
“Don’t be ridiculous!” Caroline shouted, swinging back to face her father. “Men! Mother and Chelsea understand. Why can’t the two of you?”
“Because men have to have facts,” Amelia said calmly. “I learned that a long time ago.”
“Some women do, too,” Max murmured, reminding Caroline of how often she’d said she had to have proof.
“Daddy, I hired the Perkins Security Firm to find out if Adrian is telling the truth,” Caroline said. “I will keep my word if he really is the father of my child, but I will not be trapped by some money-hungry liar!”
“You what? You can’t hire them! They work for me!”
“Afraid they’ll discover the truth?”
“No! There’s nothing to discover!”
“Then you have nothing to worry about.” She turned to Max. “Come on, Max. Let’s go.”
“Go where?” James demanded, catching her arm.
“Out!” She pulled her arm from his grasp, slid her hand through Max’s arm and headed for the door.
“Will you be home for dinner?” Amelia asked, as if the past fifteen minutes had never occurred.
“No, I’ll take her out to dinner,” Max said.
“But Adrian is coming over to take you to see his apartment,” James protested.
“I don’t want to see it now. I wanted to see it this morning.” She didn’t care if she did sound petulant. She couldn’t bear the thought of an entire evening in Adrian’s company.
“What difference does it make whether it’s morning or evening, Caroline? You’re being ridiculous.”
She ignored him and pulled Max through the door.
“What am I going to tell Adrian?” James asked, coming after them.
Swinging around, she glared at her father. “Tell him he’d better be sure he’s telling the truth. If he’s lying, he’s going to be sorry.”
After they reached Max’s truck and drove away, he asked, “Have you calmed down yet?” He reached over and took her hand.
&nbs
p; “Probably not. Did I scare you?”
“Nope. I just wondered if you and your father have a shouting match every time you disagree.”
“How would I know?” she demanded, glaring at the man she loved.
“Hey, don’t start on me. I’m the innocent party, here.”
“Yeah, sure. That’s why I throw up every morning.”
He grinned. “I’ll take credit for that, sweetheart, but not the mess we’re all in. If you hadn’t run away, we’d be planning our nursery now.”
She smiled back at him, but he’d touched on the one point in his version of her missing two weeks that always bothered her. “You have no idea why I left?”
His smile disappeared. “No. I racked my brain for hours, days, trying to figure it out. I alternately cursed you and called for you.” He carried her hand to his lips. “I told myself, after a while, that I was glad you were gone. But the minute I knew where you were, I came running.”
Whatever her reason for leaving, Caroline was happy he’d come. Even without her memory, she knew that Max Daniels was her soul mate, the one man in the world who could stir her senses, make her world complete. Leaning her head against his shoulder, she whispered, “I’m glad.”
THE RING SELECTION didn’t take long. They discovered they had the same tastes in rings. As soon as Caroline accepted Max’s ability to buy the expensive ring she’d fallen in love with, their decision was made. Max chose a simple gold band, pleasing Caroline. She’d never liked diamonds on a man.
They enjoyed a quiet meal at a Mexican restaurant, another taste they discovered they shared. When the bill came, Max slipped out his charge card and laid it on the tray with the bill.
“I hope your ring didn’t max out my card,” he teased, and then laughed when she looked worried. “I’m just kidding.”
“I shouldn’t have chosen such an expensive ring.”
He leaned over and kissed her, as if he had every right, and Caroline sighed in contentment. In her heart he did.
“Caroline, I’m not in your father’s stratosphere as far as money goes, but most people consider me a wealthy man.” He kissed her again. “In fact, now that I’m marrying you, I’d be considered very wealthy indeed.”
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