Who's the Daddy

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Who's the Daddy Page 17

by Judy Christenberry


  Caroline smiled up at him, trying to hide the fact that his words disturbed her. They could so easily be interpreted the wrong way. Her father’s claim about Max saying he’s the father of her baby just to get to his money came back to haunt her.

  “Is something wrong?”

  “No! Nothing.”

  The waiter returned for Max to sign the bill. She watched him write in the tip with almost no pause. There was another difference between men and women. Men seemed to know how much to tip without ever stopping to calculate. When she signed for— “Max!” She grabbed his arm as the waiter walked away.

  “What is it, sweetheart? You want something more? A sudden urge for a pickle?”

  She ignored his teasing. “Max! I may have found a way to prove Adrian wrong.”

  “How?”

  “Charge cards! I must have charged something during those two weeks. If the charge was here in the Denver area, instead of Las Vegas, then we’ll have our proof.”

  “Brilliant,” Max agreed, kissing her again. Then he took her hand and pulled her from the booth. “Come on. Let’s go check your records.”

  They sat in tense silence as Max drove to her house. Too much rested on the result of their search for any idle chitchat.

  “Where do you keep your records?” Max asked as they came to a stop in front of her house.

  “There’s a desk in my bedroom. Let’s start there. If we don’t find anything, we’ll ask Mrs. Lamb.”

  Fifteen minutes later, Caroline called down to the kitchen. When Mrs. Lamb reached her bedroom door, Caroline was waiting for her.

  “Mrs. Lamb? Where else would I keep my records? My bills, my files.”

  “Why, right here, child. Oh, my stars, you two have made a mess. What are you looking for?”

  “We’re looking for either of my charge card bills,” Caroline explained.

  Mrs. Lamb looked puzzled but she moved over to the bed to peer at the pile of paper. “Why, here they are, dear, right here on top.”

  “No, Mrs. Lamb, those are my current bills. I’m looking for the bills from late June, when I went away.”

  Mrs. Lamb looked from Caroline to Max and back to Caroline, slowly shaking her head. “Once you pay them, dear, you throw them out.”

  Caroline sank down onto the bed, not noticing the papers under her. “Surely not,” she gasped. “Don’t I have to save them for—for taxes or something?”

  “They don’t allow interest deductions anymore, you know, and you don’t have business expenses since you don’t have a business. Why save them?”

  Caroline closed her eyes, fighting to keep the tears from slipping out. So close. She’d thought they would find proof.

  “Caroline,” Max said softly, his arms coming around her as he pulled her up into his arms. “It’s all right. We’ll find another way.”

  “I’m sorry,” Mrs. Lamb apologized.

  “It’s not your fault, Mrs. Lamb,” Max assured her.

  Caroline lifted her face from his chest. “Max is right, Mrs. Lamb. You’ve done all you could to help. Can I call them in the morning, Max? Could they tell me over the phone if I made any charges then?”

  “Good idea, Caroline. I’m sure they can. You won’t get actual documents to back you up for several days, but your father would listen to reason, wouldn’t he?”

  Mrs. Lamb and Caroline looked at each other and laughed. Suddenly Caroline felt better. “That’s not a known trait for my father, but we’d convince him.”

  “Then maybe we still have hope,” he said with a smile, kissing her forehead.

  “Well, I’ll just go back downstairs. You two probably want to be alone,” Mrs. Lamb said, edging to the door.

  “No, I have to leave,” Max said, stepping back from Caroline. She looked at him in surprise.

  “You do? Why?”

  He looked at the bed before he looked at her. “You need to get a lot of rest tonight. And if I’m here, I don’t think you will.”

  Caroline’s cheeks burned a bright red. She knew exactly what he was thinking. And she liked it. But he was right. Tomorrow could be a difficult day.

  “Then you walk him to the door, and I’ll straighten up this mess. That way, you can get right to bed as soon as you come back upstairs,” Mrs. Lamb suggested.

  With a thanks sent the housekeeper’s way, Max took Caroline’s hand and pulled her from the room. After closing the door behind him, he wrapped his arms around her and kissed her.

  “Oh, Max,” she murmured, “maybe you should change your mind.”

  “I’d like to, but your father’s house isn’t the place. And tonight isn’t the time. Tomorrow night we’ll do our celebrating.”

  Caroline suddenly thought of the little boy whistling as he walked through the graveyard. She hoped Max’s words weren’t indicative of his fear that tomorrow night she’d be sharing her life with Adrian. A shudder seized her.

  He pulled her tighter. “Something wrong?”

  “No. I’m just missing you already.”

  Another kiss only made her want more.

  “I have to go, Caroline,” Max insisted, sounding desperate.

  “You don’t want to be with me?” she asked, surprised.

  He gave her a bear hug. “Don’t be ridiculous. I want to be with you too much. Now, walk me to the door,” he insisted, tugging her toward the stairs.

  They walked down arm in arm, not talking. Caroline was thinking about the next morning and how early she could call the credit card company. And how soon she’d see Max again.

  The sound of the sun room door opening scarcely registered, but the voices that she heard shook her from her thoughts.

  She started to say something to Max, but her father and Adrian came into view.

  “Caroline! I didn’t hear you come in,” Adrian said, walking forward. He stopped when he got a good look at her and Max, their arms entwined.

  “I really don’t think your behavior is appropriate,” he finally said.

  “We’ve been over this subject before,” Caroline said, keeping her arm around Max. “I don’t believe your proof and I don’t want to marry you.”

  “But you promised. It’s my right as the father of your child.”

  Max turned loose of her and stepped down another step. “I’m tired of your statements like that, Meadows. You are not the father of this baby.”

  “I have proof.”

  “Yeah, and I’d like to see it. Just where is this proof?”

  “I have it in safekeeping,” Adrian assured him, but Caroline noted he took a step backward. Max moved forward again.

  “At your apartment?”

  “No. It’s being repaired. Caroline ripped it. And that reminds me, Caroline, I came to take you to my apartment. As you requested.”

  His attempt to make her feel guilty didn’t work. “Didn’t Daddy tell you? I wanted to see it this morning, not this evening.”

  “I don’t understand what a few hours’ difference could make.”

  “Oh, I think you do. Otherwise, you would’ve told the man to let me in.”

  “Don’t be ridiculous. I just didn’t want you to see the place before it was cleaned.”

  “By the way, Adrian, where are we going on our honeymoon?” Caroline suddenly asked.

  “Honeymoon?” he repeated, as if he’d never heard the word before.

  “Nowhere with him,” Max growled.

  She grinned, loving the jealousy in his voice, but she looked at Adrian, waiting for a response.

  “Well, I haven’t—there’s been no time—I thought we’d go to Vegas. Kind of retrace our steps,” Adrian finished with a rush, looking quite proud of himself.

  Caroline stared at Adrian, a memory suddenly filling her head. She turned slowly to look at her father. “Why didn’t you say anything?”

  “What are you talking about?” James demanded.

  “I remembered something. I hate Las Vegas. You took me there when I turned twenty-one, remember, Daddy?” She t
urned to grin at Max. “I had a miserable trip. I vowed I’d never go back to Las Vegas.”

  “And your father knew that?” Max stared at James.

  “So what? Love can change a person’s mind. Besides, she’s older, now. Her tastes have changed since she was twenty-one,” James blustered.

  “Not that much. So that’s another reason why I don’t believe your ‘proof.’”

  Adrian had that bland expression on his face that she hated. “You have other reasons?”

  “Yes, I do.”

  “What are they?”

  Caroline started to answer and then closed her mouth. “No, I don’t think I’ll tell you. I have no physical proof, but I may have by tomorrow. So I’ll just wait. But I wouldn’t be counting on marrying me tomorrow, Adrian.”

  “You’re bluffing,” he said, a tight smile on his face. “You made a promise and I’ll expect you to keep it tomorrow evening.”

  “I will,” she agreed, without smiling in return, “unless the private detective I’ve hired finds something interesting.”

  “Or maybe the one I’ve hired,” Max added, standing behind Caroline, his hands on her shoulders.

  Adrian stared at them, his mouth open, his cheeks paling. “You—you’ve hired a detective?” He spun around to face James. “How could you let them do that? Make them call them off!”

  “Now, Adrian, don’t worry about it. After all, you’ve got proof that you’re telling the truth. And once you’re married to my Caroline,” James added, “you’ll be a member of the family.”

  “It could be a very costly membership, Adrian,” Caroline said, determined not to ignore her father’s blatant bribery. “You’d better be sure it’s worth the price.”

  CHAPTER SIXTEEN

  HER WEDDING DAY.

  Somehow, Caroline hadn’t thought it would be like this—nausea, fear, worry. The bridal magazines didn’t describe wedded bliss that way.

  As soon as her stomach was settled, she got out of bed and quickly dressed. She wanted to call the credit card companies as soon as their offices opened.

  She was pacing the floor when Mrs. Lamb knocked on the door with her breakfast trey.

  “You’re already up?” the housekeeper asked, noting that Caroline was dressed in shorts and a T-shirt.

  “Yes. I’m waiting to call about my credit cards.”

  “You can eat breakfast while you wait. Your mother is already up, too. She has a long list of things for you to do. And your dress was just delivered. The alterations have been made, but you should try it on as soon as possible. Your mother wanted me to remind you that the rehearsal is at three.” She paused to take a deep breath. “I think that’s all at the moment, but presents continue to arrive, and I think I’m going crazy.”

  Caroline gave the woman a hug. “I know, Lambie, but it will all be over soon. You’ve been a real trouper about everything.”

  Mrs. Lamb returned the hug. “I’m going to miss you when you’re gone, Caroline. Oh, my stars, I will.”

  The housekeeper hurried from the room, whether to hide tears or simply to tackle all the chores waiting for her, Caroline didn’t know. But that simple remark brought home to Caroline suddenly how much her life was about to change. Whether she married Adrian or Max, she would no longer live at home with her parents. She would no longer be independent. She would be part of a pair.

  An unhappy pair, if the other one was Adrian.

  If it was Max, she would be thrilled, but…but there were still some difficulties to work out.

  She automatically ate her breakfast, thinking about her future, about the child she was carrying, the man she would share that child with.

  When eight o’clock came, she put the tray aside and reached for the phone. Though it took several minutes to be connected to the right department, she persisted until she found someone who could answer her question.

  “No, Miss Adkins. For that two-week period, you made no charges. There is a charge about three days after the date you gave me, but not during those two weeks.”

  “Thank you.”

  She dialed the second number, and again, after some delays, received the same answer. Depression threatened, but Caroline was getting angry. That emotion energized her as she paced the room. How had she paid for those two weeks? Surely she hadn’t relied on the man, whichever one he was.

  Her bank account!

  She called the bank and asked for activities during that two-week period.

  “Why, no, Miss Adkins. Well, on the day before the date you gave me, you made a substantial withdrawal. Do you want that information?”

  “Yes, please.”

  “You withdrew twenty-five hundred cash, here at the bank. Does that help?”

  “Yes, thank you.” No, thank you. At least she knew she had paid her own way, she thought, but it didn’t tell her where she had spent that money.

  Her hand was still resting on the telephone when it rang. She jumped as if she’d received an electrical shock.

  “Caroline?” Max asked, his voice eager. “Did you call about your charges?”

  “Yes. There were none.”

  After a painful silence, he simply said, “Oh.”

  “I know. I also called the bank. I withdrew a lot of cash the day before I left.”

  “That fits with what the hotel guy told me.”

  “What? What did he tell you?”

  “That you paid in cash.”

  “They have a record of it? I registered there? Of course I did. Why didn’t you tell me?” Hope filled her as she waited for his response.

  “Yes, you registered, but not under your own name. I don’t know why, since you told me your real name.”

  “Then how do you know it was me with the fake name?”

  “Because I knew your room number. They only had one person stay for two weeks in that room during that time period. So I assumed it was you. But I can’t prove it, and that’s why I didn’t say anything.”

  “What name did I use?”

  “Leslie…uh, McBay, McKay, something like that.”

  “Leslie McVey?”

  “Maybe. Does that name mean something to you?”

  “Yes. That’s Daddy’s secretary’s name.”

  “Well, it sure wasn’t his secretary that I walked to the door and kissed good-night,” Max assured her.

  Caroline couldn’t resist a chuckle at the picture of Max romancing the stiff and proper, elderly Miss McVey. She had been her father’s secretary for more than twenty years.

  “What’s so funny?”

  “Nothing, Max.” Her amusement faded as she realized they still had nothing to show for all their hard work. “It’s just—I’m getting scared, Max. What if we can’t find any proof before—” She broke off, unable to voice the event scheduled for the evening.

  “You could break your promise.”

  She almost chewed a hole in her bottom lip, trying to think of an answer to his statement.

  “Forget I said that,” he said gruffly. “That’s frustration speaking. But Caroline, you’re not going to live with this man, are you?”

  “No. I’m only marrying him to—to give the baby its daddy’s name,” she assured him.

  “Damn it, Caroline. I won’t put up with you calling my baby his.”

  She covered her eyes, unable to face even the soothing blues of her bedroom. “Max, please. I’m sure my memory will come back soon. If—when I know the baby is yours, then we’ll get married, okay?”

  “And if you don’t recover your memory?”

  “I will! I know I will! It just may not happen before tonight.” She drew a deep, shuddering breath and leaned back against her pillow. “Max?”

  “Yeah?”

  “Are you going to come to the wedding?”

  Silence.

  “I know I’m asking a lot, Max, but I’d like for you to be there.”

  “Of course I’ll be there.”

  She knew those words cost him. But she needed him there in the
church with her. She needed to be able to see him, to know that even if she had to marry Adrian, Max was there. And, according to him, would always be there.

  “Thank you.”

  “No problem. I’ll see you.”

  Caroline hung up the phone and slid back down onto the pillow, wrapping her arms around her and thinking about Max Daniels and the time they’d shared…that she could remember. How she wished he were here with her now, holding her, loving her. When Max held her in his arms, she believed nothing could go wrong.

  She needed that confidence now.

  Her mother knocked on her door. “Caroline? Are you awake? You need to get dressed,” she added as she opened the door and found her daughter lying on the bed.

  “What’s the hurry? We’re not having the rehearsal until three, are we?” Caroline asked, not moving.

  “I guess I forgot to tell you that we’re having a bridesmaid luncheon at noon. There’s just so much to remember, it must’ve slipped my mind. And, of course, you have a hair and manicure appointment before that. They’ll do touch-ups this evening, so you’ll be perfect for the wedding. And then, you need to get started on your thank-you notes. After all, the sooner you do, the sooner you’ll be finished. And, of course, to write your thank-you notes, you have to open your gifts. You’ll receive a lot more this evening at the wedding. And—”

  Since it seemed she had an unending list, Caroline interrupted. “Mother, I’ll keep the hair and manicure appointment, but I thought Chelsea was going to be my only attendant, so what’s the point of a bridesmaids’ luncheon?”

  “Dear, we couldn’t have a proper wedding with just your sister as an attendant. Neiman’s found four matching gowns and have expressed them here. And,” Amelia paused, a triumphant air about her, “I found four of your friends who are the right size.”

  “I’ve heard of choosing bridesmaids for bizarre reasons, but it never occurred to me to choose them by dress size. Are you sure I know any of them?”

  “Of course you do. There’s Lilly, Ann, Sylvia…”

  Caroline stopped listening. She didn’t care who the attendants were. She just wanted the evening to be over, finished. And tomorrow morning she’d start divorce proceedings. She couldn’t remain married to Adrian.

 

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