Kara Lennox - The Good Father

“I’m happy to do work while I’m there,” Jane volunteered. “With the laptop I can work in the car, and at the hotel after Kaylee goes to bed-”

“That’s not it, though I appreciate the offer. See…one of the reasons Ellen Lowenstein is leaning toward giving her account to the Remington Agency is because…well, because she wants Kaylee in the ads. She thinks Kaylee has the perfect look. And she wants us…you and Kaylee…to meet with a kids’ modeling agency in Houston. It could mean extra money for you-lots of money, actually.”

Jane was stunned. Kaylee, a model? “This is kind of a big deal,” she said. “I would have to think about it. I’m not sure I want Kaylee posing in front of cameras, being the center of attention. It would take her away from her preschool and…well, I don’t want to rule it out, either,” she added hastily. “What a great opportunity for her to earn money for her college fund!”

“You don’t have to make a decision right away. But would you be willing to meet with the agent?”

“Sure, it wouldn’t hurt to just talk.”

“Great. I’ll make all the arrangements. Oh, Jane, there’s just one more thing.”

“What?”

“We have to pretend to be married.”

Jane’s mouth opened, but no words came out.

Max probably shouldn’t have sprung it on her like that, so he backpedaled. “Ellen assumed Kaylee was my daughter, since she climbed into my lap, and I didn’t disabuse her of that notion.”

Jane continued staring, waiting for more of an explanation.

“I think she would prefer to give her advertising account to a family man, someone who really understands what it means to be a parent. Her reaction to Kaylee was so positive, I didn’t have the heart-or the courage-to tell her I’m single with no kids.”

“I see. I think.”

“Jane…I know it’s wrong to mislead her. But I need this account. I really, really need this account, and I can do a great job on it. Maybe I’m not a parent, but I’m not completely ignorant of children. Between you and me, I know we can give this account what it needs and deserves, and everyone will be happy, and that’s what’s important, right?”

“I…no. I can’t condone lying, Max.”

“We’re not really lying. Just not telling the whole truth.”

Jane narrowed her eyes. “You’re quibbling.”

He sighed. “You’re right.” Now he felt like a slime-ball. Playing fast and loose with facts was such an in-grained habit in the advertising business, he hadn’t really seen it as a big deal. Once he landed the account, he probably would have little or no personal contact with Ellen Lowenstein, so he would have no need to maintain the family ruse. But that didn’t make it right.

“You should tell her the truth.”

“I know.” He thought for a minute. “Okay, how about this? We all go to the game, and I explain the situation then.” After Ellen had a chance to see Max interact with Kaylee, see that he really was good with kids and that, if he were a father, he would be a good one.

“Well…”

“After all, my omission of the truth shouldn’t get in the way of Kaylee’s modeling gig. Ellen was entranced with Kaylee’s picture long before she came to believe Kaylee was my daughter.”

“You promise to tell Ellen the truth?”

“I will. But can we at least pretend to be…involved?”

“Max.”

“Close friends? Come on, Jane. We are getting to be friends.”

“You’re my boss. How will Ellen feel about your being involved with your employees?”

Max thought of the proprietary glances Ellen gave Ogden from time to time. “I don’t think she’d mind.”

“All right. We’ll go to the baseball game. How will we handle the overnight accommodations?”

Max grinned. “I’ll take care of that.” Remington Industries owned the Hotel Alexander, a luxury hotel in a historic downtown Houston building. Maybe he still had enough status as a Remington to get a comped suite.

“Why does that smile you’re wearing give me an uneasy feeling?”

Maybe because for just an instant, Max had let himself picture himself and Jane alone in a hotel room. “Can’t imagine why.”

“I CAN’T BELIEVE you’re going out of town with him.” Allie, done with her fishing cruises for the day, had come over to kibitz while Jane packed for her overnight in Houston. “I can’t believe you’re going to pretend to be married to him. What got into you?”

“I’m not pretending anything. Okay, which of these is better for the baseball game?” She showed Allie two choices, a red halter top and a more conservative polka-dot T-shirt.

“You’re asking me? I’m not exactly a fashion plate. You need Sara. She’s a shopping maniac.”

“Oh, right.” Jane settled on the polka dots. The halter was too revealing. “I seem to recall Sara helping you pick out clothes for…what was that? A trade show in Houston? With your boss, Cooper?” Although Allie had never forked over the details of that trip, Jane knew that was how Allie and Cooper ended up in bed the first time.

Allie blushed prettily. “He was my partner, not my boss, but that’s beside the point. Are you hoping you and Max will follow in our footsteps?”

“Allie, of course not!” Jane realized her denial was perhaps too fast, too emphatic. “Never mind that he’s my boss. He doesn’t date women with children, and I don’t date, period. The ink is barely dry on my divorce decree.”

Allie laughed. “Trust me when I say a whole boatload of reasons for staying apart can go right out the window in a hurry once you’re alone with him-”

“Shh. Little pitchers.” Kaylee was already asleep in her bunk, but she could wake up and overhear.

“But that hotel! You have no idea what a place like that does to your senses. It’s like being in an amusement park. For adults.”

“I have stayed in luxury hotels many times. Now, which do you like better, the pink or the purple?” She held up two sets of Kidz’n’Stuff overalls.

“The purple, I think. But what about that cute shorts outfit with the blue flowers?”

“Would you believe it’s too small? Kaylee is growing so fast, she can hardly fit into any of those beautiful, expensive clothes I bought her when I still had Scott’s credit card.”

“Sara might like them, if she has a girl.”

“I’ll ask her. But that doesn’t solve my current packing problem. I want Kaylee to look her best.”

“Are you really going to do the modeling thing?” Allie asked, jumping in to hang up the clothes that had been discarded.

“I don’t know yet. Depends on what’s involved. This sounds selfish, but I’d rather keep working as an artist, even at a paltry salary, than become a stage mother to a high-fashion child model earning big bucks.”

“You really love your new job?”

“I really do. I feel so alive when I’m using my creativity. I’m finally doing something that matters.” At least, it mattered to Max. He was a hard taskmaster, but also generous with his praise. She lived to hear him tell her she’d done a good job. It was embarrassing, how her mood hung on his every word.

She tried not to place too much importance on that. It would be the same with any boss, she reasoned. She just wanted to succeed at a job that used her creativity. Scott had scoffed at the idea that she was even employable. He’d thought her “little art degree” was a joke. Her parents had sent her to college only because a society wife was expected to be educated, not because they expected her to do anything with the degree.

She wanted to prove all of them wrong.

“I’m so glad your job is working out,” Allie said.