Taming Mad Max (9 page)

#

Molly swiped at tears on her face that had blended in with the water dripping down from her wet head. She left the shower to get a bar of soap from Mom’s bathroom and that’s when she heard the words:
Molly’s father.
At first Molly thought it was her imagination playing tricks on her, but then she sat at the top of the stairs and listened to Mom and Lindsay’s conversation. It was true.
Mad Max was her father.

Those five words had caused her insides to shiver and tingle with all the possibilities. For one thing, she’d never again have to guess who her father might be. The feeling was unfamiliar and yet crazy exciting at the same time.

For the first time in her life, Molly knew what her father looked like. He was tall and good looking. He was athletic and famous. More importantly...he was alive.

Nobody knew, not even her mom, about the sharp pains she felt each night as she drifted off to sleep, wondering about her father. Nobody knew how often she cried. They had no idea how much anger and confusion she felt building inside of her over the years. And now suddenly she had a father?

She swallowed a knot in her throat. Mad Max was her father and Mom was worried he wouldn’t accept his only daughter. She’d given up asking questions about her father years ago. In fact, she’d convinced herself that her father had been Mom’s great true love, but he had died and that’s why her mom couldn’t talk about him. But that wasn’t even close to the real story. Molly always thought she and her mother told each other everything.

Apparently not. Her mother was a coward and a liar.

Mad Max seemed like a nice man. Why would he reject his daughter? He helped to make her thirteenth birthday the best day of her life, and yet he had no idea she was his daughter? Goose bumps rushed up her arms and legs. Her heart beat a little faster. She didn’t know what to think. What would Mad Max think if he knew? Would he be angry? Would he move away?

How could Mom have kept this from either of them?

CHAPTER 7

The doorbell rang the next morning at seven o’clock sharp. It was Monday morning and Kari was trying to get out the door and get to work. She peered through the peephole, expecting to see one of Lindsay’s college assistants. Instead, she saw Cole Fletcher.

Kari opened the door and crooked her neck so she could look him in the eye. “What are you doing here?”

“I’m Lindsay’s assistant daycare provider for the week.”

“No kidding?”

“Lindsay and I made a bet at the bowling alley. I lost.”

She breathed in the heavenly scent of daylilies, then peeked behind his back where she saw a bouquet of flowers. “Why do I get the feeling you didn’t lose at all?”

“Why do I get the feeling you’re a little too nosy for your own good?”

She laughed. “Touché. Come on in. Hey boys,” she called to the twins who had been dropped off ten minutes ago. “Come say hello to Lindsay’s new assistant.”

Cole stepped inside and the sounds of little footfalls against the hardwood floor brought two curly-haired boys dressed in identical green pants and white polo shirts to the door. One of the boys pushed his way through the middle of Cole’s legs, making an instant tunnel for him and his brother to run in and out of.

“Hey,” Cole said with a chuckle as he lowered himself on bended knees. “What are your names?”

“I’m Troy and he’s Tom Thumb.” Troy took a sniff of the flowers and came away with a nose covered with pollen. His twin brother, whose name was really Sean, rolled around on the ground laughing, as if being called Tom Thumb was the funniest thing in the world.

Kari and Cole watched Sean roll on the floor, holding his gut as he belted out an exaggerated belly laugh. Just watching the kid wore Kari out. If she could borrow just an ounce of his energy...

Cole looked at Kari. “Little characters, huh?”

“Yeah. Characters,” Kari said. “Go ahead and take your coat off. Make yourself comfortable. Lindsay is in the kitchen. I’m going to run upstairs and say goodbye to Molly before I head off.”

Kari ran upstairs, and when she walked into Molly’s room, she was surprised to find her still sleeping. The alarm clock had gone off twenty minutes ago. “Hey,” she said, giving Molly’s shoulder a gentle shake. “Time to get up. You’re going to be late for school.”

“I don’t feel good. I’m not going today.”

Kari sat at the edge of the bed and put a hand on Molly’s forehead. “You don’t feel hot.”

“I don’t feel good. Please leave me alone.”

“Well maybe I should stay home and take you to the doctor.”

“No. I just need to sleep.”

“I never should have let you have that second helping of cake and ice cream.”

Molly groaned and pulled the blankets tighter over her head.

“Okay, okay. I’ll go. But if you start feeling any worse I want you to call me.”

No response.

“Molly, are you listening to me?”

Molly sat up. Her hair was tangled and half of her face was covered with long dark strands. “Why can’t you just go away? I don’t bother you when you’re not feeling well. I would never do that to you!” Molly slumped back down on the mattress and pulled the blankets over her head again.

Kari stood there for a moment, unsure of what to do about Molly’s outburst. Molly rarely talked back or used such a disrespectful tone with her. If Molly wasn’t feeling badly, she would’ve dragged her butt out of bed and given her a good long lecture. But she was running late as it was, so she turned off the light and shut the door behind her.

Downstairs, she found Cole on his knees, throwing a Nerf football to Becky, a cute little four-year old who Lindsay had been watching for nearly a year now. Becky held up her arms and watched the football sail past her and hit a vase on the table, sending it to the floor. The vase and flowers were still intact but a stream of water traveled across the floor.

Another three-year old named, Jonathan, Lindsay’s newest addition, opened his mouth in horror.

Having a sixth sense for these sorts of things, Lindsay ran from the kitchen into the family room, put her hands on her hips and gave everybody her best stern look. “What have I told you all about throwing balls inside the house? Who did this?”

All four kids pointed at Cole.

“Traitors,” he said. “All of you.”

Lindsay shook her head in dismay, but anybody with half a brain could see she was more amused than dismayed.

“Are you my assistant,” Lindsay asked Cole, “or do I need to send your mother a bill for having to watch you, too?”

“I’m sorry,” Cole said. “It won’t happen again. But,” he added as he grabbed Troy by the shirt, tickling the boy’s tummy, “Troy told me there were no rules. So technically, it’s his fault.”

Lindsay threw Cole a towel. “Clean up the mess you made,” she said, “and then please join me in the kitchen to help make breakfast.”

“I’m leaving now,” Kari told Lindsay. “Molly isn’t feeling well, so I’m going to let her stay home today. Will you check on her in an hour and let me know if anything changes?”

“Sure,” Lindsay said. “And don’t forget what I said about using reverse psychology.”

Kari smiled and headed out the door.

#

Cole picked up Becky and followed Lindsay into the kitchen. “What’s this about reverse psychology?”

“Nothing.”

“Come on. Spill.” Becky reached up and pulled his hair.

Lindsay stirred the eggs on the stove. “Fine. I told Kari that if she wanted Max to stop hounding her for a date, all she had to do was smother him with attention.”

Becky stuck her finger in Cole’s ear, making him wince. “And that would work, why?”

“Because men hate to be smothered with attention.”

He set a wriggling Becky on the floor. “That’s the most ridiculous theory I’ve ever heard.”

“I guess we’ll just have to agree to disagree.”

“Or,” he said, “you can try it on me and we’ll see how it works. Go ahead. Smother me.”

“Nice try.”

As Lindsay stirred the eggs, she watched Cole make his way around the kitchen. Yesterday he had looked like a preppy golfer. Today he was dressed like a model for Gucci with his nicely textured, fitted shirt that was probably made of some sort of high quality Egyptian cotton. The shirt, along with his Italian gabardine slacks were going to be ruined before the end of the day. His Armani shades hung off the V of his shirt, where she noticed a sprinkle of golden hairs beneath all that fine cotton. On his wrist he wore an aluminum watch that sparkled in the light. He was a walking advertisement for expensive men’s clothing.

“You might want to rethink your wardrobe next time you babysit,” she said.

“I brought a change of clothes. They’re in the car. I came straight from a meeting at the office.” He flipped through an open brochure sitting on the counter.

“Office? I thought you played football.”

He grinned, showing off his dimples in the process—dimples he had no business possessing.

“I can’t play football forever, which is why three years ago, a couple of the guys and me started a real estate company.”

She tried not to look impressed. “How’s business?”

“Better than expected. We just hired a full-time Real Estate Appraiser and a Property Manager for our commercial deals since we’ll need some extra help once we’re back on the practice field next week.”

“I see.”

“I’m hungry,” Jonathan said as he entered the kitchen.

“Almost ready,” she told him. She was about to ask Cole to grab a spoon from the drawer when he said, “DLS Incorporated, a California Reproductive Service.”

Her eyes widened.

“Helping clients start families for over twenty-five years with the largest number of anonymous donors in the country.” He held up the brochure. “What’s this?”

She set down the spatula, snatched the brochure out of his hand, and tucked it into her back hip pocket. “None of your business. That’s what.”

“That’s a brochure for a sperm bank.”

“Come on kids,” she called, ignoring him, “time for breakfast.”

Cole picked up Jonathan and placed him in a chair at the table before he followed Lindsay into the living room. Tucking one twin under each arm, he followed her back into the kitchen. “You’re seriously considering using a donor?”

Lindsay sat Becky at the table next to Jonathan while Cole tried to get the twins into their seats and keep them there.

“I think you’d be making a big mistake,” he said as she poured orange juice into plastic cups.

Next, Lindsay grabbed the pan of eggs from the stove. “I think I’d be making a mistake if I didn’t. I’m thirty-one years old. For as long as I can remember I’ve wanted a child of my own. I’ve put a lot of thought into this and I can tell you, without a doubt in my mind, I am doing the right thing.”

“Did you consider adoption?”

As she placed a spoonful of scrambled eggs onto each kid’s plate, she nodded, and said, “I’ve been on a waiting list for over two years. I keep getting passed up for two-parent families. I’m done waiting.” She looked into his bluish gray eyes and said, “Unless maybe you’re interested in helping me out?”

His eyes nearly crossed. Judging by the look on his face, she’d found his Achilles heel. One of the kids threw a piece of scrambled egg at his face and it bounced off of his nose and onto the floor.

“Just a thought,” she said, trying not to laugh at the freaked out look still etched on his face. Lindsay then turned her attention on Jonathan and said, “Now what have I told you about throwing food.”

#

Max held the front door open and said good morning as Kari entered the house. Today, she noticed, he had on a pair of distressed designer jeans and a fitted moss green polo shirt that showed off his well worked biceps. He shut the door and looked at his watch. “I was beginning to think you were going to be a no show.”

“I’m sorry I’m late. I’ll have to make up the time since I do have a contract to fulfill.” She wondered if the man ever had a bad hair day.

“A contract?”

She nodded. “A verbal contract between myself and Dr. Stone. I promised him I would provide a certain number of hours while I guide you in making smart food choices every day.”

“Ah...I see...you’re all business.”

“I do want to thank you for yesterday. Thanks to you and Cole, Molly had a wonderful party.”

“She’s a great kid. You’ve done an incredible job.”

She looked away. Guilt threatened to strangle her. “Thanks.”

He raised his hand to the wall behind her, trapping her between his chest and the door. “What are we working on today?” He leaned his head low enough for her to inhale some of his earthy cologne. “I was sort of hoping we could...”

Pushing gently at his chest, she said, “We need to talk.” Before he could respond, she headed for the kitchen, her favorite place, a room where she almost always felt safe. But something was different today.

“Mom,” Max said. “I’d like you to meet Kari Murphy.”

Kari’s body tensed as her gaze shot past the granite island in the center of the kitchen and landed on Max’s mother.

Damn. Max’s family wasn’t due to arrive until tomorrow. Max’s mother didn’t blink. She looked as stunned as Kari felt. Other than a few strands of gray running through the woman’s dark brown hair, his mother had hardly changed. It seemed like only yesterday when she handed the woman a letter addressed to Max.

“Nice to meet you,” Mrs. Dutton said, regaining her composure and reaching out to take Kari’s hand in hers. “Max told us all about you.”

Seconds felt like hours as Max’s mother held her gaze and gave her an all-knowing look that spoke volumes. Instinct told Kari that not only did the woman remember her, she didn’t like her.

“How is my boy’s health?” Mrs. Dutton asked. She let go of Kari’s hand and reached up to rub an open palm along Max’s jaw. “Is my boy going to be alright?”

“We’ll know more in a few weeks when he sees Dr. Stone for his final check-up. But if Max continues to eat healthy and exercise regularly, he’ll certainly increase his chances of leading a long healthy life. I’m sure he’ll be fine.”

“That’s my boy,” his mother said just as Breanne and her sister, Sally, came through the French doors leading from the pool.

“Sally,” Breanne said excitedly, “this is Kari Murphy, an old neighbor of ours who is now a leading nutritionist in Los Angeles.”

Sally stood a few inches taller than Breanne, but she, too, looked just as Kari remembered her. Sally’s hair matched Max’s in color and her smile lit up her face.

They shook hands.

“You and Kari went to high school together,” Breanne reminded Sally. “You both graduated the same year.”

“You do look familiar,” Sally said. She lifted a finger. “Were you the girl who picked me up on the side of the road after my car ran out of gas?”

Kari smiled. “That would be me.” Heat rose in waves, warming her cheeks. Now was not the time to reminisce, not unless she wanted Max to realize, right now and right here, in front of his mother, that she was the girl he’d taken to his room one fateful night fourteen years ago.

“I didn’t mean to interrupt your visit,” Kari said to Max’s mother before turning to Max. “I didn’t realize your family was coming today.”

“We arrived a day early,” Mrs. Dutton told her. “It’s been way too long since I’ve seen all my kids together in one room.”

“You didn’t interrupt,” Max told her. “Everyone has been anxiously awaiting your arrival.”

Everyone except his mother nodded, assuring her he spoke the truth. After his mother and sisters began to talk over one another, Kari relaxed a little. Sally talked about the good old days at Roseville High, while their mother talked about the heat and the God awful traffic.

Max ushered Kari into the living room where two men were watching sports. “This is Dan,” he said, pointing to the man on the couch. “Sally’s husband.”

Dan stood. He was tall and clean cut; his light brown hair was combed neatly to one side. “Nice to meet you,” he said as he came to his feet, making her feel welcome with his firm handshake and warm smile. “You must be the nutritionist Max keeps talking about. I’ll have you know Max cooked us breakfast and gave us plenty of healthy eating advice. He’s a goldmine of nutritional information.”

The other man pushed himself from his chair and held out his hand. His sparkling green eyes bespoke a friendly mischievous personality. “I’m Fred, Jill’s husband.” He pointed outside. “Jill’s outside with the kids, Matthew and Brooke.”

“Fred is the first of the outsiders to break through the thick stone walls of the Dutton clan,” Dan added.

Max frowned. “You make it sound as if the Dutton family isn’t warm and welcoming.”

Dan and Fred shared a good laugh.

Max shook his head. “And they wonder why I was apprehensive about either one of them marrying my sister and becoming a part of the family.”

Kari laughed at Max’s chiding. After the men went back to watching television, she decided today would not be a good day to pull Max aside and tell him about Molly.

“I’m glad you came,” Max told her privately. “I thought you might be too annoyed with me after I showed up at the bowling alley uninvited.”

“Actually you saved the day. Molly thought she was too old for a bowling party until you and Cole waltzed into the place and livened things up. You had every kid in the place smiling.”

He took her hand in his. She didn’t dare look toward the kitchen, knowing his mother was probably watching. “Everyone was smiling but you.”

“That’s not true—”

He squeezed her hand. “What’s going on in that head of yours?”

The moment she looked into his eyes, she knew she had to tell him. “The truth is...I have something very important that I need to talk to you about.”

“Kari,” Breanne called, gesturing to her to come into the kitchen.

“Ignore them,” Max said, waiting to hear what she had to say.

Kari looked from Breanne to Max. “I think we should visit with your family. We can talk later.”