mortified that she’d shown up on this man’s—this stranger’s—doorstep and fallen to pieces. The staggering hospital bill already had her worried beyond belief, but combined with the unexpected appearance of her ex-husband it was just too much. It wasn’t often that she let down her guard. And she really wished it hadn’t been in front of Lucas.
The steaming shower had helped clear her mind. She’d given in to a moment of fear that she would fail her daughter, but the time for uncertainty had passed. She must be strong now. Besides, she refused to fall to pieces again in front of Lucas. He must already think that she was...what? Pathetic? Weak? Looking for a handout? Or all of the above? She wasn’t about to confirm any of his suspicions—not if she could help it.
He pushed a cup of steaming coffee in front of her. “Drink this. It’ll warm you up while I run to the deli and get us some lunch.”
“Thank you. I’m sorry for imposing again. I...I just started walking and thinking. Eventually I ended up here.”
Her hands were clammy and her muscles tense as she clutched the warm ceramic cup. Her gaze strayed to Lucas as he strode over to the center island where his jacket was draped over a stool as though he might have been headed somewhere before she showed up. His strides were long and his dark jeans accentuated his toned legs and cute backside. His collared shirt was unbuttoned just enough for her to catch a glimpse of his firm chest. He’d certainly make some woman a fine catch—except for his lack of housekeeping skills.
He slipped on his jacket. “You can play solitaire on my computer.”
“I hate making you go out in the rain—”
“I was going out anyway. I guess one of these days I need to do more than just drive past the grocery store.” He flashed her a lighthearted smile. “Do you want anything in particular to eat?”
She shook her head. “I’m not picky.”
“I won’t be long.” He rushed out the door.
Kate was exhausted, but there was no time for sleep. She needed to plan out how to raise the funds for the surgery. Her lengthy walk had given her time to think and she knew there was no way a bank would lend her that kind of money. And she didn’t have any rich aunts or uncles lurking in the family tree. That only left a fund-raiser. A big one!
Lucas had said she could use his computer. She pulled up a search engine and began typing. Eventually she stumbled across the fact that the Carringtons used to organize fund-raisers, some even taking place in this very mansion.
Somehow Lucas must have missed the social gene. This house wasn’t fit for him to live in much less provide a venue for entertaining. If only the mansion had been better maintained, it’d be ideal for a premium ticket event.
Before she could search for alternate locations that might attract wealthy donors, Lucas returned with a large bag. “Hope you’re hungry.”
“Looks like enough to feed a football team.”
“I wasn’t sure what to order. So I got a little of this and a little of that.”
They quietly set the table and spread out the food. Kate’s belly rumbled its anticipation. She eagerly munched down her sandwich before Lucas was even halfway done with his. He pushed another foil-wrapped sandwich in front of her.
“That must have been some walk,” Lucas said as she unwrapped the food.
“I had a lot of thinking to do.”
After she’d left the hospital, she’d tramped around the bustling streets of Manhattan. She’d been surrounded by people from all walks of life and yet she had never felt more alone—more scared that she’d fail as a mother. But thanks to Lucas’s kindness the panic had passed and her determination had kicked in. She would see that her little girl got what she needed—one way or the other.
“And did you get everything straight in your head?”
She glanced away, unsure how to answer. She didn’t want him to think any less of her for losing complete control of her life, but she hated to lie, too. She took the middle road. “I still have a lot to figure out.”
“You know, I find when I have problems at the office that talking them through usually helps. We conduct brainstorming sessions where my key people sit around tossing out ideas, no matter how crazy they might sound. One thing leads to another until we have some potential solutions. Would you like to give it a try?”
She didn’t know why he was being so nice to her. A warm shower. His übercomfy robe. A cup of hot coffee. More food than she could ever eat. And now a sympathetic ear. His kindness choked her up and had her blinking repeatedly.
“Hey, it can’t be that bad.” Lucas squeezed her forearm.
The heat of his touch seeped through the robe, igniting a pulse of awareness. The sensation zinged up her arm and short-circuited her already frazzled mind. Then just as quickly as he’d reached out to her, he pulled back. It was as though he realized he’d crossed some sort of invisible line.
She sniffled. “Actually my life is a nightmare right now.”
“The visit to the hospital—was it because you’re sick?”
“I wish that was the case.”
His brows lifted and his eyes grew round. “You want to be sick?”
The horrified expression on his face made her laugh. She couldn’t help it. Maybe this was the beginning of some sort of nervous breakdown, but the look Lucas shot her across the table tickled her funny bone. He probably thought she’d lost control of her senses. But she was perfectly sane and this was deadly serious.
Her laughter was immediately doused by the thought of her daughter. “I don’t want to be sick. But if someone must be ill, it should be me. Not my four-year-old daughter.”
Lucas sat back in his chair as though her words had knocked him over. “What’s the matter with her?”
“Molly needs an operation. That’s why we came to New York. No one else was willing to take the risk. But before anything can be done, I have to come up with the money to pay for the surgery.”
Lucas’s brows scrunched together as though he were processing all of this information. “Excuse me for asking, but don’t you have insurance?”
“It doesn’t cover experimental procedures. And every cent I have won’t make a dent in what I owe.”
His blue eyes warmed with sympathy. He nodded as though he understood. That or he ran out of kind words to say. Either way, she’d already said too much.
“I’m sorry. This isn’t your problem. I only stopped back to get my things.”
“Where will you go?”
“I...I don’t know. I hadn’t gotten that far yet. But I’ll figure out something. I always do.”
She got to her feet a little too quickly. The room started to spin. She grabbed the back of the chair and squeezed her eyes shut, willing the sickening sensation to pass.
The sound of rapid footsteps had her opening
