I’m in the middle of my meeting. Couldn’t I come when I’m free? After all, I’m sure—”
“Five minutes, Amelia. I’ll come in and drag you out if you’re not waiting.”
“James!” Amelia squealed as he hung up the phone.
Damn females! They drove him crazy. First Caroline with her independence, then Amelia with her social life. And he didn’t know what to do about Chelsea.
He rushed out the door, hearing his secretary murmur, as he passed her, that the limo was waiting downstairs. Of course it was. The driver was a man and always did exactly what he was supposed to do. It was only females—three particular females—who gave James any difficulty.
When he reached the front door, he found both men who’d been in his office standing in front of the limo arguing.
“What’s going on?”
“I think I should come with you, James. After all, Caroline and I have been seeing quite a bit of each other, and I might be able to help,” Prescott Brownlee said at once.
“She was with me last night, at the opera ball,” Adrian Meadows inserted, stepping closer to his boss. “Since we were just together, she might remember me more. Besides, James, you may need some help with details.”
“Fine, both of you can come. I want her memory restored as soon as possible. I won’t tolerate anything less. She’s been acting strange lately. It’s time for things to get back to normal around here. You hear me?”
Both men nodded and stood at attention as he got into the limo, neither daring to suggest that some things might be beyond James Adkins’s control. They weren’t sure anything was. Then they quickly scrambled after him, each one trying to enter first.
As the limo pulled out into traffic, James clenched his hands into fists. “If either one of you had convinced Caroline to marry him, she’d be home having a baby, like Chelsea, instead of running around having accidents!”
Both men protested their innocence, each assuring James he’d done everything in his power to court Caroline.
“Last night she really enjoyed herself,” Adrian added, shooting a smug look at Prescott. “We danced all evening.”
“Did you ask her?”
All three men knew what James was referring to. Adrian met neither of the others’ gazes. “No. Uh, the time didn’t seem right. But I’m sure she’ll accept when I do.”
Prescott snorted in derision, a knowing look in his eyes. James ignored both of them. “She’ll make up her mind soon. I’ve sensed a readiness to settle down. We’ll get her memory back, and then she’ll marry one of you.”
Neither of them argued with him. But then they never did.
“COME ON, MAX, give us a break. You’ve driven the entire crew like they were dogs the past few weeks. And they’ve done a good job. Let’s give them tomorrow off, let’m have a four-day weekend for Labor Day.”
Max Daniels pinched the bridge of his nose and closed his eyes briefly. His foreman, Jim Swensen, hadn’t lied. He’d been a bear to work for, and he knew it. “Okay. That’s a good idea, Jim. Give’m Friday off.”
Jim slapped him on his shoulder. “Great. The guys’ll be glad to hear it.” He paused and Max tensed for what would come next.
“You still don’t want to talk about what’s buggin’ you?”
He offered a brief smile to compensate for his negative answer. “No. But thanks for the offer. I’ll see you on Tuesday.”
“All right, man, but if you need to talk—”
“I’ll know where to find you. Thanks, Jim.”
Max watched as his foreman, also his best friend, headed toward the group of workers putting away their tools.
Slamming the truck in reverse, he backed out of the makeshift driveway, wanting to get away before any of the men came over to thank him for the extra holiday.
He knew he didn’t deserve their thanks. He’d been impossible to work with for two months. No question. But he couldn’t explain to them that he’d fallen in love and been abandoned by the woman with no explanation, no goodbye. One minute, bliss, the next, hell. And he was afraid that he’d demanded company in his personal hell, from everyone around him.
Man, he had to get a grip on himself. He’d never thought a woman would send him into such a tailspin. He still didn’t understand why. She was beautiful, but he’d dated women more beautiful. She was intelligent, charming, but no more so than others. Her sense of humor delighted him, making him eager to share the events of his day with her, waiting to hear her warm chuckles. Her kisses—
A blaring horn reminded him the light had turned green and he stepped on the accelerator. Just as well. No sense following that line of thought.
He reached for the radio, seeking distraction. It was five after five and the national news had just ended.
“Now, in local news, Caroline Adkins, daughter of—”
Max almost drove off the road. Horns blared around him and the woman behind him sailed past, shaking an angry fist.
He pulled to a stop, reaching for the volume knob.
“…in an accident. A Memorial Hospital spokesman said she will be kept overnight for observation.”
Without considering the consequences, he swung the truck back on the road and did an illegal U-turn at the next intersection. In two minutes, he was pulling into the parking lot at Memorial Hospital.
Please, God, let her be all right.
And if she was, he was going to break her neck for running out on the best thing that had ever happened to him.
“DID CAROLINE ASK to see me?” Amelia asked as the limo pulled into the hospital parking lot.
James sighed with impatience. “I told you, Amelia, she’s lost her memory.”
“Yes, dear, but if she didn’t ask for me, I don’t see why I couldn’t have come after my meeting ended. Agnes told me I shouldn’t always do whatever you say, you know.”
James and his second daughter, Chelsea, groaned together. “That woman,” James said through gritted teeth, “never agrees with me.”
“Well, I know Caro didn’t ask to see me,” Chelsea said before her mother could respond. Her lips formed into a pout that seemed natural. “She never even calls me. You would think, now that she’s to be an aunt, that she would show some interest in my baby.”
“She told me last night how excited she was about your baby,” Adrian assured Chelsea hurriedly, as if hoping to stem her complaints.
“Really? Well, she should spend more time with me, then,” Chelsea said.
The limo pulled to a stop, and the chauffeur opened the door. All three men hurried
