Love Inspired February 2014 - Bundle 1 of 2: The Cowboy's Reunited Family\The Forest Ranger's Return\Mommy Wanted (52 page)

Which meant one thing. He couldn't let himself love Kate.

Chapter Fourteen

“I
forgot my backpack, Daddy.”

“Okay,” Mitch said, turning to unlock the door and then waiting while Dee darted inside. Emmie, taking her time to get fully awake this morning, laid her head on his shoulder while they waited on Dee.

“Got it!” Dee said, grinning as she ran toward the door.

Mitch was running behind getting them to the day care, and he wondered if that was God's way of telling him that he shouldn't try to be the only daddy at Muffins with Mom. They could go in late, after the morning breakfast, and maybe they'd forget that today was the special day.

Then again, this was Dee, who never forgot any type of special occasion. And she proved that with her next question.

“Is Aunt Hannah going to want a blueberry muffin or a strawberry one?” she asked, jumping off the last step and then skipping toward their car.

“Aunt Hannah had to go to the doctor this morning, so she can't come after all,” Mitch said, wishing he'd have explained the change of events before now.

“Is GiGi going?” she asked. Apparently she knew the typical requirement for this event was a mommy, or at least a female. Maybe they should stay home.

“GiGi is having to take care of Autumn, because she's sick.”

“Sick?” Emmie asked.

“Yes, she's sick,” Mitch said, but Dee had stopped a few feet shy of the car.

“Who's gonna eat muffins with us? Last time Aunt Hannah did.”

Mitch hadn't thought she'd have remembered the activity from last May, since she'd been only two and a half, but she did. “I know, but this time, Daddy wants to go.”

“Daddies don't go,” Dee said. “It's mommies and grandmommies.”

At least she added the grandmother part. Perhaps some of the working moms sent a grandmother to fill their spot. That would eliminate his little girls from being the only ones without a mommy present. But that didn't fix the fact that they'd probably be the only ones there with no female whatsoever. He thought about taking them to the diner instead. “Why don't we do something different today and go to Mr. Tolleson's place for breakfast?”

Dee planted her feet. “You said we could have muffins with everybody at school.”

“Okay,” he said, opening the car door and hoping—praying—that she'd climb in. “Let's go, and we will.”

“Not you. It's not the daddy day. It's the mommy day. But we don't have a mommy so we need Aunt Hannah or GiGi.”

He felt as if she'd kicked him.
We don't have a mommy.
And he didn't know how to fix this morning's problem.

“Kay-Kay!” Emmie chanted, reaching over his shoulder.

Mitch turned to see Kate exiting the B and B and looking their way.

“Miss Kate! She could go with us!” Dee said, and before Mitch could stop her, she yelled, “Hey! Miss Kate! Can you go to school with us?”

Kate's head tilted in question. She crossed the street with her long emerald-green dress drawing attention to her petite figure as she moved.

Mitch's heart thudded in his chest. She had no idea how beautiful she was, smiling at his children.

“Can you have muffins with us?” Dee asked. “Pleeeeease?”

“Muffins?” Kate asked, looking from Dee to Mitch.

“Today is Muffins with—” he started, then didn't know whether he should phrase the morning event differently, but Dee plowed ahead.

“It's Muffins with Mom day,” she said, “but our mommy is in heaven, so we bring someone else, but Daddy shouldn't come, 'cause he's a boy and it's for girls. The daddy one is another day.”

Kate looked from Dee to Mitch and then back to Dee. “Well, I'm not sure...” She glanced back to Mitch, and he saw more than a question of whether she could go to the breakfast with his girls. He saw the question of whether he trusted her with Dee and Emmie, and he saw more—the question of whether she would be a good mommy if she ever got the chance.

“Please?” Dee repeated, reaching for Kate's hand. “Please, Miss Kate?”

“Kay-Kay?” Emmie said, following her big sister's lead.

Mitch knew he couldn't deny her this, or deny his girls. “It'd mean a lot to them, and to me, if you'd go have muffins at the school this morning. You can come to the office after the breakfast ends.”

Kate's smile burst forth, lighting up her face. “I'd love that, Mitch. Thank you so much.”

“Yay! Miss Kate's going!” Dee cheered, letting go of Kate's hand and hurrying toward the car. “Come on, Daddy. We don't want to be late!”

He smiled and worked hard to keep that lock intact on his heart. This was to help Kate and his girls. It didn't mean he was somehow putting Kate into the female role in Dee's and Emmie's lives for good—or in his, for that matter.

* * *

Kate parked her car and entered the day care with Mitch, Dee and Emmie, still shocked that he was allowing her to spend the morning with the girls this way. This was what a real mother would do, and she was elated. It also said that he trusted her with his girls again. Another reason for elation.

Maybe this was a sign of things to come. Maybe Chad would give her another chance, too.

Please, God.

“Come on, Miss Kate, and I'll show you where my class is,” Dee said, taking her hand as soon as she exited the car and pulling her toward the yellow building. Other moms were walking in with their children, all of them smiling and some chatting about the muffins.

Kate couldn't wait.

Mitch opened the door for them and then told the lady in the office that Kate would be sharing breakfast with the girls. Then he helped get Kate signed in before walking with her to put Emmie's diaper bag in her classroom.

“Daddy, almost everybody is already down there,” Dee said, peering down the hall toward the small lunch area. “We gotta go.”

“Okay,” Mitch said, grinning. “I get the hint.” Then he stepped toward Kate and held Emmie out for her to take. “Here you go. Emmie, try not to be too messy with those muffins.” His hands and forearms rubbed against Kate's as they transferred his little lady, and Kate easily remembered his arm around her last night. However, she'd noticed that at some point in their conversation he'd gradually pulled away.

That was okay. She knew this would take time, earning Mitch's trust again, maybe even earning the chance at him “falling for her,” as he'd said the other day, again. She could be patient. He was worth the wait.

And today they were making progress. He was letting her take the girls to Muffins with Mom. No, she wasn't their mom, but even the semblance of being in that position gave Kate chills. She could be a good mommy. She
would
be a good mommy...if Chad would let her.

“'Bye, Daddy. Love you!” Dee said, continuing down the hall.

“Wuv you,” Emmie said.

Mitch smiled. “Love y'all, too.” Then to Kate, he said, “I'll see you at the office.”

She nodded. “I'll be there. And, Mitch?”

He stopped walking. “Yeah?”

“Thanks.”

He nodded, turned and continued out the door.

“Come on,” Dee said, ushering her down the hall and toward the room filled with tiny tables, smiling women, chattering children, lots of sippy cups and an abundance of muffins.

Kate figured if she could paint her own picture of heaven, this might be it. Well, if she could add a daddy to her picture. And if he happened to be Mitch.

But she'd take this one step at a time.

“Hey, would you like to sit with us?” one young mother called, and Kate nodded, then sat with a new friend, laughed with Dee and Emmie and felt as though her world might actually start becoming okay.

By the time they finished breakfast and Kate took Dee and Emmie to their respective classrooms, she couldn't stop smiling. This was one of the best days of her life, and it wasn't even nine o'clock yet.

Then, as she started to leave the building, a lady with auburn hair pulled into a high ponytail stopped her in the hall. “You're Kate, right?”

Kate was certain she hadn't met this lady before, but maybe she'd spoken with her on the phone. Or talked to her at church. She was trying to learn all of the names and faces at the church. “Yes. Have we met?”

“No,” the lady said. “But I have heard a lot about you, and I guess I wanted to say hello and that, well, I hope everything works out okay.”

Kate swallowed. “You've heard a lot about me?”

“Yes. I didn't realize you were coming to Muffins with Mom. Normally we have it the Friday before Mother's Day, but we had so many kids out that week with that horrible virus that we postponed it, and then after one classroom got over being sick, the next one would get it. I'm just glad we were able to have it in May,” she said with a grin. “In June we'll need to have Doughnuts with Dad, for Father's Day.” The woman pointed to the next classroom door. “My name is Angie. I help teach the four-year-olds' class here,” she said. “Dee will move into our class in the fall.”

“Okay,” Kate said, still not understanding why that meant the lady had heard a lot about her.

“My co-teacher is Jessica Martin.”

And then the other shoe fell. Kate bit her lower lip. She knew Jessica was with Chad now and they were still on vacation. Chad had said they weren't returning until tomorrow. But this lady had already heard a lot about Kate? Of course she had. Naturally Jessica would have talked about the woman her husband had been married to, the one who'd tried to abort their baby, cheated on him and then lied to him about Lainey being his. What wife wouldn't talk about an ex who was that evil?

Kate felt the muffins churning in her belly. “I've changed,” Kate said simply. “I have.”

“And I believe that people can,” Angie said. “But Jessica called me last night to see how things were going in the class while she's been away, and she also needed someone to talk to about learning that you were back and working with Mitch. We've grown very close teaching the class together.”

Kate nodded. “I'm not trying to hurt her,” she said. “I just want to have a place in Lainey's life, if they'll let me.”

“And that's the reason I wanted to talk to you. Jessica is scared that you're going to try to take Lainey away, and since Chad isn't her biological father, I'm guessing you would have some kind of a chance.”

“I don't want to do that. That isn't why I'm here, to take them to court. I wouldn't put them—or Lainey—through that. It wouldn't be right, because I gave her up. But I'm hoping that they will still find it in their hearts to give me another chance to at least know her.”

“And I want you to know that I'm praying that they do, and I told Jessica last night that I felt they should let you at least see her again.” She glanced over her shoulder and saw that they were the only two in the hall. “Most everyone here knows, because I don't try to hide it. I made the decision, after all. But I also gave up a child. My son. I put him up for adoption when I was sixteen because I wasn't ready to become a mother. And I have no idea where he is now. I've tried to find him, but I haven't had any success. I wouldn't want to ruin his life and his family situation, but I'd just like to see him. I think it'd give me peace of mind, you know. And I am hoping that you'll get that chance, too.” Her eyes were glistening, and she glanced up to the ceiling to apparently regain control. “Jessica and Chad are good people. And I know they'll make the best decision for their family and for Lainey specifically. But for your sake, I pray that they let you see your little girl.”

Her words were a balm to Kate's soul. This woman, whom she had just met, was praying for her to see Lainey. “Thank you, Angie.”

The sound of a toppled chair and a loud “Uh-oh!” echoed from the room nearby, and Angie grinned. “Duty calls. You have a blessed day, Kate.”

“I will,” Kate said, and she prayed she would.

* * *

Mitch recognized the older-model silver BMW as soon as it parked outside his office. But he'd thought he would have another day to prepare for his friend's arrival. The front door opened and the owner of the vehicle stepped inside.

“Chad. I thought you weren't coming back until tomorrow.”

He closed the door, glanced at Kate's empty desk and then moved to Mitch's guest chair and had a seat. “I wasn't,” he said. “But that's the thing about vacations...you want to enjoy yourself. Jess and I couldn't concentrate on anything but making sure Kate left town, and finally we decided the best thing to do would be to come back early and make certain she did before we ran into her with Lainey.” He shook his head. “I don't get it, Mitch. I mean, I understand how you hired her before you realized who she was, but you know now. Why keep her working for you?” He took another glance at the opposite desk. “Or did you let her go?”

“No, I didn't let her go,” he said, and didn't divulge that Kate was currently enjoying muffins with Dee and Emmie at the very day care that Lainey attended and Jessica taught. He sure hoped Jess didn't go into work this morning. “Where's Jessica?”

“Home with Nathan and Lainey. And she plans to stay there until I make sure Kate's gone for good.”

“I honestly think you should hear her out, Chad. She's gone through a lot in the past three years, and she says that she has changed.”

“She
says
she's changed. Do you know how many things she
said
to me when we were married that all turned out to be well-orchestrated lies? She's a master at it, Mitch, and you need to understand that.” Chad squinted at him while shaking his head. “Don't tell me you've fallen for her, too.”

When Mitch didn't respond, Chad said, “Don't, Mitch. She'll ruin you, and she'll hurt your girls. I can promise you that. Kate only cares about one thing, and that's Kate.”