Chapter 1

Jarrod Barkley was having a good day. The case he was currently working on was going well and he was sure he would have it wrapped up by the end of the week. The lawyer's mood was so good in fact that he decided to walk from the court house to his office located in downtown San Francisco instead of taking a hired carriage. He had some work to finish up there and then he would go home and spend the evening relaxing.

As he walked he noticed how nice the weather was. The sky was a beautiful shade of blue, the temperature was just right. The birds were singing a happy tune and Jarrod smiled to himself. He loved Spring. It was in the Spring that a young man's thoughts would normally turn to love. At that thought, Jarrod's mood soured just a bit. He had recently broken things off with Amanda Altman. She came from a prominent San Francisco family and the two had been seeing each other for almost a year. Amanda was a beautiful woman. She had auburn hair and beautiful brown eyes that one could easily get lost in. In fact, it was her eyes that Jarrod first found so attractive. But after a while, Jarrod tired of Amanda's shallowness. Her world consisted of parties and dances. He always had a nice time with her whenever they would go out, whether it was to the theater or the opera. But his conversations with her were not very challenging and he soon was bored with her accounts of who was seeing whom and what the latest fashions were.

So he had broken things off as gently as he could. At first her face had registered disbelief and then shock. Then her face sported the sultry look that caused every nerve in his body to come alive.

"You'll be back, Jarrod. You can't resist me and you know it," she said moving closer to him. Her full lips met his and he found his resolve weakening. But then his mind reminded him of their conversation at dinner and he knew he couldn't stand any more talk of dresses and parties. He gently removed her hands from around his neck and bid her good-bye. He didn't look back as he walked away, knowing in his mind things were over.

As Jarrod neared his office, he put Amanda Altman from his mind. He in no way regretted his decision to end things and was not going to allow her to ruin his good mood. Jarrod was just about to enter his office when he heard a noise coming from around the corner. It sounded like someone crying. A child maybe. He decided he should investigate. As he rounded the corner, he saw his secretary, Katelyn Mahoney standing precariously on some crates that had been stacked up beside the building. A little girl, no older than 8 stood near her, sobbing.

What on earth are you doing, Katelyn? his mind asked. He came to stand just below her and was about to ask his question aloud when he heard a cat meowing. Katelyn was talking to the cat and just as she grabbed the feline, she lost her balance and fell back. Jarrod reacted without thought and caught her as she fell. She looked at him in surprise, blinking to make sure she was really seeing him.

The cat in Katelyn's hands decided he had had enough and tried to get out of her hold. Katelyn cried out as the cat's claws dug into her arm. The little girl who had been watching the entire incident, ran after her cat, not bothering to thank Katelyn for freeing her pet from his prison.

Katelyn cleared her throat and Jarrod, who had watched the little girl run off, realized he was still holding his secretary. He gently set her on the ground, but kept one arm around her waist.

"Are you alright?" he asked.

"Just fine. That little girl's cat got stuck in one of those crates. I was coming back from lunch when I heard her crying."

"So you decided to come to the rescue?" he asked, his blue eyes showing his amusement.

"Well, I tried," Katelyn said, looking away. She had worked for Jarrod Barkley for about six months. That she thought him handsome was an understatement. She thought he was perhaps the most gorgeous man she had ever met.

Jarrod looked at her arm and noticed blood on her sleeve.

"You're hurt. Let's go inside and clean this up," he said, escorting her into the office.

"Oh, no. I'll take care of it," she protested. But Jarrod sat her in a chair in his inner office and got a small hand towel and some water. He gently cleansed the scratches. They didn't appear too deep, but he wanted to make sure it was cleansed properly. There was no telling where the cat had been and the scratches could become infected.

He took some bandages that he kept in his office and wrapped Katelyn's arm. When he looked up, he found her watching him. He had always thought Katelyn was an attractive woman. Her hair was a medium brown and she always wore it up in a becoming style. She stared back at him and he couldn't help but notice again how blue her eyes were. Jarrod had always made it a point to not get involved with anyone working for him. Even though in the past some very attractive women had worked for him, he wouldn't allow himself to have romantic thoughts. He was finding it to be different with Katelyn. When she first began working for him, he was involved with Amanda so there was no danger. But now that he wasn't involved...

Jarrod cleared his throat and stood.

"I think that will do it."

Katelyn smiled and gave him her thanks before leaving the office. She closed the door quietly and sat at her desk. It was a few minutes before she could concentrate on her work. Her mind kept going back to the way he had nursed her injured arm. She closed her eyes and knew the rest of the day was going to be a long one.

A few months later, Katelyn sat beside the still form of her mother. She had received a telegram several days before informing her that her mother had become gravely ill and she needed to come to Denver as soon as possible. Katelyn informed her employer of the telegram and he told her to take as much time as she needed.

Katelyn had fallen asleep early that morning in the chair next to her mother's bedside and woke feeling disoriented and stiff. She stretched, trying to work out the kinks in her neck and looked over to see her mother watching her.

"You're awake!" she said happily.

Her mother smiled weakly. "I woke several hours ago. But I asked them not to disturb you. They said you've been here for five days straight."

Katelyn placed a kiss on her mother's brow. It was just the two of them now. Her father had died several years ago and Katelyn had been their only child. The two were close, but Katelyn had felt the need to exercise her independence so when she saw an ad for a Ladies College in San Francisco that offered secretarial skills, Katelyn jumped at the chance to go. Her mother was sad to see her leave, but was glad that Katelyn had found something to make her happy. She certainly didn't seem in any hurry to marry! That was what Carol Mahoney wanted most for her daughter. She wanted her to marry someone and give her a whole passel of grandchildren.

A nurse walked in and said, "Oh good, you're both awake. Your mother seems to be coming out of this."

Katelyn wondered if they would ever know what "this" was. It had been horrible when she first arrived, not knowing if her mother would make it or not.

"By the way, congratulations on your marriage," the nurse said off handedly.

Katelyn stared at the nurse, not understanding what she meant.

"My marriage?" she asked.

"I heard you tell the doctor that you just got married. Did I hear wrong?" the nurse asked.

When did I tell the doctor that? Katelyn wondered. Katelyn thought back on her conversation with the doctor. He had said that her mother needed something worth fighting for so that she would want to live. Katelyn had told him that the only thing she could think of that would make her mom happy would be to tell her she had just gotten married.

Before she could correct the nurse, her mother spoke. "Oh, darling! How wonderful! Is it that nice lawyer you've been working for? The one you've written about?"

Katelyn's protest died in her throat as she noticed her mother's color looking better and her bright shining eyes.

"I know you've only mentioned him a few times, but I could tell there was something there. How wonderful!" she repeated.

"What was his name, Jarrod Baker?"

Katelyn shifted uncomfortably. "Barkley. Jarrod Barkley."

"Katelyn Barkley. My, that has a nice ring to it."

Katelyn agreed, though she was trying to figure out how in the space of five minutes she had become married to her employer. The doctor came into the room and Katelyn was given a few minutes to collect her thoughts.

Katelyn's mother looked so rejuvenated at the news of her "marriage" that Katelyn didn't have the heart to tell her the truth. Well, no matter. She would figure out later how to let her mom know. She wanted to concentrate on her mother's recovery.

"Whatever you've done to help your mother, Miss Mahoney, keep it up!," the doctor said and left the room.

Keep it up? Katelyn thought. She smiled weakly at her beaming mother.

Well, I guess I'm married for now, Katelyn thought ruefully. Now I have to think of a way to become unmarried before this gets out of hand.