“So, you’ll simply pine away for a man you can’t ever have and never try and find anyone else.”
Heather was getting worked up but she didn’t know how much Callie needed to keep her promise to Jack. She had never been sure her parents loved her. They were gone too much to show her, and when they were home they had spent most of the time discussing what she was doing in school and how she should start going with them.
Jack loved Jonathan. She could see it in everything he said and did. She didn’t ever want her son to think his father didn’t care. Someday she’d have to explain the situation but for right now he was too young to understand. But he wasn’t too young to feel his father’s love.
“I promised Jack. I need to keep that promise. Getting involved with anyone else would be dangerous. I’d have to tell them the truth and trust them not to say anything. I’m not ready to take that risk.”
“I know, honey, but sometimes love is all about risk.” She leaned back and smiled. “But let’s talk about why you didn’t even grab the hunk you had here and kiss him. Just for old times’ sake.”
Heat rushed to Callie’s cheeks and she cursed her fair skin. Heather saw it and her eyes lit up.
“You did do something. You can’t lie to me, Callie. We’ve been friends too long. So, holding hands, a hug, a kiss, what? Give, girl?”
“He held me for a few minutes after the Victor incident. I was totally freaked out and he could see my hands shaking.”
Heather sighed. “Was it nice?”
Moisture filled Callie’s eyes. She couldn’t do more than nod. Taking a deep breath, she continued. “Before he left, when Jonathan was napping, he held me again and kissed me.”
“Did you want him to?”
“Yeah.” She closed her eyes, remembering the sensation of Jack’s lips on hers, his hands caressing her skin. “He gave me plenty of time to pull away, but I didn’t. I knew I should but I couldn’t. It was always that way with Jack. He makes me forget all common sense.”
“It’s called love, honey.”
Heather’s voice was strange and Callie looked up to see her friend’s eyes watery as well. They were definitely getting maudlin if Heather was on the verge of tears.
The ring of her cell phone interrupted any other conversation. Jonathan was at preschool and she rushed to grab it in case he was having a problem. When she looked at the screen, the number had her eyes going wide.
“Who is it?” Heather rushed to her friend’s side.
“It’s Jack.”
* * * *
Callie exited the bus and looked around self-consciously. Jack had called and said he needed her help. No, he wasn’t in immediate danger but he had some information he wanted her to look at. It had been too delicate to send any of it online. Reluctant at first, she’d conceded when he said it could help put Victor away for good. Heather’s little rant about taking chances hadn’t hurt.
Leaving her car at the Park and Ride in Danbury, she’d taken a bus into the city. New York driving wasn’t her favorite thing to do. It was one of the reasons Angelo had insisted his chauffeur take her back and forth to work when she’d gotten her first job. If only he’d known.
They’d arranged to meet at the Columbia Circle entrance to Central Park. The place was always crowded and hopefully they could get lost in all the people. Zipping her gray sweatshirt up higher, she shivered, thinking maybe she should have worn a heavier jacket. It was the beginning of October and fall was well underway. She shoved her hands in the pockets and turned to find Jack standing right in front of her.
“Come on, Callie,” he said, taking her elbow and leading her away from the entrance. “Let’s find someplace a bit more private.” Live music attracted a crowd and Jack led her away from it.
They walked for a few minutes until they were shaded by some trees and surrounded by flowering shrubbery. A small bench sat in front of the bushes and Jack led her to it.
“Thanks for coming to meet me. I appreciate it. Where’s Jonathan right now?”
“Heather’s picking him up from preschool. You didn’t want me to bring him, did you?”
Pain crossed Jack’s handsome features but he shook his head. “No. Not that I don’t want to see him. But this isn’t the place for him right now.”
“What do you need from me? Is something wrong? You sounded a bit tense on the phone.”
His Adam’s apple bobbed up and down as he dug inside his denim jacket and pulled out some folded papers. Opening them up, he put them in her lap.
“I contacted Steve Bishop, my old partner, and asked him for the information they have on Victor. This is some of what he gave me. I wanted you to look at it and see if you recognize any of the people in these pictures.”
She flipped through the papers, checking out the pictures. At some she nodded. “Yes, I’ve seen a few of them at Victor’s house. He never introduced me to any of them, but these two,”—she pointed to two distinguished men in black suits—“they drove up one time as we were leaving. Victor didn’t seem real happy about it though. He shuffled us off quickly, like he didn’t want these guys to see us.”
