She sagged as he left, giving herself a minute to pull herself together. Jack was talking to Jonathan, who was now squealing with happiness at seeing his father.
“Dahdee. Dahdee. You home.”
Her heart squeezed tight at her son’s words. This wasn’t Jack’s home and it couldn’t be. Not as long as Victor Cabrini roamed free. Taking a deep breath, she managed to get her buttons done up. She grabbed a brush from her dresser, ran it through the tangled mess on her head, zipped up her pants and went to join her son.It was a momentary lapse but you can’t do it again. Her heart couldn’t take any more pain and getting a taste of Jack Holland, then losing him again, caused far too much of it.
The boys were in the bathroom when she came out, Jack showing Jonathan how to pee standing up. Apparently this was something a dad usually did. One more reason Jonathan needed a father in his life. The thought tore at her heart, knowing it might never happen.
“Hi, sweetheart,” she called out, once they were done and washing their hands. “Did you have a good nap?”
“Mama, Dahdee here.”
She smiled, though her heart was breaking. Her son loved his father and needed him but couldn’t have him. Would he someday resent that Jack hadn’t been around much? Would the love turn to apathy then hate? If that happened, it would kill her. It would kill Jack.
“I see, honey. Maybe he can stay for dinner. You two could play while I make it.”
She gazed at Jack for his answer. His eyes lingered on their son.
“You kind of boxed me in there, Calico. Can’t refuse now. I’d think after what happened, you’d be in a hurry to get rid of me.”
What happened? In the bedroom? Her mind roamed further back recalling the afternoon of running away from gun-toting killers. How had she forgotten that? She swallowed hard, the fear that had coursed through her body at the time still running through her.
“Well, you shouldn’t be taking a long ride on a motorcycle with your wound. I know you say it’s just a scratch but it looks like it might still be bleeding a little.”
Jack looked down at the bandage and shrugged. Trying to stay macho for the Man’s Club again. Jonathan looked up and his face grew concerned.
“Dahdee, you dot a boo boo?”
“Just a little one,” he assured his son. “But Mommy fixed it up. She’s good at that. I bet she fixes your boo boos sometimes too.”
“Why don’t I go down and see what I can come up with for dinner,” she offered. Jack scooped his shirt off the floor then took Jonathan’s hand to follow her as she went down the stairs. Heather and Scott were walking in the back door.
“Your car’s in the driveway, Callie,” Scott said, his eyes flickering to his cousin. “You all right? Heather said you’d been…um, hurt.”
Jack finished buttoning his shirt and shook his head. “A scratch. I’m fine. Thanks for picking up her car.”
“You had Callie meet you in Central Park for a reason,” Heather said, as she assisted Callie in pulling out vegetables for chopping. “Was she able to help you with anything?”
“She gave me a few answers I didn’t have before. It’ll give me a place to start looking for more information. What I want to know is how they knew I’d be there.”
Scott and Jack began to discuss some construction business, to change the subject in front of Jonathan maybe. Callie threw Heather a pleading look. “Can you stay for dinner, Heather? And you too, Scott?”
They both nodded. Heather would do anything for her and Scott loved spending time with Jonathan and Jack. She was relieved she wouldn’t have to be alone with Jack and their son. After what had happened up in the bedroom, she didn’t trust herself with him.
* * * *
“Mr. Cabrini will be with you in a minute, Miss Lansing.”
“Thank you, Oscar. Jonathan and I will stretch our legs. Too long in the car and he gets a little grumpy.” Callie smiled at Victor’s butler as the man nodded and moved away.
They were here for dinner. Not that she wanted to come. She never wanted to come. Victor’s mansion was beautiful but too much of a reminder of what he did for a living. Today was Angelo’s birthday, though, and she could hardly refuse an old man the remembrance of his son. Not if she didn’t want him questioning her loyalty to Angelo.
They wandered through the massive rooms downstairs, Callie trying to keep Jonathan quiet as they roamed. Victor had always allowed them free rein. Wouldn’t he be surprised by how much she knew about him.
Spotting Victor in one of the formal rooms in a deep discussion with his assistant, Tony Pascucci, and another well-dressed man, she steered Jonathan in another direction. Victor loved his grandson but also expected him to behave like a child much older than two. The doorbell sounded and Oscar hurried to answer. Callie stayed back in the massive hallway but peered closer to see who it was and hear what they were saying.
“These are the pictures from Belloque. Mr. Cabrini wanted to see them right away.”
Oscar bowed his head and replied, “Mr. Cabrini is in an important meeting at the moment. I’ll make sure he gets them. Thank you.”
