“Sorry.”
“That’s okay. You didn’t know. And me and Jack are very happy just the two of us, aren’t we?” Nina looked down at the young boy beside her. He had his mother’s light blue eyes, but his short floppy hair was a chocolate-brown color. He was wearing a superhero T–shirt and scuffed jeans.
“Yeah,” Jack agreed. He looked up at Theo. “Do you have a kid?”
Theo blinked, then shook his head. “I don’t.”
“Oh. That’s too bad.” Jack tugged on his mother’s hand. “There aren’t any kids to play with here. Can we go to the park now?”
Nina chuckled and looked up at Theo, shrugging. “I’d better go. It was nice chatting with you.”
But Theo shook his head. “Um, what about ice cream before the park?”
Nina’s brow furrowed. “I—” she began, but Jack was already bouncing in his little sneakers.
“Yes! Ice cream! Ice cream!”
“Well, sure.” Nina smiled at her son, though she still looked uncertain. “I suppose ice cream would be nice.”
“My treat. I know a great place right here.” Theo led the way to the ice-cream shop on the ground floor of his office building. He’d never been inside, but it boasted twenty-five different flavors and thirty different toppings, which seemed like it would appeal to a young boy.
Jack’s question had given Theo an idea. A wild, inexplicable — probably terrible — idea, but an idea all the same. That was why he’d suggested the ice cream. He needed to figure out a way to discuss his plan with Nina without sending her running for the hills.
She was a single mother. She had a cute son just the right age. Maybe Theo reallycouldrent a family, like he’d imagined, though not quite in the way he’d thought. If he couldsomehowconvince Nina and Jack to believably pose as his wife and son, just for a little while, he could prove to Charles Ackley that he did share the man’s values and finally land that meeting.
It was outlandish, but Theo had tried everything else. This was the only way he could see to move forward. Now, all he had to do was somehow convince Nina that this was a good idea, which probably wasn’t going to be easy.
Theo glanced at the mother and son. Jack had his nose almost against the glass ice-cream case while Nina helped him pick out two flavors for his kiddy cup.
“Would you like something, too?” he asked, opening his wallet to pay.
Nina shook her head. “Thank you, but no. You’ve already been very kind.”
“Shall we sit?” He gestured to a round table with three chairs by the window.
“Sure.” Nina followed his lead, taking a seat opposite him while Jack meandered over to look out the window while he ate his ice cream. “Stay close,” Nina told him. Jack nodded, but he seemed very distracted by the ice cream and the view outside. Then Ninaleaned forward, brow furrowed. “Do you, um, really like kids or something?”
Theo chuckled before quickly swallowing his mirth. “Something like that. Jack’s a sweet kid.”
“Oh, he is.” Nina’s expression brightened. “He’s great.”
“How old is he now?”
“Five.”
Perfect.Jack was just the right age to enroll in Holyoke Academy, the swanky private school where all of Boston’s wealthiest sent their kids. The more Theo heard, the more he knew his plan would work. He could finally break into the inner circle without having to actually start a family.
“That’s a good age,” he said, though he didn’t really know one way or the other.
“It is.” Nina beamed. “He’s old enough to actually help a little and still young enough to want to. Plus, he has such a great imagination. He loves superheroes and villains and epic battles between good and evil. And he’s really bright.”
“I bet,” Theo agreed. “How about you?”
“How about me?” Nina looked at him, her eyes sparkling with humor as she pondered the question. “What do you mean? I’d like to think I’m quite bright, but…” she trailed off jokingly, and Theo chuckled.
“I believe it. But I meant more, how do you make things work as a single mother?”
“Well, I work a freelance job in phone sales.” Nina shrugged. “It isn’t glamorous or fun, but it pays the bills. Mostly.”
