Secrets of Paternity (6 page)

“Are you sure he won't find anything that would link Paul to the gambling? Something Kevin might go off on his own about, thinking he was taking care of business?”

She frowned. “No, I'm not sure. But I will emphasize to him that he needs to share whatever he finds.”

“Even though
we
won't be?”

“I know it's not fair, but his safety is more important.”

“I agree. But I also think we can tell him the truth and still keep him safe.”

“Maybe. We'll talk about it.” She put out her hand. “Thank you.”

He clasped her hand with both of his. “My pleasure.”

“You took my deceit better than I would've expected.”

“I understand your motivation.” He liked the feel of her hand in his, the delicate bones and not-too-soft skin. Her nails, he'd noted before, were short and clean, unpolished.

Neither of them let go. She met his gaze.

“You can trust me, Caryn.”

“I do. You can trust me, as well.”

“I know that.”

She seemed about to say something else, then pulled her hand free. “We'll be in touch?”

“Yeah.”

“Okay. Bye.”

He didn't watch her walk down the stairs, thinking it might make her uncomfortable. Instead he shut the door and went to the living room window, staying far enough back that she couldn't see him. When she got to her car she looked up and stared at the house for several long seconds. Something hot and vital detonated inside him. Dangerous. She was dangerous. No one had upset his equilibrium as she had, not with a look, a small touch…and a huge connection, he added, acknowledging the most important issue—Kevin.

James should keep his distance from Caryn, deal mostly with Kevin, if he could, and build that relationship without his mother being a part of the day-to-day contact. It would be too strange for them to take this relationship to a place of impossibility. How could they have more than the sharing of a child?

They couldn't. James wanted marriage
and
children. How could that include Caryn? And what about Kevin?

Overnight, James's life had changed irrevocably. There was no vague wife-and-children dream now, but a reality far different. Real people. Real dilemmas. The potential for hurt.

He would make no quick decisions.

T
he next morning at the GGC, the breakfast crowd had dwindled to a few lingerers. In an hour the lunch patrons would start trickling in. Caryn came up beside Venus in the dining room and said quietly, “Table six is wondering where their juice is.”

“Oh, shoot. Mind like a sieve,” she said, rolling her eyes, grinning, then strolling toward the juice station.

Caryn bit off a sigh. Even after a month of training, Venus made beginner mistakes. Problem was, the mostly male customers couldn't care less. She would rectify the situation, bat her long-lashed hazel eyes, apologize sweetly and walk away, her hips swaying hypnotically, guaranteeing herself a full tip, if not higher than average—helped along perhaps, by the low-cut blouse that showed off the assets Kevin usually focused on when she was around. She packed a punch, Venus Johnson.

But it was impossible to dislike or resent her. Genuine, sweet, and sincerely intent on learning her job, she was unfortunately also without the skill to do it well. Yet no one on staff breathed a word about her being let go for incompetence, not even the manager, Rafael, who groused about everyone's work, even when they were doing a good job.

Caryn wondered if Venus would go through life forever having allowances made for her. At least she followed the rules of no fraternizing with the club members. Too bad those rules didn't apply to children of employees, Caryn thought. She was afraid Kevin would get his heart broken if Venus didn't stop being so attentive to him. He'd been in college for two months without showing an interest in a particular girl, even though he'd never had trouble finding dates. She'd fielded calls from giggling girls since he was in fifth grade.

“Mom.”

Startled, Caryn turned around to find Kevin behind her. She looked around for the manager. “What are you doing here? You know I can't have visitors.”

“Chill. Rafael said it was okay.”

“You're kidding.”

“Nope. He said you could take fifteen minutes.” Kevin wasn't looking at her as he spoke but at Venus, who spotted him from across the dining room and waved. She headed to the beverage station, smiling, her blond curls bouncing.

Caryn noted the faint flush on Kevin's cheeks as Venus gave him a quick hug. Since Caryn was dealing with an infatuation of her own, she sympathized with Kevin as he struggled to find words.

“Did you come to see me?” Venus asked.

“No, well, I, um, came for…”

“Me,” Caryn said. “And I've only got fifteen minutes. Can you watch table eleven for me, please? I think they're good for a little while, but if they want their check, let me know. We'll be in the break room.”

“Sure. I was hoping I could stop by after work,” Venus said, a hopeful lilt to her voice. “Maybe I'll see you then, Kevin?”

“I'm not sure. Got some stuff goin' on.”

Kevin usually changed plans to be around whenever he knew Venus planned to stop by. Maybe his interest in her was waning? A silver lining to this investigation?

“Let's go,” she said to her son, guiding him away. They reached the break room, a meager space not designed for comfort but for grabbing a quick bite to eat, putting your dog-tired feet up for a couple of minutes then returning to the floor refreshed, if such a thing were possible. “What's up?” she asked as they sat on the vinyl sofa. “Why aren't you in class?”

Kevin frowned. “It's Wednesday.”

Oh. Right. He didn't go to school until 2:00 p.m. on Wednesday. Considering he'd been up most of the night going through the boxes of Paul's paperwork, she would've expected him to still be sleeping.

“Mr.…
He
called,” he said.

Caryn didn't know whether the twinge in her midsection came from thoughts of James and how he'd touched her a couple of times yesterday—or if she was jealous that James had contacted Kevin and not her.

“What'd he say?”

“He wants me to meet his mother today.”

“Today?”

“Fast, huh? Mom, what do I say to her?”

“I think you can count on James to guide the conversation. He will have told his mother everything in advance, I'm sure, not just drop in on her with you as a surprise.”

“I know, but it's…weird. This whole thing is weird.”

Tell me about it.
Caryn wasn't sure how she felt about Kevin meeting the woman. What if their extraordinary relationship withered after they'd taken the investigation into Paul's death as far as they could? Was it fair to any of them to foster a connection with a grandparent, a loose term in this instance, when they didn't know how everything would turn out?

On the other hand, Caryn understood the woman's loneliness and depression after her husband's death. If Caryn hadn't had Kevin, she might have stayed in bed many, many days.

“James is doing us a favor,” she said to her son. “It seemed really important to him. You, of all people, understand how hard her life must've been this past year.”

“I know, Mom. I do. But, like, what do I say?”

“You make small talk. You answer questions. You ask her some questions, too. No one expects you to like each other instantly. It's going to seem awkward to her, too.”

“Would you come? Please?”

She wanted to say yes, especially since he asked, and she was, in fact, a little miffed that James hadn't asked her. But the fact was she hadn't been invited, period. “If he'd wanted me there, he would've asked me. When are you meeting him?”

“At noon. At least, I can't stay long, with class at two o'clock.” He shoved himself up, frustration evident in every taut muscle. “What if she asks me about Dad? I
mean, her son is— You know. God, Mom. I can't even tell anyone about this.”

“I know the feeling.” She went to stand beside him and rubbed his back. “I'm sure it'll get easier with time.”

“You and Dad couldn't just have adopted like a normal couple?” He grinned finally, silently acknowledging that he knew he wouldn't have been there without James's contribution.

She smiled. “I'll try to call you on your cell before your two o'clock class starts.”

“Okay. I feel like I'm going up in front of a firing squad.”

“I think I've got a bandanna somewhere if you want a blindfold.”

He smiled.

She hugged him. “I'm proud of you, Kevin. Dad would be proud of you.”

“Thanks.”

“Sorry.” Venus had opened the door. “Didn't mean to intrude. But your table is ready for their check.”

“I'll be right there,” Caryn said.

“If you give me the book I'll take care of it.”

“No, it's all right.”

With a curious look between Kevin and Caryn, Venus backed out of the room.

“Are you going to let her go home with you?” Kevin asked.

“I think so. It'll help me pass the time until you get out of school.” And she could count on him coming straight home, knowing that Venus would be there.

She cut her break short and carried the bill wallet to table eleven. The next time she looked at her watch it was noon. A new chapter in Kevin's life was just beginning.

 

James had arrived at his mother's house at eleven-thirty, recited the history of Paul and Caryn and Kevin, then went outside to await Kevin's arrival. His mother had reacted pretty much as he'd expected—with reserved curiosity. Now all he could do was hope that Kevin didn't make things difficult. On the phone earlier Kevin had obviously wished himself to the moon instead of meeting James's mother.

It didn't matter to James if Kevin acknowledged him as a father, but he hoped in time his mother would be acknowledged as grandmother. She needed something to look forward to.

“Hey.”

James turned, surprised. “Where'd you park?” he asked Kevin, who had his hands stuck in his pockets, a pose James was beginning to think he would always associate with him.

“Up the street. I like to get the lay of the land first.”

“You'd make a good P.I.—or a cop.”

“Yeah?”

Shoot. Caryn would kill him for making such a remark. She'd be about as pleased as his own mother when he announced his plan to become a bounty hunter. “Figure of speech,” James said.

Kevin's mouth lifted in a half smile. “I won't tell Mom you said so.”

“Thanks.” He resisted the urge to put an arm around the boy's shoulders. “Ready to meet my mom?”

“Guess so.”

James recognized Kevin's apprehension. “Just be yourself.” They started up the stairs. “How's your mom?”

“Good. I stopped by and saw her at work. Told her I was coming here.”

James had debated whether to invite her, but decided against it. Too many people might complicate a situation that should be as simple and nonthreatening as possible. But he also had no doubt his mother would pick up on the attraction between him and Caryn. No doubt at all. His mom would've made a good P.I. herself.

“Was she okay with it?” James asked.

“Guess so. She's pretty cool.”

“But unpredictable, you said.”

“Yeah. But that's what makes her cool. Sometimes.”

“He's here,” James called out after they'd stepped through the front door.

“She's baking cookies,” Kevin said after sniffing the air. “Chocolate chip.”

“Yeah?” After a second James nodded. He wondered how she could've made the dough so quickly. They wouldn't be from a store-bought cookie dough, that much he knew. She was the from-scratch queen. “Good nose.”

She rounded the corner, wearing a bright pink apron over her purple jogging suit. Her ash-blond hair might have come from a bottle but the short style wasn't too matronly for her sixty-three years, nor too youthful. She wore classic but trendy clothes that suited her petite frame.

“You look just like Jamey did at—” She put both hands to her mouth. Her eyes took on some sheen. “Kevin,” she said. “I'm so glad to meet you. I'm Emmaline.”

A long moment of silence passed, then he grinned. “You made cookies.”

“Come in the kitchen. They'll be done in two minutes.”

James started to follow.

“We'll be all right without you,” Emmaline said over her shoulder. “You can get back to work.”

Dismissed by his own mother, who would undoubtedly get to know all kinds of things about Kevin that he didn't know yet, maybe would never know. He refused to admit he was jealous. Kevin had smiled at his mother, a full, all-out grin, not holding back anything, not the nervous smile he'd given James a couple of times.

He hadn't expected this to be easy. Walls of resistance were hard to break down, after all. He knew he had to earn Kevin's respect and friendship, yet James's mother—

No. It was exactly what he wanted for her. Why shouldn't one part of this situation be easy? His mother and Kevin deserved that much.

James climbed into his car, pulled out his cell phone and dialed.

“Cassie Miranda.”

“Hey, it's Jamey. Had lunch yet?”

“No, why?”

“Want to meet me at the GGC?”

Cassie whistled low. “You joined that fancy place?”

“No. But I have connections. I did a job for the board president a while back. I think he'll arrange admittance for me. I hear they do a killer filet mignon.” He could almost hear her drooling.

“You buying?”

“I invited, didn't I? Can you leave now?”

“Sure. See you in fifteen.”

James's next call was to the board president. So it was a bit of a subterfuge, taking Cassie along as if she were his lunch date, but he needed to tell Caryn about Kevin and his mom.

He should keep some distance between him and Caryn. He wanted to settle down, have children, and that wasn't going to happen with Caryn—it would be too bizarre—so he should try to keep things simple between them, especially since they would be linked forever because of Kevin. James just wanted to prevent awkwardness in the future.

Or so he tried to convince himself, as he drove to see her anyway.