Always for You:Jack(38)

After handing back the phone, Tino headed straight for the speed bag and  gave it a rapid-fire pounding that stopped Ricky in his tracks. "Wow,  he's fast."

"Yeah, he is." Jack kept jumping. "Although we're about the same height,  I carry a lot more muscle on my frame. Mikhail has several inches in  height on both of us, and he's somewhere in between us in weight and  strength. The bottom line is that Tino is the runt of our particular  litter. What he lacks in strength, he makes up for with speed and  overall sneakiness."

Tino didn't break his rhythm. "Screw you."

"Sorry, I forget how sensitive you are about your skinny arms and chicken legs."

It was fun watching his brother rise to the bait. Tino shot Jack a look  that would have melted steel. "I'm not the one who lifts weights just to  overcompensate for his … personal shortcomings."

By that point, Ricky had quit working out to watch the ongoing verbal  scrimmage. It was good to see him enjoying himself. "Go ahead and laugh,  Ricky. Did I mention that I've got a dirty SUV and a pickup that could  use a good washing?"

The kid just grinned. "Gee, I'd love to help you with that, but I  promised your mom I'd mow the backyard for her today. In fact, I'd  better get started on that."

"Fine. Be that way."

"I will."

Ricky started for the door. "Nice to meet you, Runt of the Litter."

He was gone before Tino could do much more than sputter, but then he  laughed. "Yeah, like I said, he's just like you. I think we should keep  him for the entertainment factor alone."

"Me, too, little brother. Me, too."

Which reminded him. "What did you learn from his contacts?"

Tino's expression turned grim. "Not much. He has your number, Mom's, Caitlyn's, and now mine."

"Well, shit."

"If I'd had more time, I would have checked his call log. I couldn't very well do that with him standing there."

"No, he wouldn't have taken that well. Thanks for trying, though."

Jack put the jump rope back on its hook and headed for the heavy bag.  "By the way, I was going to see if Ricky wanted to go to a ball game  with me and Caitlyn tomorrow. I thought Mom might like to come, too. If  you promise to behave yourself, you'd be welcome to tag along."

Tino's eyes lit up. "I promise, and I'd love to."

Jack issued one more warning. "I mean it, Tino. I don't know how things  are going to play out for me and Caitlyn long term, but she's important  to me. To Ricky, too."

He stopped punching the bag long enough to add one more thing. "When I  told the kid I was going to take Caitlyn out, he was okay with it as  long as I treated her right. If I screw things up, I have to answer to  him."

Instead of laughing, Tino's expression turned serious. "What are you  complaining about? A few weeks ago, you were all hangdog about leaving  the army and having to take on the last few jobs for Dad. Now, you've  found out that you don't hate the work, you've met a woman who is  apparently willing to put up with you, and a kid who obviously worships  the ground those huge feet of yours walk on."                       
       
           



       

If Jack didn't know better, he might have thought Tino actually sounded  jealous. It was time for a little honesty. "You're right. I'm enjoying  running the business more than I thought I would, and there's getting to  be enough work that I could really use at least another full-time  employee. But those other two things you mentioned-Caitlyn and Ricky-I'm  not sure if I can handle them at all."

His brother clapped him on the shoulder. "That's because they matter to  you. Yeah, your dad and grandfather both sucked big-time, but Marlene  and Joe taught us what family was all about. You'll do fine if you give  yourself a chance. Don't be afraid to let a little happy into your  life."

Jack snorted. "And when did you get so wise?"

His brother laughed. "I always have been. You're just now smart enough to recognize it."

Then Tino swaggered over to the steps and headed up to his room. Jack  looked around the gym and decided he wasn't in the mood to work out.  Maybe he'd track down his mom and Ricky to see if they were willing to  go to the game. He hoped they were, because he suspected that's the kind  of thing families did.





Chapter 17


"I hope you didn't mind me inviting my brother and mother to go with us today."

Caitlyn studied the trio walking just ahead of them as she and Jack  filed out of the stadium along with the rest of the fans. The baseball  game had been hard fought, but in the end the home team had emerged  victorious. Marlene seemed to be enjoying herself as she strolled along  beside her middle son, who was carrying on an animated conversation  about the game with Ricky. She couldn't hear what he was saying, but it  involved a lot of hand waving and laughter. It was good to see the  teenager relaxed and having a good time. Clearly he and Tino had taken a  real liking to each other.

"The more the merrier." She gave Jack's hand a quick squeeze. "By the  way, I thought it was pretty sneaky how you and Tino turned buying  souvenirs for Ricky into a contest. I know he's reluctant to let you  spend a lot of money on him, but he couldn't very well turn down a team  T-shirt, a baseball cap, and that giant foam finger when your personal  honor was on the line."

Jack laughed. "My credit card definitely took a hit, but it was worth  it. I normally hate losing out to my brothers, but I'm willing to make  an exception when it comes to Ricky. I hate to think what Tino forked  out to pay for that autographed ball and an official team jersey."

She made sure they were far enough behind the other three that she  wouldn't be overheard. "On that trip he and I made to the refreshment  stand for ice cream, Ricky admitted that this was the first time he'd  ever gotten to go to a professional baseball game. You and your family  have sure given him some special memories."

Jack glanced around at the thousands of people leaving the stadium. "A ball game is no big deal."

"It is to Ricky." Caitlyn realized Jack might be uncomfortable being  cast in the role of hero. "By sharing your mom and brother with him,  you've shown Ricky that he matters. We might not know much about his  background, but I'm guessing that might be another first for him, one  that could make all the difference in the direction his life takes from  now on."

"I'm hoping that it will also make it harder for him to walk away from  us. I can't stand the idea of him going back to living on the streets  again or, worse yet, back to whoever put him in the hospital in the  first place."

He started to say something else but stopped when Ricky dropped back to  walk next to her. "Tino says he's going to grill steaks for dinner  tonight. He wants to know if you'll still be hanging around when we eat  dinner."

Jack groaned. "God, kid, you've got the social skills of a Neanderthal."

Ricky looked offended. "What did I say?"

"Try asking Caitlyn politely if she'd like to join us for dinner."

"That's what I did."

Caitlyn did her best not to laugh as Jack not so patiently tried to  explain the finer points of etiquette to a fourteen-year-old boy. "No,  the way you put it made it sound as if she's worn out her welcome, and  you're hoping she'll be gone before Tino lights the coals."

Ricky's face flushed red. To give him credit, he immediately turned to  face her directly. "Whoa-that's not what I meant at all. We'd … I'd like  it if you could stay for dinner."

She maintained her hold on Jack's hand and looped her other arm through Ricky's. "I'd love to be your guest for dinner."                       
       
           



       

"Okay, then." He smirked. "Hear that, Jack? She'll be my guest for dinner, not yours."

Jack glared over her head at Ricky. "Like hell. The lady is with me."

It was time to put a stop to their squabbling before it got out of hand.  "All right, you two. Quit fighting over me like two dogs and an old  bone."

Tino must have overheard at least part of the conversation. "Caitlyn, if  those two jerks aren't treating you right, you're welcome to walk with  me."

Before she could answer, her current two escorts closed ranks to ward  off the perceived threat of the third male in their company. Rather than  put up with any more posturing, she released her hold on both Jack and  Ricky, did an end run around Tino, and fell into step with Marlene. The  older woman chuckled. "Boys will be boys."

They both gave the three guys a superior look before turning their backs  on them. Caitlyn was pretty sure she heard Jack laughing as she and  Marlene kept walking. "Are you sure you don't mind me staying for  dinner? I heard Tino say he only has a few days left before he has to  report back for duty. You might want some time alone with your family."