"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.
Seven
"Table eight is asking about you," Venus said to Caryn at the beverage station.
Distracted, Caryn checked her watch. Twelve-thirty. How was Kevin doing? She wished it was closer to two o'clock and she could call him. "What?" she said to Venus, her words finally registering. "Someone … ? Who?"
"I don't know. I haven't seen him before. Dark hair, kind of muscle-bound."
Panic nipped at her. She looked for an escape route. They'd followed her. They wanted more money. Or maybe it was someone else. Maybe Paul had other debts …
She found her voice. "What'd you tell him?"
Venus frowned. "I said you were working a private party. Shouldn't I have?"
"No. I mean, yes, it's fine. I'll take a look."
She peeked around the corner. James sat with a very attractive woman. Relief struck first, then … disappointment? A tiny twinge of jealousy, too, perhaps? James and the woman were talking and smiling, obviously relaxed with each other. She wore an engagement ring with a diamond large enough for Caryn to see from thirty feet away. She was attractive, too, with a long, thick braid down her back and a body like Caryn used to have before she lost so much weight.
Then it struck her. He shouldn't be here. He should be with Kevin.
What was she supposed to do now? She couldn't exactly march up to him and ask where her son was, not in front of the woman or the other customers. Not to mention that Rafael was in a foul mood. She didn't dare do anything to put her job in jeopardy.
If this was James's way of getting even with her for not telling him who she was when they first met …
But he'd been attracted, too. He'd invited her to dinner before he knew who she was.
Men. Games. To heck with- What was she thinking? She was not jealous.
"Tell him I said hello," Caryn said to Venus. She flipped through her order pad, double-checked the drink orders against what she'd put on the tray, then tucked her pad into her pocket and lifted the tray, positioning it on her shoulder and distributing its weight. She could avoid him easily enough, could find the patience to contact Kevin first. Maybe he'd decided against meeting the woman. "Oh, and also tell him that I recommend the poached salmon."
"But the salmon is-" Venus stopped. Her eyes sparkled. "Is he an ex-boyfriend? You want to get even with him for something?"