Myles kissed her hair. “I don’t have a problem with that. It may be too much for him to take in right now.”
“What about your family, Myles?”
“What about them, baby?”
“Are we going to tell them that Adam is an Eaton?”
Myles smiled down at the woman who’d sacrificed herself for her father. He didn’t want to think of what she would do for their son. “We’ll tell them after we legally change his name from Cooper to Eaton.”
“Will he have to undergo a paternity test?”
“I doubt it, Brina. Cooper’s dead so he can’t contest it. I’m marrying Adam’s mother, so it wouldn’t be out of the ordinary that I’d adopt her child. Adam’s actual paternity will remain an Eaton secret.”
Zabrina reached up and traced the outline of Myles’s expressive eyebrows with her forefinger. “When do you want to get married?”
“I’ll leave that up to you. The last time we planned a wedding together I thought I was going to lose my mind. For this one I’m going to opt out of the planning. Let me know the date, time and place and I’ll show up.”
She gave him a soft punch to the shoulder, encountering solid muscle. “We don’t have to rush and marry unless I find out I’m carrying another Eaton after that last stunt you pulled.”
Myles held up his pinky. “No more unprotected lovemaking.”
Zabrina looped her pinky with his. “No more unprotected lovemaking,” she repeated.
“I’d like to make a few renovations to the house.”
“What do you want?”
“I’d like to put in a home spa in the master bath. I also would like to redo the floors in the entry, kitchen and all of the bathrooms. Of course, the kitchen has to be remodeled and—”
“Whoa, hold up, baby girl. How much of the interior do you want to change?”
Zabrina wrinkled her nose. “I’ll have to go through each room with a decorator, and then I’ll make my decision. And don’t worry about the cost. I’ll pay for it.”
“No, Zabrina. I’ll pay for the renovations.”
“You will not, Myles Eaton. I made out quite well for the ten years I had to spend in captivity. When Thomas Cooper died, he left me very well off, and I would like nothing better than to spend the money decorating my new home where I’ll live with my husband and children.”
“Let’s make a deal, baby. You take care of what goes on inside the house and I’ll take care of what goes on outside.”
“Like riding lawnmowers and snowblowers?”
“There you go. I think you’re getting the hang of it.”
“How about the tree and playhouse?”
“That, too.”
“Hammocks?”
“Hot damn, baby girl. You’re a quick learner.”
“You forgot something, Myles.”
“What’s that?”
“The grill. Who’s going to do the grilling?”
Shifting on the bed, Myles straddled Zabrina, his face inches from hers. He couldn’t believe they’d spent ten years apart, shared a child, when they could’ve been together as a family. If he hadn’t hung up on her, if he’d demanded they meet in person, he knew he could’ve convinced her to tell him the truth.
“You grill inside and Adam and I will grill outside, because it’s a man thing.”
“Are riding mowers and snowblowers man machines?”
“Hell, yeah,” he drawled. “Now, if you’re ready to take that shower I’ll show you that it’s big enough for two people. I’ll pick you up and if you loop your legs around my waist it’ll work.”
“You know right well what happens when I put my legs around your waist.”
“And—so?”
Zabrina gave her fiancé a long, penetrating stare, wondering what was going on behind his impassive gaze. “You want another baby, don’t you?”
He blinked. “Yes, I want a child, but I also want time to get to know my son.”
“How long do you want to wait after we’re married to begin trying?”
“No more than six months, Brina.”
“Okay, darling. You’ll have your six months, but if I get the baby blues, then it may be sooner.”
“What-eva,” he drawled, laughing softly.
* * *
Zabrina was sitting on the porch when her aunt’s hybrid car maneuvered into the driveway. She stood up, waiting for her son to get out, not wanting to react like overly excited mothers who rushed to their children coming home from camp or vacation. A smile softened her mouth when she saw him. His face was several shades darker, his curly hair was too long and he looked as if he’d grown at least half an inch. He saw her and bounded up the porch steps.
“Hey, Mom. I missed you.”
Zabrina hugged him, burying her face in his hair. He seemed so much more mature. Her son was growing up. Pulling back, she examined his face. There was no doubt he was her child, but she also saw traces of Myles that she hadn’t realized were there before. Adam had inherited her hair, her coloring and her eyes. But the expressive eyebrows and mouth were Myles’s.
“I’ve missed you, too, Adam. You look wonderful. There must be something in the water in Virginia, because you’ve really grown.”
The solid slam of the car door caught her attention. It wasn’t her aunt who had brought Adam home, but her cousin. “Hey, Tanya. I thought Aunt Holly was bringing Adam home.” Zabrina came off the porch and hugged her flight-attendant cousin, who changed her hairstyle every year. She’d cut her hair and styled it into twists. It was perfect for her small, round brown face.
“She had a migraine this morning, so I volunteered to bring him back.”
“Why didn’t you call me, Tanya? I would’ve driven down to get him.”
“No biggie, Zee. I’d love to hang out with you, but I must get back. I have an early flight tomorrow morning. Let me get his bags out of the trunk, then I’m on my way.”
“Don’t you want to stay a couple of minutes and have something to drink?”
“Thanks, but I have everything I need in the car. Mom washed all of Adam’s clothes, so he didn’t bring back any laundry.”
“Tell your mother to call when she feels better.”
“I will.” Tanya opened the trunk, removing a duffel and backpack. She kissed Zabrina and hugged Adam, then she was gone. It took her less than ten minutes before she was back on the road.
Zabrina stood with her arm around her son’s shoulders, waving until the hybrid’s taillights disappeared. “How does it feel to be home?”
Adam smiled. “Good. I finished a lot of drawings. Do you want to see them?”
“Of course I do, but I need to talk to you.”
Adam rolled his eyes. “Is it about going back to see Dr. Gordon?”
“No. Why?”
“I don’t want to go back to counseling, Mom. I hate having to talk about Grandpa and my father.”
“Are you sure, Adam?”
“I’m very sure, Mom.”
“Promise me you’ll let me know when you’re feeling sad again.”
“Aw, Mom!”
“Promise me, Adam.”
He closed his eyes, his narrow chest rising and falling under a T-shirt with an image of President Barack Obama. “Okay, I promise. What do you want to talk about?”
“We’ll talk inside.” Picking up the duffel and leaving Adam to take the backpack, Zabrina led the way into the house and locked the door.
* * *
Zabrina sat across the table from Adam in the kitchen’s breakfast nook, searching his face for a reaction to what she’d told him. She told him about Myles, how she’d fallen in love with him a long time ago, that they’d planned to marry before she married Thomas Cooper and that they’d foun
d each other again, and this time they would marry and become a family.
“When are you getting married, Mom?”
Her chin trembled noticeably. Her son’s voice was a monotone. It was obvious he wasn’t happy that she had a man in her life. “We haven’t set a date.”
“Why?”
“We’re buying a house.” She made certain to say we rather than I or Myles. Zabrina had to impress upon her son that they were to be a family unit.
“Where?”
“It’s near Pittsburgh.”
“Why do we have to move there? What’s wrong with Philadelphia?”
“There’s nothing wrong with Philadelphia. Myles works in Pittsburgh. He teaches at a law school.”
“He’s a lawyer?”
“Yes, Adam. He’s a lawyer.”
Adam chewed his lip. “When am I going to meet him?”
“When would you like to meet him?”
“Now.”
“Okay.”
Zabrina got up and went over to the wall phone. It took less than a minute to relay Adam’s request. She walked out of the house to wait on the porch. It was about to begin. It’d taken a decade for a father-and-son reunion.
* * *
Myles felt his heart stop then start up again when he saw his son for the first time. Adam looked like Zabrina, but there were subtle similarities that indicated the boy was his. The most startling resemblance was the hands. All of the Eaton men had the same hands. The first joint on the right pinky was a little crooked.
He held out his right hand. “Hello, Adam. I’m Myles.”
Adam stared at the proffered hand, then shook it. “Hello.”
Myles knew he had to take the initiative or they would continue to stare at each other. “There’s a hammock in the back where we can talk.” It was as close as he could get to his flesh and blood without making him feel uncomfortable.
Adam nodded. “Okay.”
Myles led his son around to the back of the house. He heard the soft gasp from Adam when he saw the hammock. He showed him the technique for getting in, then stood back to allow him to execute it. The young boy got in on the first try, Myles followed, lying at the opposite end.
They swung back and forth for a full five minutes before Adam asked, “Are you nice to my mom?”
The question was not one Myles would’ve predicted from the boy. “Yes, I am, Adam. I’m very, very nice to your mother.”
“Mr. Cooper wasn’t nice to her.”
“You called him Mr. Cooper?”
“That’s what he wanted me to call him because everyone called him that.”
Myles wished that Thomas Cooper were still alive so he could beat the hell out of him. “I’m nice to your mother because I love her. I’ve loved her for a very long time.”
“Mom told me that you’re going to get married.”
“That’s true, Adam.”
“Will that make me your son?”
Struggling not to break down in front of his son, Myles took a deep breath. “Yes. It will make you my son. And if you want, your mother and I can change your name so you will be Adam Eaton instead of Adam Cooper.”
Adam sat up. “Can you do that?”
“Yes, I can.”
“When?”
“After your mother and I marry.”
“Can you marry now?”
Myles also sat up. He’d thought Adam would resent him marrying his mother. “I guess we can. But I have to ask your mother if that’s what she wants.”
“She said she wants to marry you.”
“I know that, and I want to marry her.”
“But why can’t you do it now?”
Myles didn’t want to be manipulated by a ten-year-old even if he was his son. He gave him a level stare. “Your mother and I will talk about it. Okay?”
Adam nodded. “Okay.”
“What do you like to do?”
“Draw.”
“What do you draw?” Myles asked.
“Comics.”
“Do you want to show me your drawings?”
“My mom doesn’t like me to draw because she says she wants me to grow up to be a doctor or a lawyer.”
You can grow up to be anything you want to be. Myles knew he was in for a fight with Zabrina, but he wanted their son to choose his own path. His father had wanted him to become a doctor, and he’d chosen law. If Adam wanted to be an artist, then, as his father, he would try to make it happen.
“Go get your drawings, Adam.”
He waited in the hammock while the lanky kid with the mop of curly hair ran into the house. He returned with a sketch pad and a tin filled with colored pencils. Reaching over, Myles pulled Adam into the hammock and sat, stunned, as he stared at the colored images filling up the pages.
Adam was more than a good artist. He was exceptional. In fact, he was better than Myles had been at his age. “I used to draw, too.”
“You did?”
“Yes,” Myles said proudly. “But I never showed my work to anyone.”
Excitement fired the gold in Adam’s eyes. “What did you draw?”
“I liked drawing the Justice League of America.”
“I draw the JLA, too,” Adam said excitedly. The fictional DC Comics superhero team was a favorite of his. Turning the pad to a clean page, he handed Myles a pencil. “Who’s your favorite in the team?”
Supporting the pad on his knees, Myles began making light strokes on the blank sheet of paper. “I like Black Canary and Flash.”
Scooting over until he was seated next to Myles, Adam stared at the strokes taking shape. “I like Green Lantern, Batman and Captain Marvel. That’s so cool. You’re drawing Flash.”
“It may be cool, but your drawings are much better. What grade are you in?”
Adam leaned closer, resting his head on Myles’s shoulder to get a better view of the sketch. “I’m going into the seventh grade.”
Myles stopped sketching and gave him a sidelong glance. “Do you mean the sixth grade?”
“It’s the seventh. I went from the third grade to the fifth because fourth-grade work was too easy for me.”
Hot damn! Not only was his son talented, but he was gifted. Myles lost track of time as he and Adam sketched the characters of the JLA. The sun had shifted lower in the summer sky when Zabrina came out of the house.
“Look, Mom! Myles and I are drawing together.”
Moving closer to the hammock, she stared, stunned at the many characters on the sketch pad. She recognized Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman. “I didn’t know you could draw,” she said to Myles.
“That’s because I was a closet sketcher. Adam’s drawings are phenomenal.”
“I know he’s good.”
Leaning over, Adam smiled at his mother. “Can I take lessons, Mom? Please.”
“I’ll have to think about it.”
“What’s there to think about, Brina?” Myles asked. “The kid is exceptional.”
“Yeah, Mom. I’m exceptional. And Myles said he was going to take me to Pittsburgh tomorrow to see our new house. Do you want to come?”
Zabrina couldn’t believe how quickly father and son had bonded. “I don’t think so, darling. I have a few things I have to do around the house. You and Myles can go without me.”
She would give father and son their time alone to get to know each other better. After all, she’d had her son for ten years and now it was time for her to share him with his father. Myles had come into Adam’s life at the right time, because a boy approaching manhood needed a positive male role model in his life.
Adam was in bed when Myles and Zabrina crawled into the hammock together. They lay together without talking. It was a time when words weren’t
necessary.
It was Myles who broke the silence. “Adam asked why we couldn’t get married now.”
Zabrina’s body stiffened before relaxing. “Why?”
She listened as Myles repeated what their son had said about Thomas Cooper. Her eyes filled with tears and rolled down her face when she realized what she’d done to her son by staying married to Thomas. It was apparent the child had seen and heard things she’d sought to shield from him.
“What have I done to my baby, Myles? I thought I was protecting him—”
“Stop it, Brina. You can’t beat up on yourself for something over which you had no control. You did what you thought was best for yourself and your father.”
“But I almost ruined our son.”
“You didn’t ruin him. Living with someone like Cooper taught him how not to treat a woman. Our son needs a normal life with a mother and father who love him and one another. What do you say, baby girl? Do I make an honest woman out of you, or are you going to turn into a low-class ho?”
“I’ll low-class ho you, Myles Adam Eaton, when I make you go cold turkey.”
“If you do that then we can’t give Adam a brother or sister.”
The seconds ticked. “You’re right.”
“I can make it happen in a couple of days.”
“How?” Zabrina asked.
“We can apply for a license and I’ll ask Judge Stacey Greer-Monroe to marry us.”
“Where do you want to hold the ceremony?”
“I’ll ask Belinda and Griffin if we can use their place. If the weather holds, then we can have it outdoors.”
“When are we going to do this, Myles?”
“Next Saturday.”
Zabrina closed her eyes. She didn’t want to wait too long because she didn’t want anything to come up that would prevent her from becoming Mrs. Myles Eaton. “Call Belinda.”
Chapter 16
“Who wants more?” Zabrina lifted the corner of the French toast with the spatula, testing it for doneness before flipping it over on the stovetop grill.
“I do,” Myles answered.
“Me, too.” Adam garbled. His mouth was filled with food.
“Don’t talk with food in your mouth,” Myles and Zabrina said in unison.
Forever an Eaton: Bittersweet LoveSweet Deception Page 35
