Nick's Baby

by Hestand, Rita

  "I always carry my knife. But I wouldn't call this a weapon, merely a token of my grandfather's love. Now, go back to your tower, Ms. O'Sullivan, where you belong."

  For the second time Nick was calling her a snob and she didn't like it. Her mouth firmed, her frown widened and she glared at him. "You know you have a very nasty habit of putting people in their places, don't you? And they say the rich are snobs. Perhaps you should take a good long look at yourself."

  He grinned. She grimaced.

  "Look, all I want to do is talk. Give me a chance."

  She glanced at his half eaten sandwich with open desire.

  "Want some?" He offered.

  She grabbed the sandwich, breaking it in half and handing the other half back to him. He watched her as though he couldn't believe she would take the sandwich.

  Then he did the unthinkable, he ignored her. Not used to being ignored she bristled. Well, two could play at that game. Finishing the sandwich, she crossed her arms and waited. Why couldn't he see that she wanted to help him achieve his goal while attaining her own? They could have a beautiful child together. It wasn't a fantasy, it was fact. What was wrong with that?

  "So, why are you following me? I've told you, I'm not interested. That should be plain enough. You had a whole room full of applicants. So what gives, why me?"

  She bit her lower lip. "I can't answer that." Honesty seemed best at the moment. She paused, trying to find the words.

  "Yes I can. I sympathize with you and your neighbors over the zoning law. It's unfair, in some ways. Progress often is. Look Nick, I trust you. I don't trust easily. You've been honest with me, so far. I like you. I like your attitude."

  It was the truth. Still there was more to it than that and she knew it. Smart enough to know they came from different worlds, and a relationship would never work, she couldn't just blurt out this unbelievable attraction she had for him.

  "Yeah, and you like giving to charity?" He shot her a thunderous look. "No thanks lady, I'm not a charity."

  "You're deliberately putting words in my mouth. I never suggested you were. If you weren't so pigheaded you might realize you've got exactly the qualities I want in the father of my baby."

  "Just go to the damn sperm bank? Can't they pick the best sperm or something? A genius or something? I've got problems of my own. I don't need any more."

  Now the men were looking from her to him and back.

  Kelsey pulled her gaze from Nick to their audience. She smiled, determined to make them all realize she wasn't shaken.

  "But then I'd never know anything about the father of my baby. Why do you think I'm taking such pains with this in the first place? Do you think I'm approaching this frivolously? I've got to know something about him. Like him. He's got to be a person I respect. And I respect you Nick. Don't you see? He has to be special in some way."

  "And you think I'm—special?" Nick's head jerked up, a hint of a smile played at his lips again. "You know nothing about me. Why a poor schnook like me? Why not a rich guy with a pedigree? Besides, you gotta admit an Irish, Italian would be murder."

  Exasperated, she felt like throttling him. "Yes, I do think you're a special kind of person. Pedigrees are not what I'm looking for. It's a quality, a spirit, a certain kind of character. And you're right, I don't know you. But I know what I like. I can help you. What you want is attainable. Taking care of your family is a noble gesture, and I'd like to be a part of it. That zoning law is putting families on the street. Decent families who have nowhere to go. Innocent children without a home. Won't you listen, for your families' sake?"

  The money she kept promising should make him come around. Somehow, she had to convince him it was his one and only chance. Ten minutes passed and she was still talking. He was definitely a hard sell.

  "We can help each other Nick," she persisted.

  He finished his sandwich, and stood up, and she did the same. He towered over her by several inches, although she wore heels. She lifted her chin to meet his gaze evenly. Something smoldered in those dark Italian eyes, fusing her to the spot. She could almost feel the heat between them.

  "Beat it. Okay? I can't say it any plainer. I do need money. You've got me on that one. But I won't sell my kid down the river, to do it."

  "There's a call for you, Leonetti. I thought I told you no personal calls." Hatch bit down on his cigar once more and drooled onto his less than white shirt.

  Nick stomped into the small office, grabbed the receiver off the wall phone, and gave a quick demeaning glance over his shoulder at Kelsey. She hadn't budged, and the men were crowding around her. She refused to let it rumple her. She wasn't leaving.

  Minutes later he stormed out of the office, and approached his boss.

  "Look Hatch, I've gotta go."

  "Go? Hell, you just got here, Leonetti. What do you think this is a bridge party? Get your butt to work or you're fired!" Hatch yelled taking one last chew on the cigar.

  "You don't understand, and I don't have time to explain. It's my little brother, Tony. He got in some kind of trouble at school. I've gotta go."

  "Oh Nick, I'm so sor—" Kelsey began only to be cut off by the big man.

  "Too bad." His boss exclaimed.

  "What kind of boss are you?" Kelsey demanded.

  Nick shot her an incredulous glance. Then he stormed up the embankment. Kelsey stood rooted for a second, amazed by Nick's decisive choice of his family over his job. Never had she seen a man do such a thing. A man of his word, he did put his family first. God, she liked him even more now, if that were possible.

  She took off after him. "Nick, wait, you're going too fast. I can't keep up."

  Nick shot her a glance over his shoulder.

  "Wait, please wait. My cars just up the hill. I'll drive you."

  "Great," he muttered. "Get in it, and go home."

  He didn't have to be so bossy. She was doing her best to be nice, offering assistance even. Why couldn't he just accept help?

  Kelsey had no reason to care about Nick's little brother, but the look in Nick's eyes when he stormed out of the office told her this could be serious. She had to go with him, if for no other reason than to reassure herself that all was well.

  She shouldn't care, but she did. It made no sense.

  "I insist," she rasped, catching up to him at last. "Besides, it's much faster."

  He turned to stare at her, and their eyes met. Kelsey was drowning in those dark orbs that stared like a savage beast at his prey. A new tension sprang between them like a live current. His frown began to fade, of all times for a man to attract her. He did. Right here in the basement of the city sewer department. The thought scared her witless. Men had always been such a mystery to her. Unsure of herself. All her life she'd only managed to screw-up where men were concerned. Yet, Nick had some kind of draw on her, making her bolder, more daring. He pulled at her heartstrings.

  He stopped abruptly, stared at her through her thick set of glasses.

  "You just don't give up, do you?" his voice went husky. "Don't you ever take those damned glasses off?"

  "Occasionally." The breath froze in her chest, her heart pounded like a drum. For a moment time seemed to stop. "And no. It's not in my nature to give up." She paused, trying not to drown in those big brown eyes. "Besides, I'd like to help, if I can."

  Nick moved away from her. But her hand touched his and he took it, pulling her up with him.

  Within minutes, they were strapped into a fire-red Lamborghini. "She's a beaut." He ran his hand along the soft leather interior.

  "You like her?"

  "What's not to like? This is the closest I've been to one of these babies, or ever will be. It's a privilege to sit here. Must have set you back a fortune."

  "Not really, it was a birthday present." She realized as soon as she said it how hollow it sounded. Most of her friends drove equally nice cars. She had never thought anything of it. He probably already had his mind made up that she was just some little airhead princess.
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  Nick's expression hardened.

  "It's just a car, Nick."

  "Hardly just a car!"

  They rode in silence till Nick suddenly shouted, "Pull up there. Thanks."

  As they pulled to the curb by his apartment building, he jumped out. He didn't say goodbye, he didn't even look back.

  ~~~

  Nick flew up the stairs, taking them two at a time, his worry only tempered by the woman behind him. Kelsey followed, panting all the way. He heard her gasp, heard her curse under her breath, and turned at the top of the stairs to see what her problem could be.

  She had stopped, and bent over to remove her shoes and now carried them in one hand. He didn't have time to look at feet! But dammit he was looking.

  Whirling back, he threw open the door and stalked in. He slowed, calming himself, and cast a curious glance over his shoulder at Kelsey who had momentarily slowed down too. He watched her take in the surroundings. A frown puckered her forehead. His control snapped, grabbing her up short, he held her a moment. They seemed to stop breathing.

  He hadn't expected or wanted to desire her in the middle of a family crisis. Hell, he hadn't expected to want her period. Silently scolding himself he declared vehemently, "Look, you don't belong here. You're really out of place. Don't expect much. It's no mansion, but it's clean. Nothing here bites either, okay?"

  "I never—"She cleared her throat and backed up.

  It wasn't until she retreated, that he realized how badly he must smell, but she was doing a great job of not noticing. A great job of not noticing a lot of things. After all, she was caviar, he was hot dogs. But damn, caviar sure smelled good!

  Whipping about he stomped through the apartment, like a storm erupting into a tornado. His mind should be on Tony. But the truth was he had lost it back on the stairwell... What was wrong with him, bringing a woman like her here?

  "Mama, where are you? What's going on? Where's Tony?"

  Mama came running out of the bedroom, her hands raised in frustration. Sweat peppered her brow, her dark eyes full of worry.

  "He's in here, Nicky. How many times have we told him not to fight?" Her voice shook.

  Nick stormed into the small bedroom. Just the look in his mother's eyes convinced him he was right to come home. He hated to see that look. But she worried endlessly.

  "Tony, what the he—". Nick saw Tony laying on the bed, but no blood like he expected. There were no huge lumps on Tony's face or body, only one obnoxious black eye, staring back at Nick. Nick let out his breath in one long rush.

  Slowly, Nick sank to his knees, covering his face with his hands. "When's she gonna learn?" He moved his head back and forth. He shook for a moment. Lord, when would Mama stop pulling him off jobs for something as trivial as a black eye? The way Mama had described it, Tony had been beaten.

  Nick fought his temper, then looked up at his brother and smiled crookedly. Running a hand through Tony's thick black hair, he asked, "First shiner, huh, Tony?"

  "Pretty cool, huh?" Tony seemed amused by all the fuss.

  "Yeah, really cool." Nick sighed aloud getting to his feet. His shoulders hunched tensely and his face felt frozen into a permanent frown. He quickly decided it would do no good to yell at Mama. It would only hurt her.

  Going to the kitchen, he passed Kelsey again and realized how quickly he had squashed the strange sense of desire within him. But the look of concern on her face lit another flame inside him, and he had to turn away to keep from grabbing her to him. Something about this woman made him feel things he hadn't felt in years. Her compassion threw him, confused, needled him. He hadn't expected her to care one way or another. Why should she? But one look into those unfathomable blue eyes and he knew she did care. She was almost as bad as Mama.

  He rinsed a cloth in cool water and took it to Tony. "Here kid, try this."

  Mama stood by the doorway, her hand on her chest, her eyes filled with worry. "I wasn't going to call you Nicky."

  Nick's eyes rolled before he turned around, but he said nothing.

  "I promise, I wasn't. But his teacher said he'd been fighting at school. They expelled him and the others for three days. He has to go to the counselor's office before he can return."

  Nick glanced at his brother's guilty face. "That true? You were fighting?"

  Tony hung his head, shame erasing his smile. "Yeah, I guess so. I'm sorry, Nick. I know what you said, but you don't know how they talk about us. Some kid popped off about you takin' Tina everywhere and I lit into him."

  Nick's mouth firmed and he nodded. "Look, Tony, how often have I told you, you can't change what people think? Someone's always gonna laugh at you, me, or Tina, or someone else for that matter. Is it so important what they think? You have to learn to ignore it. Rise above it. Deal with it now. It's just talk, kid. Crazy talk. I told you, they're stupid. You are a Leonetti and don't you ever forget it. Be proud of what you are, of who you are."

  Tony nodded. "I know, Nick. I know. But it's hard. The kids are always teasing me. Calling me a baby. Sometimes it just gets to me. Everybody knows I don't do gangs or dope, they think I'm a complete Nerd. Sometimes it just gets to me and I have to do something."

  Nick smiled.

  "Sure it does. And if you let it, it always will, kid. I understand, I was young once, too. But if you don't deal with it now, you never will, Tony. I'm doing what's safe for you and Tina, whether you like it or not. Someday you'll understand it." Nick reached his hand to Tony's head and ruffled his hair, this time with more patience. "Growin' up is always hard. Not much in life is easy, kid. Maybe this time you learned your lesson. Fightin' ain't the answer. I've told you that before. Now maybe you'll believe me. You only fight when you have to, Tony. Remember what I've taught you. You can handle yourself."

  Tony placed the cool cloth to his eye and jerked it away quickly, then looked past Nick's shoulder. "Who's she?"

  Nick glanced at Kelsey and got a quick glimpse of a shyness he hadn't expected. He swallowed. It had seemed natural for her to come along, almost as if she belonged. But who was he kidding? Goody-Two-Shoes would never belong in 'Hell's Kitchen'.

  "Oh." He glanced around to see his mother staring at Kelsey as well. "I'm sorry. This is Kelsey O'Sullivan. She gave me a lift home."

  Mama went to Kelsey, taking her small hand in hers and smiling. "How do you do? I'm sorry you had to see us at our worst. This doesn't happen all the time. Kelsey, that's a pretty name, Irish isn't it? She's lovely Nicky, and Irish women make good wives. Good Catholic wives. What beautiful children you could make. But I'm sorry if my saying it embarrasses you. I simply speak my mind, without thinking."

  Nick wiped his face with one hand, and stood, looking sheepishly at both women. "Kelsey, my mother, Rosa and my brother, Tony."

  Kelsey smiled warmly. "Please to meet you."

  Mama pulled her into the other room. "Please, come into the living room and sit down, won't you? Can I offer you some tea?"

  "No thank you, Mrs. Leonetti. Really. I just came along with Nick when I heard there was trouble."

  "She don't want no tea, Mama," Nick gritted.

  "Doesn't?" Kelsey corrected, and then reddened.

  All heads turned to her at once, "What?"

  "I'm sorry, and please don't bother. Could you just walk me to my car, Nick?"

  "Why of course he can," Mama insisted. "Can't you Nicky? Please come again."

  "Yes, thank you, if I'm welcome," Kelsey managed to get out before Nick nudged her through the front door.

  "Of course you're welcome," Mama said frowning at her son.

  "I'll just see her to her car."

  "Man, is that her car?" Tony's voice squeaked from the window.

  "That's it. We better get you down before someone decides to strip it clean."

  Without forethought Nick took Kelsey by the arm and guided her toward the narrow stairway. It was a mistake! The contact brought immediate awareness. The shock of her ran through him like a buzz-saw. He wasn't used to wome
n affecting him like this, not in a long time, at least.

  The stairs creaked like old wood rotten from a bad storm. The building smelled musty Nick mused, while she smelled like a delicate flower. He watched as she held close to the railing, her soft white hands clutching.

  "Your mother and Tony are wonderful, Nick." She glanced back at him and caught him staring. He riveted his gaze to the doorway ahead.

  God, how was he going to resist her now? Had she turned her pert little nose to the air and had nothing nice to say, he might have a chance in hell of not liking Kelsey O'Sullivan. The fastest way to Nick's heart was through his family. Most women found his mother too smothering, but not Goody-Two-Shoes.

  Mrs. Giovanni stuck her head out her front door and spotted Nick, shaking her head and frowning. "Is Tony all right? I saw your mama bringing him home."

  "He's fine, Mrs. Giovanni. Thanks for askin'."

  Mrs. Giovanni nodded, "Well you give him what for."

  She turned and shut the door quickly as she glanced curiously at Kelsey.

  Kelsey looked at Nick with big, wide eyes when the old woman went inside and closed her door. "Her face, it's all black and blue. What happened?"

  "Yeah, her old man beats on her."

  "That's disgusting. Why does she put up with it? Why doesn't she leave him?"

  Nick glared at her as though she had grown two heads. "Here, you marry, you stay married, for better or worse, and usually, it's worse."

  "Is that why you've never married?"

  "Maybe." His eyes met hers momentarily till good sense prevailed. God, Kelsey O'Sullivan was growing on him. And if he didn't get rid of her fast he might do something really stupid.

  "You have a nice family Nick."

  Great. That's all he needed, her liking them. Still, the fact that she did, impressed him.

  He liked her. Dammit! He didn't want to like her, didn't want to want her, either. Despite everything, he liked just being near her. She was barefoot and charming.