by Kari Lemor
* * * *
“Mama, daddy. Santa tum?”
Callie cracked open one eye and smiled at her son who literally danced on the floor next to the bed. It was too warm and comfortable to want to leave it though.
“Are you sure, sweetie? It’s still dark out. Maybe we should wait a bit.”
The pout on his face was enough to make her sit up. Jack leaned in behind her and reached for Jonathan.
“Come on up here, pal. Let’s snuggle for a bit before we go up. We need to make sure Santa has time to get everything under the tree.”
Jonathan rubbed his eyes and settled down between them. Damn, there went her warmth. Everything about Jack heated her up.
“Come on, Mommy, you snuggle in too,” Jack instructed. He linked his feet with hers and slid his hand across their son to rest on her hip. Closing his eyes, his breathing evened out. Had he fallen asleep again that quickly?
Squeezing her hip, he whispered, “A few extra minutes is all we might get, so don’t waste them.”
Exhaustion seeped through her but she didn’t want to stop looking at Jack. Especially with their son cuddled up close, sucking his thumb. Jonathan seemed content for now but soon he wouldn’t be. The whole Santa hype had been built up by his friends at preschool.
Last night they’d spent a few hours together wrapping Jonathan’s presents and it had made her soul weep. Doing things together for their son and being with each other, knowing it couldn’t stay that way. Later they’d spent hours touching and rediscovering and making sure they stored up enough memories to last for as long as they needed to.
Studying Jack, his face was more relaxed. Yes, he was somewhat asleep but when he’d first come, even in sleep, he’d had a haunted look about him. Having spent the last week here had taken away some of the tension around his eyes and eased the tightness in his face. The last few years had been hard on her, but it was nothing compared to what Jack had been going through. And she’d had Jonathan with her, keeping her sane, giving her a reason to live. Only bits and pieces of that had trickled through to him.
What could she do? She’d tried to help before and it had gotten her into this mess so she’d backed off and left it to the authorities. And they’d totally dropped the ball, leaving Jack hung out to dry. Maybe she could try again. Nothing big, but snooping around wouldn’t hurt. She’d managed to get a peek at the pictures in Victor’s office and get some numbers off his phone. There had to be more she could do while she had free rein of his house. Over the next few weeks, she’d give it some thought.
But not right now. For now she wanted to gaze at the man she loved. His dark hair flopped over his forehead, covering the thick eyebrows that could arch up and make her quiver with simply a look. She let her gaze wander down the strong column of his neck to his wide shoulders and the arms sprinkled with black hair. Those arms that made her feel safe and warm and cared for. Jack had never said the words to her but he’d shown her his feelings every second he’d been here this week. Should she let him know how she felt or would that bring more pain when they had to part again?
They got another half hour before Jonathan started asking about Santa. She insisted they all have a turn in the bathroom first and she grabbed a large sweatshirt to go over her tank top. Jack peeked into the room with the bunk beds and smiled.
“Scott’s still out cold. We’ll let him sleep through the initial present opening, huh?”
Scott had shown up last night in time for supper and Jack had relaxed even more. He was the only family Jack had left, besides Jonathan, and she was glad he’d been able to be here.
“Let’s see what Santa brought for you, pal.”
They traipsed quietly up the stairs and Jonathan’s eyes grew wide. The tree was still lit and dozens of gaily wrapped gifts huddled underneath it. He ran over but stopped and looked at his parents.
“What I do?”
“You open the ones that are yours, sweetie. Daddy and I can read them for you.”
She knelt down and picked up a present and handed it to him. He took no time in removing the wrapper and squealed at the block set inside.
“We pay it, daddy?”
“We can play with it later. You have some more presents and I think I’ll start a fire to warm this place up. Your mommy looks a little cold.”
The air was chilly but all it took was the desire in Jack’s eyes to start a fire burning inside her. Memories of the last week in his arms ignited flames she had to douse in front of her son.
Minutes later a fire roared in the hearth and Jonathan had opened the last of his presents. He bounced from one toy to another, not knowing which one he liked best. They watched their son, amused at his antics.
She made coffee as Jack disposed of the wrapping paper then they settled on the couch, his arm around her shoulder. Heather’s parents used to spend Christmas morning like this, sitting enjoying the children and each other’s company. She’d spent too many holiday mornings at their house. Would Jonathan even remember this day? He was so young.
“Jonathan, grab that gold present for me, huh?” Jack asked.
The child skipped over to the tree and brought the requested gift. He handed it to her and smiled. “This is a little gift from Jonathan and me.”
Their son had gone back to his toys but Jack kept his gaze on her as she pulled off the paper. It held a sturdy box and she held her breath as she opened it.
“Oh, Jack, it’s beautiful.” She held up the delicate gold chain with several charms hanging off it.
“I wanted something you could have to always remember us by. The cat is for you.”
He tapped his finger on the gold feline then moved it to the star. “And this is for Jonathan who will always be the star in your life.”
Adjusting the bracelet, she fingered the little golden heart dangling and shining brightly.
“That’s my heart, Calico. I want you to know no matter what happens, you’ll always have it. It’s yours forever.”
She blinked away the tears threatening to fall. Now was not the time to cry. Jack and Jonathan were with her and she should enjoy every second.
“Thank you, Jack. I love it.” She leaned in to kiss him and he cupped her face in his hands and worshiped her lips. There was no other term for it. He was gentle and caring and he made her feel as if there were no other woman in the world.
When he finished she eased back reluctantly. “We’ve got something for you too. Jonathan can you get the present for daddy?”
Jonathan stopped his play and picked up a parcel with hand drawn snowmen on it. He dropped it in Jack’s lap and whispered, “I do it, daddy.”
“You made this wrapping paper? Wow. It’s amazing. Let’s see what’s in here.”
He opened the gift carefully so he didn’t rip any of the drawings and pulled out a small frame. His eyes grew suspiciously damp.
“Did you do this too, pal?”
The trio of snowmen obviously made by a child decorated the blue page.
“That my foot,” the boy said, proudly then pointed to the puffy white clouds in the sky. “And my hand, right here.” He pointed to the side of his clenched fist.
“You made this all by yourself. It’s wonderful.”
Jonathan looked sheepish. “Mama help me.”
Jack leaned over and kissed her. “Thank you, Mama. I love it. I’ll make sure I keep this where I can see it all the time.”
“That me,” Jonathan pointed to the smallest of the snow people then went down the line. “That Mama and that you.”
She leaned closer, seeing Jack struggled with what to say. He blinked a few times then pulled Jonathan into his arms, holding him tight. It was something that had happened often this past week.
“I love you, pal.”
“Luh you, daddy.”
Sniffing, Jack held his son and kissed his
cheek.
A tear slipped down her cheek at the scene. The pain on Jack’s face was evident. He knew this wouldn’t last. He squeezed again and repeated, “Love you. So much.”
Her heart splintered knowing what would happen tomorrow. Guilt also sank in. She was glad Jack could tell his son how he felt but she admitted she was envious. She wished he would say it to her.
Chapter 19
“Did you want another brownie, Scott?” Heather asked as she cleaned up the plates from dinner.
“I’d love one, but I probably won’t fit through the door afterward. I’ve been fed too well the last two days.”
Scott patted his stomach and she rolled her eyes. It was too much fun teasing her. She wasn’t a bad cook considering she was raised in a house with a slew of staff ready to serve at her beck and call. Getting up, he cleared off the last few items on the table.
Heather peeked into the living room where Jack sat in front of the fire. Callie was downstairs getting Jonathan cleaned up and into his pajamas. “Why don’t you go spend some time with your cousin? I’ll finish up here.”
He threw her a questioning look but she shooed him away. Arguing with Heather was futile and he wanted to share some info with Jack privately anyway so he settled on the couch next to him.
“I got some news on your accident.”
Jack turned with wary eyes. “Yeah?”
“It had nothing to do with Cabrini. Apparently it was one of those guys you fired a while ago. They were pissed and wanted to get back at you.”
“How’d you find out?”
“Some video surveillance from a store around the corner. It didn’t catch the whole accident but it showed them leaving the scene right at the time you got hurt. When the police picked them up, they confessed and said they only wanted to scare you.”
Jack’s face hardened but he sighed. “Good to know Cabrini doesn’t know where I am. Guess I can go back there to work. If you’re good with that.”
He hated that Jack felt indebted to him. He’d been raised with the man and thought of him like a brother. They’d also served in the military together. He’d do anything to help him.
“Actually I closed the deal on that new project with the state colleges of Connecticut. It’s something that will take a good number of years to complete. You’ll be closer to Callie and Jonathan if you work on those projects.”
His cousin frowned. Damn, why wasn’t he happy about the news?
Jack must have read his face because he got rid of the scowl. “That’s great, Scott. And I hope it’s something I can do. But being around here isn’t as safe as the more distant locations. Cabrini knows too many people in the New England and northeast area.”
“Hmm. Maybe we need to have more people helping us get rid of him.”
“Who? You know I don’t trust many people.”
“The guys from the unit. I know you called Chris to help with some phone numbers.”
Jack’s eyes narrowed. “How’d you know that?”
“He told me. I keep in frequent touch with the guys. They all want to help. We didn’t have each other’s backs and live through the hell of Afghanistan to flake out now.”
“Not sure what they can do. Seems we run into a snag at every turn.”
“Chris is FBI and Keith is a Boston cop. They have access to information and know how to be discreet. Drew works for the DA’s office. It could be useful.”
“Sure, if he doesn’t ask someone who’s in Cabrini’s pocket. Then I might have to hitch a ride with Nick again and head out west for good.”
Everyone in the group, except Scott and Nick, had gone into law enforcement of some kind. He’d been the pilot for them and was content to take over his uncle’s business when he’d died of a heart attack. Nick had bought a big rig and explored the country. Scott couldn’t complain because his friend had come in handy when the construction business had needed all the equipment hauled to some new location. But he knew his friend had gone into trucking for the sole purpose of sticking it to his old man.
“Daddy, I ready a bed.”
Jonathan ran into the room with Callie close behind. Jack’s eyes zeroed in on the two and Scott swallowed the lump in his throat he always got when he saw them together. Yeah, he’d chat with the guys. See if there was any way to push a bit more without showing their hand to Cabrini. The little family couldn’t live like this indefinitely.
Jack scooped Jonathan into his lap and hugged him tight. What would he do when Callie and Jonathan had to leave tomorrow? He hated to even think about that.
The fire crackled as Jack and Jonathan sat near it building a tower from blocks. Callie settled next to them, watching. His phone vibrated in his pocket and he pulled it out. Speak of the devil, it was from Chris. He read the message and smiled.
“Hey Jack, Shaunessy sent a message. He’s getting married.”
Looking up quickly, his cousin reached for his phone, finger flicking over the screen.
“Huh, he sent it to me too. This spring. I won’t be going unless I sneak in as a waiter. Too bad. I’d like to see Shaunessy with the old noose around his neck.”
Callie glanced at Jack, her eyes sad.
Jack swiped his fingers over his message. “Has he been seeing someone? You said you keep in closer contact with him. I thought he was undercover in Miami for a while.”
“He was. She was his informant. He casually mentioned her a few times recently so I wondered. You know Chris was never one for getting serious. She must be something special.”
The two of them typed out responses and both phones went off a moment later. He whistled when he saw the picture their friend sent.
“Check her out. I’d place her in the not-too-shabby category.”
Heather walked past and her elbow bumped into his head. Hard. He narrowed his eyes at her and scowled. “Hey, I can’t be happy for my friend?”
“I’m sure your friend wouldn’t appreciate you ogling his fiancée.”
“Did you want me to ogle you instead?” Her elbow hit him again.
“I am kind of surprised Mr. Control himself fell for his informant.”
Openly admiring Callie, Jack said, “I can see how it happens. Sounds like Chris will have a happier ending than me.”
Callie reached across Jonathan and squeezed Jack’s hand while patting their son’s head. “It wasn’t all bad. We have him.”
Jack’s eyes darkened. “You get the best part though.”
The room fell silent and Scott moved into the kitchen to shuffle things around and give the couple time to get their emotions under control. Heather moved up next to him.
“I actually think about killing Victor myself sometimes, if only to end the pain those two are going through.”
He looked down at the intensity in her eyes. “I’m not sure you’d do well in prison. Stripes aren’t really your thing and there’s no maid or cook to order around.”
Pinning her to the counter, he pushed her arms above her head before she could elbow him again. “Easy there, warrior princess, I’m teasing.”
As he leaned in, her breath hitched. She stared at his mouth and he couldn’t take his eyes off her lips. They all but begged him to kiss them. They’d done this casually before as a ruse but this time wasn’t pretend.
“Make sure you don’t damage me,” he whispered close to her ear. “I need the goods if I’m to stop in for conjugal visits. Unless you think you can sweet talk the warden.”
Heather twisted but movement behind them stopped her from whatever she had planned.
“We’re going to put the little guy to bed. We’ll see you in the morning.”
Scott stepped away from Heather and they both gave Jonathan a good night kiss.
Once they were gone, Heather poured herself a cup of tea and Scott grabbed a beer from the fridge and sat on the
couch next to her. Awkwardness from his previous behavior surrounded them.
“They won’t be up again tonight.”
“How do you know?” he asked, twisting the top off his brew and taking a sip.
“We’re leaving tomorrow for Connecticut. They’ll spend all night having sex. They’ve been like rabbits this whole week.”
“How do you know? Have you been spying on them, you pervert?”
She smacked his arm. “No, but I’ve been cleaning up the rooms downstairs and there’s been tons of condoms in the wastebasket. I doubt they’re making balloon animals.”
“Making balloon animals. A new euphemism for getting it on, maybe?” He almost spit out his beer at that thought. Putting the bottle down on the end table, he winked at Heather.
She rolled her eyes. When she wasn’t snarling at him, she was damn cute. Although she was kind of adorable then too.
“Scott, what are we going to do about those two?” She took a sip of her tea then placed the cup on the coffee table. “I can’t sit here and watch them be miserable anymore. I hate not being able to do anything.”
Reaching out, he pulled her to his shoulder. She resisted at first but then sagged against him, the fight all gone. He wasn’t sure he liked that but he’d take the truce for now.
“The guys from our unit have been brainstorming on this but Cabrini is too powerful and has too many people working for him. We need someone on the inside who can get names and evidence. After what happened with Jack, the man’s too neurotic to trust anyone.”
“He trusts Callie.”
Yeah, he did trust Callie, but Scott wasn’t sure she had it in her to do more than glance at a few phone numbers. Jack wouldn’t want her in danger either. Jonathan needed at least one parent around. Not that Scott’d had his but he’d been fortunate his aunt and uncle had taken him in.
“You can get into Victor’s if you go with Callie, right?”
“I know what you’re thinking and yes, I can get into his house, but he hates me and doesn’t trust me at all. My mouth gets a little too flippant at times.”
