by Lily Zante
“Are you trying hard not to smile?” he asked.
In answer, her lips spread out into a wide smile.
“That’s better,” he said, thinking how much nicer a smile looked on her face. Better than a frown. “And I thought you’d come back to the burger place because you couldn’t resist my charms?” he offered, sensing no obvious animosity between them, for now, at least. Things would probably revert back to normal next time, but for now, things seemed the best they’d ever been.
“I didn’t want to go, because you imposed and changed our plans, and I thought you were hitting on me. Were you hitting on me?”
“Hitting on you? Don’t flatter yourself, Laronde. You’re hardly my type.” It was with great effort that he managed to keep his face serious.
Her face flushed the brightest shade of crimson he’d ever seen, and he could feel her embarrassment.
“That’s what I thought,” she said, trying to recover. “You’re so not my type, either.”
Chapter 18
That evening, they went out and watched a movie, then returned to the NYB burger place again where Laronde ordered the halloumi wrap thing. And, as usual, he dropped her back to her place, before returning Jacob home to his grandparents.
And then he waited another week before he could see her again.
He had decided to use his time better, to figure her out and get to know her better. He was confident that he could.
The following weekend he made his way to see Jacob again.
Except this time, it was Tobias who answered the door.
“Xavier? Didn’t Savannah call you?” Tobias asked when he turned up at their door. Tobias looked relaxed, fresh, even a few years younger.
“No, she didn’t. I came here to see Jacob. Didn’t realize you guys would be back so early.” For some reason he’d had it in his head that they were coming back Sunday evening. That was what Jean had told him.
He walked into the apartment, and at the same time looked around for Izzy and Jacob.
“Coffee?” Tobias asked.
He blinked. This was new, Tobias asking him if he wanted a drink. Marriage had changed him this much in a matter of weeks? Usually when Xavier turned up he was lucky to get a grunt out of him.
Back in the old days, Tobias’s dark days, he’d find his brother surrounded by bottles of whiskey.
“Yeah, sure.”
He watched Tobias and noted that the hard set of his jaw had softened and he looked different. It was as if the honeymoon, and being away from the pressures of work, had melted every worry away.
“How come you came back already? Jean said you were landing on Sunday evening.”
“We got back last night. Savannah was feeling sick.”
“Sick?”
“Homesick. She missed Jacob, was worried about him being alone for so long.”
He followed Tobias into the kitchen where Savannah was sitting.
“Look who’s turned up,” Tobias said to his wife. Xavier walked over and gave her a hug while Tobias started to make coffee.
It was pure domestic bliss, this picture before him, and domestic bliss and Tobias Stone were words which had never before appeared in the same sentence.
“One sugar?” Tobias asked him.
“Three.”
“Three?”
“I like my coffee sweet.” Tobias pushed a coffee cup towards him.
“You not having one?” Xavier asked.
“We’re taking Jacob out for lunch.”
“Oh. I was hoping to spend some time with him.” But the plans had obviously changed and, of course, Tobias and Savannah would want to spend time with Jacob.
“Aren’t you guys jetlagged?” he asked, looking around casually for signs of Izzy. “I can take Jacob out for the day, and Izzy usually turns up by now.”
“We’re okay,” replied Savannah, “and looking forward to spending the day with Jacob.”
“I was going to take him for a helicopter ride over the city again,” Tobias remarked.
“He’d love that.”
“That’s what I thought. Here you go,” said Tobias, and handed Savannah a mug of what looked like urine-colored liquid.
“What the hell is that?” Xavier asked.
“Lemon and ginger herbal tea.” Savannah placed her hands around the cup and inhaled.
“What’s wrong with coffee?” He didn’t understand people and their weird tastes. It was as bad as finding out that Izzy didn’t eat burgers. Did she have any idea what she was missing? He’d seen the veggie alternative, and nobody could ever convince him that a halloumi and mushroom alternative was even worth biting into to.
“Jacob said you spent a lot of time with him,” Savannah said, her face slightly golden.
“He’s a good kid. We had fun.”
“That’s what he said. Thanks, Xavier. I didn’t want Jacob to feel that we’d abandoned him.”
“We didn’t abandon him,” Tobias interjected. “He was in good hands, and we FaceTimed him three times a day, at least.”
“Where’s he now?” Xavier asked. “And where are your parents, and Izzy?” he was aware he’d asked her about her a few times now.
“Jacob’s having a shower, and my parents flew back this morning.”
“So soon?”
“You know what parents are like.” Savannah took a sip from her cup. “They’ve been away from home for weeks now. I think they wanted to get back.”
“They’re easy-going, your mom and dad.” Compared to my parents, thought Xavier.
“They liked the burger place you took them to,” Savannah told him. “Thanks for taking them.”
“It was nothing.” Xavier waved her comment away—part of him feeling guilty because it hadn’t been his idea, and he’d been pissed off when he’d discovered that Izzy had foisted them onto him.
“I need to make a few calls,” Tobias announced.
“Back to work already?” Savannah looked at him.
“Just a few calls, I promise.” He squeezed her shoulder, the small act, intimate and natural, Xavier thought. He wasn’t one for touchy-feely shows of emotion. Not that there was anything deliberately on show here. The love was evident between these two.
Typical for a honeymoon couple.
“Jacob’s having a shower?” He hoped this would prompt Savannah into telling her more about Izzy’s plans. After all, it was the main reason he’d come here.
“He’ll be out soon enough,” Savannah assured him.
“Was Tobias always on the phone on vacation?” Xavier asked her.
“No, he wasn’t. He was as good as gold, it’s probably why he’s making up for it now. Catching up on everything.”
“We can take Jacob out today,” he suggested, sitting down next to Savannah. He was hoping that Izzy would appear, and they might be able to continue where they had left off last weekend. “Give you both a chance to recover from jetlag.”
“The jetlag isn’t too bad, surprisingly,” Savannah replied.
“That’s good,” he said, then made polite small talk, asking her about the honeymoon, and, when she had finished recounting her favorite highlights, and Izzy still hadn’t showed up, he looked at his watch and said, “Izzy usually comes along around about now,” in a bid to prompt news of her whereabouts.
“I told her not to come today.”
“You did?” His mood sank.
“I told her we wanted to spend this weekend pampering Jacob.”
Damn it. No point in him sticking around here, then. He gulped down his coffee. Maybe it was a good idea for them to spend time with the kid. From what Izzy had told him, it sounded as if the kid needed his mother and Tobias more than Xavier needed to find an inroad to Izzy.
“You should do the helicopter ride,” he said, taking a final gulp. Damn, that coffee was good. He was tempted to ask for another cup, but he could make it to the cafe around Tribeca for brunch, and read the morning’s paper. That area was good for people-watching. Lots o
f models flocked to the cafe there. It was where he’d met Petra. “He would like that.”
“I know he would. I just don’t want him to get used to having helicopter rides the way most children get used to having ice-cream.”
“He won’t. He’s a sensible child. Grounded. You brought him up well, Savannah. I wouldn’t worry about him turning into a spoiled little brat.”
“Thanks,” she cupped her hands around her mug. “Izzy said everything was fine while we were away. She said Jacob didn’t seem too sad or upset that we were gone for so long.” She seemed to be seeking his approval, as if she felt guilty for leaving him.
“It was fine. Jacob had a ton of fun, ask him yourself. Izzy was good with him, and I would come over and we’d do stuff. Your parents were here, so I don’t think the kid had any reason to feel sad at all.”
“I’m glad to hear it. I was worried about him, what with me getting married and everything, it’s a huge change in our lives. I felt bad that I’d left him while I was on vacation.”
“He was well taken care of, Savannah. He seemed happy, and you have no reason to worry. Apart from that one small episode, I mean, I think it’s a perfectly valid fear, feeling left out, and him worrying about—”
“What thing?” Savannah interjected. From her reaction it was plain to see she didn’t know.
“That … Jacob was …” He’d assumed that Izzy would have brought Savannah up to date with everything, and now he realized she hadn’t. “It’s no big deal. I’m sure Izzy will fill you in when she sees you.”
“What’s not a big deal?”
He scratched his head wondering why he’d broached the subject at all. And so he told her what Izzy had told him, as best as he could remember, about Jacob feeling worried about a new sibling, and about Tobias not being his real dad. The more he spoke, the more worried Savannah looked. He wished he had kept his mouth shut.
“I had no idea,” she said when he had finished talking. Even worse, he was now worried about the possible fall out once Izzy found out he had told Savannah before she’d had a chance to.
“I’m sure Izzy was going to tell you.”
But Savannah appeared lost in thought.
“I think it’s a natural reaction, Savannah. I wouldn’t worry too much about it.”
“Maybe it is, but it makes me feel all sad inside thinking about him.” Savannah appeared to be thinking things over. “I was starting to think that I was worrying for no reason, but my fears were valid.”
“What fears?”
“I think I need to focus solely on Jacob. I need to forget about the house move, and the charity work, and everything else and just concentrate on him. He obviously needs me more than I thought. The change has been too unsettling for him.”
He listened, and hoped he hadn’t made too many alarm bells go off. Savannah was obviously so protective of her son. “Yeah, maybe there’s been a lot for him to take in.”
“It’s more than a young child should have to deal with. I get why Jacob feels anxious.” Her voice dropped lower. “It’s been mostly me and him.”
“Yeah.” He could see he had set something off, and hoped that Tobias wouldn’t walk back into the kitchen and see that he’d unknowingly made Savannah worried.
“I want him to see he’s the core of our family. Because he is.”
“I’m sure you guys make him feel as if he is.”
“I think it would be wrong of me to have Izzy come over at the weekends.” She placed her palm flat against her forehead. “And she’d only recently agreed to come and work for me.”
“You can still have Izzy come over,” he said, not liking where this was going. “Jacob likes her.”
“No,” Savannah drew out a long breath. “No, he obviously feels worried enough to tell you and Izzy.”
“He didn’t tell me, he told Izzy.” As if that was going to change things.
But Savannah was lost in her own thoughts. “I feel bad because I’d already promised her that she could work some hours for me, babysitting Jacob on weekends, and maybe evenings, around her college and other jobs.”
“Other jobs?” What other jobs?
“She does some work on the side, to supplement her tuition,” said Savannah, distractedly.
“She does?” What? Where?”
“Oh,” Savannah turned her attention back to him. “She does it all online, after she’s finished her college work. I get the impression she’s trying to do it all by herself, and I wanted to help her, that’s why I wanted to give her extra hours, apart from it helping me out, it would help her, but I see now that it would be wrong to have her continue right away. I need to postpone having her work for me.”
This was the answer to his prayers—if Izzy was doing work on the side, and she needed to earn more money, he could solve that problem for her, and have her work for him a few hours a week.
He could do even better than have access to Izzy through Jacob—access which would only occur on weekends. If he made the offer attractive enough, he could have access to her all the time. And which struggling college student would say ‘no’ to that?
“I wouldn’t worry about Izzy, Savannah.” He had plenty of work and he was sure Laronde could do it. “She’s a smart girl, and she’s got the other jobs, as you said. She’ll be fine.”
But Savannah didn’t seem convinced. “I’ve been in that situation before. I know what it’s like to want work, and not have it, when you really need it the money.”
“My VA left without notice, and it’s left me in a bind. I have plenty of work that she could do for me, if I can convince her to.”
“You?”
“Yes. I’m hopefully going to get the investment I need for another new business I’m looking to set up, and I have a lot of outstanding work that my VA left behind. Izzy could start straightaway.”
“That would be a great help, Xavier.” Savannah looked relieved. “I hate the idea of letting her down.”
“I can definitely help give her something.”
“As a temporary solution, it would help.”
“But I wouldn’t mention anything to her yet,” he cautioned. “Or anyone else.” He looked around, making sure Tobias wasn’t around. His brother would be the first to reach only one conclusion about him taking Izzy on for work. “Let me reach out to her first.”
“You’ll speak to her?” asked Savannah.
“Leave it with me.”
Chapter 19
“You’re going to have to do something with the extra money. It’s been lying on the kitchen table for over a week, Iz.” Cara’s mouth had specks of coffee-flavored cupcake icing across it.
“Don’t remind me.” She’d left Shoemoney’s cash lying around and hadn’t come to any suitable conclusion about what to do with it.
“I’m going to spend it if you don’t. We’re running out of toilet rolls.”
Izzy groaned.
“I can’t believe he had the audacity to come here and try to pay you off.”
“Me neither.”
Izzy shrugged. “He can’t buy me off.”
“No he can’t. But it’s not as if you were going to tell anyone. Have you told your parents yet?”
Izzy shook her head. No way. She had no intention of telling them at all.
“Why don’t you mail it back to him? That way you won’t have to see his ugly face again.”
Izzy nodded. “Or I could slip it into one of those charity donation boxes next time I see one?”
“But you’re not in a position to donate ‘unwanted money’ to charities. We’re a charity case right now.”
Cara was right. Izzy cradled her head in her hands. “I hate people like that. I hate people who think they can treat people like dirt and use them for their own sick perversion, and just walk away like nothing happened.”
They sat on the couch sharing a plate of cupcakes that Cara had bought. They were a day past the best before date, but they tasted fine. It wasn’t the healthiest thin
g to eat, but it was exactly the type of sugary lift Izzy needed.
“Xavier’s on to you,” said Cara, bringing the conversation back around to him again. Her friend was convinced that he was interested in Izzy, and she now regretted telling her about everything that had happened last week.
“He’s not on to me,” said Izzy. “He’s just being nosey.”
“He obviously knows that something shady’s gone on. When are you going to tell him the truth?”
“I’m not.”
“But he seemed so concerned.” She had told Cara about his suspicions and about their subsequent row at his place when he’d gotten the wrong end of the stick about the money.
“He’s a charmer, a player. I’m not falling for it.”
“He might really like you.”
She let out an irritated huff.
“Okay, okay. I’ll stop going on about it. Here,” Cara pushed the plate towards her. “Have another cupcake. You look like you could do with it.”
“If you’re going to shove the plate in front of my face like that I can hardly refuse.”
“Go on. You know you want it. It’s a lazy weekend, and you don’t need to rush over and entertain that kid either.”
She picked up another cupcake with half an inch of icing on top. She peeled back the paper casing on one side and took a huge bite, getting a mouthful of rich coffee flavored buttercream and soft, moist juicy sponge cake.
“But Savannah still wants to see me.” She had called yesterday. The Stones had arrived back from their honeymoon a few days early, and Savannah had told Izzy there was no need for her to go over as she and Tobias wanted to spend time with Jacob. So Izzy had lain in bed this morning, having a rare weekend where she didn’t have anything to do. Even her homework assignments this weekend weren’t too bad.
But then she’d called again, an hour ago, asking Izzy if she could come over as there was something she wanted to discuss. “I better start making a move.”
“Are you going now?”
“I’d better go and find out what it is.”
“Maybe they’ve pampered the kid as much as they can and now need you to take over while they recover from jetlag.”
