by Kathryn Shay
News apparently hadn’t traveled that Tommy belonged to Rafe. “He’s the light of my life, now.”
“Yeah, the expression on your face when you talk about him is…glowing.”
“I…”
A black Blazer roared into the driveway, silencing Kate. Rafe exited the vehicle, carrying a pizza box. His step was lively until he caught sight of Stephan. Slowing down, he frowned deeply and climbed the stairs. “Klimek, long time no see.”
Stephan stood and held out his hand. They were about equal height. But Rafe was more muscular, more manly with his dark Italian looks. “Good to meet up with you again, Captain.” Stephan’s voice was amused. Probably at the displeasure on Rafe’s face.
Looking tired, Rafe nodded to the pizza; its cheesy, spicy scent made its way over to Kate. “Sorry can’t shake.” He transferred his gaze to her. “What’s going on?”
She arched a brow. “Going on?”
Angling his chin to Stephan, he didn’t say more.
“What are you doing here?” Stephan asked.
Rafe’s eyes glittered like onyx. “I came to see my son.” His expression was triumphant, especially when Stephan’s jaw dropped.
Sick of the pissing contest, Kate went to the front door and called through the screen, “Tommy, your father’s here to see you.”
In seconds, Tommy burst out onto the porch. “Hi, Dad.”
Rafe’s face blanked. He cleared his throat. Kate knew Tommy had never used Dad before.
He gave Tommy a brilliant smile. “I brought you pizza. I thought we could eat out on the back deck.”
Tommy turned to Kate. “Can I, Mom?”
“I suppose. Just so we don’t make a habit of fast food.” She looked back to Rafe. “There’s beer and pop in the fridge.”
Tommy opened the screen door and allowed Rafe to go inside first. Before he did, he faced Kate. “Aren’t you coming?”
“Go with your dad, Tom.”
“You come, too.”
“In a bit. Go ahead, now.” Kate didn’t sit down.
Stephan shifted from one foot to another. “So, he’s Rafe’s? How’d that happen?”
“I don’t want to discuss that with you. But I should go supervise. Sometimes Tommy eats too much, then throws up.”
“We wouldn’t want that.” He took her hand, not in a shake but a caress. “I’d like to see you again, Kate.”
“I’m pretty busy. I bought a house and will be moving soon. I’m doing some training before I can go on the line again.”
“Still, I’ll call and check. Who knows…” he said gesturing to the house “…maybe Rafe will take Tommy out one night and you’ll be free.”
With that he trundled down the steps whistling.
o0o
Holding onto the edge of the counter, Rafe huffed out a breath in the kitchen. Hell, he was tired. First the fire had been brutal, and was a closer call than he liked. Because of it, he’d felt the need to see his son. Then he found Klimek here. He’d heard the guy, his old rival, whistling as he left. At least he had the sense to go.
He’d just opened the fridge when he noticed Kate standing in the doorway from the living room. Dressed in a black shirt, white capris and some of those little white tennis sneakers she used to like. Her hair had been mussed by the slight April breeze.
“What’s this all about, Rafe?” She gestured to encompass the kitchen.
“My team worked their tails off during a fire. I treated to pizza afterward, wanted to spend time with Tommy, so I came over.”
“You could have called and let us know.”
“Why, would you have made Klimek leave before I got here?”
“I don’t know. Maybe. You weren’t particularly kind to him.”
How could she say that? “No love lost between us from way back.” He zeroed in on her. “Or don’t you remember?”
“I remember everything, Rafe.”
Ignoring the innuendo, he got out a soda and two beers from the fridge. “Want one?”
“Sure.” Through the door, she saw Tommy playing on the lawn in the grandkids’ sandbox. Rafe handed her the beer. “Would it be all right if I stayed for pizza?” she asked.
“Are you going to start dating Klimek? Like the last time?”
A smile bloomed on her face. “Are you saying our estrangement is a time out again?”
“Hardly. Time outs don’t last for six years.”
“I explained why. Do you need me to go over it again?”
“No, you’re right. I did understand back then. I loved you enough to let you go.” He leaned against the counter. “But I can’t understand how you’d think we’d pick up where we left off. Especially when you deprived me of my son for that long.”
“I don’t want to pick up from where we were. I want to go forward with Tommy.”
He took a sip of beer. The cold brew went down wet and smooth on his still-parched throat. “No. I’m engaged.”
“You’ve been engaged a long time. Why won’t you set a date?”
“None of your business.”
Her jaw tightened. He could see she wanted to continue talking about him and he wasn’t having it. Finally, she said, “I have some news. I bought a patio home on the outskirts of Hidden Cove.”
He could feel his face flush. “Without consulting me?”
“Is that what I’m supposed to do? Because I think I got Tommy some childcare until he goes to kindergarten so we may as well have that out, too.”
“What?”
She explained about the realtor’s son.
“You shouldn’t have done any of that. I should have a say as to where he lives. Who watches him.”
“You told me to stay away from you.”
He ran a hand through his hair. This woman always made him crazy. “Who’s the sitter?”
“His name is Kyle Collins.” She explained his background. “He’s coming home next week. We both can get to know him, then.”
“I guess. We’ll have to find someone soon to be with Tommy while you’re training and I’m at work.”
He thought of something and moved closer to her. Which was a mistake. He could see the specks of navy in her eyes.
“I never gave you any child support, Kate, or did anything for Tommy for five years. I want to start now with monthly sums. But I also want to make up for the lack of money in the past. I’ll pay for half your house. I have savings.”
“No need.” She bit her lip. “Because I told Chris about my fears of orphaning Tommy, he took out a huge insurance policy with double indemnity for an accident. I also got a high price for our house. I can pay for my home outright.”
Aw, geez. He couldn’t even hate the guy Kate married. “Chris must have been a good man.”
“He was. He loved Tommy to pieces.”
Rafe bristled. Nice or not, Tommy wasn’t the guy’s son.
“What is it?” she asked. She could always sense his moods.
“When you say things like that, my first reaction is I should have been raising the boy.” He nodded to the porch. “That was the first time he called me dad. I never gave him a bath, watched him take his first step, play T-ball. Because you left, Kate.”
She moved closer, too, and now, he could smell the lotion she wore. He remembered slathering it all over her body. “It should have been you, Rafe. I’ve admitted I was wrong to leave, though I did love Chris.”
“Like me?”
“What do you mean?”
“Did you love him like you loved me?”
“I’ll never love anybody like I loved you. Like I still love you.”
He took in a deep breath, then the back door banged and Tommy came in. “Pizza’s gonna get cold.”
“We’ll be right out.” Rafe didn’t move after Tom left. “Maybe we can be friends.”
“No. I want more.”
“You can’t have more. I’m going to marry someone else.”
“We’ll see. Meanwhile, friends will have to do.”
Rafe was disappointed. Did he expect her to try to convince him to have more with him? How stupid was that?
Coming up on her tiptoes, Kate gave him a gentle kiss on the mouth. It was soft and sweet. “Know, though, that I’m going to fight for you, Rafe Casella.”
Huh. Maybe it wasn’t so stupid after all.
o0o
The next day, Kate sat on the porch again, filled with warm sun and a slight breeze. This time, she was reading the contract for the patio home. As promised, it stipulated that the patio home had been reduced several thousands of dollars. Kate only needed to sign papers to officially make an offer.
An unfamiliar car pulled up to the curb. One of Megan’s friends? Meg had gone to Hale’s Haven today. A woman and a teenage girl exited the vehicle, then the woman opened the backdoor and lifted out a baby. When she turned, Kate could see better. Kate bolted up from the swing and raced down the stairs. “Wow! Lucy Coretta.”
The teenager took the baby so she and Lucy could hug. Lucy and she had been in the fire academy together and worked in the same fire house once. They’d become buddies even when they were at different stations. The hug was warm and approachable.
Stepping back, Lucy smiled at her. Her hair was longer now, but her dark eyes still kind and sweet. “I heard you were back. I couldn’t help myself from stopping by when we were out this way.” She put an arm around the teenager. “These are my daughters, Gemma and Isabella.”
“Hello Gemma. Glad to meet you.” Kate moved in closer to the baby. “And you, Isabella.” Then she focused on Lucy. “I’m dumbfounded. I heard you finally married Dan.”
“I did. And a lot of other stuff’s happened. You have a son, too?”
“I do. He’s out at Hale’s Haven with Sabby and Megan.” She turned her gaze to Gemma. “Did you have a teacher conference day, like he did?”
“Uh-huh.” She moved in closer to Lucy. “I can take Izzy for a walk if you want, so you can talk to Lucy.”
Kate said, “Gemma, you can stay with us.”
“Nah. You should catch up.” She went to the trunk of the car and got out a stroller. “We’ll be fine, Mom.”
“I know. Go ahead.”
Kate led Lucy to the porch and they sat on the glider. Kate said, “I’m happy for you even though I don’t know what happened.”
“You didn’t keep up with anybody?”
“I couldn’t. That’s why I never called you. And I’m very sorry for that.”
“Want to tell me what happened?”
“After you dish about Dan.”
Lucy’s laughter tinkled through the quiet neighborhood. She had a light in her eyes she didn’t have before. “You won’t believe it. Dan and Clare got divorced because she planned to marry someone rich and well-known. But when Dan inherited a lot of money, she wanted him back.”
“Dan inherited money?”
“Uh-huh. It’s a beautiful story. Almost two decades ago, when Dan was subbing on the water rescue crew, he saved the lives of a billionaire and his two godchildren in a boating accident. When the man died, he left a lot of his money to Dan.”
“How’d you end up together if Clare wanted a reunion?”
“Thankfully we’d already admitted our feelings for each other and started a relationship. When the time came, he chose me.”
“It is a lovely story.”
“I know. Makes you think the good guy can actually win. Now you.”
She scrubbed her hands over her face. “My story’s sad and I’m the villain in it. I left Rafe and went to upstate New York because the Malvasos had family there. I was already pregnant.”
“Seriously? I didn’t hear your son was Rafe’s. Did you know before you left?”
“Yes. That’s the reason I broke it off with him. It was the safety thing with me. I cried in my beer about it more than once with you.”
“Knowing your background, I understood.”
She told Lucy then about living with the new baby all on her own. Then marrying Chris. Then Chris’s death.
“Kate,” Lucy said grabbing her hand, “I’m so sorry. The irony must have killed you.”
“Honestly, it leveled me. I cared deeply about Chris, but I was still in love with Rafe.” She drew in a heavy breath. “Rafe’s furious with me because I didn’t tell him about Tommy until I came back here last week.”
Squeezing her fingers, Lucy said, “He’s entitled to be mad.”
“Of course, he is. But I want him back, Lucy.”
“He’s engaged.”
“Yeah, I met her. But he’s been engaged for over a year and still hasn’t set a date. Maybe he’s still in love with me.”
“He’ll always be in love with you.”
“I hope so.”
Lucy looked over her shoulder, as if considering something.
“What is it, Luce?”
“Rafe lost it after you left. He took a furlough and went on a five-day drinking binge.”
Her heart clutched painfully in her chest. “Rafe never over-indulged.”
“He was crushed. For a very long time. But as the years went on, he got better.”
“I’m so sorry for leaving him like that. I cried at night for months over it. The only thing that kept me going was Tommy.”
Lucy took her hand. “I’m sorry, too.”
They were silent together for a while.
Then Kate said, “Tell me about Gemma.”
“And Nathan. Dan has a son, too. We’re all close.”
“What are you doing with all your time and money?”
“We’re still working in the fire department. I’m on maternity leave.”
“Seriously? You two didn’t quit work?”
“Nope. We live comfortably, can travel, pay for college. Dan gave a lot of the inheritance to charities, a big chunk for Hale’s Haven.”
“Sounds like him. And you. I’m so glad you came to see me, Lucy. Can you three stay for lunch?”
“We were headed to Deluca’s Diner when I detoured here. Come with us.”
“I’d love to.”
Kate needed a bright spot in her life right now and her old friend fit the bill.
o0o
“So, she’s back.” Alessia sat in a booth in DeLuca’s Diner across from Rafe. His sister was a beauty, with her long dark hair, classic features and chestnut colored eyes. Those eyes were full of hurt again, because Rafe had given her, Gideon and Mama a heads up about the broad strokes of Kate’s return. None of those conversations had been pleasant.
“Yeah.” He stirred his coffee. “Are you upset, Ali?”
That’s why he’d called her for lunch once he digested the news. She’d been Kate’s best friend for years.
She frowned. “Are you?”
“Damn right I am.”
“So am I. She didn’t even say goodbye to me. I was her best friend. I needed her when all that happened to Billy.”
His jaw tensed. “I’ve never seen her as dejected as she was right before she left. I think she only told me she was leaving.”
“But, geez Rafe, you didn’t know she was pregnant.”
“That’s right.” He could hear the hoarseness in his own voice.
“From your expression, you still have feelings for her.”
Rafe didn’t want to admit that. To his sister or himself. “What I do or don’t feel isn’t the issue. I could never trust her, be with her, like she wants.”
“Be with her? Romantically? Is that what she wants?”
“Yes.”
“Unbelievable! Tell me the whole story.”
He raked a hand through his hair and plunged in. When he finished, Alessia had tears in her eyes. “My Lord. That’s awful. I knew about her background, of course. But the irony of a husband in a safe profession dying must kill her.”
“It does, honey. But she can’t get what she wants now.”
“We have widowhood in common.” She sighed. “I know how she feels. And she has to deal with what she g
ave up…hell, does anybody deserve that? Especially after all she’d been through in her younger life, before she met Megan.”
“She took my son away from me, for five long years, honey. I can’t forgive her.”
“And I’m mad as hell about that, too.”
“Seth said I should get a paternity test. So, I got a sample from Tommy and me, brought it to Seth’s office and he said he’d send it in.”
“What did Kate say?”
“I didn’t tell her.”
“Why? It can’t help to keep more secrets.”
“Maybe. But I already did it.”
“It’s hard to believe Kate would deprive you of your son. More so, keep him from having a daddy.”
“He did have a daddy. Chris.”
“Did he adopt Tommy?”
“No. And the boy has my last name. Kate had him before she even met her husband.” Three people and a baby came into the diner and he caught sight of them over Alessia’s shoulder. “Shit. She’s here.”
“Who’s she with?”
“Lucy Coretta and Lucy’s step-daughter. And baby.”
Alessia raised her chin. “I’m not a coward. I’ll face her and what she did to you, and to me. I’m not going to run away from her.”
“I wish I could.”
Too late for that, though. Kate spotted them. And Rafe’s stomach somersaulted at the expression on her face—that honest delight whenever she saw him after even a day’s absence. Damn her.
The four of them headed over. “Hello, Rafe,” Kate said, her voice tenuous. Then she turned to Alessia. “Ali, hi.”
“Kate. I heard you were back.” His sister’s voice was even. Controlled. But cold. “And that I have a nephew. He met my boys.”
Kate smiled tentatively. “He loved playing with them, and loves the fact that he has cousins.”
“He could have had them all along.”
Lucy jumped in. “Hi, Ali. Nice to see you again.” The three of them had spent girl-time together.
Alessia face brightened and she reached for Lucy’s hand. “I’m sorry we lost touch.”
“Yeah, me too. These are my daughters, Gemma and Isabella.”
“Gemma, you’re as beautiful as your name.”
Gemma thanked her.
“And a baby.” Ali stood and asked to hold Isabella. When she hugged the child, rocked her from side-to-side, her eyes closed. And Rafe’s heart broke a little. Ali had wanted a whole basketball team of children but Billy died too soon.