She led Jamie to her temporary room. Jamie had received the biggest bed because Josh was going to sleep with her. She had a room available for Josh, but James had told her that Josh had trouble sleeping when they first moved into Dennis’s house. Jamie entered the room, and Kayla turned and headed to her own, followed by James. As soon as they made it to her room, he pulled her from the doorway and out of sight. His lips came down on hers before she could blink. Seconds later, she pulled away, conscious that anyone could walk in on them.
“Thank you again.”
She smiled. “You are welcome.”
She knew that James hadn’t wanted to leave the kids by themselves or his father with his recent health scare. His father hadn’t suffered any setbacks, but there was no way that he could watch all four kids by himself. Instead of splitting everyone up, she figured it would be best for everyone to come over and join her. He told her that in the past, when emergencies like this had arisen, he’d had to leave the kids with his mother, sister, or brother. It was easier then because they all lived in Austin. It had felt a little strange offering to take in his family, but she didn’t mind, and she knew it was the right thing to do.
“What time do you leave?”
He sighed. “My flight is supposed to leave as soon as I can arrive at the municipal airport. They are sending a private jet.”
Her eyebrows rose. “This must be serious.”
“It is. These guys don’t work on Sundays. And for them to be this insistent, I know it is.”
“Well, you get going. We will be fine.”
“Okay.”
She smiled. “You can call as much as you want. Just be conscious of the time zone difference.”
He winked. “I will keep that in mind, and I will call when I arrive, providing that it is not too late.”
She shook her head. “No, call when you make it, no matter the time, to let us know that you have made it safely.”
He promised that he would before turning to leave the room. She followed him.
She watched as he said good-bye to his children. If there was one thing that she knew for sure, it was that he loved his family. She wondered if his deceased wife had had any idea of how lucky she’d been to have such a devoted husband. She’d yet to ask James anything specific about the situation other than what he had already told her, but from what she knew, it had been rocky in the end. Everyone, including Josh, who was now awake, made their way downstairs and waved James off. Once James was out of view, Kayla led everyone into the house.
“Are you guys hungry?”
Everyone either nodded or said yes, and she grinned. “How does pizza sound?”
Jana and Jenna did a little celebration dance. She asked them what kind of pizza they liked and told them to go into the living room and watch television while she ordered it.
After she ordered the pizza, she went back to the group that was waiting anxiously. “I will give you guys a quick tour of the house, and the pizza should be here by then, and we can eat.”
She showed them the house, informing them of whose old room they were sleeping in. They finished the tour pretty quickly, and she sent everyone off to wash up for dinner while she went downstairs into the kitchen and began to prepare a salad. Three pizzas had been ordered, but she already knew that she was going to limit Dennis to three slices of cheese, and he would have to get full on salad if that wasn’t enough. She even had light Italian dressing to accompany it. Just as she put the finishing touches on the salad, the doorbell rang.
She left the kitchen and heard the pounding of feet on her stairs. Just as she opened her mouth to tell the girls to stop running, Jamie beat her to it. The girls stopped dead in their tracks without any argument. They even offered her an apology for running in the house with the promise that it wouldn’t happen again. She opened the door to take the pizza boxes from the deliveryman and handed him the money. She thanked him then closed the door. Turning around, she almost jumped out of her skin. Jana and Jenna were standing behind her expectantly. She handed them each a box, keeping one for herself. They all went into the kitchen with Josh, Jamie, and Dennis behind them. She’d added the extension to the table so that they could all fit at the table. She arranged the pizza boxes in the center of the table with the salad in the middle of the boxes so that everyone could reach them.
“Everyone, dig in.”
Dennis reached for a slice of pepperoni pizza, and she slapped his hand. “Three slices of cheese for you, and that’s it.”
Dennis’s face fell, and she laughed at his pout. “Why is that? I got to have nacho layer dip.”
She chuckled. “Yes, you did, but don’t forget that I made that as healthy as I could.”
Dennis could only sit there and sulk like a child, and she laughed. “It is for your own health, but if you don’t get full off of the pizza, there is plenty of salad.”
She was glad that the kids were eating responsibly without her having to tell them to. They all had at least two servings of salad if not more. She was almost afraid that she hadn’t made enough.
Jenna looked up at her with surprise. “Ms. Smith, this salad is good. How did you make it?”
She laughed. “It is not as hard as it seems. I will have to show it to you sometime.”
They made small talk as they ate. The girls filled her in on their day at school and the new things they had learned. The only thing missing was James. She looked over at the empty spot where he would have sat and missed him instantly. Sitting around the table with the Feldons had her thinking about how life would be if this were a permanent situation. She wondered if James would want any more children. He already had a handful. She knew for sure that she would want at least one child. Looking up, she saw that Jenna had finished eating, and her eyes were starting to droop. Kayla stood and picked up Jenna’s plate.
“Why don’t we go upstairs and get ready for bed?”
Jenna nodded and headed out of the kitchen toward the stairs. Kayla put the plate in the sink before following Jenna.
“You two keep an eye on your grandfather.”
The words were barely out of her mouth when she heard a hand being slapped. Turning around, she saw that it was Jamie slapping Dennis’s hand. Smiling she turned around and continued out of the kitchen. By the time she made it upstairs, Jenna was sitting on the toilet taking off her shoes and socks. Kayla turned on the water.
“Would you like bubbles?”
Jenna shook her head. “I would, but I am too sleepy to play tonight.”
When the tub was half full, she turned the water off. “Give me a call when you need me to wash your back.”
She stopped outside the door knowing that it wouldn’t be long before Jenna called out to her. As she expected, Jenna called out, and she went back into the bathroom.
She washed Jenna’s back, then left the bathroom and heading to the room that she put Jenna in. A few moments later, Jenna entered, dressed in her pajamas and carrying her dirty clothes. Kayla took the clothes from her and placed them aside. She helped Jenna into bed and tucked the covers up around her little body. Trying to remember if there was ever a time when she was that small, she looked down at Jenna who was staring up at her expectantly.
“Would you like a bedtime story?”
Jenna looked toward the corner. “My tape player is in my bag.”
She gave her a questioning look but went over to the bag and found the tape player. “Why do you need the tape player?”
Jenna grinned. “Because Daddy recorded my bedtime story on it in case he was not able to tell it to me himself.”
Kayla sat on the edge of the bed and pressed the play button. A moment later, James’s voice filled the room as if he were sitting right there with them. Jenna was asleep by the time he finished the story, but Kayla let it play to the end, wanting to hear the rest of the story herself. When it was over, she rewound the tape. She placed the tape player aside still while marveling at the smart idea that James had come up with. It
was amazing the things that one could come up with if it were absolutely necessary. With one last look at Jenna, she left the room and headed back downstairs.
When she entered the kitchen, she couldn’t help but to smile. Dennis was still eating his salad with a dejected look. Jana had just gotten up from the table and was putting her plate in the sink. Josh was still sitting on Jamie’s lap. He had a handful of pizza and a mouthful to match. He spotted her and held his arms out. “Up, please.”
She reached out and picked Josh up into her arms. He was a handsome little boy. Being a heartbreaker like his father was in his future. He offered her some of the pizza, and she took a mock bite making him giggle before continuing to the table and having a seat.
“Did you guys finish up your homework?”
Jamie nodded. “Dad made us do it once he found out that he had to go to Houston.”
She nodded, happy with the answer. “Well, you guys go ahead and get ready for bed. Then come back downstairs, and we can watch a movie.”
She could tell by looking at the kids that they were tired and not going to be able make it through an entire movie, but that was okay. She wanted the kids to relax and have a good time without worrying about their father being out of town. Even though James had told her that this had happened a few times, she knew firsthand what it was like be uprooted and to stay in a strange place even if it was with a person one knew.
The more time she spent with James, she realized just how tough it was to be a single father. He seemed to have a system down pat for everything and a backup plan in case things didn’t go as originally planned. She looked down when she felt Josh’s head hit her chest. He was fast asleep.
Jamie grinned. “He will wake up as soon as he hears the bath water.” Jamie stood up. “I will clean up the kitchen while you give Josh a bath.” She walked to the sink with a few plates before turning to look back at Kayla. “Don’t forget to line the floor with towels and pull your hair back.”
She appreciated the reminder, because she remembered the first time she had participated in his bath. Even though she’d been a safe distance back, a few well-placed splashes had come close.
With that said, Jamie began to straighten up the kitchen, stopping to slap Dennis’ hand when he reached for a slice of hamburger pizza. Kayla shook her head and smiled as she removed the pizza clutched in Josh’s hand and stood up. She would bathe him in her tub. That way she wouldn’t tie up a bathroom that needed to be used by the others. Heading up the stairs, she inhaled Josh’s scent. He was so precious, and she couldn’t help but to hold him closer. Looking down at him, she wondered what it would be like to have a child with James. Would their child be another miniature version of him like his other children, or would their child inherit a few of her exotic characteristics? Maybe one day she would find out.
Chapter Eighteen
“Once again you have saved us, James.”
He grinned and shook Stephen’s hand. He was one of founders of Lockhart, Collins, and Vickers law firm. The contract work that he’d been completing for the company was enjoyable.
“That is what you pay me to do.”
Stephen nodded. “And you do it very well.” Stephen indicated for him to have a seat. “I called you in here to thank you for your speedy work and to make you an offer.”
He took a seat and wondered what the proposition would be. His current contract with the company was already lucrative, and they understood his need to relocate to Georgia. With his promise that his quality of work wouldn’t change, they had been more than willing to accommodate him.
“Collins, Lockhart, and Vickers want to offer you a longer contract. We also want to increase what we are paying you.”
He felt his eyebrows rise, unable to keep the look of surprise off of his face. His contract wasn’t up for another year, and he was already being paid a substantial amount of money.
“We want a five-year, exclusive contract with you with a forty-thousand-dollar increase.”
He had to lock his jaw to keep it from dropping to the floor. That would put him well into a six-figure salary, and he would be set with work for another six years. This was a deal that he couldn’t pass up. Yet, it sounded too good to be true. “That sounds like a very lucrative deal. What would be required on my part other than what I currently do?”
Stephen smiled. “I don’t think there is anything too demanding.”
He watched as Stephen reached into his desk drawer. He pulled out a contract and handed it to James. “Take a look at this, and if everything is agreeable sign, and get it back to us.”
James went to agree, then paused frowning as he recalled an earlier conversation with Richard, another partner in the firm.
“Richard mentioned relocation as a possible requirement several months ago. Is that still something that you guys want?”
Stephen nodded. “Yes, it is. We know that your father is still recovering and that your family is young, but it would be nice if you could move out here to our main location by the end of summer. However, if you sign that contract, it won’t be effective until your current contract it up.”
He had to lock his jaw again to keep it from dropping open. That would be a very sudden move if he were to agree to do it prior to his contract ending. Would he really mind the move? Not really. He was not so certain that the kids wouldn’t mind. His father was also another issue. His father had grown used to him and the children being around, and he liked it. Whether he would admit it or not was a different story. He would hate to uproot his family again, but they could make a life in Houston. And this time, the move would be during the summer.
Stephen checked his watch then stood. “I hate to be brief, but I have a meeting with a client.”
James stood and exchanged another handshake with Stephen. “Thank you for your time.”
Stephen smiled. “No, thank you. Hopefully I will be seeing you again but under different circumstances.”
“Yes, you will.”
Stephen escorted him back to his personal receptionist. “Susan, can you take care of Mr. Feldon? He will let you know what all he needs.”
Stephen shook his hand again. “Have a safe trip back.”
“I will. Thank you.”
Stephen left him standing in front of Susan’s desk, and the executive assistant had him boarded on the private jet within the hour. He checked the time and saw that the kids were in school. They would be out by the time he reached town.
Picking up the phone, he called Kayla’s cell and was not surprised when it went to her voice mail. He left a brief message stating that he was on his way back and would be in later that evening. Hanging up the phone, he leaned his head back against the headrest and closed his eyes. It had been a long week, but it had been worth it. He’d talked to the kids every night since he’d been gone. Each time had been interesting. They were having fun at Kayla’s and were minding her as he’d hoped they would. His kids were good kids, but they had their moments. He had really missed his kids. This was the longest that he’d been away from them, but the financial audit had been a nightmare.
Thankfully, it was over, and he could get back to life as he knew it. The kids were going to be excited about a possible move to Houston. Hopefully, this would be the last move. He wanted to give his children a stable life. He sighed. A good nap was what he needed before he reached Baxley. The next thing he knew, the pilot was calling his name. He gathered his items. It was a very nice and luxurious plane. He hoped that he would get to take several more trips on it but under different circumstances. Thankfully, the drive to Kayla’s home wouldn’t be long. He thanked the pilot for the safe trip and headed toward his SUV. When he pulled up into Kayla’s driveway, her car was there. The corners of his mouth curved upward as he stepped out of the SUV. He was excited to see his children again. He rang the doorbell. His smile widened when he heard Jenna’s shriek.
The door flew open, and Jenna and Kayla stood there. Jenna jumped up into his arms and rained kiss
es on his cheeks. He stepped inside the house, and Kayla closed the door behind him. Within minutes, all of his children were surrounding him and he had fifty questions being thrown at him at once. Kayla clapped her hands loudly a few times before clearing her throat. The kids quieted at once, even Josh.
“Your father has had a very long trip, and I am sure that he doesn’t mind the questions, but one at a time.”
His eyebrows rose as his girls actually heeded what Kayla said. They all went into the living room. The questions ranged from how had his trip gone to what had he brought any gifts back.
By the time the last question was answered, it was time to eat dinner. Everyone pitched in, and dinner was ready within the hour. Jamie and Jenna set the table. With the table set, they sat down and began to describe how their week had gone so far. During the middle of dinner, James decided to share his good news. He clinked his fork on his glass, and all turned their attention toward him.
“I received some very good news today. Collins, Lockhart, and Vickers offered to extend my contract for an additional five years as well as increase my pay.” Everyone began to chatter excitedly, but he continued. “They also want us to move to Houston.”
Silence fell around the kitchen. Jamie was the first to recover, but there was obvious shock on her face. “What did you say, Daddy?”
He grinned. “We will be moving to Houston.”
James was oblivious to the damper of everyone’s mood. Jamie set her fork down. “I would like to be excused from the table.”
Jana followed her, then Jenna. He frowned when Kayla stood up and left the table as well, leaving he, Josh, and father at the table.
James frowned at the reaction that he’d just received. “I thought that everyone would be excited about the news.”
Dennis frowned, his disappointment clear. “You thought wrong. The kids have finally found a place where they are happy, and you are taking them away from it. I won’t even mention what you have just done to Kayla. Don’t make the same mistake that I made, son.”
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