Fated Encounter

by Lesia Reid

  “Yes, I’m fine. Thelma, can Carl do it?”

  “Yes, but if something’s wrong, you should let us know.” Deana waved her off, thanked her, and then went inside with

  Sebastian after Thelma started towards her house.

  “Honey, are you okay?” Sebastian asked as he fetched a glass of water. She waved to Joey and Trevor who had, in Sebastian’s absence, abandoned the game of scrabble and were watching cartoons. She followed Sebastian to the kitchen.

  “I’m fine. Are you staying tonight?”

  “If you want me to,” he said. He handed her the glass of water. “I know we agreed to slow down a bit, but I would love to stay.”

  “Good, I want you to stay. Everything’s okay. There’s no stalker, Thelma had it wrong. Or maybe I’m being followed by one of your jealous exes.”

  He caught her weak attempt at humor. He pulled her in his arms into a fierce hug. She didn’t look as pale as she’d been in the driveway, but he could see the nervous fringes just at the edge of her eyes.

  “There are no jealous exes. Promise me if you’re in trouble you’ll let me know. I can help you, whatever it is.”

  “I’m not in trouble.”

  “Promise me.”

  “I promise.”

  On Thursday evening, after a nerve-wracking three days of looking out for a dark blue Cadillac, Deana got home to a pleasant surprise. Joey and Sebastian were reading together in the family room and dinner was hot and waiting in the kitchen. The sight of the two mingled with the scents from the kitchen almost caused her to burst into tears.

  She’d never in her life have that home feeling. Living with her mother had been a quiet lesson in fear and mental strength.

  “Are you okay?” Sebastian asked, looking up at her.

  “Flabbergasted,” she said.

  “Something you don’t like?”

  “No, I’m just telling myself I could get used to this. You know, coming here and feeling as if I belong, seeing Joey with you reading or playing games. It feels right.”

  “It is right,” Sebastian said.

  “Dad’s going to New York tomorrow,” Joey said. “Can we go?” “No.” There was no hesitation in her voice.

  “I thought we might discuss that later,” Sebastian said, marking their page in the book. “Joey, you should go wash up, we can have dinner now that your mom’s home.”

  Joey darted out of the room and into the half bathroom under the stairs.

  “I know you might not get another weekend off work,” Sebastian said. “I wasn’t sure I had to make the trip to New York myself so I didn’t tell you ahead, but Joey can come with me. You could have some time for yourself this weekend.”

  “No.”

  “Is this no you don’t want him to go to New York or no you don’t want him to go alone with me?”

  “No, I don’t want him in New York, not now, not ever.” “Okay, I’m ready for dinner,” Joey said.

  Joey set the table while Sebastian and Deana placed rolls, salad and other items in bowls.

  “So are we going to New York?” Joey asked at the start of the meal. “No,” Deana said.

  “Mom,” Joey pleaded.

  “There’s no bargaining,” Deana said sharply.

  “Okay. It would have been cool though.”

  The rest of the dinner went to discussing the new book they were reading. It was a part of a mystery series and Joey seemed to be enjoying it. Deana listened half-heartedly, the thought of New York was drumming somewhere in her ears. Joey was almost nine, in another nine years she would not be able to say no to him going anywhere. Nine years if she’s lucky, he might rebel against the whole idea of mother knows best long before that. She would have loved to send him on this adventure. He was young and getting his impressions of the world, and who knows, Sebastian might not be in his life much longer. He could afford to show Joey a good time, but New York was too risky at this time.

  “I didn’t say I would take the family,” Sebastian said later after Joey was tucked in bed and they were doing the dishes. “I just mentioned I had to go.” “What?”

  “The trip to New York. I didn’t say anything to Joey that would interfere with your decision.”

  “Thanks. I’m sorry we can’t go. For what it’s worth, I’ll send him on your next adventure, as long is it’s not New York.”

  “So your past is in New York.”

  “Yes, and hopefully it will stay there. You’ll understand after I explain it.”

  “He wouldn’t be out of my sight for a minute,” Sebastian said.

  “Yes, he would. You have business to take care of and it isn’t out of your sight I’m worried about. Let’s not talk about this. Thanks for a great dinner.”

  “It was nothing. I’m not staying tonight. I have to be in New York for a meeting at nine so I’ll be leaving early.”

  “My bed will miss you,” she said.

  “Only your bed?” he asked.

  “When are you coming back?”

  “Some time Saturday. I promised Joey I’d take him shopping for camp. You’re invited. Oh, before I forget—you need to pickup the cell phones on Friday afternoon.”

  “You have the receipt?”

  “It’s on the nightstand on my side of the bed.”

  “Okay.”

  They finished the dishes; put away the games and the books, before he took his keys to go.

  “I’ll see you Saturday?” He pulled her into his arms.

  “Yes. Is there anything else I need to do before Saturday?”

  “No, I think the cell phone is the only major thing, unless you want to volunteer to pick me up at the airport. Angus would appreciate the day off.”

  “Call me when you’re in the air.”

  “Good night, darling.” He kissed her lips tenderly, then turned to walk away.

  She pulled him back. “Sure you have to go?”

  “You are playing devil’s advocate, woman. But yes, I don’t want to get you up at five in the morning.”

  “Who said anything about sleeping?”

  “I can’t believe I’m turning you down.”

  “Then don’t. Let me tell you what you’re missing.” She stood on tiptoes and whispered something in his ear.

  “You are evil,” he said.

  “So you’re staying?”

  “For all of that, I would miss my flight to New York. Can I rain check on it?”

  “Offer won’t be there when you get back. I’ll miss you.” “And I’ll miss you more. Good night, sweetheart.” “Good night.”

  So they weren’t just casual, the man in the black sedan thought as he watched the couple kiss on the porch. He had been disoriented for a few days, the woman had moved. He would have missed her saved he’d followed her to the marina and realized they were leaving on a boat. He darted back to the house. He wanted to see how she lived, how he could get to the boy and the silly bitch without the neighbors knowing.

  He was almost inside the house when the moving crew had arrived. He’d played it down, told them he was a neighbor and was just checking if she was home. He got to see the inside of the house. There was no alarm system, getting in would have been a breeze. He wasn’t allowed in the new house, even when he volunteered to lend a hand. The boyfriend had been specific about security and the alarm company was installing an alarm there.

  She was being careful or the boyfriend was paranoid. She was careful, the scarred man mused. One did not run for nine years without being careful. He had a name for the boyfriend—Sebastian Torrance. He didn’t need to research the name; Torrance Construction was as common as household bleach. Tommy Navarre had bought a house from Caswell Group, but the house was made by Torrance Construction. He’d met Sebastian once, at a dinner party in New Rochelle. Unlike many millionaires, it was hard to tell this guy sat comfortably in the billionaire club. Nothing about him was extravagant. He’d taken a five-year-old child then as his date, the same girl Tommy had seen him with a few weeks ago.


  The little tramp had landed herself a rich, powerful bed mate. Bet she didn’t tell him about New York, Tommy thought.

  Tommy was not running out of patience. He considered himself a patient man under all circumstances. He’d waited her out for three days before, he’d waited nine years to find her, and he would wait even longer to get her. The scar on his face itched as Sebastian’s car drove away. He would get her, eventually. But he had to be careful. He was stupid renting a Cadillac, which almost tipped her off.

  The job of a hunter doesn’t always seem technical on the surface, but it was, and he was a hunter.

  The woman who babysat the boy never jogged at six in the afternoon. It was too hot in Florida. Seeing her out in sneakers and a bad disguise for a jogging suit had told him two things—the bitch suspected the Cadillac was out of place, and the bitch wasn’t running.

  Years ago, the slightest scent of her past would have had her tearing down main street forgetting job and all. She was sniffing the spores, though she wasn’t sure, but she wasn’t running. Or maybe she wasn’t sure she had the right scent, after all, it’s been nine years.

  The sedan started out slowly on the street, and drove to the five star hotel six miles away. There, Tommy found solace in the arms of his much older but sexy lover. He’d been sleeping with Simone Pacelli since the day she first met Donato Pacelli. She was thirty at the time, and he was only nineteen, but the things she taught him. Even after the stupid bitch had marred his face, Simone still found him irresistible. He knew at one time Tony had loved his step- mother, but the bitch had removed him from the picture, now Simone belonged to Tommy. This exclusive right to Simone was the only thing that saved Deana from a bullet between the eyes. He would have done it, even if Tony wanted her alive. Tony might crack a hard whip, but nothing Tommy couldn’t handle. Since the night Deana fled New York, Tommy was the muscle and Tony the brain. Tommy couldn’t understand why Tony cared if she was alive.

  Killing the bitch would make taking the boy so much easier. But Tony wanted her alive.

  Chapter 14

  Despite Sebastian’s reassurance that he already spoke with Joey about them getting married, Deana had her own talk with the boy on Friday evening. “I know Sebastian spoke to you about us getting married,” Deana said, “but I want to talk to you myself.”

  “Mom, it’s okay. I think Sebastian is a great guy and he makes you smile a lot.”

  “That doesn’t mean we are going to get married. He doesn’t know everything about us.”

  “But he loves you and me.”

  “Joey, even people who love each other don’t always get married. There are things that pull them apart. I want you to understand that if Sebastian and I don’t get married, it doesn’t mean that he doesn’t love you or he doesn’t love me. It just means there are other things in our lives that are keeping us apart.”

  “Like what?”

  “Just things,” Deana said.

  “Is that why you didn’t send me to New York with him?” “It’s a little more complicated than that, but yes.”

  “Mom, he’s never tried to hurt me.”

  “You love him, don’t you?”

  “Yes. He makes me feel like I am really his son. Like when he picks me up in the evening he will say, ‘Put on your seatbelt’, or ‘I’m not moving until your seatbelt is on, mister’. Then we get home and he’ll say, ‘This evening we are going to read, no video games’. Uncle Carl does it to Trevor all the time. It’s nice to have someone do it to me. Aunt Thelma says he does it because he cares, like when you do it.”

  “She is right,” Deana said. “Sebastian cares about you. And he will be your friend, even if we don’t get married.”

  “You should marry him if you both love each other. And even if you never send me on an adventure with him, I don’t care—as long as you are happy. And I think he takes very good care of us. Like he helped us to move, he stays here with us, it’s nice. No man has ever stayed overnight with us before, so I know you love him. But I’ll understand, Mom.”

  “I love you, Joey,” she hugged her son.

  Deana was vigilant during Sebastian’s absence. She never saw the Cadillac again, but she’d seen a dark sedan pass the street once. She was in a dilemma. She wanted to send Joey to summer camp, but all her instincts said Tony had found them. She trudged through the days wondering what to do. All Joey spoke about was camp and Sebastian’s promising to take him and Trevor shopping.

  She couldn’t very well pickup Joey and run again. Their lives were just starting to make sense. And there was the question of Sebastian. They started out rocky enough, she couldn’t deny that she’d been attracted to him from the start, but now they were beyond the petty fights, they were functioning.

  Some time between the weeks and days since they met, they’d become a unit for Joey. Deana dreaded telling him about her past, dreaded him leaving them though she felt it wouldn’t happen. She found comfort knowing he was truthful when he said he would always love her son.

  If she uttered a word of moving from the state, Joey would look at her with those huge black eyes and break her heart like he did when she announced selling the old house. She needed Joey to be some place safe so she could think a strategy.

  Sebastian called Friday and spoke with Joey for a half hour before talking to Deana. Even over the telephone he didn’t miss the edge in her voice.

  “Are you okay?” he asked.

  “I miss you.”

  “I miss you too, honey. I wish you were here. It’s quiet and lonely in the nights without you and Joey.”

  “Well, it’s not so quiet here, just a bit sulky.”

  “I’m sorry I told him about New York before running it by you.” “It’s nothing. He understands.”

  “I can’t wait to get home.”

  “I’m sure your house is quiet. Probably doesn’t seem that way because Joey’s chatter might be running in your head.”

  “That’s not what I meant. Home is with you and Joey and I can’t wait to get back.”

  “Sebastian,” Deana thought about telling him about the sedan. She wanted his opinion. She’d made every decision about Joey’s life from the moment he was conceived, and it wasn’t until this moment he realized what loving Sebastian meant.

  “Deana?” he asked after the long pause.

  “I’m here. I love you and I can’t wait for you to get home.” “I love you too.”

  Deana picked up Sebastian at the airport a little past noon. She had Trevor and Joey in the car with her. Thelma was glad Deana volunteered for the shopping trip; though Deana thought it was the least she could do for all the unpaid hours of Joey staying with the Waynes after school.

  “Thanks, honey,” Sebastian got in the car and kissed her. “Hey Joey, Trevor, are you guys ready for some camp shopping?”

  “Are we ever,” Trevor said.

  “Did you get the cell phones?” Sebastian asked.

  “Yes.”

  “I memorized both your numbers,” Joey said. “Mom told me I had to know them before going to camp.”

  “Good and remember you have to call after breakfast and by six o’clock, okay? We don’t want to give your mom a heart attack.”

  “You’re exaggerating,” Deana said.

  “Tell me that the first time he doesn’t call on time. Let’s go to the outdoor store at the outlet mall in Fort Lauderdale.”

  “Okay, but we are on a strict budget,” Deana warned.

  “You’re on a strict budget, we guys are not,” Sebastian said. Deana slanted him a look for a second, but didn’t comment. They made good time to the mall despite the traffic. The boys were thoroughly excited about their first camping and their shopping expedition.

  “You’re spoiling them,” Deana admonished as both Joey and Trevor dropped two pairs of overpriced binoculars in the shopping cart. The shopping was Sebastian’s treat, and he had insisted on paying for Trevor also. He’d told her that his father did the same for him, Mack and Jaim
e on their first camping trip, and this would be no different.

  “It has night vision,” Sebastian said.

  “That’s no excuse.”

  “It’s a boy’s toy. You know boys have to have their toys.” “Not at that price,” Deana said.

  “Let me worry about the bank account,” Sebastian said. “I don’t want you to think about anything other than being happy. Britney wants to go camping. Bridget says she’s been moping around ever since we got back from the Bahamas.”

  “Poor Bridget,” Deana sympathized knowing how much Joey had pleaded to go and how difficult it is to think of him gone so far away. “I know, but Britney’s too young. Next year she could go, she would have Joey to look out for her then.”

  “Do you have all these long term plans in your head?”

  “I can’t think about my future without both of you, so yes. I didn’t want to say anything in the car, but I have to go to Denver next Tuesday. I’ll be back late Thursday or Friday. I want you both to come with me. We’ll be having a picnic with some huge clients. Everyone will be bringing their families so you won’t feel left out.”

  “Sorry, I have to work. You know that.”

  “How about if I take Joey, give you some time to relax?”

  Deana saw a solution to her problems. If she had some time alone to think over this development, to follow up on the rent-a-car agency Carl had traced the car to, she might be able to know for sure if Tony had found them.

  “Sure.”

  “Is that a yes?”

  “He’d be happy to go.”

  “Thanks. It means a lot to me. When I was ten, my father took me to all the Torrance Construction offices worldwide. It was very nice to see what the family did. Joey needs to know what the family does; the business will be his someday.”

  “If we get married,” Deana said.

  “You didn’t say no, you said ask me again after I’ve told you everything. There is nothing you can tell me that can make me leave—nothing.” “We’ll see about that. Just don’t tell him the business will be his. And if anything goes wrong, call me immediately.”

  “I think I can handle it if anything goes wrong.”

  “Sebastian, I don’t expect you to suddenly become father of a nine year old. Call me if anything goes wrong and that goes for you too.”