“Something like that.”
She laughed, and he jerked his head toward her. “Do you want to take that fatherhood class first? Buy a few dad clothes? Prepare for fireside chats?”
His forehead creased. “Something wrong with that?”
“Ask any parent—there’s not much preparation you can do. You’re his father, Cade, and it’s high time he knows it.”
She folded her arms. “Unless you’re scared.”
He snorted. “I’m not afraid.”
She slid a glance at his hands gripping the steering wheel. “Not even an owner’s manual for children would’ve changed Kevin. He did the best he could, but ultimately he had skewed priorities.”
His eyes darted to the rearview mirror. “Yeah, priorities.”
By late afternoon, they’d put a few hundred miles between themselves and Kevin’s killers. Had Zendaris’s men even known Cade was in Albuquerque? Maybe that’s why they murdered Kevin. Maybe in the end Kevin wouldn’t give them any information about his son and grandson.
Of course, Cade had never thought of that. It wouldn’t occur to him now that he was busy distancing himself from his father and the hope of some sort of reconciliation.
They pulled into a small town somewhere near the Colorado border. How could anyone find them here? Of course, she’d never believed she’d be discovered in Lovett Peak.
“How does that look?” Cade pointed a finger over the steering wheel, at a cozy roadside motel.
“Looks like Mr. Cramer may not even have to use his credit card for this place. They’re probably just as happy to accept cash.”
“Are you implying it’s a dump?”
“If it has a shower, a bed and some food nearby, it’s heaven.”
“Are we home now, Mommy?”
Jenna reached into the backseat and squeezed one of Gavin’s bouncing knees. “We’re on our way to a new home, honey bunny.”
“With him?” He reached out both hands toward Cade and wiggled his fingers.
“We’re going to talk about that.” Jenna winked. Gavin’s comment was the perfect opening.
Cade squealed to a stop next to the motel office. “But now we’re going to check into our motel.”
Jenna shot Cade a look through narrowed eyes. Dodged that one. Cade had been all in her face a few days ago about giving Gavin the big news. Funny how confronting your past could change things.
Cade registered at the front desk and dangled the key from his finger as he led the way outside. “Number fifteen, garden view.”
“Do we need to move the car?”
“There’s no parking on that side. The woman at the front desk said we’re good here.”
Their room faced a small courtyard with shrubbery, potted plants and hanging baskets of flowers.
She sniffed the air for their fragrance. “This isn’t half bad.”
“Not as nice as that suite in Albuquerque.”
“Eh, suites are overrated.”
He reached past her to push open the door and brushed her arm. “I’ll never forget that suite.”
She met his dark gaze and knew he wasn’t talking about the flat-screen TV. She wanted to kiss him right then and there, kiss away his pain, his disappointment and his fear that he’d be the same kind of dad that Kevin was to him.
But Gavin had scampered into the room ahead of them, and she didn’t want to confuse him with any displays of affection toward Cade until they’d had a chance to talk to him.
Gavin had never seen her with a man. Even though she hadn’t been with Cade in three years, she’d taken her marriage vows seriously. Heck, no man could compare to Cade, anyway. It had been love at first sight on her end. She’d never believed in that before, but she’d lived it.
Gavin darted around the room and said, “Where’s the little bar?”
Cade laughed. “The little bar?”
“He means the minibar, don’t you, Gavin?” She dug her fists into her hips. “Looks like someone else will never forget that suite. You’ve corrupted him with a five-dollar chocolate bar.”
“Doesn’t look like there are any minibars in here.” Cade scooped up Gavin and hoisted him in the air. “But I saw a park on the way, and I’ll bet you could use some exercise.”
“Ball?” Gavin’s brown eyes sparkled and he kicked his feet.
“Sure, we can get a ball. Do you know how to swim?”
“Swimming pool!”
Cade looked at Jenna over the top of Gavin’s head. “Does he?”
“He took some lessons at the YMCA in Lovett Peak. I wouldn’t say he can swim, but he does a mean dog paddle and he’s not afraid of the water at all.”
“I wouldn’t expect him to be.”
“You teach me?” Gavin was patting Cade on top of the head.
“Cade’s a great swimmer.” Jenna didn’t want to waste another minute or refer to Gavin’s dad as Cade one more time. She sat on the edge of the bed, and patted the mattress. “Let’s sit down for a talk before we run off looking for balls and parks and swimming pools.”
Cade’s Adam’s apple bobbed as he met her eyes, but he took a seat next to her, pulling Gavin into his lap.
Jenna wedged her finger beneath Gavin’s chin, turning his head so she could look into his eyes. “Do you remember when you asked me about your daddy?”
He nodded. “’Cuz Sam has a daddy.”
“Everyone has a daddy, and so do you. Remember I told you he was away?”
“Uh-huh.”
“Well, he’s back.” She curled her fingers around Gavin’s. “Cade is your daddy.”
His eyes wide, Gavin tipped his head back to look at Cade, his gaze searching his father’s face. A slow smile curved Gavin’s lips. “I have a daddy, too.”
Jenna blinked back her tears. “Yes, you do, and he loves you very much.”
Cade cleared his throat. “Your mom’s right, Gavin. I love you, and I’m going to be around for a while. I-is that a good thing?”
Jenna didn’t often see Cade unsure of himself. This small boy could make a tough Navy SEAL stutter with uncertainty.
Gavin nodded his head again, this time his smile stretching from ear to ear. “Are you gonna teach me swimming?”
“Yep. As soon as we get settled, we’re going to find a pool and turn you into a fish.”
Gavin giggled and squirmed off Cade’s lap. He then proceeded to run around the room propelling his arms like a swimmer.
Jenna rolled her eyes. “I told you he needs work.”
“He’s been strapped in a car seat for too long. He needs some fresh air and exercise.”
“Ball, ball, ball.”
Jenna held a finger to her lips. “Shh. We might have neighbors.”
She draped her arm around Cade’s hunched shoulders and whispered in his ear. “You can relax now. That went great. No tantrums, no tears.”
“Poor kid’s probably just happy to have any father.”
She pursed her lips. The man just wouldn’t give himself a break. “But he doesn’t have just any father. He has you, and he’s very lucky.”
Cade’s phone buzzed in his front pocket and he snatched it, glancing at the display. “It’s a cleared number, but I don’t recognize it.”
“Prospero?”
“Has to be.”
He punched the talk button and listened, while Jenna’s heart pounded in her chest.
He said, “Yeah.”
The pause that followed went on forever, and Jenna tugged at his sleeve.
Cade held up his hand. “Yeah, I can be there, but give me some time. Eight o’clock will work. Tomorrow night. Everything in order?”
Jenna scrambled for the pad of paper and motel pen near the phone by the bed and held them out to Cade, but he shook his head and tapped his head with his forefinger.
“Got it.” He ended the call, folding the phone between his hands.
“Well? Do they have a place for us?”
“Eventually.”
Je
nna licked her lips. “What does that mean?”
“It means we’ll get our hideaway, once I show up at a meeting—a meeting where I could be the bait.”
Chapter Thirteen
Jenna clutched his arm, knocking the phone from his grasp. “What does that mean?”
“That was an Agent Jeff Curson on the phone. They have new identities for us and a location, but we’re supposed to meet him and Beth Warren to get our IDs, cash and new lives.”
She released him and rubbed her palms on her thighs. “That’s a good thing, right? You know Beth. You mentioned her before.”
“Yeah.”
“Why do you think you’re going to be the bait?”
“I’m not sure.” He scooped up his cell from the floor and tapped his chin with it. “Curson sounded...weird. If Prospero really does think I have the plans, this could be a setup.”
“Is there someone else you can call? Your team members? Jack Coburn?”
“You heard J.D. He’s out of the country. Gage is probably in South America and Deb’s on leave right now. They’re all scattered. Unavailable. I have to follow protocol. If Prospero is calling me in for a meeting, I have to be there. I have to assume this is coming from the very top.”
“Gavin and I have to come, too?” She shot a glance at Gavin, now sprawled on the bed next to them, rolling from edge to edge.
“I’m not leaving you here, not on your own. Not again.”
“When and where?” She took a deep breath and straightened her spine.
“Arizona. Tomorrow.” He massaged her neck. “We can stay here tonight and get an early start tomorrow morning.”
She fell back on the bed. “We should’ve stayed in New Mexico. I feel like we’re crisscrossing the Southwest.”
“We could’ve used that helicopter.”
“We could’ve used a lot of things.”
A few hours later as the sun began to go down over the park, Cade had never felt so tired in a good way. They’d stopped at a drugstore and bought a cheap rubber ball, some bottles of water and some chewy fruit snacks that he’d never eaten before in his life. He liked them.
They’d played with that ball every which way. Played catch, kicked it like a soccer ball, shot a few hoops and even used a stick to bat it. The way his chest swelled with pride the first time Gavin caught the ball nearly knocked him off his feet.
How could he ever leave this boy again? Or this woman?
Jenna collapsed beside him after chasing Gavin up and down the slide. “I’m glad you were here to play with him. I’m exhausted already.”
“Lightweight.” He snapped his fingers. “I could do another two rounds.”
She squeezed his biceps. “That’s because you’re a stud.”
“Daddy, come push me.” Gavin had scrambled onto a swing, his legs pumping the air above the sand.
Cade swallowed the ridiculous lump in his throat for about the fifth time that afternoon. Would he ever be able to hear that word from Gavin’s lips without getting choked up?
“One more time, bud, and then we break for pizza.”
As he struggled to his feet, Jenna mumbled, “Lightweight.”
When they finished at the park, they stopped at a pizza place and took a couple of pizzas back to the motel. This might almost feel normal if they weren’t all taking off tomorrow morning to get new identities.
Jenna plopped a slice of cheese pizza onto a paper plate for Gavin, sitting cross-legged in front of the TV, and shook her finger at him. “One cartoon while you eat, then bath and bedtime.”
“Can we go to the park tomorrow?”
She sucked a strand of cheese from her finger. “We’re driving again tomorrow, but we’ll have lots of time to go to the park—after.”
“And the swimming pool.”
“And a swimming pool.” Cade handed Gavin a bunch of napkins. “If you swim as good as you throw, you’re going to be winning all kinds of races.”
“Ah, don’t get too competitive there, Dad,” Jenna teased.
Cade stretched out on the floor next to Gavin and slid a piece of pepperoni pizza onto his own plate. “Maybe I’ll be one of those fathers who screams and yells on the sidelines and gets kicked out of my kid’s games.”
“I’ll keep you in line.” She nudged his foot with her own.
Jenna was kidding, but Cade hung on to her words with a pathetic desperation. Could she really teach him to be a good father? He’d had the worst of role models—a man who would sell out his own flesh and blood for a couple of bucks.
They finished eating and Cade joined Jenna at the edge of the tub to wash the pizza stains from Gavin’s face and scrub the dirt from beneath his fingernails. After one afternoon of hard play, Gavin seemed to accept him at his mother’s side.
That was the thing about kids—good parenting, bad parenting, they didn’t know the difference. Look at him. When he was a kid, he’d thought his father could do no wrong.
With Gavin toweled dry and snug in his pajamas, Jenna tucked him into the double bed on the other side of the nightstand from theirs. Then she cozied up to Cade, and all thoughts about how to be a good father flitted away. Now he wanted to be a good lover.
He slipped his arm around her shoulder and drew circles on the side of her breast with his thumb. She swiveled her hips toward him and threw one leg over his thigh. He slumped down, kissing the top of her head and edging his hand beneath the top of her pajamas. He flattened his hand against her belly, getting ready to make his next move.
Then the mattress dipped, and Gavin was wriggling his way between them.
Jenna smoothed her fingers across Gavin’s cheek. “Don’t you want to sleep in your own bed, honey bunny? Daddy and I will be right here in the bed next to yours.”
He burrowed deeper between them. “Sleep here.”
She lifted one brow at Cade. “Welcome to fatherhood.”
Cade pulled the covers down, so Gavin could slip beneath them. “I can handle this.”
Jenna sighed and rested her head on Cade’s shoulder as the images from the TV flickered across her face. He kissed her again and adjusted his arm so that Gavin’s head nestled in the crook of his elbow.
He could handle this.
The following morning, they left before sunrise. The crisp, cool air needled his skin as he loaded up the car with their meager belongings. How long would they have to hide out? It went against his nature, but he wanted to keep his wife and son safe. And this time, he wanted to stay with them.
He had to stay with them.
Jenna snapped on her seat belt and hitched her seat back in a reclining position. “Where are we meeting them?”
“At a warehouse.”
“That sounds...weird.”
“It’s more private, out of the way. No cameras, no crowds.”
“Is it going to be safe?”
“We’re going to meet members of Prospero. We’ll be safe.”
“That’s what we thought about that outpost in Arizona.” Her gaze etched into his profile. “You’re putting up a good front, but I can tell you’re worried. Do you think they’ll ambush you?”
He lifted his shoulders. “If they do, they’ll just bring me in. Isn’t that what we want, anyway?”
“That would mean they don’t trust you.”
“In our business, trust is in short supply. If they think I have the plans, all they can do is question me. I don’t have them.”
“What will they do with us? With me and Gavin?”
“They’ll settle you like they’re supposed to.”
“But without you.”
Over his dead body. “Once I’m cleared, I’ll be joining you. Besides, we’re jumping the gun here. Curson told me they have our new IDs, and I have to believe that.”
“Until we find out otherwise.”
“You’ve gotten suspicious over the years.” He chucked her under the chin.
“It comes from being married to a spy.”
“It’s not a
bad quality to have—even if you’re married to an accountant.”
She laced her fingers and stretched her arms in front of her. “Where do you think we’ll get settled?”
“I have no idea. That’s the point. Beth does a good job. She’ll make sure it’s someplace secure.”
“I still won’t be able to contact my family.”
“Do you want to?” Jenna’s family must’ve been the least of her worries when she went into hiding. She’d practically disowned them even before he’d met her.
She shrugged and hummed along to a song on the radio.
Maybe that’s another reason why the two of them had bonded so quickly—they’d both given up on their families. He and Kyle still had ties, but distance and his career had made it difficult for them to keep in touch. Jenna and her sister still had a civil relationship, but her sister kept in close contact with their parents and Jenna didn’t want any part of them.
How could her parents be any worse than Kevin?
Cade winced, the wound of his father’s betrayal still fresh. His gaze wandered to the rearview mirror, where he caught a glimpse of Gavin, head tilted to the side in blissful sleep already. He’d had a terrible role model for parenting in Kevin, but Jenna could be his new role model. She’d done a great job with their son so far.
A golden hue washed across the horizon, and Cade reached for his sunglasses. He had to be a better father than Kevin. He couldn’t possibly be much worse.
They had to make their way back through New Mexico and Albuquerque, heading down the 25, and Cade couldn’t help it if his foot got heavier on the accelerator as they sped through the cold, dry landscape.
He’d never forget the look in Kevin’s eyes when he’d proposed they trick Zendaris out of some money, putting Gavin at risk. The man had been dead inside even before Zendaris’s men took his life.
They could make a few stops along the way to their final destination in Arizona. Cade had suggested meeting at eight o’clock to make sure he and Jenna had enough time to get there. He’d still held off on telling Curson their current location. He couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off.
Cade had no intention of staying at a hotel close to the warehouse where the meeting was taking place. He needed distance and independence.
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