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“Come on, Jason.” Still holding his hand, she stood. “Let’s go talk to your daddy. He needs to know you’re not mixed up anymore.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
TREY TUCKED THE sheets around his son and kissed his forehead. “Sweet dreams, buddy.”
Jason’s eyes were wide open, however, and boring into his. “Do you miss Mommy?”
After a moment’s hesitation, Trey said, “Of course,” and sat on the edge of the bed. Did Jason want to talk about Darlene? Maybe the fact that he’d remembered his mom was gone lessened the impact of Maria’s absence, which he’d explained by saying she had to help out her own family for a while.
He was beyond relieved that Jason had realized the truth on his own. Of course that meant there was no longer any need for the ritual good-night kiss. With Barth’s approval, Kelly wasn’t even in the room. She was packing.
He hadn’t quite processed the fact that she was really moving out. This house was going to feel like a museum without her.
“I like Kelly,” Jason said.
Startled at the change of subject to his own thoughts, Trey said, “Me, too.”
“Can we go visit her at her real home?”
“I’m sure she’d love to see you.”
“You can come, too.”
Trey laughed. “Thanks, buddy. Is there anything you want to talk about? Do you have any more questions?” He and Kelly, along with Dr. Barth, had spent a lot of time after dinner explaining about Maria, why she wasn’t here, why Kelly had to leave. Jason was sad, but had accepted the changes.
“No,” Jason said. “I love you, Daddy.”
Trey swallowed hard, wanting to remember this moment forever, the first time his son had expressed any love for him since Darlene’s death.
“I love you, too, Jase,” he said in a hoarse whisper. He blew his son a kiss, and Jason blew one back.
At the door, Trey took a last look at his son, thankful that the long nightmare was finally coming to an end. They’d have to remain in Florida awhile longer so Jason could begin treatment with Dr. Barth, but that wasn’t exactly a hardship. He already had feelers out for a new nanny. He looked forward to working on the tennis clinic. He’d soon take his position on the Wentworth Industries Board of Directors. It was time.
Plus, thanks to Kelly’s detective skills, Jason’s kidnappers should soon be in jail.
Yeah, and there was the only rub. Kelly. Everything in his life was under control except for his feelings about Officer Kelly Jenkins. The fact that she was moving out overshadowed all the other good news.
She was good for him, had somehow dragged him out of the funk he’d been in since the disintegration of his marriage, making him want to rejoin the productive world instead of hiding behind a life of parties. She’d given him the motivation to defy his father.
She was also good for his son. She’d taught Jason more about sharing and good manners in a week than Darlene had in all their time together. Darlene had loved Jason, but didn’t have the faintest idea about parenting and had had no interest in learning.
Trey quietly closed the door to Jason’s room and went to find Kelly. This would be the last night she spent under his roof, and he wanted to make the most of it. Yeah, he wanted her in his bed, but that wasn’t all he wanted. He wanted her respect.
For the first time in his life, he wasn’t sure how a woman felt about him. Understandable, of course. He hadn’t exactly been at his finest when they’d met.
He didn’t want to lose contact with Kelly, but could they have any kind of relationship? They came from such different worlds. Was it possible to even try?
He stepped outside into a clear, cool night and found her hanging onto the edge of the pool, lazily kicking her legs. He kept the water at the exact temperature she preferred. She’d finished her workout and was waiting for him.
When she noticed his presence, she smiled and exited the pool. As far as he was concerned her body was perfect. He held out the robe for her, encircling her with his arms as she stepped into the terrycloth. She leaned against him and sighed.
“I’m going to miss this pool,” she said.
Will you miss me? “You don’t have to go.”
