AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Jess had read a book to Jasper about a child who’d gotten sick and had to stay home from school. He’d been completely fascinated by the concept of eating in bed, something Jess didn’t realize he’d never done.
“Of course you can, sweetheart,” Aunt Berta replied before Jess could say a word. “I’m going to make you some chicken noodle soup right now and put it on a tray.”
Jess and Tony remained behind in the living room.
“When did I lose control?” she asked, amused.
Tony laughed. “About three seconds after I carried you in here, freezing cold from that damn night spent in the car. Does it bother you? Because I can talk to Aunt Berta if—”
“Don’t you dare,” Jess said, cutting him off. “She’s wonderful and Jasper loves her. One of our favorite bedtime stories isThe Napping House, and it talks about a granny taking a nap with her grandchild. Jasper asked me a few nights ago if it was okay if he pretended Aunt Berta was his granny. I didn’t know whether to laugh—so happy he has such a loving caregiver—or cry that my mom is such a coldhearted…” Jess waved her hands, unwilling to finish her name-calling.
“Bitch. You can call her a bitch, Jess.” Tony scowled every time he was reminded of just how cruel Jess’s mother was, tossing her out, pregnant and penniless.
Jess shrugged but didn’t say the word. “I’m grateful to Aunt Berta. And to you and Rhys, and the rest of your family. He lives for the Sundays when all your brothers and cousins come over. The way you all include him, watching sports, rough-housing with him the way uncles or,” she paused a moment before forging through, “a dad would.”
As soon as she said the word, Tony let himself imagine himself in that role. He’d pushed all thoughts of getting married, settling down, starting a family into that “far in the future” column. Not because he didn’t want those things but because work had always taken precedence, and he’d never met a woman who had made him thinkforever.
That was when he realized it wasn’t just Jess who’d claimed his heart. Jasper had as well. And suddenly, the idea of fatherhood appealed to him a great deal.
“The guys are crazy about Jasper,” he said.
“You’ve all shown Jasper what a large, loving family looks like. I never got that, so I’m glad he’s had this time.”
Tony reached out and hugged her. “You’ve raised one hell of a great kid.”
“Thanks,” she said, her voice muffled by his shirt.
He released her, wrapping his arm around her shoulder. “Come on. Let’s go check on him. Get the diagnosis from Dr. Beaumont.”
Jess’s face flushed at Tony’s use of Rhys’s title, and he knew exactly where her thoughts had drifted because his had gone to the same place.
He leaned closer. “Save that thought for later,” he murmured in her ear.
She playfully swatted his chest. “Down, boy. You’re going to have to give me some time to recover from those last half dozen or so orgasms.”
He slid his hand down her back, swatting her ass lightly. “No problem. How long do you need? Five, ten more minutes?”
She laughed. “Behave yourself, Dr. Moretti.”
He tickled her, Aunt Berta shaking her head at them as they passed her in the hallway. “Rhys said he has a bit of a fever and his tonsils are inflamed. I’m going to finish making him the soup I promised.”
“Oh no,” Jess said, walking to her room. Rhys was tucking Jasper into bed.
He turned as they entered, raising his hand when he saw the look of concern on Jess’s face. “Gave him children’s Tylenol to bring down the fever. It’s nothing serious. Likely a bug he picked up at school. Day or two of rest and he should be all better.”
Jess perched on the edge of the bed and gently kissed Jasper’s forehead. “I’m sorry you don’t feel well. Aunt Berta is making you soup. She’s going to put a tray together for you and bring it in here.”
Even though the boy was obviously sick, he perked up at the idea of dinner in bed. “Can I watch TV too?”
Jess laughed. “Yeah, you can. Let me go make a couple of calls and I’ll come back and watch with you, okay?”
Jasper nodded, and while he was clearly excited about the idea, Tony didn’t think the poor kid was going to manage to stay awake much longer.
Jess rose, and the three of them walked to the living room.
“I’m going to call in and tell them I can’t work tonight. I don’t want to leave Jasper alone while he’s sick.”
“Better yet, call Matt Russo and say you’re quitting,” Tony murmured, still hating the fact that Jess was working for the Russos.
