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Chapter Sixty-five
Jake laughed loudly at the disgust neither Rylee nor Carl could hide. Then he turned with Angelina in his arms to an approaching Leo. He watched as his scary-assed, scar-faced partner stepped up to Miguel who was holding Juan. He saw them talking and saw Leo melt. Okay, his plans would work. Leo never could resist babies, and as if primed, Juan’s reaching to go into Leo’s arms had just cinched the deal.
There was a person who looked to be following Leo, a woman, not someone he knew. When she turned his way, he recognized the bag lady from the pier before the cruise had begun. Leo had followed his instructions. She was one of theirs now.
Reaching into his new cruise bag carry-on, he lifted out Boo, careful to keep him from Angelina’s reach, who was in a frenzy to get her tiny fingers on the prize.
“I believe this little fellow belongs to you.”
Clean, looking healthier, but with the same twinkle in her eyes, she reached out. “Yes, I wondered what had become of him. I searched for the wee devil for hours before finally giving up.”
Leo stepped forward, holding Juan close and laughed. “You mean we spent hours. Amy wouldn’t leave until there was no doubt that the cat had disappeared and was nowhere to be found.”
Jake laughed, trying to imagine his cagey partner stooping to search for a cat. He smiled at Amy and asked, “I hope you’ll let me adopt him.”
Before she could answer, Leo interrupted, “Hell, why not? You’ve already signed up for three kids.” Leo’s sarcasm had the rest bristling, but Jake knew what he was driving at and winked.
“And yet, bro, it’s what we do, right?”
Swayed, Leo admitted, “Yep. We take in strays. I guess it’s what we do.”
Jake watched her approach and added, “Rylee’s become attached to Boo. We need him to be part of our family.”
Leo turned to Rylee and held out his hand. “Thank you.”
As if she knew what he meant, she answered exactly like one would expect from the chick, “You’re welcome.”
Breaking into the silence, Amy smiled, her mind made up. “Of course you may keep the kitty. He’s lucky you found him.”
“Not as lucky as me.” Remembering the night when Boo was plastered over Maddie Chu’s face, he grinned and turned to a watchful Leo, whose narrowed gaze searched his own. “Now that we have three kids, we feel that the littlest stowaway should also be a part of the family.”
Leo’s gaze shifted from Jake to Rylee and then back again. “We?”
“Yes. We – meaning Rylee and me. We’re getting married as soon as it can be arranged. Any problems?”
Leo examined Rylee’s closed expression carefully, as if he waited for some sign she was a person he could accept. He didn’t smile, didn’t say a word; his scarred face wearing a hard mask of indifference belied by his behavior.
Jake knew how important it was that the two people he loved most would like each other. His heart slowed, and he waited while their inspections took place. He waited and worried. God, he needed them to approve of each other, to accept his love for them both so there would be no resentments, no uneasiness… and absolutely no jealousy.
Then he saw Rylee wink.
And Leo grin.
And his heartbeat settled into its normal rhythm.
His new extended family would be just fine.
