Should be good for the market.
Jack had nearly gagged at that. All week, the news had reported that anti-trust enforcers were suing to stop the deal on the grounds that a merger would virtually eliminate competition and leave consumers with little choice and spiraling fees.
Why would Charles say that? And what did they have to hide?
Jack rocked on his heels. Maybe it wasn’t any of his business anymore. Old habits were tough to change.
Jack ducked under purple wisteria that wound over the front porch and knocked on Vanessa’s front door.
The door banged open. “Dad,” Leo shouted, flinging his arms around Jack. He wore swim trunks, a superhero T-shirt, and flip flops.
“Hey, big guy.” Jack tousled the boy’s hair, which was the same shade his had been at that age. Leo had Vanessa’s dark eyes, but he favored Jack in most other ways. Jack wondered how Vanessa felt about that. Still, she’d never wanted to marry or have a relationship. He only wished she’d told him about Leo sooner, but he understood why.
Jack hadn’t been suitable husband or father material back then, always chasing stories around the world for the news. When Vanessa had contacted him to tell him about Leo, he’d offered to marry her, but Vanessa was too smart for that. She told him that when she discovered her pregnancy, she had known what she wanted—and what she didn’t. But that decision had been years ago.
“I’m going to the beach with Samantha and her parents,” Leo said. “Want to come with us?”
“I’d like to, but today I came to see your mom. Can I take a rain check on that?”
Leo looked perplexed. “The beach is better when the sun is out.”
Jack laughed and hugged his son. “That’s an old expression.”
“It doesn’t make any sense.”
“It means you want to do something later.”
“You could have just said that, right?”
Chuckling, Jack nodded. “That’s what we call a cliché. You’ll learn about that in school.” Leo was going to keep him alert, for sure.
“Oh, yeah. Mom already told me about those,” Leo said. “Come in. I’ll get her.” Leo took Jack’s hand and then left him in the living room while he went to see his mother.
On a distressed, white-washed bookshelf, Jack noticed a group of photos that Vanessa must have brought with her. He picked up a picture of her with colleagues at a party and saw that he recognized several people in the photo. He and Vanessa had worked for rival newspapers; they had been professional acquaintances. And he had always respected Vanessa and her abilities.
Jack recalled the tough assignment they had covered. After one of their colleagues had been killed while reporting on the story, they’d sought comfort with each other late one night, not knowing if they would live through the dangerous situation.
She had never told him she was pregnant, even though he’d tried to keep up with her after they went on to other assignments. Eventually, she’d stopped returning his calls.
Only recently had Vanessa told him about Leo. She professed that she had not wanted to marry—Jack or anyone—even though she decided to have her baby.
Her parents had been thrilled to have a grandchild. They would have preferred to have a son-in-law in the deal, too. But Vanessa knew her parents. She had called them old-fashioned; they were descendants of aristocratic Spanish land-grant families in California, established long before statehood.
No, Jack wasn’t their idea of good husband material. It wasn’t until they had died and Vanessa had fallen ill that she had called Jack.
“I’m glad you came.” Vanessa appeared in the doorway, looking weak but determined. A bright orange-and-fuchsia floral scarf was wrapped around her head where luxurious dark hair had once been, framing dark, expressive eyes that still held beauty and strength. “Let’s work at the kitchen table.”
Denise and John came into the room, their arms piled with towels and beach gear. Wearing a mermaid swimsuit and coverup, Samantha skipped behind them.
Jack helped Vanessa to the table and pulled out her chair. A basket of seashells rested on the rustic, hand-hewn table. On the back of a chair, he recognized a woven serape of red, blue, and green from her home in Santa Monica. Of course she would want her favorite things around her.
“Would you like some hot tea and crackers?” Jack asked. Vanessa seldom seemed hungry, and he could tell she’d lost more weight. Because her immunity was low, he kept his distance and didn’t hug her.
“That sounds perfect, thank you.”
Denise pointed toward a cabinet in the kitchen. “If you’re looking for crackers, they’re in that cupboard by the refrigerator, and tea is by the coffeemaker.” She turned to Vanessa and rubbed her shoulders. “You’ll call us if you need anything?” she asked with concern in her voice.
“I’ll be fine,” Vanessa replied, touching Denise’s hand the way old friends do. “Jack is here, and I’ll take a nap later.”
Leo flung his arms around Jack again before they left. “Will you be here when we get back? You could have supper with us. Can he, Mom?”
“Jack might have other plans,” Vanessa said, kissing the top of her son’s head. “But we’ll talk about it. Have fun, mijo.”
After the door shut, Vanessa gazed after them. “I want to spend every moment with him, but it’s imperative that you two get to know each other, too.” She gave a wan smile. “Leo and Samantha enjoyed having supper with you on the yacht. He couldn’t sleep last night until he’d told me all about it.”
“They’re good kids.” Jack touched her hand. “How did your doctor visit go?” He ached to ask if there was any good news, but he knew better.
“Same,” Vanessa replied. She accepted this.
At a loss for words, Jack nodded. It wasn’t fair that such a beautiful, talented, gifted woman and loving mother should have her life cut short because of a rare condition. Vanessa had called it an orphan disorder—so rare it was hardly worth studying.
At least it wouldn’t make an orphan of her son. Jack would take care of him. With each sunrise, Leo was his first thought, and he fell asleep thinking about him, planning for him.
He was a father now. It was time to do the right thing. Turning down that offer from his colleague Hank had made him realize that he’d had his run, and it was time to build a new life.
Here in Summer Beach.
“There is a leather folder in the bedroom on my desk,” Vanessa said. “Would you get it for me?”
Jack brought the stylish, gray leather folder to her. While she sorted through papers, he prepared green tea with mint and placed thin seeded crackers on a plate. He brought these to the table. It was meager fare but a feast for her.
Vanessa slid a packet of documents across the table to his side. “I asked you here to review plans for Leo’s future.”
“Can’t that wait? I don’t want to trouble you.”
“We have to do this for Leo. Now, before—” She stopped abruptly and blinked.
“Whatever you want.” Jack picked up the legal documents. The first thing he noticed was the name at the top. Leonardo Rodriguez Ventana. He raised his brow in surprise.
“Leo should have your last name now. It will make things easier for both of you. School, sports, doctor visits. Otherwise, they’ll call you Mr. Rodriguez.” She smiled. “My attorney prepared a Voluntary Declaration of Parentage if you would like to sign it now.”