A Family Affair: Fall by Mary Campisi

Author:Mary Campisi [Campisi, Mary]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Mary Campisi
Published: 2014-09-09T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter 9

“When are you coming back?”

Ben sat on the bed and pulled on a shoe. “Why do you want to know, little cousin? So you can clean up my place before I get back?”

“No. Because I miss you.”

“Uh-huh.” Paige either needed money or a favor. Or she was bored. He laced up his shoe, reached for the other one. “Why are you calling me so early?”

“I couldn’t sleep. I can’t believe you haven’t reported those people next door. Their dogs barked all night.”

Jed and Clara, a Golden and a Lab. He thought the owner’s names were Mark and Jennifer, but he couldn’t be sure. “I like those dogs; besides, they’re good deterrents from break-ins.”

“Right. And your high-tech security system isn’t?”

He smiled. Once in a while, his cousin actually saw through his bullshit. “Extra layer of security.”

“Uh-huh. I’m stuck in Philly for the next four weeks.” Her voice dipped into pitiful mode. “I sprained my ankle and they bumped me from the L.A. trip.”

“Damn, I’m sorry.” Ben fastened his utility belt and grabbed his keys. He had three minutes to get out of here or he’d be late for work. “Can’t you just relax?”

“Do you know how hard it is to relax when everybody tells you to relax?” She sighed. “It’s impossible. All you can think about is the reason you aren’t relaxing.” Pause. “Are you sure you can’t get away from that super-secret operation you’re involved with to come home for the weekend?”

Poor Paige, she really thought he was doing undercover. Better she thought that than knowing he was in the same town as Cash Casherdon. That would not sit well. “Sorry, kid. I can’t.”

“You must be in deep.”

If the town ever found out why he’d come here and how he had no intention of staying, he’d be in deep all right, real deep, as in quicksand-sinking deep, with Cash and Gina Servetti at the head of the line to push him in. “Yeah, you could say that.”

“Well, be careful.”

“I always am.”

“And, Ben?”

He paused, hand on the knob. “Yeah?”

“Melissa’s getting married next week.”

Paige’s revelation lodged in his gut, made him queasy with thoughts of Melissa’s future husband next to her in bed, his baby filling her belly. If he thought that jerk really loved her, maybe he could let her go, but how could an arrogant sonofabitch like that love Melissa? Worse, how could she love him? Was Kenneth Stone, Assistant District Attorney, another emotional fixer-upper, like Ben had been? And did she think if she nurtured him with love, kindness, and a baby, then he’d shower her with the one thing she truly wanted—real commitment? Maybe that was it. Maybe Melissa needed to be needed and damn, maybe Kenneth realized that, something Ben hadn’t considered until a few seconds ago. He was still thinking about Melissa and her new family when Jeremy Ross Dean sauntered in with a brown lunch bag and a big grin.

“Hey, Ben, I brought you something.” He dropped the bag on Ben’s desk and pulled up a chair.

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