“So you thought if you stayed here, maybe you won’t have to go back to your home?” Joey nodded and said, “I like it here. I don’t wanna go back. When you started fighting last night I got real scared that my mommy would take me and leave.”

His lips started to quiver.

“So you hid here so she wouldn’t?”

“Yeah.”

Good plan, wish I’d thought of it. Somehow, Richard didn’t think hiding would make Kate search for him. “What about my home, Joey? Do you like it at the beach?”

His eyes opened wide and an enthusiastic nod shook his whole body.

“Do you think your mommy would like it there, too?”

With a little less assurance, Joey nodded again.

“Well, I think we should ask her. First, we need to let her know you’re okay. She got really scared when you ran off.”

“Am I in trouble?”

“Naw, mom’s have a hard time being mad when they’re excited to see you. But you need to promise not to run off anymore. All you had to do was come to your mom or me and tell us how you’re feeling. We can solve almost anything by talking it out, sport.

Promise me you won’t run off again.” Joey gave a wan smile, rubbed his sweaty palm over his chest, spit in it and held it out for Richard to shake. “I promise,” he said with a drop-dead serious voice.

Gritting his back teeth and not so much as breaking into a grin, Richard repeated Joey’s actions and shook on it.

“Come on; let’s go get your mom.”

“Okay.”

Joey gathered his blanket, stuffed dog, and pillow, then walked alongside Richard back to the

main house.

The door chimed, and Kate ran around the corner. Her hand flew to her open mouth. She gasped in relief. Joey nearly disappeared as she gathered him in her arms. Tears streamed from her eyes.

“Thank God, thank God,” she cried.

Kate pulled back, smoothed his hair away from his face, and asked. “Where have you been?”

“I-I just went to the little house by the pool.”

“Why, Joey? Why did you scare me like that?” Joey sent a nervous glance up at Richard and back to his mom. “I didn’t wanna leave, not without Richard.”

Kate crushed Joey to her chest again. “You scared me, Joey. What would I do without you? You can’t run away like that again, okay?”

“I won’t, I promised Richard I wouldn’t. I didn’t mean to scare you.”

“Well you did.” Richard knew she wanted to scold him, but she didn’t. Instead, Kate held her son and refused to meet his eyes.

Exactly what that meant, he could only guess.

Chapter Fourteen

Kate slipped out of Joey’s bedroom as silently as she could manage and tiptoed down the hall. Joey had snuck out of the house after her and Richard had finished their argument. He was too afraid to sleep alone in the guesthouse only feet away from the family. Now, exhausted and apologetic, Joey was making up for lost time.

His explanation for hiding the way he did reaffirmed Kate’s need to sever their relationship with Richard and the Ritters as soon as humanly possible. Not that she really wanted to, but Joey was growing too attached. Without a promise of a future, Kate had little choice. The separation could lead to a much bigger problem than Joey running off to the house next door.

Kate found Richard alone on the front porch.

Janet and Max were nowhere in sight.

“Where is everyone?”

“Janet’s dad insisted they bring the baby over.” Richard lifted a cup of coffee to his lips, took a sip, and then said. “How is Joey?”

“Sleeping. Poor kid, last night was quite traumatic for him.”

“And mom too, I think.”

Kate took a seat across from him and set her gaze upon the vast landscape. “I could never do that again and that would be too soon.”

“If it helps, I don’t think Joey will run off twice.”

“No, I don’t think so either.”

For a while they didn’t talk, just watched the birds splashing around the bath set in the middle of a small rose garden. Hummingbirds fluttered

around the climbing jasmine on a small trellis. How free the birds appeared flying from flower to flower.

How different her life was from theirs.

“Richard,” she took a deep breath before she started her speech. A speech she rehearsed in the early hours of the morning long before Joey had disappeared. “We need to talk.”

He set his cup down. “Nothing good ever came out of that statement.”

A smile flashed on her lips, but didn’t stay. “No, I guess you’re right.”

“Before you go on, I have something to say.” Here it comes, she mused. I like you but things are just too complicated. Joey is getting too attached and I don’t think it’s good that we keep seeing each other. She was ready for it. Still, her heart ached enough to know she cared deeply for the man across from her, enough to want him not to say those words.

Biting her lip, Kate managed, “Go ahead.”

“I think Joey is getting attached.” A huge lump started to build. Kate pulled it to the back of her throat and kept her eyes on the water flowing from the top of the fountain, the birds fluttering around it. Here it comes. Maybe I should make it easier for him. “Yes, he is.” Was all she could manage without bursting into tears.

“So am I.”

Her breath held for the blow that didn’t come.

Instead, her eyes skirted toward his. Uncertainty stared back at her. She waited for him to elaborate, afraid to make assumptions.

“Last night you said some things that made me take a long hard look at what’s going on between us.” “And?”

“And… I don’t want you going back to that dank apartment. You don’t belong there anymore. You and Joey belong with me.”

Kate pulled her lower lip inside her mouth and opened her eyes wide. “What are you saying, Richard?”

He stood and started pacing the deck. His hands rang out his nerves. “Move in with me, Kate.” Now it was Kate’s turn to lower her eyes and wring her hands. Moving in was a huge step. If she only had herself to think about, she would likely tell him yes. “Richard…”

“I’m not finished.”

“All right.”

“Joey needs some stability. This last month has been tough on him.”

“I know.”

“I want to make it easier, on him… and you.”