Filed to story: Falling for My Ex's Mafia Dad Novel Free PDF (Fay Alden & Kent Lippert)
“Well Kent,” I say, pressing a demure hand to my breast. “Those are my companies, and my profits. The question was not what I was going to do for work, but you were going to do.”
He laughs again now, pleased, but he shakes his head. “Fay,” he sighs. “If you think that I don’t have other accounts in Switzerland, that the American government can’t touch…”
“Really?” I ask, my eyes going wide as I turn to stare at him, actually shocked. “Are you serious, Kent?”
“Of course I’m serious,” he says, shaking his head at me, a coy and self-pleased smile on his face now. “Did you like it better? When you thought I was broke?”
“No,” I say, my eyes wide as I shake my head and then start to laugh. “This is way better. Seriously, though,” I press. “Are we like, rich? How much do we have in the accounts?”
“Um, Fay,” he says, leaning forward and teasing me, “I think we just established that this is my money, in my accounts ”
I click my tongue and swat at him, which makes him laugh and grab my hand before it can smack him, pulling me again against his chest, where he likes me. “It’s enough, Fay,” he murmurs in my ear. “Enough to keep us safe. To buy a little farm, maybe start a vineyard. I had one before, and it did well. We could try it again. Do you think you’d like that?”
“I think I’d like that,” I murmur, pleased, because suddenly the image comes to me of a little child running in the summer sun through the grape vines, free and easy, with Kent and I following behind. “I think I’d like that very much.”
“Good,” Kent sighs, tilting his head back and closing his eyes. “Then that’s a good enough place to start.”
And I settle my head against him, pleased.
But I don’t close my own eyes just yet.
Instead, I look for Daniel, and find him already looking at me. Then, subtly, I nod, just once, letting him know that our plans are going forward.
Daniel nods back to me, understanding, before he turns his attention back to Jerome and the rest of our little group.
And I do close my eyes, pleased and at rest. Because now that I know Kent wants the same thing Daniel and I want?
I know just how to get it.
We all stay outside until the sun starts to go down, which happens sooner than I thought it would but then again, Kent and I did wake up around 1:00, so I suppose I shouldn’t be as surprised as I am.
Janeen gets to her feet first, stretching. “Well,” she says, putting on an affected British accent that I know she uses when she’s feeling fancy, “shall we dress for dinner?”
“What’s on the menu tonight?” Daniel asks, smiling up at her but not getting to his feet yet.
She shrugs. “I don’t know. Whatever the chef can whip up with hot dogs and wonder bread, I guess.”
Kent audibly sighs behind me, making me laugh.
“Not tickling your taste buds, Kent?” Janeen asks, turning to him with a wide, teasing grin.
“Who put Fay in charge of stocking the ship with food?” he murmurs, shaking his head.
“Hey!” I protest, spinning to glare at him and pointing an accusatory finger at Daniel. “Your son was in charge of that! I accept no blame for this!”
Everyone laughs and turns to Daniel, my dad in particular raising an eyebrow in inquiry, though I know he doesn’t really care much about what he gets for dinner as long as there’s meat and bread involved. Dad’s not picky.
“What!” Daniel says, looking around a little sheepishly. “My job trained me to smuggle, not to plan menus. I had no idea I was supposed to hire a chef or something I figured what the crew eats will be fine for us for ten days.”
“You took the time to make sure the liquor cabinet was liberally stocked, though,” Jerome says, grinning at him.
“Well,” Daniel says loftily, getting to his feet. “Some things are priorities.”
Jerome gets up too then, and so does my dad, but when I move to get up Kent’s fingers put light pressure on my arm, asking me to stay behind. I pause for a moment and then lean back as Janeen turns to us while the other three head for the door into the ship.
“Not coming?” Janeen asks, looking between Kent and I.
“I think we’re going to stay out here for a second longer,” I say, giving her a soft smile.
“Okay,” she replies with a shrug. “Cook wants us at dinner in half an hour he told me this morning and says he’s not keeping it hot for us. Can I get you anything?”
“Um,” I say, hesitant, not wanting to put her out of her way
Janeen just tilts her head at me, giving me a big smile. “Just ask, Fay. You’re giving me a new life in Europe, so I can get you something from inside the ship. Once. I think that’s a fair trade.”
“Could you bring me some of that tea I like? With the ginger in it?” I bite my lip, eager. The baby’s been good all day, but I’m feeling a slight bit of nausea come over me now.
“You got it,” she replies, giving me a wink. Then she, too, disappears through the door and into the ship.
“Baby giving you trouble?” Kent asks, rubbing a hand up and down my arm.
“I think so,” I sigh, half turning to him and rubbing a hand up and down my belly. “The ship has been so steady all day and I really do feel better when I’m out here and can see the horizon. But something just started up, so I think the little turnip is upset.”
“Turnip?” he asks, his voice derisive.
“Yeah,” I say, smiling a little at him, ignoring his disdain. “About 17 weeks today, so. The baby’s about the size of a turnip.”
“Really,” Kent murmurs, looking down at my stomach. “And what was it before?”
“An avocado,” I reply quietly, smiling.
Kent frowns and looks up at me. “Fay,” he says, shaking his head. “An avocado is bigger than a turnip ”
“It is?” I ask, frowning in turn.
He bursts out laughing at me, shaking his head. “Where did you get these baby sizes?”
“From the internet,” I sigh, leaning back against him. “I don’t know. I like thinking of the baby as something more than an ‘it,’ which is what we’ve been falling back on since we don’t know the gender. And I refuse to take a side in the Prince or Princess debate so,” I shrug, “avocado/turnip it is.”
“Well,” Kent murmurs, nudging my ear with his nose, “we could just name the baby, and have it done with. Then you wouldn’t have to rely on vegetables, which I know you hate anyway.”
I stick out my tongue a little, admitting it, and I can feel his laughter reverberate in his chest.
The door opens again and Janeen comes out with a little tea tray with a mismatched set of pot and cups. To my surprise, Kent gets up and takes it from her, thanking her.
“I added a few little cookies,” Janeen says to me with a smile, pointing to them. “As I know it is time for your sixth feeding of the day, Fay.”
“Every time you do something nice you don’t have to say something mean, Janeen,” I say, scooting back on the lounge chair so that I can lean against the backrest. “We get it. You’re tough.”
“Well, I gotta do something to keep my reputation up,” she calls, waving over her shoulder as she steps back into the ship.