Kerry laughed. “She’s inside Spammy, snuggled up on Murphy’s bunk.”
He turned large, sorrowful eyes back to her. “Did you find Mr. Heinz yet?”
Patrick placed a hand on his son’s shoulder. “We talked about this, Austin. Mr. Heinz is probably just staying home, because he has a cold, just like you had to stay inside today, because you had a stomachache.”
Austin shook his head vehemently. “But I had you to take care of me. He doesn’t have anybody. Tell him, Kerry. Tell him we need to find Mr. Heinz.”
Kerry knelt down on the floor. “We tried, I promise. I looked, and Murphy looked, and we talked to a lot of the neighbors, but nobody knows where he lives. I bet, as soon as he feels better, you’ll see Mr. Heinz walking around the neighborhood again, just like he always does.”
Austin’s gaze turned back to the window. “We should go look for him right now. We could ask all our neighbors. We could put up signs with Mr. Heinz’s picture on them, like the Westons did when Dexter ran away. Remember? Someone saw the sign and they found Dexter hiding behind some trash cans in the alley, and he came home. Remember, Dad?”
“A stray cat isn’t the same as a grown-up who can take care of himself,” Patrick said. “We can’t knock on people’s doors this late. And we definitely aren’t leaving this apartment tonight, especially since you’re sick.”
“I’m not sick!” Austin exclaimed, stomping his foot. “I just pretended. So mom wouldn’t make me go with her. So I could stay here with you. And Kerry, and help you find Mr. Heinz.”
“Austin?” Patrick’s tone was stern. “What do you mean you pretended to be sick? Your mom said you were barfing. She saw you.”
“Because I drank my chocolate milk really fast, then stuck my finger down my throat,” Austin said proudly. “I faked her out.”
“You lied to your mom? And me? Made us worry that you were sick when you really weren’t? That isn’t honest and it isn’t right, and you know better.”
“But Dad…”
Patrick pointed to the hallway. “Back to bed, young man. Right now. And in the morning, we’re calling your mom and you’re going to apologize for lying to her.”
Austin’s upper lip trembled and his eyes filled with tears. He shuffled slowly toward his room, his stuffed toy dragging on the floor.
chapter 43
“Poor kid,” Kerry murmured.
Patrick flopped down on the sofa and patted the cushion next to his. “Poor kid, nothing,” he fumed. “I hate he played us like that.”
Kerry sat down beside him. “I used to pull stunts like that when my folks split up. I guess it gave me a sense of power to manipulate them when everything else in my world seemed to have fallen apart.”
Patrick picked up a remote control, clicked it, and flames magically appeared in the fireplace. He sipped his wine. “This is just so unlike Austin. He’s usually a really honest kid.”
“Well, he’s worried about his friend. I love his empathy and sense of loyalty.” Kerry took Patrick’s hand in hers. “You and Gretchen are doing a great job navigating a divorce. I know firsthand how tough it can be on a family, so I really admire how you two have worked to keep from disrupting Austin’s life.”
“You seem to have survived coming from a broken home just fine,” Patrick said, stroking her hair.
“Appearances can be deceiving,” she admitted. “I love my dad, but looking back now, as an adult, on how he cheated on my mom, and seemed to have so little regret about splitting up our family, it’s still hard for me to respect him. My mom, on the other hand, doesn’t hold a grudge. She says that’s just how he is. She’s back at his place now, taking care of the old coot herself, because wife number three, who’s younger than me, decided she wasn’t cut out to be a nursemaid. Their relationship now is way better than it was when Murphy and I were kids.”
“I think we’re figuring things out a day at a time. Gretchen is apparently seeing someone seriously. Me? The divorce was final a year ago, but I still haven’t had a real relationship with a woman. Until now.”
Kerry chortled. “A hottie like you? I find that hard to believe.”
“I’m not saying I haven’t gone out. I tried the dating apps. Lots of first and second dates. But nothing clicked. Until now.”
He held her face between the palms of his hands. “I can’t believe you really intend to leave tomorrow. Just when I’ve found you.”
“Don’t talk about it,” Kerry begged. “It’s too depressing.”
“I won’t.” He pulled her onto his lap and kissed her, running his hands beneath her sweater, her T-shirt, and her thermal underwear top, finally finding and unfastening her bra. “No more talking.”
She looked uneasily toward the hallway. “Um, is this a good idea?”
He was busy pulling her sweater over her head. “Best idea I’ve had all year.”
Kerry chuckled but captured his hands in hers. “Are you forgetting something? Your six-year-old was standing right here ten minutes ago.”
“I’m sure Austin is exhausted from faking his parents out. Fast asleep with visions of sugarplums and all that.” He pushed her hands away and resumed his quest to undress her.
She giggled but eased herself off his lap, pulled her sweater back into place, and gave him a chaste kiss. “Hope this doesn’t make me sound too slutty, but I want this as badly as you do, Patrick. What I don’t want is to scar your kid for life by having him catch the nice Christmas tree lady naked with his daddy.”
“Noooo,” Patrick groaned. “Our last night together and you expect me to spend it, doing what? Toasting marshmallows on an open fire?”
“That’s roasting chestnuts on an open fire,” she corrected him. “Let’s just make the most of the time we do have together, okay? Enjoy the fire, cuddle, listen to some Christmas music? Or watch a movie?”
“Let’s compromise,” he suggested. “I say we watch a movie in front of the fire and cuddle, only naked? I’ll even let you pick the movie. I’m assuming your idea of a heartwarming Christmas flick is Die Hard?”
She raised an eyebrow and held out her empty glass. “Okay, you get to choose the movie, but I’m keeping my clothes on. More wine, please.”
* * *
They stretched out the length of the sofa and settled in to watch Bruce Willis battle Hans Gruber and his band of terrorists. Kerry had never felt so content, so absolutely at home, as she did, enfolded in his arms. Of course, Patrick didn’t keep his hands, or his lips, entirely to himself, but with a plaid wool blanket thrown over them, she wasn’t overly worried about traumatizing Austin should he wander into the room.
As soon as Hans Gruber was history and Nakatomi Plaza was little more than a smoldering ruin, Kerry stretched and yawned. Patrick stood up. “Think I’ll go check on Austin,” he said, a little too casually.
Kerry stood too. “Can I ask for a favor?”
He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her neck. “Depends on what it is.”