The Father of Her Son - By Kathleen Pickering Page 0,12
cleared tables, using all her strength to keep her hands from trembling while sending a silent prayer skyward. Holy Saint Michael, she prayed that was the last she’d see of the Sentinel reporter.
Shoot. Shoot. Shoot. It was bad enough he had been seated in Evan’s favorite stool at the counter. It seemed like a violation of sacred space. Worse, Doyle had hit the truth from which she had carefully erased all connection for so long. She had performed a most uncomfortable two-step to make that man go away but she’d managed. And not one word had been false. Now that he was gone, the urge to throw up what remained of breakfast had her choking back bile.
She filled a glass with cola and sipped slowly to get her wits about her. A turbine of disquiet buzzed in her head. There was no one to whom she could confide her distress, which was rapidly growing into terror that this man would return. She took a moment to absorb the activity and sounds in Neverland. The hum of conversations. Clanking plates and the sizzling grill. The smell of coffee. The ever-present newscasters of NCTV on the screen. The patrons and workers who had become her friends. The city bustling past the windows outside the diner. She released a sigh. Neverland was reality now. The sludge Jay Doyle was trying to unearth was the past. A difficult lesson learned, but most certainly history. All was well in Neverland. Nothing else mattered.
She looked up to see Evan entering the diner with his boss, his gaze seeking her out. With a single glance at her, concern rose in Evan’s eyes. Damn her nerves. He’d read her distress before she had a chance to hide it.
CHAPTER FOUR
STEVE FIORE RUBBED his hands together. “Smells like Friday in here, Kelly. How about serving us up two of Jake’s specials?”
Steve’s eagerness and his genuinely affable nature helped Kelly shake away her dread. Besides, she’d handled Jay Doyle. There was no need to give his interrogation any further attention. The smile that creased her mouth drained her tension.
“Nothing would please me more, Steve.” She gestured to the stool next to Evan’s—which he now occupied, his gaze still on her. “Care to sit next to our star patron? I must warn you, he’ll chatter your ear to bending.”
Evan shook his head. “A man does not chatter, Red. We discuss matters.”
Steve was studying Evan’s name stenciled on the floor beneath the stool. He gestured to the floor below his own seat. “Where’s mine?”
She laughed. “You need your own TV show and must eat here every day to earn that honor.”
Steve looked baffled. “But, Evan wouldn’t have his own show if it wasn’t for me.”
Kelly slapped the counter. “Of course. You’re right. If you are happy with that perch, I’ll stencil your name there tonight.”
Satisfied, Steve sat. “I’ll get a gold star, as well?”
“Sure, Steve, but you’ll have to earn your place on the Wall of Fame.”
Steve glanced at the wall holding the fifty or more photos of patrons, all smiling with a mouthful of food. “McKenna isn’t up there yet.”
“I will be soon,” Evan chimed in. “Had my photo op just a few days ago.”
Kelly wagged a finger at Evan. “But, you’ve been absent all week. That photo may have to wait.”
“Didn’t want to give you a chance to break our date.”
Before she could declare that they were not having a date, two patrons came up for Evan’s autograph, killing the opportunity. At least Steve noticed her consternation. Kelly turned to Jake, who signaled that he had already spotted Evan and Steve’s arrival and was preparing their specials.
Moments later, Matt burst through the diner doors like a miniature whirlwind with Jared and his mom, Donna, hot on his heels.
“Mom! We saw the Tyrannosaurus bones at the museum again. I think he got bigger... Evan!”
Matt had been heading for her until he spotted Evan. He and Matt exchanged their knuckle handshake while she invited Jared and Donna to take a booth near the window. She settled them in, catching up on their adventure at the Museum of Natural History until Matt scooted into the booth next to Jared.
“Mom, Evan says we’re having birthday dinner tomorrow at his penthouse.”
Donna raised an eyebrow and grinned. “Way to score, Kelly.”
Kelly scoffed. “Not what you’re thinking, Donna. Please don’t start any rumors.”
Donna gave the TV show host, now deep in conversation with his boss, an appraising glance. “Evan McKenna would be a rumor worth making, my dear.”