Beau's Baby Read online

  Table of Contents

  BEAU’S BABY

  Blurb

  Copyright Acknowledgement

  Prologue

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Epilogue

  About the Author

  Trademarks Acknowledgment

  MLR PRESS AUTHORS

  BEAU’S BABY

  The Sunset Club Book 4

  AC KATT

  mlrpress

  www.mlrpress.com

  Right after Jack Romano killed in man in the line of duty, he found out that his bemoaned first love’s wife has died in childbirth and his ex-lover killed himself leaving the sickly newborn to Jack.

  Carlo Del Monte has been chasing Jack for nine months and sees the baby—Isabella, Bella for short—as an opportunity to get Jack in his house as well as his bed, permanently.

  The two of them set up housekeeping with the help of friends and Carlo’s big Italian family then little Bella ends up in the intensive care since she lacks immunity to childhood diseases.

  Can Jack and Carlo find their way in their new relationship? Partners, husbands, fathers? With the help of family and friends, the two will form a strong bond and an even stronger family.

  Copyright Acknowledgement

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  Copyright 2016 by A.C. Katt

  All rights reserved, including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form.

  Published by

  MLR Press, LLC

  3052 Gaines Waterport Rd.

  Albion, NY 14411

  Visit ManLoveRomance Press, LLC on the Internet:

  www.mlrpress.com

  Cover Art by Winterheart Design

  Editing by Kris Jacen

  ebook format

  Issued 2016

  This book is licensed to the original purchaser only. Duplication or distribution via any means is illegal and a violation of International Copyright Law, subject to criminal prosecution and upon conviction, fines and/or imprisonment. This eBook cannot be legally loaned or given to others. No part of this eBook can be shared or reproduced without the express permission of the publisher.

  PROLOGUE

  Four Years Ago

  “Beau, get your lazy ass out of bed. I have the afternoon off.” Jack Romano went to the fridge and grabbed a beer and with a smile in his voice he continued, “Unless, of course, that’s where you’d like us to spend our afternoon… Beau? Where are you? Beau?”

  Jack walked back to the bedroom of his and Beau’s apartment following the sound of voices. Figuring it was one of the soccer team, Jack walked through the door and glanced around looking for his man. He found him. Beau was fucking Meredith Simmons in their bed.

  “I’m sorry that you had to find out like this, Jack. I’ve been trying to tell you, but…” Beau got out of bed and started to dress.

  “Tell me what? What is this?” Jack’s voice broke. “This is a mistake. You’re gay. We’ve been together since high school.”

  “Meredith, get dressed. We’ll be in the living room. Finish your beer, Jack.”

  “No, I don’t want to fucking finish my beer. I want to know what’s going on.”

  “It’s pretty straight forward, I’m in love with Meredith and I’m going to marry her.”

  “Honey, I’m leaving so you can get this mess straightened out. Don’t let him corrupt you again.” Meredith let herself out, the door closing quietly behind her.

  “How long?” Jack asked needing to know.

  “Six months, maybe more.”

  “But we made love yesterday.”

  “We fucked yesterday. Let’s get down to business. Meredith and I would like this apartment so we’d appreciate it if you found somewhere else to live.”

  “No fucking way…it’s my name on the lease, and you’re the one who’s leaving.”

  “You’ll be sorry you’re doing this. I was planning on seeing you on the side once Meredith and I are married. You know I love you but I can’t get ahead at work being a fag, I need a wife.”

  “No, you’re wrong. Gays are accepted everywhere. Please, we can work this out.”

  “We can’t. I won’t put my future in jeopardy.”

  “You’re gay. You aren’t going to change that.”

  “Actually, I’m bi.” Beau came up to put his arms around Jack. “You love me. We’ll talk about all of this when I get back.”

  Jack broke Beau’s hold and with tears streaming down his cheeks said, “Get the hell out of my apartment. You can move out tomorrow. I’ll sort out your things tonight.”

  “You can’t do that.”

  “As I said, my name is on the lease. Get the fuck out. You’re leaving me.”

  “Jack, be reasonable, we can be together when I come home from the honeymoon. We’ll have to sneak around but—”

  “Do you really think I’m capable of that? Helping you cheat? No, just no.”

  “You’ll change your mind when I come home. I’ll be back.”

  “Get the fuck out, get out of here, right now.” Jack’s voice broke again.

  Beau slammed the door on his way out.

  Jack sat down on the sofa that he and Beau picked out for the living room seven months ago, put his head in his hands and wept.

  “Beau, Beau, how can I live without you? But I can’t be with you as long as you’re with her.”

  § § §

  Bobby and Keith’s House

  Thursday in June, Four Years Later

  Eight in the Morning

  Jack was distraught when he came back to Bobby’s. Carlo was with him.

  “They’re not doing anything to you because you shot Billy are they?” Reggie asked obviously worried. Reggie and Mark were staying with Bobby because of the fire.

  “No, but any officer-involved shooting requires a hearing. The captain already called it a good shoot. The rest of the procedure is all technicalities…” Jack still had storm clouds over his face.

  He and Carlo sat down at the kitchen table and Marla poured them some coffee. Jack appeared dumbstruck.

  He finally blurted out, “Meredith died in childbirth three days ago.” Jack’s voice broke. “She had a little girl. Beau killed himself yesterday and left custody of the infant to me in a new will he made after Meredith died. They tried to contact me yesterday, but I was busy with the Billy business. I have to go sign paperwork at Social Services if I accept custody. No one has been there for the baby for three days. Carlo’s going with me to identify Beau at the morgue.”

  “Why do you have to identify him?” Bobby was incensed.

  “There isn’t anyone else.” Jack’s shoulders shook.

  “I have to go see her at the hospital if I accept custody. There is no family. If I don’t take her, she’ll go into the foster system. I have to make up my mind right away.”

  “What?” Bobby screeched in anger.

  “You heard me. Carlo came to my apartment when he heard about the shooting. He’s going to help me with the legal mess. I’ll take that security job with you, Keith, if the offer is still open. Now that I’m going to have a child, I need steady work that doesn’t require me to place my life on the line.”

  “Of course the offer is
still open.” Bobby put his arm around Jack. “Are you okay?”

  “I haven’t had time to think about it. They’re holding a note for me from Beau at his lawyer’s office.”

  “Do you need any baby things? I have Kitty’s things, although they’re not the best quality,” Jason offered.

  “I have to get some stuff from their apartment. Meredith probably bought things for the baby. I’ll need to purchase a house. My apartment has only one bedroom.” Jack’s face scrunched up in worry.

  “Do you need money?” Reggie asked.

  “I don’t know Reg. I promise I’ll let you know.”

  “The two bedroom across the street from us is for sale. It’s small, but there is plenty of property if you want to expand later,” Jason said. “Stella is going into Assisted Living.”

  “I might be interested. Carlo needs to look at Beau’s finances. I’m going to visit her at the hospital now. They’re keeping her for a while, she’s underweight.”

  “How much underweight?” Bobby asked.

  “She weighs only three pounds even though she was full term. Although she’s finally breathing on her own and just started sucking the bottle, they told me she can’t go home yet. Meredith wasn’t eating much. She wanted to keep her figure,” Jack said, the disgust plain on his face.

  Bobby’s jaw dropped. “What a bitch.”

  “Carlo’s coming with me. The Billy mess is cleaned up, now I have one of my own.”

  Bobby reached out and touched Jack’s arm. “You don’t have to take her. An infant girl is greatly prized on the adoption market. She’d get a home quickly.”

  “I have to keep her. She’s all I have left of Beau. I’ve got to go,” Jack choked on a sob. He left with Carlo and the door closed behind them.

  “Goddamn Beau, he’s sabotaging Jack’s relationships from the grave,” Jason cursed.

  “It’s clear that he’s not going to change his mind about keeping her. Carlo was doing more than a flyby here. I wonder how he feels about this.” Keith poured more coffee.

  “Not you, baby, you’re on medication, remember, Greg said limit your caffeine,” Reggie told Mark. “Have juice with Bobby. He’s on meds too.”

  “We’ll all have to help him do this. The little girl is an innocent, she can’t help that her father was a lying, cheating, son of a bitch,” Bobby said eyes moving from Jason to Reggie.

  “It isn’t like we haven’t taken care of little girls before, we have Kitty-cat. As far as Carlo is concerned, he was interested. We’ll find out how invested he is now. Let’s see how this all plays out.” Reggie moved to the sofa and sat down in a huff.

  Bobby lifted his juice. “A toast to Billy’s fortunate demise. As for Beau, may he rest in peace, if that’s possible for a liar and a cheat whose only good deed was offing himself?”

  “Here, here…” They men clinked their coffee cups and glasses.

  “We’ll know more about what Jack wants to do once he and Carlo take care of the legalities,” Keith observed.

  “I don’t know about you, but to me it looked like Carlo was all in,” Zach noted.

  Jason’s face was rife with speculation. “I believe you’re right.”

  CHAPTER ONE

  The Morgue

  Thursday, Early June, Nine-thirty

  The morgue was kept at a lower temperature than the rest of the hospital. Jack shivered. Carlo put his arm around Jack and pulled him closer for warmth. The technician opened the drawer. Jack looked down at the body. “Yes, that’s Beau James Stewart.” Jack turned away from Carlo seemingly to wipe his eyes.

  The attendant closed the drawer and Jack and Carlo followed the technician to an anteroom.

  “Do you want his personal effects?” the technician asked.

  “Let me look at what you have, I’m sure you can discard most of it.”

  The technician brought out a plastic bag and dumped the contents on a steel table. On the table was change, a few crumpled bills, a wallet and a set of keys.

  Carlo picked up the wallet. “Let me look through this, caro. You shouldn’t have to do this.”

  Carlo opened the billfold and looked through the plastic sleeves. Driver’s license, social security card, voter I.D., no credit cards but there was a well-worn, creased picture of Jack. It’s not in my interest to show Jack this, nor is it in Jack’s. Carlo slipped the driver’s license out of the protective sleeve for the address, and put the picture back in the wallet. He looked in the money compartment and found a wad of bills totaling five thousand dollars and a hand written note, “Use this money to buy something for the baby.—B.”

  “We’ll take the keys,” Jack said. Carlo showed him the cash in the wallet. “Donate that to the hospital.” Jack started to walk out the door. Carlo grabbed him by the shoulder.

  “Caro, the baby doesn’t know whose money this is, only that it’s green. Do what he says, take it for the baby. His insurance and the rest of the money will go to the child, this should too.”

  “You’re right, I’m sorry I’m acting like such an ass.”

  “You’re not being an ass, caro, just someone who was left holding a bag of shit and hasn’t quite figured out what to do with it. That’s what you have me for. Come on, we’ll go to his lawyer’s and then determine if you want to see the baby.”

  § § §

  Thursday, Beau’s Lawyer’s Office

  Ten

  As soon as they got to the lawyer’s suite, Carlo announced to the receptionist, “My name is Carlo Del Monte, of Cohen and Del Monte.” Carlo looked down at the nameplate on her desk, Emma Cleveland. “Ms. Cleveland, I’m Jack Romano’s lawyer. Jack is here about Beau Stewart and Baby Girl Stewart.”

  The woman’s eyes went wide when she heard that Carlo was Jack’s lawyer. She asked, “With Mr. Romano’s permission, could you go into the conference room to look over the legal papers and Mr. Stewart’s financial information? Mr. Hyland also has a copy of the will.” The receptionist pushed a call button. “Mr. Romano is here with his lawyer, Carlo Del Monte from Cohen and Del Monte,” she said the name with reverence.

  Mr. Hyland came out of his office. “I have a note for Mr. Romano.”

  “Would you like to read it in private?” He gave Jack a sealed envelope. Mr. Hyland’s eyes showed compassion.

  Carlo put up his hand. “I’ll stay with Jack if you don’t mind.”

  “No, I don’t need privacy, I’m okay out here with Carlo,” Jack said stiffly. Carlo read over his shoulder.

  Dear Jack,

  I know you hate me now and I don’t blame you. I took the easy way out. I missed you every day for four years. I was wrong about everything. On Wall Street, they didn’t care if you were out. They were only interested in how much money you brought into the firm. I watched subordinates being promoted over me, other gay men. I didn’t perform because I was so unhappy. I never should have left you.

  I always loved you, but I thought you’d stay with me after I married and I’d spend most of my free time with you. You had too much integrity to do that. I should have known better.

  Raise her right, bring her up to be more like you, than me. That’s why I’m giving her to you, Jack. You won’t let me down like I did you.

  Love,

  Beau

  Tears streamed down Jack’s cheeks as he handed the note to Carlo. “That bastard ate his gun and left the mess for me to clean up.”

  “Do you want the child?” Carlo asked him softly.

  Jack bristled. “Of course. It’s better that she’s with someone who knew the family.”

  “No, Jack,” Carlo said firmly. “If you want her, you’re her family. We’ll get the birth certificate changed to reflect you as the father. That will eliminate a lot of hassle. You’ll still have to adopt her but this way her last name will be the same as yours from the beginning.” Jack put his head in his hands and he continued to cry silently. “Don’t worry, we’ll take care of it.” Carlo carefully put his arm around Jack. Jack didn’t shrug it
off as usual. Finally, that bastardo is gone. Given time, Jack will come around to my way of thinking. I’ve got to call Greg. He’s going to need help getting through this. But I’m going to be waiting at the other end of the tunnel.

  “I’ll take a look at those papers now. Jack?”

  “You go ahead. I wouldn’t understand the legalese anyway.”

  Carlo went into Mr. Hyland’s conference room and closed the door. He stayed there for about half an hour while Jack sat stiffly in the hard plastic chair watching Carlo. Carlo finally stood with the paperwork. “Let’s go to the apartment and pick up her bassinette, clothing and car seat. That will fit in your place. She won’t need more than that for a few months.”

  “What about food? Meredith isn’t around to feed her.” Jack panicked.

  “Baby formula in a bottle, it’s sold at the grocery store. We’ll see what kind of clothes she has and buy her more if necessary.”

  “Carlo, why are you hanging around? I’m about to take custody of my ex-boyfriend’s baby.”

  “I like kids and you need help. The others all have their hands full, they’ll try, but you’ve got me full time.” Carlo shrugged. “Besides, I like you. I think I’ve established that. Let’s go see the baby and then for a quiet lunch. We’ll discuss these papers.”

  “All right, I’m grateful you’re here, but you don’t have to help. This isn’t your problem. We were just fuck buddies.”

  “I think we have more than that. I’m about to give you sound legal advice. Don’t make any irrevocable decisions yet. Put off buying a house. Take the baby and let yourself mourn the loss of an old friend. I’ll be around to help out and so will your friends.”

  “Is there an estate?”

  “There is a two hundred and fifty-thousand-dollar life insurance policy plus various accounts. He’s left all of it to you. I hate to say this, but your friend Beau planned this for a long time. If she didn’t die in childbirth, Beau was going to murder his wife and kill himself. To a good lawyer, it’s all evident in the paperwork.”

  “No, Beau was a lying, cheating, son of a bitch but not a murderer.”

  “When was the last time you saw or spoke to Beau?”