Chapter Fifty-Six
A long, lonely week followed. Jane missed Chance in ways she didn’t expect. She’d become used to the way he brought her coffee every morning, and she missed his goodnight kisses every night. She missed talking to him too, and couldn’t believe that they couldn’t keep a simple phone call connected.
The morning sun brightened her apartment.
Still, Jane lay in bed, staring at the ceiling.
She didn’t want to get up and face another tense day of tiptoeing Teddy around his father’s erratic mood swings.
It had been, in a word, exhausting. Not to mention demoralizing, draining, and soul-killing.
Still, she’d do it all over again if it protected the kid.
Taking a deep breath, she got out of bed and slipped into her “uniform” for around the camera crews—a nice, wholesome flowered sundress. As she was braiding her hair behind her back, someone rapped on the door.
She opened it, thinking it was one of the housekeepers who continually serviced the main house, saying Teddy was already awake and asking for her before breakfast.
She nearly broke down when she saw Chance there, holding out a cup of coffee. “Oh my God! You’re home!” She took the coffee, placed it on a nearby table, and jumped into his arms.
He laughed, kissing her as he walked her inside, closing the door behind him with his foot. “One would get to thinking you missed me.”
“I did!” She kissed until he laid her gently on her bed.
“One second.” Chance disappeared and returned with her coffee.
God, she loved him. “I missed this too.”
He placed the coffee on her nightstand. “Probably more than me.”
She grinned, shaking her head. “Did you miss me?”
“More than you know.” He traced a finger over her lips.
“What did you do the whole time? Hang out with Gigi?” she asked.
He shrugged. “Not much. Just a few crying spells early on that I had to talk her through. Mostly, she was fine. How was everything here?”
She cringed at the thought. “Dax was worse than ever. All I’ve been doing is protecting Teddy from his weird flights of—” She stopped in a cold panic and pushed off the bed. “If you’re back, Gigi’s home. She and Dax are probably fighting.”
Chance grabbed her wrist. “You can’t jump between them.”
“I know.” Jane pushed her hair back. “I meant I need to be a buffer between them and Teddy.”
As she tried to slip away, he grabbed her again. “Jane, that isn’t your job.”
She pulled her hand free. “Yeah, it is.”
“Where’s the line?” He stood up from the bed. “When it comes to this job, where does your life start and end? They do whatever they want, and you do exactly what they expect you to do.”
Tears filled her eyes. “Yeah. I take care of their son.”
His shoulders slumped. “When you put it like that…” He grabbed her coffee. “Let’s go.”
Jane was right. When they got into the main house, the tension hung thick in the air. Feet were stomping, and doors slammed. Chance took the sound of a glass breaking to head toward the security office in search of a comrade to discuss the situation.
She wasn’t so lucky. A text message alerted Jane that she and Teddy would have to stay on the property, per Dax’s request. Another day of tiptoeing, but this time, Jane had two adults behaving like children to avoid.
Jane dressed Teddy in a bathing suit with plans to spend the day swimming. They walked out of his newly styled bedroom, running into Dax.
He put a hand on her shoulder. “Jane. Good thing you’re here.”
She was always there. But her annoyance gave way to dread. His tone didn’t bode well. “What’s going on?”
“Bring Teddy to the living room. We’re having a family meeting.”
As fast as he appeared, Dax left.
“What’s a family meeting?” Teddy held up his arms.
She lifted him onto her hip. Her trepidation tripled. They stepped down the massive curved staircase. “It’s when family members sit together and talk.”
Teddy perked up. “Aunt Courtney’s here?”
Wishful thinking. Jane wriggled him as a distraction. “Even if she’s not, we can report all the details to her.”
“Good plan.”
She forced a lighthearted grin but faltered as she stepped into the living room.
Chance and Gigi sat on a couch. His stiff posture made Jane uncomfortable, though he lifted his chin in a quiet hello.
Gigi angled her legs toward Chance, half-covering her mouth with her hand as she spoke to him in hushed whispers.
Dax paced through the center of the large room. A camera crew followed his movements from their position in the corner.
Jane kept her focus on her only ally in the room, Chance, but he seemed busy ignoring Gigi.
Time ticked by. Teddy wriggled in her lap.
What were they waiting for? A producer to tell them how to host a family meeting?
Maybe Dax’s younger woman would sashay into the house.
That would make outstanding reality television.
Every so often, Chance readjusted his place on the couch, clearly perturbed that Gigi inched closer. Jane studied him and decided that wasn’t the only thing wrong. His hard-set jaw ticked as he tightly folded his arms over his chest. He wasn’t uncomfortable—he was suspicious.
She bit the inside of her lip and scanned over to Dax. Jane had thought Dax had been throwing eye daggers at Gigi, but no. Clearly, his rage was aimed toward Chance.
Dax stopped pacing in front of Gigi and Chance. “So glad you brought your bodyguard to our meeting.”
“Is there a reason you’re looking at me like that?
” Chance asked. His rough, cool tone left no question about his distaste for Dax.
If this had been high school, Jane would’ve been sure the two men were about to fight.
“Whatever your issue is, maybe you should think twice before bringing it into your home.”
Jane swallowed hard, suddenly seeing how Chance’s opinion of Dax and Gigi might have shifted in light of Dax leaving Gigi for a younger woman.
Teddy pulled for her attention. “This is a family meeting?”
Jane stroked his head and tried to change the subject. “We’ll go swimming soon.”
“Soon,” he agreed.
Jane noticed a camera focused their way. She ducked Teddy close to her chest, still stroking his hair like her arm was wide enough to block him from view.
“Good,” one producer said.
Jane didn’t know who he was speaking to or what was good. This was the world’s most uncomfortable and boring family meeting.
Dax turned and held out his hands as if greeting the room. He glanced at them one by one with a nod as though he were ready to announce a hostile takeover at his corporate headquarters. “Now that we’re all here, I can say what I need to say.”
Jane situated Teddy on her lap, trying to gauge everyone’s expressions. Dax took a dramatic deep breath. Did he have cancer? Had he sold Thane Insurance? Were they telling Teddy about the impending divorce in such a heartless manner? She had absolutely no clue.
She hugged Teddy closer. Dax stood in front of Gigi again. She gripped Chance’s thigh. Chance jerked from her touch. “I don’t think I’m needed at your family meeting.”
Dax smirked. “Gigi and I have made it through one of the toughest tests of our relationship. No thanks to you.”
Chance froze. His legs were wide apart as though he might tackle Dax. Jane could see him analyzing the situation, and she didn’t have a clue what he’d figured out. She was completely lost.
Then, Gigi dramatically swept off the couch and threw herself into her husband’s arms. Their theatrical embrace lingered. Jane wanted to cover Teddy’s eyes. She waited for them to wrap it up when she realized they were posing for the cameras.
She turned to Chance. Furrowed lines creased his forehead. His eyes were tight and narrow.
Dax and Gigi changed positions and kissed like horny teenagers. Jane cleared her throat and shielded Teddy from the over-the-top PDA, only vaguely aware that the cameras filmed her range of reactions, from disgust to distrust.
The messy kiss ended, then Dax motioned to Teddy. “Come on here, buddy. Get in on this family hug.”
Dumbfounded, Jane blinked and clutched her arms around Teddy like a seatbelt. The little boy didn’t move.
“Teddy, my love, come here,” Gigi cooed.
An icy chill ran down Jane’s spine. She hated Dax and Gigi more now than she had hated her own parents.
“I don’t wanna,” Teddy whispered.
Dax and Gigi held their arms out and, as if choreographed, surged toward Teddy. They pulled him off Jane’s lap and into a three-way embrace.
Teddy disappeared between his hugging parents, and Jane searched Chance’s face for answers. He scowled, his expression radiating with contempt, then mouthed what she already knew, “Acting for the cameras.”
Sickened, she turned toward the camera crew and glared.
Everything had been for the television crew; the cheating accusations, the Caribbean vacation, and Dax’s maniacal behavior.
Neither even spoke to their son all week!
Though that wasn’t terribly out of character.
But still, Teddy heard the slamming doors, shouting, and had to live in this virtual minefield of a home?
For what? A publicity stunt? A great episode of daytime television?
The cameras cut, and the Thanes immediately abandoned Teddy with a slap on the back, all but confirming everything she had just guessed.
Teddy, bewildered, looked as though he’d been holding his breath during their family hug. He raced to Jane and took her hand. They had to get out of there.
She waved to Chance, certain this would be a hell of a topic to scrutinize later when they were off the clock and alone, and hurried the fastest way outside. Playing in the pool might be the only thing that turned this morning around. That, and breakfast.
She groaned. The day had barely started. What craziness would come next?