Chapter Seventeen

Lance

"That fucking bastard!"

I kick an armchair before sinking into it. My fingers rub my temples.

"Watch it," Mrs. Cooper scolds me as she enters the living room with a cup of coffee.

I take it from her hands. "Thank you. And sorry. I'll pay William for any damage."

"I meant watch your language." Mrs. Cooper sits down in another armchair. "You might wake Claus up."

"Sorry." I take a sip from the cup and then set it down. "I don't suppose you have anything stronger?"

Mrs. Cooper sighs. "I thought you'd say that."

She takes a small bottle of whiskey out of her pocket. I take it with a grateful smile and open the lid.

"You're a lifesaver, Mrs. Cooper." I take a few gulps from the bottle. "William shouldn't have left you."

"I asked to stay," she says. "I could never leave this house."

I take one more gulp before putting the lid back on the bottle. Then I sit back.

"I'm afraid we'll need to redecorate. The storm either blew away or tore apart most of the decorations."

She nods. "But that's not why you're in a rotten mood, is it?"

I don't answer.

"What? Couldn't make a move on Jordan?"

I throw her a puzzled look.

"I may be old, but I'm not stupid," Mrs. Cooper says. "And I'm not blind."

"It's not about Jordan," I say. "It's about Perry."

"Oh." Mrs. Cooper taps her fingers on the arm of her chair. "What about him?"

"I can't believe that man is Claus's father."

"Perry? Claus's father?" The housekeeper laughs.

I narrow my eyes at her. "What's so funny?"

"You thinking Perry is Claus's father." She keeps laughing.

I lean towards her. "Are you saying he isn't?"

Mrs. Cooper shakes her head. "Perry Hughes just moved here a year ago, when that Trader Joe's opened. Jordan and Claus were here long before then."

I cock my head to one side. "And they didn't know each other from before?"

"I don't think so." She leans forward. "One time, I asked Jordan about Claus's father and she said he was some jerk from a big city that she met at a Christmas party. That's why Claus is named, well, Claus."

My heart stops.

"I didn't know who it was then, but the moment I saw the three of you together, I knew."

I point a finger at my chest. "I'm... Claus's father?"

"The resemblance is quite obvious," Mrs. Cooper answers. "Plus there's that way she was acting towards you."

"What way?"

"She wants to be mad at you but she can't."

I touch my chin. "I thought that was because of my charms."

She chuckles. "Oh, you're not that charming, dear."

I frown but decide not to take offense. Instead, I think of Claus. Resemblance? I don't really see it. But I guess the puzzle piece fits. He's five, and Jordan and I had that... heated exchange six years ago. Mrs. Cooper said Jordan met Claus's father at a Christmas party, and that's how we met. Then there's the certain connection I feel towards him. I can even say I'm attached. And our mutual dislike of the smell of cinnamon.

Claus is my son?

But why didn't Jordan tell me? Why did she hide it from me all these years?

Come to think of it, when we first met, she was trying to hide Claus from me, too. Why?

I clasp my hands between my knees and sigh.

There's only one person who can answer that.

~

Jordan lifts the glass of water to her lips. She swallows a few gulps, then she sets it down in front of her. I watch her from across the table, waiting.

She draws a deep breath. "Yes. Claus is your son."

I let out the breath I've been holding and tap my fingers on the table.

"When were you planning on telling me?"

"At Christmas."

I frown. So that was her present.

"You couldn't tell me before? Like six years ago?"

"I was going through a lot, okay?" Her hands roll into soft fists. "You don't know how it feels like to suddenly find out that there's this other person living inside you that you have to do everything for."

I say nothing. No. I don't know how that feels.

"And that's not all that happened," she mumbles.

"What do you mean?"

"Nothing." Jordan meets my gaze. "Anyway, that's in the past now. There's no use mulling over it."

"You're right," I agree. "What we have to talk about is Claus's future."

Jordan nods.

I lean forward and clasp my hands on top of the table.

"I've already talked to my secretary," I say. "She'll arrange for Claus to carry my last name as soon as we've done a test to make sure he really is my son. I'll send her a sample first thing in the morning."

Jordan's eyebrows arch. "A sample? A test?"

"Just standard procedure," I inform her. "I've also spoken to my accountant. He'll make sure you and Claus receive a generous allowance from now on. I'll also pay for Claus's school up until he decides he's done with it, however long or short that may be. I hope he'll attend college, though, preferably one in Europe. I'm not too fond of Harvard or Yale."

Jordan looks at me with wide eyes.

"And all the medical expenses, naturally. I'll also tell Jim to give you some money to cover everything you've spent for Claus so far."

"That's not - "

"And I'll give you some money for your own needs, of course. You are, after all, the mother of my son."

"I don't - "

"And when I get back to Boston, I'll talk to my lawyer and tell him to change my will so that if anything happens to me, you and Claus will be provided for. And - "

"Lance!"

Jordan beats her fists on the table as she stands up. Her shoulders rise and fall.

I give her a puzzled look. "What?"

"Lance, I don't need your money," Jordan says calmly. "I appreciate it and all, but we're fine."

"Fine?" I don't understand. "You live in this broken-down house..."

"Well, I'm sorry that it isn't up to your standards," Jordan says. "But it's good enough for us."

"Claus is my son," I point out. "That means I have certain obligations towards him, and I intend to fulfill them."

Jordan sighs.

"I won't have it said that I can't provide for my own child."

"So that's what you're worried about? What other people will say? Oh, right. You are famous, after all. You have a reputation to maintain, don't you?"

"I don't give a damn about my reputation. I - "

"You don't give a damn about your own son!" Jordan shouts.

She lets out another sigh as she sits down. I study her with narrowed eyes. What is she so upset about? Am I not trying to do the right thing here?

"Claus is my son," Jordan says. "I'll make the decisions regarding his life."

"He's also my son," I remind her.

"You mean if the test shows positive results."

"Like I said, I - "

"Claus doesn't need your money," Jordan spells out as she stands up. "He needs a father."

My eyebrows crease. "What do you want me to do?"

She rolls her eyes. "I thought the magazine said you were a genius."

She walks off. I grab her arm.

"Jordan..."

"Claus needs a family, okay?" Jordan tells me.

I pause. "So you want us to get married so - "

"God!" Jordan shrugs off my arm. "You really don't get it, do you?"

I say nothing.

She shakes her head. "But then, how could you when you don't know the meaning of family?"

"What do you mean?"

"You don't even bother with your own family is what I mean."

I'm confused. "What does that have to do with this?"

Jordan lets out an exasperated sigh. "You really are clueless when it comes to the most important things, aren't you? Well, go get a clue."

She walks away.

I scratch the back of my neck. "What about Claus?"

"We were fine without you," she says without glancing at me. "We'll be fine without you."

And she's out the door.

I sink back into the chair and sigh.

What was that? I thought Jordan would be thrilled. I thought everything would be fine. Instead, she just bit my head off. And of course, typical of women, she didn't want to tell me what she wanted, either. I have to figure it out, "go get a clue".

I stare up at the ceiling and frown.

Figure out what?

~

I'm still trying to when I get a phone call. At first, I think it's Jim asking me for more details about the arrangements I've asked him to take care of, or maybe Michael, who might have heard about Claus by now. But when I look at the screen of my phone, I see Elaine's name.

What does she want now?

The phone doesn't stop ringing, so I answer.

"What?" I ask Elaine as I hold the phone against my ear.

She snorts. "Is this how you usually say 'hello'?"

"Only to you."

She sighs.

"Well?"

"It's about Mom," Elaine says. "She fell down the stairs."

My eyes grow wide. "What?"

"You heard me."

"Is she...?"

"Alive? Yes. Okay? No. She's at the hospital."

I frown. "You're not just making this up, are you?"

"Do you really think I'd lie about my mother having an accident?"

I wouldn't put it past her, but I don't say that.

"Would you like me to take a picture of her?" Elaine asks.

"No. That's fine."

She sighs. "So you'll come home? It would make her feel better, and you don't have to stay until Christmas."

I don't answer at once. In the past, I would have said no right away, but now Jordan's words come back to haunt me.

You don't know the meaning of family.

You don't even bother with your own family.

I let out a deep breath. "Fine. I'll come home. But only for a day or two."

I can imagine Elaine's face lighting up with a huge, triumphant smile.

"Thought so. I'll go tell her."

The call ends and I put my phone down on my lap.

So I'm going home after all, huh? Well, if it will help me sort out my current situation...

I raise my phone again and place another call.

"Sir?" Erin answers after the first ring.

"Send the jet to the airport at Dover," I instruct her. "I can't believe I'm saying this, but I'm going home."