few.”
“That’s a start. I’ll do some research here, Mr. Quinn. If it’s in Seth’s best interest to remain in your home, under your care, I’ll do everything I can to help you.” She angled her head. “If I reach the opinion that it’s in his best interest to be taken out of your home, and out of your care, then I’ll fight you tooth and nail to make that happen.”
Cam rose as well. “Then I guess we understand each other.”
“Not by a long shot. But you’ve got to start somewhere.”
T HE MINUTE SHE was out of the house, Cam was on the phone. By the time he’d been passed through a secretary and an assistant and reached Phillip, his temper had spilled over.
“There was a goddamn social worker here.”
“I told you to expect that.”
“No, you didn’t.”
“Yes, I did. You don’t listen. I’ve got a friend of mine—a lawyer—working on the guardianship. Seth’s mother took a hike; as far as we can tell, she’s not in Baltimore.”
“I don’t give a damn where the mother is. The social worker was making noises about taking Seth.”
“The lawyer’s putting through a temporary guardianship. It takes time, Cam.”
“We may not have time.” He shut his eyes, tried to think past the anger. “Or maybe I bought us some. Who owns the house now?”
“We do. Dad left it—well, everything—to the three of us.”
“Fine, good. Because you’re about to change locations. You’re going to need to pack up those designer suits of yours, pal, and get your butt down here. We’re going to be living together again.”
“Like hell.”
“And I’ve got to get a goddamn job. I’m going to expect you by seven tonight. Bring dinner. I’m sick to death of cooking.”
It gave him some satisfaction to hang up on Phillip’s vigorous cursing.
A NNA FOUND SETH sullen and smart-mouthed and snotty. And liked him immediately. The principal had given her permission to take him out of class and use a corner of the empty cafeteria as a makeshift office.
“It would be easier if you’d tell me what you think and feel, and what you want.”
“Why should you give a damn?”
“They pay me to.”
Seth shrugged and continued to draw patterns on the table with his finger. “I think you should mind your own business, I feel bored, and I want you to go away.”
“Well, that’s enough about me,” Anna said and had the pleasure of seeing Seth struggle to suppress a smile. “Let’s talk about you. Are you happy living with Mr. Quinn?”
“It’s a cool house.”
“Yes, I liked it. What about Mr. Quinn?”
“He thinks he knows everything. Thinks he’s a BFD because he’s been all over the world. He sure as hell can’t cook, let me tell you.”
She left her pen on the table and folded her hands over her notebook. He was much too thin, she thought. “Do you go hungry?”
“He ends up going to get pizza or burgers. Pitiful. I mean what’s it take to work a microwave?”
“Maybe you should do the cooking.”
“Like he’d ask me. The other night he blows up the potatoes. Forgets to poke holes in them, you know, and bam!” Seth forgot to sneer, laughing out loud instead. “What a mess! He swore a streak then, man, oh, man.”
“So the kitchen isn’t his area of expertise.” But, Anna decided, he was trying.
“You’re telling me. He’s better off when he’s going around hammering things or fiddling with that cool-ass car. Did you see that ’Vette? Cam said it was his mom’s and she had it for like ever. Drives like a rocket, too. Ray kept it in the garage. Guess he didn’t want to get it out.”
“Do you miss him? Ray?”
The shoulder shrugged again, and Seth’s gaze dropped. “He was cool. But he was old and when you get old you die. That’s the way it is.”
“What about Ethan and Phillip?”
“They’re okay. I like going out on the boats. If I didn’t have school, I could work for Ethan. He said I pulled my weight.”
“Do you want to stay with them,
“That’s a start. I’ll do some research here, Mr. Quinn. If it’s in Seth’s best interest to remain in your home, under your care, I’ll do everything I can to help you.” She angled her head. “If I reach the opinion that it’s in his best interest to be taken out of your home, and out of your care, then I’ll fight you tooth and nail to make that happen.”
Cam rose as well. “Then I guess we understand each other.”
“Not by a long shot. But you’ve got to start somewhere.”
T HE MINUTE SHE was out of the house, Cam was on the phone. By the time he’d been passed through a secretary and an assistant and reached Phillip, his temper had spilled over.
“There was a goddamn social worker here.”
“I told you to expect that.”
“No, you didn’t.”
“Yes, I did. You don’t listen. I’ve got a friend of mine—a lawyer—working on the guardianship. Seth’s mother took a hike; as far as we can tell, she’s not in Baltimore.”
“I don’t give a damn where the mother is. The social worker was making noises about taking Seth.”
“The lawyer’s putting through a temporary guardianship. It takes time, Cam.”
“We may not have time.” He shut his eyes, tried to think past the anger. “Or maybe I bought us some. Who owns the house now?”
“We do. Dad left it—well, everything—to the three of us.”
“Fine, good. Because you’re about to change locations. You’re going to need to pack up those designer suits of yours, pal, and get your butt down here. We’re going to be living together again.”
“Like hell.”
“And I’ve got to get a goddamn job. I’m going to expect you by seven tonight. Bring dinner. I’m sick to death of cooking.”
It gave him some satisfaction to hang up on Phillip’s vigorous cursing.
A NNA FOUND SETH sullen and smart-mouthed and snotty. And liked him immediately. The principal had given her permission to take him out of class and use a corner of the empty cafeteria as a makeshift office.
“It would be easier if you’d tell me what you think and feel, and what you want.”
“Why should you give a damn?”
“They pay me to.”
Seth shrugged and continued to draw patterns on the table with his finger. “I think you should mind your own business, I feel bored, and I want you to go away.”
“Well, that’s enough about me,” Anna said and had the pleasure of seeing Seth struggle to suppress a smile. “Let’s talk about you. Are you happy living with Mr. Quinn?”
“It’s a cool house.”
“Yes, I liked it. What about Mr. Quinn?”
“He thinks he knows everything. Thinks he’s a BFD because he’s been all over the world. He sure as hell can’t cook, let me tell you.”
She left her pen on the table and folded her hands over her notebook. He was much too thin, she thought. “Do you go hungry?”
“He ends up going to get pizza or burgers. Pitiful. I mean what’s it take to work a microwave?”
“Maybe you should do the cooking.”
“Like he’d ask me. The other night he blows up the potatoes. Forgets to poke holes in them, you know, and bam!” Seth forgot to sneer, laughing out loud instead. “What a mess! He swore a streak then, man, oh, man.”
“So the kitchen isn’t his area of expertise.” But, Anna decided, he was trying.
“You’re telling me. He’s better off when he’s going around hammering things or fiddling with that cool-ass car. Did you see that ’Vette? Cam said it was his mom’s and she had it for like ever. Drives like a rocket, too. Ray kept it in the garage. Guess he didn’t want to get it out.”
“Do you miss him? Ray?”
The shoulder shrugged again, and Seth’s gaze dropped. “He was cool. But he was old and when you get old you die. That’s the way it is.”
“What about Ethan and Phillip?”
“They’re okay. I like going out on the boats. If I didn’t have school, I could work for Ethan. He said I pulled my weight.”
“Do you want to stay with them,
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