Lethal Affair by Noelle Hart Page A

Everyone deserves a fair chance.”
    Her parents held hands as they always
did, a unit, a solid alliance. Tight lipped, Joe nodded resignedly.
“Okay, baby. We'll help you raise the child no matter the
outcome.”
    Rita reached across to smooth Kylie's
hair in a gesture of pure affection. “I'm going to be a Grandma.
Have you been to a doctor? I can recommend a good obstetrician.
I'll go with you to the appointment.”
    Relieved that they'd made it so easy
for her, Kylie smiled. “That will be great, Mom. Let's eat. I'm
starving!”
    Rita couldn't help herself. “Well it's
no wonder. You're eating for two now.”
     
    *
     
    Will clicked off his cell and let out a
long sigh. He paced to his living room window and gazed out at the
snow-capped purple mountains across the strait, not really seeing
them.
    In his mind's eye was the image of his
ten year old son, Max, and the boy's mother, Julia McMillan. Their
relationship had been forged when they'd been young and throughout
the years had grown solid and strong. They'd parted on friendly
terms, she moving to the mainland whereas he'd opted to stay on the
island. He sent money every month like clockwork and rode the ferry
over every chance he got for a visit. On school breaks the boy came
to stay with him, spending summers generally getting under his feet
and digging ever deeper into his heart and soul. Max was a
firecracker, full of life and curiosity and vim. This summer their
visit would be cut short; he'd gone to summer camp for the first
time in his ten years, leaving Will with an unexpected emotional
gap. He missed him, and looked forward to spending what would be
left of summer with him once camp time ran out.
    Julia had informed him that Max was
cooking up a new scheme, and while he himself was up for it, he
wasn't sure if it would be good for his son.
    Max wanted to come and live with
him.
    He'd had a two hour discussion with
Julia on the phone, both weighing the pros, the cons, trying to
decipher what was going on in their son's mind to have arrived to
this twist in the plot of their lives. Neither had been comfortable
making a snap decision but time was running out. Before they knew
it school would start and if he was to make the move, Max needed to
be registered at a local school.
    Staring out the window, Will focused
on the arrival of an SUV. It was Kylie. Pushing his dilemma to a
corner of his brain he felt a wave of pleasure wash over him at the
sight of her. She slid out of the vehicle, walked to his front door
and rang the bell.
    He opened the door. “Hey
you.”
    “ Hey back at ya. Ready to
take that peek at your plants I promised.”
    She wore a casual sun dress that
echoed the violet hues of her eyes and she smelled like... potted
herbs. She shoved the box in her hand at him. “Just got finished
having brunch with my folks. I brought some of these for my mother
from work. Thought you might enjoy some too.”
    He took the box and inhaled the
heavenly aroma of rosemary and thyme. Oh yeah. Tantalizing. A great
adjective for her too.
    He waved her inside. “Can I get you
something to drink?”
    “ No thanks. Full up. Shall
we head out to the yard?” she prompted.
    “ Right down to business,
huh.”
    The day of the barbeque she'd been
ushered through this space quickly. She wandered into his living
room, a large open space that flowed into a sizable kitchen
boasting high-end brushed stainless steel appliances, ivory quartz
counter tops and cherry wood cabinets.
    Amusement infusing her eyes, she
coveted his home. “You're living in my dream house. Your hardwood
floors are exactly the right shade of red oak. Did it come this way
or did you remodel?”
    “ My folks got tired of
maintaining it so I bought them out. They handed me the key and
retired in Uruguay of all places. Apparently it's a retiree's
paradise. The winter rain up here was playing havoc on my Dad's
arthritis. Place is mine now. Did some remodeling.”
    An understatement at best. He'd