Page 21 of A Thirst for Franc

“You’re a good dad,” I said.

Franc looked at me, his smoky blue eyes locking on my own. He didn’t say anything, but I could see the gratitude in his gaze. I could see the slight sense of shock as well. It made me wonder if he doubted his ability as a father. Maybe that’s why Gio had the bigger room and every toy to have ever hit the shelves. Franc was trying to make up for Gio’s mother leaving.

My mom did the same thing. She didn’t have the money to buy me everything I ever desired, but what little she had went to me. She never got her hair done or bought herself new clothes. It wasn’t until my stepfather came into the picture when Mom started to take care of her own needs.

A part of me wanted to tell Franc Gio didn’t need all those toys. His love was more than enough. But it was my first day on the job and getting that personal was crossing a boundary. To him, I was still a stranger and, for all I knew, everything I thought was wrong. It was nothing more than speculation.

I was intrigued enough to want to know more. I wanted to know what made Franc tick. What caused a man who seemed so perfectly together to marry a woman who didn’t appreciate what he had to offer? From the flirtatious greetings from all the females we encountered, I guessed what he had to offer was a lot.

“Order up!” Maria said from the window. Franc broke his gaze and turned to the truck.

“Thanks,” he said to Maria as he grabbed the food from her.

I walked over and accepted the napkins from Maria as Franc headed toward the picnic table.

Maria smiled as if she was privy to a secret, but I haven’t told her anything. My secrets had destroyed my career, but those were behind me now.

“You coming?” Gio called out to me.

I may have lost everything, but I was in a new town and had a new job. My fresh start was only beginning… and there were tacos. Lots of delicious tacos.

“Coming.” I headed toward the rambunctious kid, who was already wiggling his way into my fractured heart.

Mom and Dad’s face filled the screen, and Gio and I waved to them. They were currently eating and drinking their way through Piedmont, Italy as their trip with no end date continued. Dad had grown a beard that had filled in all gray and was trimmed close to his face. His blue eyes stood out against his tanned skin and salt and pepper hair. Mom looked as beautiful as ever. For a woman of sixty-seven, she didn’t look a day over fifty-five.

“There’s my boy,” Dad said. We’d made a point to video chat at least twice a week since they left. Mom said she didn’t want to come home and see Gio had grown six inches and she’d missed it.

“Hi, Gio! Have you been behaving for your dad?” Mom asked, her smile spreading from one side of her face to the other. It was a smile that held so many memories from my own childhood. Dad always said if Mom wasn’t smiling, then we should all be worried. She had the innate ability to always see the positive. Though after Grandpa died, her smile had dimmed slightly.

“I’ve been awesome!” Gio exclaimed, and I laughed. “Ask Quinn!”

Mom’s eyebrows drew together. “Who is Quinn?”

“My nanny.”

“What happened to Margie?” Dad asked.

Gio sighed. “She didn’t like Sally.”

Mom stifled a laugh, and I sighed. “She’s too old anyway,” I added. “Gio needs someone who can take him out and keep him busy.”

“And this Quinn person can do that?”

“Absolutely. She’s more than qualified. She was a science teacher before moving to Vine Valley and she’s full of useless facts.”

“Why would she leave a teaching job and move to Vine Valley?” Mom asked, like the investigator she was.

“I didn’t ask. It’s none of my business.”

“None of your business? She’s watchingyour son. You don’t know this woman. She could have lied.”

“She doesn’t seem like the type.”

“They never do,” Mom said.

“What do you want me to do? My two babysitters took off on me and are gallivanting across Europe like two college students on a gap year.” The words were out before I could stop them. I thrust my hand through my hair and tried to calm the frustrated sparks erupting through my body. “Sorry, I shouldn’t have said that.” Usually, I was good at curbing my thoughts, but the stress had been weighing on me for a while. Now with Quinn in the picture, I felt relief for the first time. I didn’t need Mom questioning that.

“If you need us to come home…” Dad said.

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