Page 32 of A Thirst for Franc

“You’re probably right. Don’t be surprised if he tells you how many bones are in the human body or how many ounces of blood.”

“I’m betting on it.”

“I’ll catch you later,” I said with a laugh, and with one final scratch behind the ears for Jack, I headed out.

I wasn’t dreading the ride home like usual. I was actually eager to get there for once. Did that make me a bad parent? It was a question I asked myself a million times over when I got too overwhelmed with my responsibilities. With my parents helping, it wasn’t as bad, but when they left for Europe, it was as if they pulled the rug right out from under my damn feet.

Sometimes I wondered if they left because they didn’t think I was grateful.

It amazed me how they seemed to have done it all. Taking care of Grandpa, watching Gio, running the winery and vineyard, finding time to chat with each of their kids, and never appearing stressed or overwhelmed. Yet I couldn’t handle half of it.

Dad told me right before they left that life was about discovering strengths and overcoming fears I might not have known I harbored inside. I didn’t fully understand the gravity of his words until that first week when they were gone, and those fears that I was a horrible father who would fail my son pushed to the surface.

At times that fear overwhelmed me, blaring louder than even Gio on his most hyper of days. I searched for those strengths Dad said were in me, and I was still searching. At the end of the day, Gio was safe, and that was all I cared about.

Fifteen minutes later, I pulled into my driveway, put the Porsche in park, and hopped out. Before I could even close the door, Gio barreled out the front door.

“Dad!” he exclaimed, running smack into my leg.

“Hey bud!” I bent down and hugged him to me. He squirmed out of my hold, and I laughed, only to glance up and see Quinn in the doorway. She leaned against the doorframe, her red hair in loose waves today. A white t-shirt molded to her curves and was tucked into a pair of navy-blue shorts.

Her lip quirked at the edge and amusement danced in her eyes as Gio jumped around me.

“Dad! Dad! Dad!” Gio chanted until I ripped my gaze from Quinn.

“What’s up, bud?”

“You’re never going to guess where we went today!”

“Where’d you go?”

“We went to Green Mountain Resorts, and we swam in the big pool and went down all the water slides. And we saw Aunt Phoebe!”

“You did?”

Quinn stepped out of the house, and I realized her hair had probably gotten wet from swimming and had dried naturally. “I had no idea your sister-in-law worked there, let alone ran the place.”

Phoebe wasn’t my sister-in-law yet, since the wedding wasn’t for another couple of months, but I didn’t correct Quinn. As far as I was concerned, Phoebe had been part of the family ever since she stole Laurent’s heart, even if they did go their separate ways for almost two decades.

“You should have told me you were going. I would have given you money.”

“Their day passes aren’t that expensive, and besides, once Gio saw his aunt, she didn’t let us pay for anything.”

“Phoebe is good like that.”

“She was really nice. Despite how busy she was, she kept checking on us to make sure we didn’t need anything.”

I’d have to call Phoebe later and thank her. Maybe take her and Laurent out to dinner.

“Dad! Dad! Dad!” Gio chanted again.

I glanced at my son, who looked as if he was going to burst out of his skin. “Take a breath.” Sometimes I felt if I didn’t remind him, he’d pass out from lack of oxygen.

He inhaled deeply and let it out. “Aunt Phoebe said they have a lazy river ride on the actual river. We should go with Quinn.”

The sight of Quinn in a bikini flashed in my mind, and I swallowed at the unexpected rush of desire that slammed into me. My eyes moved to her white t-shirt, and I wondered if she was wearing a bra underneath or her bathing suit top. Did her bathing suit have strings that, with one flick of the wrist, would fall to the floor?

Fucking hell. I mentally punched myself and focused on Gio.

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