DONOVAN (Book Three)

TWENTY-TWO

I am nibbling on my thumbnail as I scroll the screen of Leo's iPad he got for his birthday from his Uncle Ares as I look for any news from London about a bachelor whose bride ran away from their wedding. But so far, nothing. It's been more than two months since I left London. I'm surprised there isn't any news about it.

It seems Eddie wants his humiliation in secret.

It's nighttime, and everybody in the house is busy. Thea and Effie are making dinner, and Rex, Seth, and Logan are out getting a beer. Liam and Lily are having dinner at her parents' house. Don is in the garage working on a car he bought at the junkyard last week. He's hoping to turn it into his dream car like the one Van Diesel has in Fast and Furious. I'm here watching the little munchkins play in their playpen.

I flick my finger as I search enough to make me anxious as I hear the doorbell ring. "I'll get it."

Jumping out of the couch, I head for the door and open it to have my eyes wide. "Chris? What are you doing here?"

Chris Graham, the son of Lena Graham, the CEO of Sky Entertainment, is standing in front of our door with a backpack. At night.

I look over his head to see the street quiet and isolated. No cars were driving by because it was late.

"I...I...um..." his eyes look the other way, thinking of an explanation as to why is a six-year-old boy out in the middle of the night.

One reason he ran away from home.

"Does your mother know your here, darling?" I don't want to be angry at the child, but I would give him an earful if it were my son.

He looks down at his shoes and sighs. "No."

I wonder what makes him leave home in L.A., especially since I don't see his driver.

"Come in," I say as he walks inside the house. I shut the door and crossed my arms, about to scold him. "Now, explain."

"Okay," he quickly gave in. "I ran away."

"Okay...and why?"

"Because..." he groans as if he doesn't want to tell me the truth.

Typically, it's not my business, but he came from Los Angeles alone with no one looking out for him.

"Because?"

He groan again, irritated. "Mom got herself a boyfriend."

I blink.

That's the reason why he ran away.

"You ran away from home because your mother has a boyfriend," I smile a little. "Shouldn't you be happy for her?"

"Why should I?" He scoffs. "My dad died when I was just a baby, and it was just me and my mom. I told her I would be the man of the house. I will take care of her to fill in my dad's spot, and suddenly, she invites a man to our house. A man I saw at Leo's party."

I lift my brows. "Man? What man?"

"I don't know," Chris shrugs. "I think he's that big guy with that beard." Wayne Peters?

He has a beard, but his partner is Nicky. They are the parents of Lily. Wayne may look straight because of his manly physics but runs the other way.

"I think his name is Jack." Chris continues.

Jack Walker.

Jordan's dad.

Jack has been single since his wife, Jillian, passed away from childbirth with Jordan. I heard from Effie that Jack hardly ever goes on dates and works at his restaurant. But I never would have thought of Jack and Lena. Sure, Lena is also single after her husband died and a workaholic. Shockingly, these two widow people would eventually be hooked up.