a crazed Ping-Pong ball. Guilt for leaving the kids, for making her grandmother change her own plans to watch them—and then there was the guilt for choosing work over the babies. But on the other hand, if she wanted to be able to feed them, she had to get as many jobs as she could.
Her grandmother’s duplex in Naples was two blocks from the ocean. It was decorated in a blend of Mexican and American styles and was warm and inviting. Furniture was overstuffed; the walls were painted a rich brick red with white crown molding. It should have been dark and depressing, Dina had thought more than once. Instead, it was like being enveloped in a hug. Angelica owned the building and lived in the front apartment while renting the second to one of her best friends. Between the two women, the gardens were so lush and beautiful, they regularly had tourists stopping out front to take pictures.
Naples was small, and elegant, and there were canals winding through the neighborhood much like its Italian namesake. The Christmas parade through the canals was amazing, with the houses and boats decorated with millions of colored lights. Dina was looking forward to taking the triplets to see the spectacle.
“So what is the job tonight?”
“An anniversary party in Newport Beach.”
Which was about a half hour away, and that meant Dina would have to leave soon to get to the site early enough to set up.
Not too long ago, Dina had been the owner of a great little food truck. Business had been good enough that she’d decided to move on and open the catering business she’d always wanted. And it had been doing well, too. She’d had more jobs than she could count, her reputation was growing—and then...
She looked to where the babies were clustered around their great-grandmother. Dina’s world had crashed every bit as much as her sister’s plane had three months ago. When she had taken custody of the trips, Dina had had to cancel a lot of jobs. She simply hadn’t been able to keep up the pace when faced with caring for the three kids. Though her income had been slashed, the bills hadn’t stopped coming. Her rent had gone up, her car broke down, and with the triplets, there were more bills. Doctors, clothes, diapers—the list was never ending, and it was scary being the sole responsible one.
Now she was having to scramble to get jobs, which meant she was bidding on parties she might have ignored a few months ago. But she needed the work to take care of the babies and make sure they were safe.
“Don’t worry so much, nieta,” her grandmother said, and Dina had to smile in spite of the anxiety that never quite left her. “Things happen whether you’re ready or not. You simply have to do what you can to keep up.”
“Yeah,” Dina said, dropping to her knees to gather Sam up into her arms. The tiny boy sagged into her, wrapping his little arms around her neck and smacking her cheek with an openmouthed kiss that left drool behind on her skin and warmth in her heart. She kissed him back, then set him down on the floor beside his brother and sister.
“You haven’t spoken of their father yet.”
Dina looked at her grandmother. The unsettled feeling she’d been carrying around for days deepened. Of course, she had told her grandmother about the suit for child support and the letter she’d found in Jackie’s things. But she really hadn’t had a chance to talk with her about it since.
Mainly because what could she say? That Connor was getting too involved for her peace of mind? That she couldn’t seem to think straight when he was near? That she was worried not only about what his presence meant to the triplets—but what it meant to her?
He was at the forefront of her mind, always, and she hadn’t been prepared for that. It had been a long time since Dina had met a man she was attracted to. And she’d never met one who affected her as Connor King did. It was stupid, she knew, to even indulge in idle daydreams about a man who had the power to take her children away from her. Connor made her want all sorts of things, but at the same time, she knew she should be keeping him at a safe distance. It was as if she were waiting for two shoes to drop. What were his plans for the kids? What were his plans for her?
“I don’t know, Abuela,” she finally said. “He really enjoys the triplets when he’s with them. Naturally, he’s angry. With Jackie and Elena. And with me.”
Nodding sagely, the older woman said, “I told Elena what she was doing was wrong, but like you, she was cabeza dura. A hardhead.” She paused, made the sign of the cross and whispered a quick prayer for Elena’s soul, then reached out to pat Dina’s hand. “His anger will pass.”
“I know.” Dina sighed. No one could hold on to anger forever. It would eventually burn itself out, leaving bitterness behind, and it would be up to Connor if he chose to hang on to it or let that go as well. Right now, she thought it was a toss-up as to which way he’d go. “But what then?”
“Well, he has a decision to make, doesn’t he?” her grandmother said. “He must decide how involved he wants to be with his children.” Her gaze swept over the three babies playing and babbling together. “I’ve read of the King family. They are not the kind of people to walk away from their children.”
Dina’s heart sank. Different members of the King family were always in the news or the tabloids or national magazines. And in interview after interview, one thing they all had in common was just how close they were and how important family was. “I know.”
Her grandmother heard the disappointment and worry in Dina’s voice and laughed. “That’s a good thing, querida. He’s their father. They’ll need him.”
“And what about me?” She shook her head and watched as Sadie and Sam had a tug-of-war over a stuffed bunny. The thought of losing the triplets made her chest hurt. Yes, they were a lot of work, and yes, her life had been turned upside down at their arrival, but now she couldn’t imagine living without them.
“The Kings are also really rich,” she pointed out, more to herself than to her grandmother. “If he wants to take the babies from me, I won’t be able to afford to fight him. He can hire a fleet of lawyers and I’ll be down at Legal Aid with my fingers crossed.”
Her grandmother laughed, handed a baby doll to Sadie and smiled as she watched Sam chew on the stuffed bunny’s ear. “Wealthy doesn’t mean evil, Dina.”
“No, but it does mean powerful,” she argued as worry nibbled at her insides. “No judge is going to pick a struggling caterer over a member of the King family when it comes to custody.”
“Worrying won’t change that,” her grandmother warned.
“No, but I’m so good at it.”
The older woman laughed. “Yes, you are. But just this once, you should try not to excel at something.”
Dina sighed, shook her head and dropped one arm around her grandmother’s shoulders, pulling her close for a brief, hard hug. “I’ll try. Really.”
Giving Dina another pat, her grandmother said, “This is a good thing, for you and for the babies.”
“It doesn’t feel that way,” she said, though her hormones might have disagreed.
“Dina, you can’t care for them on your own. You’re making yourself crazy by trying.”
“I can do it,” she said stubbornly. “I’m getting a routine and—”
