Public Secrets Part 25

worse things, he mused, since Emma hadn't been made out of anything

remotely resembling love. It was his other child, he thought as he laid

a gentle hand on Bev's stomach again, who had been made of love. "I

need you with me on this."

Hating it, she climbed out of bed and began to dress.

twenty minutes later, she answered a knock on the door.

"Johnno."

He gave Bev a quick grin. "I knew you couldn't stay away from me."

Swooping her into an exaggerated dip, he kissed her. As she laughed, he

looked over her head to where Brian was coming through the doorway. "Ah

well, he's found us out. We'd better come clean."

"Where'd you get that ridiculous hat?" was all Brian said.

After setting Bev back on her feet, Johnno straightened the floppy white

fedora. "Like it? It's a happening."

"Makes you look like a pimp," Brian commented before he walked to the

bar.

"There. I knew I'd made the right choice. Nearly cost me my life, but

I managed to break out of here and do some shopping on Fifth

Avenue. I'll have one of those, luy." He nodded to the whiskey Brian

was pouring.

"You went out?" Brian stood with the bottle in one hand and a gla.s.s in

the other.

"Sungla.s.ses, a flowered tunic He wrinkled his nose. "And love beads.

Worked nicely as far as disguises go, until I tried to get back in. Lost

the love beads." He helped himself to the gla.s.s Brian held. With a

pleased sigh, he flopped on the couch. "This is the place for me,

Brian, my lad. I am New York."

"Pete will have your head if he finds you went out on your own."

"b.u.g.g.e.r Pete," Johnno said cheerfully. "Though he's not precisely my

style." Grinning, he downed the whiskey. "So, where's the little brat?"

"She's sleeping." Bev picked up a cigarette.

Brian answered the next knock. Stevie strolled in, and after an absent

nod to Bev headed straight to the bar. P.M. followed, and looking a

little pale, dropped into a chair.

"Word from Pete is we'll do the interview here," he said. "He'll be

bringing the reporter along. Where'd you get the hat?" he asked Johnno.

"It's a long, sad story, son." Glancing over, he spotted Emma standing

at the crack in her bedroom door. "Don't look now, but we've company.

h.e.l.lo there, prune face."

She giggled a little, but didn't come in. At the moment, her eyes were

all for Brian.

He crossed over and, picking her up, patted her bottom. "Emma. How does

it feel to be an international traveler?"

She thought she'd dreamed it, that one moment where he'd tucked her in

bed and kissed her cheek. But it wasn't a dream, because he was there,

smiling at her, his voice making all the nastiness in her stomach

disappear.

"I'm hungry," she said and offered him a huge grin.

"I'm not surprised." He kissed the dimple at the corner of her mouth.

"How about some chocolate cake?"