Free Falling For Nick by Joleen James

Nick, even if we aren't crazy about the idea."
    Robert made a sound of disgust. "Letting Nick into John's life isn't right. The man killed my brother. Do you really want a killer around your son?"
    "Nick never meant to kill Danny. He's paid for what happened in more ways than one."
    "And what about the lakeside robberies?" Robert asked. "Nick's a thief and a murderer."
    "Stop it, Robert. We've been over this. I'm not going to discuss it again. Please, can't we concentrate on the present, on John?"
    "I'm sorry." Robert gathered her close again. "I'll help you. I'll do whatever you want. You know that. I love you, Clea."
    He kissed her, and Clea responded, or tried to, but her heart wasn't in the kiss, or in making Robert feel better. Instead, her mind wandered to John.
    "I love you," Robert whispered against her lips, kissing her cheek, her neck.
    Suddenly, he drew back.
    "What?" Clea asked. He stared at something. She brought her hand up to touch her neck.
    "You have grease on the side of your neck; and on your shirt. How did you get so dirty?"
    "I don't know," Clea lied, remembering the grease on Nick's clothes, his hands.
    "It's going to ruin your shirt," Robert said. "You should run upstairs and change." He smiled. "I could join you."
    "I think you just want to part me from my clothes," she teased, glad to think of something other than Nick. "I'm off work in a few minutes. I'll change then."
    The office door whipped open, and John's best friend, Toby, raced in. He skidded to a stop in front of Clea. Mitzi came in behind him, her brow creased with worry.
    "What's wrong?" Clea's stomach knotted and she knew Toby's presence had something to do with John.
    "There's a fight," Toby said out of breath, his cheeks pink from running. "At the bus stop. John's bleeding."
    *   *   *
     
    "Want to tell me what happened?" Clea passed John a fresh tissue. She'd been relieved to find John in one piece, but that relief had faded quickly when she'd seen his distress. "Throw that one in the garbage." She pointed to the can next to the desk.
    John did as she asked, holding the clean tissue to his nose.
    Clea exchanged a worried glance with Robert. Thankfully, he remained silent, letting her do the talking.
    "Well, it's obvious someone socked you in the nose. He must have had a reason."
    "I hit him first."
    "Johnathan Rose! You know better than that." His lower lip trembled. In a softer tone, Clea said, "Did this have something to do with your father?" She saw the same defiance in her son's eyes she'd seen in Nick's so many times before. Even the way John slumped in the chair reminded her of Nick. They were so alike it scared her.
    John shrugged.
    She smoothed the hair from his forehead.
    "Is my dad here?" he asked, the words loaded with hope, hope that broke Clea's heart.
    "Yes. You know Nick's mother died. He came home for her funeral."
    Robert stalked to the window, his distaste for the subject they discussed obvious, but she didn't have time to soothe him, too.
    John's lower lip puffed out again. She had no idea what he thought about the news, but she did know he was hurting inside.
    "Brandon Green said my dad was back, but I didn't believe him," John said. "He called my dad a jailbird. I hit him."
    "Then he hit you back?" Clea prompted.
    "In the nose."
    "I'm sorry, honey." Clea put an arm around his shoulders. "It seems you and I have a lot to discuss."
    "Is Dad going to come and see me?" He looked up at Clea with blue eyes an exact mirror of Nick's.
    "Do you want him to?" Clea asked.
    John shrugged.
    "Nick is staying on in Port Bliss. He wants to get to know you. You are all he can talk about." She could see the conflicting emotions on John's face, and it pained her to think John was afraid both that Nick wouldn't want him and that he would. "How's your nose?"
    "I think it's okay now." He dropped the tissue into the garbage can.
    Clea inspected his nose, and seeing no further bleeding she said, "It looks good."
    "Do I have to see my