SIXTY-FOUR

Chapter 64

Hmm hmm hmmmm hmm hmm hmmhmmhmm hmm hmmm....Hmm hmm hmmmmm hmm hmm hmmhmmhmmmmm hmm hmmm....

Cate's mouth curved slightly in recognition of the melody but her eyes didn't leave the tablet on her lap.

Hmm hmm hmmmmmm hmm hmm hmmmmm...... hmm hmm hmmmm HMMMM HMMM HMMMMMMMM..... 

"Jon."

"Hmm?"

"You're doing it again."

A throaty chuckle of admission followed.  "Sorry.  Can't help it."

"Try.  Please."

"It's a catchy little ditty."

Cate glanced sideways from her screen, at her husband's profile.  He smirked lightly and resumed his humming, now drumming his fingers against the steering wheel as his sunglass-shielded gaze stayed forward, on the highway. 

"People have literally resorted to violence because of that 'catchy little ditty,' you know."

"This song?  Nah.  It's a happy song."

"It's maddening.  And it's been three days.  So please.  For all our sakes."

Jon glanced up at the rearview mirror before advancing his rebuttal.  "Jake and Romey don't mind."

"Only because they can't hear you with their earbuds in."  Cate couldn't stop a smile from curling the corner of her mouth.  Jon was doing everything he could to keep her engaged in conversation, having tired of sports-talk radio.

"They still wouldn't mind.  Watch."  Jon lifted a hand from the wheel and waved it, attempting to attract his sons' attention.  Jake noticed and tugged at the wire leading to his ear. 

"Huh?"

"It's a small, SMALL WOOOOOORLD!"  Jon sang with the gusto of Pavarotti, gesturing with his free hand.

Jake pushed the electronic plug back into his ear without comment.

Cate snorted at her stepson's response, or lack thereof.  "What happened to the 'no screens on this Family Vacation' rule?"  Cate taunted gently, her voice deepening to mimic his stern edict.

"You know what happened.  And don't pretend you're not happier now,"  Jon replied smugly, his eyes remaining on the road.

"Mmm."  Cate hummed a non-committal response, then chuckled.  Early in their trip Jon had been steadfast in refusing to allow his sons to use their tablets, iPods, and game devices, mandating that this was a time for family fun and togetherness.  He had held firm through most of their time at Disney, much to his sons' chagrin.  But when his parents decided to stay "just another day or two" Jon had finally relented, sympathizing with his boys' pleas for respite from their Nana's nonstop clucking.

Jake and Romeo hadn't been the only ones needing relief from their grandparents.  Jon had finally surrendered, announcing a short-notice change to the family's travel itinerary.  As a result Jon, Cate, Romeo, and Jake were headed north on I-95 a day earlier than planned, having cut short their stay in Orlando.  Jon had used the excuse of wanting to sightsee on the way back to Jersey, but Cate knew he really wanted to escape his mother.

The elder Bongiovis' impromptu visit hadn't been bad, exactly.  In fact, Cate had been a little taken aback by Carol's uncharacteristic warmth and friendliness.  Though Jon's mother had never been nasty to her, Cate had always felt a little uneasy around the family matriarch.  Carol maintained a close relationship with Dorothea, and Cate suspected Carol still harbored hope that someday her son would remarry his high-school sweetheart. 

A breathy whistle pulled her from her musings.  It was the same cheery tune.

"Dammit, Jon!"  Her words held a hint of exasperation.  "Stop it!"

Jon's white teeth flashed as his pucker dissolved into a grin.  He turned his head slightly toward Cate, keeping one shaded eye on the road.  His voice slid out in a sexy, playful croon.  "It's a small, small world, Baby...."

"Oh Good Lord."  Cate rolled her eyes and sighed.  Still she couldn't stop a smile.  Bored Jonny may be Annoying Jonny, but at least he was cute.

Flipping shut her iPad's cover, Cate turned her gaze to the passing scenery.  She had been reading for an hour or so, not really paying attention to their progress.

"Where are we?"

"I-95."

"No kidding.  Where on I-95?"

"Northbound."  Jon grinned.

Another exasperated sigh slipped from Cate's lips.  "It's gonna be a long ride..." she grumbled beneath her breath.

"Hey!"  Again Jon waved his hand to attract attention of the backseat dwellers, punctuating the movement with a loud exclamation.  This time Jake didn't bother to remove the bud from his ear before replying loudly.

"What?!?"

"Who's hungry?"

"ME!"  Romeo immediately responded, his attention diverted from his game by the mention of food.  "Can we stop at McDonald's?"

Cate half-turned in her seat to give the boy a wrinkle-nosed smile.  "Really? Again?"  They had started their morning travels with Egg McMuffins and hash browns from the drive-thru.  She could still smell the faint greasy odor of fried food, though the wrappers had been long discarded.  Cate's stomach rumbled its dissent to the thought of more heavy fare.

"We can have hamburgers."  It was clear from Romeo's reply that he thought no explanation was necessary.  The "DUH" was implied.

"Nah.  No fast food."  Jon's response made Cate nod.  She suspected the McMuffin was still sitting heavy in her husband's belly as well.  "I'm thinking something fresh."

Romeo sighed noisily before half-whining his displeasure.  "DA-AAD.  Not another SALAD."

"What's wrong with salad?  You eat 'em all the time at home."  Jon glanced in the rearview mirror, his blue eyes twinkling merrily behind his shades.  Cate smiled at his gleeful expression.  He was almost always successful in pulling Romeo into a playful "debate."  The boy had not yet learned to detect his father's teases.

"It's a bowl of weeds."

"So?  A hamburger is a piece of cow.  On bread."

"But a hamburger tastes good."

"So does a salad.  Put a little dressing on it, some croutons.... maybe some tofu...."

"Ugh."  Romeo rolled his eyes and flopped back against the seat.  Cate supressed a chuckle.

Jon grinned and glanced again at the mirror.  "And who said I wanted salad, anyway?  Maybe I don't."

"Yes you do."

"No, I don't."  Jon shook his head, then glanced at the road and the Navigator's side mirrors.  A flick of his left hand activated the signal before he slid the big SUV into the right lane.  Another flick silenced the flasher before he continued.  "Actually, I have a hankerin' for some seafood."

Cate's nose wrinkled again, this time with amusement.  "A hankerin'?"

Jon nodded.  "Yup.  A hankerin'.  Maybe for some... oh, I don't know... crab cakes?"  He glanced sideways at Cate, his cheeks dimpled with his smirk.  "You know any good places?"

She stared at Jon for a moment, puzzled with his question.  How on earth would she know where they could get crab cakes along the Interstate?  She didn't even know where on the highway they were...

Suddenly she understood.  Cate turned her gaze to the road ahead as she felt the Navigator slightly decelerate.  Ahead of them a nondescript green-and-white highway sign marked the exit, a familiar number above an arrow pointing them down the cracked asphalt off-ramp to a faded two-lane highway.  She smiled as the SUV drifted onto the exit and curved onto the road, slowing to a more modest speed.

"Actually, I  do know a little place."  Cate looked at her husband, who was grinning widely now that his ploy had been revealed.  "And so do you.  I think you put on five pounds in two weeks, just from the cornbread."

"Not just from the cornbread.  The pie too."  The lines at the corner of Jon's eye crinkled as he gave her a wink.  "You did your best to work that offa me, if I recall."

Cate chuckled as her cheeks pinkened at the memories.

"Where?"  Jake's curiosity got the better of him.  He had been stoically monitoring the conversation from his seat, but now that they were clearly preparing to stop he figured he'd better speak up or risk being forced to choose his meal from a menu of unpleasant options.

Cate turned to look at the boy, her smile warm.  "A little place called Barbara Jean's.  I took your Dad there when..."  She paused, not sure how much of the story of their romance Jon had revealed to his younger children.  "... A long time ago."

Jacob's reply was wary.  "Oh.  Uh....where is it... er... are we?"

"You're in the Great State of Georgia, Son."  Jon answered, a hint of a drawl tinging his Jersey.  "Best place for peaches, Vidalia onions, sweet tea, and Barbara Jean's crab cakes."

"What?"  Romeo was confused.  Somehow his argument for a Happy Meal had been hijacked to this conversation.  "Don't they have McDonald's here?"

"Nope."  Jon grinned through his lie. 

Cate snorted before gently correcting Jon's fib.  "Yes, Romey.  There's a McDonald's here.  But you'll like this place... they have hamburgers too.  Good ones.  Or you can have shrimp or chicken fingers, or whatever you like."

"Or a salad."  Jon gleefully needled the boy.

"DAD!"  Romeo protested loudly, disgruntled that his lunch recommendation had been ignored.  He gave Cate a displeased half-scowl.  "I don't want a salad."

"That's fine.  There's lots of other stuff to choose from.  And it's good, Romeo.  Really, it is."  Cate reached back to pat the boy's knee.  "We can sit on the patio if you want.  You can feed the birds.  And probably the squirrels.  They're pretty brazen, come right up to the tables."

Romeo visibly perked up at Cate's suggestion, though his response was wary.  "Okay..."

"Great," Jake muttered, dropping his face again to his tablet and slouching back onto the seat. 

Jon glanced in the rearview at his older son.  "You'll like it, Jake." 

"Whatever.  I'm not that hungry."

Jon let his head fall back against the headrest as he rolled his eyes.  He turned to give Cate a look that clearly said "Jesus Christ, if it's not one it's the other...."  She chuckled and reached over to give Jon's thigh a reassuring pat.

"You remember how to get there?"

Jon pulled his head forward and nodded.  "Just follow this road to the bridge, then straight down through the village, right?"

"You got it."  Cate shifted in her seat, turning to face fully forward before leaning to drop her iPad into the tote bag at her feet.  When she straightened she saw her husband's hand extended toward her, palm-up.  She smiled as she accepted his offering, twining her fingers into his.  Then she looked ahead, watching the familiar, idyllic scenery unfold before them as they rambled down the old highway she knew so well.

*****

"Romeo, you  haven't even touched your hamburger. EAT."

"I am!" To support his argument Romeo absently stuffed a french fry into his mouth.

"No you're not.  You're feeding the birds."  Jon glanced at the boy's plate,  where a ground beef patty sat atop a green lettuce leaf next to a scattering of shoestring-cut potatoes.  "Christ, you fed them the whole bun?"

"No."  Romeo looked at his plate to confirm his response.  "The bottom part is under the lettuce."  The boy eagerly tunneled his fingers under the patty and vegetables to grasp the soggy warm bread.  "See?"  He extracted a piece of the bun-bottom and held it up for his father's evaluation.  Then he grinned mischievously and tossed the morsel on the ground.  Three gray-brown sparrows promptly hopped toward the bread and pecked at it with their tiny beaks.

"Romey, I swear... you better eat that burger.  I'm not buying you anything else when you're whining about being hungry in a half-hour."

Romeo shrugged.  "Okay."

Jon rolled his eyes and turned his attention to Jacob.  "How was your crab cake?"

"Good."  The boy nodded and reached for another fry from the dwindling number on his plate.  Unlike his younger brother, Jake had devoured his sandwich with gusto.

"Told ya they were good."  Jon smiled and winked.  "Your Stepmama knows her seafood."

Jake shrugged, turning his gaze to Cate.   "You used to eat here all the time, huh?  When you lived here?"

Cate sipped her iced tea before answering.  "Yes.  Before I met your Dad.  I lived here for a few years when I worked as an instructor at the Training Center."

"Yeah, I know.  That's how he met you -- you taught him cop stuff for that movie he did."  Jake's mouth curved slightly.  "It was kinda dorky.  The movie, I mean."

Cate chuckled and nodded.  "Yep.  But that wasn't my fault.  I had nothing to do with the script.  Or the acting.  Or... well, just about any of it.  I just had to teach him how cops do things.  It was up to him to make it look cool... or not."

"I'm sitting right here, you know."  Jon interrupted, his protest mild and accompanied by a little smirk.  "Jeez."

"Sorry, Baby... but it was... uh... let's just say it wasn't your best work."  Cate smiled sympathetically and reached over to pat his hand.

"Yeah well..." Jon pulled his hand away in faux-affront.  "That's your opinion.  A lot of my fans loved 'Dirk Steele'."

Cate snorted.  "A lot of your fans love anything you do.  You could pick your nose and scratch your ass for an hour and a half on screen and they'd start a petition demanding you get an Oscar nomination."  Her sarcasm was delivered in a teasing lilt.

"Yeah, yeah..." Jon waved his hand, dismissing the topic.  He couldn't argue his wife's point.  "Anyway... it was a good experience, making that movie."  He smiled sweetly.  "If I had passed on that role we wouldn't have met."

"No, we wouldn't have," Cate agreed, returning his gentle grin and again extending her hand in truce.  Jon slid his palm against hers as his blue eyes sparkled brightly.

A heavy sigh from Jacob reminded the adults that they were being sappy.  Again.

Cate chortled softly, giving Jon's hand a squeeze before picking her napkin up from her lap and dropping it on the table.  "Okay, gentlemen.  If you'll excuse me for a moment...."

Jon quickly rose from his seat, his hand going to the back of Cate's wicker-backed patio chair.  He chivalrously helped her rise.  "I'll walk you."

"Thank you, but I think I can find my way to the ladies' room.  Stay here with the boys."  Cate glanced at Jon's sons.  "Romeo may feed his burger to the squirrels if you don't."

"Squirrels don't eat meat!  They eat nuts!"  Romeo protested.

"Zombie squirrels eat meat."  Cate winked at the boy before turning away.  "Be right back."

"Take your time." Jon crooned softly, his lips puckering expectantly.  He grinned after accepting a peck from Cate and watched her step off the patio and into the restaurant.  When his wife had disappeared inside Jon settled back into his seat and picked up his iced tea.  He gave his sons a smug look.  "What?"

Jake rolled his eyes.  "Nothing."

"So, you guys wanna walk around the Village a little bit?  There's some cool shops and stuff."  Jon waved a hand toward the little town's main street, where a few dozen midday shoppers strolled along the walks.  

"I guess," Jake shrugged. 

"Can we go to the beach?" Romeo asked.  They could hear the rush of the surf where it met the shore just two blocks away.

"Sure.  It's not much of a beach here, though.  Just some rocks and a little strip of sand."  Jon pointed the opposite direction, toward several large buildings in the distance.  "Up there is where the nicer beaches are, by the hotels."

"I thought we had to get on the road.  You said we were driving all day."  Jacob raised a brow with his query.  Suddenly his father was in no rush to make it to another lame landmark or tourist trap.  The boy's suspicions were aroused.

"We can take a little time.  Why, do you want to be stuck in the car for eight more hours?"

"No."  Jake's eyes narrowed as he tried to read his father's cryptic smile.

"Can we go swimming, then?"  Romeo interrupted the exchange.  "If we go over there, where the nice beaches are?"

Jon turned his smile to his youngest son.  "Why don't you ask Cate when she gets back from the Ladies' room.  Maybe she'll say it's okay for you to swim on her beach."

"Cate has a beach?"  Romeo's incredulous response made Jon chuckle.  He shook his head slightly.

"Well, not exactly.  But her house is on the beach.  It's nice.  And private."

Jacob's brow furrowed, then his mouth curved into a slow smirk.  Now he understood... their father was playing them, trying to make them accomplices in whatever plot he was weaving.

"Cate still has a house here?"  Jake's question was casual and deliberate.  "I thought she sold it.  You know, when she moved away and married you."

"No, she still has it.  For sentimental reasons."  Jon smirked back at his son.  The twinkle in the boy's blue eyes mirrored his own.

"And you want to go there?"

Jon looked away, confident Jacob would read his expression.  He waved a hand nonchalantly.  "I didn't say that.  But if you and your brother want to go walk on the beach, then..."

"Swim!"  Romeo corrected him.

"...Swim... at the beach, that would be the best place.  Just sayin'."

"So you want us to go to Cate's house."  Jacob raised a brow as he fixed Jon with a direct stare.  The Old Man wasn't as good at trickery as he had once been."  "Why?  What's there?"

"It doesn't matter to me if we go to Cate's house or not."  Jon tried to maintain his nonchalant demeanor.  "I just thought maybe..."

"Maybe what?"

"Maybe nothing!  Sheesh!  Just... the beach by her house is nice."  Jon turned his attention to Romeo.  "Are you gonna eat that burger or not?"

"No."

"Then why were you yammering on about wanting a hamburger when we were driving?"

"I wanted a McDonald's hamburger.  Not this one."

"Well, if you don't eat this one I'm not buying you anything else.  Especially not ice cream.  So don't ask."

Jacob watched the exchange between his father & brother with little interest.  His lips pursed thoughtfully, his smooth-cheeked face a replica of his father's typical thoughtful expression.  Still something wasn't adding up.

"It's April."

Jon turned his face to Jacob's in response to the statement.  His brow crinkled with puzzlement.

"Yeah, so?"

"The ocean's too cold for swimming."  Jacob's blue eyes narrowed.  "We can't swim from the beach.  There's another reason you want us to go there."

Jon let out an unconvincing exasperated sigh."  "Jesus, Jakey... what's with the conspiracy theories?"

"You're trying to make us part of your conspiracy."  Jacob gave Jon a pointed look, a touch of triumph in his tone.  "The question is... why?"  A melodramatic pause followed.

Jon stared back at his son, silently willing himself to maintain his neutral facade.  The kid was getting too smart, not as easy to manipulate as his older brother had been at this age.  Of Jon's three sons, Jacob really was the most like him.  He was quick to read people, and quick to decipher their motives.

Jacob blinked, then rolled his eyes.  His shoulders slumped with realization.  "Oh, now I get it.  You want to drag us to see where you and Cate met, and where you had your first date, and all that sappy crap.  Just like you made us do with Mom."  The sneer in his voice relayed his utter lack of excitement for the idea.

Jon bit back a chuckle.  Jake had been correct in sniffing out his concealed motive of spending more time on the Island, but he had missed the mark on his reason.  He played along for Romeo's benefit, certain he could still count on the younger boy's unwitting cooperation.

"What's wrong with that?  You guys thought it was cool to go to the chapel in Vegas.  I seem to recall you saying you wanted Elvis to be your minister when you get married."

"Dad, that was Vegas.  This is some random little town with nothing to do."

"How do you know there's nothing to do?  You've never been here before."

"Look around!"  Jacob threw a hand in the air, waving vaguely toward the street.  "We hardly saw anything while we were driving here!  And we're on an island!"

Jon smirked and sipped at his tea.  "When we go to Saint Barth we're on an island.  You don't bitch about that."

"Because that's a tropical island.  With a nice beach.  This is.... Georgia."  Jake sighed noisily, his exasperation finally coming to a head.  He started to complain further, but mentally checked himself.  One surefire way to make his father mad was to disparage his Stepmother or anything to do with her.  That would result in them spending the rest of the day doing exactly what he didn't want to do... be dragged around this sad excuse for a vacation spot while his Dad and Cate held hands and told sappy stories.  Instead he slumped back in his seat.

Jake's visible frustration pricked Jon's annoyance.  He took another deliberate swallow of iced tea before calmly setting the glass on the table and leaning back in his wicker chair.

"I'm sorry this place doesn't meet your lofty standards, Jake.  But it's a nice place, with nice people."  His voice was calm, without a trace of anger.  "And it means something to me.  So I wanted to share it with you, even if only for a couple hours."

The boy's chin dropped to his chest and he shrugged.  The gesture telegraphed his guilt, though his response was noncommittal.  "Whatever."

"You know, there's some pretty cool cop stuff going on just a few miles from here.  It's not all just palm trees and sweet tea and crabcakes.  Over at the Center they're shooting guns and driving cars real fast and blowing stuff up...."

A silent shrug from Jake told Jon he wasn't buying his father's pitch.  Jon sighed softly and shook his head.  It was no use trying to convince the boy.  He would come around on his own, or he wouldn't. 

Romeo's voice broke the standoff.

"Hey Cate!  Can we go to your house and go swimming on your beach?"

The corner of Jon's mouth curled at the question.  He could always count on Romeo.  Jon pushed himself up from his seat as Cate emerged from the restaurant, then stood with a hand on the back of her chair. 

Cate shot Jon a puzzled look.  He shrugged and smiled, pulling out her seat.  As she settled into the wicker chair Cate replied to the boy.

"My beach?"

"Yeah!  The one at your house.  Dad said you live here."

Cate chuckled, now understanding.  "Well, I don't exactly live here, Romey.  But the house I used to live in is here.  And yes, it's on the beach."

"Can we go see it?  And go swimming?"

Jon's amused smile remained unchanged though he mentally high-fived himself.  He had succeeded in covertly coaching Romeo into asking exactly the right question.

Cate's nose crinkled as she offered a gentle rebuttal to Romeo's question.  "Romey, I don't think we have time to go over to my house.  Besides, there's not really anything there.  It's just a cottage on the beach.  Nobody's even lived there for a few years."  She shook her head.  "And the water's too cold for swimming."

"Awww MAAAAAAAN!!!!" Romeo had just about had enough with this lunchtime detour.  It seemed like his every request was being rejected, for no good reason.

Jon chuckled.  "I think we can spare a little time to go see Cate's house, if you really want to."  He gave Romeo a wink.  "And at least go walk on the beach a little bit.  Not swim."

Cate's gaze swung to Jon, her blue eyes widening with mild surprise.  "What?  I thought you wanted to make Richmond tonight?  We've already spent over an hour here.  At this rate we won't make it before midnight."

Jon shrugged.  "So?  We'll just stay somewhere else then.  We don't have to make it to Virginia tonight."  He gave Cate a little grin.  "And I thought maybe we'd check out the shops anyway, stretch our legs a little bit.  We can do that then head over to your place.  I think the boys would get a kick out of seeing where their Stepmama lived." 

"Yeah!"  Romeo agreed enthusiastically.  "Can we, Cate?  Please?"

"And then we can let this one off his leash and run him until he's tired,"  Jon teased, nodding at his bouncing son.

That made Cate giggle.  "Well, okay.... as long as you promise you won't complain later about not being further down the road.  This is your call.  Jake and Romeo are my witnesses.  Right, Boys?"

"Yeah," Jake mumbled noncommittally.  It was apparent his opinion didn't matter.  He just hoped his Dad would be so wrapped up in his memories that he wouldn't rag about Jake listening to his iPod for the duration of this island detour.

"No bitching.  Promise."  Jon gave Cate's hand a squeeze before reaching for his wallet.  "Besides, while we're here you may as well check in on the place, right?"

"I'm sure the house is fine, Jon.  We would have gotten a call if anything was wrong."

"Still, as rough as this winter was, can't hurt."

Cate shrugged.  "Guess not."  She took one last sip from her watered-down iced tea while Jon dropped a couple bills on the check.  She looked at the quieter of her two stepsons.  "Jake, you okay?"

"Yeah.  Just full.  And kinda tired."

"Okay."  Cate paused, not convinced by his unenthusiastic response.  "You know, they have a pretty cool surf shop here.  How about we check that first?"  She stood and picked up her purse.

"Sure."  Jake shrugged, then pushed back his chair.  Following his Stepmother's lead, the boy rose and stepped off the patio onto the sidewalk.  He felt his father's hand on his shoulder a second before Jon's voice rumbled close to his ear.

"Try to be at least a little enthusiastic.  For Cate."

Jake nodded silently, then sighed.  He forced a half-smile when Cate glanced back over her shoulder at him.  He felt his father's hand move from his shoulder, releasing him from the minor scold as he began to shuffle down the sidewalk.  Behind him, Jake heard his brother's voice followed by an exasperated half-snarl.

"Can I have ice cream?  I'm hungry."

"NO!"

*****

"This is your house?  Wow!  It's so LITTLE!"

Cate chuckled as Jon pulled the SUV into the concrete drive of her little coastal cottage.  She turned to look behind her, at Romeo's adorable wide-eyed face.

"I didn't need a big house.  I was the only one who lived here."  Her smile softened.  "Well, just me and my dog."  Her heart squeezed at the memory.  Her big, loveable collie had crossed the rainbow bridge several years ago, after living out her days on Jon's Jersey estate.

"How did you both fit in there?"  Romeo's question was half-puzzled.

"Romeo!"  Jon intervened.  "For Christ's sake, it's not that small!  It's a normal beach cottage.  You know, like the ones down the Shore back home."  He put the SUV in park and killed the engine.

Cate laughed softly at her husband's exasperation.  Sometimes he needed to be reminded that his children's perspective of "normal" was rather skewed.  Unlike Jon and their mother, they had never lived in a modest dwelling.  Even their travel accommodations were usually luxurious.

"We managed, Romey.  It was... cozy."  Cate gave the boy a wink before turning away.

Cate pushed open the door and climbed out of the vehicle, then approached the garage door.  "Hope I remember..." she muttered as she raised the shield on the keypad.  Cate tapped five digits in sequence and hit the "enter" key, then stepped back as the garage door rumbled upward.  When the door was fully-raised she wandered into the empty bay, Jon and the boys in her wake.

"So... here it is." Cate announced with a chuckle before turning the knob on the interior door.  "The Sullivan Mansion."  She stepped up and into the small closet-like entry, then moved into the kitchen.  She blinked against the bright light streaming through the unshuttered ocean-side windows, its brilliance both momentarily blinding and confusing her.

"What the... the service must have left the curtains open..." Cate mumbled, raising a hand to shield her gaze as she looked through the pass-through from the kitchen to the living room.  Her brow furrowed as she noticed something else was not as expected.  Upon her last inspection her furniture had been draped with sheets to protect against dust and light-fade.  Now the room looked liked a feature in a magazine spread, every pillow, throw, and tchotchke clean and tidily arranged.  Above the room the blades of the ceiling fan turned lazily.

Cate stepped around the kitchen island and moved to the living room entrance.  "What... why...." she sputtered, unable to form a sentence to communicate her confusion.  "Somebody's been in here."

"You mean like a burglar?" Romeo asked, a bit too excitedly.

"No, you idiot."  Jacob answered quickly.  "A burglar would have stolen stuff.  The TV and stereo and stuff are still here.  See?"

Jon chuckled at Cate's bewilderment as she moved into the living room and turned in a circle, surveying its contents.  He stepped to the doorway and leaned against the jamb.  His blue eyes sparkled as he watched her.

"Don't you have a service come in every month or so?"

"Yes, but they just cover the basics.  They check the faucets, be sure there's no leaks, check for pests..."  Cate continued to revolve as she answered Jon's query.  "They don't mess with the furniture or anything..."

"That's weird."  Jon smirked.  "Maybe you have squatters.  Think somebody's living here without your knowledge?"  He arched a brow when she gave him an alarmed look.

"No.... no.  That can't be it..."  Cate shook her head firmly.  "Danny would know if anybody tried...."  She stopped in midsentence as something clicked.  She froze and stared at Jon, her eyes narrowing.  "Wait..."

"I'm thirsty!  Cate, can I have something to drink?" Romeo's question caught her off-guard, momentarily distracting her from her theory.

"Oh... sorry, Romey, but there's no water.  I turned off the lines since nobody's living here...."  Cate moved across the small living room and rounded the corner to re-enter the kitchen through the doorway opposite the garage entry.  She saw Jon's wide grin as he turned to watch her, his blue eyes twinkling merrily.  Her lips curved.

"Jon, what did...."  Cate didn't finish the question.  Instead she stepped toward the sink and turned a knob.  A stream of water whooshed from the faucet into the porcelain basin.   Turning off the water, Cate reached to pull open the refrigerator.  The light revealed a small stock of groceries:  half-gallons of milk and orange juice, a dozen eggs, a loaf of bread, butter, jam, and other condiments, and an assortment of canned sodas and juices.

"Can I please have a soda?"  Romeo's query was polite and hopeful.  "Please?"

"Sure.  You too, Jake."  Cate's smile widened as she stepped away from the refrigerator to allow the boys access.  As they perused the soft drink assortment she turned to face her grinning husband.

"What did you do?"

"Nothin'.  Not a thing."  His answer was smug.  Jon straightened from his door-frame lean as Cate moved over to him.

"Liar.  You obviously had some hand in this."  Cate's voice was soft and full, her smile beaming.  She raised a hand to Jon's chest, resting her palm over his heart.

"Okay, so maybe I had a little something to do with this...."  Jon shrugged and raised a hand to cover hers.  "But I had help."

"Danny."

"Yeah.  Danny."  Jon chuckled throatily, his heart swelling at the happiness in Cate's glowing expression. 

"So you two conspired to do this.  Get my house ready for a visit." 

"Uh-huh,"  Jon nodded, then winked.  "I told him we needed to bust out of Florida early.  He was a willing accomplice, but said his help comes at a price."

"Which is...?"

"We're making dinner for him and Charity tonight."

Cate giggled softly.  "Of course we are."  Her best friend's services could usually be bought for the price of a home-cooked meal.  "But why here?  We could have cooked at their place."

"Because I thought it would be nice for us to sleep in our own bed instead at of some hotel."

Cate felt her eyes moisten at Jon's quiet reply.  He had been the only man to share her bed here; that he considered it his home as well made her heart squeeze. 

"So all that talk about getting to Richmond tonight....?"

"Complete bullshit."

"Of course it was."  Cate stepped closer, turning her face up to Jon's.  He willingly accepted her sweet kiss, chuckling against her lips as two loud, carbonated POPs reminded them of their audience.

Jon slid his lips from Cate's, then kissed her forehead before looking over at his boys.  Both were staring at the couple, Romeo grinning widely and Jacob wearing a resigned expression.

"Alright, you two.  If you haven't already figured it out, we're staying here tonight.  Go grab your stuff from the car.  You're sleeping on the pull-out couch, but you can dump your bags in the bedroom."  Jon hitched a thumb over his shoulder, in the direction of the bedroom.  "After that you can watch TV or go down to the beach... whatever.  We're just hanging out the rest of today and tonight."

"Awesome!"  Romeo exclaimed.  "I wanna go in the water!"

"NO swimming, Romey," Cate admonished, turning to face the boys.  She smiled as Jon's arm slid around her middle.  "It's way too cold.  But you can go pick up shells or something."  She craned her neck to look up at Jon.  "You should go with them, just in case...."

"Yeah."  Jon nodded, then continued his address to his sons.  "Let's get your bags and then we'll go down & throw around the football or something.  Give Cate some peace and quiet so she can figure out what to do for dinner.  C'mon."   Jon dropped another kiss against Cate's temple and gave her a squeeze, then slipped from behind her toward the door to the garage.  He waited while the boys set their sodas on the kitchen island before herding them out the door.

Cate watched them depart, then pulled in a deep breath.  She looked around  at the familiar surroundings, her blue eyes gleaming with contentment.  She was still somewhat stunned at this surprise adjustment to their itinerary, but she would quickly adapt. 

She didn't know how he did it, but Jon always seemed to know how to give her just what she needed most, even when she didn't realize it herself.  Even though she no longer resided here, to Cate this little cottage was still Home.  It was the place in the world she had made for herself, the house she had bought and decorated with her own money and style.  It was her refuge from the harshness and sorrow of life, the demands of her job, the loneliness of her heart.  It was the place she could hide away and just be.  Alone.

Until he had come along, anyway.  Jon had changed her life, taken her away from this little house and her quiet life here, given her everything she had ever wanted and much, much more.  But somehow he understood that this was the one thing he couldn't touch, couldn't change.  He had never suggested or even hinted that she sell the cottage, or even rent it out.  This place would always be Hers, even if he sweetly called it "theirs." 

And it felt so good to be Home, even if only for a short while. 

Cate reveled in the comfort for a few moments, until the boys returned with their bags.  She pointed them toward the bedroom and told Jon where to find spare sheets and pillows, then turned back to her kitchen.  She had dinner to plan.  The idea made her smile.

*****

Several hours later Cate stood by the windows, looking down onto the beach as she wiped her hands on a damp dishtowel.  She had spent a blissful afternoon chopping, stirring, simmering, and glazing, and now the evening feast was nearly ready.  Cate had confirmed in a spirited conversation with her best friend that Danny and Charity would arrive for "cocktail hour" at 6:00 p.m., to be followed by an evening of food, friendship, and family board games. 

She hadn't stopped smiling since Jon had confessed the full extent of their plans.  The Bongiovi Family would spend the next two days and nights at Cate's house, enjoying a "detox" from their past week-and-a-half at Disney World.  They would spend tomorrow at the Center, visiting Cate's former colleagues and giving the boys the Grand Tour of the nation's premier law enforcement training facility.  Even Jake had been unable to contain his excitement at the news that the boys would be allowed to shoot, climb, run, investigate, and beat or be beaten up, just like real Agent Trainees.  In the evening, Danny and Charity volunteered to host the boys so Cate and Jon could enjoy a night out together.  The following day would be spent visiting the local wildlife refuges, giving Romeo his "animal fix."  Then it would be back on the road to New Jersey and the conclusion of their Spring Break Adventure.

Cate chuckled.  Jon had managed to pull it off.  His much-ballyhooed "Bongiovi Family Vacation" was a success.  She had fully expected their trip to degenerate into an epic Griswoldian tragi-comedy, but instead she had truly enjoyed this vacation.  Grandparents and all.

Her smile gentled as she looked down at three of the most important men in her life -- her wonderful husband and his precious sons.  Cate watched affectionately as Jon tossed her beat-up football back and forth to Jacob while Romeo sat on the sand, counting a pile of seashells.  She still was amazed at how all this had happened to her.... somehow she had ended up with the life she had always fantasized about but had never felt she deserved.  It was close to perfect.

Close.

Cate sighed, crossing her arms across her middle and giving herself a little hug of reassurance.  Maybe this was all she needed.... Maybe it was enough.  To be a wife and Stepmother.  To be able to spend every day with Jon, to work on projects that caught her interest, or that were important to him.  To be able to travel with him, when he toured with his band or when he journeyed on behalf of his business and philanthropic endeavors.

Maybe.

She pondered the idea for several more minute before a muted buzz against her hip alerted her.  Still watching the activity below, Cate fished her phone from her jeans pocket.  She glanced at the screen that announced the identity of her caller, and was immediately hit with a jolt of irony. 

CALL FROM SANTO, GUS

973-792-4688

Her finger hesitated over the "answer" icon.