FULL NOVELXO Chapter 21
He’d waited outside since half-past seven this morning, not daring to risk missing them leaving for school. He was mildly surprised to see Jean again. She was taking the boy to school.
Her parents really were here. That explained why his ex had been away for more than a couple of days. He noticed that the boy had grown. Now he was an even lankier, string bean of a child who looked more and more like his mother, except for the color of his hair, which at least he’d inherited from his father. Colt sniffed, wiping his nose, and inhaling sharply.
This morning he’d kept a good distance behind them, skulking in the shadows as he followed them to the school gates. Now he knew where the boy went to school. It was sort of coming together. His plan wasn’t solid, how could it have been when he didn’t know much, and didn’t have much time? How was he to know she was going to spend the whole week away? He hadn’t planned for any problems, nor could he afford to fail.
Not with Santino breathing down his neck.
But even so, because of the fuckups, a new and better plan had formed. He’d spent the whole day wandering around the shops and sitting in cafes, waiting for the day to end; keeping himself busy surfing the internet, seeing what Savannah and lover boy were up.
It was finally time. The end of the school day was here and this was his moment. With his heart thumping underneath his chest, Colt stepped out from the shadows of the trees and walked slowly towards the school gates, towards the sea of mothers with their young children. It was harder to pick out Jacob in the crowd but Jean was easy enough to spot. She was one of the few grandmothers in throng of younger moms.
“Hello, Son,” he said, planting himself directly in front of them as they walked away from the school gates.
“Dad?” Colt noted that the boy gripped his Grandma’s hand.
“Colt?” Jean narrowed her eyes, her voice shaky. “What are you doing here?” She backed away a few steps, pulling the boy behind her.
“I had a job out here,” he told her. “I was in the area and thought I’d come by. I called Savannah a few weeks ago to let her know. I’ve called her a couple of times but she’s not answering.” He waited to see if his ex’s mother would tell him.
“I expect she’s busy,” she replied, and looked at him as if she was waiting for him to leave.
“There’s no need to be cold, Jean. I only want to see my boy so please don’t make this any harder for me. I went through a bad time back then and I’m sorry for the things I done. I love him, ‘cos he’s my blood. Think what it’s like for me, going all this time without seeing him.” She stared at him as if he was a convicted felon, keeping Jacob’s hand firmly in her own, but her mouth twitched, as if she was deciding. “We need to get home, Colt. Please don’t cause a scene. Dale’s expecting us any moment now.”
“Give me a chance, Jean.”
Come on, he thought, smiling at them both. Because in that boy lay the answer to his problems. His ex being away had worked out even better for him. It had paved the way for an even better plan and one that would not fail.
This time Savannah wouldn’t be able to refuse. She might not have been willing to help him, even if she’d been here and he had managed to convince her to meet him. Not so with Plan B. For Jacob she would pay up.
She would get the boy and he would get to start over.