Chapter 1

Jon sat at his desk, staring at the file folder. Slowly, he opened the cover, reading again the bio for the young player who’d been with the team a few months now. The personal information section detailed his next-of-kin, ‘Mother - Billie Kelsall’, along with an address and telephone number. It was the telephone number that was itching at his brain. A telephone number which would connect him with the woman who’d borne his first child. The son he’d never known existed until fate brought him to Philadelphia.

He wondered if Billie knew. If she knew that her son - their son - had picked, and been picked by, the team his father co-owned. From Jay’s lack of reaction to him at Wachovia Center that first day, Jon was certain beyond doubt that Jay had no clue the photograph of his mom and the long haired rockstar was anything more than a fan getting lucky and having their photo taken with their favorite singer.

That day was etched in Jon’s mind. The instant realisation hitting him like a fist in the gut as he’d looked away from the bright blue eyes, looked down to see another pair of bright blue eyes. His own eyes, in the photograph. He remembered biting back the words that rose to his lips. Remembered numbly taking the Sharpie offered by Jay and scrawling his signature across the photograph. He remembered hearing the young man thank him shyly, saying that he’d take it with him next time he went home.

Picking Jay’s team photograph from the file, Jon looked at it. The blue eyes were the biggest resemblance, but Jay had the same unruly brown hair, cropped short no doubt to prevent the curls that Jon had been happy to allow. Hell, it had been the eighties when his hair was that long, shaggy mane anyway. Of course, Billie’s hair was dark, too, though her eyes were just as dark, and Jon was startled by the clarity of his sudden recollection of her, standing on that long-ago riverbank, wearing a grin and a black cowboy hat, and not another thing.

He laid the photograph down again, using it to underscore the telephone number and reaching for the phone on his desk.

“Jon?!”

He heard his name called suddenly and yanked his hand away from the phone guiltily at the sound of Dorothea’s voice.

“Yeah, babe? I’m in here!” He yelled back, flipping the folder shut and sliding it underneath the blotter.

“Hi.” Dot walked into the office, smiling at him as she ushered Stephanie ahead of her. “Tell dad.” She grinned.

“Tell me what?” Jon asked, forcing his mind off Billie and Jay. Forcing his mind back to his real family. His other family, he thought suddenly.

“I got picked!” Steph said excitedly. And not very enlighteningly.

“Okay……” Jon looked at Dot for help. “Picked for what, baby?”

“The internship I’ve been doing at the magazine - they wanted someone to go on a trip to Europe with Corinne, and they picked me!”

“They did?” He grinned, happy for her. “Good for you, honey!”

Getting out of his chair, he went around the desk to hug her, dropping a kiss on top of her head.

“I’m proud of you, Stephy.” He said. “Well done.”

“Thanks, dad.” Her voice was muffled against his chest, then he released her again.

“We should do something to celebrate.” Jon said, looking at Dot and seeing her nod approvingly. “What d’you want to do, Steph?”

“I dunno.” She shrugged. “If we were at home I’d have said go to Bill’s for dinner, but……”

It was funny, but all of them, even now, thought of the big Navesink house as ‘home’. They’d lived in the New York apartment for almost a year, but it wasn’t home. If he were honest, Jon wasn’t sure how much longer they’d stay there. The move had been made to fit in with Steph’s internship, and also to get the boys into the city’s schools, but it still didn’t feel right.

“We can do that.” Jon said without hesitation. “That where you wanna go, baby?”

“Uh-huh.” Stephanie grinned at him, so like her mother.

“Okay. Go let the boys know we’re leaving in……” He glanced at his watch. “Forty minutes.”

“Thanks dad!” Steph hugged him again then disappeared to tell her brothers to get ready.

Once she was gone, Jon turned to Dorothea, more serious now. He’d been reluctant to spoil Stephanie’s excitement but, well, a trip to Europe wasn’t just around the corner, and he wondered how the magazine would handle a teenager - particularly the daughter of someone like him - on the trip.

“So what’s the story on this trip, then?” He asked, perching his butt on the edge of his desk as Dot walked over, standing between his spread knees in a comfortably familiar position, Jon’s hands on her hips as he looked up at her.

“Well……it’s a two week trip, to London, Paris, Rome and Monaco. I was planning on going with her, because I’m not comfortable to let her go alone with just magazine staff. Unless, of course, you need me here.”

“I always need you, baby.” Jon said softly, rubbing his hands on her hips. “But I’ll be a lot happier if you’re with Stephy on this trip. I know she’s a sensible girl, but Europe’s a long way from home, and if there’s only the magazine lot there, well……”

“Yeah.” Dot agreed, leaning to kiss his forehead. “Just what I thought. I already spoke to Steph about it, and Corinne, and there’s no problem with it. We leave Friday.”

“Friday? This Friday?!” Jon was shocked at the suddenness of it all. “Jesus! They don’t give you much time, do they?”

“It’s almost a week away, Jon.” She pointed out. “And they’re arranging all the flights and hotels. All Steph and I need to do is pack.” She looked at him closely, knowing all too well how protective he was. “So you’re okay with this?”

“Huh?” Jon’s mind had wandered to thoughts of how Dot would be out of the city - the country - hell, on a whole different continent for a couple of weeks. Which would give him an opportunity to make contact with Billie. “Of course I am, baby. I really do think it’s great - it’s a big deal for Steph. I get that.”

Dorothea gently cupped her hands around his face, kissing him tenderly. Sometimes he could still surprise her, and his reaction to this trip was one of those times. He didn’t need to know all the details of who’d be going along. Jon’s hands slipped up to her waist, but when she felt his thumbs sneak under the hem of her top she pulled back.

“Nuh-uh.” She admonished, shaking her head with a smile. “Down boy. Later.”

“Promise?” He looked up, his blue eyes devastating her like they always could, Jon throwing an extra pleading look her way.

“Damn you.” Dot whispered. More than twenty years she’d been with him, and he could still turn her to a horny wreck with just a glance when he wanted to. “Yes. I promise, Jonny.”

They pulled apart then, heading off to get themselves ready to go to dinner, no need to dress up, but Jon did have to call his driver, ask him to come get them in a half hour. That was another thing that sucked about living in the city - nowhere to park easily, so what was the point in having one of the cars there? He’d left them out in Jersey, putting up with Dot’s teasing when he’d take a trip out there just to check on his precious Chevelle.