Secret Love - Brenda Jackson [94]
Diamond’s smile widened. “I know but I enjoy her so much. She’s so tiny.”
Colby chuckled. “Tiny? I don’t think there are many people who would consider a baby born weighing close to eleven pounds as tiny, Diamond.”
Diamond shook her head. “I guess you’re right, but she still looks tiny to me.” She took the chair across from Colby at the table. “When did Sterling say he’ll be back?”
Colby smiled. “Antsy to get away from here already, are you?”
Diamond shrugged, grinning. “I miss Jacob.”
“That’s obvious. I act the same way you do when Sterling’s away and I begin missing him something awful.”
Diamond lifted an amused brow. “And just what way am I acting?”
“Like a woman who wants to be with the man she loves.”
Before Diamond could agree, they heard the sound of the front door opening and closing. Moments later, Sterling walked into the room.
“How’s my girls?”
Diamond watched as he quickly crossed the room, pulled Colby into his arms for one heart-stopping kiss. Releasing her, he leaned over and kissed Diamond’s cheek before turning to run up the stairs to the baby’s nursery.
Diamond grinned. “Was that a whirlwind that just breezed through here?”
“I’m afraid so,” Colby said, chuckling.
“Well, now that he’s back I’m no longer needed here. I may as well start packing.”
“Are you going to leave in the morning?”
Diamond shook her head. “If Sterling can make the necessary arrangements with John to get the plane ready, I prefer leaving tonight. I want to surprise Jacob and get home a few days earlier than planned.”
A warm California breeze rustled through the nearby palm trees and drifted onto the veranda where Jack Swain sat silently. A medley of Duke Ellington tunes being played throughout the entire house, from a very sophisticated intercom music system, mingled with the other sounds of the night.
“I’m an old fool, Casey,” he finally said to the man who was sitting across from him and who was also enjoying the soothing music.
“Don’t expect me to disagree with you on that, Jack.”
“You do like your job, don’t you, Casey?”
Casey Williams couldn’t help chuckling at that question. “I guess so since I’ve been at it for over forty years. If you’re thinking about firing me, don’t bother. No one else will put up with you.”
After a long moment of silence, Jack Swain spoke again. “I think I’ve lost her, Casey.”
Casey looked over at him. “If I didn’t know just how much Diamond meant to you, I’d say you got just what you deserved. I was proud of her for finally standing up to you.”
A small but definitely wry smile curved the corners of Jack Swain’s mouth. “So was I.”
Casey dipped his chin and peered at Jack from beneath one bushy brow. He was one of the few people who understood Jack and why he’d always kept Diamond at arm’s length. “Don’t you think it’s time for you to began showing Diamond all that love you’ve got stored in your heart for her? You’re seventy-two years old. Although you’re in pretty good shape physically, there’s no telling just how many good years you have left.”
Jack Swain glared at Casey. “You’re not a young man yourself.”
“True. But I’m not the one who has a daughter who is starving for her father’s love.”
After a silent moment, Jack said, “I do love the girl.”
“Yeah, I know it, but she doesn’t know it. I think Diamond believes in her heart that you have some feelings for her but…”
“I didn’t want to lose her, Casey. I wouldn’t have been able to handle it if I’d lost her like I lost Nell.”
Casey nodded in understanding. Jack had lost his first wife, who had been the love of his life, to cancer after ten years of marriage. He had married Diamond’s mother, Emerald, a year later. Emerald, an actress-wannabe, had been a mere twenty-four when she had married a forty-year-old Jack Swain. Wild and reckless, she had been just what Jack thought he needed to get over losing Nell. But it soon became apparent that no woman would be able to do that. The only good thing that resulted from Jack and Emerald’s marriage had been Diamond. There was no doubt in anyone’s mind that although