Page 23 of Rum & Coke

“How’d you find out if he was fighting in the war?”

“The night I met him, he and his Marine buddies were living it up because, after Fleet Week, they were being deployed. When I realized I was pregnant, I searched for him on Facebook, but I didn’t know his last name. Hell, I didn’t even know his real name because they were all using nicknames. It took me months to locate him. Then, before Colt was born, the USO posted a picture of his father on their Facebook page. A friend of his commented on the picture that it was the last one of him and his fellow Marine, Corporal Scott Colton. I messaged his friend and told him who I was and that I’d metJamesonduring Fleet Week in San Francisco and I was trying to get in contact with him. Weeks later he messaged me back that Scott, who went by the nickname Jameson because he loved the whiskey, had died in combat not long after being deployed.”

“Wow,” Vinny breathed.

“Yeah, it’s been tough raising Colt alone. I saved the image from the USO page, and when he’s old enough, I’ll tell him the story and show him the only picture of his father that I have.”

“Did the military help with medical bills or provide health coverage for Colton?”

I shook my head. “There’s no proof he’s the father even though I know he is because I wasn’t dating or sleeping with anyone else during that time.”

“What about Scott’s family?”

“Scott’s friend said he contacted the family on Facebook, but they never got back to him or something. I don’t know. Never heard from anyone again after he told me Scott died.”

“That’s horrible.”

I shrugged. “Yeah.”

“Even though I haven’t officially met Colton, I can tell you’ve done an amazing job raising him.”

“Thank you.” There was a stretch of silence until I spoke again. “Thank you for setting this up. I hope Colt will be fine with all the people at the stadium.”

“The noise-canceling headphones will help.”

“Hope so because I’d love to take him to a game at AT&T Park. That ball field is amazing.”

“I’ve never been to it.”

“Maybe we can go later in the season when the Dodgers play in San Francisco?” I suggested. “The food is incredible.”

“And you can show me all your favorite places from when you were a kid.”

I chuckled. “Yeah, I’ll be your private tour guide.”

“If you’re good, I’ll give you abigtip.”

My eyes widened. “Guess we’ll find out, won’t we?”

“Yeah, Tess. We sure will.”

I stayed in the car with a sleeping Colton while Vinny checked us into the hotel. It was almost seven in the morning by the time we arrived, and I was worried that the hotel wouldn’t let us check in, but a few minutes later, he came back to the car, smiling.

“So.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “They only have one room left.”

“Are you serious?”

“No.” He laughed and moved to the back of the car.

I chuckled, opening my door and following him. “That was mean.”

He opened the back hatch of his SUV. “Would it be so bad to share a room with me?”

No, it wouldn’t. “I’m not sure what Colt would think if he woke up and there was a strange man in the room.”

“True, but after the school year, we’re going to be best buds.”

“I hope so.” I grinned and reached for our bags. “He loves baseball—you can teach him how to throw.”