Right after Jack Romano kills in man in the line of duty, he finds out his bemoaned first love's wife has died in childbirth and his ex-lover killed himself, leaving their sickly newborn to Jack. Carlo Del Monte has been chasing Jack for nine months and sees the baby -- Isabella, Bella for short -- as an opportunity to get Jack in his house, as well as his bed, permanently. The two men set up housekeeping with the help of friends and Carlo's big Italian family. Then little Bella ends up in the intensive care since she lacks immunity to childhood diseases. Can Jack and Carlo find their way in this new relationship? As partners, husbands, fathers? Will the two be able to form a strong bond ... and an even stronger family?

Beau's Baby

They picked a pale, shell pink, and the picture in the decorating magazine Bobby left in the mailbox showed it with hand-painted roses and ribbons. He’d have to see if Giuseppe’s wife, Fran, could do that. Both of them liked the crib the article pictured and its name and where to buy it was at the end of the article on decorating a nursery. They didn’t list a price, but he’d give Cisco the stock number and brand.


Carlo made himself an espresso. It was time for a reassessment. I never thought Beau would make this so easy for me. Jake will probably show up tomorrow with Davey. I’ll ask Jake to go over the paperwork and confirm what I suspect. Jack was a cop. He knew I was right, but it isn’t such a bad idea to have Jake tell him the same thing. One thing for sure, I never thought I would fall so hard and so fast. I went through much the same thing Jack did, but Stephen left me for another guy. Until Jack, I hadn’t dated anyone seriously for ten years.


Chapter 12