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

As Isabella let out a big burp, Carlo said, “It’s good she burps easily. Guiseppe’s oldest, Giuseppe the third, otherwise known as Joey, had colic. What a time we had with him. We all took turns going to his house and spending the night so we could get up to walk the floor with the baby so my brother and poor Fran could get a full night’s sleep. It didn’t let up until he was three months old. By the way, only Mama and Papa can get away with calling my brother Junior. Yet he went and called his first son Giuseppe the third.”


“I hope that colic doesn’t rear its ugly head with Bella. I’d be nuts with worry and calling the doctor every other hour. I’d be so scared it was something else.”


“That’s why we have Mama and Papa, experience we can call upon if necessary.”


“Yeah, Jason didn’t take charge of Kitty until she was three so there’s no help there.” Isabella was diapered, fed and rocked by eight and they headed home to make breakfast.


Chapter 19