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

Carlo told Hannah that she had to see Jack but as Hannah was about to leave, Jack showed up with the last load of things. Jack asked Hannah a few questions and raised an eyebrow at Mama, who nodded her head.


Mama had pulled out all the stops, she made garlic bread and Caesar salad along with her lasagna. The scents wafted from the kitchen to the great room.


“Please sit, Hannah, Marla, Bella’s not home from the hospital yet, but we expect her sometime in the next two weeks.” Jack sat down and took the cold beer Mama handed him. “She’s going to need to be fed on demand until she gains more weight and we have to watch her carefully because she’s so small. She’ll be a lot of work. When we’re not working, we’ll take over most of her care but when we’re not here, she will be entirely your responsibility.”


Chapter 22