The Wife Stalker(51)

“Hello?”

“If you had been watching the children like you should have, Stelli would never have been hurt. Why would you let him go on a slide that was clearly too dangerous for someone his age?” The voice on the other end was at full volume.

Joanna! How had she even gotten this number? “Leave us alone, or I’ll call the police,” Piper said firmly.

“I want to talk to Stelli,” Joanna pleaded.

Piper hit the End button and threw the phone down, shaken by the rage she’d heard in Joanna’s voice. When she got downstairs and she still hadn’t heard from Leo, despite having left him two voice mails, she and the children sat down to dinner.

“Hot dogs tonight, Stelli, since they’re your favorite. And as a special treat for being so very brave today, you can choose a movie to watch, even though it’s a school night.”

Stelli sat up straight and gently fingered the bandage on his chin. “Captain America!”

As soon as they finished eating, Piper settled them in the den, wrapping an afghan around each of them, then brought in two mugs of hot chocolate.

Evie reached out to grab a mug, but Piper stopped her. “That one is for Stelli. I put extra honey in it, just the way he likes it. This one is yours.” She picked up the blue mug from the tray and handed it to Evie. “Careful, it’s hot.” She watched as Stelli took a sip from his. “Sweet enough?”

He nodded.

Satisfied that he’d actually drink it, she went back to the kitchen and was making herself some tea when Leo walked in.

“Hey, beautiful. Sorry I’m late. Got tied up in a deposition.” He put his arms around her and nuzzled her neck. “How was your afternoon at the park?”

She sighed. “I tried to call you a bunch of times. I’m afraid Stelli had an accident.”

Leo went white. “Where is he? Is he all right?”

“He’s fine. Just a cut on his chin. He’s in the den with Evie, watching a movie.”

He moved away from her, but she grabbed his arm to stop him. “He fell from the slide. He’s okay, but I need to talk to you.”

Leo shook off her grip and strode to the door. “I need to see him,” he said, before she could say another word.

Piper gave him a few minutes before following him into the den. He was sitting next to Stelli, his arm around him, while Evie sat on Leo’s lap. The three of them looked so at ease with one another that Piper felt more like an intruder than she usually did. She wondered if she would ever be a real part of this family.

Leo looked up at her and beckoned her toward them with a nod, but she held back, unwilling to break into the tight circle. Finally, Leo stood. “You finish your movie, Stel, and I’ll tuck you in afterward. I hope you thanked Piper for taking such good care of you,” Leo said.

Stelli looked up at Piper. “Thank you,” he said flatly, and turned his eyes back to the screen.

Piper and Leo returned to the kitchen, and Piper fixed a plate for him. He cleared his throat. “Can you tell me again exactly what happened? Evie mentioned something about Stelli going down the big slide.” He looked up at her from his plate. “Were you watching him?”

This again, the accusation that an accident was somehow her fault. Piper’s pulse quickened. “Of course I was watching them. I was sitting right there. Accidents happen, Leo. I didn’t realize that only certain pieces of the playground equipment were age appropriate. You have to remember all this is new to me. I’m trying my best.” As she looked at him, her eyes filled with tears.

He sighed. “I know, honey. It’s just that Stelli doesn’t always have the best judgment. Just try to remember he’s only six.”

“I’m sorry. You’re right. I’ll be more careful in the future. There’s something else, though.” She paused. “Joanna called again.”

His eyes narrowed. “When?”

“Today. This afternoon. She yelled at me. Said I wasn’t watching the children. That Stelli’s accident was my fault.” She paused. “Leo, she had to have been at the park, watching us. What if the children had seen her?”

A muscle in his jaw tensed. “Maybe I should talk to her, remind her of the judge’s order.”

“No. You can’t do that. That’s exactly what she wants—to talk to you. You’d be playing right into her hands.”

“I don’t know what else to do. We can’t have her coming near the kids.”

“Let’s think about this before you do anything. Talk to one of the judges you play golf with. See what they say. I’m worried that if you call her, she might get the wrong impression.”

He reached across the table and caressed her cheek. “Okay, I’ll talk to Judge Barrows and see what he thinks we should do.”

After he finished eating, they went back to the den together to watch the end of the movie and then put the children to bed. Piper went into Stelli’s bedroom after Leo tucked him in. “Stelli, you were a really brave boy today. I was very proud of you. May I give you a kiss good night?”

“My stomach hurts,” Stelli said, his eyes filling with tears. “I want my mommy.”

Piper clenched her nails into her fist. Stelli was going to have to learn, one way or another, that you don’t always get what you want.