He set the basket beside the door, then marched back down the hall to the fire stairs and started down. For what he had in mind it was wiser not to be seen leaving the lobby.

“Ticked her off good, didn’t you?” Ray commented as he jogged down the steps beside his son.

“Christ almighty.” Phillip glared into his father’s face. “Next time why don’t you just shoot me in the head? It’d be less embarrassing than to die of a heart attack at my age.”

“Your heart’s strong enough. So, she’s not speaking to you.”

“She’ll talk to me,” Phillip said grimly.

“Bribing with bubbly?” Ray jerked a thumb behind him.

“It works.”

“The flowers are a good touch. I could usually get around your mother with flowers. Quicker if I groveled.”

“I’m not groveling.” On that he was firm. “It was just as much her fault.”

“It’s never just as much their fault,” Ray said with a wink. “The sooner you accept that, the sooner you’ll get makeup sex.”

“Jesus, Dad.” He could only rub a hand over his face. “I’m not going to talk to you about sex.”

“Why not? Wouldn’t be the first time.” He sighed as they came to the ground level. “Seems to me your mother and I talked to you plenty, and talked to you straight, about sex. Gave you your first condoms, too.”

“That was then,” Phillip muttered. “I’ve got the hang of it now.”

Ray let out a rippling, delighted laugh. “I bet you do. But then again, sex isn’t the prime motive here. It’s always a motive,” he added. “We’re men, we can’t help it. Lady up there, she’s got you worried, though, because it’s not just about sex. It’s about love.”

“I’m not in love with her. Exactly. I’m just . . . involved.”

“Love always was a tough one for you.” Ray stepped out into the windy night, zipped up the frayed sideline jacket he wore over his jeans. “When it came to females, that is. Anytime things started to head toward serious, you’d start moving fast and loose in the opposite direction.” He grinned at Phillip. “Looks to me like you’re moving straight ahead this time.”

“She’s Seth’s aunt.” Annoyance pricked at the back of his neck as he walked around the building. “If she’s going to be part of his life, our lives, I need to understand her.”

“Seth’s part of it. But you slapped her back this morning because you were scared.”

Phillip planted his feet, legs spread, rolled his shoulders as he studied Ray’s face. “Number one, I can’t believe I’m standing here arguing with you. Number two, it occurs to me that you were a hell of a lot better at letting me run my own life when you were alive than you are as a dead man.”

Ray only smiled. “Well, I’ve got what you might call a broader point of view now. I want you happy, Phil. I’m not going to move on until I’m sure the people who matter to me are happy. I’m ready to move on,” he said quietly. “To be with your mother.”