Mosquito Chase (31 page)

“Before you were taken … when we were on the dock …”

She glanced away when my unit entered the warehouse. Sherriff Harmon walked in with Parker. The coroner followed behind. This wasn’t the time for a heartfelt conversation. I grabbed her hands and kissed them gently.

“We can talk about it later. Let’s get this over with and take you home.” I held her hand, keeping her close as we stepped out of our hiding spot.

The coroner and his unit tended to the body. We stood in the entrance of the hallway. Angie’s hand tightly gripped mine. I wished I could erase these past few months from her life. I would never have gotten the chance to fall in love with her, but she would have been happy. I could only hope she would still let me have the chance to make her happy.

Sherriff Harmon’s face was pale, still recovering from the flu. He took off his Stetson and wiped his brow. He looked over at Angie and stepped toward us.

“Let’s go find an empty space to talk.”

He stepped passed us. I gazed down at Angie; her eyes were more reassuring than mine. I didn’t know how she remained so brave. I was the cop, but all this time, she was the one protecting me. I squeezed her hand and we followed the Sherriff through the warehouse. Someone had turned on the lights, and we were able to easily find a few tables and chairs in the corner away from the emergency units. A few of my boys herded the Lucas brothers past us in handcuffs, followed by a large man also in handcuffs. Angie squeezed my hand tight and watched him pass by.

“He was the one who ordered the guy in the hall to shoot Simon.”

“He’ll be going away for a long time, Angela,” Sherriff Harmon said as he sat in a chair on the opposite side of the table. I ushered Angie to a chair and pulled another one around from the table next to us.

“Sherriff, I didn’t see Miguel or Maria Santos,” I said, getting settled. “Does anyone know of their whereabouts?”

He shook his head. “We’ll question the guys we’re bringing in, but I doubt they’d be back in Olde Town.”

He placed his pen on the table next to his pad and turned in his chair to face Angie. I kept her hand in mine, reassuring her that I was fully there.

“Why don’t we start from the beginning?”

Angie took a deep breath and told the Sherriff the story; the complete truth, not leaving out one detail. I listened intently as she told us about her conversation with Mateo. I didn’t think we’d ever fully understand what he wanted with Angie, but we didn’t have to worry about it anymore. My girl could take care of herself. As she described her escape from the locked room, I shook my head and withheld a grin. I still couldn’t believe she’d climbed a pole and then jumped down from the rafters to attack the guard. After all the years I’d known her, it turned out that I never really knew her; I never knew what she was fully capable of. I’d spent so many years without her. Now I wanted to spend the rest of my life absorbing every detail of her. I knew when she ended up on my doorstep that my life was going to change. I tried to tuck away every emotion I had for her as long as I could, but with a smile, she’d brought it all out. Lance was a damn fool for giving up on her. I’d thank God for that until the day I died.

As she was wrapping up her statement, I pulled out my phone and sent a quick text to my brother. I had hoped for this day. I had prepared for this day. I wanted to take her home. When they were done, I reached for her hand and led her out of the warehouse. She curled up against my arm for warmth. I’d buy her a new coat. I’d buy her a thousand coats.

I got her seated in the front of my cruiser and climbed into the driver’s seat. Once I cranked up the heat, her hand was safely tucked inside mine once again, where it belonged. I pulled her hand up to my lips and kissed the back of her fingers. Holding hands, we silently drove up the highway. The silence worried me. I didn’t know how we would function with
normal
. Nothing about our love was normal.

“Is it really over, Caleb?” Her question broke through my anxiety. The adrenaline had finally slowed down and all my emotions hung heavy on my sleeve. The stress of life had taken its toll.

“It’s over,” I said exiting the highway. I glanced at her and back at the road. “I don’t know what you want to do, but I want to show you something before you make any decisions.”

I glanced back at her eyes, red and tired. I could see all the questions swimming around in her head, but she only nodded. I kept her hand locked in mine and wished I could be sure of everything she’d said, but first we needed to put all of this behind us.

As I pulled the car into my driveway, she leaned up and peered out the windows.

“It feels like forever since I was here last.”

I could only grin at her as we stepped out of the car. I reached out for her hand, and it perfectly slid inside of mine. I opened the door slowly. A roaring fire welcomed us. Paul and Ellie rose from the sofa. Angie’s mother remained seated, holding Simon. Angie’s face lit up as all the emotions that had been wearing her down came pouring out of her. Mrs. Butler rose from the chair as Angie let my hand go. She dodged Paul and Ellie, reaching out her hands to her mother. I tried to keep the tears away and be the strong cop, but this was my family. The tears came unbidden. Angie held her son close to her chest and cried the happiest of tears. Paul and Ellie walked toward me. Paul slapped my shoulder as Ellie wrapped her arms around my waist.

“Go win the game, QB,” she whispered. I kissed the top of her head. I loved my sister-in-law. They left, heading out to the back of the house. I walked into the living room where Angie and her mother hugged, a sleeping Simon in between them. She stepped away, wiping the tears from her eyes.

“Make sure you bring my grandbaby to see me tomorrow.”

Angie smiled. “Yes, mama.”

I walked Mrs. Butler to the door. When I opened it, she stepped outside and turned around. “I don’t have to worry. I know you’ll take care of my family.”

I nodded. “Of course, I will. They’re my family too.”

She leaned in and hugged me before she headed for her car. I closed the door behind me and gazed across the room. The woman that I loved more than anything glowed with the greatest happiness. I reached out my hand toward her.

“I need to show you something.”

She held Simon tight in her arms and walked around the sofa toward me. I wrapped my arm around her, and we walked down the hall, stopping in front of the room she’d once occupied. I held the knob and gazed at her, meeting her eye.

“I’m not done trying yet. I will never stop trying, Angie.”

I opened the door. She covered her mouth as fresh tears rolled down her face.

“It isn’t much, but I had a little help from Ellie,” I said as she walked in the room. A nightlight illuminated stars all over the ceiling, and I’d painted the walls a muted blue. The wooden crib had a huge stuffed football inside, probably about twice the size of Simon. A rocker sat in the corner, and I’d anchored a changing table to the opposite wall. She turned to me with one arm open wide. I went to her and wrapped my arms around her and Simon.

“Do you like it? Is it okay?” I asked as quietly as I could. She pulled away and looked in my eyes.

“It’s perfect. You’re absolutely perfect.”

“Did you mean what you said earlier on the dock?” I searched her eyes. The smile on her face was just for me; her lips only a whisper away.

“I love you more than I ever thought I could love someone. You and my son have my whole heart.” She rested her hand on my face, and I couldn’t help but lean into her touch. Her eyes searched mine. “I thank God every day for you.”

I captured her lips and sealed our forever. I pulled out of our kiss and held her close to me, kissing her forehead and looking over Simon. He was so at peace. I hoped this was a sign of what the future held.

I kissed her forehead again and whispered, “Move in with me.”

She pulled away, her smile spreading into a giggle.

“What?” I asked, not containing my grin.

“I thought you were going to ask me to marry you.”

I laughed from the pit of my stomach. She turned away to tuck Simon into his new crib. I came up behind her and put my hands on her shoulders.

“That only happens in romance novels, Angie.”

She turned around with a grin. “And a cop and stripper happen in real life?”

“Hell yes they do.”

“Are you going to sweep me off my feet?”

I smirked and picked her up, carrying her out of Simon’s room and into the hallway.

“You just can’t touch me yet. Doctor’s orders,” she said as I carried her into our bedroom.

“Dammit, woman.” I tossed her on the bed. “Never mind. Simon can stay, but you gotta go.”

She laughed with so much life. A life I never wanted to end.

Five months later …

The Blue Ridge Mountains burned with orange and red as the sun set in the west. A canopy of trees shaded everyone here to witness this day. Mason jars filled with flickering lights set the ambiance for the evening. Fireflies began to flicker in the distance. Simon laid his back to me, gazing up at the wonder of the evening. It was the perfect day for a wedding.

I stared at the love of my life. He looked so stuffy in his dress uniform; his biceps looked as if they would rip a seam any minute. I tilted my head to the side, remembering how those strong arms pressed me up against the wall last night. I bit the inside of my lip trying to contain the grin. Heat rushed up my face. A pleasantly comfortable spring evening got warmer.

Parker joined him at the altar and stood under a wooden canopy. He shook hands with the judge dressed all in black. She was a foot shorter than Parker even with her pink heels on.

I leaned over to Ellie beside me and asked, “Don’t we sell those shoes in the boutique?”

“We do! See?” She kicked her leg out in front of her just as Simon began pulling on my hair.

“I love those!”

Teague reached for Paul and she tossed him over with a little oomph, like a football. The early stages of a baby bump pooched out slightly underneath her matching pink dress with white vines fading up from the hem.

“I’m trying to wear all my favorites before the feet start to swell.”

“You’ll be covered in pink in no time.”

“I am so insanely excited.” Ellie glowed.

“A pink Carolina Panthers football jersey is already on order,” Paul chimed in.

“I am perfectly okay with that,” Ellie beamed up at him and he kissed her forehead.

Simon reached over and clasped Jordan’s finger.

“Are y’all going to try for more?” I asked her.

She shook her head adamantly. “Those girls are a handful.”

I gazed down at the twins as they sat on the grass, pulling out the blades and watching them float down from their little fingers. Teague slithered out of Paul’s grasp to join Xander and the girls on the ground. Simon was intrigued with Jordan’s smile, constantly reaching for her face. I placed him on her lap. She lifted him in the air, and Tom reached over from the seat beside her to tickle his stomach.

“Sorry we’re late,” whispered a familiar voice from behind us.

I turned my head back to see Lance and Katherine. His hair was a little more disheveled than usual. Katherine, as always, was put together, but working a post-coital glow.

“Was Xander any trouble last night?” she asked Ellie.

“Nope. Get that car started finally?”

I glanced back at Lance. His smirk said it all as he shook his head. “It was the damnedest thing.”

Tom reached back to Lance and they bumped fists.

“Did you really just fist bump?” Jordan asked.

Simon reached for me. I picked him up from Jordan’s lap and placed him in mine. His rich chocolate eyes stared up at me, bright and wide. I smiled so big, a warm ache filling my heart. I would never ever forget his father, not with those eyes staring back at me. He had his father’s eyes. I smoothed back a tuft of dirty blond hair that just wouldn’t stay down. It would get darker, but Caleb was convinced it would stay a dirty blonde. From the altar, the most loving pair of blue eyes stared back at me. A small smile rose up his cheeks just for me, instantly replacing the ache inside of me with peace.