Special Forces Father (18 page)

“A Dr. Gingosian called Mom and Dad.”

Lucas’s words almost knocked Travis flat in the bed. Packed into that one sentence were five years of surprises. “I figured he’d call eventually. Where’s doctor-patient
confidentiality when you need it?”

“Maybe the Hippocratic oath takes precedence. He told them what happened to you and said you might need psychiatric care.”

Travis set his jaw and blew out a frustrated breath. “I don’t. What I need is to see that Kate and Max are all right.”

“You need to go see the folks.”

“This, from you?” Travis responded. “First, you’re calling ’em
Mom
and Dad.
Seems like the last time I heard you call him Dad was—let me think—oh, yeah. Never! He was always
that bastard
or if you were feeling sentimental,
the old man.
And what’s up with you being back here? When you took off for Dallas, you said you’d never come back.”

“Yeah, well, things change. But we were talking about you.”

“No, we weren’t. What things changed?”

“I got a call
from Brad Grayson. Remember him? He was afraid his younger sister, Angela, was in danger, because of a case he was trying.”

“Brad and Angela. I do remember them. She always wanted to follow you guys around.”

“Yeah.” Lucas smiled. “Brad asked me to bodyguard her without her knowing it. Turns out Brad was right. The guy he was prosecuting sent some thugs after her, hoping to use her to
force Brad to throw the trial. It took some doing but we finally ended up catching the thugs and keeping Ange safe. Now Ange and I are—” He held up his left hand and Travis saw the gold wedding band on his third finger.

“No way!” he said. “Married? You and Dawson both? Did all the Delancey grandkids get married while I was gone?”

“Well, Ryker and Reilly did. Oh, and Rosemary.”

“Rosemary?” Travis’s head was spinning, trying to take everything in. “But she’s—?”

Lucas shook his head. “Nope. She’s not dead. Turns out she survived that attack in her apartment all those years ago. An old woman who owned a little voodoo shop on Prytania took her in and saved her life. She was living that close to us for all those years. Detective Dixon Lloyd, Ethan’s partner, found her.
She has traumatic amnesia, but she’s slowly getting her memories back.”

Travis laughed shortly. “Looks like I’ve got a lot of congratulating to do and wedding gifts to buy. Man, sounds like the family started its own soap opera while I was gone.”

“Started?” Lucas echoed. “The Delancey clan has always had a flair for the dramatic.”

“Well, that’s true. So, anything else I need to
know? How are Ethan and Cara Lynn? I already heard about Harte from Kate. Maybe I won’t miss his wedding.”

“Our baby brother grew up fast,” Lucas said, smiling. “Ethan and Cara Lynn are doing good. They’ve both managed to avoid the marriage bug so far.”

Just as he finished speaking, the door opened and a young man in scrubs stepped into the room. “Mr. Delancey? I understand you’re ready
to leave.”

“That’s right. Can I go now?”

“The discharge orders are written. You need to come back here or follow up with your personal physician to have those stitches out in about five days. No longer than that.”

Travis nodded impatiently. “Got it.”

“I’ve written you a prescription for pain, in case you need it.” He held out a slip of paper.

Travis took it without looking
at it. “I won’t.”

The young doctor turned to Lucas. “I understand you’re with NOPD?”

Lucas nodded.

“I’m sure you know the St. John’s Parish Sheriff’s Department wants to see Mr. Delancey. The sheriff asked me to remind you of that.”

Lucas nodded and thanked him. As he left, Travis again lifted himself off the bed with his arms, turned his torso toward the side and lowered himself
with a groan. “A little help here?” he said through gritted teeth.

“Fine,” Lucas said and gave him a hand. With help from his brother, Travis got up, dressed and went to St. John’s Sheriff’s Department. But by the time he got there, Kate was gone and the sheriff was waiting for him. He was subjected to over two hours of questioning.

As soon as they were done with him, Lucas appeared.

“Nobody’ll tell me anything about Stamps and Whitley and Sills,” Travis said.

Lucas propped a hip on the edge of a desk. “Whitley was picked up for questioning in Baton Rouge. They’ll be talking with the sheriff’s office here. Stamps still denies knowing anything about the kidnapping and Sills is acting as though we’ve accused him of high treason. He’s incensed that anyone would think
he’d stoop so low.”

“Well, that tells me almost nothing.”

“It sounds like Whitley’s going to take the fall and Sills and Stamps just might walk.”

Travis glared at his big brother. “Think you could use some of your influence to get them to let me go now?”

“I already did. I told the sheriff your butt hurt.”

“Oh, ha-ha,” Travis said. “Take me to Kate’s house.”

“When
are you going to see the folks?”

“When I’m done meeting my son and talking to my—to Kate.”

Chapter Twelve

It was almost seven o’clock on Saturday evening when Travis knocked on the door to Kate’s house. He still had the key she’d given him but he didn’t want to walk in on her. He had an overpowering sense of déjà vu. Here he was, standing outside her door with no idea of what he was going to say when she opened it, just like five days ago.

Five days ago. In one
sense, he couldn’t believe it had been that long. In another, it had seemed as if everything that had happened couldn’t fit into a month.

He shifted, sending searing pain through his hip, because in truth, the bullet had lodged in his gluteus minimus muscle, not the gluteus maximus. Fat lot of good that difference would mean to his brothers and cousins. He’d already had just about all the
kidding he could take.

The doorknob turned and he stiffened and grimaced.

Kate opened the door about four inches and peered out at him. She didn’t say anything. She had on the terry-cloth robe and her hair was damp and her feet were bare. Her eyes were tired looking and red, but he stared at her, thinking she was the most beautiful thing he’d ever seen.

“Kate,” he said. “I wanted—”
Suddenly he was tongue-tied. What he really wanted, he couldn’t say—not to her. He could hardly admit it to himself. He wanted to meet his son, certainly. He’d barely had a chance to look at Max, much less talk to him. But he knew that what kind of relationship he had with him was 100 percent Kate’s call. He didn’t deserve anything, so whatever she wanted to grant him, he would take and be grateful
for it.

But that wasn’t what had tongue-tied him.

Kate turned her head to glance behind her at her son. Then she said, “You wanted—?”

His mouth felt dry as a desert. “May I see Max?”

She pressed her lips together until they turned white at the corners. Then she lifted her chin and looked at him with a direct, unblinking gaze. Finally, she blinked slowly and nodded. “Okay, but
he’s had his bath and he’s very sleepy. I doubt he’ll be able to stay awake for another half hour.”

Travis swallowed and nodded. “I won’t stay long.”

She stepped backward and swung the door wide. He stepped inside, doing his best not to limp. He saw Max in the living room on the floor, playing with his wooden car.

Travis felt Kate’s eyes on him. He angled his head toward her without
taking his eyes off his son. “Thank you,” he said, his voice hitching, then, “Hi, Max. How’re you doing?”

His son looked up, his wide eyes the same shape as his mother’s, but with dark brown pupils.
Like mine,
Travis thought. “What you got there? Is that your favorite car?”

Max stared at him for a moment, then nodded. “I remember you,” he said. “You gave it to me when you handed me out
the window. Your face was painted like a soldier.”

Travis glanced at Kate, whose mouth quirked slightly as she gave him a tiny, awed shake of her head. “He’s a pretty smart kid,” she whispered.

“That’s right, Max. It was me.”

“Are you a soldier?”

Travis walked around the couch and gingerly sat on the coffee table. “I am. How do you know about soldiers?”

“I see them on
the TV. Some of them use paint on their faces. I was scared, but I figured out you were on our side.”

“I see.” Travis was stunned. Max was not just smart, he was scary smart. “I think you take after your mom.”

Max nodded, as if he heard that every day. “Did you just come home?” he asked.

That rendered Travis speechless. He turned and looked at Kate, silently asking for help. What
did Max mean,
come home?

“Max?” Kate said. “What do you mean?”

“You know, Mommy. Like heroes on TV. They come home and their family is there and the TV is there, then the soldiers are heroes.”

“Oh.” Kate sounded dumbfounded, too. Travis sat there as Max looked at his mom, then at Travis, then back to his mom.

“Well, yes,” Kate finally said. “He is a hero. He saved you and me,
right? When he helped us out the window.” She came over to the coffee table and sat next to Travis. “Max, come here a minute.”

Dutifully, Max got up from the floor and went to his mom. She picked him up and sat him on her knee, then looked at him closely. “Are you sleepy?” she asked.

“Uh-uh,” Max said, shaking his head. “I mean, no, ma’am.”

“Okay.” Kate looked at Travis with an
unreadable expression on her face.

Travis looked back, frowning. What was she about to do? Take him away and put him to bed?

She inhaled deeply. “Okay,” she said again on a sigh. “Max, you know how you sometimes ask me about your daddy?”

“Uh-huh,” Max said, rolling the car up her arm. Kate stopped it with her hand.

“
Max
,
listen to me a minute. Tell Travis what I’ve told you
about your daddy.”

Max pouted a little but he finally answered. “My daddy is a soldier. He’s protecting the United States. He—um—”

“He doesn’t live with us—” Kate prompted.

Travis heard a slight break in her voice.

“He doesn’t live with us but he’s a good man. He’s a—” Max looked thoughtful for a second, then gasped. “Mommy!” His face lit up and he beamed at his mom. Then he
turned his attention to Travis. “You don’t live with us and you’re a hero! Does that mean you’re my daddy?”

Travis felt hot tears sting the backs of his eyes. He couldn’t speak. A lump the size of Louisiana was suddenly blocking his throat. His hazy gaze turned toward Kate.

“Well, soldier?” she said, her voice quavering.

“Wh-what should I say?” Travis muttered.

“It’s up to
you,” she said. “But if you were telling me the truth the other day when you said you would never leave me alone again, then maybe you should tell your son the truth, too.”

“I’m—” Travis began, but that lump was still there. He tried again. “I’m your daddy, Max,” he said gruffly. “Is that okay with you?”

Suddenly, Max’s eyes got wide and he looked unsure of himself. “Mommy?” he said
in a small voice. “It’s okay, right?”

Kate pulled him close and kissed his face over and over, until he squealed. “Sweetheart, you’re awfully young to be as wise as you are. But yes. Your daddy is a hero and a soldier and he’s sitting right here in front of you.” She took a shaky breath, glanced sidelong at Travis, then said, “He’s been hurt and he’s going to have to have some help getting
better.” She glanced at Travis again. “But we just might end up being a family together. Would you like that?”

Max looked at her for a moment. Then he turned and looked at Travis.

Travis smiled and winked at him, and Max hid his head in the curve of his mom’s shoulder.

“Max? What do you say?” Kate asked him.

Travis couldn’t breathe. He’d faced enemy fire. He’d faced captivity,
severe hunger, cold and darkness. He’d faced beatings and torture. But nothing had ever scared him as much as waiting for this little boy’s answer did.

Then Max nodded, his head still buried in Kate’s shoulder. “Yes, ma’am,” he said. “Wait till I tell Justin and Marcus that my daddy’s a hero.”

Epilogue

Dr. Kate Chalmet was nervous as a cat. She had to go to Robert and Betty Carole Delancey’s home to attend a Memorial Day cookout by herself. Travis had been gone for the past three days to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, then to Washington, D.C., to receive his medical discharge. His plane was due to land at six o’clock. Lucas was picking him up at the airport.

Kate parked in front of the sprawling white house in Chef Voleur, Louisiana, on the north shore of Lake Pontchartrain. She exited and opened the back driver’s side door to let Max out of his car seat. He was halfway done with the fastenings by the time she opened the door.

“Max, I’ve told you before, don’t start undoing the belts until I stop the car.”

“I didn’t, Mommy. I’m fast.”

Kate laughed. “You sure are, and getting faster every day.”

“Kate!” a pleasant, lilting voice called.

Kate finished undoing Max’s seat belts and he jumped out of the car. “Stay with me, Max. Hi, Cara Lynn.” Kate held out her arms and Cara Lynn and she hugged. “It’s been a long time.”

“Too long,” Cara Lynn agreed. “Max, come here,” she said. “I’ve got something for you.”

“For me?” Max exclaimed. “Yea! What is it?”

Cara Lynn handed him a small paper bag. “See for yourself.”

“Mommy, it’s an LSU baseball cap. It’s your school, right?”

“That’s right.” Kate smiled at Cara Lynn. “Too cute. Thanks.”

Cara Lynn was looking at Max, shaking her head. “I can’t believe I didn’t see it from the beginning. Even as a newborn he had that hair and those eyelashes.
He’s just like Travis—looks and actions. Look at him. My first nephew! Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I’m sorry,” Kate said. “I guess I was afraid of what you would think. And now I’m terrified of what your folks are going to say.”

Cara Lynn gestured for Kate to walk with her up the long curving sidewalk. “Don’t be. Mom’s sweet. She’ll adore you just because you’ve brought her a grandson.
Then when she gets to know you, you’ll be just like one of the family.”

“And your dad?” Kate asked apprehensively.

“Dad talks pretty well. But he doesn’t interact with anyone much. I have no idea what he’ll think about Max. I do know that Lucas and Ethan—and I’m sure Travis—will be watching him closely. They don’t have good memories of him from their childhood.”

“But he won’t—”

Cara Lynn’s lips thinned. “His stroke was massive. He can barely move and talk. He’s not going to hurt your son.”

Kate’s face burned. “I’m sorry, Cara. I didn’t mean—”

She waved a hand. “It’s okay. I get mad at my older brothers a lot. Harte and I don’t remember Dad the same way they do. The man we grew up with wouldn’t—couldn’t hurt a fly.” She walked up to the door and swung it
open. “Come in,” she said to Kate. “And brace yourself. You’re about to meet the entire Delancey clan.”

Kate held Max as Cara led her toward a pretty woman and a man in a wheelchair.

“Mom, Dad, this is Kate Chalmet.”

Kate smiled shakily and clutched Max more tightly as she waited to see what Travis’s parents would do.

“Kate,” Betty Carole Delancey said. “I’m so glad to meet
you. And this must be Max.”

Max ducked his head and hid his face in Kate’s blouse. “Max,” Kate said. “This is Travis’s mother.”

“Now, Kate,” Betty Carole said in an admonishing tone.

Kate cringed, but before she had a chance to wonder what she’d said wrong, Travis’s mother continued.

“Max, I’m your grandmama. What do you think about that?”

Max peered at her sidelong. She
grinned at him and finally, he lifted his head and smiled at her. “Grandmama?” he said.

Betty Carole laughed. “Yes. That’s right. And this is your granddaddy.” Betty Carole turned to Robert Delancey, who was eyeing Max with a pensive expression on his face. “Robert, this is Max. He’s Travis’s son.”

“Travis,” Robert said, his mouth twisting a little as he worked to form the word.

Max’s fist tightened on the back of Kate’s shirt. “Mommy?” he whispered.

“It’s okay, Max,” she said. “He’s your granddaddy.”

Betty Carole placed a hand on Robert’s shoulder. “Robert, where’s Travis’s car?” she asked him, then looked at Max. “Your granddaddy wanted me to find a special toy car that Travis had when he was a little boy. Would you like to see it?”

“Car?” Max echoed,
peering at her and then at Robert.

Robert nodded. “Car—” he said. “Max. You want—car?”

The little boy nodded. “Let me down, Mommy.”

Kate set him on the floor and he stood there, watching Robert as the older man reached under the blanket that covered his legs and came out with a red wooden car. It was old, and the paint was scratched and dinged, but as soon as Max saw it, he reached
for it.

“Mommy! It’s like mine!” he cried.

Robert looked up at her. “Okay?” he asked.

She nodded, smiling.

“Okay.” Robert held out the car and Max took it.

“Max,” Kate said. “What do you say?”

Max looked at Robert. “Thank you,” he said. “Granddaddy.”

“Oh,” Betty Carole exclaimed quietly. When she looked at Kate, there were tears in her eyes.

Kate felt her
own eyes sting. “Thank you both,” she murmured.

At that instant, Dawson approached and introduced Kate to his wife, Juliana. They asked permission to show Max a computer football game.

Then Betty Carole introduced her to Lucas’s wife, Angela, a dark-haired beauty who seemed perfectly at ease in the middle of dozens of Delanceys. Ethan, who was younger than Lucas and Travis, seemed more
serious and intense than his brothers. Harte greeted her warmly, introduced her to Danielle, then took her across the room to meet his aunt and uncle, Michael and Edina Delancey.

Dawson’s brothers, Ryker and Reilly, the twins she’d heard about, were there. Ryker told her that his wife, Nicole, a chef, was helping with the meal and that he didn’t know where Reilly’s wife, Christy, was. “She’s
probably in the den, playing with Max and Dawson,” he said with a smile.

Then Edina brought over a red-haired woman. She introduced her as Rosemary Delancey. “This is my daughter,” Edina said. “She has just come back to us after twelve years. We thought she was dead. And this is her fiancé, Detective Dixon Lloyd.” Kate was nearly dumbfounded. Even with the faint scar that ran from her hairline
to her jaw, Rosemary was stunning, her long wavy hair pulled back at her nape. She and Dixon were a study in contrasts. He was intense and darkly handsome, and he only had eyes for her.

Kate heard Travis’s voice behind her. She turned and saw him standing inside the front door with Lucas. The two of them were talking with Paul Guillame. Kate excused herself and stepped closer. She heard a
snippet of their conversation.

“Well, I should think not,” Paul was saying. “Senator Stamps was shocked to find out what Gavin Whitley had done.”

Lucas’s lip curled in faint derision. “And Darby Sills was clueless, as well, I guess.”

Paul waved a hand. “I think Darby Sills could fall into a pigpen and come out smelling like a rose. I’m just glad that the D.A. dropped the charges
against Myron. He didn’t have to face prison or have to live with the stigma of being declared temporarily insane. Now the D.A. has Whitley’s huge kidnapping case to sink his claws into.”

Travis pulled Kate close when she walked up. “Well, Whitley and Woods and Shirley Hixon will all pay for their parts in the kidnapping.”

Kate nodded. “And Max is okay.”

“Oh,” Paul said. “Did you
all hear? Claire is coming home.”

Travis said, “Aunt Claire? Why? I thought she was perfectly happy in Paris with— What was his name? The superwealthy French guy?”

“Oh, for goodness’ sake,” Paul said. “It’s Ektor Petrakis, the superwealthy
Greek
guy. And in fact, that is why she’s coming home. Ektor died.”

“Oh,” Travis said. “Sorry to hear that.”

“Yes, well, I never understood
what she saw in him that would make her leave her family,” Paul continued. “I’ll be so glad to see her. She’s in her late seventies now, you know.”

Lucas excused himself. Travis started to introduce Kate to Paul, but he waved a hand. “Yes, yes, Kate. We met the other day when she interviewed me. Oh! There’s that lovely Rosemary. I need to speak to her. Later.” And he was gone.

Kate turned
to Travis, shaking her head. “I’m not sure I’ve ever seen a family this large—anywhere. How do you keep up?”

He laughed. “It’s a sort of comfortable chaos. It’s been like this all my life.” He kissed her lightly on the lips.

“What did the doctors say?” she asked him.

A look of annoyance crossed his face. “I have to see a shrink for a few months, to be sure I’ve fully recovered from
my traumatic experience,” he said wryly.

“No, I meant about your—wound,” Kate said, grinning. “Your
posterior
wound.”

“All right. I get enough ribbing from the guys. I’m not going to take it from you, too,” Travis said, trying not to smile. “So, the shrink thing. I don’t guess I can see you?”

“No,” Kate said, “but I can recommend someone.” She touched his cheek. “How are you?”

He smiled at her. “I’m good. Really good. Where’s my son?”

“He’s in the—” she gestured vaguely “—one of the rooms, playing with Dawson. You’d better watch that guy. He seems to be a Pied Piper around kids.”

“Yeah, he always was.” Travis turned his head and whispered in Kate’s ear. “So how are you doing?”

“Totally overwhelmed by your family. Didn’t you tell me none of your siblings
or cousins were married when you joined the army five years ago?”

“Yeah,” Travis said on a laugh. “I’ve been trying to count the fallen ones.”

“Here’s my best guess,” she said. “All four of Michael’s children—Dawson, the twins, Ryker and Reilly, are married or soon to be, with Rosemary’s engagement to Detective Lloyd. In your family, Lucas is married. From what everyone is saying, Harte
and Dani are about to be married, and—”

“And what?”

Kate, suddenly at a loss for words, just shrugged.

“And if we get married that’ll be seven out of nine, right? Leaving only Ethan and Cara Lynn.”

She nodded, her cheeks pink.

Travis slid his arm around her waist and whispered, “What do you say we find one of the unoccupied rooms on the second floor and go
discuss
our
options.”

At that moment, Betty Carole called out, “Everyone? Everyone! Dinner’s ready. Come and taste Nicole’s creations. She has done a superb job.”

“I think I’d better start learning how to get along with your huge family, Travis Delancey.”

“Mommy!”

Kate turned in time to be pummeled with an armful of a four-year-old. Travis stooped and swept up Max before he could knock
her down.

“Watch it, little man. Where do you think you’re going?”

Max looked at Travis, at Kate, then back to Travis. “These people are all yours?” he asked.

Travis put a hand on Max’s head. “They’re all mine—and they’re yours now.”

“Ours,” Max said. “This is a big family.”

“Very big,” Kate agreed.

“There’s lots of little families in big families.”

Kate met
Travis’s eye. “Told you he was smart,” she mouthed.

“We’re a little family, right?” he demanded, tapping his mommy’s face. “You and me and my hero daddy?”

Travis realized the entire roomful of people were watching them. Then, as if someone had waved a baton, they all went silent, waiting for Travis to answer his son.

Travis looked at Kate. She stepped up to him and slid her arm
around his waist and laid her head on his shoulder. “We are definitely a little family, Max,” she said.

* * * * *

Keep reading for an excerpt of
Ultimate Cowboy
by Rita Herron!