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“Aron, I need to talk to you.” Jacob sat down in front of the big oak desk. “What can I do you for, Deuce?” This time, Jacob didn’t even mind the worrisome nickname. Being the number two son wasn’t so bad, but as far as nicknames go, he much preferred the one that the Texas Cowgirl Sorority over in Austin had penned on him after they had seen him wrestle down a thirteen hundred pound steer during a bulldogging exhibition. They called him Texas Torque because of his massive chest and arm muscles. Of all the brothers, Jacob was the biggest - and he was damn proud of it. “I’ve
got a situation.” Aron sat up, this didn’t sound
good. “What kind of situation?” “Do you
remember when I stored my sperm over in that Cryobank in Austin?” Aron crossed his arms over his chest, wondering where this was going. “Yea, just in case you damaged your swimmers in some type of accident. I remember.” “Anyway, I got an official letter from them today. It seems they might have made a mistake and used my sperm to impregnate a woman who was supposed to be a surrogate mother for this couple named McCay. Apparently, they intended to use the husband’s sperm and the surrogate’s egg - but mine got in the mix, instead.” Aron had leaned forward more with each word. “Holy Crap! Do you mean to tell me that there’s a little McCoy floating around out there somewhere?” “Yea, it’s possible that I’m going to be a father. The Cryobank has tried to contact the surrogate, but they haven’t been able to locate her.” Jacob was talking fast; his heart rate had probably gone out of sight. “I don’t know what the parent’s lawyers told her. I’ve tried to phone her, but there was no answer. I’m worried, Aron. Something doesn’t seem right.” “Boy, you’ve got to be careful.” Aron warned him. “This woman could come in and try to take everything you’ve got. First thing you do, when you find her - you better make damn sure that baby is yours. If they can’t keep up with their man juice any better than that over at the Cryobank, you can’t trust anything those people say. That baby might not even be yours.” Aron was getting angry. This wasn’t the reaction that Jacob had been looking for. For some insane reason, he was filled with hope and anticipation, not suspicion and remorse. Aron’s words worried Jacob. Frowning, he found himself on the defensive. “The letter said that, by law, I’m not responsible for the child. But, I feel responsible.” Jacob protested. “If the child is mine, I want to know it. Hell, I want to hold it and talk to it and watch it grow. Shit! I don’t know why I’m telling you all of this. I guess I just wanted you to know.” Jacob wasn’t in the mood for dire warnings. “I think you ought to go down to that sperm bank and make a permanent and complete withdrawal. If they’re going to be handing your sperm out willy-nilly - it don’t need to be there.” “You may be right about that. Anyway, I’ve called Roscoe to help me locate Jessie Montgomery and I’ve called Zane to advise me on the legal aspects.” Jacob took off his Stetson and scrubbed his face with his hand. “I’m worried about my baby, Aron.” At Aron’s skeptical look, Jacob felt the need to explain. “I know, I know - this morning I didn’t even know the baby existed. And I know it’s not the same situation as you and Libby. You have a baby on the way, but the mother of your child is the love of your life.” He wasn’t getting any argument from Aron on those valid points. “Still, if it’s my child - I want it. I want it to be safe and I want the mother of my child to be safe. Can you understand that?” Aron sat up and blew out a long breath. “Yea, I understand. What can I do?” The phone jangling at his right hand almost startled them. “Aron McCoy speaking.” Jacob watched Aron’s face - it went from interested, to intent, to anxious - all in a matter of seconds. “We’ll be right there.” Aron stood up and started moving. “Come on. There’s been an accident - it’s Nathan.” Aron called out an alarm to Libby as they went out the door. Her horrified face said it all. “Tell Joseph, then call Noah and Isaac and let them know. Tell them that I’ll phone you just as soon as I know anything. They say he’s alive - but that’s all I know.” Both men ran across the yard to Aron’s King Ranch like the devil himself was after them. “Talk to me, Aron.” Jacob commanded. “It happened right under our noses - just a mile or so down the road. Some nut side-swiped him and knocked him and his bike off the bridge and into the Guadalupe. He almost drowned. Somebody at the scene gave him CPR - they’re supposedly working on him right now.” “Merciful God,” Jacob breathed prayerfully as they sped down the road, breaking the speed limit without a thought. As reported, there were a half dozen cars and an ambulance pulled over next to the river bridge. Aron swung the truck over on the side of the road and they were out of it almost before it came to a full stop. Racing down the embankment, they were relieved to see that Nathan was sitting up. “Hey, Buddy,” Jacob went right to him and knelt down. “What happened, Sport?” Aron elbowed his way through the crowd - not hearing anything anyone had to say. His full attention was focused on their baby brother. Nathan turned a grateful face up to his brothers, “I almost drowned!” He was way too cheerful about it, Jacob thought. “We were walking across the bridge, just talking - when this truck came too close and knocked us both into the water. I don’t remember nothing else, until I woke up coughing. She saved my life, Jacob.” “That’s right. I saw it all,” Jacob looked up to see Clarence Townsend crowding in to put his two cents in. “This idiot clipped them both; your boy first and then that little lady. When I got to the edge where I could see, she was already towing him to the bank. She gave him CPR, but I saw her holding her side. She didn’t get off without a good lick, at the very least.” Nathan was shaking - Jacob realized he must be in shock. “Will you find her, Jacob? Please?” “You need to take it easy, Nate. It’s you that we’re concerned about.” Jacob intended to help and thank whoever saved his brother’s life, but right now, Nathan was more important. At his brother’s insistent look, Jacob relented. “Don’t worry, Nathan. I’ll look for your friend. But first, we’ve got to get you in the ambulance and on the way to the hospital to have you checked out.” Aron stood and began talking to the EMT’s and to Kane Saucier, the sheriff, who had just arrived at the scene. Kane had sent out an APB on the reckless driver after getting a description of the truck from Townsend. Jacob pushed Nathan’s damp hair out of his eyes. While they were waiting, he would find out what he could about Nathan’s friend. “Who were you walking with, Nathan? Can you tell me her name?” Jacob looked around for a woman, but there wasn’t one in the crowd. “It was the mermaid, Jacob. She saved my life She gave me CPR.” At those words, he had Jacob’s full and complete attention. “Are you sure?” Jacob stood up and looked around, wanting desperately to find the elusive woman who had pulled Nathan from the river. “Yes. She has to be here somewhere. I just talked to her a few minutes ago. Earlier, she said she was walking into town to find a job. She knew your name, Jacob. She said that she had come here to find you.” Hope, wonder, and curiosity all vied for a premier position in his heart. So, her presence in the barn this morning hadn’t been a coincidence. She had been looking for him - not Isaac - not Noah - not Joseph - him. Why? He didn’t know. But, he certainly wanted to find out. “What was her name, Nathan? Did you get her name?” He hoped at least one of his mysteries would soon be solved. In a few moments, he might get to meet his Angel of the Morning. “Her name was Jessie Montgomery.” As Nathan’s simple statement sank
in, Jacob felt the world shift under his feet. He looked up toward heaven and thanked God for answered prayers. Aron finished his conversation and knelt back down by his brother. “You need to quit running off at the mouth, bud, and rest awhile.” “All right.” He looked over at Jacob for confirmation. “You’ll find her for me won’t you, Jacob?” “I’ll find her for both of us, Nate.” And that was a promise he would move heaven and earth to keep.
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Whistling as he walked, Patrick was glad to be home. Savannah’s house was almost as welcoming as she was. Ciara heard him arrive and padded over to meet him. “Where’s your mama?” he asked. Then
he noticed that a table had been pulled over in the path and there was a note – and a gun, a toy gun. Strange. But when he picked up the note, he smiled. There was a lop-sided skull and cross bones drawn on it. Obviously, he was going to be the artist in the family. And written
on it were these words:
The gun is loaded. I have one, too. And you are under attack
As of
NOW!!!
A wave of love for her almost knocked him down. Could she be more perfect? Now he knew she was his dream girl. His baby wanted to play. Patrick grabbed the gun and cocked it. And no sooner had he become alert to what was around him – Savannah stepped out from behind the kitchen door, grinned, aimed and shot a nerf bullet right slap dab at his crotch. It landed with a good little thump right on his zipper.
“Gottcha! Bullseye!”
“Why, you little rascal.” He fired back and she dodged, let out the cutest bubble of giggles he had ever heard and dashed up the stairs. Patrick took off after her. She stopped at the top and fired again, this time it bounced off of his abs. He returned fire and he hit her in the middle of the chest.
“Ow!”
“Surrender, and I’ll kiss and make it better.”
“Never!” She took off again. He heard her footsteps falling and then heard her slide across the floor. Bump! Thump! What in the world?
“You realize that your tush is mine, Baby. I’m a United States by-God Marine. Are you ready to give up?”
Silence. Oh, that couldn’t be good. He grinned like an idiot. This was a side of her he hadn’t seen. And he loved it.
Patrick went into stealth mode. He walked silently, making every move precise. Where had she gone? He wanted to laugh out loud, but he didn’t want to give away his position. The hall ahead of him was empty and all the doors were shut. Ah, the closet, she was probably in the linen closet. Edging up to the door, he turned the knob slowly – threw it open and aimed. It was empty. Maybe she was in the bedroom; that would be convenient. Once he captured her, he could ravish her.
Savannah waited until just the right moment. She had been holding the bathroom door closed with the door knob tight in her hand so when she heard him go by, she could pounce. A stool was at hand and when she opened the door, she wasn’t going to be peering around it – he was going to be attacked from above!
Oh, the man was good. She could barely hear him moving around. Savannah had excellent hearing. The gift had been both a blessing and a curse, because sometimes she had heard things that she’d have been better off not knowing. Conversations still rang in her mind, ‘Keep the little leper away from the kitchen. We don’t want her germs everywhere. It’s bad enough she has to be in the house. If I had my way, we’d chain her in the back with the dog.’ Shaking her head, she pushed those thoughts out of her mind. Times had changed. And she owed it all to the man that she was just about to - - - - attack!
Patrick heard the door squeak right behind him and he wheeled around to fire – and there was nothing!
“Put your hands over your head, I think I’ve got you cornered, Marine.” He looked up and his little doll was hanging over the top of the door.
She held the gun pointed right between his eyes.
“You think you’ve got me, don’t you?”
She had him, no doubt about it. Savannah had him wrapped around her cute little pinky finger.
“Yea, I’ve got you. You’re mine now.”
Truer words had never been spoken. But he couldn’t let her think she was in charge here. “No, I think you’re mine.” And he reached up quickly, slipped his hands under her arms and pulled her to him. “Now, I’ve got you!”
“Hey, no fair! You’re gonna hurt yourself. I’m chubby!”
“All’s fair, Love, this is WAR.” He got amused. “The only thing chubby about you are those luscious breasts and I wouldn’t have them any other way.” Not giving his little POW any chance to escape, he carried her to the bedroom and tossed her on the bed. She landed with a bounce and a giggle.
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Hell Yeah! Box Set With Bonus Cookbook Page 43