What if he didn’t want to see or talk to her again? She was terrified of his response. When she called his house, Sharon answered and said he’d gone downtown to a special meeting, but she’d make sure he got the message that she’d called.
* * *
When Rick left department headquarters, Benton was waiting for him outside the public safety building in downtown Providence. The chief and battalion commander had held an impromptu goodbye party for him. Some of the guys had come in and there’d been a lot of laughs, but now it was over.
“Ready to go home? There’s more partying to be had at my house.”
Rick eyed his best friend. “I know.”
“Tessa’s one happy little girl.”
Yes. She’s happy except for one thing. After losing her mother, she was suffering over a second loss.
“How does it feel to be a free man?”
As of today he was no longer a firefighter. “First tell me I have a job with you, then I’ll respond.”
“Was there ever any doubt?” He squeezed his shoulder. “Welcome to the dark side.” Benton could be a tease. The ironic term had been coined because it was the arson squad that unearthed the dark matter after a fire to learn the cause. “I’m having your name printed on the door of your new office.” It would take Rick a while to get used to it. “You don’t have to start until January 2.”
“I owe you for so many things, Benton, I hardly know where to start.”
“Don’t go sappy on me now. I seem to recall an incident five years ago where you saved my life before I was promoted to the arson unit. Deanna still cries about it. Sometimes I think she loves you more than she loves me.”
“You’re full of it.”
“I just wanted you to remember I’ve owed you for a long time.”
They walked to the parking lot. Rick had left his car at the Ames house and ridden downtown with Benton. Because of his change of career, his plans had changed. He’d decided to take advantage of the next ten days off and spend them with his family in Cranston. He and Tessa would stay at his parents’ home while Sharon got a well-earned rest at her brother’s.
Tonight after Tessa went to bed he’d load all the presents into the car. In the morning they’d drive over to see Tina’s parents and spend some time with them. Later in the day they’d head out for Cranston. With four cousins under the age of eight, his daughter would have a whole week to enjoy them. Hopefully in that amount of time she’d be able to face going to school again.
Tessa had become attached to Andrea and it showed. Maybe being with family would make a difference.
From the entrance to the circle Rick could see at least a dozen cars parked. A little closer and he glimpsed the painted banner across the front of Benton’s house. “Congratulations on your promotion, Investigator Jenner!”
His eyes smarted.
Before Benton had pulled up in the driveway, the children came running outside. Rick jumped from the car as soon as he could and swept his daughter into his arms.
“Are you all through fighting fires, Daddy?”
“All through, sweetheart.”
All through.
They went inside, where he was besieged by more congratulations from the men and families with whom he’d worked the most closely over the years. The celebrating continued until nine-thirty when Rick could see his daughter was conking out fast. With his plan to drive to Cranston tomorrow, he decided he needed to get her home to bed. He still had a lot to do after she fell asleep.
With profuse thanks to Benton and Deanna for all they had done, he gathered Tessa and they drove home. For once she fell asleep the moment her head touched the pillow. The knowledge that he wouldn’t be fighting any more fires had something to do with her being able to relax. But twice during the party she’d mentioned that she wished Andrea had been there with them.
Andrea was never out of his daughter’s mind. Or his.
After getting half a dozen big garbage bags from the kitchen pantry, he packed up the presents under the tree and went out to the garage to fill the trunk. Everyone had gone overboard out of love for his daughter, but there was an indecent amount of gifts.
In a few minutes he headed for the basement to bring up the presents he’d hidden from her. Those he put on the backseat of the car and covered with some blankets. All that was left was the big carton from Santa Claus, which he brought upstairs to the kitchen. He hoped it would fit in the backseat with the rest of the gifts; otherwise he’d have to open it.
Rick hated undoing it, because Andrea had wrapped it so beautifully. The vision of how she’d looked at the station when she’d delivered it had never left his mind. While he stood there aching for her, he spotted the note Sharon had left under the fridge magnet before she’d gone to her brother’s house.
Hardly able to breathe, he pulled out his cell and phoned Andrea.
“Rick?”
His heart almost failed him. “I just got Sharon’s message.”
“Forgive me for calling. I-if you don’t want to talk to me, just hang up and I’ll never bother you again. I swear it.”
A surge of adrenaline charged his body. “Where are you?”
“Home.”
He gripped the phone tighter. “What’s wrong?”
“Look, if this is a bad time, please tell me. I realize I could be interrupting anything. If Tessa is nearby, I don’t want her to know I’m on the phone.”
“I put her to bed a half hour ago,” he answered, still in a daze.
“I need to talk to you, th-that is if you’re willing.”
His heart was getting the workout of its life. “Are you at your mother’s or the apartment?”
“The apartment.”
“I’d come over there, but Sharon has gone to her brother’s until after New Year’s.”
“Does that mean you’re leaving Providence?” Unless he was mistaken, she didn’t sound happy about it.
“Tomorrow we’re headed for my parents in Cranston to stay the week.”
“Then this is a bad time to be calling. We can talk again after you’re back from your trip. Your family must be thrilled you’re coming.” The throb in her voice was telling.
“I don’t want to wait ten days to see you. Why don’t you drive over here now?”
“You’re one man who needs his sleep, Rick.”
“But you’re no longer speaking to Captain Jenner who has just come off shift and needs twelve hours to restore him.”
A small cry escaped on the other end. “What are you saying?”
“What do you think?”
“So you really resigned? It’s all over?”
He took a fortifying breath. “As of today I’m officially known as Investigator Jenner of the Providence Arson Squad. Benton is already having my name put on the door of my new office in the department of public safety building.” Might as well tell her everything right now.
“From now on I work several ten-hour shifts in one week, then I have two weeks off to do follow-up and paper work. One week I’m on call to do investigations. All of it safe.”
“Oh, Rick—” Her cry resounded over the phone line. That was pure happiness he heard in her voice. “Tessa must be overjoyed.”
“Yes.” At least in that regard his daughter was at peace. As for himself, he would be a walking time bomb until he heard what she had to say. “Can you drive over right now?”
“But aren’t you getting ready for bed?”
“Do you honestly think I could sleep after hearing your voice, knowing you’re home?”
“What were you doing when I phoned?”
“Loading the ton of gifts for Tessa in my car. I’m still wondering how to get the big gift from Santa Claus inside. It might not fit. Come and help me.”
&nb
sp; “If you’re sure.”
His breath caught. “Why don’t you come and find out?”
“I—I’ll leave now.” She sounded jittery. “I’m driving a rental car.”
“I’ll watch for you. For your information, I checked on your car. It’s all repaired and ready for you to pick up at your convenience.”
“That’s great news. Thank you. I’ll see you shortly.”
“Drive carefully.”
“You don’t have to tell me that.” Her voice sounded unusually shaky.
He’d said it automatically, but then he remembered her husband’s fatal car accident.
* * *
Rick was on the porch waiting for Andrea when she pulled into his driveway. In the light she could see he was wearing a navy crewneck sweater with jeans. His tall, dark, handsome looks worked like an assault on her senses. It seemed like years since she’d last seen him. The pain of longing to be in his arms again reached the palms of her hands.
As he walked toward her, she realized he truly was the most wonderful, marvelous man alive. More than ever she dreaded what she had to tell him. But as Marie had said, Andrea needed to hear his response—otherwise she’d remain in a frozen state for the rest of her life, unable to go forward.
She got out of the car before he could help her. Andrea didn’t want him touching her yet. As soon as she got inside the house, she took off her coat and put it on one of the living-room chairs.
He shut the door and walked slowly toward her, his hands in his pockets. Between his fire-singed black lashes, his hazel gaze traveled over her. After a shower at the apartment she’d decided to wear a new outfit he hadn’t seen before—a lighter aqua top shot with gold threads and push-up sleeves to the elbow. The darker aqua skirt was made of the same silk jersey fabric.
“Did you know in the lights from the Christmas tree your hair gleams like the gold in your top? You look fabulous, Andrea.”
“You look good, too. Rested.”
Rick cocked his head and stood with his powerful legs slightly apart. “I take it something has happened you felt you had to discuss with me, if only for Tessa’s sake. So tell me what it is, because I can’t take the suspense any longer. I’ve never been a patient man.”
Rick looked dark and dangerous right now, as if all his energy was barely sheathed. It sent shivers through her body.
“Let’s sit down.” She purposely chose one of the upholstered chairs.
He studied her for an overly long moment before he lounged against the arm of the couch. “Go on. This had better be important, after telling me you didn’t intend to see me again.” His voice sounded deeper than usual, almost gravelly.
“It is. Very.” Just say it, Andrea. She was keeping him up and it wasn’t fair to him, but the blood pounded in her ears. She couldn’t sit still and jumped up. “I need to tell you about Gunter’s accident.”
Lines suddenly marred his striking features. He watched her pace until she stopped. His black brows rose. “Are you sure you want to talk about this?”
“I have to. H-he wasn’t the only person in it.”
His hands came out of his pockets. “Did another family member die, too?”
She shook her head. “I was the other person in the crash.”
His sharp intake of breath resounded in the room. “You never told me that.”
“I’m sorry I couldn’t talk about it until now. I don’t remember it, but I was told that another car on the freeway came at us out of nowhere. Apparently the police thought I was dead, because they had to pry me out to get to me.”
Rick’s color seemed to go gray. “Andrea—”
“When I woke up in a hospital room, I thought I had to be dreaming. IVs were hooked up to me. I remember Gunter’s whole family surrounding me. His parents were too devastated to talk. It was Marie who told me we’d been in a bad accident and my husband had been killed outright.
“At first I couldn’t comprehend it because I was so drugged. Mother arrived. It was then I realized I was awake and had lived through a horror story. But there was more. After a few days when I could get up and walk, Mom told me that the accident had caused internal injuries to my pelvis.”
She swallowed hard before she admitted the one thing she feared telling Rick. “Mom told me I was operated on and would never be able to have children. That blow on top of losing my beloved husband was like being given a death sentence. I wanted to die, but of course I didn’t.”
Rick’s face was a study in pain before he wrapped his arms around her. He held her for a long time before she lifted her head. “Would you believe that when my father called several weeks after I’d been home, he said that unlike Frank I’d dodged a bullet and was lucky I could walk. So I should get over it. At the time I hated him for it, but with hindsight it’s probably the only good piece of advice he ever gave me.”
“Andrea,” he whispered in a pained voice against her neck before pressing kisses all over her face and hair.
“On some level I realized he was right. I was still alive and I needed to live for my mother’s sake. Before long I discovered I needed to live for my own. That’s when I decided to have the upstairs of the shop remodeled into an apartment and move in. My friends came to see me and I started getting out.
“I’d been doing pretty well until the day I saw you in front of the shop window holding Tessa. She was so dear, I moved closer to get a good look. Your daughter was the living version of my fantasy child I’d hoped to have one day with Gunter.
“You were so sweet to her as you both looked at everything. I thought then what a remarkable daddy you were to take her shopping, something my father never did with me. I saw this tall, attractive man enjoying a day out with his daughter and wondered what it would be like to get to know you. I couldn’t stop staring. That’s when you suddenly noticed me. Then your demeanor changed.”
Rick molded her shoulders with his hands before he moved her far enough so he could look into her eyes. “That morning I was at my lowest ebb after doing all right for a long time. But the display had drawn me in, reminding me of happier times.
“When I saw this beautiful blonde woman watching us through the glass, instead of ignoring you I wanted to go on staring. At that moment I felt such a strong attraction, it angered me. Here I’d been thinking about Tina, and all of a sudden I was thinking about you. That hadn’t happened to me since her death.”
“We both had similar guilt reactions, Rick, and my feelings for you continued to grow despite any pitiful efforts on my part to avoid you. If anything, all I did was pursue you. I’m ashamed of myself when I look back.”
His hands tightened on her upper arms. “Ashamed?”
“Well, embarrassed anyway.”
“That makes two of us. On the day of the fire inspection, I sent Jose into your shop, but I couldn’t stay away and went in there myself afterward. Your mother looked familiar to me and I discovered why when I found out you were her daughter. At that point, I couldn’t stay away any longer.
“The truth is, I fell hard for you, Andrea Fleming. So did my daughter. I’m glad you’ve told me everything. So now does this mean you’re going to marry me? I want you for my wife more than anything in this world.”
With the mention of that word she eased away from him and moved over to the chair to steady herself. “Didn’t you hear what I told you?”
He frowned. “I heard everything.”
“But if we were to get married, I couldn’t give you a child. Not ever.”
“Are you saying we couldn’t have a sex life?”
Heat rushed into her cheeks. “No. But I no longer have a uterus.”
“We don’t need it. I’ll be able to make love to you morning, noon and night and never worry about your getting pregnant. Do you know how heavenly that sounds?”
She laughed in spite of the seriousness of the situation. “Darling—”
“Ah...I’ve been waiting for you to call me that. Every time you say it to Tessa I get jealous. Speaking of my daughter, we already have a child. She loves you, Andrea,” he said calmly. “As for more children, when we want more, we’ll put in for adoption so Tessa doesn’t grow up a spoiled, pampered only child. I know a person at the state agency who can help us when the time comes.”
Her eyes glazed over. “Be serious, Rick.”
He rubbed the back of his neck, something he did when he was in deep thought. “Is this the reason you left? You thought I wouldn’t want you?”
She twisted her hands. “I didn’t know.”
“You can’t be serious. It’s you I want to spend the rest of my life with.” His eyes glittered with desire. “There’s a hell of a lot you still don’t know about me. Come here.” She needed no urging as he pulled her to the couch and lay down with her.
“How about a proper greeting for a man who’s been dying of love for you?”
Time faded away as they gave in to their needs and began giving each other pleasure beyond imagining.
Some time later he whispered, “Admit your sister-in-law planned to introduce you to some man while you were gone.”
She kissed his jaw. “That’s absurd. There is no other man and never will be again.”
“Thank heaven you said that. Now that I’ve got you exactly where I want you, I need to make total love to you, darling. But not where Tessa could walk in on us. You are going to marry me?”
“Yes!”
“Good. Now that we’ve got that out of the way, it had better be soon. I don’t care about convention. I’d marry you tonight if we could.”
“So would I, but I thought you’d never ask.”
“Now she tells me.” He barked with laughter.
“I needed to hear it because no other woman is going to get a chance to snare you. You’re mine.”
“I don’t want another woman.” His smile melted her bones. “Santa brought me what I wanted for Christmas. Give me your mouth, Andrea. It’s life to me, just as you are.”
Marry Me under the Mistletoe Page 14