“And you really talked to Hill about it?”
“Yes, ma’am. I know you did what you thought was right by the boy. And I think given the chance you would have done more. Once you got me thinking on it—and looking into the legalities—I realized I was just as proud of what he accomplished as you were. If you’re willing to try to make it legal—”
“I am.” Marissa tried to sit up, but pain stole her breath for a moment. “I want to. I just don’t know how to go about it.”
“I figured as much.” Jax lifted her hand to his lips and pressed a kiss gently on her palm. “Which is why I asked Hill how he’d feel about you and me adopting him. Giving him a permanent home. Believe it or not, he thought it was a great idea.”
Tears filled Marissa’s eyes.
“Say yes.” Jax stood. “Marry me, Marissa. I love you. I will do everything in my power to always make you happy, but I have to warn you. With me, comes my family.”
She laughed. “Are you trying to scare me off?”
“Ha, no. But Callie, she’s a little bit of a buttinski, so no promises where she’s concerned. My mother, well, you know Bunny.” He shrugged.
“This is you trying to convince me?” She smiled and squeezed his hand. “I guess if you can take me and a teenager you’re braver than I thought. How could I turn that down?”
“Is that a yes?”
“It’s a most definite yes. I love you.”
“Woohoo!” Jax clapped his hands together then bent down and gave her a quick kiss just as the nurse rushed in to quiet him.
“Sorry, sorry, but it’s not every day a man gets engaged.”
The surly nurse replaced her glower with a lopsided smile. “Congrats, Chief. Now hush it.” She waggled her finger before hurrying back out of the room.
Jax smiled at the departing nurse. He was tempted to hoot again. He was so happy. He’d always thought when he proposed for the first—and last—time he’d be nervous. But he hadn’t been. Earlier that morning, he’d been scared out of his mind when he knew Marissa was in danger and hurt. Once she was safe, and he’d talked things over with Hill, the rightness of it all, and his love for this woman, gave him all the courage he needed. He hadn’t even thought twice about it.
And she’d said yes.
That was all he needed. Everything else would fall into place.
By the time they released Marissa, it was half past six. He’d come and gone to the hospital many times, alternating his visits with the work he needed to do. When he knew she was set to be released, he’d taken half an hour to run home, shower and change out of his uniform. Jax leaned against the door frame and watched her struggle to push her robe into her bag.
Marissa stood next to the bed, her right arm in a sling. The doctor said it would only be as a precaution for her shoulder, wrist and rib to not be jostled. A flutter rippled through Jax’s chest. He’d been so close to losing her, so close to screwing it up all on his own. Then when damned Travers had gotten the bug up his ass to hold her hostage to get back at Hill… Jax was damn lucky on many, many counts.
Marissa turned toward him and a smile spread quickly across her entire face. “Hey, what are you doing here?”
“I came to take my woman home.” He smiled back and leaned forward to give her a kiss on the cheek. “How are you feeling?”
“Ready to get out of here.” Marissa frowned at him. “I thought Marlie was coming.”
“You’re not happy to see me? You haven’t already changed your mind about marrying me, have you?”
Her frown morphed into an easy smile. “You’re not getting off that easily. I just thought she was picking me up.”
Jax rolled his eyes. “Once Marlie knew you were okay, she went back into wedding mode.” He shrugged his shoulders.
A nurse came in before Marissa could comment. She helped settle Marissa in a wheelchair.
“Aw man, do I have to?” Marissa whined even as she lifted her feet up.
Jax laughed, then leaned down to drop a kiss on her head. “Yes, yes you do. Doctor’s orders.” He gathered up her bags, amazed one woman could accumulate so much stuff and not even stay overnight. They rode down to the first floor in silence.
“I don’t get a police escort home?” Marissa asked once she was settled into the front seat of his truck.
“The cruiser, and the chief, are off duty for the evening.” He leaned over and touched her knee gently. It was so hard not to put his hands all over her. He wanted nothing more than to take her into his arms and not come up for days, but she needed time to heal and to rest. “You comfortable?”
She smiled up at him. “Yes.” Her smile faded just as quickly. “I feel terrible.”
“What can I do?” Jax hadn’t even pulled away from the curb at the hospital. “Do I need to run back in and get a doctor?”
“No, nothing like that. I’m just worried about Hill. I hate that I’m going home and he’s locked in a cell.”
Jax twined their fingers together as he eased the truck from curb. “Everything will be fine. I promise you.” He lifted her hand to his lips and kissed her fingers. “We’re going to make a quick stop by your shop on the way home if you don’t mind.”
“Sure. I guess I need to look over the place and get my insurance information.” She took in a deep breath. “So…without being too presumptuous, how soon do you think I can move in with you?”
Jax’s heart hammered in his chest. “As soon as you can pack your things.”
“Things are highly overrated. We could just head over there right now.” She waggled her eyebrows at him when he glanced her way.
“I would love to. More than anything.” As evident by the sudden bulge in his jeans. “But you—and by extension me—need to take it easy for a few days. Doctor’s orders. There will be plenty of time. The rest of our lives.” He kissed her fingers again.
“Fine. Be a party pooper.” She chuckled.
Jax pulled the truck in front of her shop. The setting sun glared off the front windows.
“The window’s fixed already?”
“Huh, must have been the cupcake fairies.” Jax shrugged and shut off the engine.
Marissa giggled. “Cupcakes fairies?” She reached to open the door but Jax stopped her with a hand on her shoulder.
“Impatient much? Hang on and let me come around.”
“I can manage.”
“I’m sure you can.” He leaned in so close he could see the little brown specks in her hazel eyes. “Humor me.” His lips pressed into hers.
Marissa slanted her head and deepened the kiss.
As much as Jax wanted to melt into her, they had some pressing business they needed to take care of. Once he got her home, and she was sufficiently healed…all bets were off for when they might come up for air.
Jax reluctantly pulled back. “Don’t move.”
Marissa moaned, with her eyes closed. “I don’t know if I can anymore.”
Jax chuckled and got out of the truck. He turned his back to the storefront as he surreptitiously adjusted himself and crossed around to Marissa’s door. He opened the door and held out his arm to her. “Madam.”
Marissa slid from the truck, holding on to Jax for stability. Tears glistened in her eyes. “I can’t believe you did this.”
“Wasn’t me.”
“What? Then who…”
Jax shrugged and jingled the keys to her store in his hand. He’d gotten copies made from Hill’s set. He unlocked the door and let Marissa precede him into the shop. “Stand here and let me get the lights.” He leaned in close to her, kissed her cheek and said, “I may have let it slip a little that you said yes.”
She stumbled over words of appreciation as he left her standing there and hurried to the back to flip on the light.
When the lights came up, fourteen people popped up from behind the counter and shouted, “Surprise!”
Chapter Twenty-Two
Marissa stood with her mouth gaping open. Her friends and family
—and family to be, as Callie wiggled her fingers at her—crowded in behind the counter of her shop.
“Guys…” Tears threatened to fall. She’d been on the verge of crying when she saw the brand-new window. It took herculean effort for her to keep the tears at bay. “What are y’all…” Her voice caught when she noticed the tabletops were covered in light blue linens and the cupcakes she’d made for Callie’s wedding shower.
She covered the lower part of her face with her hand as her chin quivered.
Marlie and Cherry came rushing from behind the counter. The both reached to grab for her but stopped when they took in her sling. Both started talking at the same time.
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“How long have you been dating?”
“I’m planning your wedding, no questions asked.”
The three of them giggled as they had when they were in elementary school. When they tamped down the questions and excitement, they each gave her a gentle hug and let the next well-wisher approach.
Hill sauntered up with his I’m-too-cool-for-the-room teenage swagger, but his facade broke when he got within arm’s length and tears rimmed his eyes.
“What are you doing here?” She looked past him to Jax then back.
“Chief Carlisle, Jax…” He shook his head. “It’ll take me a little while to get used to calling him Jax.” Hill rocked back on his feet. “He talked to the DA. I’m cooperating with him on all the cases that I know of. I’ll get probation. And being that I’ll be living under the chief of police’s nose… It’s all going to be okay.”
It’s going to be okay. Jax had said almost the same words to her. When he’d said it, she’d known that it would be. She didn’t know how, but when Jax had told her it would work, she knew it would.
“I am so happy for you and Jax. He’s a great guy.”
“And for you. Are you sure you’re willing to be stuck with us for parents?”
He swallowed heavily and nodded. He leaned down and hugged her. “If I haven’t told you, thank you.” He held on to her tightly. “You have changed my life in so many ways. I love you.”
The tears she’d kept at bay spilled out. She blubbered all over the poor teenager’s shoulder. “You’ve changed my life just as much, Hill. I love you, too.”
When he released her, after her tears finally subsided, she was swept away into concerns over her injuries and congrats on her pending nuptials. It was nearly an hour later when her dad pulled her aside.
“You have some amazing guys there, Mar.”
“You’ve met them?” Marissa should have introduced the men in her life sooner.
“Yes. Jackson came to me this morning once you were settled in at the hospital. I have to tell you, you gave us a terrible scare.”
“I know, I’m sorry.”
“Not your fault, Mar.” Her dad put his arm around her shoulder and hugged her to his side. “You can’t help it if some young man goes batshit crazy.”
Marissa snorted and laid her head on her dad’s shoulder.
“Jackson asked my permission to marry you.”
Her heart stuttered. “He did?”
“He did. How could I turn down such a thoughtful young man? As long as he makes you happy.”
She lifted her gaze to her father’s. “He does. More every day.”
“Then that’s all I can ask for my baby girl.” Her dad kissed her forehead, then lifted his head to look over his shoulder. “I think someone is waiting to talk to you.”
Marissa stifled a moan. She was so happy to see her friends and family, but she was wiped out. But when her dad released her, she turned to find Jax standing behind them.
She walked into his embrace.
“I can’t believe you did all this.” She lifted up on her tiptoes and kissed the underside of his chin.
“Wasn’t me. I told you Callie was a buttinski. She and your sister overheard me talking to your dad and went into planner mode. I was worried it was a little too much.” He looked down at her.
“I’m getting a little tired, but it was a wonderful surprise.” Marissa snuggled closer despite the pain in her arm. “I’ve been thinking, how do you feel about a spring wedding?”
“Hmm, well I guess we can wait a year.” He set his cheek upon the top of her head.
“Oh, I don’t mean next spring. I was thinking in maybe a few weeks. Once Callie’s big shindig is out of the way. I don’t want to steal any of her thunder.”
Jax released her and held her at arm’s length. A smile crooked up the corner of his mouth. “Don’t brides need a lot of time to decide and prepare?”
“Some do, sure. But I have what I want right here.” She motioned to her shop filled with all the people she loved. “I’d even do it today, right now, if I didn’t look so ragged.”
“You’re beautiful.” Jax kissed her.
“You’re full of it, but that’s one of the reasons I love you.”
“I’m game whenever, wherever you are. You just name the place and time.”
“You’re in for way more than you bargained for.” Marissa motioned to Hill. He and Lexi stood in a corner cozying up. “You sure you’re ready for the challenge?”
“With you by my side—” Jax ran his hand down her side to her waist and pulled her in close “—I’m ready for anything.”
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About the Author
Denise McDonald started her writing career at the tender age of eight. Her stories have changed over the years, but not her love for telling tales. An overactive imagination and a natural propensity for embellishment allow her to fill her sexy contemporary romances with intriguing plot twists, a little butt-kicking and a lot of action. Throw in some characters you can’t help but love and you’ll find yourself so deeply immersed in her small-town communities, you’ll expect to be present and accounted for at the next town function. Denise lives in Texas with her very own romance hero of over twenty years, four boys and two dogs.
eISBN-13: 9781460330760
BAKER’S LAW
Copyright © 2014 by Denise B. McDonald
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is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events or locales is entirely coincidental. This edition published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A.
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