by Liz Bradford
He wandered into the family room and settled on the other end of the couch. When he looked up at Becca he was surprised to see her cheeks moist with tears. “Hey, Babe, are you okay?”
She shrugged but didn’t look up at him. Setting his milk and cookies on the coffee table he picked up her Bible off the couch and set it on the table as well. He scooted closer to her and placing his fingers under her chin, he gently lifted her face so that she would look at him.
“Becca?”
More tears streamed down her face. He could tell she wasn’t ready to talk yet, so he simply pulled her into his arms. She came willingly and snuggled into his arms and just cried. It took a while for her tears to let up, and as her sobs eased she stayed plastered to his chest. It broke his heart that she was crying, especially since he didn’t know what to do for her.
Eventually she spoke without raising her head from his shoulder, “I’m so scared, Jared.” When she had said it earlier in the day she was still maintaining her tough exterior. Now that she had dropped that front, the fear was leaving her vulnerable. He was grateful he could be here now and hold her tight as she dealt with her raw emotions.
“I know. I am, too. But we are going to find this guy.”
“It’s not just that, Jared.” This statement caught him by surprise, what else was she scared of? She lifted herself off his chest and looked him in the face. “I’m scared to lose you, again. I can’t bear the thought of you not being in my life.” Where was this coming from?
“Becca,” he took a hold of her shoulders, “I am not going anywhere!” What was he going to have to do to convince her of this truth? “How can I prove that to you?”
Fresh tears started to fall again. “You don’t have to prove anything, Jared. I believe you, I really do. It’s just… I don’t know; I’m just scared.” Tears were starting to form in his eyes. He moved his hands to the sides of her head and moved his face in real close to hers. Then he leaned her head closer to his and kissed her forehead.
Becca reached her hands up then and wrapped her arms around his neck. He pulled her close again, practically pulling her onto his lap. “I’m also scared of what he might do to me, but I’m trying really hard not to think about that. And I don’t want you or Callie to get hurt if you get in his way.”
“Me too. So, we keep praying, Becca.” They did just that. For the next hour or so they held each other and prayed together. It was so refreshing to share his faith with the woman he loved. He thanked God again that He had revealed himself to both of them and that they were together at last.
Becca rolled over. The sun was trying to pour its light into the room from around the closed curtains. She felt like she had been asleep for days. After a very emotional evening, Becca and Jared had turned in around eleven the night before. She opened her eyes expecting to find Callie still sleeping, but she was no longer in bed. Becca had no recollection of hearing the girl get up. Turning back over, she looked at the clock. It was TEN AM! How on earth had she slept so long? She had needed it. She wandered to the bathroom and then downstairs. She quietly peeked around the corner as she came down the stairs and found Jared and Callie in the kitchen making breakfast, or was it brunch by this point? She quietly padded her way through the entryway and then leaned against the arched doorway that led to the kitchen. She smiled as she silently watched them as they made eggs and sausage and pancakes, all while dancing to the Disney music coming from the family room stereo. They were both still in their pajamas, and Callie’s hair was a total rat’s nest as was Jared’s, making them both that much more endearing. It looked as if Jared had run his hands through his hair, but it hadn’t been enough. Her heart swelled with love, and she found herself blinking back tears that threatened to fall.
Finally, Jared glanced her way and greeted her with a huge grin, “Hey! Good morning, Sleeping Beauty.” She wandered over to them greeting them each with a kiss, one for Callie atop her head and one for Jared that lingered for a bit on his lips.
“Good morning, my loves. Breakfast smells amazing! How long have you two been up?”
“I only got up about an hour ago. Found Callie down here playing contentedly.”
“I ate a pop tart when I got up, but I’m still hungry,” Callie added.
“Thanks for letting Mommy and Daddy sleep this morning, I know I appreciate it.”
“Me too, Munchkin,” Jared added rustling her hair.
Becca poured herself a cup of coffee, and then enjoyed the breakfast her loves had prepared. She could get used to having Jared around all the time. But was she ready to get married? Maybe.
Despite the love captivating her heart, a dark cloud tried to push its way into her mind. Her stomach churned as her mind wandered to what could happen if Stuart did kidnap and kill her. Was he really going to come after her? Callie needed her, and so did Jared. She wanted time to come to terms with the idea of marrying Jared, not rush into it out of fear that something could happen.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
Jared sat at his desk and watched as Becca fumbled with the papers on her desk. It appeared her hands were not quite working right. The end of the day on Tuesday had come with little progress in finding out where Stuart was. They were all frustrated, but it was obvious to everyone that Becca was more frustrated than all of them combined.
“Ugh!” Becca let out an irritated sigh and slammed her hands on her desk. She needed to get some of that aggression out and slamming her hands on her desk wasn’t the best option.
“Becca.” He waited until she looked up at him before he continued. “Deep breath. I think you need to work off a little of that steam. What do you need to do?”
He was not prepared for the devious smile that flitted across her face. He raised his eyebrows, eyes as wide as they could go, and a goofy grin appeared on his face. “Jared, that’s not an option, even if it would help. No, I need a good run. And not a run on my elliptical; no, a real, hard, feet hitting the asphalt kind of run. Do you think you can pace with me?”
They had tried running together on occasion back in San Diego, but it rarely worked. His long legs sent him flying down the street at a pace she could never keep up with, so he never got as good a work out if he ran with her. “Absolutely, if that’s what you need, we can make it happen. But you are not to leave my side no matter what, got it?”
“Of course. I know it’s probably not the best idea, but I’ve got to do something. If you really think it is better, we can run on the track.”
“It is up to you. Of course, the track would be safer, but it is turning into a gorgeous evening out there.”
“Well, let’s get out of here then. We can get a good run in before we pick up Callie. I’ll give Amy a call and let her know we’ll be a little late.” Becca pulled her phone off her belt and called Amy. Amy offered to feed Callie and bring her over at seven. So, they headed home and got ready for their run.
Jared came out of Callie’s room adjusting his t-shirt over his concealed Glock. Becca’s door was open, and she was stretching. He smiled as he watched her in her short pink shorts and tight blue and pink tank top. Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea; he had forgotten how little she wore running.
“Enough ogling from the doorway, Jared,” she said without even looking in his direction. “You ready to run? I have so much pent up energy, I’m not sure you are going to be able to keep up,” she teased with an adorable smile as she walked past him running a finger across his chest. She might as well have run a live wire across his chest. She had no clue what she was doing to him.
“As ready as I’m going to be. And I’ll keep up just fine.”
They went to the kitchen and filled their water bottles then headed out the door. She wasn’t joking that she was in the mood to run hard and fast, but he kept up with her just fine. He was still getting to know the area, so he didn’t have as good a sense about where they were and where they were going as he would have liked to, but they were pacing well together. As they ran down a path th
at cut through a wooded area, Jared ran even closer to her.
“Jared, I get that you are concerned running through here,” Becca said breathlessly, “but don’t make me trip.”
“Sorry,” he said and gave her a few more inches. But then he heard a rustling in the woods. He grabbed her arm and pulled his gun.
“What is it?” Becca said with alarm. He waited and listened. Nothing more.
“I thought I heard something, let’s get moving. How much longer until we are back on the roads?”
“Not much. I’m taking the shortest route through the park, but it’s unavoidable to make a decent loop.”
“It’s ok. But let’s go.” He holstered his gun, and they were off again. Jared was able to breathe easier once they were out onto the suburban streets again. The sun was hanging low in the sky, but it was a perfect evening for this run. He hadn’t realized how much he had needed it, too.
As they rounded the last corner onto Becca’s street, she picked up her pace. “Hey, wait for me,” Jared teased.
“Oh, try and catch me if you can.” A challenge that he readily accepted, but he chose not to catch her until they were in the driveway. He grabbed her by the hips and wrapped his sweaty arms around her waist. She giggled and tried to wiggle free. He let her slip away and chased her down the walkway to the front door. She was still giggling while she tried to put the key in the lock. She fumbled the keys, so he pinned her to the door. He lifted one hand to lean against the door and the other one to raise her chin ever so slightly. Her smile made his heart sent his heart to Mach five. He leaned in and kissed her, the salty taste of her lips urging him to kiss her more. Her hands flew up and grabbed his shirt as she kissed him back. The kiss intensified and as his mind started to take him further he reluctantly pulled away from her. His heart was pounding even harder now than it had been from their final sprint home. He just stared at her and forced himself to stop.
Becca finally spoke, “We probably should go take cold showers before Callie comes home. Oh, and eat something too.”
“Yeah, probably.” Jared leaned down and picked up Becca’s keys from where she had dropped them and unlocked the door. They went in and Jared intentionally kept from touching Becca at all. They went upstairs, and each took a shower.
Becca was downstairs warming up some leftovers for them when Jared came down. She was in her pajamas but had forgone the baggy t-shirt and just had her tank top on tonight, probably because she was still warm from their run. But it was not a wise move on her part. So far, they had been so good. He had been staying here for five nights now, and they had hardly been tempted to do anything more than kiss. But he was struggling today. As they ate, Callie came in the door with Amy.
“You guys feel better now having gotten a run in?” Amy asked.
Becca stood and hugged her sister. “Yes! Thank you so much for keeping Callie a bit longer and bringing her over.”
“Agreed, thank you,” Jared added. Now that Callie was home Jared was able to shift his attention off his raging hormones and focus on his little girl. She came and sat on his lap as he finished his supper, and then the three of them played for a little bit before Callie needed to go to bed. They both took her upstairs and settled her in bed together. After she was settled, they went downstairs and settled on the couch.
“Talk or TV?” Jared asked as they sat.
“I say we just sit. I could use some quietness this evening.”
“That works.” Jared wrapped his arm around Becca as she leaned up against him. They sat in silence for at least half an hour.
Becca then got up. “I think I’m going to get my tea now.” But as she stood up, Jared grabbed her hand and pulled her down onto his lap. She smiled. He kissed her. She ran her fingers through his hair sending electrical charges through his entire body. He leaned her back onto the couch and leaned over her. With one hand propping him up, he brushed her hair back with the other and kissed her deeply. They continued kissing, but then Becca stopped and pushed him up with all her strength and jumped off the couch.
“I can’t do this, Jared.”
Panic shot through him. Can’t do what? Make love? He wasn’t trying to go that far. Was he pushing her too fast? What was wrong? He couldn’t seem to make any words come out of his mouth. He just stared at her, sure that his panic was written all over his face.
“I can’t do this, this living somewhere in the middle. Jared,” she looked up at him, “it’s all or nothing. We get married or one of us has to leave Hazel Hill.”
He felt himself breath again. He hadn’t realized he was holding his breath. His muscles relaxed, and his cheeks warmed. She was finally ready, but he wasn’t ready to ask her yet. He wanted to do it right, plus he felt like he needed to talk to Captain Baker before he officially asked her.
“Well? Do you agree?” she asked as his silence stretched.
“Yes, of course I do. You know what I want. That hasn’t changed. Do you know what you want now?”
“Yes.”
“Okay then. One of these days you can expect a very important question to come your way, but not today.” He was surprised; she almost looked disappointed. But then a smile took over her face. She stood just out of reach, so he stood up and closed the space between them. “Becca, I love you.”
“I love you too, Jared.” She reached up and pulled his face down to meet hers and gave him a sweet kiss and then turned and walked toward the kitchen.
After she fixed her tea, they sat back on the couch. This time they watched TV. They didn’t watch for long before Becca started falling asleep on Jared, so they turned in for the night. As Jared lay in bed with his feet up on the footboard since the bed was too short for him, he thought of how he might propose to the woman of his dreams. Moonlit stroll? Fancy dinner? Should he involve Callie somehow? The possibilities were endless. He dozed off trying to make the perfect plan.
The next morning Jared had to think of some excuse to go talk to the Captain without Becca. And that was proving to be more of a challenge than he expected. Finally, he excused himself to go to the bathroom and went the long way past the bathrooms to get to Baker’s office. Once there he knocked on the open door, “Have a minute, Captain?”
“Sure, Johnson, come on in.” Jared strolled in closing the door behind himself. “Oh, this is serious? Is everything all right?”
“Yes, sir. I just had a personal matter I would like to discuss with you if I might.”
“Of course. Go ahead.”
“It’s Becca, sir.”
“Things not working out?”
“That’s not it. They are actually going really well, so well in fact, that I’m ready to ask her to marry me.”
Baker’s smile and raised eyebrows revealed his surprise and joy at Jared’s news. “Why that’s great! I’m happy for you two.”
“Are you willing to leave us as partners after we are married, because I totally understand if that is not an option?”
“For now, I’ll say, we’ll see. You two make a very good team, but it might not be the best for you to be partners if you are married, but I think we can take it as it comes, as long as you are both prepared to not be partners on the job if you are partners in the bed.”
“Yes, sir. I will make sure she understands.”
Baker nodded.
Jared stayed in Captain Baker’s office for a few more minutes talking about the case before Becca finally found him and Baker waved her in. “Palmer, I have something I need you to take care of. I believe Ramirez was lead on the case, but I need two detectives to accompany a prisoner that is being extradited to Richmond today.”
“Captain, I can’t. I requested this afternoon off over a month ago. I promised Callie I would help out at her school’s Arts and Crafts day. Plus, I didn’t work that case with Doug, Jamison did.”
“Oh, that’s right. I guess I’ll have Jamison and Miller take care of it. Jared, are you going with Becca then?”
“No, Miller is going anyway for
his daughter,” Jared answered.
“Well, then I guess you can go with Jamison then.”
Jared’s face tightened as he attempted to hide his displeasure. He had at least planned on picking Becca up, but it looked like he wasn’t going to have a choice. Miller would be with Becca and could take her home, so she would be protected. “Yes, sir.”
As he and Becca left the Captain’s office, Becca looked up at him and said, “You aren’t happy about this, are you?”
“No, I’m not, but Miller will be with you. Caleb told me he was getting off at 3:30 today, so call him if Miller can’t stick around for any reason. I’ll be home as soon as I can.”
“I’ll be fine, Jared.”
A few minutes after they had settled back at their desks, Jamison walked over. “So, I hear we get escort duty today.”
“It would appear so,” Jared replied.
“Well, at least we don’t hav’ta ride in the bus. Cap said we can take a squad car and follow the transport up.”
“Oh, thank goodness. That helps ease the pain.”
“I know, right! Well, I’ll go get the car. Meet you out front, and Palmer, I promise to get him back here in one piece.”
“You had better!” she said with a smile.
“See you out there,” Jared said and turned to Becca. “Seriously, you be careful, okay?”
“Of course. I love you.”
“I love you, too.” Disregarding any attempt to keep their personal and professional lives separate he leaned over and gave her a kiss before he exited the building.