by Linda Warren
There was a decorated gazebo at the other end and several couples were having their pictures taken. Emily took out her camera, ready to get photos of Becca. She saw her some distance away, dancing with Tommy. She glanced at Jackson, who was sitting next to her with an arm around her chair.
“Isn’t she beautiful?” she murmured. She wore the jacket with the pink dress, though there were lots of girls wearing strapless dresses, and Emily was proud of her. At least she was trying to do what their mother wanted. Her dark hair hung down her back in a shiny mane and it looked so much better now that the ends had been trimmed. Emily’s diamond studs sparkled in her ears.
“Yes,” Jackson answered. “Because she looks a lot like her big sister.”
“You’ll get a reward for that.” She smiled into his eyes.
“I can’t wait.”
“You’ll have to.”
He groaned in answer, his hand playing with a strand of her hair.
They watched the kids dance, sitting there in companionable silence, and at times it was amusing, especially during the fast songs. During the slow songs, though, she held her breath. Some of the kids were draped around each other, a little too close for Emily’s comfort. She found herself looking for Becca, but she and Tommy danced with a reasonable space between them—close but not suffocating. Maybe she was a little like her mother, but Emily didn’t want Becca to experience life too soon, too fast—like she had.
The lights came on and the principal took the stage to announce the king and queen of the prom. Emily reached for Jackson’s hand and held it tight. He winked at her nervousness.
The principal gave a small speech and read out the names of all the nominees. When Becca’s name was read, her hand tightened.
“The queen for this year’s prom is—” The principal opened an envelope “—Rebecca Ann Cooper.”
“Oh, my God,” Emily breathed, tears welling up in her eyes. Becca was obviously having the same reaction. She seemed stunned, but she was smiling widely as she walked onstage to be crowned. Everyone stood and clapped, but no one clapped louder than Emily and Jackson.
The principal called for silence so he could read the name of the king. “Thomas Lee Wilson.” Applause erupted again, and Emily snapped several pictures before the lights dimmed and the king and queen returned to the floor for a special dance. Becca waved at Emily and she waved back, wiping away a tear.
“Are you crying?” Jackson asked in a teasing tone.
“No,” she denied, then added, “Yes, I’m so happy for her.”
“Me, too,” Jackson murmured.
The boys started to cut in to get a dance with the queen, and the girls did likewise with Tommy. Emily’s heart swelled as she watched Becca laughing and having a good time, and she wished her mother could see this, but then she realized Rose wouldn’t appreciate it as much as she did.
Finally Becca broke away and ran over to Emily and hugged her. “Can you believe it, Em? Can you believe it?”
“Yes, it’s wonderful.” Emily gave her a shaky smile. “You’re wonderful.”
“Jeez, Em.” Becca seemed embarrassed, which was very rare indeed.
Emily glanced at Jackson and made the introductions. “Becca, this is Jackson Talbert, and Jackson, this is my sister, Becca.”
Becca smiled broadly. “Hi.”
“Hi, Becca,” Jackson said, also smiling. He stepped forward and asked, “May I have a dance with the queen?”
Becca’s mouth fell open, and she stared at Emily, who was staring at Jackson.
“I suppose,” Becca mumbled. Jackson slipped his arm around her waist and she placed her hand in his. Slowly they began to move around the floor.
Emily gazed after them in shock. She couldn’t imagine why Jackson had invited Becca to dance. But then, he was trying to please her, she decided. Tommy was standing beside her fidgeting, so she asked him for a dance.
Jackson danced for a while in silence, then he said, “You’re very beautiful tonight. You look a lot like your sister.”
“Yeah, people always say that, but I’ll never be as beautiful or smart or anything as she is. She’s just about perfect.”
“You love her a great deal.”
Becca’s eyes narrowed to mere slits. “I sure do, so you’d better not hurt her again.”
“I’ll never hurt Emily again,” he assured her.
A smile wreathed her face.
“Why are you smiling?”
“The way you said her name—all romantic and gooey. Like you love her.”
“I do,” he admitted without hesitation.
“That’s good, ’cause she loves you, too.”
His pulse raced. “Did she tell you that?” he asked, but he didn’t have to. He knew she did. She couldn’t make love with him the way she had without love, but he needed to hear it from someone else—someone close to her.
“Sure, several times, so you’d better not hurt her,” she warned a second time.
“Don’t worry, and congratulations,” he said as the song ended, and they returned to Emily.
Becca kissed Emily and strolled off with Tommy to dance. Emily raised an eyebrow at Jackson. “Aren’t you the chivalrous one.”
He grinned. “Yeah, that’s me.”
“I think you took her breath away, not to mention mine.”
“Why?”
“I guess I wasn’t expecting it.”
He slipped a hand around her waist. “Here’s something else you’re probably not expecting. Let’s dance.”
“We can’t,” she said, and took a step backward. “We’re sponsors.”
He pointed to a couple. “They’re sponsors and they’re dancing. So is that couple over there.”
Following his gaze, she had to admit he was right, but she still hesitated. He caught her hand and led her to a dark corner. “How’s this?” he asked, sliding both hands around her waist and pulling her close.
As her body pressed into his, she didn’t protest. She couldn’t. She was starved for contact, for the touch and feel of him. Her hands locked around his neck and they moved sensuously to the beat of the music and the hunger building in them.
“You didn’t go to your prom, did you?” he murmured into her hair.
“No,” she replied feebly. “I didn’t gain much weight with our daughter, but anyone who held me close would’ve been able to tell I was pregnant.”
“I’m so sorry for all the pain you went through.”
“It doesn’t matter. You didn’t know.”
“Maybe,” he whispered as their bodies and feet moved in perfect harmony, “we can pretend this is your prom, too.”
“I’m too old to pretend.”
He drew her body tight against him, and she felt every defined sinew and muscle.
A bubble of laughter escaped her. “That’s not pretend, that’s as real as it gets.”
He moved back half a step and looked into her eyes. “It is, isn’t it?”
“Yes,” she whispered.
“A moment ago when I was dancing with Becca, she warned me not to hurt you.”
Emily groaned in embarrassment. “I’m sorry. She’s very forthright.”
“She’s an enchanting spitfire.”
“That’s a nice way to put it.”
“But she doesn’t have to worry, because I will never intentionally hurt you again. Do you know why?”
She shook her head, afraid to speak.
“I should’ve told you in San Antonio, but I was scared and I was trying not to just grab something I wanted so badly, the way I did before. The truth is that I love you and I have through all the intervening years, through the other women, even through my marriage. During all those years, you were in my heart.”
Her hands tightened around his neck and she gently kissed his neck. She wanted to say something, but she couldn’t, because emotion had clogged her throat.
When she didn’t speak, Jackson’s pulse stopped and he had to ask, “No response?”
He stopped dancing and gazed into her eyes. “If it does, we’ll face it together this time.”
She heard in his voice what she hadn’t heard before—the promise of tomorrow, and that was all she needed. “I love you, too,” she breathed softly. “I’ve always loved you.”
Jackson bent his head and lovingly kissed her lips. Passion erupted and the kiss deepened. “Can we get out of here?” he asked in a ragged voice.
“No,” she answered in the same voice. “We have to stay until the last teenager stumbles out the door, then we have to help clean up.”
“Oh, God, I don’t think I can wait that long.”
She ran a hand through his hair. “Well, I guess it’s a good thing we’re adults, because we can practice that self-control we’re suppose to have.”
He laughed. “What self-control?”
“Shameful, isn’t it?” She laughed back, and took his hand and led him over to the lights.
They stood holding hands and watching the kids. Emily was happy and content. She hadn’t felt that way in a very long time. Jackson loved her. The thought was exhilarating and all she wanted to do was savor this moment. But something kept nagging at her, and she couldn’t let it go.
“Did you find any information at the courthouse?” she asked quietly.
He started to lie to her, but he couldn’t. She’d been lied to enough. He just wished they could enjoy this happiness a little while longer, but their daughter was never far from her mind—or his.
“Yes,” he replied.
She turned to him in excitement. “What?”
“Let’s talk about it later when we’re alone.”
“But Jackson—”
His finger over her lips silenced her. “Later.”
“Okay,” she whispered, and he felt her disappointment. He just couldn’t tell her the rest, not here. He would later, though, as he’d said. He’d show her the birth certificate and pray she had enough strength to handle it.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
BY THE TIME THEY’D FOLDED the last chair and finished cleaning up, it was four in the morning. Becca had gone with her friends for an early breakfast. Emily felt as if she was walking on pins and needles, and she wasn’t going to get any relief until she heard what Jackson had to say.
As soon as they got into the car, she turned to him. “What did you find out? I have to know.”
Jackson started the engine and backed out of the parking spot. “Let’s go for a walk on the beach,” he suggested, avoiding her question.
She frowned. “Did you hear me?”
“Yes, I heard you, but I’m tired and I need to clear my head. It’s been a long night. A walk on the beach. That’s all I’m asking.”
“Okay,” she agreed slowly, but she had an uncomfortable feeling she couldn’t shake.
She bit her lip all the way to Rockport to keep from asking questions. She’d be patient and wait until he was ready to talk. When they arrived at the beach, they got out and walked in silence. Her high heels kept sinking in to the sand and she couldn’t continue. She whirled to face him. “It’s bad news, isn’t it? That’s why you’re stalling. She’s dead or something. That’s why there was no mention of an adoption in the records.”
He held her face in his hands as the wind whipped around them. He kissed her cheek and could taste the salt on her skin.
She leaned heavily into him. “Just tell me, please.”
He had wanted to prepare her, but he could see it was only making matters worse. She had to be told, and he wasn’t looking forward to this. Her world would shatter into so many pieces he didn’t know if he could put it back together. He had dealt with the news for the past two days, and inside he was a mass of broken parts, but he was holding himself together—for her.
Wrapping an arm around her waist, he led her back to the car. “Okay.” He couldn’t postpone it any longer. “The information is in my room at the hotel.”
As they drove away from the beach, he asked, “Did you name our daughter?”
“No, I couldn’t. I just always called her my little angel.”
She noticed his hands tighten on the steering wheel. “What is it?”
“That’s what I’ve been calling her for the past few days. It’s strange that we’d both call her the same thing.”
“No, it isn’t. She is our angel,” she told him. “Did you find a birth certificate?” She didn’t understand how he could have, but she had to ask.
“Yes,” he answered quietly.
“And there was a name on it?”
“Yes.”
“What is it?”
“We’ll be at the room in a few minutes and you can read it yourself.”
“Why can’t you tell me?”
“Emily, just be patient,” he pleaded, and he felt like a coward, but he didn’t know how else to handle this.
“I can’t…because I feel you’re trying to prepare me for something bad.”
He pulled into the parking lot of the hotel and killed the engine, then reached over and stroked her hair. “I don’t think it’s bad,” he said quietly. “There are just a lot of things that need explaining.”
She started to speak and he gave her a quick kiss. “No more questions. Let’s look at the document and then we’ll talk.”
As they got out, dawn was trying to break through the dark clouds without much success. It was a foggy, misty morning, and the wind had picked up; Emily sensed a storm was brewing. But that didn’t worry her—only one thing was on her mind.
Jackson unlocked the door and they entered his room. Emily didn’t even notice her surroundings. Her attention was on Jackson. “Where is it?”
“Have a seat,” he said. First, he had to tell her everything he’d found out.
She sat on the love seat, rigid and tense, and willed herself to be strong for whatever Jackson had to say.
He drew a chair close to her. “I didn’t tell you everything I discovered in San Antonio.”
She swallowed hard. “Why?”
“At first I had to understand what I’d learned, and then I knew I had to be with you. I couldn’t do it over the phone.”
Oh, God. Her daughter was dead. She inhaled deeply. “Just tell me! I can’t take much more of this.”
“When I went back to the hospital records office and talked to the woman there, I noticed letters and numbers on the bottom of one page. With a little incentive, she told me what they meant.”
“Hospitals used to do that, but now things are more straightforward.” She frowned. “I didn’t notice the codes. All I noticed was her weight and size.” Her eyes caught his. “What did the codes say?”
Jackson took a quick breath. “They said both mother and baby went home in good condition—about nine minutes apart.”
“The new parents picked up our daughter at the same time I left the hospital?”
“You’re not following me,” he said softly. “The records say that the mother and baby left together.”
“What!” She sat on the edge of the seat, her eyes enormous. “Jackson, that’s not true.”
“I know,” he assured her. “You don’t have to tell me that.”
“But why? Why would the records show such a thing?”
He took her hand and held it, and the nervousness in her stilled…for a moment. “This is where the water gets a little murky, and I need you to listen to everything and not overreact.”
She bit her lip. “Okay.”
“I told you about the adoption agency. With a lot more incentive, I was able to go through their records.”
Her hand gripped his. “Oh, Jackson, then you have the name of the people who adopted her.”
He took a painful breath. “No, I don’t.”
“But—”
He cut in. “This isn’t easy, so I’ll just say it.” He waited a moment. “The records show
the adoption was canceled.”
Incredulity shifted through her eyes as she tried to grasp what he’d said. She shook her head fervently. “No, that’s a lie. The adoption was never canceled. They took my baby and now they say…say…” She couldn’t go on, the words locked tight in her chest.
“Emily.” Jackson called her name and she jerked her eyes to his. “Don’t fall apart on me. There’s more to come.”
Emily suddenly remembered why she was here. “The birth certificate.” She grabbed on to it like a lifeline. “You have her birth certificate.”
“Yes,” he said. He got up and walked to his suitcase and brought back a piece of paper, which he laid in her lap. He wanted to spare her, but there was no other way.
She stared at the name on the certificate and it didn’t make any sense. A shudder rattled through her. She tried to concentrate, but she couldn’t. It just didn’t make sense. But Jackson would explain it. He seemed to know what was happening.
She raised her eyes to his. “Why is Becca’s name on our daughter’s birth certificate?”
“I was hoping you could tell me. That’s why I asked if you’d given her a name.”
She gave him a confused look. “No, I always called her my angel, like I said. I don’t understand this.”
“I didn’t, either, so with some help from a private investigator I was able to get a copy of Becca’s birth certificate.” He laid another piece of paper in her lap.
This certificate made sense. There was Becca’s name, and Rose and Owen Cooper listed as her parents. She was born June 5. Everything was just as it should be.
“I didn’t know what to think, either,” Jackson was saying. “Everything was getting complicated and bizarre, but I knew something was very wrong. Colton’s friend, the investigator, found the one document that pulled it all together. Here it is.” This was the hard part, and there was no way to soften the blow, so he placed the paper in her lap.