by Linda Warren
“That’s fine with me—as long as you’re Mrs. Talbert in your heart.”
Her eyes sparkled. “I’ve always been Mrs. Talbert in my heart.”
“Have you?”
She twisted her glass. “Well, I’ve wished it on more than one occasion.”
“So have I.” He grinned. “Happy?”
“Very,” she whispered, and thought of their daughter. “Did you notice Becca’s reaction to Colton?”
“Like a deep freeze.”
“Yes, I can’t figure out why she doesn’t like him. He seems very nice.”
“He is, and all the ladies love Colton and his blond locks, so that’s one less worry for us.”
“What do you mean?”
“Becca won’t be falling for him.”
“I suppose, but she should at least be civil to him.”
Jackson laughed. “Right about now, Colton’s getting a good dose of Becca, Aunt Maude and Dad, and he’s probably wishing he’d hightailed it back to Dallas.”
“But—”
He cut in. “No more talk about family,” he said. “Let’s concentrate on us.” His foot slid between her legs.
“Oh.” She giggled delightedly, and set her glass on the edge of the tub. She moved through the water and onto his lap, wrapping her arms around his neck. “You want to play, do you?” As she said the words, she moved her hips against his arousal.
“Ah,” he groaned, and placed his glass out of reach. “Oh, yes.” His mouth covered hers in a heated, explosive kiss that welded them together. “I love you,” he breathed in a tortured voice.
As their bodies sank into the water, she knew he did—for now and always—and nothing would ever get any better than this.
EPILOGUE
Four years later
“PLEASE. STOP. COME BACK.”
Two-year-old George Owen Scott Talbert paid no attention to his mother. He kept running, but Emily caught him at the top of the stairs.
She cradled him in her arms and he buried his face in the warmth of her neck. All her motherly instincts kicked in. She never tired of this feeling—loving, caring and nurturing her child. She didn’t have to wonder what his face looked like. She knew every precious detail by heart. This baby she had nourished from the day he was conceived, and no one could ever take that away from her.
“Why are you running from Mama?” Emily asked gently. She’d been trying to get him to bed when he’d slipped out the door.
Scotty raised his head and stared at her with Jackson’s gorgeous green eyes. “No sleep, Mama. No sleep.”
Emily was baffled. Scotty was never hard to put down for the night. She smoothed his blond hair. “What’s the matter with Mama’s boy?”
His eyes grew big. “Part-ee, Mama. Part-ee.”
She now knew what all the fuss was about. Becca’s birthday was tomorrow and they were having a party. Scotty was excited about it. They’d come home to Rockport because that was what Becca wanted to do. She wanted to spend her birthday with old friends and family. Jackson and Emily had built a beach house the first year they were married and they spent a lot of weekends in Rockport.
The last four years had been the happiest of Emily’s life. Becca had settled down and put all her energies into college. She’d made new friends and life was better than Emily had ever hoped. When they wanted another child, Jackson decided to stay home to take care of the baby. Up until that time, he was flying back and forth and doing a lot of work from Houston. They didn’t want to be apart any more than necessary. Finally, he sold the controlling interest in his company to Colton. He maintained a small interest and his seat on the board. Emily had agreed at first, but when Scotty was born she never wanted to leave him. They had missed so much with Becca, and neither one of them wanted to miss a moment of Scotty’s life. Eventually she went back to work, though, but only half days and no weekends. She enjoyed her work, but not as much as she did her family.
They bought a house in the Bellaire area of Houston and remodeled it to accommodate their growing family. It was close to the clinic, which meant Emily didn’t have far to travel.
The beach house was their weekend retreat. Becca loved it here, and so did George. But Emily worried about Becca at times. It had been her own decision to go to med school. That pleased Emily, but she wanted what was best for Becca. Her daughter seemed so tired lately. Emily hated that her life was so busy, but she tried to remember what those days as a medical student were like; hard though they were, she knew Becca would manage. She also worried about the new baby and how he’d affect Becca, but Becca loved Scotty. That was plain to everyone.
Emily kissed Scotty’s soft cheek. “The party is tomorrow. Tonight we have to sleep.”
“No, no, Mama,” Scotty shouted again. “No sleep.”
Emily was debating what to do next when Jackson appeared at the top of the stairs. He’d been in his study talking to Colton on the phone. Her heart beat faster at the sight of him. They were now a family, and Jackson was the perfect father, just as she’d known he would be.
“Scotty Talbert, what are you doing still up?” Jackson teased. “You should have been in bed an hour ago.”
Scotty made a dive for Jackson, who gathered him close. “Daddy, Daddy, no sleep,” Scotty wailed.
Jackson lifted an eyebrow at Emily, and Emily tried to explain. “He’s excited about Becca’s birthday party and doesn’t want to go to bed.”
“Now, son…” Jackson started, but Scotty quickly interrupted him.
“Part-ee, Daddy, part-ee. Sissy.”
Jackson’s arm tightened around his son. “Sissy’s tired. She’s been working all day and now she’s sleeping like you should be.”
Scotty’s bottom lip began to tremble and it took everything in Emily not to snatch him out of Jackson’s arms.
“Sissy, sissy,” Scotty cried.
Becca’s door opened and she walked out, wearing one of her big T-shirts. Her dark hair, now tousled from bed, had been cut and it hung just past her shoulders. She frowned mischievously. “Who’s interrupting my beauty sleep?”
Emily’s heart filled with love at the sight of her daughter. “I’m sorry, angel, but we can’t get Scotty down. He’s worked up about your party.”
Scotty wiggled out of Jackson’s arms and ran down the hall to Becca. “Sissy, sissy,” he called.
Becca swung him into the air, and giggles and screams erupted.
Jackson slid his arm around Emily as they watched their two children.
“Whenever I thought of having kids, I never really wanted them twenty years apart,” he whispered in her ear. “But it’s pretty damn good.”
“Yeah.” She nestled into him.
As Becca settled Scotty on her hip, she asked, “What’s the matter, tiger? How come you can’t go to sleep?”
Scotty clapped his hands. “Part-ee, Sissy. Cake. Boons. Pop. Pop.”
“Right now Sissy’s head can’t take too much popping.” Becca grimaced. “Want to sleep with Sissy? And when Sissy’s had enough rest, we’ll party all day. Okay?”
“Okay,” Scotty said.
“So simple.” Jackson smiled at Emily.
It was very clear that Becca and Scotty adored each other, and for that Emily was grateful. It was also clear how exhausted Becca was.
“Becca, angel, you don’t have to do that. You’re tired and you need a peaceful night’s sleep. With Scotty, it’ll be like a boxing match.”
“It’s all right, Mama,” Becca said. “We’ll be fine.” She walked into her room, still carrying Scotty.
A lump formed in Emily’s throat. It happened every time Becca called her Mama. At first the word had been awkward, for both of them, but now it was so natural. There was nothing more precious than that sound and she treasured the relationship she had with her daughter.
She turned to Jackson. “This is Becca’s only weekend off for ages and she needs to rest, not baby-sit.”
“Don’t worry,” Jackson said. “She se
ems fine.”
“I can’t help it. It’s a mother thing.”
He kissed her lightly. “I know. Let’s check on them to make sure Scotty’s not jumping on the bed and being a terrible two-year-old.”
They stopped at Becca’s door when they heard her voice. “You’re so lucky, Scotty. Do you know that? You’ve had them for parents from the day you were born. It was different for me. I could be jealous if I didn’t love you so much.”
“Luv ya,” Scotty interjected.
“Since I’m your big sister, I’m gonna give you some advice about this family and how to handle them.”
“Sissy,” Scotty said, and Emily could imagine him poking his little finger into Becca’s chest. He loved to identify people.
“Yes, I’m Sissy, so listen.” Becca laughed. “Grandpa George, he’s a pushover. You probably already know that. And he’ll love you no matter what, just like Mama and Daddy.”
“Mama,” Scotty whimpered, and Jackson had to hold Emily to keep her from dashing into the room.
“Yeah, your Mama and Daddy and mine. It used to sound strange, but it sounds right to me now.”
“Daddy,” Scotty said, and Jackson had to force himself to stand still.
“Now, about Grandpa Owen. He’s rather quiet. You have to give him a nudge sometimes, but he’ll always help you and be there for you. And Grandma Rose. That’s a hard one. I hated her at times, but through it all, I’ve loved her and that wasn’t always easy. But love is a funny thing. Once given, it never dies. It suffers through bad times, but it always survives.”
“Luv ya,” Scotty said again.
“I love you, too, and if I don’t get you to sleep, I’m going to be in big trouble.”
Scotty giggled at Becca’s exaggerated tone.
Jackson led Emily away from the door and to their room. Emily brushed away a tear. “I feel as if I had a glimpse into Becca’s heart.”
“We did.” He held her close. “Now do you think you can stop worrying?”
“I don’t think mothers ever do that.”
“Fathers, either, and I’m so proud of her.”
“Oh, Jackson.” She snuggled against his chest. “Life is so good and sometimes I’m afraid. I’m afraid I’ll wake up in that nightmare again.”
He reached for her face and held it. “That’s never going to happen. We’ve suffered enough for a lifetime and now all we have to do is enjoy what we have.”
“Yes,” she said, knowing she could face anything with Jackson.
“And speaking of enjoying—” he smiled wickedly “—let’s think about making us feel good.”
She arched an eyebrow. “What did you have in mind?”
He unbuttoned her blouse. “I’m thinking of taking you to bed and showing you how much I love you.”
“I already know that.”
“It bears repeating,” he said with a grin, marching her backward to the bed.
“Over and over.” She laughed as he urged her down.
A long time later, Jackson slipped out of bed. “Come on,” he said, grabbing his robe.
“What?” she asked, puzzled.
“You’re not going to get any sleep until Scotty’s in his bed and Becca’s resting.”
“You know me so well,” she said with a smile.
“And don’t you forget it,” he returned, and handed her a robe.
Arm in arm, they walked to Becca’s room. Scotty was sound asleep in her arms. For a moment they stared at the two faces, then Emily gently eased Scotty away.
“Scotty.” Becca sat up, alert to any movement Scotty might make.
“It’s all right, angel,” Emily said. “I’m going to put him in his bed.”
“Okay.” She laid her head back on the pillow. “Love you, Mama, Daddy.”
Jackson kissed Becca’s check and pulled the sheet over her. “We love you, too, angel.”
Emily bit back tears and knew that love had eclipsed the shadows from the past and the future was destined to be as bright as the stars in their eyes.
ISBN: 978-1-4268-8189-3
EMILY’S DAUGHTER
Copyright © 2001 by Linda Warren.
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