Deadly Secrets (New York State Trooper Series Book 3)
Page 18
“Needing what?” Patty asked.
“A divorce,” he whispered.
“That’s kind of cold,” Patty said.
“That’s weird, coming from someone who was tied up partly because of that woman.”
“True.” Patty gripped his hand tighter. “Still, seems rather crass of us to be thinking what I know we are both thinking.”
He nodded. There was a time and a place for everything. “I love you,” he said.
“I know.”
“One thing at a time.” He sat down next to the woman he couldn’t live without, holding her hand, as the sirens blared and the ambulance inched out of the parking lot. They had their whole lives ahead of them.
Epilogue
REESE LEANED AGAINST a post on the front porch of the residency. The sun had started to set, but did nothing for the humidity that came with the month of June. Reese hardly noticed as he sipped his beer and loosened his tie, then unbuttoned the top buttons. The last two months had been a blur, and he had yet to process it all. His biological father was dead. His first wife. Dead. Death seemed to loom over his head like a rash that wouldn’t go away.
At the same time, those deaths had a different purpose. Holland wasn’t a nice guy, and he now understood what his mother had meant. Why she’d lied about Allen. In her final days, her mind had been destroyed by the cancer. She often spoke of strange things. But her last words had come from a moment of caring and wanting to stop the lies.
“It was a nice ceremony,” Frank said, leaning on another post, sipping his beer and looking out at the lake. “Still can’t believe you did it.”
“I can’t believe you agreed to be my best man.”
“Lacy would have strung me out to dry if I had refused.” Frank pulled up one of the big rocking chairs. “Especially since she and your Nana spent the last month putting this wedding together.”
Reese pulled up a chair as well. He fiddled with his wedding ring. “I’ve never felt like this before.”
“Like what?” Frank asked.
“Like I fit in somewhere. I went from one military tour to the next. One job to the next, never feeling like I was part of what I was doing. Until I got here. It started before Patty, but she has been the key. Like my entire life was leading up to being right here, right now.”
Reese heard Patty giggle. “I married a sentimental sap.”
“Yeah, you did.” Reese wiped his eyes, then patted his legs. His smiling bride sat on his lap, wrapping her arm around his shoulder, while he managed to rest his hand on her slightly bulging belly. Patty said she felt the baby move all the time. So far Reese had felt it only a few times, so every opportunity he got, his hand rested on her stomach, waiting to connect with his unborn child.
Lacy, in turn, settled herself on Frank’s lap.
“Well, now, that sure is cute,” Stacey said as she stepped onto the porch. “I’m happy for you, but it’s so gonna suck without you at the station.”
Reese had to admit he would miss being a cop, but he didn’t regret his decision to retire and run the Inn full-time with his wife and Nana. Truly a family business. A legacy he could be proud of. A heritage that would own the Heritage Inn with pride. “Yeah, have fun working with no-sense-of-humor Frank.”
“I’m funny.”
Even Lacy laughed at that. “You’re uptight and serious.”
“Thanks for defending me,” Frank said.
“I’ve got to hit the road,” Stacey said. “On duty, and all, and Jared keeps giving me the evil eye.”
“Glad you were able to come,” Patty said. “I appreciate everything you’ve done for us.”
“Not much could have kept me from seeing that old man get married.”
Andy rushed past Stacey, chasing a couple of Jared’s toddlers, and Jake, Frank’s younger brother, ran behind him. “Sorry. No one ever told me babysitting would be so exhausting.” Andy caught one of the toddlers, and Jake caught the other. “I need a nap.” Andy hiked back up the stairs and into the residency.
Jared and his wife joined everyone on the porch.
“You ready for all of that?” Jared asked. “Because it’s like that every day.”
“You only know the half of it,” Ryan said. “And want to see me make Jared’s face get all contorted and weird-looking?”
“Ryan, don’t even joke about stuff like that.” Jared’s face only half-contorted.
“Not joking. The rabbit died.”
“Must be something in the water,” Lacy said, “because our rabbit died, too.”
“What?” Frank’s face lit up like Christmas. “You said you were going to wait to take the test.”
Lacy shrugged. “I waited until you left the room.”
“It’s going to be a lot of fun around here in a few months,” Patty said. “Reese?”
“Is he crying?” Stacey asked.
“Just got something in my eye.” Reese used his sleeve to wipe the few tears away, but it was no use. At least they were happy tears.
“He’s been like this for days,” Patty said. “When I asked to see a softer side of Reese, I sure got what I asked for. Congratulations to all the pregos. May you always see your feet.”
“Yeah, good luck with that,” Ryan said.
“Stacey,” Jared barked. “You best get back on the road.”
“Yes, sir.”
“And,” Jared said, “you did real good with wrapping up this case. I know that was tough on you, right after it all went down, but you did what you were trained to do.” He handed her a twenty. “I did change your diapers.”
“Now that you say it, it’s kind of gross and creepy.”
Everyone laughed, but Reese was barely listening. He tilted his bride’s face. “I want this. All of this. The chaos of kids. The crazy of normal family. People in and out. Sitting on the front porch, watching the sunset, and loving you. I love you, and I’m never letting go.”
“Better hold on tight, because being married to me is going to be one hell of a ride.”
The End
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About Jen Talty
Jen Talty is an award-winning author of Romantic Suspense. Dark Water hit #10 in Barnes and Noble and her books have been in the top 50 on Amazon. Jennifer grew up in Rochester, New York. She recently retired from being a full-time hockey mom as her children hung up their skates. She and her husband still live in Rochester while her children travel globe. Jen was the co-founder of Cool Gus Publishing with NY Times Bestselling Author Bob Mayer.
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Copyright
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are 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.
Deadly Secrets: New York State Troopers Series, Book Two
COPYRIGHT © 2016 by Jen Talty
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission from the author or Cool Gus Publishing except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.