She jumped out of the bed and grabbed her robe and her cell phone from the nearby chair. She pulled on the robe as she raced out of the room and held the cell phone ready to call for help if necessary. She realized at some point in the night she must have taken her sling off in her sleep, but that didn’t matter now. All that mattered was that she check on her daughters and make sure they were okay.
One glance in the girls’ room showed three empty cribs. Panic soared through Grace as she half ran, half stumbled down the stairs.
The normal scents of fresh-brewed coffee, crispy bacon and eggs calmed her as she entered the kitchen and saw her three girls all happily seated at their high chairs and enjoying a mess of scrambled eggs on their trays.
Jake stood at the stove with his back to her. He wore only a pair of jeans and was singing a rap-style rendition of “Rock-a-Bye Baby.”
It was at that moment that Grace knew without a doubt that she was in love with him. She was head over heels in love with Jake Johnson.
She’d seen his tenderness with her daughters, tasted the passion in his kiss. She was in love with him and there was nothing she could do about it, no way to change it.
She must have made some sort of noise, for he whirled around, spatula in hand, and gave her a smile that warmed her from her head to her toes.
“There she is, girls. Your mommy, our own sleeping beauty, has finally decided to get out of bed.” He pointed her to a seat at the table. “Sit and relax. Bacon and eggs in about three minutes. I hope you like your eggs over however. Sometimes they’re sunny and soft and sometimes they break.”
“Over however is my very favorite,” she said as she gave each girl a kiss on their foreheads, then sat at the table. Abby’s T-shirt was on inside out and Bonnie was wearing Casey’s shorts, but it was obvious Jake had done his best to get the girls up and dressed for the day.
She was grateful when he turned back to face the stove so she could have a moment to get her newly recognized emotion under control. She’d known she was getting too close to Jake, feeling wildly sexually attracted to him, but it wasn’t until now that the full force of her love for him crashed inside her heart.
“Where’s your sling?” he asked as he placed a plate of bacon, eggs and toast in front of her.
“Probably on the floor next to your bed. I take it off in my sleep. Aren’t you eating?” she asked as she took the fork and napkin he offered her.
“Already ate. I wasn’t sure what all the girls should have for breakfast so I smooshed up some banana for them before I gave them the eggs. Was that okay?”
“Perfect.” His bare chest made it difficult for her to concentrate on anything he was saying. That muscled chest should be outlawed for its effect on helpless women trying to eat their breakfast.
He grabbed a cup of coffee and joined her at the table. “How did you sleep?”
“Surprisingly well, considering.”
His eyes narrowed slightly and lingered on her throat. “How’s your neck?”
“A little sore, but I’m going to be fine.” She watched as he used a napkin and wiped egg from Casey’s chin as if it was the most natural thing in the world for him to do.
“You’d make an awesome father, Jake.” The words slipped from her unbidden.
He frowned and tossed the napkin aside. “I’ve spent most of my life fathering my brother. I don’t have the desire or the energy to father anyone else.”
“Why don’t you stop?”
“Stop what?”
She broke off a piece of her toast, but instead of popping it into her mouth she set it on the side of her plate and kept her gaze focused on his eyes. “Why don’t you stop fathering Justin?”
She could tell her question irritated him, and maybe that’s what she’d intended. Maybe she wanted to see him a little bit angry with her to somehow diminish what was in her heart for him.
“It’s complicated.” He took a sip of his coffee and eyed her over the rim of the cup. When he lowered it he gave her a tight smile. “I could ask you the same question. Why are you still mothering your sister?”
She hadn’t expected him to turn the tables on her. “Okay, you’re right. It’s complicated. There are some nights I go to bed and swear to myself that the next time she gets herself in a fix I’m going to force her to get herself out of it.”
“I’ve had plenty of those same kinds of nights,” he replied. “I know Justin drinks too much and he’s irresponsible. I know he makes bad choices, and most of the time I clean them up for him. But just about the time I decide to wash my hands of him, I get a vision in my head of my old man beating the crap out of him when he was about six, and I remember I made myself a promise that I’d always take care of Justin.”
She heard the tension in his voice and realized he’d gone to a dark place in his mind with his memories of his father. “It was a tough childhood,” he continued. “Every morning I’d wake up and wonder if that was the day my dad was going to kill either me or one of my brothers.”
“What a terrible way to live,” she replied softly.
“It was, and the worst part was we never saw it coming. Dad was mercurial with his moods. I remember one night at dinner we were all sitting at the table. It had been a relatively pleasant day and Dad seemed to be in a pretty good mood. Then Justin reached for the bowl of mashed potatoes. Dad backhanded him so hard his chair tipped over backward and Justin crashed to the floor. He got up, got settled back in his chair, and Dad asked him if he wanted more of what he’d just gotten. Justin said no, but he’d still like to have some more mashed potatoes.”
Jake shook his head and released a small laugh. “Justin never did know when to stop playing the fool.”
Grace’s heart hurt for the little boys they had been. She couldn’t imagine a childhood like what they had endured. “What happened?”
Jake shrugged. “Dad passed him the potatoes and the meal went on as if nothing had happened.” He leaned back in his chair and drew a deep breath, then released it on a weary wind of resignation. “I know I cut him too much slack, run to his rescue way too often. There are times I just can’t get the vision of him as a kid out of my head.”
“But he’s not a kid anymore,” Grace said gently. “He’s a man. It was different for me and Natalie,” she said, trying to ease some of the darkness in his eyes. “I recognized fairly early that my mother wasn’t capable of giving me the emotional support and love that I needed. I also realized fairly young that it was not a problem with me, but rather a problem with her.”
“That’s a pretty astute thing for a kid to figure out.” He got up to pour himself more coffee.
“Mom was different with Natalie, more involved with her but not in the ways Natalie needed most. Mom would buy things for Natalie, spoil her with expensive items and toys, but she never gave Natalie what she needed most, which was her time and love.”
“And so you have tried to make up for that with your sister.” He returned to the table and offered her a rueful smile. “We’re quite a pair, you know. Both of us trying to heal the damage our parents inflicted on our siblings.” His smile faded as he looked at the girls in their high chairs. “He’s never going to be what they need in their lives. I just don’t think he’s capable.”
She nodded. “I know that now, and that’s okay. I can’t force him to be something he isn’t.” She raised a hand to her throat. “Now I just want to know if Shirley was the one who tried to kill me. It would be nice if I left in the morning with some kind of closure about what really happened here.”
“I’m hoping Greg will have some news for us sometime today. Are you sure you’ll be well enough to head home in the morning?”
Experimentally she moved her shoulder and winced slightly. “It’s still sore, but much better than it’s been. I think I’ll be fine. If I need help when I get home I’ll arrange for some.” She stared at him for a long moment and once again her love for him buoyed up inside her, pressing tight against her chest. “I
t’s time for me to go home, Jake.” She had to leave, because she so desperately didn’t want to leave him.
He opened his mouth as if he wanted to say something, and then closed it again and nodded. By that time the girls were finished with their breakfast. “Da-da,” Bonnie said to Jake and held out her arms.
“Don’t worry, she doesn’t mean it,” Grace said as she carried her plate to the sink, rinsed it and placed it in the dishwasher. “Most babies say ‘da-da’ pretty regularly. It’s an easy sound for them to make. We’ll just get them settled in the living room for some playtime and you can take care of whatever chores you need to do.”
“I’m not doing any chores today. I’m not leaving your side, Grace. I told you last night that I’d make sure nothing else happened to you while you were here and I meant it. My ranch hands can take care of anything that needs attention outside. Today it’s just you and me and the girls.”
He grabbed Bonnie from the high chair and then filled his other arm with Abby. There was nothing more appealing that a man dressed in babies, Grace thought as she carefully picked up Casey, using her good arm to do most of the work.
They got the girls settled in the living room. At that moment Grace’s cell phone rang. She dug it out of her robe pocket, pleased to see on the caller ID that it was Natalie.
“Hey, sis,” she said, trying to ignore how cute Jake looked seated on the floor with the girls. “I’m glad to finally hear from you.”
“I was busy all day yesterday. I got a job,” Natalie said.
“Natalie, that’s wonderful! Where? Doing what?”
“It’s just a waitressing job, but it’s at a nice restaurant and the tips are decent and I kind of like it.”
“But that’s great,” Grace exclaimed. “There’s nothing wrong with waitressing, and at least it will give you a reason to get up in the mornings.” And hopefully a sense of responsibility, Grace thought.
“So, what’s up with you? When are you coming home? I miss you.”
Grace smiled at her sister’s words. “I miss you, too. And I’m planning on heading home first thing in the morning, so I should be there by noon at the latest.”
“I’m working until five or so. I’ll stop by your place as soon as I get off. Nothing has changed between you and Justin?”
“I’ve never met a man less likely to step up to be a father, so no, nothing has changed.”
“Sorry about that. Kiss the girls for me and I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“I will,” Grace agreed. She hung up and smiled at Jake. “She got a job.”
“Congratulations,” he replied. “That’s got to be a relief.”
“It is. She started yesterday, waitressing someplace. Let’s just hope she can keep it for more than a week. Natalie has always been fairly good at getting jobs, it’s been keeping them that’s been the issue.”
“Maybe this time will be different.”
“Famous last words,” she said and flashed him a rueful smile.
“Now, why don’t you run upstairs and get dressed for the day while I watch the munchkins,” he suggested. “Because I’ve got to tell you the truth, seeing you in that silky robe through breakfast has made my mind wander to places it definitely shouldn’t.”
“Oh.” Grace’s cheeks filled with heat. “And maybe while I do that you should pull on a shirt so I don’t have the same problem,” she replied and then turned and hurried up the stairs.
Desire for Jake nipped at her heels as she raced into her bedroom, a healthy desire coupled with the quieter, wondrous feeling of love.
She had somebody who wanted to kill her and she was in love with the brother of the man who had fathered her children, a man who had made it clear in every way possible that she would never have a place in his life. Grace knew with a painful certainty that one way or another she wasn’t going to leave here unscathed.
“The sheriff told me and Shirley to stay away,” Justin exclaimed, his voice slightly slurred as if he’d already had too much to drink. “He said Grace was attacked last night and he thinks maybe me or Shirley had something to do with it. Jake, what in the hell is going on?”
Jake pressed the cell phone closer to his ear. “Where were you both last night?”
“I was home in bed, and I assume Shirley was home in her bed. I left her place around eleven, tired of all the drama. She kept going on and on about how much baggage the kids were going to be and when were we going to get married and have our own kids and stuff like that. Jake, I’ll be the first to admit that Shirley wasn’t exactly happy to learn about Grace and the kids, but she wouldn’t try to kill Grace. You know me, Jake, and you’ve known Shirley most of her life. How could you believe such a thing of either one of us?”
Jake had already heard from Greg earlier in the day that Justin and Shirley’s alibis for the night before were shaky at best.
He glanced in the kitchen where the girls were once again in their high chairs and Grace was finishing up the dinner preparations. “I don’t know what to believe, Justin,” he finally said. “The only thing I know for sure is that twice somebody has tried to harm Grace, and I intend to make sure she stays safe until she leaves here to go home. If I were you and Shirley I’d make sure until Grace leaves town you’re in the company of other people so you have a solid alibi if anything else happens.”
Jake knew his words were harsh, but he wanted his brother to understand the reality of the situation. Greg was looking for an attempted murderer, and at the moment the only two suspects on his list were Justin and Shirley. Jake simply couldn’t believe his brother had anything to do with this, but he wasn’t so sure about Shirley.
“Where are you now, Justin?”
“Me and Shirley are at Tony’s having a few brews.”
“You really think that’s a good idea? Maybe it’s time you do a little less drinking, Justin. Maybe a stint in rehab wouldn’t hurt.”
“Whoa, buddy,” Justin said with a forced laugh. “You’re in a foul mood.”
Jake released a tired sigh. “No, I’m not in a foul mood, Justin. I just want what’s best for you and everyone else concerned. Sooner or later you’re going to have to figure out how you’re going to handle all this. But, for now, Greg is right. You and Shirley need to stay away from here.”
“Problems?” Grace asked when he’d said goodbye to his brother and entered the kitchen.
“No, everything is fine,” he assured her. The only real problem he’d had all day was his nearness to her. Watching her interact with the girls, enjoying the warmth of her smiles, the very fragrance of her, and remembering the fire of their kiss had set him on slow burn throughout the entire day. “Something in here smells good.”
“Meat loaf, homemade mac and cheese, and peas,” she replied as she stirred the peas simmering in a pot on the stove.
“Anything I can do to help?”
“Just sit and relax. I’ve got it all ready to put on the table.”
He sat, but it was almost impossible to relax as he watched her bustling about. She’ll be gone tomorrow. The words jumped into his head unbidden, as they had off and on throughout the afternoon.
It’s what you want, he reminded himself. All he’d ever wanted since the moment she’d arrived was to be out of her drama and left alone. Tomorrow morning he would get his wish, and he couldn’t understand why he didn’t feel completely happy at the prospect.
Maybe it was just because he didn’t like mysteries, and the gunshots and the attack in the bedroom were certainly mysteries that hadn’t been solved. And it didn’t look as if they were going to be solved before she left town.
“You’re very quiet,” she said once she had everything on the table and had joined him there.
“I was just thinking that it’s going to be pretty quiet around here once you and the girls leave.” As if to punctuate his sentence, Bonnie squealed in delight as Grace set her plate of mac and cheese, and peas in front of her. The other two reacted in much the same way then grew silen
t as they began to eat.
“I’ll bet you can’t wait to get your house back to the peace and quiet it was before we arrived,” Grace said.
“Yeah, right,” he replied, not meeting her gaze as he began to fill his plate. Peace and quiet, that’s what he wanted. No babies crawling on him, drooling kisses or giggling with glee. No hair or ear pulling, no batting eyelashes, nothing that would bring a smile to his lips or any warmth of connection to his heart.
No Grace scent muddying his mind, twisting him inside out with feelings he’d never had before. It would just be plain stupid to allow anything to develop with Grace and the girls. It would be counterproductive to everything he’d decided he wanted in his life.
“It’s too bad Greg didn’t have a definitive answer for you about the attacks before you left,” he said when the silence between them had stretched for too long.
She paused with a forkful of macaroni and cheese halfway to her mouth. “He could call with an answer before I go in the morning. I don’t believe your brother was behind the attacks, Jake. However, my verdict is still out on Shirley. There was no question that she thought I was somehow a threat to her relationship with Justin.” Her green eyes darkened. “I guess that kind of jealousy and desperation can make an unstable woman capable of almost anything. Besides, it’s the only thing that makes any kind of sense. I’m fairly certain that once I leave here tomorrow I won’t hear from Justin again and Shirley will have no reason to feel threatened anymore.”
Jake wished he could protest her words, tell her that he was sure his brother would not only get in contact with her but would be a supportive presence in his daughters’ lives. But at this point he knew they would just be empty words.
The only thing they knew for sure about the attack was that a red bandana had been used as the gag in Grace’s mouth, and they were sold at every store in the area.
And tomorrow she would be gone.
Jake felt as if there was an invisible presence in the room that made itself known in a sizzling burn in the pit of his gut.
Cowboy's Triplet Trouble Page 11