It Had to Be Him

by Tamra Baumann

  She opened her mouth to deny it, but when he quirked a challenging brow, she stopped. He’d always seen right through her. That’s what had made her fall so hard for him when they first met. How he seemed to know her and understand her so quickly. Like no other man ever had. It’s why she’d let her defenses down for the first time and allowed herself to love him.

  She rose from the bed and gave him a hug. Laying her forehead against his hard chest, she whispered, “That I didn’t kill you over this probably means I love you too.” She gave him a squeeze. “I might know for sure if you make me French toast.”

  Chuckling, he gave her butt a light smack. “I’ll get a straight-up confession of love out of you yet. But I’ll take this one for now, even if it is French toast blackmail.”

  She rolled her eyes at his bad joke, then crossed to the bathroom and turned on the shower.

  She was all in now. Hopefully she hadn’t made a big mistake.

  Again.

  Because it was Saturday morning and sleeping in might be involved for those lucky enough to be able to, Meg waited until ten o’clock to set out on her mission to find the puppies a good home. She knocked on Tara’s front door, juggling the basket on her hip with two wiggling pups inside. Hopefully it hadn’t been the wine talking when Tara said she wanted a puppy last night.

  When the door swung open, Tara stood before her in cute jogging attire and a little white towel slung around her moist neck. Her lips slowly tilted. “Josh brought all the puppies home? Is he still alive, or are you here for an alibi? Your brother Ben is more my type, but I guess I could be persuaded to say you and I spent the whole night together.” She reached inside the basket to pet the dogs.

  Meg laughed. “You’d totally be my type if I were into women. Especially if you look this good after a run. That’s just not right.”

  Tara smirked. “Lie to me. Butter me up so I’ll take a pup. I’m on to you, Megan.”

  No lie. Tara was the prettiest woman Meg had ever met. It was just a bonus she was nice too. “Which one would you like? Or if you just can’t decide, why not take both?”

  Tara grabbed the basket and then stepped aside, inviting Meg in. After leading the way to a living room right out of an interior decorating magazine, Tara took the dogs out and played with them on the shiny wood floor.

  “I’d like to take both and then give one to Sarah as a gift. She wants one so badly, but I got the impression her husband holds all the power in their relationship.”

  That was the understatement of the year. Ed was a downright bastard sometimes. “Yeah. Nice thought, but when Ed’s unhappy, Sarah pays for it.”

  Tara frowned as she stroked the pup curled up in her lap. “I hate to hear that. Sarah deserves better.”

  Sarah deserved Ryan, but too late for that.

  The other pup made a run for it, but Tara stretched out and grabbed it. Her shirt rode up, exposing some nasty, jagged scars on her stomach and back. Not wanting to stare, Meg quickly looked away.

  But Tara noticed.

  “Those are a story for a future girls’ night. Suffice to say, I totally understand your reluctance to trust Josh again after being hurt.” She brought the sleepy pup from her lap up to eye level and smiled. “I’ll take this little cutie.”

  “Thanks, I owe you one, Tara.” Meg wanted to ask who or what had done that to her. But it didn’t seem Tara wanted to talk about it. Might be one of the reasons a young dentist would move to such a small town where she didn’t know a soul, when she could probably make a whole lot more money in Denver. “Are you coming to the Founder’s Day dinner later?”

  Tara shook her head. “Nope. Looks like I have a date tonight with my little man here.”

  “We’ll miss you, but staying home means you won’t have to endure my dad and his windy speeches about the history of Anderson Butte. I’d skip too, if I could.”

  As Meg rounded up the other wiggly puppy into the basket, Tara said, “So, I’m dying to know. Did our pep talk work last night? Did you finally commit, and are you and Josh on speaking terms today?”

  “Yes, but I really should have made him work a little harder for it. Not only did he bring all the dogs home, but he also brought home a ten-year-old boy who’s going to stay with us for a few months. Speaking of that, Eric got into a fight the other day and finally admitted to Josh this morning his front teeth are still hurting. Do you have time to see him on Monday?”

  Tara’s brows spiked. “If he’s in pain, I’ll see him right away. Let me get cleaned up and I’ll meet him at my office. Forty-five minutes?”

  One of the benefits of living in a small town and not Denver anymore. People did favors because it was the right thing to do. Tara was going to fit right in. “Do you take puppy chow in payment? Josh has a truck bed full.”

  Tara laughed. “I think we can work something out.”

  Meg walked to the front door. “Thanks, Tara. Now I owe you twice.”

  Tara snuggled with her new puppy and sighed. “This little guy makes us even.”

  She’d have to remember to tell Ben that Tara thought he was cute. He needed to quit dating bimbos and get serious for a change. Tara would be perfect for her brother.

  Just as Tara was about to close her front door, she said, “Wait. Mrs. Jenkins was in to see me last week. Her dog died recently and she’d seemed pretty upset. Maybe she’d like another?”

  “I’ll stop by there next. Thanks.”

  Meg texted Josh about Eric’s dental appointment and asked him to bring along dog food, then reluctantly headed up the hill to a quaint little cabin with a blue metal roof, nestled among the trees.

  Mrs. Jenkins, a widow, the leader of the Three Amigos, and Meg’s former principal, was not Meg’s number one fan. Hopefully the pup would soften her up a bit.

  Meg spotted her struggling with a wheelbarrow full of weeds. “Need a hand?”

  The old woman stopped and wiped her brow. Then her eyes narrowed. “What have you got there, Megan?”

  “A puppy who needs a good home.” Meg laid the basket at Mrs. Jenkins’s feet and then lifted the wheelbarrow. “Where did you want this?” She’d let the puppy sell itself.

  Mrs. Jenkins stood with her hands on her hips, lips pursed as she peered down into the basket. “Around the back. I’m making a pile to burn later.”

  Meg found the pile and dumped out the contents, then hurried back. Mrs. Jenkins was still staring at the dog. “You think giving me a puppy will make up for all the grief you’ve caused me over the years?”

  Always back to that with her. “No, I don’t, but Tara mentioned you’re missing your dog, so I thought this little girl would cheer you up for a few minutes, even if you don’t want to take her in.”

  Mrs. Jenkins picked up the pup, then brought it to the porch steps and sat down. Tears welled in her eyes. “I do miss my Bella. This sweet little girl is cute, but I’m not sure I’m up for another dog quite yet.”

  “I understand. I’ll go fill this up again while you take a break.”

  Meg went to the garden to pull weeds. It was the least she could do after all the crap she’d dealt the poor woman years ago.

  Luckily, there weren’t many weeds left, so she picked up a pair of dusty gloves that lay on the fence post and set in. Pulling weeds in her grandmother’s garden was one of Meg’s usual punishments as a kid, so she was well trained. And darned fast because it was boring.

  Must be lonely living all alone like Mrs. Jenkins. No one to talk to before she went to sleep at night or when she woke in the morning. Meg had missed that after Josh left. It’d been nice to have that back. The great sex made it even better.

  After the wheelbarrow was full, she dumped it along with the other weeds in back and then went to find Mrs. Jenkins. She had the puppy all set up with a bowl of water and a chew toy on her front porch.

  “All done. You have a nice garden going, Mrs. Jenkins.” Meg put the wheelbarrow in the shed, then made her way back to the house. “We’ll get out of your
way now.”

  “Thank you for finishing up my weeding, Megan. I appreciate it, but you know, a simple apology goes a long way.”

  “That would make a difference to you after all this time?”

  “If you really meant it.”

  Meg sat on the porch and let out a breath. “Looking back, I realize now why I acted out so much. It was meant for my dad. I never set out to cause everyone else so much misery, it just always seemed to turn out that way.” She stared into the woman’s rheumy eyes. “So I hope you’ll accept my apology for all the trouble my bad behavior caused you and the school, Mrs. Jenkins.”

  “Wait until I tell Edna and Mable.” She slapped her knee and laughed. “They’re never going to believe those words came from your smart mouth. Apology accepted, Megan.” She picked up the pup. “And thank you for bringing me my new little Bella. I’m keeping her.”

  That she might finally be forgiven by one of the Three Amigos sent an unexpected wave of relief through Meg. “Awesome. Going to the dinner?”

  “Yep. I’ve got a crate to keep this little one out of trouble while I’m gone. But it looks like rain. We’ll probably end up eating supper in the gym again. Coach Wilson is going to hate that.”

  Meg glanced at the gathering dark clouds above her head. “I’m sure Coach is already there, laying down that thick paper to protect his precious wood floor.”

  “I imagine. Say, Amber asked me for some old photos and such the other day. She’s been asking everyone, so maybe she has something nice to entertain us with this year.”

  Nice? Fat chance of that.

  “Maybe.” Meg gathered up the basket and gave the pup one last pat. “See you later. And thanks, Mrs. Jenkins. For everything.”

  Josh pushed Haley in the swing at the park as he waited for Eric to finish up at the dentist’s office. He stared into people’s faces as they strolled past the town square, looking for the person Watts promised to send during the celebration. The agent would be dressed as a tourist, casually window-shopping, scoping things out before they made their move.

  Then he spotted her. Watts had done that on purpose, the bastard. Of all the agents in their department, he sent a woman Josh used to hook up with occasionally between missions before he’d met Meg.

  Evans met his gaze and lifted her chin slightly in greeting before turning to stare at the display in the T-shirt shop’s window.

  It was go time. Time to find out what was going to happen if Megan’s father was sent to jail, and how Meg would react when she learned of his role.

  And there was Meg now, strolling toward them with a big smile on her face. She surprised him when she threw herself at him, wrapped her legs around his waist, and planted a noisy kiss on his mouth. “I found homes for both the pups and you’ll never believe what just happened!”

  Josh glanced over Meg’s shoulder in time to spot Evans and the sneer on her face before she moved on to the next shop.

  Meg grabbed his face with both hands, forcing his attention back to her. “Hey. You’ve got the ‘old Josh’ look on your face. What’s the matter?”

  He forced a smile. “The ‘old Josh’ look? What’s that?” He needed to pull it together. Get his head in the game. He couldn’t afford to be responsible for blowing the one mission that would finally set him free.

  “The look where you get all serious and distracted. Something wrong?”

  Haley called out, “Push, Daddy!”

  He sent Haley flying so high she giggled as Meg slid down his body. “I was just thinking it was taking Eric an awful long time. Maybe I’d better go check on him now that you’re here to watch Haley?”

  “Okay.” Meg frowned like she didn’t believe him. But after giving Haley another push, a smile slowly lit Meg’s face. “Mrs. Jenkins took the other puppy. Tara will be glad to know. Tell her, will you?”

  “Yep.” He gave her a quick kiss. “Be right back.”

  Relief filled him as he turned to go check on Eric. Seemed Meg believed him after all. He was so damned tired of lying to her. Hopefully in a few days it’d all be done with and he could finally start his life over.

  His phoned buzzed with a text from Watts. Hey, didn’t catch the time the movie starts. Hope it’s not three hours long.

  He wanted Josh to let him know when the mayor was giving his speech and how long Evans had to get the task completed. Josh was trying to steer clear of the whole thing, but it made sense to help this one last time. Need to check showtimes.

  After he put his phone away and crossed the street, he felt her presence. They weren’t out of Meg’s sight yet, so Evans stayed just behind him.

  She said softly, “I’ve missed you, Sam. Let’s get together after.”

  Megan and Watts were the only ones who knew his real name before. Even among his fellow agents. He’d wanted to leave his old life completely behind. But the wariness and the deeply buried vulnerability in Megan’s gaze when they’d first met made him need to tell her the truth. At least about his name. Even if he’d had to lie to her about everything else.

  He increased his pace. “Negative.”

  After tugging Tara’s office door open, he walked inside and then took a second to compose himself.

  Evans could be trouble. She might not know he’d quit and think he was undercover playing a part. Hopefully she’d take his curt response for what it was meant to be and leave when she was done planting the tracking software.

  Tara had told him to go on back when he returned, so he ventured past the empty receptionist’s desk and the torture chairs. He found Eric and Tara laughing and playing with her puppy on the floor in her office.

  Eric’s cheeks had turned red when Tara smiled at him when they’d first met. He obviously wasn’t too young to appreciate a pretty woman.

  But Tara had fear in her eyes when she’d greeted him. Someone had hurt her. Probably someone Josh’s size. So now he pasted on a friendly smile. “How’d it go, guys?”

  Tara turned and looked at his chin as her smile faded. “We fixed his cracked tooth, so he should start feeling better soon. But his x-rays showed a few other problem areas we should see to right away.”

  Eric’s face turned panicked. “I don’t know if I have enough money to pay you. Maybe I can ask my grandmother?”

  Before Josh could tell Eric not to worry about it, he’d cover it, Tara said, “Well, how about a payment plan? I’m going to need someone to walk my puppy now and then while I’m busy seeing patients. We’ll work something out.” Tara stuck her hand out for a shake. “Deal?”

  Eric smiled and returned her shake. “Deal.” Holding her hand pinked up Eric’s cheeks again, so he quickly hopped up and stood beside Josh.

  Josh gave Eric’s shoulder a sympathetic squeeze. It was tough to be ten and crushing on an older woman.

  When the boy didn’t flinch at his touch, Josh left his hand on Eric’s shoulder. “Meg said to tell you Mrs. Jenkins took the other pup.”

  Tara stood and finally looked him straight in the eyes. “That’s great. You guys have fun at the dinner this evening.” She quickly turned and picked up her dog.

  He had an overwhelming urge to look into her situation, to be sure she wasn’t still in danger, but he quickly shut it down.

  He was almost done with that part of his life.

  Forever.

  With Haley on her hip, Meg led the way through the pouring rain toward the high school’s steps for the Founder’s Day celebration. Josh and Eric jogged closely behind. Her father expected the family to be in place first, so the parking lot was empty and they found a spot right up front. She hadn’t taken the extra time to get all fixed up just so the rain could ruin her makeup, so she powered forward.

  As they approached the big set of doors, she expected Josh to move ahead and open it for her like he usually did, but he was busy with his phone. Again.

  He’d been engrossed with his phone ever since the park. Had she spoken too soon when she’d told the girls Josh had changed?


  Meg switched Haley to her other hip, then yanked the heavy door, and they all entered the quiet building. With Eric’s wet sneakers squeaking against the highly polished floors and Josh bringing up the rear, they trooped past long rows of lockers. Eric walked beside her, his head swiveling back and forth, checking things out. He was a curious kid. Always asking questions. Just like her nephews.

  But it was kind of embarrassing the lanky ten-year-old was almost as tall as she was. Even in her heels. “I hope you’re hungry, Eric. There’s going to be a ton of food and tables loaded with yummy desserts. And you can go back as many times as you like. It’s all on my dad, so eat up.” Josh had told her earlier how Eric was worried about money, so she wanted to be sure he knew the food was free. The kid needed to put some meat on his skinny frame.

  Eric grinned. “Thanks. This is a big school for a small town, isn’t it?”

  “Yeah. We’re one of the few towns around with a high school. Kids from all the surrounding areas get bussed in. My dad fought hard to have it built here.”

  It hadn’t been an easy battle. Her father had donated the land on the edge of town and spent many hours lobbying the state school board on behalf of Anderson Butte. Her dad wasn’t all bad.

  “I was in the first class to ever go through all four years.” She detoured them down a wide side hallway to the front of a big glass case that held various awards. Pointing to some in the back, she said, “I still hold two school records no one has been able to break. In track and field, and swimming.” She pointed out her picture, smiling and sopping wet, holding up a medal. “See, Haley? That’s Mommy when I was younger.”

  Haley nodded but couldn’t have cared less.

  Eric’s face scrunched as he studied the engraved plaques. “Wow. After all these years, no one has ever broken your records? That’s awesome!”

  “Hey. It’s only been ten. I’m not that old!”

  Eric surprised her when he smiled shyly and said, “Just teasing. It’s really cool.”