“I’m glad that’s cleared up, but that still doesn’t explain why he was here and why Schelling tried to kill my father.” LD’s voice sounded hard and cold, pure business, but the death grip on her hand betrayed his true emotions.
This time Alan answered. “From what we’ve pieced together, Schelling was working with the mob to expand gambling in the state. Black often did jobs for the organization and somewhere along the line Schelling got the idea of eliminating the governor. Through contacts, he tracked down Black and offered him the job. The misplaced shipment of diamonds was supposed to be Black’s payment.”
“Black took the assignment for the money and the chance to extract revenge on you,” Rob continued picking up where Alan left off. “It was supposed to be an easy task. Receive his payment, then assassinate your father, but a mix-up occurred at customs and he didn’t get his diamonds. From there, it’s a matter of bad karma for Black. Every time he got close to the diamonds, something happened to keep him from getting them.”
Marie held tight to LD’s hand as she absorbed this information. “So, it’s over.”
“Yes, ma’am it’s over,” Alan stated as he stood.
LD watched as Alan reached into his pocket and pulled out a sheet of paper. “Are you sure you won’t reconsider leaving the agency? I can get you assigned here, to New Orleans.”
“You saw the doctor reports. I’ll never do field work again.”
Alan shrugged as if that didn’t matter. But God, it mattered to him. “There’s still a lot you could do for us. Run the branch office here, become one of our training officers or we can find a position suited to your wants.”
LD shook his head. “I’ve made up my mind. Anyway, I have a more important job here as Marie’s husband.”
Alan blinked a couple of times in surprise, and Rob gave LD a slight nod of the head in approval. Alan put the letter back into his jacket pocket then extended a hand to Marie and she took it.
“Congratulations, Ms. Bernard.”
“Thank you.”
Alan let go of Marie’s hand then turned back to LD. “If you’d told me this first, I wouldn’t have even tried to get you to change your mind.”
LD gave a half laugh. “I figured you were ordered to try and talk me out of resigning.”
Alan sighed. “Yeah, but a person has to know when to say to hell with orders.”
LD arched an eyebrow at his former boss. “Oh, really?”
Alan smiled at him then turned and glared at Rob. “You didn’t hear that from me.”
Rob grinned. “Hear what?”
They all laughed as Alan turned to him and extended a hand. “It’s been good working with you, LD. If you ever need anything, call.”
As LD released Alan’s hand, he realized he was also letting go of a part of his life. Surprisingly, he was ready to let it go. “It has been good, but I’m ready for more. Thanks Alan—for everything.”
Marie slid off the bed as the door closed behind Alan and circled the bed to where Rob now stood. Once she was in front of Rob, she rose up on her tiptoes and kissed his cheek. LD wasn’t sure, because Rob’s unbound hair was in the way, but he thought his friend blushed.
“Thank you,” Marie said.
Rob shrugged. “It was nothing.”
“It was everything,” Marie answered as she rounded the bed and returned to her spot next to LD. “You ensured that Tammie and Timothy were both safe.”
LD studied his friend, who stood at the foot of the bed looking very uncomfortable under all the praise.
“Most importantly, you proved Marie was innocent,” LD added. “I can’t thank you enough.”
Rob met his gaze and smiled. “Consider it my wedding present.”
“Done, so long as you agree to stand up for me.”
“Let me know when and where and I’ll be there. You don’t think I’d miss the social event of the year do you?”
There was a time the thought of a society wedding would have sent LD running, but he no longer cared. If Marie wanted all the bells and whistles, then so be it. He watched his friend walk toward the door, but before Rob could get away, he called out, “How would you like to be my business partner?”
Rob stopped with one hand on the door handle and turned back to him. “What kind of business?”
“Security, but I haven’t worked out all the details.”
“Put your ideas down on paper and then call me.” With that said, Rob opened the door and walked out.
“Was that a yes or no?” Marie turned toward him.
“That was a yes.” LD turned to Marie and leaned forward enough so he could trace her lips with his tongue. “Now, where were we?”
Her chuckle was low and sexy as she leaned forward, pressing her lips to his. Slowly and seductively her tongue mated with his, sending heat coursing through his body. Yeah, this is exactly where they were, he thought as he slowly wrapped his good arm around her and pulled her back to him.
“Well, what did the girl say?”
Marie pulled away with a startled gasp, and then hid her face in the crook of his shoulder and neck. “We really, really do need a lock on the door.”
LD laughed as he held her tight and looked toward the door to see his father’s face. “She said yes.”
His father’s face disappeared, and then he heard a cheer go up in the hall. Then the door opened and his family streamed in.
One by one, they made their way to his bed and congratulated them. These were the same people who, just days ago, stood vigil beside his bed.
Those first few days were a blur of pain and drug-induced sleep, but every so often he would wake and one of them would be there. They were there for him then and were there for Marie, without him having to ask and before he’d even announced his intentions. LD watched as his mother and father moved to stand beside his bed and realized how special his family was.
“So, when’s the wedding?”
“We haven’t discussed that,” LD answered at the same time Marie said, “As soon as he can stand in front of the JP.”
LD reached for Marie’s hand as the room filled with lighthearted laughter. He was taking a new path and there was a lot of uncharted territory ahead. That was just fine with him, because this time he was traveling the path meant for him.
Epilogue
18 months later
Standing in the doorway, Marie soaked up the sights in front of her like a dry sponge absorbed water. Music, laughter, and the smell of gumbo greeted her and soothed her weary nerves after a long day at the store. Even after so many months of marriage to LD, the miracle still amazed her.
Across the room, LD dropped a handful of fish-shaped crackers onto their daughter’s highchair tray. Kayla’s curly golden locks bobbed as she leaned over the crackers and then looked up at her dad to grin a toothy smile. He leaned over, murmured something to set the baby into giggles and then returned to the counter.
“No, Rob, I wasn’t talking to you,” he spoke into the microphone of his hands-free phone as he began chopping vegetables. “I was telling Kayla she’s a fish monster. You know, this is one of my days at home, when I get to work beside my favorite little girl.”
Marie’s heart tightened when she remembered how close she’d come to losing him. She glanced at the kitchen desk where his laptop sat, files opened to cases the security agency was working on.
She took a step forward and he glanced over at her and gave her a welcoming smile, that familiar heat flashing in his eyes. She didn’t need her gift to know what was on his mind. He set down the knife and crossed the kitchen toward her.
“Hey, Rob, Marie’s home, so I gotta let you go. Call me tomorrow and let me know what the client says.” She melted in his arms before he could even disconnect.
“Is there a problem with a case?”
“No, nothing’s wrong. Rob’s headed to Houston to meet with a new client, that’s all.”
Marie chuckled.
“What’s so funny?”
“I was just imagining Rob with his long hair and leather biker pants in a meeting with some CEO.”
LD laughed, then sobered as he gently tilted her chin up and pressed a soft, searing kiss to her lips. Moments later, laughter distracted them and slowly she broke the kiss.
“We could take Kayla outside and let Mom and Dad watch her while we run upstairs for a little exploring.” His voice was low and sultry, sending a shiver down her spine.
Through the kitchen window, she could see LD’s parents sitting on the back porch talking and laughing with Timothy and Tammie. She sighed against LD’s shoulders and smiled. God, she cherished their family more than a million bags of diamonds. “The offer is very tempting, but we have company. We can explore after Kayla’s in bed.”
“Sounds like a date to me.” He brushed his lips across hers one last time then released her.
Stepping over toys, Marie scooped Kayla out of the highchair and into her arms to receive a sticky kiss. Laughing, she twirled Kayla in a circle.
LD stopped her and Kayla’s wild dance and wrapped them both in his arms. She snuggled close as he started waltzing his girls around the kitchen in time with the music. These were the moments she savored the most and she was going to spend a lifetime enjoying each and every one.
About the Author
Having grown up in Southeast Texas with summers spent on the Louisiana bayous, Georgia Tribell is a woman who’s heard and told many a story in her life. After she received a BA in computer science, she spent several years at NASA and then became a victim of the Enron scandal. It was then she decided to take a more artistic turn in life, go back to her roots and make storytelling a career. She currently resides in Deer Park, Texas, with her husband and sons, where she coaxes garden blooms in the southern sun and writes stories with their own kind of heat.
Georgia welcomes comments from readers. You can find her website and email address on her author bio page at www.ellorascave.com.
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