He watched her nod slowly, her dark eyes holding his gaze, and he moved in, kissing her lightly. “I’ll take you home when you get discharged tomorrow, yeah?”
“Yeah,” she whispered, a slight smile curving her lips.
Kissing her once again, he met her smile.
30
Two Weeks Later
Belle wandered out of her bedroom, her gait stronger every day. Stopping at the end of the hall, she stared at Hunter standing in her kitchen. Wrapping her arms around her waist, pressing slightly against her injury site, she could not help but gawk.
His hair was longer, starting to curl at the ends. His muscles strained against the tight cotton of his T-shirt. Her lip caught between her teeth as her gaze dropped lower, appreciating the way the cargo pants encased his ass.
He turned, his eyes widening for a second at seeing her standing in the hall, before he broke into a wide grin. “Good to see you up and about, babe. Hungry?”
“You’re spoiling me, Hunter,” she said as she walked into the kitchen. She strained to not limp, forcing her body to stretch out the tight muscles. Having seen his eyes darken often in the past couple of weeks when he looked at her, she so wanted to return to some normalcy.
“Hurtin’?”
She should have known he would be watching carefully. He had barely left her side since she was shot over three weeks ago. “Not much. I made it through the night with no ibuprofen. Little twinges as I first start moving in the morning, but still a helluva lot better.”
The creases in his face relaxed and he walked over, his arms pulling her in for a hug. They stood for several minutes before he kissed the top of her head and stepped away.
“Breakfast is almost ready.”
She settled at the table, looking askance at the amount of food he plated for her. She opened her mouth, but he jumped in.
“You gotta get some weight back on you, Belle. Not to mention, getting your strength back up.”
“The doc says I’m doing fine,” she said, telling him something he already knew considering he was right with her at the follow-up appointment. “I’m hoping to be able to go back to work next month.”
He nodded as he moved to get her cup of coffee. She fiddled with her napkin, wondering how to bring up what she really wanted to ask.
“I can tell you got something on your mind, babe,” he commented, setting her cup on the table and, with one hand on the back of her chair, leaning down to kiss her lightly on the lips. “Let’s have it.”
Sighing, she said, “Hunter, I’ve loved having you here, but what about work? I know you have to be at the end of your vacation time. In fact, I’m sure you’ve extended it.”
He sat down next to her, his blue eyes intensely staring into hers, and said, “After breakfast, how about we take a little drive?”
She thought his request was a strange way to deflect her prodding, but simply nodded, thinking how much it would be nice to get out of her house and get some fresh air. Watching the smile curing his lips, she began eating, anxious for their excursion.
Hunter turned off the main road, just north of Baytown, and pressed on the brakes slowly so that he was able to maneuver the curves in the road without jiggling Belle in the passenger side. She was quiet, her eyes taking in the scenery as they approached the end of the lane.
She had asked him about the black SUV he was driving, and he had informed her that he had bought it. “Can’t have you riding on the back of my motorcycle for a while, babe. Anyway, I needed something else.”
Turning onto an oyster-shell drive, they wound through a grove of pine trees into a small clearing. He heard her gasp as she stared out the windshield and his heart pounded at what he was going to say.
Parking next to his camper, he squeezed her hand and climbed down from the driver’s side before rounding the hood and opening her door. Carefully lifting her from the cab of his truck, he continued to carry her to his camper. Instead of going inside, he walked around the back where he had a small, wooden-plank deck with two lawn chairs.
Setting her feet on the solid wood, he assisted her into one of the chairs. Her eyes were wide as they stared at the bay over the sea-grass covered dune.
“You moved your camper,” she stated unnecessarily. “I would ask why, but this is gorgeous.”
He chuckled, saying, “I looked at a lotta land, but this is close to Baytown and was available, so…”
“You bought this property?” she asked, her voice raised in surprise, twisting around to look at him.
“Yeah.”
Eyes wide with her mouth hanging open, she tucked a wind-blown strand of hair behind her ear, and asked, “But…your job? I don’t understand.”
“I was going to talk to you that day that you got shot, but well…afterward, I just wanted you to focus on getting better.” He knelt so she was directly in front of him, his arms wrapped around her, holding her closely. “I quit the State Police—”
Another gasp left her lips as she gave a start, blinking at his words. “But—”
“I can’t live and work in Richmond when my heart is here with you.” A smile gentled his face and he continued, “So, I’ve been hired by the North Heron Sheriff’s Department. I work for Colt now.”
“You…you’re staying?”
“Belle, I fell in love with you and there’s nowhere else I’d rather be. So, I bought some land and brought my camper out here so that we can enjoy it when we get a chance as our house is being built.”
Eyes now bugging out, she stammered, “H-house…our house?”
“Gonna give you your dream, babe. A real house, on our own piece of land. One with an upstairs and downstairs. One with a front porch that’ll hold a swing, and a back deck, where the breeze off the bay can keep us cool.”
Tears flowed freely as Belle peered into his face, his blue eyes holding her gaze. Leaning forward, she threw her arms around his neck, kissing him with all the joy she had inside.
31
Six Months Later
The activity room in Careway was filled with wheelchairs lined on either side, mixed with a multitude of guests sitting in white folding chairs. At the front of the room was a simple, wooden archway, draped with ivory sheers and flowers.
Hunter stood underneath the archway, his blue eyes pinned to the back of the room. To one side stood Zac, Jason, Mitch, Brogan, Aiden, and Grant. On the other side, already having walked down the middle aisle, were Jillian, Madelyn, Tori, Jade, Ginny, and Katelyn.
Most of their parents, as well as other members of the American Legion and Auxiliary, were sprinkled among the Careway residents.
He thought over the last six months and knew the decision to join the North Heron Sheriff’s Department was the right move to make. He had finally settled into the new job and spent more time with friends. Baytown continued to be a place of welcome and the care they had shown Belle when she had been shot overwhelmed him. He closed his eyes for just a second at that thought. He had finally gotten to the place where he did not see her lying near death in the hospital bed constantly. But when his eyes strayed to the scar on her stomach, his heart still jolted.
Zac’s elbow against his arm caused his eyes to jump open and the doors in the back opened again. His breath caught in his throat, but this time it was awe that held his attention. There, dressed in a simple ivory wedding gown, stood the most beautiful woman he had ever seen, escorted by a beaming Mr. Rasky, wheeling next to her. The unadorned, layered, silk dress fell to her knees, swirling as Belle walked toward him. Her long hair was pulled up in a swirl of curls and tendrils falling to frame her face, with ivory ribbons threaded amongst the tresses. Her eyes stayed pinned on him and he forced his knees to lock for fear he would drop to the floor in awe of her as she neared.
When she reached the front, he could see the nervousness in her eyes and stepped forward taking her hand from Mr. Rasky.
The minister said, “Mr. Rasky, I believe you would like to say something?”
Belle’s eyes widened, just as surprised as he was. This had not been part of the rehearsal. He drew her closer to him, turning her slightly so they were both facing the older man.
Clearing his throat, Mr. Rasky said, “Didn’t have any daughters, so I never got to do this. Shocked as hell when you asked me to give you away. But, then, it seemed right, ‘cause if I had had a daughter, I would have wanted her to be just like you.”
He felt Belle’s shoulder begin to quiver and he wrapped his arm around her protectively.
“So, Belle, you can tell the impact you have on people when you have a gathering like this, all willing to call you their own. You got friends, you got family. Might not be the family you were born into, but you got family.” He then turned his eyes toward him and said, “I knew when I first met you what kind of man you were, and I was not wrong. No one better for this woman. So, I’m pleased to give her to you.”
At that, Belle bent, embracing Mr. Rasky, her eyes filled with tears. With a final pat on her back, he rolled back to sit next to Ms. Betina.
Saying their vows, the ceremony was soon over, and he leaned down to kiss his bride. Stopping just before his lips hit hers, he whispered, “From now on, every sunrise is yours.” Before she had a chance to burst into tears, he stole her breath with a kiss.
Two Years Later
The high school auditorium was filled with parents and students. Graduation was a week away, but the Senior Awards Ceremony was taking place and Belle sat with Hunter near the front. Multitudes of awards and scholarships earned were handed out.
Finally, the principal stood and said, “Each year, we have a senior give a speech and it is our honor to have the teachers and students choose the person they think exemplifies the Senior Class. This year, I am pleased that the student chosen has received a full scholarship to the university of her choice and has received many awards today. She is a teen volunteer at Careway Nursing Home and has donated numerous hours to the local battered women’s shelter. It’s my honor to present to you today, Miss Brittany Barton.”
She and Hunter clapped heartedly, along with everyone else, as Brittany stepped up to the podium, nervously looking over the crowd. Brittany’s eyes landed on Belle sitting in the front, and smiled, her beautiful face glowing.
“On this road we call life, there are many twists and turns, bumps and potholes, one-ways and detours, yields and stops. And sometimes as we travel this life road, we wonder where we’re going and how we’ll get there. If we’re lucky, we have family in our lives that guide us, point us in the right direction, give us a helping hand over the bumps and holes, assist our decisions when we come to an intersection. For some of us though, our birth family is unable or incapable of filling that role in our lives. When that happens, we have to turn to others to point the way.
“I was fortunate that many years ago, I lived near such a person. Someone who took the time to get to know me. Someone who told me I was beautiful and smart and worthy. Took the time to make sure I had breakfast before school. Someone who drove me to the bus stop when I was afraid. Someone who gave me a safe place to hang out when things at home became too difficult. Someone who clothed me when they saw a need.
“Someone who taught me that each new day is a beginning and that the possibilities are endless. And, especially, one night when my world crashed, someone who took my hand and did not let go, helping me onto another road that was paved with goodness.”
Belle’s breath caught in her throat and Hunter’s arm snaked around her shoulders, pulling her toward his strength. She pressed her fingers to her lips in a futile attempt to keep the tears from falling.
“There are other people I have met on my life’s road who have offered assistance as well. Teachers, my wonderful foster parents, a dear social worker, friends. But, I will always cherish the one person who reached out to me first, taking the hand of a scared little girl and showing her the way to a better life. She taught me to dream, and to work as hard as I could to make that dream come true. Her grandmother gave her that advice and now I pass it on to you.
“You can be what you want, but it all starts with a dream. So, I encourage you to find the people in your life who can help you on your journey. For me, Belle, you will always have my eternal gratitude and the only way I can return the gift is to let you know that I will pass it on to someone else and help them through their life.”
The audience erupted into cheers, but Belle only heard the beating of her heart and the feel of Hunter’s arm holding her tight.
One Year Later
Hunter rolled over, not surprised to find that the other side of the bed was empty. He lifted his head and viewed Belle sitting on the deep cushion of the window seat, tucked underneath the large bay window in their bedroom. Her face was turned to the side as she watched the sun rise.
His smile broadened, staring at the serene expression on her face as she held their baby boy. She was whispering, and he did not have to hear her words clearly to know that she was telling him about the new day dawning and the possibilities that it could bring.
He leaned his head up, propped on his hand with his elbow on the pillow, and stared, unsure he could take the idea of more possibilities. That Dan Simmons’ son had made a good life for himself. That such beauty was his. A family was his. This house on the beach was his. He had a good job and good friends.
She turned her head and noticed him staring at her. A smile curved the corners of her lips and she glanced down at the now-sleeping bundle in her arms before looking back up and mouthing, “I love you.”
“Love you too, babe,” he whispered. His gaze drifted to the window behind her and he watched the sky turn shades of lighter blue, creating a halo behind her head. Tossing back the covers, he rose from the bed and padded over to her, looking down at their sleeping son. “I’ll put him back down,” he whispered again and gently lifted the baby from her arms. He bent to take her lips in a soft kiss before turning and walking out of the room toward the nursery.
Belle’s eyes followed Hunter until he was out of sight, but the glory of her man carrying their son almost seared her eyes, so she turned back to stare out the window. As the sun rose over her house, setting on their piece of land, having an upstairs and a downstairs, a front porch with a swing, and a back deck, where the breeze off the bay kept them cool, she smiled.
“I dreamed, Grannie. I dreamed, and I worked hard. And now,” she whispered, turning her head toward Hunter as he walked back into the room, “I have it all.”
Standing, she moved back to the bed and they climbed in together, making the most of their time before the sun rose higher.
Baytown Boys (small town, military romantic suspense)
Coming Home
Just One More Chance
Clues of the Heart
Finding Peace
Picking Up the Pieces
Sunset Flames
Waiting for Sunrise
Mace (Lighthouse Security Investigations)
Heroes at Heart (Military Romance)
Zander
Rafe
Cael
Jaxon
Jayden (coming 2019)
Asher (Coming 2019)
Zeke (coming 2019)
Saint’s Protection & Investigations (Military Romantic Suspense)
Serial Love
Healing Love
Revealing Love
Seeing Love
Honor Love
Sacrifice Love
Protecting Love
Remember Love
Discover Love
Surviving Love
Celebrating Love
Searching Love
Alvarez Security (military romantic suspense)
Gabe
Tony
Vinny
Jobe
Sleeper SEAL
Thin Ice
Letters From Home (military romance)
Class of Love
Freedom of Love
Bond of Love
&nbs
p; The Love’s Series (detectives)
Love’s Taming
Love’s Tempting
Love’s Trusting
The Fairfield Series (small town detectives)
Emma’s Home
Laurie’s Time
Carol’s Image
Fireworks Over Fairfield
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Waiting for Sunrise: Baytown Boys Series Page 23