“Hmm…I like this possessive streak. Maybe later we could—”
“Jeez, guys, there are small children present.” Granola wedged them apart. “Think you could do us all a favor and get a room?”
“Ignore him,” Pam said. “You two and the twins are the cutest family here.”
“Thank you,” Emma said. “We might be cute, but you’re looking gorgeous.”
“You like?” Her friend did a flirty pirouette, causing the full skirt of her daringly low-cut white sundress to flare.
“I love,” Emma said, adjusting Bronwyn’s sunbonnet to better shade her eyes.
“Some Saturday when our guys are out doing their thing, we’ll have to hit the Gulf Shores outlet mall.”
“Sounds fun.”
Granola nudged Jace. “Makes you warm all over, doesn’t it? While we’re off protecting the free world, our women are out shopping.”
Laughing, Jace said, “I prefer to think of them doing their part to stimulate the economy.”
After everyone ate their fill of barbecue and potato, macaroni and fruit salads, the men wandered off to check out a friend’s new motorcycle.
Emma and Pam had stretched out on a blanket in the shade beneath a towering live oak.
Bea and Bronwyn sat between them, poking at each other’s noses and eyes.
“They really are amazing,” Pam said, cupping Bea’s tiny left foot. “I totally get how you fell for them so fast.”
“Which makes it all the more inconceivable how Vicki could’ve left them.”
“I know. Do you and Jace ever talk about what you’ll do if she shows up, wanting the girls back?”
“Sort of,” Emma said. One of the buttons on Bea’s sailor dress had come undone, so she covered her nerves by performing the menial task. “Honestly, even though I’ve never seen the woman, she scares me to death. Without her even knowing it, she holds the power to turn our lives upside down.”
“Will told me Jace was planning to pop the question to you. Has he?”
“Sort of,” Emma said with a shy smile. As much as she enjoyed Pam’s company, sometimes she could be as brazen with her comments as her husband.
“Interesting answer,” Pam said with a big grin. “I’ll take that as my cue to butt out. But as a follow-up question, do you think if Vicki did take back the babies that you and Jace would stay together?”
Not that she’d admit it, but Emma had wondered the same thing. Whether Jace truly loved her, or the idea of her being the mother to his twins, insuring he’d never have to go the whole single-parent route. In all fairness to Jace, though, a large part of his appeal was the fact that he was a package deal with the girls. If he suddenly no longer had them, would they still have something left to base their relationship upon? Without the common ground of the babies what would they even talk about?
“You’re taking a long time to answer,” Pam noted.
“I know.” Hands covering her face, Emma said, “Now that you mention it, that is something to consider. Which is why Jace and I aren’t rushing into anything.”
“Fair enough.”
After a few minutes of companionable silence, both women staring up through Spanish moss-draped branches at the azure sky, Pam said, “Can you keep a secret?”
Rolling onto her side to face her friend, Emma said, “Sure.”
“Okay…” After a deep breath, Pam blurted, “I think I’m pregnant.”
“And Will doesn’t know?”
“We’ve tried for so long, I don’t want to get his hopes up.”
Bea had drifted off to sleep, and Emma skimmed her finger along the infant’s cheek. “What symptoms are you having?”
“Bloated, exhausted, puking every morning at nine-fifteen, aching boobs and feet, my period’s three weeks late.” Grinning, Pam asked, “What else could it be?”
“I’m so happy for you,” Emma said, trying not to be sad for herself. For the baby she’d lost. “Why don’t you get a drugstore test?”
“You’ll think I’m stupid, but truthfully, I’m afraid. What if, after getting my hopes up, it turns out that I’m not pregnant? How do I deal with the disappointment?”
“Good question.” Emma, of all people, certainly didn’t have the answer. “I guess all you can do is keep trying. Which, considering how cute your husband is, shouldn’t be all that hard.”
Pam burst out laughing. “Did my prim and proper friend really just suggest I do more hanky-panky with my hubby?”
Furiously blushing, Emma couldn’t help but laugh along with her. Since meeting Jace, she had come a long way toward loosening up. Back to covering her face, she said, “I meant no such thing. You obviously jumped to the wrong conclusion.”
“Uh-huh.” Pam winked. “Which leads me to wonder how much hanky-panky has been going on between you and Jace?”
“HAVE A NICE DAY?” Jace asked Emma from the prime piece of lakeside real estate he’d staked out earlier in the day. Since it was already dark, the fireworks would be starting any minute. Pam had told Granola she was tired, and since Bronwyn and Bea were already asleep in their stroller, she’d offered to take them with her.
“The best. Although I do miss my family. While you were off doing your man thing, I spoke to Mom and Dad and some cousins on my cell.”
Jace kissed the top of her head. “I miss my folks, too. I meant to call them this morning before we left the house, but forgot.”
“Have you told them about…us?”
“Not yet. But I will. Soon.”
“Yeah,” Emma said. “Me, too.”
“You’re not having second thoughts, are you?” He wished it were lighter outside, so that he could better see her face. Worry seized him.
“Not at all. I just don’t want a lecture from Mom, telling me not to jump into anything, and to be sure and think every little decision through.”
“Ditto,” Jace said with a sarcastic snort.
“Don’t you just hate that? Like, how old are we? Do we really need our parents telling us what to do?”
“No, but think about it. Now that we’re parents, don’t you think that one day we’ll do the same? I imagine it’s tough letting your babies go. Hey…” With the pads of his thumbs, he brushed away Emma’s tears. If it hadn’t been for the fireworks starting, reflecting off the glassy lake, darkness would’ve hidden them from him. “What’s wrong?”
Sniffling, she smiled. “Nothing’s wrong. I’m happy. You said that we were parents, and I’m sorry, I just lost it.”
“Which only makes me surer that we’re making the right decision.”
The latest batch of fireworks exploded with enough force to make the ground tremble.
Jace flinched.
“You all right?”
“Yeah,” he said, smoke flavoring the air. “Explosions this close to home make me nervous—even if they are for entertainment purposes.”
“Have you seen much combat?”
“Enough.” After the wedding, he’d fill her in on the sometimes ugly realities of being a military wife.
“What—”
“Shh…” He tugged her closer, with her back to his chest, nuzzling his face in her hair. “Let’s enjoy the show.”
With Emma in his arms, he forgot his every worry, focusing instead on the kaleidoscope of lights.
By the time the show finished, it was past ten, and the lights had changed to the red of taillights on the vehicles leaving the base.
The night was warm but damp, scented with honeysuckle and night-blooming jasmine. Walking hand-in-hand with Emma alongside other military families, Jace imagined himself in years to come. Carrying a sleeping child, a brother or sister to the twins, so limp and trusting the child resembled a rag doll in his or her father’s arms.
Emma said, “Pam asked me something interesting today.”
“Oh?” They crossed the quiet street leading into their neighborhood.
“She wondered if Vicki were to show up, demanding to take the babies with he
r, would we stay together?”
Jace stopped and released Em’s hand. Incredulous, he asked, “Of course, we would. Why would you even bring up something like that? Was it Pam wondering? Or you?”
“Pam. But then I got to thinking, other than the girls, what do we have in common? Without them, what would we talk about? Laugh about? Dream about?”
“You worry too much,” Jace said and resumed walking.
“Do I?” she asked, jogging after him, taking two steps to his every one. “Jace, as much as I love being with you, I’m scared. We are rushing into this, and—”
He stopped her with a kiss.
A kiss different from all they’d previously shared in that Jace had never before had so much to lose. Shifting from high gear into low, she groaned, pressing herself even closer to him.
“I promise,” he said in his most authoritative tone, cupping her face to urge her gaze to meet his, “I will do everything in my power to keep the girls with us.”
“And if you can’t?” Fear trembled her words, hurting him to his core.
Trying to lighten the moment, but for the first time in his life incapable of thinking of a single funny thing to say, he settled for, “Might sound like a movie cliché, but Em, when—if—Vicki shows up, this is a case where failure is not an option.”
THEY’D BEEN HOME ten minutes—barely enough time to tuck the sleeping girls into their cribs after having picked them up at Pam and Granola’s, when the phone rang.
“It’s probably Pam,” Emma called, already on her way to the kitchen. “We no doubt forgot something.”
Jace laughed. “And here I thought we’d done a great job of, for once, traveling light.”
“Hey, Pam,” Emma said into the receiver. “Did we leave bottles or diapers?”
“Both,” Emma’s friend said with a laugh. “I’m just checking to see if you have spares.”
“Bunches. But thanks for the call.” Before hanging up, Emma made arrangements to pick everything up in the morning. Jace stood in the doorway of the kitchen.
Emma stared at him. She was suddenly gripped with the urge to run her hands up his chest. He was so strong. So solid. Ready to take on not only the big outside world, but their little one. Oh, how she loved him for that.
Covering her fingers with his, he brought them to his lips. His exhalations were hot. Erotic. Surging through her with a forbidden thrill. “I love you.”
“I love you, too.” Backing up, she twined their hands, taking him along with her.
“Where are we going?” he asked.
“I’m not sure.”
Pulling her against him, he kissed her hard, then soft, groaning his pleasure. “You taste so damned good.”
“Y-you, too,” she barely managed past startling anticipation. Her pulse had turned crazy. Her breathing short and choppy. The sudden knowledge that she wanted Jace inside her both scared her and filled her with hope.
Lifting his T-shirt, she drew it over his chest, aching for the feel of her skin next to his.
“Whoa…” he said when she began unbuttoning the bodice of her sundress. “Slow down. We have all night.”
With her dress pooled at her feet, she unlatched her bra, tossing it to the floor. “But I want you now,” she said, pressing her bared breasts against him, loving the feel of his coarse chest hair raking her sensitive nipples.
Struggling to open his fly, he laughed. “Lord, woman, you’ve got me so damned hard, my buttons don’t work.”
“I’ll help.” Fueled by a sense of urgency, she sprung him free, dragging down his boxers and jeans so quickly as to make him lose balance.
Laughing, they landed on the hall carpet in a tangle of naked limbs. Jace broke their fall, cushioning her by taking the brunt on his backside.
“My hero,” she teased. In her current position, his need pulsed against her, exciting her as if this were her first time. But then, maybe it was. She’d never experienced such sexual urgency before.
“Come here,” he said, deepening their kiss, sliding his fingers beneath the fall of her hair. “Are you sure this is what you want? That you’re ready?”
Nodding, relishing the taste of him, the feel, the wholly masculine, sunbaked smell, she pushed herself lightly up before settling on top of him, taking him in.
Not just inside her body, but forever into her heart.
AFTER SHOWERING, then sharing a late-night snack of microwave popcorn, Oreos and milk, Jace lay in bed with Emma using his chest for a pillow. Making love to her had been beyond amazing, transporting him deep into a realm where he’d never before been. She made him feel alive and needed and perfectly content with his lot in life.
“Jace?”
“Um-hmm,” he said, stroking her silky hair.
“Remember how a while back, I told you there’s something about me that I couldn’t tell you—not yet?” He didn’t like the tremble to her tone.
Tensing, he pulled away from her and said, “So help me God, if you’re about to tell me you’re married, I’ll—”
“It’s nothing like that,” she said, moonlight spilling through open blinds revealing the honesty in her eyes, but also shining, unshed tears. “Promise.”
“Okay.” He forced a deep breath. “Let’s hear it.”
“You once asked how I learned so much about caring for babies.”
“Yes.” With each shred of hesitancy in her speech, his pulse grew more erratic.
“I had a child. Henry. He was perfect in every way, and—” She hesitated. “And h-he died.”
Died? So many questions ran through Jace’s head. But then his love for her overrode all else. “Oh, Emma.” Instinct had him pulling her into his arms, wishing he could somehow erase the pain causing her tears. They were ugly tears. Torrents of grief pouring from her soul. Never had Jace hurt to such a degree, and it killed him that there was nothing he could do for Emma but hold her until her sobs subsided.
WALKING THE INFANTS the next morning, pushing their stroller through the park’s sun-dappled shade and air freshened by an overnight rain, Emma felt as if she’d been washed clean. Though she still mourned Henry, sharing her loss with Jace, allowing him to help her bear the enormous weight, had been such a relief.
Unlike Rick, Jace hadn’t assigned blame, but merely listened. Truly listened to every detail of her lost baby that she’d cared to share. And when she’d finished, and cried more, he’d held her, cradling her, stroking her, showing her in a hundred small ways how much she was loved.
“Your daddy’s amazing,” she said to the girls.
Bronwyn bucked in her seat, squeezing her teething ring. Bea, meanwhile, had managed to get herself all tangled up in the seat belt and leg harness. Face scrunched into a scowl, the infant’s red leg told her painful story.
“Poor baby,” Emma said, making quick work of freeing the girl, then giving her leg a gentle rub. “All better.”
Bea sniffled that she wasn’t so sure. But then a butterfly came along, capturing her attention.
While the baby closed and opened her fist, Emma laughed. The sound had bubbled up from inside a place so long forgotten, she’d never thought to find it again. But there it was, and here she was, her heart so full, she wanted the whole world to share in her joy.
“YOU’RE A chair hog,” Jace halfheartedly complained.
“I was here first,” Emma argued, snuggling against him in the oversized recliner. It’d been Jace’s turn to pick the movie they watched, so an action adventure blared through stereo speakers. Bronwyn and Bea were long since in their cribs, but with all of the explosions rattling the walls, it was a wonder they hadn’t wakened. “You’re the one who’s a chair crasher.”
“A chair crasher?” he teased, nuzzling her neck. “Even for you, that’s pretty low.” After kissing her forehead, nose and then lips, he added, “Now, you’re going to have to pay.”
“Ooooh,” she said, wearing a playful grin, “I’m so scared.”
“You will be after I—�
�
The phone rang.
“Who in the hell is that?” Jace said, glaring toward the kitchen.
“Let it ring,” Emma urged, tugging him closer.
“I would, but on the off chance it’s my CO, I really should answer.”
Though Emma understood, that didn’t mean she had to like his leaving. Using the remote, she turned down the movie’s blaring soundtrack.
Jace returned, handing her the phone. “Caller ID is blank. Could it be your mom?”
“You’re such a chicken,” Emma said, shaking her head. “Hand me the phone.”
“Hello?” Emma said into the receiver.
“I—I have to—” said a woman in a reedy voice Emma didn’t recognize. Then she hung up.
“Hello? Hello?”
“Who was it?” Jace asked, standing in front of the recliner, hands on his hips. “Not that prank caller again? I’ve had it with those punks. I’m calling the cops and…”
“Jace!” Emma cried, suddenly afraid. “It wasn’t a kid, but a woman. She sounded like she was crying. Could it have been Vicki?”
“What?”
“Do you think all those other hang-ups could have been her?” Trembling from head to toe, Emma drew her knees to her chest, tightly wrapping them with her arms.
“Hey…” Jace sat beside her, scooping her onto his lap. Hugging her, cocooning her in his strength, he said, “Let’s not panic, okay?”
Emma couldn’t stop shaking.
She fully realized that the worst that could happen was Vicki being granted partial custody, hurting their new family. But that potential loss morphed into memories she couldn’t suppress.
Losing Henry had been excruciating. To one night be holding him, rocking him, breathing in his unique smell, only to wake the next morning to greet him with hugs and kisses, but find him grey instead of pink. Cold instead of warm. Stiff with rigor mortis instead of soft and snuggling against her breasts.
She couldn’t stop shaking.
“Emma,” Jace softly urged. “Come on, sweetheart. Hold it together.”
She shook her head.
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