Better Watch Out
Page 22
Epilogue
Scents of roasting turkey and fresh pine mingled in the air, with a hint of wood smoke coming from the fireplace. Jackie smoothed her kelly green skirt and watched Todd open a computer game with glee.
She still found it hard to accept that she was entitled to this mind-boggling sense of euphoria. The horror was truly over. Seth Bislow lay paralyzed from the neck down awaiting trial. Steve Pinta also awaited trial on burglary charges plus several other charges that stemmed from moving Brad Volmer’s body.
Frank had taken Bessie to Florida to visit friends and look at property. He seemed subdued and more attentive with Seth Bislow out of their lives.
Heather opened her telescope with a shout of glee. Jackie smiled at J.D. and he grinned back at her.
“Here, Jackie. It’s your turn to open a present.”
Jackie accepted the much-taped box from Todd and plucked away the piece of tinsel hanging from his hair. Todd laughed, but both children watched anxiously as she undid the wrappings and finally removed the lid.
The yellow teddy bear nested inside a bed of tissue paper.
Her gaze flashed to J.D. He watched her almost as anxiously as the two children.
She examined the uneven stitches and the implausible wide green button eyes. A matching green ribbon was now tied around its neck. The children, of course. She’d forgotten all about them finding the bear at the shop that day. This was why it had disappeared.
With hands that trembled she lifted it, knowing she didn’t have to be afraid of a stuffed teddy bear any more. As the bear came free of the tissue paper, a bright red ribbon tied around its arm made her catch her breath. A diamond ring hung suspended from that bit of ribbon.
Jackie stared. Her heart filled with such love she thought she might burst A tear spilled from one eye. Heather, who’d moved to sit at her side, wrapped her arms around Jackie. “We didn’t want you to be sad any more,” she said.
Todd nodded agreement.
“I’m not sad. I’m happy. It’s wonderful. You’re wonderful.”
“Daddy, too?” Heather asked.
Jackie met his gaze, seeing her love reflected there. “Especially Daddy.”
Aunt Dottie coughed and reached for a handkerchief to blot her eyes. J.D. left his chair to kneel in front of her. “I’m glad you think so. We’re a package deal, you know, so this is a package proposal. Will you marry us?”
“You have to say yes,” Todd told her. “It’s Christmas.”
She wasn’t sure she could get anything past her emotion-clogged throat.
“But if I marry you, I’ll be Jackie Frost,” she managed to tease finally.
“That’s okay, Jackie,” Heather assured her. “That’s Daddy’s name, too.”
“What?” Startled, she stared at him.
J.D. nodded, a wry expression on his face. “You’d better know the worst up front. Jack Daniel Frost. My father has a warped sense of humor. You’ll see that when you meet him this afternoon.”
“Jack and Jackie Frost?” she asked faintly.
“What could be more appropriate?” Aunt Dottie asked, clearing her throat. “I can’t imagine two people better suited to keeping Christmas in their hearts all year, can you?”
Jackie looked at each face, lingering on J.D.’s. “No, Aunt Dottie. I can’t Merry Christmas, darling.”
eISBN 978-14592-6864-7
BETTER WATCH OUT
Copyright © 1997 by Patncia A. Gagne
All rights reserved Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilization of this work in whole or in part in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including xerography, photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, is forbidden without the written permission of the publisher, Harlequin Enterprises Limited, 225 Duncan Mill Road, Don Mills, Ontario, Canada M3B 3K9.
All characters in this book have no existence outside the imagination of the author and have no relation whatsoever to anyone bearing the same name or names. They are not even distantly inspired by any individual known or unknown to the author, and all incidents are pure invention.
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Printed in U.S.A.
Table of Contents
Cover Page
Table of Contents
Excerpt
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Books by Dani Sinclair
Dedication
Acknowledgments
CAST OF CHARACTERS
Prologue
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Epilogue
Copyright