by Jennie Jones
Frances was beaming and when their gazes met, she nodded at Jax, showing approval for her mother’s amazing feat of bravery.
It gave Jax a moment of pure pride.
Her eyes went back to Jack, and her gaze stuck to him.
What now? his expression said. ‘Your call,’ he mouthed silently.
She went to him, arms outstretched.
He caught her and swung her around, making Jimmy jump off his stool to get out of the way.
‘That was a little unusual,’ he murmured into her ear once people around them backed away, giving them what little space was left at the far end of the counter.
‘I know,’ she whispered back. ‘Is it okay?’
‘It’s more than okay.’
‘Have I embarrassed you?’
‘Totally.’
She laughed. ‘I love you so much.’
‘I hope by now you know I love you too.’
She did. Oh, how she did.
‘Paula,’ Rosie shouted to their waitress, who was dumbstruck by the till, a fifty-dollar note in her hand. ‘Quick, go get a dozen bottles of champagne from the hotel. We’re going to hand out Bucks Fizz. On the house, folks!’
‘You’re not licensed,’ Jack advised, frowning at her.
Rosie laughed. ‘Spoilsport!’ She turned to Frances. ‘Hey, niece, give me hand. We’re making celebration sundaes and I’ve just put you in charge of the toppings.’
‘If you’re going to boss me around all day,’ Frances said, following Rosie towards the kitchen, ‘I’m going home now.’
Home.
Jax watched her sister and her daughter, love for them overflowing.
‘You’re under my thumb, kid,’ Rosie said. ‘Like it or lump it.’
Family.
‘The last time you made them, you put too many chocolate buttons on top,’ Frances responded. ‘You can make a person sick by giving them too much chocolate. Some people could be diabetic and not know it. Have you thought about that—Auntie Rosie?’
‘You talk way too much, niece.’
‘Stop calling me that.’
Their voices trailed away when the kitchen door closed.
Hearts. Some a little wary or scared, some unsure about the future, but each of them full and generous.
‘I love this town,’ Jax murmured, and only realised she’d spoken aloud when Jack answered, ‘Me too.’
Their eyes locked and so much was said between them, in silence.
‘You’re sure?’ she asked.
‘You think I’m not?’
She shook her head. ‘I can’t quite believe it, that’s all.’
‘I didn’t come here for the op, or simply because I’m used to working undercover. I came here for you. I jumped at the chance. I leapt at it. Now look what you’ve given me. A family. You, Frances, Rosie—and possibly Davidson sometime in the future. Yes, I’m sure.’
‘Neither of us have parents, Jack. I want to be a good parent.’
‘We will be. For Frances, and for any other children we’re granted.’
‘Really?’ she asked. ‘You want children?’
‘Babies,’ he said, his mouth curving in a smile. ‘I want them with you. How many shall we have?’
She pushed her arms around his neck again, hugging him hard. Every day, every night, they’d be together, working it all out.
‘I never truly believed I’d have a family of my own,’ he said softly, cradling her. ‘Now, I’ve got you and Frances.’
‘I’ll gladly give you everything I have.’
‘I’ll take whatever you’ve got.’ He pressed his mouth to her cheek. ‘Remember what I said about this town having heart?’
She nodded, her pulse beating hard as the adrenaline inside her rushed through her all over again.
‘Kiss!’ Mrs Frith shouted. ‘We want a kiss!’
The detectives started clapping to a rhythm and everyone joined in. ‘Kiss. Kiss. Kiss.’
But Jax couldn’t take her attention off her man.
‘It’s you, Jax,’ he said, in a soft yet intense tone. ‘You’re my world. You’re my place with heart.’
She was on a new journey, and this time, she’d made all the right decisions. Whatever came at them next, they’d be together to see it through. Gratitude and love warmed her, body and soul. All her passion, and her undying love for her family and for the broader community of her friends, swamped the noise of cheering and chanting around her.
Jack was smiling at her, his love for her shining in his creased, amused, brown eyes. Her daughter was in the kitchen, no doubt bickering with Rosie, but settling into life here, as she was supposed to. And the lonely woman with pink wellies and a plethora of rescued animals was the happiest woman in the world.
Mother Nature had surely spun a rainbow over them all today.
Jax was going to climb a hill for the rest of her life, waiting to touch that rainbow and thank it for being there, above them, showing them what happiness looked like after a storm.
Life was good.
‘Now,’ Jack said. ‘How about that kiss?’
Acknowledgements
I send enormous thanks to every professional who helped send this novel to publication: the many dedicated and knowledgeable people at Harlequin, including Sue Brockhoff and Kate Cuthbert who have supported me along my journey, and with special thanks to my commissioning editor, Rachael Donovan, editor Julia Knapman, and to my editor for this novel, Annabel Adair, who helped me see my way clearly around the edits needed for this story.
To Catherine Evans, author, writing buddy and friend—thank you so much for your encouragement and support for every story I write. You’re never daunted by all the chapters or scenes I send you to read while I fight to find the right storyline. My thanks aren’t enough, Cath.
Juanita Kees and Lily Malone, thank you for reading this story and for your feedback. Many Western Australia authors have now become part of my everyday environment in one way or another and I couldn’t be happier to have them in my writerly world. I look forward to upcoming author ventures and adventures, right here in Perth, Western Australia, with Rachael Johns, Tess Woods and Anthea Hodgson. Writers make me think, make me want to write when the going gets tough, and often make me feel ‘normal’ as we offer support to each other for the ever-changing demands of working in our challenging but much-loved industry.
Finally, and most importantly, I again thank Senior Sergeant Heath Soutar, Collie Police Station, for answering my many questions so patiently. These books in my Rangelands series could not have been written without his experience, his willingness to assist me, and his good humour along the way.
Any errors in policing or procedure are entirely mine and on occasion I have used fictional licence where I thought it necessary.
My regards go to all our good Australian police officers, but most especially—thank you, Heath!
Connect with us for info on our new releases, access to exclusive offers, free online reads and much more!
Subscribe to our newsletter
Share your reading experience on:
Harlequin Books
Facebook
Twitter
Watch our reviews, author interviews and more on Harlequin TV
ISBN: 9781489246899
TITLE: A PLACE WITH HEART
First Australian Publication 2018
Copyright © 2018 Jennie Jones
All rights reserved. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, down-loaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of publisher:
Harlequin Mira
An imprint of Harlequin Enterprises (Australia) Pty Ltd.
Level 13, 201
Elizabeth St
SYDNEY NSW 2000
AUSTRALIA
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
This edition published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A.
® and ™ are trademarks owned by Harlequin Enterprises Limited or its corporate affiliates and used by others under licence. Trademarks marked with an ® are registered in Australia and in other countries. Contact [email protected] for details.
www.harlequinbooks.com.au