by Honor Bound
“Officially this was a joint operation. And in case I don’t see her before I go back to Seattle, please thank Mrs. Lawson for her help.” Agent McCord hesitated. “I’m sorry for my original suspicions. Make sure she understands that Simon was very fond of her. She brightened his last months with her friendship.”
“I’ll do that.”
Ben shook hands again with McCord and then headed for the duplex. He would return to the station later to write reports and deal with the inevitable media questions, but first he had to see Kelly. Taking part in the operation had probably killed any hope of her marrying him, but he hadn’t seen any choice.
Fear wasn’t any way to live. No matter how much he wanted to be with her, he wanted something real. He could only have that with Kelly if she wanted it, too.
As he approached the house he saw his uncle with one of the FBI agents in the carport. Their alert watchfulness eased as he parked and waved.
“What happened?” Henry asked eagerly. “All Agent Ziggler got was a text message saying it was over.”
“It sounds as if you miss being part of the action. You want your old job back?”
Henry punched him lightly on the forearm. “Nonsense, but that doesn’t mean I’m not interested. Now spill, before I have to do something drastic.”
Ben laughed. “We impounded a load of Chinese antiquities and arrested the middle and lower echelons of the organization.”
“Don’t tell me the rest escaped.”
“Nope, the top level eliminated themselves. They were mostly Chinese nationals, and may have realized what could happen if they were extradited. I understand China takes the loss of their state treasures very seriously.”
Henry whistled. “What about the mayor?”
“We warned him not to leave town. The district attorney is considering if he should be charged as an accessory to smuggling and murder. The question is whether he knew what his brother was doing and tried to help cover it. I suspect he was just an unwitting dupe when he gave Frank information on the investigation.”
Ben shifted restlessly. Any other time he’d be happy to continue discussing the case, but he had other… The door off the carport opened and Toby came running out, closely followed by Kelly and Gina.
“Poppa!”
Ben crouched and hugged his son. “Hey, pal.”
“I didn’t hafta go to school. Aunt Gina said so.”
“I know. It was a special day.” Ben met Kelly’s gaze over Toby’s head. She was pale, with strained lines around her mouth. “Uh, I need to speak with Miss Kelly right now, is that okay?”
“Okay.”
Ben released Toby and pulled Kelly out of earshot. Without giving her a chance to object he drew her to him, burying his fingers in her hair and kissing her with every ounce of his pent-up adrenaline. When they finally broke apart, he gazed into her face.
“I was a jerk when we were kids. The truth is, I left because of how you made me feel. I was dumb and afraid to have faith in anything, so I screwed up and hurt you. Except I’m the one who lost out.”
She didn’t say anything, and he stroked her cheek.
“Kelly, I know it’s hard to trust me, but I love you and I’m asking you to try one more time…to give me the chance I threw away. Maybe if I’d let the FBI go after the smugglers alone you wouldn’t be so worried about—”
“Stop.” She touched a finger to his mouth, her eyes dark with remembered fear. “You were just doing your job.”
“And if it stays my job, can you live with that?”
KELLY WAS AWARE OF EVERYONE watching them from across the yard, some with hope, some with curiosity, but nothing mattered except Ben. She knew that finally. She’d been terrified for his safety, but the realization that he could die without hearing her say she loved him had frightened her, as well.
Important things should never be left unsaid.
All this time she’d been trying to evaluate the risks of loving and trusting Ben and wondering if she had the courage to take those risks. But refusing to be with him wouldn’t change how she felt. A thousand years could go by and she would still love him, whether they were together or not.
That meant that some choices couldn’t be made with the head; they had to be made with the heart.
“Yes,” she whispered. “I love you, too.”
Ben whooped and spun her around. Kelly was breathless when he released her. “You know what this means, don’t you?” he asked. “What?”
“You have to marry me. I’m a public official. I have to set an example. It’s part of my job.”
She fought a smile. “Is that so?”
“Absolutely.” Ben’s eyes grew serious. “I want to do right by this town, Kelly, and I have so many ideas to make Sand Point safer. But I want to do right by you even more. Please marry me.”
Marriage.
Memories of the past ran through her mind—of love and laughter and tears, weddings and funerals…of good decisions and bad. Her love for Ben was different than before, yet so was she. They were both different.
“Yes,” she whispered with a kiss.
The battles, both inward and outward, hadn’t all been fought—and she knew that some would be lost—but on balance, she believed most would be won.
Because now they’d be fighting them together.
Five months later…
“HEY,” BEN CALLED, closing the door against the foggy weather. “Anybody home?”
His wife gave him a stormy look from the couch and he remembered the fight they’d had that morning. She obviously hadn’t forgiven him. That was okay—he knew how to get her in a better mood given the right amount of time and privacy. They fought on a regular basis, but it made life entertaining, and they always made up.
Making up was the best part.
“Toby needs a ride to the Bormans’ house,” she said shortly. “He should be there by six for dinner.”
Toby ran down the stairs. “I’m s’posed to go to Jimmie’s to sleep, ’cep maybe I should stay and help take care of Mama.” He was sometimes reluctant to leave Kelly after what had happened with Dawn, but the family counselor they’d consulted said his anxiety would ease over time, and with enough reassurance.
Ben ruffled his son’s hair. “I’ll take care of Mama tonight. Give her a hug and go jump in the Jeep. Be gentle,” he said as Toby ran to Kelly. She was recovering from a sprained ankle…which was why they’d been fighting. She simply wouldn’t take it easy.
“I’m fine,” she said as Toby threw his arms around her. “Enjoy yourself and remember to say please and thank you.”
“I will.” He gave her a fierce hug and smack on the cheek.
KELLY WIGGLED HER TOES in the warmth from the fireplace, waiting for Ben to return. The doctor wanted her to elevate her ankle periodically to reduce the swelling, but he’d also said walking was the best treatment. Ben had disagreed when she insisted on cooking breakfast, so she’d asked where he had gotten his medical degree.
He hadn’t liked the question.
Still, it was nice to sit and write to her heart’s content.
At Ben’s urging she’d quit her public affairs position at City Hall, though it was a better place to work now that Phillip Stone was no longer mayor. The district attorney had decided not to file charges against him, but in the ensuing scandal Phillip resigned from office and moved away from Sand Point. No one regretted seeing him go. The town had had enough of smooth politicians for a while.
Frodo stretched out next to Kelly on the couch with a grumpy glare. He disliked the laptop computer Ben had given her for Christmas—modern technology was an affront as far as he was concerned, particularly when he wanted to sit on her lap.
“It’ll be worse if I get pregnant,” she warned him. “I won’t have any lap at all.”
Half an hour later the front door opened and closed and Ben deposited a large flat box on the coffee table. “Aunt Gina wanted to send a pot of soup for dinner, but I told her a pizza might
sweeten your mood. I picked it up on the way back.”
“I am not in a bad mood,” Kelly said irritably. Ben just grinned and after a moment she grinned back. “You’re impossible.”
“So are you. That’s what makes us perfect together.”
“Is that the only thing?”
Ben traced his finger down the curve of her jaw. “I can think of a few others. Can’t you?”
“If I put my mind to it.” Kelly closed her laptop and handed it to her husband. “What kind of pizza did you get? I hope it has mushrooms.”
“Pepperoni, mushrooms and olives. Do you want beer or milk?”
She made a face. “Milk. I don’t know why everyone thinks beer goes with pizza.”
They ate on the couch having “persuaded” Frodo to find another location to lounge. He sat near the hearth with his tail switching.
“He’s plotting to overthrow the universe,” Kelly said.
“I’m sure he is, but what makes you think so?”
“It’s a given—he’s a cat. They’re always plotting to overthrow the universe.”
Ben waved his beer bottle. “I’ll drink to that.”
“So, speaking of megalomaniacs, what do you think of your parents wanting to come for another visit in May?”
He gave her a pained look. “I’m in denial and working toward passive-aggressive acceptance. At least they behaved themselves at Christmas.”
Ben’s parents weren’t the easiest people to deal with, but they were trying to build a connection with their son and grandson. They’d come to Oregon twice now—for the wedding and for Christmas—and would visit more often with any encouragement. Mrs. Santoni had even started phoning Kelly every couple of weeks. Their conversations were difficult, but Kelly gave her points for effort.
“They, uh, are considering buying a house in Sand Point.”
Beer sprayed from Ben’s mouth as he choked. “You’re kidding. It’s because they don’t like our motels, isn’t it?” He mopped up the beer with a napkin.
“I’m sure they aren’t up to Riviera standards.”
“Our motels are great,” he said staunchly. “They’re clean, safe and economical, but my parents would rather buy a house to use a couple of times a year instead of get a room in one of them. That’s probably why they won’t stay with us or Uncle Henry and Aunt Gina, either. We aren’t fancy enough.”
As much as Kelly loved hearing Ben defend Sand Point, she had to acknowledge their motels didn’t offer upscale comfort. They mostly appealed to the average tourist on a budget. As for staying with family…it wasn’t surprising the Santonis wanted neutral territory. While Ben had made some progress with his parents, she doubted the relationship would ever be comfortable.
“I told your mother about the new vacation resort that’s being planned. She asked a bunch of questions, so maybe they’ll invest in that instead. I’m sure it will provide a higher level of luxury than our other motels.”
“The mayor is doing a good job attracting new business to the community,” Ben acknowledged grumpily.
“Viv is a dynamo.”
The mention of Viv cheered Ben up. “She’s amazing. I can’t believe she talked the City Council into supporting the Teens Program for troubled kids.”
“I know. I thought we’d never get it approved.” Kelly suspected Viv had actually railroaded the City Council into giving their support. Her direct style was preferred by most everyone after Phillip Stone’s tenure as mayor. With Viv, everything was up-front. She didn’t play political games, she got the job done and took no prisoners. But she’d only agreed to a single term as mayor and had convinced Max Lawson to consider running for reelection the next go around.
Max was thinking about it. His doctor was pleased with his recovery and said he could resume normal activities. The Lawsons liked Ben and were pleased he’d wanted them to continue being part of their lives, though it was awkward whenever they mentioned Mitch. Amazingly, it was Ben who usually smoothed things over.
“I almost forgot—I have a surprise for you,” Ben said, retrieving his briefcase. He pulled out a package and handed it to her. “Take a look.”
Kelly tore the wrapping paper away and found the restored photograph of her mother as a teenager. The frame was reminiscent of the one smashed in the breakin, but it was formed of finely carved wood, rather than plastic.
She traced the butterflies on the edge with her fingertip. “Where did you get one so close to the original?”
“I found a local artisan who does this kind of work.”
“It’s lovely.” Kelly’s eyes burned, thinking of the effort Ben had gone to. He’d come full circle in how he saw Shanna. On her mother’s birthday he had even mounted a pair of blue heron metal sculptures in the front yard as a memorial. The birds blended into the natural setting, looking almost alive among the dune grasses. And, though they were nothing like the colorful yard art Shanna had once enjoyed, they invoked her spirit.
“Thank you.” Kelly leaned into her husband and gave him a kiss. “I’ll treasure it.”
“My pleasure.”
“Have you had a chance to see today’s newspaper?” she asked, sipping her milk while he ate another slice of pizza. “The headline is ‘Governor Commends Sand Point’.”
“Nope. I ran a surprise drill for my officers. It kept us busy most of the day.”
“How appropriate.” Kelly pulled out the Gazette and started reading.
“‘The Governor has cited Sand Point’s new disaster preparedness program as an example for all Oregon communities. Mayor Vivian Cox and other community representatives are praising Police Chief Ben Santoni’s strong lead—’”
“Stop,” Ben interrupted, trying to grab the paper from her. His skin had reddened slightly.
Kelly laughed and pushed him away. “Not until I finish this paragraph. Let’s see, where was I? Oh, yes.
‘Mayor Vivian Cox and other community representatives are praising Police Chief Ben Santoni’s strong leadership in initiating the program and gaining cooperation from both the public and private sectors. Since arriving in Sand Point, Chief Santoni has been instrumental in bringing down an international smuggling ring and solving the related murders of both an undercover FBI agent and a local businessman. As the nephew of much-loved retired Police Chief Henry Jefferson, Chief Santoni is a worthy successor to the position.’
“It goes on from there, talking about the other programs you’ve implemented.”
“Please, that’s embarrassing. And way over-the-top. Those programs are a group effort.” Ben succeeded in snatching the newspaper this time. He immediately crumpled it into a ball and threw it toward the fire. Frodo hissed and exploded into a run, convinced the missile was directed toward him.
“Shame on you. I’d be angry if I hadn’t asked Gina to get a dozen extra copies.”
“You didn’t.”
“I most certainly did.”
“But you were still mad at me when I got home.”
Kelly gave Ben another kiss. “And proud at the same time. What can I say? I’m a complicated woman.”
His hands sneaked under her T-shirt, warm and hard. “Fortunately, I like complicated,” he breathed, quickly dispensing with her bra and T-shirt.
“Don’t you want more pizza?” she asked innocently.
He lifted her in his arms. “Not as much as I want my wife.”
Kelly smiled and hung on to Ben’s neck as he carried her up to the bedroom. They’d been trying to have a baby, so tonight might be the night she got pregnant. On the other hand, there were benefits to having to try over and over.
Either way, she couldn’t lose.
ISBN: 978-1-4592-0614-4
HONOR BOUND
Copyright © 2011 by Julianna Morris
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