Harlequin Heartwarming December 2020 Box Set

by Cari Lynn Webb, Linda Warren, Mary Anne Wilson

  He held her up to the sink while she washed her hands and he had a chance to straighten her shorts.

  She pointed to the toilet.

  “What?”

  She walked over and pointed to the handle.

  “You can’t push it?”

  She shook her head.

  “You have to push it down hard. Try it.”

  She used both hands and pushed, and the toilet flushed. Her eyes grew big and her mouth formed a big O.

  “You did it.” He swung her into his arms and kissed her cheek. “You’re a big girl.”

  “Yeah.”

  She had to wash her hands again and he would have expected no less of the daughter of a physician’s assistant who made lists.

  Going out the door, Luci buried her face in Bo’s neck and he was amazed at the feelings this little girl generated in him. Fatherly feelings. It was almost as if Luci was his and Becky’s. Almost.

  * * *

  BECKY WAS RUNNING LATE. The last patient appointment had gone long and she was rushing to make it to Luci’s appointment on time.

  She pushed the button for the elevator. She had to wait for people to get off and then she hurried inside. Zooming up to the third floor she hoped Bo had made it on time. She opened the door to the office and froze.

  A man stood with Luci and she blinked to see who it was. For a moment she didn’t recognize him with the shorter hair and clean-shaven face. She took in his full appearance in jeans, boots and a white shirt, and it took her back to being a young girl who had fallen in love at first sight. That boy was standing in front of her, all grown up and a danger to her blood pressure. He still was the most handsome guy she’d ever met.

  “Mom-my.” Luci ran to her and her flashback ended.

  “Potty.”

  “You have to go potty?”

  Luci shook her head. “No.” She pointed to Bo and Becky knew what she meant.

  “Bo helped you go potty?”

  Luci nodded. The nurse called them back and Bo followed them down the hall into a room. The nurse took Luci’s vitals and she didn’t cry or resist. She even went with the nurse to get weighed and measured without a word. Becky wanted to talk to Bo, but Dr. Beasley came in.

  “We have a guest today,” Dr. Beasley said when he noticed Bo.

  Bo shook his hand. “Sergeant Bo Goodnight with Austin SWAT.”

  The doctor sat on a roll-around stool and opened Luci’s file. “What’s your interest in Luci, Sergeant?”

  “He’s the cop who saved Luci when she was born,” Becky explained. “I thought it would be nice if he heard how good she’s doing.” It was easy to say the words, to give Bo credit for what he’d done. It didn’t hurt one little bit.

  The doctor reached out and shook Bo’s hand again. “Marvelous work in saving that baby. I had my doubts when I first saw Luci, but she’s a fighter. And she’s got a good mother.”

  “To me she seems like a normal little girl, except for her speech,” Bo said.

  “At first I didn’t think so,” the doctor replied. “Usually babies that have the umbilical cord around their neck are born dead. Luci is a miracle. At first we thought she would have global developmental delay. And I thought it would be severe. I was wrong. Her cognitive skills and social skills developed quickly. We’re still working on her fine motor skills and speech, and I expect by the time she turns four she’ll catch up with children her own age.”

  “She seems small to me.”

  Becky felt invisible as the two men talked. She’d once fiercely protected Luci, but now she wanted Luci to know the man who had saved her life. Time changed everything and it had certainly changed her heart.

  “She’s in the lower fiftieth percentile in height and weight, but I expect a growth spurt pretty soon.”

  “Is there a reason she’s unable to string words together?”

  “No. There is no problem with her tongue or palate or frenulum, and there is no medical reason she cannot put words together in a sentence. She’s done it for Dr. Cox, the therapist, when she’s pushed. The problem is Luci learned to speak by saying one word and waited for her brain to tell her the next word. Now she knows the word, but she still pauses. It’s a technique she uses and it’s become a pattern, a habit of hers. It’s hard to break, but we must break it for her to speak in sentences.”

  The talk went on until Luci came back and the nurse handed the doctor a piece of paper. The doctor looked at Luci.

  “You’ve grown a fourth of an inch and gained two pounds. I’m so proud of all you’ve accomplished.”

  Luci beamed and she was different from the crying child who usually visited with Dr. Beasley. What kind of magic did Bo have?

  Later they walked down the hall and Becky marveled at the difference in all three of them. A week ago she’d rather have died than talk to Bo, and Luci had been adamant about not talking. The difference made Becky’s heart happy and she didn’t analyze it any further than that.

  “Luci has a thirty-minute appointment with the therapist. You can go if you want. I can handle it from here.”

  That gleam sparked in his dark eyes. “Trying to get rid of me, huh?”

  “No. This must be so boring for you and…”

  “It’s not. I want Luci to be the best she can be.”

  “Me, too.” Their eyes met and a sizzle of electricity scorched her skin. And for the first time in a long time she didn’t want him to leave. She wanted him to stay.

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  BO SAT ON the sofa, staring at a piece of paper. Another list. But not from Becky. This time it was from the therapist, Dr. Cox. Luci’s session with Dr. Cox had been private, but he’d talked with the therapist for a little while afterward. It seemed Luci was enthusiastic about their playtime and the doctor had written a list of things that he could do to help her.

  What was it with women and lists? She said that singing helped a lot and provided a list of songs that he should learn and sing to Luci and get her to sing with him. There were lots of other things, too. Evidently, she thought he had superpowers.

  The next day he found himself singing “Itsy-Bitsy Spider,” “Baa Baa Black Sheep,” “The Wheels on the Bus,” and “Baby Shark.” “The Wheels on the Bus” was her favorite and they sang it over and over. She never paused once, but when they talked afterward, she paused after every word. On Sunday Becky joined them and they sang and played in the backyard, sitting on the swing under the oak tree. Luci sang and jumped around.

  “Why can’t she do this all the time?” Becky asked.

  “She will, but I think we’re going to have to be more disciplined.”

  She turned in the swing to face him, the beautiful lines of her face edged with worry. The days had turned into October, but the heat of the summer still hung in the air and sweat dotted her smooth skin. He found he couldn’t look away from the blue of her eyes.

  “I think we’re going to have to stop her and remind her not to pause,” he said. “There’ll probably be tears as she will resist. Like Dr. Beasley said, she’s more comfortable pausing. It’s a habit and habits are hard to break.”

  “Like I resisted talking to you for years and it’s really not so bad. It was my stubborn pride and I wish now I had been more grown-up and able to handle the situation.”

  He was dumbfounded by her words, and also humbled. They really had come a long way. He tucked blond hair behind her ear and stared at her pink lips. The urge to kiss her was stronger than his need to breathe. He needed her in a way he had never needed anyone.

  The splash of water broke them apart. Luci had turned on the water hose and sprayed them, giggling.

  Becky jumped up. “Luci Diane Tullous!”

  Bo grabbed the hose and turned it off. Becky was drenched and it was hard for Bo not to laugh.

  “Play. Mom-my.”

&nb
sp; “No. We’re going into the house now.”

  Luci ran to the door and tried to open it.

  “Look at it this way. She’s learning how to do things.” He tried to bring a smile back to her face.

  She wiped water from her arms. “Yeah.”

  At her forlorn look he turned the water back on and sprayed her. She ran screeching and he followed. They both were laughing so hard it was hard for him to catch his breath.

  “Stop it! Stop it!” But she was laughing so much he barely heard the words.

  He threw the hose down and took her into his arms and kissed her there in the bright sunshine in the backyard. The sun was warm, but not as warm as the kiss that welded their soaked bodies together. It had been a long time, but it felt as good as the first time.

  She finally pushed him away. “How could you, Bo? How could you?” She stormed into the house.

  A deep sigh erupted from his throat and he slowly turned off the water. He made his way back to his own house and thought maybe he should stay there for a while. He’d crossed a line after just gaining her trust again. Now he’d blown it.

  He was still sitting in the living room, pondering his actions, when his mother came home. She made iced tea and they sat together, talking.

  “How’s Mason?” he asked, because he knew she expected him to, and if he was anything, he was a good son to his mother.

  She pulled off her sneakers and rubbed her feet. It reminded him of all the hours she stood on them to work.

  “He’s the same. The tumor on his lungs is growing, but he’s refused chemo and radiation. He’s seen what people have to go through when they do that and he’s chosen not to. He’ll take his chances and deal with the pain the best way he can.”

  “But chemo might shrink the tumor.”

  “It’s his choice.” She got to her feet. “Now I’m going to take a shower and meet your father for supper.” She watched him for a moment. “No comeback?”

  He rubbed his hands together. “I’m still trying to find that elusive thing called forgiveness. If I say the words, it won’t change a thing. It won’t change the feelings I have inside. All those bad feelings are a part of me.”

  She touched his shoulder. “Give it time.” She headed for the hall and turned back. “Oh, I forgot to tell you. I got the raise for myself and my employees, and a lot of other things I asked for.”

  “Good for you, Mom. You deserve it.”

  He got up and stared out the window to the Tullous house. As he’d been talking to his mom something had occurred to him. Becky couldn’t forgive him because it would just be words without any meaning. She’d still feel the same way inside. She’d said she was broken. That’s why forgiveness was so elusive. It had to be felt in the heart. He wasn’t there yet and neither was Becky. He understood it now, but it didn’t make it any easier.

  * * *

  BECKY HADN’T SEEN much of Bo since the sizzling kiss in the backyard. She wasn’t avoiding him. She was just very busy, and all the time she was working she was trying to get her head straight and decide what she wanted. She wanted her daughter to speak in full sentences and she wanted Bo not to have such an effect on her heart. But she figured that ship had already left the harbor.

  The two weeks was almost over and Bo would be leaving on Sunday for Austin. The singing was working better than they could’ve ever imagined. At night she could hear Luci singing “The Wheels on the Bus.” She’d sing until she fell asleep. But the next morning she’d pause after every word. They still hadn’t accomplished their goal. Tough love had to happen, but Becky would rather leave that up to Bo. She was hopeless in that area.

  On Saturday Becky had to work and check on patients since Dr. Eames was out of town. Kathy was one of those patients. She’d had the lumpectomy and everything had gone well. She was still in the hospital because Dr. Eames and the obstetrician wanted to monitor the baby a little longer, but the baby was doing well, too.

  Becky was surprised that the husband hadn’t been there for the surgery. When she walked into Kathy’s room, she was putting her things into a carryall.

  “Are you ready to leave?”

  Kathy brushed blond hair out of her face. “Yes. I can’t wait to get home.”

  “Is your husband picking you up?”

  Kathy zipped the carryall. “No, my mother is. I guess you want to check my breast before you discharge me.”

  “Yes.” Kathy sat on the bed while Becky removed the small bandage they’d put on the incision. “Everything looks good. Call the office and make an appointment in about a week. Any questions?”

  “My arm hurts.”

  “That’s normal. We talked about that, remember? It will go away and then you can concentrate on having a healthy baby.”

  “Thank you, Becky. I appreciate all the encouragement.”

  Becky wanted to ask about the husband, but decided it was none of her business. She just wanted Kathy to be well and be happy in her pregnancy.

  She had lunch in the cafeteria and it was after one before Becky left the hospital. She was ready to spend some time with her own baby and hopefully get her to sing some of the catchy children songs with her. When she opened the front door, loud music filled her ears. Creedence Clearwater Revival was singing “Proud Mary.” Becky didn’t know where the sound was coming from, but Luci and Bo were dancing around the room using their arms as paddles and singing, “Rollin’, rollin’, rollin’ on the river.” Becky’s dad sat in his chair smiling.

  “We rollin’, Mommy,” Luci shouted above the music.

  Becky dropped her purse and briefcase. Luci hadn’t paused. “Oh, my goodness!”

  Bo started singing the words and Luci sang along with him. She never realized he had such a great voice. He’d probably gotten that from his dad, which was something he likely didn’t want to hear.

  “Play rollin’, Mommy,” Luci called and Becky eagerly joined them.

  “Like this,” Luci told her, moving her arms like she was swimming. “Gotta get rollin’, Mommy.”

  Becky laughed and laughed and didn’t bother being proper or professional. She was just Becky enjoying the moment. She laughed so much she could barely breathe. She fell down on the sofa and Bo fell down beside her. It wasn’t long before Luci joined them. Bo reached over and turned off the music and the room became quiet.

  Luci climbed onto Bo’s lap. “I. Like. To. Dance.”

  “No! No! No!” Bo pointed a finger in Luci’s face. “Say it correctly.”

  Luci glanced at Becky and she could see a temper tantrum looming.

  “Say it,” Bo prompted.

  “I like to dance.” Luci said it fast and got it all out in one sentence.

  Becky kissed her child’s nose. “I’m so proud of you, baby.”

  “Baby Lu.”

  “What?”

  “George Strait’s ‘Baby Blue,’” Bo explained. “It was playing and I called her Baby Lu. She likes it.”

  “Where did you get the boom box?”

  “We got tired of ‘Itsy-Bitsy Spider’ and all those other songs, and I remembered this boom box I had when I was a teenager. I’d left a tape inside with a lot of country songs on it and we just let it play. Didn’t we, Baby Lu?”

  Luci nodded. “Can I take it to my room?”

  “Yes, but you have to turn it off when your mom tells you to.”

  Luci nodded.

  Craig got to his feet. “I’ll help her.” He picked up the boom box. “You’ll have to keep the volume down low so we don’t bother the neighbors. Okay?”

  Luci nodded again and the two walked down the hall.

  “How did you accomplish that?” Becky asked. “In two weeks?”

  “She just needed someone to push her and I’m good at that. If she gives you any lip, just tell her you’ll call Bo. And if she pauses, just corr
ect her and make her say it the right way. Eventually she’ll get into the habit of speaking correctly.”

  Becky clapped her hands together. “A miracle worker, I do declare. But it makes me so happy. Thank you.”

  “You’re welcome, and thank you for letting me spend some time with Luci. I told her today that I would be going back to work tomorrow and she seemed okay with it, but I don’t think she really understood what I was saying.”

  There it was. He was leaving again and Luci wouldn’t be the only one who would miss him.

  “My sitter called and said she’d be able to keep Luci on Monday, so we’ll be leaving for Austin late tomorrow, too. This was kind of like a moment out of time, wasn’t it?”

  “Yeah. We talked and that was the main thing. I guess it’s best if we go our different ways now, but I would like to see Luci from time to time if you wouldn’t mind.”

  What about me? She couldn’t believe she was vulnerable once again. But she was so much stronger this time.

  “No, I don’t mind.”

  “She can keep the boom box.”

  “Oh, no. I’ll bring it back to you.”

  “Whatever.”

  She followed him to the door.

  He looked back at her and she really couldn’t read anything in those dark eyes. “Take care of Luci.”

  She nodded and he strolled across the street. They were acting like strangers. And maybe that’s all they ever really were, two strangers who’d deeply loved, but had never understood each other.

  Bo hated goodbyes. Yesterday he’d wanted to say so much to Becky, but words were useless when real feelings got in the way, like heartache and pain. He took his carryall and laptop to his truck and waited for his mother. She was supposed to be home by noon.

  She came through the back door like a whirlwind. “Sorry, I’m late.”

  “You didn’t have to come home. I’ll try to get back on my day off. I don’t know which day until I look at the schedule.”

  “It’s just been so nice having you home for two weeks.”

  “You were hardly ever here,” he reminded her.

  She touched his face. “It was nice to know you were nearby and I could see you anytime I wanted. And I have to say, I love the new look. You look just like my favorite son.”