“Angel, I love you. If it makes a difference, I’ve spent these last weeks trying to make myself better—for you. When I got suspended, I was ashamed. Not because I left my post to go to you—I’d do that again in a heartbeat. But because I love you so much, I want to be everything for you. A great marshal. Someone you can be proud of. I want to be a great husband and dad and friend and—”
“Would you shut up down there!” Mrs. Kleypus shouted from two doors down the hall. “You sound like a bleating cat! She’s obviously not in there! Even if she were, I’d tell her to—”
Charity unlocked the door. “Mind your own business!” she shouted down the hall. “My fiancé was right in the middle of a good speech.”
The old woman harrumphed before slamming her door.
Gringo kept right on barking.
“Get in here.” Charity dragged him inside. First, she kissed him hard on the lips, then slugged him equally as hard in his gut.
“Ouch,” he complained, rubbing his abs. “What was that for?”
“You even have to ask?”
Grimacing, he said, “Guess I had it coming.”
“And then some. I trusted you. Do you have any idea how many nights I sat here worrying because I thought you might be off, getting yourself shot?”
“I’m sorry.”
“Sorry’s not good enough!” she roared in frustration. “I don’t even know what I want from you. I can’t imagine what you could do to make up for this big a lie. We’re supposed to be a team. Best friends. Partners. What? Am I not worthy of the truth? Am I—”
“You’re perfection,” he said. “That’s why I lied. Because I was scared of losing you—not to a bullet, but due to my own stupidity. I was afraid that if I’d told you I’d been suspended, you’d see it as the last straw and want nothing more to do with me.”
“And so that’s why Caleb’s been so cagey? Not because he’s been jealous, but resenting his role in helping you keep this from me?”
“Yeah.”
“Why did he? For that matter, why’d the whole office keep this from me?”
“Because like me, they all love you. And who wouldn’t? You’re sweet and funny and sexy and smart and a good shot, and if you agree to forgive me, I’ll even promise to change every poopy diaper for every kid we’re ever blessed to have.”
“Quit trying to butter me up.” Charity wiped still more tears. “Although if I decide to take you back, I’ll hold you to that poopy diaper promise.”
“Absolutely.”
“And even though a promise like that’ll go a long way toward redeeming your many sins, I’m still mad at you.”
“Can’t say I blame you.” He pulled her into his arms. “But how long are you going to stay mad? Because back at Gillian and Joe’s we’ve got an awful lot of folks sitting around, waiting to see us get married.”
“There’s a problem with that,” she said.
“What?”
“I honestly don’t know that we should get married. I mean, you said you wouldn’t lie to me again, and I appreciate the fact that you used this time alone to get your head in a better place, but—”
Sweeping her into his arms, he carried her to the bedroom, landing her on the bed. “Stay here.”
“But—”
“Where’s your cell?” he asked, eyeing the disconnected charging cord.
“I must’ve left it in the living room. Why? Who do you need to call?”
“I was going to call my sister to tell her that after I thoroughly make love to you, then give you your wedding present, that—”
“You got me a present?” she asked, sitting up in the bed. “Can I have it now? It might help me make up my mind over whether or not to marry you.” She winked.
He groaned. “Be right back. It’s in the coat closet.”
Charity knew she was taking a risk in trusting again, but so was Adam. Bottom line, try all she might to convince herself she didn’t love him, she did. Messed up heart and all.
Who knew? Maybe in their case, the for worse part of their vows had come first. And from here on out, there’d be nothing but for better between them.
“Here you go.” He presented her with a tin-foil-wrapped box. For a bow, he’d taped a pack of Twinkies to the top.
“Great wrapping,” she said, not sure whether to eat the decoration first or to commence with opening it.
“Thanks. Took me an hour to get all the foil nice and flat.”
“I’ll bet.” She struggled not to grin.
If her mind hadn’t been made up before about taking him back, the sight of what was in the box would’ve had her back in her wedding dress and down the aisle in five seconds flat.
“Oh, Adam,” she said, eyes tearing this time because any man who could make her something as goofy-wonderful as this would definitely be worth holding on to for the long haul. “It’s amazing.”
Careful not to knock any heads off, she withdrew a mini-clay replica of her car, behind the wheel of which sat a handmade clay beetle body with a human head—hers. In the passenger seat, was beetle-Adam. In the back sat three baby beetles with cherubic cheeks and antennae.
While she stared in wonder at the detail that must’ve taken him days to complete, he said, “I love you.”
She gingerly set the car on the nightstand, then leaned into his waiting arms. “I love you, too. It’s an amazing gift. Thank you.”
He shrugged. “I was going to get you that Indonesian Euchirus longimanus you’ve been wanting, but somehow that seemed more appropriate for your birthday. Anyway, thank you, too.”
“For what? Your gift is back in our suite—and it’s just a watch. Nowhere near as much fun as this.”
“Don’t you get it?” he asked.
“What?”
“You and our baby are my gift. I adore you.” And he proceeded to show her just how much for the next hour.
“Joe?” Gillian glared at her watch. “Where do you suppose they are? Are they even together? Has my brother driven off a cliff? Or did he find Charity and she shot him? Which, I can’t, in all honesty, say I’d blame her for.”
“Calm down,” Joe said, snatching a kiss. “They’ll get here when they get here.”
And eventually, they did. And the wedding was spectacular—better than even Gillian had ever dared hope for. Partially because her dear mother was finally getting at least one of her children to be married on Christmas, but mostly because now that Adam was finally married off, everyone in her family was wholly and completely in love.
Well—everyone might be in love, but not everyone was official. But seeing how her father planned to pop the question to Allie’s mom while they were in Paris, and how Gillian had long since gotten the framework in place should the need arise for a New Year’s Paris wedding, to say the entire family wasn’t married was at this point a mere technicality.
Unless she counted the kids…
“Joe?” she asked.
“Uh-huh?”
“How long in advance do you think I’ll have to make reservations for Meggie to be married somewhere off-the-charts exotic?”
“Like Fiji?”
“No. I was thinking big. More like the Taj Mahal.”
Two years later
“You finally did it,” Adam said, shaking Caleb’s hand. They stood in Gillian and Joe’s solarium, talking over a jazz band squawking louder than the damn tropical birds Gillian had forgotten to cage. But then seeing how his sister was due any day with her and Joe’s third child, he guessed she was entitled to be a little off in her usual party-planning finesse. “Now that Franks finally retired, you’re Oregon’s youngest presidentially appointed U.S. Marshal. How’s it feel?”
“Great,” Caleb said. “But not half as good as seeing you hold this little new one. Congratulations, man. I had my doubts about you ever getting your head out of your—well…” He smoothed the newborn girl’s blond curls. “Out of your you know long enough for you to realize what a great thing you and Charity
share. But now that you have, I couldn’t be happier.”
“Thanks,” Adam said. “I think.”
Charity bustled up. To Caleb, she said, “Now that you’re boss, does this mean we get extra vacation?”
Caleb snorted. “Not hardly. If anything, because you’re a Logue, you get less. Want to be in the center of a nepotism scandal?”
Allie joined their circle. “I know Gillian and Joe are hosting this big reception to honor your new position, but do you think just once you could lose that furrow between your eyebrows and relax enough to enjoy the fruits of your labor?”
“Maybe.” Caleb wrapped his arm around his wife’s waist. “Given the right incentive.” He whispered something in Allie’s ear.
She giggled, then said to all of them, “What do you know? He came up with just the right thing.”
After Caleb and Allie snuck off to no doubt their favorite Wild West suite, Charity asked Adam, “Want to trade babies?”
Eyebrows raised, he said, “Don’t tell me, Duncan went again?”
“Meggie and Chrissy gave him a few too many of those fancy puffy cheese things.”
“Aw, man,” Adam complained. “You know how after he eats rich foods his diapers smell.”
“Yep,” she said, holding out their son to him. “Which is why I save all of his most special diapers for you. After all—” she winked “—a promise is a promise.”
Watching his gorgeous wife and baby girl flit off for a dance with Bear, Adam figured he was just about the happiest guy alive. Poopy diapers or not, when his Bug agreed to marry him, he’d by far gotten the better end of the deal.
This book was especially fun to write, as it’s all about crushes. Charity’s angst over whether or not Adam likes her as more than just a friend brought back fun—sometimes painful—memories of the crushes I’ve had.
My first crush was tall, blond Michael. For months I chatted and flirted with him, and when Valentine’s Day came, I was super excited about the prospect of him maybe buying me one of the student council’s fund-raising carnations. And can you believe it—it snowed and school was closed!
I was at my best friend’s, Kristen, shoveling her driveway, lamenting about how I’d never know if Michael liked me, when he and his dad pulled up in their family car. Instead of one of the student council’s carnations, I got a pretty crystal vase with three roses. How sad is it I don’t remember what color? Anyway, a few days later, when Michael asked me to Go with Him (going-steady lingo then), I thought I’d died and gone to heaven. Charity feels the same way with Adam. Sadly, like my torrid, ninth-grade affair, Charity’s contented glow lessens when she finally takes off her rose-colored glasses.
I didn’t end up marrying my first big crush. As for Charity ending up with Adam…you’ll have to read the book and see!
Laura Marie Altom
P.S. You can reach me through my website at www.lauramariealtom.com.
U.S. Marshals
U.S. Marshals: Hunted, Book 1
U.S. Marshals: Chased, Book 2
U.S. Marshals: Prey, Book 3
SEAL Team: Disavowed
Rogue, Book 1
Outcast, Book 2
Shunned, Book 3
Exiled, Book 4
Renegade, Book 5
Forsaken, Book 6
Scorned, Book 7
SEAL Team: Holiday Heroes
Christmas Cookie Baby, Book 1
Happy New Year, Baby, Book 2
Be My Valentine, Baby, Book 3
St. Patrick’s Baby, Book 4
Easter Egg Baby, Book 5
U.S. Marshals: Prey
Copyright © 2020 by Laura Marie Altom
First Edition: To Catch A Husband
Copyright © 2006 by Laura Marie Altom.
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, Fulton Court Press.
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.
U.S. Marshals: Prey (U.S. Marshals Book 3) Page 18