Boomer's Saving Grace: Mercy Springs Heroes Series Book 2

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Boomer's Saving Grace: Mercy Springs Heroes Series Book 2 Page 25

by Bliss Carter


  Cade: Ha. You promise nothing bad? Kres is okay? I can be there in 10.

  Birdie: I swear on Killian’s kilt. Her phone is in her office. We’re in Francie’s. I’ll let her know. Love you bro.

  Cade: Love you, too, brat

  “He said he’d be here in ten minutes, Kresley. While we’re waiting, what’s happening with Thanksgiving? Do we have a plan in place yet? To my count, it’s going to be a lot larger than what we did last year. So many people added.”

  “Walker and I talked about it, and we have the bigger back yard. We could put tables up and if the weather is mild, can have everything outside, including the food. A back up plan in case it rains is upstairs in Birdie’s studio. Just shift everything to the empty bedroom and then put up tables in the large space. We have a full kitchen to use.” Grace looked around at the women around her, watching them think of best plans.

  “I vote the upstairs. It makes the most sense. It’s inside already, we have a full kitchen with stove and dishwasher. We can get the guys to carry tables and chairs upstairs from our storage. Now to plan the food. Oh, Birdie, you are not allowed to cook anything this year. Remember last year’s deviled eggs?” Gertie stated, pointed a finger at Francie, who grimaced at the mention of deviled eggs.

  “Shut up. How was I to know that they would go bad if fixed that many days in advance. I was trying to be organized, not kill my sister. I told her I was sorry and stayed with her at the ER that night.” Birdie belligerently crossed her arms, huffing.

  “I forgave you Dirty Bird. Maybe make some of those same eggs for your neighbor…the next time he grunts at you.” Francie giggled, a sound that the women hadn’t heard from her in weeks. “Oh, by the way, I got a phone call from that realtor company about the property out beside the country club. If we still want to look at it as a potential spot to purchase for us to hold local events, then they said I could go out there and take a look around. They said they would drop off the key here tomorrow. I plan to go tomorrow afternoon.”

  “I say we go for it. It’s big enough that it would house large events or we can section it up to for smaller things. I’ll get with you later on Francie and we’ll take notes about things to look for. Maybe one of us can go with you out there,” Birdie stated. She looked up at her sisters and Grace and in true Birdie fashion, abruptly changed the subject. “Hey, I’ve been meaning to tell y’all something and I don’t want you to freak out.”

  “Uhmmm, telling us not to freak out, when its coming from you, is going to make us freak out, sweetie. Spill.” Grace crossed her arms, waiting for the bomb to drop from Birdie’s mouth.

  Looking very uncomfortable, Birdie walked to the other side of the office, with her back to her sisters and Grace. “Okay, so you know I’ve had daggers thrown at me with being diagnosed with POF and Hashimoto’s Disease being the cause of it. My percentage of having a child of my own is still extremely low and will probably never rise above 5%. I’ve made a decision. I don’t have a man in my life that I can see a future with and I’m okay for now, but I feel that I’m missing something. Maybe a man, a little. But I’m missing something else. And I finally figured out what it is in watching Kresley grow a baby inside of her these last months.”

  “Please tell me you’re not doing a surrogate. I don’t think you’d handle that well at all, Birdie.” Kresley looked worriedly at her sister.

  “No, Kres. Not a surrogate. Remember when I volunteered last month to help with the foster kids in our county? I had such a blast taking pictures of them at the events they did, seeing how any little bit of joy or love shown their way was like watching a flower blooming. After talking with several foster parents, I found out that several of them had gone into being a foster parent with the ‘foster to adopt” program. It’s where you become a foster parent with the intent to adopt the child placed in your home. And then it hit me. That’s what I want to do. I’m going to become a foster parent, with the intent of adopting a baby or small toddler. Training starts in January. And then I wait for a child to become available and presented to me. If we fit, then I’ll begin by fostering it and when the parents’ rights are terminated, it will be up for adoption for me to become its mother. What do you think? Don’t hold back.” Birdie looked around nervously.

  Francie walked over to her youngest sister, holding her shoulders in her hands. Birdie was around her height, so they were eye to eye. “Birdie, is this something that you really want to do, that you feel in your gut you were meant to do?” At Birdie’s silent nod and smile, Francie grinned. “Okay then. I’m all for it. I’m so excited for you Dirty Bird. Hey! When you find your baby, we can start calling you Mama Bird! New nickname to cancel out Killian’s harsh one.” Birdie giggled and hugged her sister, relief on her face.

  The rest of the women swiftly closed in and hugged around everyone. Laughter rung out of the office and into the front lobby.

  “We’re here to support you Birdie. If that’s what you want to do, then I’ll be the happiest aunt on the planet to the child you adopt.” Grace patted Birdie’s back, pulling on her braid impishly.

  “Adopt? Who’s adopting?” Cade asked as he walked into Francie’s office, filling up the doorway with his massive size. His eyes landed on his wife and as was his usual way, he focused solely on her, as if she were the only one in the room.

  Boomer’s face popped in the doorway to the left of Cade, searching the room for his wife. His eyes lit up when he saw Grace standing across the room.

  “No one yet. Just something Birdie’s thinking about.” Gertie said as she neatened up some papers on Francie’s desk.

  Cade walked further into the room, filling up much of the available space left. “So, what’s up with the text from Birdie to come here, Kres? What’s wrong?” He couldn’t keep the worry out of his voice as he reached for his wife. His hand had just settled on her belly when he froze at her words.

  “I wanted you to feel your baby moving for the first time, honey. Lay your hand over my belly and just wait. The baby’s been either kicking or rolling around in there for at least an hour now.”

  The look of awe on Cade’s face as he felt his baby moving inside his wife was breathtaking to see. Kresley clutched at his head as he knelt down, his hand still laying against her abdomen, feeling the gentle movements within. His head was leaning on Kresley’s chest, listening to her heartbeat. Cade moved down and kissed his wife’s belly, still silent. Eventually he stood up and gathered Kresley in his arms, nuzzling her nose with his, whispering endearments and words of love to her.

  Boomer had trailed in after Cade, working around the other people until he made it to his wife. He picked her up by her waist and cradled her against his chest. Grace giggled like a teenager and looped her arms around his neck. They shared a sweet, but heated kiss, all the while the room was watching Cade and Kresley’s baby bump moment. When both couples were kissing, all in the same room, several throats cleared. Walker looked up and seemed to notice everyone else. Gertie, Francie and Birdie were all rolling their eyes at the two couples.

  “Seriously guys? Can we make a PDA rule for the office? No PDA allowed in a group with more than two people?” Birdie made a disgusted sign and grumbled something about “stupid in-love people” and walked out.

  “Lord that woman. Anyone ready to find her a man yet? Seriously. She sure likes to shit on the couples around here,” Boomer complained.

  “Yeah, well, I don’t think she’d have any qualms about volunteering to try out Killian if he’d get his head out of his ass. I think he wears that kilt a little too tight.” Francie snorted as Grace explained about him wearing his kilt the day of the photoshoot for the calendar.

  “Speaking of the calendar, I need volunteers for Black Friday at the firehouse. Two-hour intervals to sit and sell the calendars, make sure firefighters are joining in the fun and signing autographs. I’ll be there to oversee the whole thing, but I can’t do everything.” Francie looked around, waiting for volunteers.

  “Jus
t make a schedule out Francie for all of us and we’ll just make sure we’re there during those times. I’m sure Cade and Boomer will help if they can, depending on their work duties,” Kresley told her sister, as a cell phone ringing interrupted her.

  The group looked at each other to see who’s phone it was and Boomer pulled his out of his pocket. Thinking it was work, Boomer answered before looking at the caller ID. “Hello? Oh, hey. Yeah, actually she’s right here beside me. I’m on a break from work. News? Good or bad? Okay, hang on and let me put it on speakerphone.”

  Grace was listening to Walker’s one-sided conversation, giving him a questioning look, curious about what was going on. He squeezed her hand and put the cell on speaker.

  “Rose? Hey, I’ve got you on speaker. Grace is standing here with me and several of our friends. It’s okay to talk in front of them. You say you’ve got news about Hank Crenshaw?” Walker’s body was tense as he waited to hear what she had to say. He held Grace’s hand in his, feeling her tremble.

  “Yeah, I’ve got news and I’m not sure of the reaction you’ll have. Grace, you know that we put public notices out in many different newspapers and weekly ad papers in multiple states, searching for Mr. Crenshaw. It’s been well over two months now and that was enough time that we could go ahead and proceed with filing with the courts for termination and move on to adoption.”

  Grace answered, a slight waiver in her voice, “Yes, I remember. Have you heard from Hank?”

  “Not exactly. I got a call this morning from someone named Sheila Crenshaw. She is an ex-wife of Hank Crenshaw. I’m not sure how to say this, but she informed me that Hank died four years ago in an automobile accident.” The attorney bombed the group with this twist in the adoption story and fell silent, waiting for the reaction.

  “Wait. So, Hank is dead? Wow. Okay, so what does this mean as far as adoption of Jaxson? I’m not going to sit here and pretend that I have any grief for him or what happened to him. My concern is my son and giving him the father he deserves,” Grace vehemently stated, looking up at Walker. She felt him squeeze her hand tight.

  “Once I can verify his date of death, get a copy of his death certificate, then we can file the paperwork for adoption with the courts. There won’t be anyone to fight against, so it will basically be a formality with the judge. A court date will be set and then we will go before the judge for the official ruling. That day will be the official day of adoption of Jaxson. A new birth certificate and social security card will be completed showing his new name. I think we can have a court date set by the first of the year.” Rose sounded happy and excited as she shared the details.

  “Thank you Rose for calling us. It’s a lot to take in all at once. Just keep us updated about everything. You’ve just made our day.” Walker huskily told the lawyer, hugging Grace into his side with his strong arm. They hung up soon after that and the group of friends around he and Grace all stood in happy shock.

  “Wow. This is amazing news guys! All of us are so happy for y’all!” Francie stated, leaping over to give them both a hug together. Soon everyone was in on the hug until Grace muttered something about someone smushing her boobs.

  Grace clutched Walker’s waist as she stared up at her husband. “Baby, can you believe this? This will be the best Christmas present ever for all three of us.” She smiled so brightly up at Walker, barely able to contain her joy.

  Walker was quiet, his eyes liquid, his mouth quivering slightly as he bit the inside of his cheek. He was trying to hold it together in front of everyone. Grace wrapped her arms tighter around him and brought his head down to her shoulder. There they stood, holding on to each other tightly, both still in shock. The others had silently let the room, giving them space to be with just each other. Walker turned his mouth into Grace’s ear and whispered, “I love you with my whole heart Grace Collins. I was a shell before meeting you. Then you and Jaxson filled me up with so much love and joy that it’s hard to contain it sometimes.” He kissed the side of her head, then leaned down to kiss her full on the lips. It wasn’t a kiss of heated passion. It was a kiss full of love.

  Grace smiled up at her husband and patted his chest. “I think the same can be said for me, Walker. I had honestly given up and thought it would be just Jaxson and I as a team, for the rest of my life. Then you came along and changed my whole mindset. I know it took us awhile, and I’m to blame for that, but I don’t think I would change a thing on how we came together. We were meant to be, all three of us, together, at this moment. I love you, Walker.”

  Five more minutes of snuggling and kisses were enjoyed by the two, then Cade popped his head in the door. “Hey Boomer, we’ve got to get back. Captain Phillips has that meeting scheduled with the team and it starts in thirty." Boomer waved his hand at him, all the while kissing his wife, nuzzling her neck.

  “Gotta go baby. Duty calls. Serve and protect. See you and Jax at home by 6 o’clock?” Grace just shook her head yes and grinned. One last kiss and Walker was out the door.

  “Lord I love that man.”

  Chapter Fourteen

  Francie drove up to the potential vendor property, key in hand from the realtor company. She honestly didn’t feel like doing this today, but despite how she felt, work still continued on. All day she had an eerie feeling, like someone was watching her. She could have sworn a car was following her earlier, but when she turned into the parking lot, the vehicle continued on down the street and hadn’t made its way back. Francie figured she must be overly tired. It wasn’t like she was getting a lot of sleep lately. Sleep deprivation could do things to the mind. She missed Ash. Her heart ached for him.

  Francie was so angry with him, too. She didn’t understand how someone could go from cuddling on the couch and spending hours kissing another person, whispering sweet nothings in their ear, then the next day totally disappear without one word? No text. No phone call. Not even a message through a friend. Francie had been totally ghosted. Well not 100% ghosted. He took a leave of absence, which meant he planned to come back. But it still felt like she had been ghosted by the man of her dreams.

  Francie sighed as she exited her car, looking over the looming building. It was two stories tall, with lots of windows in front to let in the light. She had been told there was an industrial kitchen in back, along with a large storage room to put equipment. She took a deep breath and got her head back into work mode, taking out her iPad where she and Birdie had made notes. Birdie was supposed to be here with her, but she had gotten a last-minute call and had to run an errand. Francie had decided to go on and look at it alone. She could always bring back her sisters tomorrow.

  She put the key in the door and was beginning to push it open when she heard a car turn in to the parking lot behind her. She turned partially to see who it was and didn’t recognize the vehicle. It was a black SUV. Tinted windows prevented her from seeing inside. Maybe it was the realtor? She started to lift her hand in a silent greeting when she noticed the back window had been let down a several inches. The sun shone bright and it was probably the thing that saved Francie in that moment. The sunlight glinted off the barrel of the gun that was pointed directly at her. She had a split second to move and she lunged into the door. She heard the sound of the gun going off and the ping of bullets hitting the door and door frame behind her. She slammed the door and locked it, running through the large room before her. Panic was real. Her heart was beating out of her chest and she could feel the fight or flight in her take hold. Running as fast as she could to the back of the building, Francie dug her phone out of her pocket. She ran and dialed at the same time, barely paying attention to what was in front of her. She could hear commotion outside the front of the building, but didn’t dare look back.

  “911, what’s your emergency?” A remote voice asked on the other line. Francie panted as she ran, hardly able to form thoughts in her mind.

  “Uhmmm, my name is Francie Anderson. Someone just shot at me several times from a parked SUV. I’m in an empty vendor bui
lding next to the country club on Brooks Drive. I think I hear them trying to break the door down. I need help. I’ve got to find somewhere to hide!”

  “Ma’am, I need you to stay calm with me, okay? I’ve got officers dispatched out to you now. Is there a place where you can hide? Maybe somewhere they won’t look? Are they inside yet?”

  Francie looked around, panicked that she may die today. “I can hear them still outside, but it won’t take them long to break the door in. I’m in the kitchen at the back of the building. I see kitchen cabinets and a walk-in fridge. There’s a storage room door off to the side, too.”

  “Figure out one of those places to hide yourself, quickly. Keep the phone on so I can hear you. Stay calm. Stay focused. You’re doing great.”

  Francie, on a whim, chose to check out the small cabinet closet next to the fridge. It was probably for storing brooms and mops. She opened the door and saw that it was empty. It would be a tight squeeze, but she thought she could hide herself and maybe they wouldn’t look there for her, thinking she wouldn’t fit. She pushed her way in, careful not to make noise. Right before she closed the cabinet door behind her, she heard the breaking of glass and crashing in of the front door. Quietly, she closed the cabinet, backing herself up to the very depths. She held her breath for long minutes, panting silently. She was still holding the phone up to her ear. She heard shuffling feet against the kitchen floor, several pairs of feet to be exact. They were searching the downstairs. Trying to find her. But why? She was nobody. Why would they want to kill her?

  All of a sudden, the air around her became charged with fear. She could taste it. Smell it. It was fear coming off of her. She could hear them in the kitchen with her, not disguising the noises they were making as they searched for her. She thought she heard a chuckle, a deep masculine chuckle that sounded like satan himself. She then heard talking.

 

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