Rules of Protection (Tangled in Texas #1)(105)

“I’m pregnant.”

“Man, that was fast,” Dale said, giving Cowboy a fist bump. “Immaculate conception?”

I sighed with frustration. “It’s Jake’s, dork.”

Momma Bell was within earshot and must’ve had her hearing aid turned up. “Did I hear you say you’re with child, girl?” I nodded, though I should’ve known better. “Well, what a blessing. Congratulations!”

“Thanks.”

“Now, I forgot what I came over to tell you. Oh, I know. My dog, Missy, well, she’s a bit of a hussy…” Momma Bell paused, and I wondered if she was going to add the word “too.” But she didn’t. “Anyway, she got herself in a bind with Dog and had herself a litter of pups. Floss said you took a liking to the lazy hound and thought you might like one.”

“Oh, how sweet. I’d love to have one of Dog’s puppies.”

“She’s the spitting image of her daddy, but I think she’s got some health issues, seizures or something. I left her over there in the shade.”

I followed her finger with my eyes. A small white puppy with speckled ears slept peacefully on her side on the cottage porch where Dog normally lay. As usual, he was nowhere to be found, but the thought of him exchanging places with his narcoleptic daughter come nightfall made me smile.

“Thanks, Momma Bell. She’s perfect.”

“Well, I guess I need to find me a seat for the wedding. It won’t be long now.” She leaned over and whispered into my ear, “My Earl used to rub milk on my boobies for me every night. He said it kept ’em nice and perky. You be sure to have Jakey help you with that.”

I glanced at her deflated breasts with nipples pointed to the ground and realized something. Earl was a con man.

“Uh…yeah, I’ll do that,” I told her.

Jake hadn’t said a word since I blurted out I was pregnant and I started to get a little worried. “Hey, guys, I need to talk to Jake alone for a minute.” Once they all cleared out, I locked eyes with him. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to—”

“You’re pregnant?” Jake asked, as if he hadn’t heard anything since the first time I announced it. His reaction had been unpredictably scary.

“Jake, are you okay? I’m sorry. I thought you’d be happy about the pregnancy—”

“Sweetheart, of course, I’m happy about it.” He framed my face with his hands and gave me a quick kiss. “Don’t ever think otherwise.”

“Then what’s wrong?”

“I…well…” He paused, searching for the right words. “Our child won’t have any grandparents,” he said, lowering his head.

I understood his pain, but hoped he’d look at it the same way I did. “This kid isn’t going to miss out on anything. Look around, Jake. Everyone will love this baby. Our child won’t grow up feeling the way I did.”

“I want my child to have everything.”

“It will,” I promised. “It has us…and all of them.”

Something over my shoulder caught Jake’s attention and he grinned. “Since you gave me an early wedding present, then I think it’s only fair I give you one. I want you to meet someone.” He turned me around.

I recognized the man immediately. “Officer Stevens! I didn’t know you were coming. It’s great to see you again. How’s your shoulder?”

“As good as new,” he said, kissing me on the cheek. “I sure am glad everything turned out all right for you, hon. I worried about you after you left the police station that night.”

“That’s sweet. Thank you.” I looked back to Jake. “What, you thought I wouldn’t remember one of the men who took a bullet for me?”

He smiled slyly. “I wasn’t talking about Stevens. I wanted to introduce you to someone he brought with him. Detective Eric Mercer.”

“Who?”

“Turn around and see for yourself.”

I caught a glimpse of him from a distance and gasped. Fifteen years later, I still recognized the policeman who held me in his arms as a child and heroically comforted me in my time of need. No passage of time would allow me to forget his face. My breath caught in my throat, choking me, as I ran to him. He spread his arms to catch me.

The memory of curling into his lap, as he stroked my hair and soothed my broken soul, overwhelmed me. I had carried it with me all these years locked deep within. Now, the trauma I had endured came pouring out, flooding my eyes with droplets of sadness and mourning. I wept inconsolably.

Eric stroked my hair as he had before and whispered into my ear. “I’m sorry. They wouldn’t tell me what happened to you or what foster home you were in. I searched for you over the years, but you kept getting moved around. I never stopped thinking about the little girl who needed me.”

His emotions flowed from him in soft words and gentle gestures. He was still the same mild-mannered, compassionate man who had captured my heart all those years before.

“I’ve wanted to say something to you all these years and never thought I’d get the chance,” I told him. “You couldn’t save my parents, but you’ve always been my hero.”

After a few minutes, my reservoirs dried up, and Eric wiped the smudges of makeup from beneath my eyes with his handkerchief. “So I hear you’re going by Emily these days.”