“I do. I’m not much for surprises.”
She laughed at that.
“Well, I mean about the sex of the child. Then we can decide on a theme for the nursery.”
She couldn’t believe he’d even be interested in the room decorations. She loved him.
Her cell rang and she saw the call was from Kate. “Congrats on getting married. Let us all know what you want to do for a wedding!”
“I want it to be low key. I’ve already been married once and with having two kids and another on the way, it seems silly to have a really big wedding.”
“Everyone will want to come.”
“Of course. But just keep the pregnancy secret until I announce it later, once we’re married. Dan’s going to sign the paperwork on the marriage certificate.”
Kate was quiet.
“You didn’t already tell anyone, did you?” Dottie had the sinking feeling she had.
“Dan saw your car at the clinic earlier. He called to tell me you were planning to marry Jack and I thought you had told him you were pregnant, because he’s your boss and you’ll need to take off time from work when the baby is due. I’m sorry, Dottie. I really thought you’d told him. No wonder he didn’t say anything.”
Dottie groaned. “I haven’t told anyone about the pregnancy. Not even my family. Just you and Jack.”
“I’m so sorry. I’ll call him right back and tell him not to say anything to anyone.”
“Thanks. But it’s probably too late.” A siren wailed behind them, and Dottie glanced back to see that it was Dan’s sheriff’s car. “Omigod, don’t bother. He’s chasing us down, fixing to arrest someone, by the looks of it.”
“Oh, no, I’m so sorry. I’ll call him anyway and tell him not to share with anyone.”
“Good luck with that.” Dottie knew it was too late for anything. She glanced back at the flashing lights as Jack pulled the car onto the shoulder of the road and waited. “I’m so sorry about all of this.”
“Don’t be,” Jack said. “It’s touching to see how much everyone cares for you. When I’m away on assignment, I’ll know you’re in good hands.”
Dan got out of his car and walked to the driver’s side, looking all official and sheriff-like.
5
When Dan reached the car door, Jack rolled down his window.
“Tell me you’re marrying him because you want to and not because he got you pregnant—again,” Dan said, looking straight at Dottie, seated in the passenger seat on the other side of Jack, as if he wasn’t sitting there.
“Dan, you have no authority to pull us over as if Jack disobeyed any traffic laws. You’re abusing your power.” She was furious with him. Even though she understood he was concerned for her, she knew Jack was the right one for her.
“Well, are you?” Dan asked, ignoring the truth of the matter.
“No! I’m marrying him because I want to. Because I love him. And because he loves me and the kids right back. If you want to follow us into Loveland and marry us right there, then do so. Or we can drop by Tracey’s parents’ home, and have one of them sign off.” She figured if push came to shove, they could just have them sign off on it because they lived right there in Loveland too and then Dottie and Jack could drop the paperwork off at the courthouse and it would be done. “It’s your choice. Be a part of this, or don’t.”
“We haven’t met,” Jack said, offering his hand to Dan. He was just as serious, not cowing to Dan, but congenial. “I served in the same unit as you, from what I understand. Good to meet you. I’ll do right by Dottie. I would have done so a long time ago if she hadn’t been so adverse to me marrying her when I was on active duty.”
Dan finally shook Jack’s hand, and Dottie let out a relieved breath. “She has a lot of friends here. We don’t want to see her leave town to join you. If Chuck Warner can’t see fit to have you transferred to Leyton’s unit at an early enough date, I’ll take you on as my deputy. But you’ll need training.”
Jack smiled and nodded. “Thank you.” He reached over and rubbed Dottie’s shoulder. “I’d really like to stay with Dottie and the kids and be here when she has the baby.”
Dan gave him a stern look. “Whose fault is that?”
“Dan—“ Dottie wasn’t about to have Jack take the blame. It was none of anyone’s business.
“Like Dottie said, you can join us and get the paperwork signed, or we can return here, or just have someone else do it. She would love to have you do the honors. It’s your choice,” Jack said, not taking any of Dan’s guff.
“I’ll follow you. If I get a call, I may have to take it. I’m still on duty.”
Dottie was so thankful that Dan was going to do it.
“Thanks.” Jack waited for Dan to return to his car, then once Dan turned off his lights, Jack pulled back onto the road. “Well, hell, now I have two job offers.”
“Which would you rather do?”
“Work for your boss who hates me? Or work for Chuck and hope he frees me to work in Yuma Town under Leyton sooner than later?” Then Jack got a call on his Bluetooth, and he suspected it might be from one of the Yuma Town cougars that were upset with him too. But it was Chuck, head of the CSF.
“Hey, Dan just called me and said he offered you a job if I didn’t allow you to work closer to home. Seems Dottie’s pregnant again.”
Dottie’s jaw dropped. The whole world was going to know before her own aunt even did!
“I like your resume, liked your interview, and was looking forward to having you work for me. But I understand your need to work closer to home.”
Dottie was afraid that meant he was going to withdraw the offer to have Jack work as a CSF agent when she really thought Jack would prefer that.
“I talked briefly with Leyton. He said he’d train you, just so you’d be able to stay in Yuma Town. He hasn’t ever trained a new agent before. But he’s one of my best. If you think you can work with him, then that’s what we’ll do.”
Jack smiled. “Hell, yeah, thanks so much, Mr. Warner. That will be perfect.”
“But you’ll need to be focused on the job.”
“Absolutely.” Jack looked thrilled.
And Dottie was thrilled too. She couldn’t believe how everyone had pulled together to make this happen. Now she was glad the news of her pregnancy had spread like wildfire.
“Okay, well, I’ll let you go, and you can always take some more training with me later.”
“Okay, good deal. Thanks, sir.”
“Just call me Chuck. No formalities. We all just want to take down the bad guys and keep the good guys safe.”
“Thanks, Chuck. You don’t know how much I appreciate this.”
“I think I have an inkling. Good luck. I’ll check on your progress with the job later.”
“That’s what you really wanted to do, wasn’t it?” Dottie asked Jack when they ended the call.
“Yeah. I think I can do a lot of good with taking down rogue cougars. If things get slow, I can even help Dan out. But I think for now, I’d love being a CSF agent working for Leyton.”
“You’re sure you don’t mind leaving the service?”
“Are you kidding? Not when I have a family to be with.”
“Speaking of which, we need to let our families know all the news.”
“I can call your aunt,” he said, smiling.
“She’ll be thrilled.”
When they called Aunt Emily, she was ecstatic.
“I know you hate flying,“ Dottie said. “But maybe you can ride with Jack’s parents and sister?”
“I’ll do that. Just let me know when the wedding will take place. Oh, I’m so happy for the two of you, though I have to admit I’m a bit jealous he asked you and not me.”
Dottie and Jack laughed.
“If she hadn’t said yes…” Jack laughed again.
“Do you know what the baby is going to be yet? I have to get ready for this. I’m so excited.”
“Not yet, Aunt Emily. We??
?ll let you know as soon as we do.”
They called his family next and they said they’d bring Aunt Emily along with them. “I probably shouldn’t ask this, son, but…you do know about birth control, or had you planned this?”
Jack smiled at Dottie. She raised her brows slightly.
“Brand new condoms both times. Maybe I should have used a generic brand. Hell, I don’t know.”
“Dad,” Roberta scolded in the background.
“Just checking,” John said. “In all honesty, we’re glad the two of you are getting together for good. Just let us know the date.”
Dottie had to take calls all the rest of the way to Loveland from all her lady friends, wanting to wish her well, and asking her when the baby was due. She guessed Kate hadn’t told Dan that part or everyone would have known everything.
Then Leyton called Jack, and welcomed him to the CSF. “I hear you need to be located near family for the training.”
“Yeah, thanks, Leyton, for agreeing to train me.”
“We work long hours, sometimes weeks away from home.”
“I completely understand. At least for the time being, it will be a lot better than training away from home for nearly a year.”
“Okay, I know you’re in the process of getting hitched right now, but let me know when you can start training too, and we’ll get started.”
“Thanks. Will do.”
When they ended the call, Dottie said, “You might as well get started right away, if you can. That way you’ll get the training done, and probably have more time for when the baby is actually due. In the meantime, we can figure out the wedding date, and I’m sure Leyton will let you off for that. Well, and he’ll attend the wedding with his mate too, Jack.”
“Sounds like a good plan to me.”
They parked at the office where they had to get the paperwork, and Dan looked nice and official in his uniform, though Dottie thought it looked a little like they were under arrest.
He seemed to have finally gotten used to the idea, a little, that she was both marrying Jack and having another of his babies, for which she was glad. She loved everyone in Yuma Town. She loved Jack too, and she wanted everyone to love him as much. Or…at least like him.
Dan said to Jack, “Chuck must have really wanted you to work on his team. He told me that in no way were you working for me.”
“If you ever need a hand, I’ll be there for you,” Jack said, serious as could be.
Dan smiled a little at him. She hoped Jack hadn’t made a mistake in offering.
After they signed the paperwork and Dottie and Jack were truly married, which she was thrilled with, and from the adoring expression her mate was wearing, he felt the same way too, Dan congratulated them, shaking Jack’s hand. “Don’t get in any trouble now.” He gave Dottie a hug. “I’ll see you on Monday, correct?”
“Of course. Thanks, Dan, for everything.”
Then Dan tipped his hat and took off.
Dottie received a text from Shannon saying they were keeping Trish and Jeff overnight so Dottie and Jack could have their “newlywed” night alone together. She thought the world of her and Chase.
“Should we just get a hotel room here?” Jack asked.
“No. My home is yours now too. I want to be home with you.” She’d thought of nothing else for three months. “I’ll fix us a steak dinner when we get home. If you don’t mind, on the drive there, I’ll make wedding arrangements for two weeks from today.”
“Sounds good to me, Mrs. Barrington. And I want you to know whatever you want to do about work is fine with me. But if you’d like to stay home with the kids, I can support us so you’re able to.”
“Thanks. I was thinking about that. Arranging for care for the twins is expensive, and I hate imposing on friends if I’m not paying them. Besides, I’d like to be a full-time mother again, like I was when the twins were born.”
When they arrived home, she showed him the pictures that the kids had made, welcoming him home. They really touched him, and he was all for going to Shannon and Chase’s place and picking them up.
“We won’t have a lot of time where we’re free to see each other like this when Jeff and Trish are home and we’re both off from work.” She took his hand and led him into the bedroom. “And we’re newlyweds, besides.”
6
The next morning, Jack’s phone rang and he was surprised to see Leyton was calling him on Saturday. “Ready to start your training?”
Right this minute? No. Jack was still enjoying the afterglow of making love to his lovely wife.
“Yeah, sure.” Jack didn’t want to let on to his brand new boss that he wanted to stay with Dottie a while longer this morning. Well, all weekend, truth be told.
“Meet me at the office. Travis MacKay, my partner, is coming with us. We’ll make sure you have a firearm and tell Dottie we might be gone for a few days.”
Jack hated that. Sure, it was better than being gone for months, but he’d wanted to see the kids before he had to take off. He’d been really looking forward to it.
“Okay. Any idea when we’re coming back?”
“Think of this like an army mission. You have no idea when it will be accomplished, sooner than later, you hope. Whoever knows.”
Training meant schedules, so either this wasn’t a training mission, or Leyton wasn’t sure how much Jack needed to get with the program. Or, Leyton was testing him to see if he could handle uncertainty. Jack had been through all that in the army, so he knew just fine how to deal with it, but Leyton wouldn’t know that until he witnessed it firsthand.
“I’ll let Dottie know and then I’ll be right over.”
“Grab some breakfast, pack a bag, and meet us in an hour. Then we’ll be on our way.”
“Will do.”
Leyton gave him the address. Jack ended the call and pulled Dottie into his arms.
“Leyton wants you to start training today?”
“Yeah. And he said he has no idea when we’ll be returning. You know what I think? He has a real mission to go on, and he wants me to get my feet wet.”
Dottie rubbed his arm, not looking happy about it.
He shrugged. “It’s a job.”
“Yeah, I know. I just…I just hoped we’d have the weekend together. You, me, and the kids.”
“Me too. But if we can wrap this up quickly, we’ll be done and home before you know it.”
She sighed. “Okay, let me start breakfast while you’re getting packed.”
They both got out of bed and she threw on a pair of sweats and headed out of the room while he took a quick shower, wishing he was soaping up Dottie too.
Then they had breakfast, and he headed out. “I’ll let you know whatever I can, when I can.”
“Okay. Love you.”
He gave her a warm hug and a hotter kiss, then let out his breath. “Hell, this better be worth it.”
She laughed. “I’m sure you’ll be home soon.”
He sure hoped so as he headed over to the house where Leyton and Travis had set up the CSF office. It was also a hangout/safe-house for fellow CSF agents if they needed a place to stay while they were in the area. It was a two-story white house with a picket fence, just like many of the homes in the neighborhood.
Travis MacKay and Leyton Hill greeted him, congratulating him on the marriage, and the new baby. Leyton had short, dark brown hair and a scruffy beard, whereas Travis was clean-shaven, his hair just as short, but the color was much darker. Both were six-feet tall, muscular, looking like they worked out and would make a good team.
Travis gave him a Glock and ammo. Leyton showed Jack the map of the locations where they were headed, and they gave him some of the background on the case. It wasn’t a training mission.
“We’re going after the guy who was the third man involved in an attack on us at Pine Ridge Gold Mine near Hal and Tracey Haverton’s horse ranch. He managed to escape prosecution—which, in our line of work as CSF agents, often means taking the bad
guys down permanently—and we’ve only just now received word that he’s back in the area. The other two cougars who were involved in the crimes are dead. Your mate’s ex-husband was one of the men. The third guy’s name is Bishop Adkins and he’s just as dirty as Jeffrey Brown and the other guy, Curly Joe. Like the other two, Bishop is a wily, rogue cougar shifter. He’s picked up a new partner. The guy was just released from jail. A man named Hellion Crichton.”
“Ah, hell.”
Travis and Leyton carried their gear out to his black Suburban. “You know the guy?” Leyton asked.
“Yeah. I dated his sister back in Missouri. We’d been engaged to be married and I learned she was cheating on me and broke it off. Hellion attacked me when I was running as a cougar with Dottie. The guy’s a habitual criminal. Assault, battery, attempted murder, if you count him trying to shoot me.”
“You got that right. And Bishop is on the same par as him. They were incarcerated together some time back,” Leyton said as Jack put his bag in Leyton’s vehicle.
“I take it this isn’t exactly a training exercise,” Jack said, not that he figured he needed a lot of classroom training.
“We do on-the-job training. Every situation is different for us. Isn’t that right, Travis?”
“I’ll say. One time I’m saving Leyton’s life, the next, he’s saving mine. Then my mate is saving mine, and I was saving Chet Kensington’s, another CSF agent with the force. We never know what we’ll be facing.”
“Any problem with that?” Leyton asked as he got in to drive.
“Nope. I’m good with thinking on my feet and improvising.”
“Good. That’s what we’d read in your paperwork. And that’s the kind of agents we need. We certainly can’t rely on someone who has to take all of his guidance from us, just in case we’re…a bit tied up at the time.” Leyton smiled. “Besides, I’d hate to have to tell Dottie that we just killed her brand new mate. By the way, all of us guys are wondering, did you plan to have more kids?”
Jack laughed. “No. That just happened. Leaky condoms, I guess.”
Leyton chuckled and shook his head.