Ahmed looked stricken and more than slightly panicked. “No, no. You don’t need to cry. I will kill them and I won’t get in trouble. I have diplomatic immunity. See, no reason to cry.”
Stella sniffed, laughed, and wiped at her eyes as Jace pushed his way through his packed living room to get to her. “That’s good to know. I was crying because you all showed up.”
“There, there, dear. I’ll whack the stuffing out of someone for such a cowardly act,” Miss Lily said, thumping a broom. Where had the broom even come from?
“I’ll slap them silly,” Miss Violet said as she smacked a spatula menacingly against her hand.
“Anyone who would do that deserves what they have coming. They weren’t raised right, that’s for sure.” Miss Daisy pulled a wooden spoon from her sleeve and everyone nodded.
“We look out for our own here,” Miss Lily told her.
“But I’m not—”
“Yes, you are,” Tammy cut in before Stella could say she wasn’t part of the town. “My son cares for you and that’s enough to make you family.” Jace squeezed her tightly against him as if telling her he agreed with his mother.
“Here, I want you both to have these,” Piper said, stepping forward and handing them two polo shirts. One was a pale yellow and the other was black. “For your protection.”
Jace was amazed as he looked over the shirt. “This is bulletproof?” he asked his older sister. Stella felt the fabric and looked up with surprise. Seriously? It was just a polo shirt, right?
“It is. It’s not available yet, but this way you don’t have to wear the jacket all the time. I’ll feel better with you both having it on. I have more if you need them.”
“I can provide security or someone on my team can,” Piper’s bodyguard husband, Aiden, told them.
“I’d be happy to help,” said a beautiful woman with dark hair who was holding hands with a tall elegant blonde who also nodded. “I’m Blythe. I work for Aiden,” Blythe, the brunette, said.
“And I’m Veronica. I don’t kill people. But I can destroy them publicly. And I can hire someone to kill them in less than ten seconds.” The blonde smiled sweetly but it was obvious she was one of those hyper-organized, no-nonsense types.
“Nice to meet you both, and thank you for your kind offers. I’m overwhelmed.”
“Well then, let’s get a game plan.” Veronica clapped her hands together and everyone went silent.
“Who are you?” Stella asked in wonder as all the aunts, uncles, cousins, firefighters, deputies, and friends instantly went quiet.
“Veronica runs my family’s lives,” Zain told her.
“This woman is an organizing, planning, and occasionally evil, genius,” Aniyah added with respect.
Jace rubbed his thumb gently over her hip over and over again until Stella was calm. “Okay, then. Where should we start?”
“With Kale,” Veronica said with certainty.
Stella was wondering if she was missing something because everyone was agreeing with her. “What does salad have to do with anything?”
“I told you we should have named him Bob,” Ahmed muttered to Bridget.
“I refuse to name our son after your arch nemesis of a dog.” Bridget rolled her eyes. “Besides, I craved kale the entire pregnancy. It’s fitting.”
“Kale Mueez is Ahmed and Bridget’s son,” Veronica filled in. “And he’s a tech genius. I want him to look at her cell phone. He’ll be here tomorrow.”
In short order Veronica had her army organized. People hugged, kissed, and promised everything would be okay. Then Colton, Parker, and Jace scooped up the three elderly Rose sisters and carried them down the stairs with half the town following behind them.
“I wanted to apologize,” Tandy said to Stella. They were now alone together in the living room as the last of the extended Davies family made their way downstairs. “I didn’t know Mrs. Davies wanted me at the dinner for anything underhanded. See, my mom had a bit of a reputation as the town’s mean girl back in the day. She and my dad had me after she cleaned up her act but it’s still been brought up enough for me to want to show everyone I’m not her.”
Stella smiled kindly at her and reached out to touch her arm reassuringly. “I completely understand. I’m sorry Tammy brought you in to trick Jace. But you can look at it as you helping the two of us get together.”
“That is something I am happy to have had a hand in.” Tandy smiled at her and took her leave. Stella stood in silence for a moment before Jace reappeared. How was it the world was falling apart around her, yet when Jace walked in everything settled back into place? She breathed easier, felt safer, and felt something a lot stronger that had been building since the first time they’d met.
“Sorry for the invasion,” Jace told her before closing and locking the door.
“I’m not. You know the saying, it takes a village. Well, I’m comforted by knowing I have a village at my back.”
Jace’s eyes looked as if he were momentarily lost in thought before coming back to hers. “I couldn’t agree more.”
“Jace, don’t leave me tonight.”
Stella held her breath as she waited for his reaction.
“Nothing could keep me away from you.”
The hungry look in his eyes told her what he wanted, but he didn’t push. He let her take control and Stella was so grateful. She needed to feel in charge of at least one thing in her life. Stella held out her hand and he took it, letting her lead them into his room and close the door.
“Stella, we don’t have to—” he started to say, but Stella kissed him instead. She kissed him with everything she had, everything she was feeling. The fear that there would be no tomorrow. The fear that someone would take all decisions from her. The fear that she and Jace wouldn’t have the time together to make their own happily ever after. Then she kissed him with the realization that when you know you’re in love, you know, and there’s no shame in telling the other person how you feel. She kissed him, not out of fear but with the hope that they had their whole life together to look forward to.
Jace paused only for a second before spearing his fingers into hair and angling her mouth for him to deepen the kiss. Stella felt the silent conversation their bodies had as they touched. The caring, the trust, the desire, and the future they hoped they’d have together.
“Stella,” Jace said, breaking the kiss. “You have to know how much you’ve come to mean to me.”
“I do.” No more fear. Life was too short for the fear of looking silly or embarrassing yourself. For all she knew, her tormentor could kill her tomorrow. And if that did happen, she wanted Jace to know she loved him. “Jace, I—”
“Stella,” Jace said at the same time.
“Sorry, go ahead,” Stella told him.
“I didn’t tell you the whole truth just now.” Stella froze in his arms and looked up at him.
“What do you mean?” Stella’s eyes searched his out for a clue, but they weren’t given.
“You mean more to me than just someone I care about. Stella, through all this, I’ve fallen in love with you. I’ve fallen in love with your kindness, with your strength, with what a good person, sister, aunt, and friend you are. I’ve fallen in love with the woman who worked by my side instead of having a romantic date. I’ve fallen in love with the woman who would do anything to save her dog. The woman who made it through my family dinner without crying or running out the door. And I’ve fallen for the woman who I can’t stop dreaming about every night. Stella, I love you.”
Stella’s whole body was alive with feeling. It was as if Jace’s words wrapped her in a warm cocoon of love, caring, and support. She’d never felt freer before in her entire life. “I love you too, Jace. I’ve known you were special to me from the first time I met you.”
“It felt different. I can’t describe it, I just knew it was different,” Jace said quietly as he cupped her face in his hands and began to place soft kisses on her lips.
“It felt rig
ht,” Stella said as she let her hands move down his chest, over the flat ridges of his abdomen. “And so does this.”
Jace dropped his hands from her face to allow her to strip his shirt off. Stella took in his muscled chest and allowed her eyes and fingers to run downward before she went to work on his belt.
They were quiet as they slowly undressed each other. Her body heated at the sight of his wide shoulders and muscular legs. Jace reverently laid her on the bed. His leg slid between hers and they locked eyes. He smiled, bent down, and kissed her.
Stella was lost to Jace’s exploration. She wanted to scream for him to hurry while at the same time beg him to never stop. She was breathing hard, and every sensation in her body seemed heightened. By the time they made love to each other, she felt connected to Jace in a way she never imagined possible.
19
Early the next morning, Jace slid from the bed and pulled on a pair of scrubs. There was no way he could stop the smile that spread across his face. He quietly shut the door to his apartment and locked it behind him. His mind was on the best night of his life as he trotted down the stairs and opened the back door of his clinic.
“You look happy,” Riley said with a knowing look as Matt escorted her into the clinic.
Jace turned on the hall light and the bathroom light. He handed Riley the specimen cup and smiled. “It’s an excellent day.”
“I made it another week, so I’ll agree with you on that,” Riley said, taking the cup and disappearing into the bathroom.
On the other hand, Matt didn’t look happy. He looked worried. “What’s really going on?” Jace whispered to his cousin-in-law.
“She’s suffering from bad indigestion. She says she feels okay, but she was a little dizzy on her walk over here.”
Jace’s smile fell from his face. He reached out and clasped Matt’s shoulder. “I’ll make sure she and the baby are safe, okay?”
Matt took a breath and blew it out as he nodded.
The toilet flushed and a minute later Riley walked out, drying her hands. “Go ahead and tell me how awesome I’m doing.”
“Matt, take her into the examining room. Today we’ll do an ultrasound as well as our regular checkup.”
Riley smiled and placed her hand on her bump. “You hear that? We get to see your sweet face again today.”
Matt tried to look up-beat, but it was clear he was worried as he escorted Riley to the exam room. Jace slid into his small lab and pulled out the test strip and cursed. Her proteins were way too high.
When Jace entered the room, his eyes met Matt’s. Matt’s jaw tightened and he swallowed hard. Today was not going to be the great day Jace had hoped for.
“Did I kick that test’s ass, or what?” Riley asked from where she sat on the table, now wearing an exam gown. He got a good look at her hands and feet. They were incredibly swollen.
“Let’s take your blood pressure real quick.” Jace pulled on the cuff and stuck the stethoscope in his ears. He had to stop himself from cursing. He pulled the stethoscope from his ears and looked up at Riley who was frowning at him.
“Tell me,” Riley demanded.
“I need to admit you to the hospital. I’m sorry, Riley.”
“What can I do? There has to be something I can do. I can’t just sit here waiting to see if my baby will live,” she pleaded.
Jace put his hands over hers. “Breathe, Riley. I’m going to give you a steroid shot. It will help the baby’s lungs develop.”
“How long does it need to work?” Riley asked with determination.
“As little as forty-eight hours for maximum benefit.”
Riley’s head nodded. “I can do that. I will do that.”
“I want you to lie on your left side. Matt, hold her hand for me. It’s a big shot. I’ll do the ultrasound after the shot.”
Jace stepped from the room as he measured out the injection. When he came back, Riley was on her side staring into Matt’s eyes. Jace didn’t show the needle to Riley as he made his way to stand behind her. He pulled up her gown and wiped the muscular area near her hip with an alcohol swab. He brought the needle up and Matt’s eyes went wide.
“That’s a huge needle,” Matt stammered.
“Thanks, Matt.” Jace could practically hear Riley rolling her eyes.
“No, babe. Like it’s freaking huge. I’ve never seen a needle that big. It looks like it’s for a horse or something.”
Jace glared at Matt who just kept staring at the needle fearfully. “Riley, breathe in. Breathe out. And here we go.” Jace pushed the needle into the tight muscle. Riley hissed out her breath. Matt looked as if he was about to pass out.
“There. All done. Let’s ultrasound that baby,” Jace said.
Thirty minutes later, Matt and Riley were heading for the hospital nervous and scared, but hopeful. Riley’s ultrasound showed the baby was healthy for this stage of development. Jace was now no longer the doctor in charge, but he was still the primary for Riley and the baby. He’d told Matt and Riley that he’d visit at least once a day to check in on them. He’d be notified as soon as Riley went into labor since he was still the baby’s primary doctor. The high-risk pregnancy specialist, Dr. Estes, would take over from here on out.
Jace headed upstairs and sniffed. Bacon. The smile returned as he rushed upstairs where he found Stella wearing nothing but one of his scrub tops as she cooked breakfast in his kitchen.
All those little puzzle pieces that made up life seemed to rotate, flip, and fit perfectly together as he looked at Stella. She was his life, his love, and his future. There was no question about it. She looked up and smiled at him. If he had a ring in his pocket, he’d be down on his knee right now.
Instead, he strode over to her and kissed her long and deeply before pulling away. “I love you.”
“Good morning. I love you, too. A girl could get used to hearing that.”
“I already want this every morning. But what are you doing up so early?”
“I open the garden center at nine and Katelyn texted that Jimmy is feeling much better and that I can see him before work.”
“I’ll drive you after breakfast. Now, what can I do to help?”
* * *
Stella had never enjoyed breakfast more. When she’d woken up alone, she’d been momentarily worried at finding the apartment empty. However, it didn’t take her long to figure out where Jace had gone once she’d peeked out the rear window and seen his SUV still parked behind the building. So, she’d rummaged around and found enough to make homemade biscuits and bacon for breakfast.
There was something nice about the quiet of the morning and making breakfast for the man she loved. Then she’d gotten the great news about Jimmy. While he still needed to stay at the clinic for a couple of days, at least they now knew he’d pull through and be back to normal when he came back home.
On the way to the clinic, she and Jace had talked about their upcoming week. It was easy to agree to her staying at his place this week while they got her window repaired. She wanted to go back to the farmhouse, but right now it didn’t feel safe.
The visit to Jimmy had made her cry with relief. Her sweet boy had thumped his tail and licked at her tears. Katelyn had assured her all was well with Jimmy and that she could come visit anytime.
Jace held her hand as he drove her home and then reality crashed into her. Seeing her home again brought back the nightmares.
“Want me to go inside and pack your bag?” Jace asked her as he pulled to a stop by her garage. There was now a large board nailed across her front door and the windows there.
It would be so easy to say yes, but Stella was determined not to let fear win. Not when she had love. “Let’s go in together.”
Jace led the way and Stella forced herself to look over at the broken glass as she walked upstairs. Who would do this to her? Cody Gray was going to meet her in thirty minutes. Yet try as she could, she wasn’t coming up with any names.
“I’ll wait here while you get
what you need,” Jace told her as he stood in the doorway looking back down the hall toward the stairs. It simultaneously made her feel comforted and fearful. Was she really living a life in which someone wanted to hurt her?
“What can I do to help out today?”
Stella paused as she was putting a stack of clothes into her suitcase. “What do you mean?”
“It’s the weekend. I have the day off. I want to help at the nursery.”
“Jace, you don’t have to do that.”
“I know, but I want to. I grew up on a farm and I like working outside.”
“Well, that will leave Nolan and me to answer questions, so if you could ring people up and carry plants to their cars, that would be a big help.”
“Is your family coming out today?” Jace asked as she finished packing.
“I don’t think so. Honestly, I haven’t told them about what happened to Jimmy. I know my brother will have a fit. I should tell him. I don’t want April to be in danger by being out here with me.”
Stella hefted the bag up, but Jace immediately walked in and grabbed it from her. “They’re safe in Keeneston. No one would let anything happen to them.”
“I’d like to believe that, but look what happened to Jimmy. If someone really wants to hurt me, they know April, my family, is where I’m most vulnerable.”
“I guess you need to tell them what’s going on. Let them make up their own mind.”
Jace was right, but it wasn’t a call she wanted to make. Jace put her bag in the back of his SUV, and as he drove toward the garden center, Stella called her brother. It wasn’t an easy conversation. Karl was upset that she didn’t call him last night and insisted that they’d be there in thirty minutes.
“Ugh. What is it about brothers not listening?”
“I’m the wrong person to ask. I’d move heaven and earth to help my sisters. Now, let’s talk business rivals.”
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