The Deputy's Unexpected Family

by Patricia Johns

  But there was guilt mixed in there, too, because Harper had judged Gabe pretty harshly, as well. Mind you, he wasn’t any good for Andrea—she had to stand by that. But she’d never even considered the pain under the surface for Gabe Banks, and she wished that she would have. She’d never seen such pain in a man’s eyes before today. Why had no one stepped in?

  Her cell phone rang, and Harper glanced at the number. It was her sister. She put the shears down on the table and hit the talk button.

  “Hi, Heidi,” she said.

  “Hi! How are you?”

  “Not bad.” Harper attempted to cheer up her tone a little. Gabe had shared something personal with her, and she sensed the privacy of that moment they’d shared. She wouldn’t share it with anyone else. He could count on her for that much. “I had a busy day. How about you?”

  “I got together with Sadie about the seating charts, and guess what?” Sadie was one of Harper’s close friends, and the wedding planner for Chris and Heidi’s wedding.

  “I don’t know. I can’t guess,” Harper said, eyeing the hanging dress moodily, her gaze moving from pin to pin.

  “She’s pregnant.”

  “What?” Harper’s stomach dropped. Yet another friend married and having a baby. “Sadie’s not trying to get pregnant. She told me herself—she’s focusing on her event planning business right now.”

  “I know what I saw,” Heidi replied breezily. “She was drinking mint tea at the coffee shop, took one bite of a sandwich, and then threw up in the garbage can.”

  “There is such a thing as the flu,” Harper replied with a sigh. “Don’t start rumors.”

  “There’s also such a thing as morning sickness,” her sister quipped.

  “If she is pregnant, I’m thrilled for her. But seriously, Heidi, don’t start rumors.” Harper paused. “Were you with Sadie this morning?”

  “No, this evening, why?” Heidi asked. “We didn’t have a dress fitting, did we?”

  “No, but Chris seemed to think we did.”

  Heidi went silent for a beat, then she sighed. “He came over? For crying out loud! He’s not supposed to see the dress—”

  “He didn’t come in. He talked to Gabe outside.”

  “And what did he say?” Heidi pressed.

  “I’m more curious about why you’re lying to him,” Harper retorted.

  “I’m not lying—Okay, maybe a tiny bit. But these are my last few months of freedom, Harper. You don’t know what it’s like to be engaged.”

  “Oh, the misery,” Harper replied with an eye roll. “A handsome, successful guy wants to marry you. My heart bleeds. So where were you?”

  “If I tell you, you can’t get all mother hennish on me.”

  “Since when do I get mother hennish?” Harper snapped. “Just tell me.”

  “I was having a coffee with Trent.”

  “Your ex,” Harper muttered.

  “He’s perfectly safe,” Heidi said, an eye roll evident her tone, too. “Chris is a step up from Trent, and you know it. Besides, Trent’s wife is expecting their second any day now. He’s a married father of almost two.”

  “And he’s having coffee with you.”

  “He was congratulating me!” Heidi snapped. “People can have a friendly coffee. Seriously, Harper, I don’t need to be babysat.”

  “And if there was nothing wrong with it, why did you lie to your fiancé?” she shot back.

  “Trent needs a new job. He was hoping that the Holmeses might have an opening. So it was innocent. But Chris has been...I don’t know. Clingy lately. He wants to do everything together. Ever since I put on this ring, it’s like we’re joined at the hip.”

  “Like a married couple would be,” Harper said.

  “Except we aren’t married yet,” Heidi replied. “And I just want a little space.”

  Harper sighed. This was the same old Heidi. Even with the wealthiest bachelor in the county wanting to marry her. “You did the same thing to Trent.”

  “I did not!”

  “You did. You dumped him because he wanted too much from you.”

  Heidi sighed. “I’m not dumping Chris. I’m just enjoying what freedom I have left. That’s it.”

  Freedom. As if planning a life with the man she loved was some sort of hardship. Granted, the Holmes family was prominent and wealthy, so there would be some new pressures that Heidi wasn’t used to...but still!

  Harper couldn’t lecture, though. She’d done enough of that with Andrea, and she’d learned from it. Life was hard, messy and complicated, and Harper might heartily disagree with someone else’s choices, but she had no right to dictate.

  “Heidi, Chris knows you lied to him,” Harper said quietly. “I just thought you should know that.”

  “All right. Thanks. I’d better call him.”

  “Heidi, is the wedding on?” Harper asked seriously. “Because I’m about to cut Grandma’s dress here—”

  “Yes,” Heidi said firmly. “Of course, it’s on. I’ll work it out with Chris. You know I love him.”

  “Okay...” And it did make Harper feel a little better. She didn’t want her sister to cast aside another good man. She deserved happiness, too. “He’s a good guy, Heidi. A really good guy.”

  “I know. And he puts up with me.” Heidi sounded a little bashful. “I shouldn’t have lied. I know that. Let me call him.”

  “Okay. Talk to you later.”

  After Harper hung up, she rubbed her hands over her face. Chris was in love with Heidi, even with her faults. But this was what a relationship was—forgiving each other, trying to understand each other, and taking the bumps as well as the smooth parts of the road. When Chris had proposed to Heidi, Harper had felt in her core that her sister had a very good man.

  And Harper would not allow petty jealousy to put a wedge between her and her sister.

  Father, help me to be happy for her. Your blessings aren’t limited, and Your plans for me aren’t any less because You have plans for other people, too.

  What good was a wedding dress to Harper with no groom? Heidi was getting married first, and Harper would have to make her peace with that. But looking back on her sister’s wedding ten years from now, or even twenty, she didn’t want to be ashamed of herself.

  Harper picked up the shears and crossed the kitchen to the hanging dress. She lifted the fabric and held it taut between her fingers.

  “Here we go...” she murmured, and sucking in a deep breath, she opened the scissors and made the first, bold cut. The blades sliced through lace, the threads popping apart with the whisper of metal sliding against metal. Now it was begun, and there was no going back.

  She might as well hem this dress to her sister’s specifications.

  This was no longer Grandma’s dress, or even Harper’s. It was Heidi’s.

  * * *

  In the bedroom of the Camdens’ bed and breakfast, Gabe tucked some clothing on top of the box into his suitcase, as if layers of clothing could somehow make it disappear from his thoughts, too.

  Of all places for the sensitivity training, Comfort Creek was the worst choice possible—at least, for Gabe. For anyone else, it was just a small town. And if he’d been sent to some other little town to think about his behavior, he’d have been able to endure it.

  That night, he slept fitfully, dreaming of familiar streets that led nowhere and friends he hadn’t seen in years. He woke up tired and irritable. Even Lily’s breakfast of pancakes and sausages did little to lift his mood. He’d been avoiding his hometown for this very reason. He wasn’t ready to face it all, and yet he didn’t have much choice. He was here in Comfort Creek until his training was up, and when he did drive away, he’d be leaving a four-year-old daughter behind.

  Driving away from his daughter—that thought had started to ache in a dull, uncomfortable way. Shaking the
dust off his shoes wouldn’t be quite so simple anymore.

  Just as he was leaving the bed and breakfast, Gabe got a call on his cell phone from the chief.

  “What can I do for you, sir?” Gabe asked.

  “We’ve got a hit in Fort Collins on some of the articles stolen from Blessings Bridal,” Chief Morgan said. “I’ll email the forms, but it’s a few tiaras, some...let me see...jeweled belts, and a bridal veil.”

  Gabe’s heart sped up in his chest. “A veil, you say? Is it an old one...like an antique kind of thing?”

  “There were a few on the list,” the chief said, the clack of a keyboard sounding in the background. “I’m not sure. I wanted you to go down to the pawn shop and check it out since you’re part of the FCPD. It’s just simpler that way.”

  “Yeah, sure, no problem.” Gabe perked up at the chance to head back home, even for a couple hours. Maybe it would help him feel more like himself again.

  “Thanks, Gabe. I’ll need a full report when you get back.”

  As Gabe hung up the phone, he felt a smile tickling the corners of his lips. A lead—finally. His time in Comfort Creek could count for more than discipline.

  * * *

  When Gabe drove back into Comfort Creek later that day, he was satisfied. He’d collected several items from the list of stolen property at that pawn shop, pumped as much information from the owner as he could, and left his card for the man to call him if he remembered anything else. Gabe wasn’t holding his breath on that one.

  And for once, he was actually glad to be heading back to Comfort Creek because he had something that Harper wanted, and he could be the guy who handed it over.

  Blessing Bridal was open for business when he parked his squad car out front. He was in uniform this time, and when he hopped out of his car and headed to the front door, a few people did a double take, watching him pull open the front door. It felt good to be in uniform again—the crisp dark blue, the gun at his side, the bulletproof vest. It was like a shield between him and the emotional turmoil he was so tired of dealing with. In this uniform, he was defined—a cop, a protector, a law enforcer. He knew who he was dressed like this. In plainclothes, he wasn’t so sure of himself.

  The store was empty of customers, and Harper stood behind the counter, looking at a binder, her finger moving down a page. She was dressed in a soft cream-colored sweater. The overhead bell jingled cheerfully, and she looked up. She smiled when she saw him, straightening.

  “Where’ve you been?” Harper asked. “I thought you were supposed to be my personal bodyguard, or something.”

  “I still am,” he said with a short laugh. “The chief asked me to retrieve a few things from a pawn shop in Fort Collins.” He lifted a large bag that he carried at his side. “Thought you might be interested in that.”

  “You found some of my merchandise?” she asked, her expression brightening. “Really?”

  Harper came out from behind the counter, and Gabe put down the canvas bag and then pulled it open. He took out several tiaras and the crystal encrusted belts one by one—carefully so as not to ruin them. Harper took each one, running her fingers over the crystals almost reverently.

  “This one’s damaged,” she said with a sigh. “But the others are in good shape.”

  “And there were a couple of veils, too,” Gabe said, pulling the first veil from the bag. It was wrapped in paper to protect it, and he saw Harper’s breath catch as she eased the tape back.

  “The Irving veil.” She smiled and nodded. “This is an expensive piece. I know that insurance can replace most of it, but it will take some time. I’d rather just have the originals.”

  “One more.” This time, he pulled out a pale pink box, and Harper’s eyes immediately misted. Her lips trembled as she reached for the box.

  “You found it...” she breathed, and she pulled off the lid and lifted out a creamy colored veil, topped with aged pink rosettes. She checked it over from top to bottom, her fingers moving across the delicate fabric. “Oh, Gabe!”

  Harper put the veil back into the box and flung her arms around his neck. Gabe had been expecting to please her, but not quite like this—and before he could think better of it, he slid his arms around her waist and pulled her close. She smelled of something soft and floral, and she felt warm and perfect in his arms—so perfect that he wished he could just bury his face in her neck and hold her there, but he wasn’t that foolish. He released her after a moment, but instead of stepping back to a safe distance, she looked up into his face, her glittering green eyes searching his.

  “How did you find it?” she whispered almost conspiratorially.

  “It was reported by the Fort Collins department,” he said, his voice low in response to her whisper. “And I...uh...went to get it for you.”

  “I can’t believe I have it back...” She wiped an errant tear from her cheek. “Just last night, I was working on my sister’s wedding dress and doing some praying, and—let’s just say this is a God thing, you know what I mean? I feel like this is confirmation that everything will be okay.”

  It had been a long time since he’d felt like everything would be okay.

  “I envy you that,” he said quietly. “But I’m glad you have it back with the family, where it belongs.”

  There was a spot of color in her pale cheeks. She nudged her glasses up over the freckles on her nose, and she smiled gratefully.

  “Thank you, Gabe. I mean, really. Thank you so much. This veil...it was more than just a veil. It represented something more personal to me—my future, I suppose. My own chance at happiness. And I’m sure you don’t want to hear about a girl’s hopes and dreams, and how they never quite died, but...this means the world...”

  And while she prattled on with her thanks, he felt a wave of awkward discomfort. He didn’t know how to respond to gratitude—especially hers. He just wanted her to stop talking, and while he looked down at those pink lips, he could think of one way of making that happen.

  “Harper.” He stepped closer, and instead of retreating, she tipped her chin up, meeting his gaze easily. “I—” He had no words. He was glad to have brought this back to her—to have given her something that mattered. But in the midst of that, he was feeling something much deeper, something almost painful. All he wanted was to kiss her.

  “You’re a good man, Gabe,” Harper said quietly.

  But he wasn’t. He was a man, certainly, but not a good one. He was a lost man, a frustrated man. He was now a father set up to disappoint his only daughter. He disappointed every woman who got too close, but if he was going to let a woman down, he’d rather it be with emotional honesty than pretending he was something he wasn’t.

  And those beautiful lips, parted again as she drew in a breath to keep talking, were all he could think about. They were all he’d been able to think about for days now.

  “I try real hard,” he said gruffly, and he dipped his head down and caught her lips with his—anything else she was about to say evaporating on her tongue. He felt a rush of relief to have finally closed that distance between them. He put a hand up to her face and kissed her gently as her eyes fluttered shut, and for just a moment, she sank against his chest. The store melted away around them as his lips moved over hers, and he felt her soft sigh against his face. Then she stiffened and pulled back.

  “Gabe...” Her fingers moved to her lips, touching them as if burned.

  “Sorry,” he said with a small smile. “I’ve been wanting to do that ever since I saw you again.”

  “But—” She dropped her hand.

  And he bent down and kissed her lips again. He was going to regret this—he knew that for a fact—so he might as well kiss her again. It could count as one big mistake. But this time as his lips met hers, she kissed him back, and his heart sped up at the realization. She felt this, too—it wasn’t one-sided this time around. And while he knew he
had very good reasons to be keeping a distance from this woman, he couldn’t quite remember them with her in his arms. She was so warm and soft and fragrant, and every single hope he’d held over the years seemed to tumble back into the room.

  The bell above the door jingled and they both startled. Harper leaped from his arms. A blush blazed over her cheeks, and her scandalized gaze swept from Gabe to the newcomer.

  “Heidi,” Harper squeaked. “Hi...”

  “Oh!” Heidi pulled off her sunglasses and ran a hand through her short-cropped, auburn hair. “I didn’t mean to disturb...”

  “Shut up,” Harper said irritably. “You aren’t. Gabe was just leaving.”

  That was a dismissal all right, and he shot Harper a roguish smile. “Fine, I’ll go. Have a good afternoon, ladies.”

  He passed Heidi, who stared at him in unveiled curiosity as she came inside the store, and he pulled open the door, his heart still beating faster than normal. He needed a blast of leaf-scented air to get his brain back on track. Then he could figure out what on earth he’d just done in there...and how bad he’d regret it. Because right now in the moment, he didn’t regret a thing. He’d meant that kiss.

  “Gabe?” Harper called after him, and he turned back, the outside breeze tugging at him.

  Harper’s green eyes were fixed on him, and her cheeks still bloomed pink. It took all his self-restraint not to stride back in there and kiss her all over again—audience or not. But he’d done enough dumb things for one day, and he was pretty sure he’d be kicking himself for this later as it was.

  “Yeah?” he said.

  “Thanks again—for the veil.”

  “All part of the job,” he said, but he caught her gaze for a millisecond, and he saw so much more swimming beneath the surface—emotions he had no right to decipher.

  Gabe turned again, then headed out the door and into the street. He might have been an idiot to have kissed her to begin with, but she’d kissed him back!