by Jody Holford
Kate squeezed harder.
Cam looked at Alex, then back at Elliot, and cleared his throat. “She had bags packed for Beth and Gracie. I think she was headed out of town.”
Like the terror had, anger cloaked him, covering him like another layer of skin. “That fucking bitch. She’ll never see them again. I’ll make sure—”
Kate stood in front of him, grabbed his face between her hands, and stopped his words. Tears trailed over her cheeks. He could barely see them or her through the haze. He felt like he was outside of himself.
“They’re okay. That’s all that matters,” she said.
She wrapped her arms around him and even though he had fifty pounds on her at least, she clutched so hard he lost his breath. When it whooshed out, so did some of the haze. He held on, scared to let go. Scared for the next part.
“I need to see the girls,” Elliot said into her hair, his voice cracking.
“I’ll get the doc,” Cam said.
Alex put a hand on Elliot’s back while Kate kept her body glued to his. “Just focus on the girls. We’ll deal with the rest later,” Alex said.
A white-haired doctor came up to where they stood huddled in the entry of the waiting room.
Kate stepped back but kept hold of his hand.
“Mr. Peters?”
Elliot reached out a hand. “Officer Peters. Angel’s Lake Police Department. I need to see my daughters, Beth and Grace Peters.” He needed all the leverage he could get. If being a cop got him in one second sooner, he’d take it.
“Both of your daughters are fine. They were wearing their seatbelts, unlike the driver,” the doctor said. He looked down at the chart in his hand. “Beth fractured her left forearm. We’ve put a cast on it. Grace has minor contusions on her face from broken glass. She needed four stitches on one arm but is otherwise fine.”
Elliot’s eyes burned. His babies, hurt. Okay, but definitely hurt. Because he’d done what anyone should be able to do: he’d left them with their mother.
“What about Gina, the driver?” Kate asked.
Elliot looked down at her, amazed that she had the compassion to ask. He was so goddamn mad he wondered if he’d ever feel compassion again.
The doctor looked at the chart again, flipped a page. “As I said, she wasn’t wearing her seatbelt, but she’s lucky she wasn’t hurt worse. She has three broken ribs, a broken collarbone, and a concussion. We’ll need her to stay tonight at least.”
“You can keep her as long as you want. I want to see my daughters. Now.”
The doctor nodded and Elliot immediately followed when he started walking toward the swinging doors. “That’s fine. I’ll sign their discharge papers. You can go back with the deputy. He’s already been to see them.”
Kate stood still and Elliot stopped. “Come. Please.”
She came to his side immediately and walked through the swinging doors with him. The girls were in a bed together, sitting up and holding hands. Grace started to cry the second she saw him. He and Kate both rushed forward and Elliot carefully wrapped his arms around them.
“You’re okay. You guys are going to be okay. I love you both so much,” Elliot said.
Tears stung, and he couldn’t stop them any more than he could stop his heart from vibrating in his chest. He wanted to pull them inside of his body and promise them they’d never be hurt again. That he’d do a better job protecting them.
“Daddy, I got a cast,” Beth said.
Her eyes showed she’d been crying, but she wasn’t now. Grace hiccuped and Kate grabbed some Kleenex. “I got stitches,” Grace said, hiccuping again.
“You two are so brave,” Kate said, dabbing at Grace’s tears.
“Mommy said we had to go somewhere else. She wouldn’t say where. We told her we couldn’t because it was Christmas and we didn’t want to, but she said it was just for a little while. Is Mommy okay?” Beth said.
Kate ran a hand down Beth’s hair, kissed her cheek. “Your mom is going to be fine, sweetie.”
Elliot unclenched his jaw, grateful that Kate still had the composure to say the right words. They weren’t the ones that popped into his head. Alex walked into the small curtained area. Cam must have gone back out to the waiting room, but Elliot hadn’t seen him go.
“There’s my favorite twins,” Alex said. He handed them each a stuffed bear, one with a purple shirt and one with a green shirt.
“Hi, Officer Whitman. We got to drive in an ambulance,” Beth said.
“What do you say Beth?” Elliot asked.
“Thank you,” Beth said, squeezing the bear.
“Thank you,” Grace said. She sniffed again and curled into Elliot. He boosted her up into his arms.
“You’re welcome. You girls okay?” Alex asked.
“We’re okay,” Beth said.
“I’m hungry,” Grace replied.
Alex laughed. “I bet your dad and Kate will take you out for breakfast. You can probably milk this pretty good. Get out of chores, get some extra treats.”
Elliot chuckled and the rock in his chest dislodged. He could breathe again. They were okay.
“Thanks,” Elliot said, managing a grin at Alex.
“Can we get a puppy?” Beth asked.
Kate laughed, lifting Beth down from the bed gently. “Good try, cutie.”
“Uh, I’m supposed to be at work,” Elliot said, just realizing it.
Alex’s eyes narrowed and his lips tilted down. “And I expect you to be there right now? Jesus, Peters. I told you I don’t want to have to kick your…” he started then looked at the girls, “butt.”
Both girls giggled.
Alex shook his head and kissed Kate’s cheek. “I’ll see you guys on Christmas Eve, okay? Lucy thought it would be a good idea to host dinner at our house.” He looked at Elliot again and pointed at him. “You have some vacation time stored up. I don’t want to see you until the first of the year.”
Firming his lips to fight back emotions he didn’t want to express, Elliot nodded. “Thanks.”
Alex clapped him on the shoulder. “I’ll take care of Gina’s paperwork. Get your girls settled. All of them.” Alex walked to the nurse’s station and Elliot looked down and saw Kate’s hand grasping Beth’s. Grace’s arms squeezed his neck. “Let’s go. We’ll get something to eat,” Elliot said.
Kate hesitated. “Grace, can you walk, honey?”
Grace lifted her head from Elliot’s shoulder and murmured, “Yes.”
Kate rubbed a hand over her back and locked eyes on Elliot. “I’ll get them in the car. Alex sent Cam for mine. He’ll catch a ride back to the station with Alex. Go make sure Gina’s okay.”
“Kate.”
“Elliot.”
He didn’t want to. He was afraid he’d say something he couldn’t take back. But Kate was looking at him, believing he could go to the woman who’d put him through hell like it was a playground he enjoyed, put her own needs before that of their girls, and still be the bigger person. He wanted to be the man Kate saw. He nodded and set Grace on the floor.
When they walked back through the swinging doors, he turned to ask the nurses where Gina was and saw Alex watching him. He pointed to a curtain in the other corner of the large room.
Elliot opened the curtain, certain his fury would come back like an avalanche. Monitors beeped quietly. Gina’s face was bruised. Part of her scalp was shaved where they’d put the stitches. Her eyes, dark and swelling, fluttered open, filling with tears.
“I’m so sorry,” she whispered. Her voice cracked, mirroring the ache in his heart. Elliot went to her side and without even thinking about it, took her hand.
She sniffed then winced. “I don’t want to be this person. I’m so sorry,” Gina said, tears pouring down her face.
Elliot grabbed a tissue and much like Kate had for Grace, dabbed at Gina’s cheeks. “You need help. I don’t know what you need or how to help you myself, but something has to change,” he said.
She nodded as she too
k the Kleenex from him and wiped at her eyes. Tears kept coming, and the pain in Elliot’s chest receded, just enough to keep his voice gentle.
“You’re better than this, Gina. Maybe you should speak to a counsellor or the doctor. I don’t know, but you can’t keep going with this self-destructive behavior. You need to build a life. One that includes our girls and keeping them safe.”
Gina pulled her lip between her teeth and stared at the tissue in her hand. “I know. You’ve never given up on me.”
Elliot’s stomach cramped. He felt like he had. “You’re their mom. They need their mom.”
Her eyes met his and more tears flowed. Elliot didn’t know what to do with them; he’d never seen her cry. Gently, he leaned his hip on the bed and passed her the tissue.
Gina’s voice was small. “They’ll have Kate.”
Fighting his own emotions and the lump that reappeared in his throat, he nodded. “Yeah. They will. I love her, Gina. I want to be with her, so they’ll have her and she’ll be good to them. She’ll love them. But they still need their mom.”
Gina nodded as she took the tissue from Elliot’s hand. “I don’t know what to do,” she whispered.
Elliot leaned over and kissed her forehead. “Get better. Get settled. Cal’s always looking for waitresses at the diner. It’s a start. I’ll help you, but you have to work for it. It’s not going to be easy.”
Gina winced, and Elliot stood straight. “I know. I’m scared. But the thought of them being hurt, more than I’ve already hurt them, terrifies me.”
Finally, something was getting through to her. “Talk to Cal. I’ll give him a call.” Elliot said. He could do that for her. She’d given him the girls. He started to go before Gina said his name.
All of the tears were gone. “Why would you help me after everything I’ve done?”
He thought for a minute and then decided to give her the truth. “I’d do anything for them. I’m hoping this gives them their mom back.”
She nodded, and Elliot left. He took a few deep breaths before he walked out of the hospital and pulled himself together. Or, together enough to get through breakfast. There was nothing he wanted more than to be home with all of his girls.
Chapter Sixteen
The panic of the last few days had faded, but Kate still felt wound up. Worry hovered inside her as she and Elliot pampered the girls and then maximized their alone time when both of them fell asleep. But even when he’d made love to her the last two nights, insisting she stay beside him, telling her how far he’d fallen, the nerves wouldn’t settle. She had to keep reminding herself and reminding him that everything was okay.
“I hope you guys are ready for this,” she said as the girls and Elliot stomped the snow off of their boots on Lucy and Alex’s porch.
Elliot laughed and ran a hand down her hair, then leaned in and kissed her cheek. “We’ve hung out with your family, Kate.” He pushed open the door without even knocking, and music and voices tumbled out as the girls ran in.
“It might be too much excitement for them after everything. Maybe we should have stayed home and just kept tonight quiet. Tomorrow will be chaotic too,” Kate said.
Elliot framed her face with his hands. “They’re okay. They want to be here.”
Even though she believed him—could see in his eyes that he meant it—her stomach continued to tumble. This was big. She’d never even brought a date to a family event and here she was bringing a man she’d unexpectedly fallen in love with and his two children. Kate looked past him, knowing they had only seconds before someone in her family descended.
“Do you?” she asked. “Want to be here? It’s a lot. They’re a lot. We’ve jumped in, head, feet, whole body first.”
Elliot rested his forehead against hers and she closed her eyes, breathing him in. “Kate. I want to be wherever you are. And for the record, I like your head, your feet, and your whole body. A lot.”
Gripping his wrists, she opened her eyes and beamed up at him. His words went a long way toward loosening the pressure in her chest. “Okay. But don’t say I didn’t warn you.”
They managed to get into the house, hang their jackets, and make it to the kitchen before they were bombarded by her mother, who hugged Elliot tightly. “We’re so glad everyone is okay and that you’re joining us for Christmas,” Julie said.
Releasing her, Elliot smiled. “Thank you for making my girls and I feel so welcome.” Julie winked at him. “Back at you with my girl.”
Then she hugged Kate and ushered them farther into the fray. Luke and Char were at the long, wide, gorgeously restored farm table, setting up Monopoly with Grace, Beth, and Carmen choosing their pawns. The dining room and kitchen were one large room, but the living room was through an arch. In it, Kate’s dad was settled on the floor, back against one of the couches, amusing Emma and Mia. They were belly laughing in a way that made the rest of Kate’s nerves fade away.
Mark stood. “There’s my girl. Elliot,” he said, shaking Elliot’s hand and clapping him on the back. “Glad your girls are okay, son. Gina doing alright?”
“Yes, sir,” Elliot said.
Kate glanced at him, confused by the stilted tone in Elliot’s voice. She hugged her dad, hard, comforted by the scent of his cologne. He kissed the top of her head.
“I’m going to go help Alex and your mother with dinner. You okay to keep an eye on these two?” Mark asked, releasing her.
“I thought Lucy was making dinner,” Kate said.
Lucy came down the stairs, her hair bundled on top of her head. “I am. Sort of. I just had to change. There was a potato mishap,” she said, coming to Elliot and Kate.
Hopefully Elliot wasn’t put off by her family of huggers. He didn’t seem to mind when Lucy gave him one. “Glad the girls are okay. And Gina too.”
“Thanks Luce. Can we help with anything?” Elliot asked, his tone even again.
“Just what Dad said: Watch these two munchkins while we finish up in the kitchen,” Lucy said.
Lucy tugged on a lock of Kate’s hair. “It turns out I’m more of a sous chef,” Lucy said.
Kate laughed. “Not surprising.”
“Hey!” Lucy said, giving her a mock pout.
“You have many other talents, honey,” Mark said, throwing one arm around Lucy’s shoulder.
“Thanks, Dad.”
Kate was still smiling as she sat on the floor with Emma and Mia. Emma picked up a book and brought it to Kate, but wouldn’t hand it over. She glanced at Elliot, who sat beside her on the floor. “You okay?”
He stacked some blocks on top of each other, waited until Mia was watching, and then tipped them over, making her laugh. “Yeah. Just… ” He stopped and shrugged.
“Just what?”
Elliot stacked the blocks again. “I’ve been around your family lots. Just not after I’ve slept with and fallen in love with their youngest daughter,” he whispered.
Kate laughed. “I think they’ll still like you,” she said.
“Let’s hope so, seeing as I don’t plan on putting a stop to either,” he said.
By the time dinner was eaten, games were played, and they’d each opened a present, Kate was exhausted. She’d worried about the girls but they clearly had untapped reserves of energy. Luke and Char were packing up to go home, and Kate was about to suggest she and Elliot do the same when she caught sight of Lucy and Alex whispering to each other. His hand was on her hip and hers was on his chest. Alex swept a hand down Lucy’s hair and kissed her forehead. It made Kate’s stomach dip with happiness. She had that, too.
She looked at Elliot, who was tracing circles on her hand with his thumb. “We should go home,” she whispered. Home. That word now held more meaning than she ever could have imagined.
“I think you have something to share before we do,” he whispered back. His happiness and pride when she’d told him about the loan still set butterflies loose in her stomach.
“Now?”
“What better gift for you
and everyone that loves you than knowing your future, the future you want, is right here where they are?”
He gave her hand an affectionate squeeze. Their day had been so busy with the Christmas play earlier that she’d barely had time to think. The girls had been adorable, and Kate had received a dizzying number of compliments on her designs. She had no doubt she’d be getting some custom orders and that grad season was going to keep her busy.
She stood up. “We have to get going, but I wanted to tell everyone something before we leave,” Kate said.
It took a moment for everyone to quiet down and then they were all looking at her, waiting, ready for whatever she said. A wave of bliss stole her breath. Everyone she loved and needed was right here. She was truly going to have it all.
“We already know you have a crush on Elliot,” Lucy said.
Kate glared at her but Julie spoke first. “Lucy, don’t bug your sister.”
Lucy stuck her tongue out, making both Kate and Char laugh, and Elliot nudged her foot.
“I got approved for a small business loan, and I’ve found a shop. I’m officially going to be opening my own dress boutique in Angel’s Lake.”
Everyone squealed in delight, rushing her all at once, including the kids, who hadn’t really been paying attention but were happy to take part in the excitement. Kate wondered if there was a world record for the most hugs given in a day. If so, whatever the number, her family topped it.
In the quiet of the car, Elliot held Kate’s hand. The girls were nearly asleep in the back seat, and Elliot and Kate had to each carry one of them into the house. They curled into their beds after being peeled out of their matching coats and were sleeping before Kate and Elliot left the room.
“I’m going to put on some pajamas. You want to watch a movie?” Kate asked.
Elliot kissed her, light and quick. “Sure. I’ll put one on, grab some wine, and then we can fill stockings.”
Kate laughed. “That sounds like code for something,” she said.
Elliot gave her another kiss, this one noisy and playful. “That’s after.”
Kate took her time getting ready for bed, removing her make-up, and brushing out her hair. When she came into the living room, the lights were low, a movie was cued up, and two glasses of wine sat on the coffee table. But no Elliot. She heard a door and then he came into the living room with a sheepish expression.
