Still the Best Woman for the Job

by Sharon C. Cooper

  “Grampa,” Toni started but stopped when he raised his forefinger.

  “I’m not going to give you a long drawn out speech, sweetheart. I know you regret all that happened last night. No matter what the media says, we are the Jenkins. We stick together and support each other.”

  “Come on dad.” Toni’s father leaped from his seat. “You have to stop coddling her! That’s why she carries on the way she does. You’ve babied her since the day she was born, and it has to stop!”

  Her grandfather rose to his full height of six-foot-one and glared at his son. “Who do you think you’re talking to?” He stood within a foot of Joseph. “I don’t care how old you are, you will respect me in my house!”

  Joseph held his hands out. “I’m sorry dad. I meant no disrespect. It’s just that this is so typical Toni and you’re making it seem like her behavior is acceptable, when it’s not.”

  “Joseph,” Steven leaned against the back of his recliner and glared at his son. “Have you forgotten all the crap you pulled when you were younger?” His siblings laughed and began talking amongst themselves until Steven hushed everyone. “And if I remember correctly you too had a couple of trips to the police station. So I don’t understand why you’re being so critical of her mistakes.”

  Silence settled over the room and Toni wondered why she’d never heard any stories about her father getting into trouble.

  “I’m harder on her because she’s a female,” Toni’s father explained. “She is out here with all of these idiots who don’t give a damn that she’s a wonderful young lady trying to find her place in this crazy world or that she’s a Jenkins. Anything could have happened to her at that house last night, and I wouldn’t have known. I wouldn’t have been able to protect my child,” her father choked out, his voice loaded with emotion. He moved across the room and pulled Toni into his arms, holding her tight. When Natalie came over, he pulled her into their small group hug. A few moments passed before they released Toni and headed for the door hand in hand.

  Toni stood stunned. In all her twenty-nine years she couldn’t remember her father ever saying anything that would make her think he cared about her well-being. And a hug from both her parents, at the same time, totally threw her off balance.

  Steven Jenkins didn’t speak for a few minutes, but then said, “Can everyone excuse us for a minute? I’d like to talk to my granddaughter alone.”

  Craig didn’t budge and Toni loved him even more if that were possible. It wasn’t until her grandfather put his hand on Craig’s shoulder and said, “I only want to talk to her. She’ll be okay with me.”

  Toni squeezed Craig’s hand and tried to smile to reassure him that he could go, but deep down inside, she didn’t want him to leave, ever.

  “Come on dear,” Toni’s grandmother said to Craig and gently pulled on his arm, forcing him to stand. “Come and hang out with an old lady, have something to eat and tell me why we don’t see you more often.”

  “I’ll be right down the hall if you need me,” Craig said over his shoulder as Toni’s grandmother ushered him out of the room.

  She nodded and watched everyone pile out of the room, including her Grandfather who promised he’d be right back. Toni glanced around and recalled the number of times she and her cousins hung out in the huge room, playing hide-go-seek or tag. She almost laughed when she thought about the time Martina had dared Christina to climb the wall-to-wall bookcase. She had never seen her grandfather as mad as he was when he walked in and found Christina underneath a mound of books crying.

  Steven Jenkins walked back into the room with a bottle of cranberry-orange juice and handed it to Toni. She smiled thinking about how he usually started his “talks” to her with a bottle of her favorite juice.

  “So do you want to tell me what’s been going on these past few months? I’ve noticed a change in you, but had hoped that whatever was bothering you would be fixed by now.”

  Toni shook her head. She didn’t know where to start since she wasn’t sure herself. All she knew is that after she had broken up with Craig, she lost a part of herself. She didn’t want to think, and she didn’t want to feel, and that’s what she told her grandfather.

  He pushed back on the sofa and crossed one of his ankles over his knee. “Sweetheart, there’s something you should remember.”

  She sat back on the sofa and took a swig from her juice. “And what’s that?”

  “That whatever you put out there in the universe is what you’re going to get back.” He patted her hand that rested on the sofa cushion between them. “If you allow negativity to be a part of your life, that’s what you’re going to attract. The same thing goes for confusion. To use your cousin Jada’s words – if you don’t have your shit together then you—”

  Toni fell out laughing. She was sure her cousin hadn’t cursed around their grandfather, but the idea of him quoting her cousin was scarier than her time spent at the police station.

  “I think I get it, Grampa.” Toni dabbed at her eyes still laughing. “I’ll make sure I get my uh, stuff together.”

  Her grandfather wrapped his long arm around her shoulder. “I know sweetheart. Now getting back to what happened last night. I know you’re not on drugs or involved in some type of prostitution ring like the media’s claiming, and I also know – that you know - how I feel about negative press.”

  Toni felt pieces of her heart cracking like glass into tiny slivers within the confines of her chest. Her family was her world, and one stupid decision could have caused their world to fall apart, and it would be her fault.

  “As I said earlier, you know as well as I do,” her grandfather continued, “that the choices you make don’t only affect you, they affect all of us in some way. After you and I finish here, Peyton and I have work to do. We have to make sure that our clients know that Jenkins & Sons Construction is as solid as it has always been. We don’t want them to buy into what the media is spewing - that our trades people and technicians are on drugs. We have to make sure that drama like what happened last night won’t be brought into their homes and businesses by us. So the next time you want to rebel, remember that you’re a reflection of me and you’re a reflection of this family.”

  “I know, Grampa. Whatever you need me to do to make this right I will, and I promise nothing like this will ever happen again.”

  He kissed her on the cheek. “Okay, on to another subject. By the looks of things, I’d say you and your young man are working things out.”

  Toni placed her hand against her chest, humbled that she and Craig were going to work on their relationship.

  “Craig is amazing. We’re going to give our relationship another try.”

  “Good, I think he’s perfect for you. He’s a nice young man and he’s a cop. So if something like what happened last night happens again, he can probably get you out of jail fairly quick.”

  Toni laughed. “Oh, Grampa. I love you so much.”

  “I love you too, sweetheart and I always will.”

  “Are you two done?” Her grandmother stood in the doorway. “There’s a handsome man out here who is anxious to see my granddaughter.”

  “You mean our granddaughter.”

  “Yeah, whatever.” Her grandmother waved him off and Craig stepped into the room, followed by her parents.

  “Honey, we’re sorry about our attitude earlier,” her mother said and hugged her.

  “Yeah, we don’t want you to think that we don’t love you, because we do. We love you very much,” her father said and pulled her into his arms for a hug.

  Two hugs in one day. Toni didn’t want to let go, not until her gaze met Craig’s, where he stood just inside the door. Her father released her and told her that there was food in the kitchen if she was hungry, but she barely acknowledged his comment. Instead, she couldn’t take her eyes off the man she loved. The man she wanted to spend the rest of her life with.

  “Are you okay?” Craig asked when everyone left them alone.

  “I
’m fine and if you ask me that again, I’m going to scream.”

  “Is that right?” He pulled her into his arms and made slow work of kissing her. “How about if I tell you that I love you?” He mumbled against her mouth.

  “What was that? I didn’t understand you.”

  He lifted his head and grinned. “I said I love you.”

  She cupped his cheek with her hand. “And I love you too and I always will.”

  Two Months Later

  Craig trudged into the house after working a double, barely able to stand on his two feet. He didn’t know how much more he could take. The long hours were taking a toll on his body and leaving the police force was starting to sound better and better each day. He dropped his bag near the door that he’d just entered and placed his keys on top of the refrigerator. Maybe his brother Derek was right. Maybe it was time to pursue another career using his Criminal Justice degree. The only problem – would he be able to let go of his obsession to rid the city of jerks like Thomas James?

  The thought of Thomas brought a slight pep into Craig’s step when he sauntered over to the stove. They’d found and arrested the low-down dirty dog earlier that evening and the knowledge that Thomas faced charges that could keep him in prison for life was the highlight of Craig’s evening.

  “Mmm, something smells good,” Craig mumbled and lifted the lids of the pots that were on the stove. His mouth watered at the sight - steak and onions, broccoli and his all time favorite, mashed potatoes. Toni was spoiling him. Lately, he arrived home to a home cooked meal, something that he was quickly getting used to.

  It had been two months since the night of her arrest and their relationship was getting stronger by the day, promising a happily-ever-after. He patted his front pants pocket to make sure he had the small velvet box that held the two-carat emerald cut diamond that he’d carried around for months. Tonight he planned to ask her to be his wife.

  He replaced the lids on the pots, suddenly not as hungry and tired as he was when he first walked in. He took the stairs two at a time in search of his future wife.

  “Toni?” he called out when he reached the upstairs landing. “I’m home!”

  He walked into his bedroom and noticed the bedding was turned down, but no Toni. The bathroom door was closed and he assumed she was in there. A grin spread across his face. Maybe she was planning one of her surprises. The one where she steps out in sexy lingerie and showed him how much she’d missed him.

  He hurried, kicked off his shoes, and snatched his shirt off tossing it in a nearby chair. It was then he realized she hadn’t responded when he called out.

  “Toni?” he called again and moved closer to the bathroom door. Concern niggled at his peace of mind. “Baby, you in there?”

  He put his ear to the door and that’s when he heard her. Crying.

  Not bothering to knock again he turned the knob, glad the door wasn’t locked but prepared to knock it down if he had to. He walked in to find Toni sitting on the edge of the Jacuzzi tub, tears streaming down her face.

  Craig could handle difficult criminals, but Toni crying, he still couldn’t deal with.

  “Hey, what’s going on?” He stood near the vanity and did a quick once over. Not seeing anything physically wrong, he took note of her wearing his T-shirt and nothing else. He squatted down on his haunches in front of her. “Did something happen?” he asked then chided himself for asking a stupid question knowing that she wouldn’t be crying for no reason.

  “Yes,” she sobbed and lunged at him, knocking the breath out of him. He held them both steady with one hand braced on the floor behind him and the other around her midsection. Her arms clasped tightly around his neck like a vise squeezing a slice of bread.

  Eventually, Craig caught his breath. He snaked both arms around her narrow waist and stood with her securely against him, her legs automatically wrapped around him. Everything about this woman, his woman, made him want to protect her and keep her happy.

  He carried Toni out of the bathroom and didn’t stop walking until they reached the bed where he set her down. He sat next to her and for the first time noticed the white stick in her hand.

  “What happened?” He kissed her and rubbed her back for a few moments, hoping she’d tell him what was wrong. “Why were you crying?”

  She handed him the white stick. “I’m … I’m pregnant.”

  Craig held the stick between his thumb and index finger. He didn’t know how long he sat there processing her words while the plus sign on the stick stood out like a big, blinking neon sign.

  “What? How is that …” he stopped. The rest of his words lodged in his throat as his pulse thumped wildly. He glanced at her and just above a whisper asked, “Are you sure?”

  She nodded. “I’m pretty sure. I’m three weeks late, and it’s positive.” She pointed at the stick. “I’ll call tomorrow for a doctor’s appointment so that we can be absolutely sure, but I’m pretty sure.”

  Craig sat stunned for a few minutes longer and then leaped off the bed and into the air. “Woo hoo! Yeah, baby!” he yelled punching his fist in the air. He turned to her and blinked back unexpected tears that he refuse to let fall. Then scooped her off the bed and into his arms, her feet dangling off the floor. “You’ve made me the happiest man alive. I can’t believe it. We’re having a baby!”

  His mouth covered hers and he kissed her softly. He needed Toni to feel how much he loved her. Needed her to know he could never live without her. And then he had to know. He suddenly released her lips.

  “The tears from earlier,” he said, pleading in his voice, “please tell me those were tears of joy and that you’re happy about this.”

  “I’m … I’m shocked,” she said, her hands gripping his shoulders, her lips moist from their kiss as she stared into his eyes. “But I am more than happy. The thought of having your baby, our baby, is like a dream come true. No, no it’s more than a dream come true.”

  He pulled her against his body and held her tight. “Thank you,” he said hoarsely into her hair. “Having you and our baby means everything to me.”

  “I still can’t believe I’m pregnant,” she said when he set her on her feet. She paced in front of the bed. “I can’t believe it,” she repeated more to herself than to him as her hand moved in circles lovingly over her flat stomach.

  Craig grabbed Toni’s hand to stop her from pacing. She met his gaze and then spotted the black velvet box that he’d pulled from his pocket.

  “The timing of your news is perfect because tonight I wanted to ask you something.” He bent down on one knee and didn’t miss the new set of tears filling her eyes.

  “Oh my God,” she whispered, her hands shaking against her lips.

  “Toni TJ Jenkins, you are a godsend. When we first met, you pretty much cursed me out for not taking you and your career seriously, calling me all types of asshole. I never would have guessed that I would fall hopelessly in love with you, a plumber.” He grinned when her brows drew together and her hands flew to her hips. He quickly continued. “I love everything about you from your melodious laugh, your quick wit, to that stubborn streak that runs deep. Baby, you’re everything I’ve always wanted in a wife and everything I didn’t know I needed in my life. I love you more than I’ll ever be able to express. Would you do me the honor of becoming my wife? Will you marry me?”

  She squealed and jumped up and down a few times before stopping to place her hands on each side of his face, her beautiful lips inches from his. “Yes, yes, yes! I love you so much. I’d be honored to be your wife!”

  The End

  If you enjoyed this book by Sharon C. Cooper, please consider leaving a review on any online book site, review site or social media outlet!

  About the Author

  Bestselling author, Sharon C. Cooper, lives in Atlanta with her husband and enjoys reading, writing, and rainy days. She writes sweet and contemporary romance, as well as romantic suspense. Sharon is a PAN member of Romance Writers of America (RWA), a
member of Georgia Romance Writers (GRW), and a member of the Page a Day Writers Group.

  To read more about Sharon and her novels,

  visit www.sharoncooper.net

  Other Titles by Sharon C. Cooper:

  Something New (“Edgy” Sweet Romance)

  Best Woman for the Job (Short Story - Contemporary Romance)

  Blue Roses (Romantic Suspense)

  Secret Rendezvous (Prequel to Rendezvous with Danger – Romantic Suspense)

  Rendezvous with Danger (Romantic Suspense)

  ***

  January – 2014 – Truth or Consequences

  Reunited Series (book 3)

  April - 2014 – All You’ll Ever Need

  The Jenkins Family Series (book 2)

  Summer 2014 – Legal Seduction

  Harlequin Kimani

  Turn the page for an excerpt of All You’ll Ever Need (Jada JJ Jenkins Story)

  book 2 of the Jenkins Family Series

  All You’ll Ever Need

  By Sharon C. Cooper

  Chapter One

  It is definitely raining men up in here. Jada Jenkins wove in and out of the small groups of people, stopping periodically to greet some of the wedding guests. She took special note of the handsome and hopefully single men in attendance at her cousin’s reception.

  “Girl, where did you find all of these gorgeous men?” Jada leaned in and whispered close to her cousin, Toni Jenkins-Logan’s ear. Deafening music pumped through the speakers a couple of feet away, and made it hard for her to hear herself. She handed Toni a glass of Ginger Ale and claimed the seat next to her.

  “You have Craig to thank for that,” Toni answered and sipped from her drink. She squinted and scrunched up her face. “Goodness this soda is strong.” A shiver skittered through her body and she took another small sip. “As for the gorgeous men, it turns out Craig has a lot of friends, and you’ll be glad to know many of them are single.”