His Badge, Her Baby...Their Family?
Page 16
“That’s hard to believe, Vince. You were never worried about hurting me when you handed me a set of divorce papers.”
In a matter of seconds he was standing behind her, and she closed her eyes as his fingers stroked the waves of hair lying against her back.
“Geena, I didn’t come over here to rehash the past.”
His husky voice vibrated through her. And suddenly images of the two of them making love, of his rough, masculine whispers telling her how much he wanted her, was enough to make her stomach clench with longing.
“Why did you come? A phone call would have been enough to check on my and Emma’s well-being.”
“I know how to use the phone. I wanted to see you in person. And—ask you for a date.”
The last part of his words caused her to spin around and stare up at him. “A date! If this is some sort of joke, Vince, it’s in bad taste!”
His hands closed over her shoulders, and as their eyes locked, Geena was certain her breathing had stopped completely.
“It probably does sound like a joke to you. I never was—well, after we married I guess I forgot about taking you somewhere nice,” he said ruefully. “But I’m thinking about it now, Geena. And I’m asking if you’d like to go on a date—like people do when they want to spend special time together.”
Special time together. How ironic he would use those words, she thought. That’s all she’d ever wanted from the man. That and his love.
Her heart was suddenly beating so hard and fast she could hear the drumming noise in her ears. “I don’t understand this—you. Why would you want to bother? We’ve already agreed that we’re not right for each other.”
“Have we?” His fingers lifted to her cheek. “Maybe we weren’t right for each other all those years ago. But that was then and this is now. Things have changed. Shouldn’t we see how things go before we walk completely away from each other?”
Although she tried to fight it, she couldn’t stop a tiny ray of hope from creeping its way to her heart. “A moment ago you said you didn’t want me to be hurt again. Well, I don’t want to hurt you, either.”
A smiled tugged at the corners of his mouth. “Then all you have to do is agree to go out with me—Saturday. As far as I remember, I never came through with my promise to take you to Lake Tahoe.”
Surprise parted her lips. “You remember that?”
“That and a whole lot more,” he said softly.
If she didn’t step away from him, she was going to lose all self-control, fling her arms around him and beg him to make love to her. So she forced herself to step back until she was far enough away to draw in a fresh breath of sanity.
Licking her lips, she said, “I’m not sure I’d be smart to accept your invitation. But I will.”
He smiled, and she made a silent groan. Vince didn’t have to try to charm her. Just being in his presence enchanted her. That’s why she was living here instead of his nice big house. Just so she could hang on to her common sense.
“Good. I’ll pick you up about ten Saturday morning. Is that okay with you?”
She glanced over at her daughter. “Yes, but what about Emma? I realize I’m going to have to leave her with Annie when school starts Monday. But I—I’m just not ready to part with her any more than I have to.”
“I wanted you to bring Emma anyway. We’ll stay away from the crowds so she won’t get exposed to anything,” he assured her, then added with a sly grin, “She’ll make a precious little chaperone.”
As if a baby could stop her from making an utter fool of herself around him, she thought while stifling a helpless groan.
“I’ll be ready,” she told him.
He walked over to the table and smoothed a fingertip over Emma’s gold hair, then pecked a swift kiss on Geena’s cheek.
“I have to be going,” he said huskily. “I’ll see you Saturday.”
He started out of the kitchen, and Geena followed him to the front door. “What if something comes up with your work? You will let me know?”
As he stepped onto the porch, he glanced over his shoulder at her. “That’s not going to happen.”
She wondered how he could be so certain of that, but kept the question to herself. Fighting over his work had ruined their marriage years ago. She didn’t want the issue to keep shadowing every minute they spent together.
“All right,” she said in the most casual voice she could muster. “I’ll see you Saturday.”
He gave her a little wave, then walked down the steps and out to his truck. As Geena watched him go, she didn’t know whether to laugh or cry or make a beeline to the doctor who’d treated her for amnesia.
She must be having a relapse, she thought. Because her heart seemed to be forgetting all the aches Vince had put it through. All she could remember was how good it had been to love him.
Chapter Eleven
Saturday morning dawned very warm with a crystal-blue sky. Vince sighed a breath of sheer relief as he backed out of his drive and headed across town to Geena’s place. He didn’t know what he would’ve done if the sheriff’s department had called this morning to say he was needed at a crime scene. He’d flatly promised Geena that nothing would happen to interfere with their date.
That had been a damned risky thing to do. Truth was, he had no way of predicting when he was going to be called to duty. Evan had been assuring him that if anything should come up today, he’d take care of it without Vince’s assistance.
Vince was grateful for his partner’s help. But this was only one day out of the year. What would happen if he and Geena actually tried to make a go of their relationship again? As soon as the demands of his work started to interfere with their time together, he feared the fighting and the turmoil between them would start all over again.
Stop it, Vince. It’s too late to start having second thoughts now. These past weeks without Geena and Emma in the house have been the loneliest you’ve ever experienced in your life. You want to start a new beginning with your ex-wife. You want to make it work this time. So start believing it will. Otherwise, you’ll never make Geena believe in you or a future together.
By the time Vince pulled to a stop in front of Geena’s house, the pep talk going on in his head had lifted his spirits. All he wanted to think about now was enjoying this day with her and the baby.
Minutes later, as Vince drove the three of them out of the city, he could hardly keep his attention on the weekend traffic or his gaze off Geena. The blue-and-white dress she was wearing had tiny straps on the shoulders and a hem that stopped a few inches above her knees. The exposure of all that creamy skin was playing havoc with his senses. Not to mention the smile on her cherry-colored lips.
“You look very beautiful this morning,” he couldn’t help saying. “No one would ever guess you had a baby a few weeks ago.”
“Thanks. I’ve lost most of the baby weight. But I still have a few pounds to go.” She settled a hand on her practically flat stomach. “It’s not easy for a girl who loves dessert.”
“It’s not easy for a guy who loves pizza, either.”
She smiled with understanding. “You used to jog all the time. Have you given that up?”
“Not completely. I jog in the park on occasion. But when I have to choose between getting five hours of sleep and jogging, I take the sleep. If my mind isn’t sharp, I’m in trouble.” He braked the truck to a stop at the last traffic light before hitting the highway to Lake Tahoe. “Will you have to get up early when school starts Monday?”
She let out a light laugh, and Vince wondered how he’d gone all these years without hearing that special sound. When Geena genuinely laughed, it was like tinkling bells, ringing the joys of life. But during the last part of their marriage, her laughter had faded. He couldn’t let that happen this time.
“That won’t be a problem,” she said. “Emma has a habit of wanting her breakfast around five o’clock. That should give me plenty of time to get her and myself ready to leave the house by
seven.”
He slanted her a questioning glance. “What are you going to do about her—uh—milk? I doubt this Annie of yours is a wet nurse.”
Laughing heartily, she said, “At her age, I doubt it, too. But as for the milk, I’ll pump what I can. If that’s not enough, I’ll supplement it with formula.”
From Vince’s angle to the rearview mirror, he could see Emma in her safety seat. For the moment, she was awake, with her arms thrown wide and her eyes bright. Geena had dressed the baby in a pair of tiny jeans and a long-sleeved T-shirt to give her more protection while being outdoors. A pink cap with a white bow covered her fuzzy golden hair, and matching pink shoes were tied on her tiny feet.
Just looking at the baby filled him with fierce, protective pride. He couldn’t imagine any man stepping in to be Emma’s father. Vince was her father. He’d felt that way from the very moment she’d been born.
“Emma definitely seems to be thriving now,” he said.
“We both had our checkups yesterday. The doctor said Emma is right on schedule in all aspects of her development. You can’t imagine how happy and relieved that makes me. All during my pregnancy I prayed that she would be normal and healthy. I guess that’s something all mothers do.”
“That’s great news. And what about you?”
She smiled at him. “Fit as a fiddle. Well, maybe after a few workouts at the gym,” she added with a little laugh.
Judging from her appearance, Vince didn’t think she needed the gym. She just needed his arms around her.
*
With the eastern shoreline of Lake Tahoe being a few short miles away from Carson City, they were soon driving north through forests of enormous pines and evergreens. Glimpses of blue water sparkled through the branches, while in some spots open beaches could be seen.
Enthralled by the sights, Geena leaned forward in her seat and peered out the windshield. “Oh, my! This is incredible, Vince! It’s so beautiful! Can we go down by the water? I’d love to see it up close.”
Happy to oblige, Vince said, “Sure. I’ll find a good place for us to explore.”
Moments later, he parked the truck and they walked down to a cleared camping area equipped with picnic tables and barbecue grills. While Vince held Emma in her carrier, Geena explored the water lapping along the shoreline.
With a wide smile lighting her face, she called to him. “Come sit with me! This is perfect!”
He walked to where she’d taken a seat on a huge bleached white log a few feet from the water’s edge. Easing onto a spot next to her, Vince placed the carrier between their feet and positioned it so the baby could look up at them.
“Mmm, now that is a lovely sight,” he said, gazing out at the wide expanse of blue water.
“It’s so much prettier in person than in pictures. I can’t believe I lived in Nevada all those years and never visited this place before.”
He watched her shake back the waves of golden hair being tossed about by the warm southwesterly breeze. “Well, some people just don’t take advantage of the local scenery.”
She bent forward and picked up a pebble from the sandy ground. “My dad used to promise to bring me and my mother down here. I always wanted to see it with all the snow and skiers.” She sighed. “But he was always working, trying to keep the bills paid and food on the table. And then he died. Most of my dreams went with him.”
“Yes, I remember you saying that,” he said gently. “You were very close to him. I’m sure you’ve been wishing he could see Emma.”
A sad smile touched her lips. “Every day,” she agreed.
“What about your mother? Maybe if you contacted her now you might find she’s changed for the better.”
She grimaced. “Yes, that would be great. But she hasn’t changed, Vince. I sent her my phone number and address not long after Brad and I split. I suppose being pregnant must have brought out my maternal instinct. Anyway, I wanted her to know about the coming baby. I never got any response. But that’s not surprising. She probably doesn’t want her latest man to know she’s old enough to be a grandmother.”
As soon as Geena’s beloved father had died, her mother had started neglecting her. And things hadn’t improved much for her after she and Vince had married, he thought ruefully. Not that he’d purposely neglected her, but he’d thrown himself into his job and expected her to find something besides her husband to occupy her time.
“I’m sorry I never brought you down here to Tahoe like I’d promised,” he told her.
She shrugged. “I don’t expect you come here often.”
He shook his head. “No. I’ve only been here once before, and that was on an assault case that occurred just north of Glenbrook, so it was out of Douglas County jurisdiction.”
She tossed the pebble into the water. “I thought you might have brought dates over here before. Maybe for dinner. Or boating.”
His chuckle prompted her to frown at him.
“Is that funny or something?”
“Geena, the number of dates I’ve had since we’ve divorced I could count on one hand. And those consisted of casual outings in Carson City.”
Her frown turned to one of disbelief. “Why? I mean, why haven’t you dated more? You’re a young, handsome guy. Don’t tell me you can’t find a woman willing to go out with you.”
He leaned forward and touched a fingertip to Emma’s dimpled cheek. The baby was loving being outdoors. Just as Vince was loving spending this time with her and Geena.
“Because it didn’t take me long to realize I was wasting my time. I realized I’d never recapture what I had with you.”
She shifted around on the log so that she was facing him, and her somber expression made him wish their conversation had never taken this direction. He didn’t want her to be sad. She’d already had enough sadness in her life.
“I think you really mean that.”
He frowned. “Of course I mean it.”
Sighing, she gazed back to the water being gently ruffled by the wind. “We really messed each other up, didn’t we? I didn’t date much, either. And even after I met Brad—well, deep down I recognized it wasn’t real love with him. But I was lonely and he was saying all the right things. I was stupid. I let myself be stupid. Because I wanted a family.”
The need to connect with her was so great, he reached for her hand and folded his fingers around hers.
“Let’s not think about such things now,” he told her. “This day is supposed to be enjoyable. What would you like to do next? I can drive around the north or south rim and find a restaurant where we can have a nice lunch.”
She glanced up at the sunny sky, then back to the water lapping onto the shore. “I was thinking how nice it would be to have a picnic. I should have filled a basket. We could’ve eaten right here.”
Surprised by her suggestion, he asked, “You’d like that better than a restaurant?”
Her eyes were suddenly shining. “Oh, yes. We can eat in a restaurant anytime. I don’t often have a chance to enjoy the outdoors like this.”
“All right. That’s what we’ll do.”
He’d hardly gotten the words out when Emma’s face turned into red wrinkles and she began to cry.
“I don’t think she likes our idea,” Vince commented.
Laughing, Geena reached for her daughter. “Let’s go back to the truck. I think she needs a dry diaper and a bit of brunch.”
After Emma was tended to and sleeping contentedly, Vince drove north until they reached an old-fashioned trading post where groceries were sold. The place was busy with tourists and locals, forcing him to park at the far end of the building in the shade of a ponderosa pine.
Handing Geena a credit card, he said, “Here. You shop for our picnic lunch. Get whatever you’d like. I’ll stay here with Emma.”
She laughed. “I might go crazy with this,” she warned. “I’m hungry.”
“Good,” he said. “That means you’ll get more than rabbit food for our lunch.”
Thankfully, the only text of any significance was from Evan, and it was short and sweet. It simply read, Everything cool.
Relieved, he put away the phone and glanced over his shoulder at sleeping Emma.
Everything cool. That’s exactly the way he wanted it to be with him and Geena. Now and for the rest of their lives.
*
The sun was getting low in the sky by the time the three of them returned to Geena’s house. After Vince helped her bring in the baby and the rest of her things, he stood awkwardly in the middle of the living room while she put Emma in her crib.
When she reappeared from the bedroom, he was still standing where she’d left him.
“What are you doing still standing?” she questioned. “Don’t you want to sit down? I’ll make us some coffee. There’s still plenty of cake left over from our picnic.”
“I’m still standing because I wasn’t sure if you’d want me to keep hanging around. We’ve spent most of the day together. I thought you’d probably had enough of my company. And most likely you have things to do.”
A gentle smile touched the corners of her lips and though he didn’t tell his feet to move, he felt himself walking toward her.
“I like your company. Why don’t you come to the kitchen and talk to me while I make the coffee.”
Talk? He wanted to do so much more than talk. All afternoon, while seeing the sights and eating their picnic, she’d been near him. The feminine fragrance of her skin and hair, the sweet tempting curve of her lips and the sparkle in her eyes had been tugging on his senses until it had turned into a real struggle to keep his hands off her.
“Okay,” he agreed. “I’ll stay for a little while longer. But you don’t have to make coffee just for me.”
She swiped her palms down the sides of her hips as her gaze skittered over his face. “I could drink a cup. Besides, I need to put away the leftover food.”