The Baby's Bodyguard

by Stephanie Newton

  Dusk eased over the edge of evening into darkness, and his voice was as soft as the sky around them. “You don’t have to worry about never seeing me again, Kels.”

  She shook her head, a lump in her throat, tears welling in her eyes despite her best effort to keep them away. “I’ve lost so many people I love. I don’t wait anymore.”

  He looked at their linked fingers, rubbed his thumb over hers, sighed. “You know I care about you.”

  She turned away from him. “Okay, you can stop now. Wow. Those are the words a girl dreams of hearing.”

  When she tried to get up, it was his hand on her arm that stopped her. “Kelsey, you’ve changed my life. Brought me back to a world that I wasn’t sure existed for me anymore.”

  “I sense a but coming.” And she didn’t want to hear it. She really didn’t want to hear it. Check, please?

  He gave her a look that spoke volumes of heartache. “I wish things were different, that I was at a different place, I really do. But now I’ve got Charlie in my life, and things are so uncertain. The only certain thing is that my life is about to make a radical change.”

  He smiled, but it was a sad smile. “You and I come at life from such a different reality—when you would seize love because of uncertainty, I run from it.”

  “But if you know that—Ethan, you don’t have to go through this on your own. I want to go through it with you.”

  “Maybe it’s better if I do this alone. I’m so sorry, Kelsey. I wish that I could be the man that you need me to be.”

  Her eyes spilled over—stupid, stupid tears—but she didn’t give in, not yet. “Don’t be sorry. I understand that you’ve had a lot to come to grips with.”

  And she did understand. She just didn’t want to. She framed his face with her hands, allowing herself this one moment of indulgence to memorize his face, the strong jaw, the place where his hair brushed his neck.

  He closed his eyes.

  She stood and easily leaped to the dock. She waited there a minute until he opened his eyes again. “For the record, Ethan, I think you’re wrong. I think God has a bigger plan for us than you can even imagine.”

  She could feel his eyes on her back as she walked away.

  FOURTEEN

  Six weeks later

  Kelsey tied Janie’s hoodie tighter around her chubby little cheeks. “Mama, swing!”

  “Okay, pumpkin. Ready?” Janie nodded and Kelsey gave her a big push in the baby swing at the park, loving the way her little girl could laugh and squeal with full abandon. Kelsey didn’t have to worry anymore that she would have an episode.

  While Janie would always have to be followed by cardiologists and might have more surgeries ahead of her, she would, with God’s help, have a long, happy life.

  Kelsey tickled Janie’s feet as she came back toward her and then pushed her again.

  Out of the corner of her eye, she caught a glimpse of a dad with a stroller turning the corner into the park. Her breath lodged in her throat as she realized it was Ethan. She hadn’t seen him since she’d left the bed-and-breakfast the night after their talk on the boat.

  He’d sent Janie a stuffed animal and some balloons after her surgery. The nurses said he’d called every day to check on Janie, too, but she hadn’t talked to him. She hadn’t wanted to. She wanted him to have the opportunity to figure things out on his own. If he wanted to talk to her, he knew where to find her.

  As he walked closer, she could see that his face was relaxed, at ease. She’d never seen him like that. He stopped a few feet away, stuffed his hands in his pockets against the stiff, salty ocean breeze. “Hi, Kelsey.”

  Her chin trembled as she tried to control the flood of emotion that she felt seeing him again. She’d expected the love—what she hadn’t expected was the worry, exasperation, wonder of the last six weeks to come out all at once. “I have so many questions, I don’t even know where to start.”

  He smiled, a full-out grin. Kelsey stopped, almost dazzled by it.

  She turned back to Janie and pushed. “You got custody of Charlie?”

  Hearing his name, Charlie wiggled in the stroller. “Ethan, wanna swing!”

  Ethan unbuckled his son and lifted him into his arms. “Right now we’re just doing visits, trying to figure things out. They’re good people.”

  “Mama, swing!” Janie kicked her feet in the little panda bear shoes that Kelsey bought her.

  “How about a cracker?” Kelsey reached into the pocket of her turquoise blue peacoat and pulled out a plastic bag of animal crackers, offering one to Janie and one to Charlie.

  When he took the cracker, she said, “Hey Charlie, I’m Ethan’s friend, Kelsey.”

  Charlie was unimpressed, but took the animal cracker anyway, blinking big blue eyes at her.

  Ethan slid him into the swing next to Janie and gave him a big push. When Janie came back toward him, he grabbed her feet, pressing snorty kisses to the bottoms of them.

  Kelsey laughed at her reaction. And his, when he turned to her. Tears in his eyes.

  “She looks beautiful. So healthy.” He rubbed his nose with the back of his hand and laughed at himself. “I thought I was ready for this. I’m not sure I’d ever be ready.”

  She put her hand on his arm. “It’s okay. I’m a little overwhelmed, too.”

  He pushed both the kids again, while Kelsey stood with her chilly hands deep in the pockets of her coat.

  “I heard you quit your job,” he said without looking at her.

  “I’m working as a church social worker. I needed more regular and more flexible hours. I’m adopting her, Ethan.”

  The look on his face, in his blue eyes, was tender, but he wasn’t looking at his son, he was looking at her. And she wanted to reach out to him, but she couldn’t. She had more to think about now. More than just her own heart. She had Janie’s to think about, too. “So you’re just out for a walk in the park?”

  “Actually, no. We’re here to see you.”

  Her heart wanted to believe him. Her head, though … her head wasn’t quite ready to take that trip.

  Janie squealed and kicked her feet. She’d bloomed in the weeks she’d lived with Kelsey. He gave each of the toddlers a push in the swing and reached under the stroller for the pink roses he’d placed there earlier. “I wasn’t wrong to take the time, Kels—I was a mess. But the feelings I had for you, those were real.”

  She took the flowers, lowered her face into the blooms and closed her eyes. He didn’t breathe.

  That she would turn him away suddenly seemed a very real possibility.

  But she opened her eyes and what he saw in them … He could breathe again. “You said you thought God had bigger plans in mind for us. Would that possibly include Thanksgiving with the Clark clan and Friday playdates in the park?”

  Kelsey laughed. “I think that can be arranged.”

  He cupped her face in his hands, her cheeks cool in the crisp breeze. His breath caught. “You said once that you didn’t wait to say I love you. I don’t want to wait anymore. I want to say it now and I want to say it every day, for as long as I have to say it. I love you, Kelsey.”

  She tilted her face up to his, and the love in her eyes nearly bowled him over. He never thought he would get a second chance at forever, but here she was offering it to him.

  “I love you, too, Ethan.”

  Leaning forward, he captured her mouth with his. His arms circled around her and he lifted her, swinging her around. She laughed and he looked up into her beautiful, expressive eyes. “Every day. Always.”

  Her arms were around his neck, and though she was smiling, tears formed in her eyes. They were two damaged people, but somehow they had managed to make something beautiful out of it. She let her forehead fall to his. A moment, two, as he thanked God that he was standing here with her in his arms.

  “Mama!” Janie squealed.

  Kelsey laughed.

  And he knew as he heard her laughter, forever couldn’t possibly be long enough.r />
  EPILOGUE

  Ethan opened the car door. Charlie had already unbuckled his car seat and barreled through the open door toward Ethan’s mom. “Mimi!”

  Janie screamed in her car seat on the other side of the car. “Out!”

  “I’m coming. Cool your jets, Priss.” Kelsey, in jeans and a pretty white blouse, unbuckled her daughter and released her on the Clark family.

  “Are you sure they’re ready for this?” she asked Ethan. Her long black hair blew in the breeze like a flag as she reached to the floorboard for the food. She turned just in time to see Ethan’s mom reach Charlie and Janie, enveloping them in a hug. And she laughed. “Never mind, I can see your mom is totally ready.”

  Charlie gave Mimi a kiss on the cheek and then ran on to Marcus, slapping his hand in a manly high-five. “Jump on the trampoline, Marcus.”

  Marcus picked up his small nephew and threw him over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. Charlie screamed with laughter as he jiggled across the yard.

  A car pulled in behind them. Dave parked and got out, coming around to open the door for Linda. She opened the back door and lifted out an infant car seat, covered with a pink blanket.

  “Oh, the baby!” Kelsey started for the car, but Ethan got there first.

  “Look how little she is—Charlie couldn’t stop talking all weekend about his new baby sister and how cute ‘her wittle ears are.’” Ethan took the cooler that Dave handed him out of the back seat.

  “That’s really funny. The day we brought her home, he was pretty sure he wanted to send her back.” But Dave beamed, talking about his two kids.

  Bethanne Clark walked toward them, balancing Janie on her hip. “I was beginning to wonder if you guys were going to make it.”

  “Ethan had to do his hair,” Kelsey teased. “He was twenty minutes late picking me up.”

  Bethanne shook her head. “He was always the one making us late for church. He used to press creases in his jeans.”

  “Mom …”

  “He was always the goody-goody, too. Never let us have any fun.” Matt came up behind Kelsey and grabbed his soon-to-be sister-in-law in a bear hug.

  She grinned at Ethan. “Oh, I can totally believe that.”

  “Thanks a lot, Matt.” Ethan snagged the hash brown potato casserole from midair before Matt could send it flying, too.

  Matt kept his arm around Kelsey as they walked toward the backyard. Ethan pushed him away with one hand and looped his arm around her waist. “Go hug your own woman.”

  Matt shoved him back. “I think I will.”

  “Hands to yourselves, boys,” Bethanne said, but she was smiling. “We’ve got a couple of tables set up for food and one really long table for us to sit at. I put a high chair at one end for this one.”

  She nuzzled one of Janie’s cheeks and laughed out loud when Janie grabbed both of hers and gave her an open-mouthed smack. “I know. I love you too, Janie, you darling.”

  Ethan could tell how happy his mom was to have them all here. It was the first time in a long time. There was a bittersweet pang—but he figured there always would be—that Amy wasn’t here. But today was about celebrating the living. Being thankful for what God has blessed you with. And he was thankful—so, so thankful.

  His sister-in-law, Lara, the EMT, was standing guard as Marcus played popcorn on the trampoline with Charlie. Matt grabbed her from behind and kissed her on the neck—taking Ethan’s advice, he saw.

  Ethan’s dad, Reid, was at the smoker, wearing an apron that said Big Turkey. Tyler, beside him, giving Dad pointers—which Dad was clearly ignoring—had a matching one that said Turkey in Training. Ethan rolled his eyes.

  Pastor Jake and his wife, Chloe, were sitting with Gracie on a quilt under one of the big oak trees in the backyard. His mom hadn’t put Janie down yet, so he grabbed Kelsey’s hand and pulled her over to Jake. “We’re ready when you are.”

  Jake looked confused. “I thought we were going to wait until after the Thanksgiving meal.”

  “We are.” Kelsey looked up at him. “We were?”

  Ethan nodded. “I don’t want to wait.”

  Tears formed once again in Kelsey’s eyes. Just when she thought she couldn’t be surprised by Ethan anymore, he showed another, deeper, more romantic side.

  Jake shrugged. “Okay.” He lifted his fingers to his mouth and whistled. “Hey, everyone, come over here for a minute.”

  The entire group, even Ethan’s dad, in his Big Turkey apron, gathered around. Jake spoke first. “Ethan and Kelsey asked me to join you today because all of you are the most important people in their lives. And they would like you to be witnesses as they are joined in marriage.”

  Ethan’s mom gasped. Marcus laughed.

  They stood under the ancient oak tree that had thrived in the sandy soil, through years of drought and years of plenty, surviving hurricanes and tropical storms. Somehow it seemed fitting that here was where they would be saying their vows.

  Jake began the vows, but didn’t get far before they were interrupted.

  “Mama!” Janie yelled from Bethanne’s arms.

  Kelsey laughed. She was a mama, now, and the children were a part of their lives. She looked at Ethan and shrugged. He smiled into her eyes and took Janie from his mom, hitching her high onto one arm.

  He reached for Kelsey’s hand again. Jake continued, but another little voice cut through.

  “Dad?” Charlie’s voice piped up from the back of the group, where Marcus had him on his shoulders so he could see. “Hey, Dad! Marcus says you’re getting married.”

  Ethan laughed and jerked his head. Marcus put Charlie on the ground and he ran for them. Kelsey picked him up and they stood, the four of them, Ethan’s arms encircling her and their children as they finished their vows and exchanged the rings.

  With the dapply light shining on them through the leaves of the old oak tree, and their family all around them, Kelsey’s heart was so full. It was perfect.

  Pastor Jake smiled and spoke louder. “Now that Kelsey and Ethan have given themselves each to the other and have declared the same by the joining of hands and the giving of rings, I pronounce them husband and wife. Ethan?”

  Kelsey didn’t wait for permission. She gave Ethan a smacking kiss, sending his three brothers into gales of laughter and whooping high-fives.

  Ethan laughed. “I’ve been waiting for that part all day.”

  He wrapped his free arm around her and pulled her closer so he could whisper in her ear. “Forever can’t start soon enough for me.”

  Questions for Discussion

  1. What would you think if you found a baby in an unlikely place?

  2. How did Ethan respond to the grief when he lost his wife?

  3. Why do you think guilt was a factor in Ethan’s grief?

  4. Ethan’s brother thinks he might be invested in saving Kelsey and Janie because he’s trying for a do-over. What do you think his motivation is?

  5. How does Kelsey respond differently (than Ethan) to the loss of her parents?

  6. What are some of Kelsey’s qualities that draw Ethan to her, despite the tense situation?

  7. What are some of Ethan’s qualities that draw Kelsey to him?

  8. Loyalty and betrayal both play a part in this story. Who are the characters that embody these traits? Why?

  9. Why do you think it takes Kelsey so long to tell Ethan about her village being destroyed?

  10. Ethan worries about meeting the couple who has been his son’s parents for the past two years. How do they put him at ease?

  11. Ethan tells Kelsey that he’s afraid of love, of uncertainty. Do you think he was right to take the time to think?

  12. Kelsey tells Ethan that he’s wrong—God has much bigger plans for them. Do you think sometimes God has plans for us and we think too small? How?

  13. Ethan comes back to Kelsey with his heart in his hands. Have you ever had someone come to you asking for forgiveness? How did you respond? How do you think God wants
us to respond?

  ISBN: 978-1-408-95140-8

  The Baby’s Bodyguard

  © Stephanie Newton 2011

  First Published in Great Britain in 2011

  Harlequin (UK) Limited

  Eton House, 18-24 Paradise Road, Richmond, Surrey TW9 1SR

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