by Tara Randel
Max and Lilli waited for her, Max carrying on a low conversation with the chief. Lilli’s face was solemn when Zoe joined them.
“Are you okay with this?” her friend asked.
“Like I have much choice?”
“But you do. You can choose to take Leo and walk away.” Lilli patted her shoulder. “No one would blame you.”
“Except the people who are trying to catch this guy.”
“It’s up to you.”
Zoe bit her lower lip. She was no hero. She was a mom and the mayor, faced with a tough decision. Stay or go?
Yet she couldn’t make herself leave.
She scanned the crowd, folks she’d known all her life, talking, laughing, waiting to hear what she had to say. Townspeople who had voted for her, stood beside her in her darkest days. Would they turn and run if presented with the same dilemma? No. They’d rally together. She was sure of it.
Despite her misgivings, despite being sure she was foolish for sticking around, she had her answer. She’d stay and fight.
Turning to her friends, she reluctantly handed Leo off to Max.
“He’ll be fine,” Max assured her in his steady voice, even though passing her son to him was like ripping her heart out. She knew it was for the best, just like she knew this elaborate ruse to catch Duncan was going to make her family safe in the long run. As long as things went as planned.
“We have your back, Zoe,” Lilli said, a big smile planted on her face for show; Zoe could read the nervousness in her posture.
If her friends would willingly get involved, risk themselves to help her family, she could hold up her end.
She blinked back tears as Max stepped away with Leo and Lilli and the chief took his place beside her, speaking in her ear. “Just as a precaution, I have all my officers dressed in civilian clothes stationed around the playground. When I learned about the possibility of a problem here this morning, I called the owners of Swindler’s Ice Cream. They offered to hand out free ice cream as a way to draw the folks away from here. As soon as you’re finished speaking, tell the crowd to go to the far end of the park and I’ll have my team redirect anyone who might want to linger around the play area.”
“But what if they don’t want ice cream?”
“Nealy is on the other side of the park, as well. Tell people in order to keep confusion to a minimum, they need a ticket to get on the playground. Nealy will stall them.”
“You act like you know for sure this guy is in town.”
“I don’t, but we can’t be too careful.”
“Thanks, Chief. I’m glad you’re on our side.”
He nodded, then spoke in his lapel mic in a low voice.
Taking a breath, Zoe then greeted the crowd, flourishing the scissors to get their attention. All while her heart threatened to beat right out of her chest.
“Today we celebrate another milestone for the town,” she said, her voice shaky at first, then picking up strength. “The thing I love about Cypress Pointe is how we come together. Like a great big family. That’s why I ran for mayor, to make my town a safe and productive place to live.”
She nodded over her shoulder at the new playground equipment behind her. “You all rallied together, holding fund-raisers and taking up collections, to make a beautiful place for the future generation to play and be kids for the short time before they grow up. We did that. You and me.” She held up the ceremonial ribbon cutting scissors. “Here’s to Cypress Pointe.”
The crowd clapped and cheered as the cloth fluttered to the ground.
“Now, before we christen the playground, I want everyone to go to the far end of the park. We’re giving away free ice cream before the park officially opens. Nealy is handing out tickets so we won’t have major confusion once we move back to the play area.”
At the mention of ice cream, the crowd was more than willing to trade swings and slides in order to fill their bellies first. Children, with their moms and dads right behind them, hurried to the tables set up in the distance. At this rate, it would take Zoe a few minutes to get to the police station. Townsfolk stopped her, thanking her for her dedication to the town, when all she could think about was gathering Leo in her arms and racing off, until she remembered her vow to fight. Still, no one was keeping her from getting to her son.
As she began to cross the grassy section of the park, mostly cleared out as the crowd had moved away from the playground, she noticed a man by himself, loitering near an empty bench. He was tall, with a ball cap pulled low over his eyes and polarized sunglasses hiding his eyes—odd, since the clouds obscured any sunshine. He glanced her way and Zoe froze, noticing the edge of a scar on his cheek.
Duncan? He sure looked like the man in the picture Mitch had shown her.
When she followed the path of his gaze, her stomach dropped. It led directly to her husband, who was walking in the opposite direction away from the children and their parents.
Digging her cell phone from her pocket, she dialed Mitch. No response. Drat. Why wasn’t he answering?
Uncertainty rooted her to the spot. She searched for the chief, but he was preoccupied and too far way to be waved down.
She’d just made the decision to follow the plan and retrieve Leo when Duncan moved. Walking at a determined pace, his shoulders stiff, he turned his head left and right to check out his surroundings, and alerted Zoe that he was up to no good.
Suddenly, a thought went through her brain. Mitch is the bait. No wonder he’d agreed to stay in full sight. He wanted Duncan to come after him. His family was in danger and he’d found a way to save them.
Oh, Mitch.
Her chest tightened. He was doing this, knowing full well how much Zoe worked to keep away any threat of danger. This had nothing to do with risky behavior. Nothing to do with adrenaline or the thrill of getting a story. No. This was a man putting his life on the line for those he loved. Right at this moment, scared as she was, she couldn’t have loved Mitch more than she already did.
Never mind the plan, now it was time to do her part.
With determination, she power walked toward Mitch. He dropped his camera into the gear bag and walked farther away from the crowd. She heard the chief call her name but ignored him, instead heading toward her husband, straight into danger. Closer now, she saw Duncan approach Mitch, pull an object from his pocket and aim it at her husband.
Bright dots flashed before her eyes. She stopped dead in her tracks.
In her memory, a gunshot rang out. The scar on her inner arm ached just as it had the day a bullet ripped through her flesh. She thought she might be sick. Did she really think she could make a difference?
The haze of the past cleared and second thoughts about intervening made her hesitate, until she noticed Mitch look her way. His eyes widened, causing Duncan to look around. She had her opening.
“Mitch,” she called out, waving in his direction.
Duncan’s focus remained on her. Mitch took that split-second opportunity and lunged at the man ready to harm him in order to save his own skin. Mitch’s momentum caught the other man by surprise and they ended up toppling to the ground.
Barely able to breathe, Zoe ran their way. Before she could reach Mitch, a swarm of undercover cops surrounded them, yelling for the gun to be dropped. Duncan fought, but soon armed men pulled Mitch off him as they took possession of the weapon and dragged Duncan away.
It happened so quickly, Zoe marveled that she hadn’t missed the entire takedown. But she had seen it. And her husband now stood, gazing at her.
Zoe ran to Mitch, throwing her arms around his neck. He hugged her back as she tried to slow her racing pulse and brush aside the residual fear. “We’re safe,” she kept repeating to herself.
Mitch pulled back to gaze down at her face. His jaw tightened imperceptibly.
“You did this on purpose,” she accused.<
br />
A brief shadow covered his eyes. “I had to,” he said, his voice raw.
“You could have left town. Taken the danger to parts unknown.”
“I could have. But this seemed a more expedient way to take care of the problem.”
“Mitch, I... It doesn’t seem enough but, thank you.”
“You have to know I’d do anything for you, Zoe.”
He’d proven it, in spades.
“Once I tell the authorities everything I know, I’ll be back, Zoe. Then you need to make your decision about us, once and for all.”
He walked away, meeting the Major and falling into a heated discussion.
Your decision.
She’d thought she’d made it when she’d torn up the divorce papers. When she’d lost the fight to keep from loving Mitch again. When she was forced to face her own past and decide which was more important: overcoming fear or running away.
A tear trickled down her cheek. Did she know anything at all?
* * *
MITCH PRESSED THE DOORBELL, forcing down the nerves playing havoc in his stomach. Smoothed his button-down shirt and straightened the box he was holding. Ignored his shaky hands.
Zoe would give him her decision today. Either they were going to live together like a family or he’d leave, because the pain of losing her and being separated from Leo would be too much.
The door flew open. Zoe’s brows rose.
“Sorry I didn’t call first.”
She ran a hand over her tousled hair, looking gorgeous in a T-shirt, shorts and bare feet. “Actually, I’ve been expecting you.”
He held out the wrapped box. “For you.”
Her lips pursed. Moments passed before she reached out. “What’s this?”
“Open it.”
A giggle came from just inside the door, then his son crawled into view.
“Come in,” Zoe invited.
Mitch entered, picking up Leo as he went. The baby laughed and hugged him tight.
Zoe perched on the armrest of the couch, her fingers running over the paper.
“It’s something I made for you.”
Curiosity in her eyes, she tore at the paper, opened the box. Inside, nestled in sparkly tissue paper, sat a book, the words Our Wedding Album in cursive script across the front. Lifting the album, the box slipped from her lap to the floor. Mitch set Leo down and he scampered right to his new toy.
He watched as Zoe opened the first page. Knew the inscription from memory: To my wife. I’ll always love you, Zoe.
She flipped one page, then the next and the next, each a memorial to their life together; featuring pictures from when they were teens, their wedding day, to more recent shots including Leo.
“When did you do all this?” she asked, looking up from the last page.
“I’ve been working on it for a while at the studio. Wanted to give it to you when I asked you to renew our vows.”
Her eyes went wide. “Renew our vows?”
“Either way, whatever your decision is,” he said, “I wanted you to have it.”
She clutched the album to her chest. “Oh, Mitch.”
“Look, I get it. What happened at the ribbon-cutting ceremony must have crossed a line for you. There’s no coming back from that.”
“But there is.” Leo tugged at her ankle. She laid the album on the cushion and leaned down to pick up their son. “I’ve spent too many sleepless nights, spent too many endless hours thinking, and I’ve come to this conclusion.” Her eyes watered. “You had no control over events in Jordan or at the park. I haven’t made life easy for you since you came home, shoot, even before then. I let my unresolved fears color my reactions. I know you’d never ever do anything to intentionally put us in harm’s way.”
“But I did and I take responsibility for it all.”
She met his gaze, eyes shimmering. “I love you, Mitch. Always have, always will. You’re my husband and the father of our son and deserve more than I’ve given you.”
He took a step back. Afraid there was a “but” coming. Could almost see the invisible wall forming between them. Knew the last brick had fallen into place when Zoe stayed glued to the couch instead of walking into his embrace.
“Dada,” Leo giggled, his arms outstretched.
Unsure, he stayed put until Zoe made her intentions clear.
“You can’t leave. Leo needs you.” She stood. “I need you.”
Relief, swift and hard, overtook him. “Are you sure?”
She sent him a beaming smile. “Never been so sure in my life. You stood in harm’s way to protect us. I could have run but instead intervened when you were almost shot. In a weird way, what happened in the park put things into a new perspective for me. Made me see I can’t insulate our world. Bad things happen in life, but so do beautiful things. We worked together, Mitch. In a way that counted the most.”
Her sentiment touched him, but she hadn’t said if they were going to stay together. He needed to hear the words. “What is your answer, Zoe?”
She paused. Grinned. “I want more than anything for us to be a family. Maybe you need to temper some of your fearlessness and I need to work on being brave, but we’ll figure the rest out as we go. For now, I’ll be happy to watch the two men I love most discover the world around them while I tag along.”
He crossed the room in two long strides, hugging Zoe and Leo tightly until Leo squawked. He pulled back and met her gaze.
“You’re really sure?”
“Yes.”
He kissed her hard and felt her love seep down to his toes. When Leo fussed again, Mitch loosened his hold, but his arms remained circled around his family.
“Coming back to you, finding out about Leo, I learned that I didn’t need to run around the world for excitement or meaning. Raising Leo with you, right here in Cypress Pointe, will be all the adventure I need.”
She smoothed the hair on Leo’s head. “And when you do need to go off to exotic locales for a job, we’ll be right by your side.”
Mitch kissed her again, love and gratitude welling inside him. Being at home would surpass traveling alone. On that dusty road back in Jordan, he’d had his eureka moment; he’d wanted a family all along, never dreaming how much until he’d almost lost them.
When he finally broke the kiss, Zoe said, “There’s one thing that bugs me, though.”
Mitch tilted his head, his expression in check as he waited.
“I can’t believe Leo called you Dada first. He’s never said Mama.”
Barking out a laugh, Mitch hugged her again. “He will,” came his positive reply. “There’s plenty of room in the Simmons family, and in that photo album, to treasure all the memories we’re going to share. Together.”
Epilogue
SIX MONTHS LATER, Zoe stood at the edge of the wooden deck in the backyard of their new house. She and Mitch had just renewed their vows, surrounded by family and friends. They’d come a long way, she and Mitch, and she couldn’t deny her love for her husband. After much discussion, they’d come to the mutual agreement to keep Mitch’s base here in Cypress Pointe, holding a family meeting to vote whether or not he would take any of the offers for photo layouts located in faraway places.
The holidays had been eventful, this being the first Christmas Mitch had spent with Leo. There were way too many presents, Zoe had scolded, but she’d understood Mitch was making up for lost time. He’d surprised her by writing a check to the refugee organization assisting Hassan’s village. Father and son had finally been reunited, thanks to the international coverage Mitch had garnered through different news agencies.
The New Year had brought new changes. Lilli and Max announced they were expecting. Nealy and Dane had just come back from Las Vegas where they’d gotten remarried. Jenna and Wyatt had bought a new house, and Jenna had confided in Zoe
that they were hoping to have baby news soon.
Other friends, musicians Cassie Branford and Luke Hastings, held a private performance in honor of the festivities. Cassie’s newly released album was wildly successful. If Zoe didn’t miss her guess, she’d wager those two would be walking down the aisle soon.
She noticed Kady standing alone. Zoe sauntered in her direction. “Thanks for the beautiful flower arrangements. As usual, you came through “
“My pleasure,” Kady said after a quick hug. “The Lavish Lily is busier than I could have ever hoped. My plan to be the number one florist for weddings in the area is taking off and working with Dylan’s mother, a total professional, has increased business, too.”
Zoe had no doubts. Kady had a way of coming up with exactly the right flower choices for her brides.
“Where’s Dylan?”
Kady pointed to her boyfriend, who was pacing the yard. “He just got a call from one of his brothers. By the look on his face, it can’t be good.”
Dylan, a DEA agent, along with three other Matthew brothers all in law enforcement, lowered the phone.
“From what Dylan has told me, his youngest brother is working an undercover operation. I hope there weren’t any problems.”
Zoe nudged her friend. “Go.”
Kady left to talk to him.
Zoe’s mother and the police chief sat at the patio table with Mitch’s parents, feeding Leo. Her son giggled and played with his food, despite his new grandfather’s attempt to get him to eat.
Two arms circled her waist from behind. Mitch’s cologne announced his arrival, even before his words.
“Happy, wife?”
She leaned back against his hard chest, savoring being cradled in her husband’s embrace. Mitch still suffered infrequent headaches, but that seemed to be the last of the lingering effects of the brain injury. He was alive and home, which was all she could have asked for.
“Happy to have everyone I love in the world here today.”
“And if you could do it all over?”
