“Good idea.”
The rumble of a truck sounded in the driveway. Rachel leaned over the sink to peer out of the kitchen window. Brady jumped out of the truck and strode purposefully into the house. When he walked into the kitchen, all conversations came to a halt. The look on his face was a cross between a deer in headlights and someone who’d just seen a ghost.
He cleared his throat. “Uh, can I see you for a minute?”
Rachel set the spatula down and wiped her hands on a towel. “Sure.”
As she followed him into the living room, her heart beat wildly. Something was seriously wrong.
Brady paced back and forth in front of the couch. “Uh, please sit down.”
She did. “Is everything okay?”
He gave her a lopsided grin. “I just don’t know where to start.”
Her heart dropped. “Look, if you’re—”
“Wait, let me get this out.” He stopped pacing and knelt down in front of her. “From the moment I met you, I knew you were the one for me. I made a bad decision when I abandoned you to join the Marines, and you made a bad decision when you didn’t tell me about our son. But that’s all in the past now. When I woke up this morning, I couldn’t imagine living my life without you.”
As he shifted to kneel on one knee, her breath caught in her throat.
He continued, “Last night, sitting out on the porch, I knew that I’d be a fool to ever let you go. I love you, Rachel. I’ve loved you since the day I met you, and I loved you every one of the days we spent apart. I never stopped loving you. I couldn’t. You’re my mate and we’re destined to be together.”
She choked out a sob as he pulled a black velvet box from his back pocket.
He said, “I want to spend the rest of my life with you and with our son. I want us to be a family. So if you’ll have me, I’d love to have the honor of making you my wife. Will you marry me?”
The tears of joy she’d been holding back spilled down her cheeks. “Yes. Oh, God. Yes. I love you so much. I’ve loved you forever and I want to spend the rest of my life with you.”
As he slid the ring onto her finger, the huge diamond glittered in the light from the Christmas tree. She leaned forward into his embrace and they sealed their commitment to each other with a long, sensual kiss that she felt all the way to her toes.
“Does this mean you’re going to be my daddy?”
She turned to find Jimmy, June, and all of Brady’s brothers standing open-mouthed at the entrance to the living room.
Brady released her and held his arms open for his son. “Yes. I’ll be your daddy forever.”
Jimmy ran forward and Brady locked him in a tight embrace. Rachel joined the two most important men in her life in their first family hug.
Over Jimmy’s shoulder, Rachel locked gazes with Brady. Tears of joy ran down her face. “I love you.”
“I love you too.” He kissed her.
Mack said, “I guess we’d better get ready for a wedding.”
Brady laughed and helped her to her feet. “The sooner the better.”
Jimmy beamed. “This is the best present ever.”
***
Hours later after the celebratory breakfast, Brady joined Mack on the porch. “You seem upset. Is it about the wedding?”
“No, not about the wedding, I’m really happy for you.”
“Then what is it?” Brady asked.
“With Sarah gone and the opening weekend of the bed and breakfast coming up, we’re in serious trouble. I can’t manage the ranch and take care of the bed and breakfast at the same time.”
“Can you hire someone?”
“Where would I find someone on such short notice?”
“Put an ad online.”
Mack huffed. “We can’t just take in any random stranger.”
“So get a few people up here, do some interviews and pick the one that’s the least crazy.”
“That sounds like a disaster in the making.”
Brady laughed and slapped him on the shoulder. “You’ll figure it out. Hell, maybe we’ll even be able to find you a wife.”
Mack glared at him. “I have enough responsibility without taking on a relationship. Besides, I am perfectly happy alone.”
Brady shrugged. “I used to think so too, but then Rachel came back to me.”
Mack said, “You don’t want to keep your woman waiting.”
“Never say never.” Brady slapped Mack’s back before walking back into the house.
He found his future wife in his bedroom. As he walked up behind her, he slid his arms around her belly. “Hey, sexy.”
She turned and smiled. “I think we should start a new Christmas tradition.”
He nibbled on her neck. “I can think of a few.”
“It would involve the whole family, Jimmy too.”
He leaned back. “Okay.”
When she told him the idea, he readily agreed.
After bundling Jimmy up in snow pants, boots, and a waterproof jacket, they walked out into the field behind the porch. The winter sun splashed across the snow making it sparkle like a million diamonds.
Rachel said, “I’ll go first.”
She put her arms out and leaned back, falling into a heap of snow. She waved her arms up and down.
Jimmy’s face brightened. “Mommy’s making an angel.”
He plopped down on his butt then lay back and copied her. “I made one too. Now you, daddy.”
Humbled by how lucky he felt, he dropped onto his back and made his own angel. His new family was a gift. One that he’d give thanks for every day for the rest of his life.
The End
Tiger Bite
By
Lola Kidd
Chapter One
“Stop that girl!” the security guard shouted in the crowded marketplace.
Jessica Sheridan pulled her cloak up around her face and crouched behind a vendor’s booth. She peeked out and saw four guards methodically moving among the shoppers. A few of the customers had looked up in alarm but no one was joining in on the hunt. That made her smile. She wasn’t the only one sick of her father’s security team.
She had to move fast, but there was a chance she could still get away. They were getting closer to her position, and the vendor was bound to return any moment. She stood up and casually joined a group of men walking out of the market. She pretended to laugh at the joke one of the men told. The two closest to her gave her a strange look but didn’t say anything. She could see the end of the market just ahead. She was so close.
“I think it’s time you returned home, Miss Sheridan.” Aleksander Kern, the head of her father’s security team, had a viselike grip on her forearm. A deep frown was etched on the handsome guard’s face.
Jessica pushed her cloak off her inky black hair. “I was just headed back now. There’s no need to manhandle me.”
Alek scowled. His deep green eyes locked on hers. “I’ll walk you myself. We can’t be too safe, can we, now? If anything were to happen to his little princess, your father would have my head.”
“No, we can’t. Thank you for the help. I don’t know what I’d do without you,” Jessica said sarcastically. She gave Alek a tight smile before snatching her arm from his grasp.
She didn’t want to make a scene in front of the whole town. It wasn’t like it would do her any good. The people didn’t like her father’s guards, but they weren’t on her side either. They all pitied her, yes. She did have the dead mother card to play, after all. But she was only the governor’s silly daughter. People would probably whip out their phones and record her if she made a fuss.
Since the early days of her father’s campaign, the public had loved seeing her clashes with the security team. As much as they hated the guards for disrupting their small town life, the people in town loved seeing Jess make a scene even more. She wasn’t going to give them the satisfaction of catching her on camera.
&n
bsp; Alek was right—if anything happened to her, her father would go ballistic. Ever since her mother died, he had kept her under lock and key. He meant well, but it was too much for one girl to bear. She had been in a very precarious position since she became an adult. She wanted to be free of her father’s watchful gaze, but she knew it wasn’t safe. She was the daughter of a prominent anti-shifter politician. Without her security, who knew what would happen to her. Her mother had been killed by an out-of-control shifter. Without the guards, there was a good chance the same could happen to her.
But it was a risk she was going to have to take. She knew her father was up to something. Representatives from Collins Jewelry had been having secret meetings with her father for weeks. The Collinses were the richest family in New England. They owned a chain of jewelry stores and a slew of other luxury companies. Their oldest son was still single and had only had eyes for Jessica during her father’s campaign three years ago.
While he hadn’t said anything to her yet, she could guess what her father was planning. She was his only chance at aligning himself with the Collinses through marriage. It would be great for his political career and, as an added bonus, if she was married to Jasper, she would be safe forever and ever after. Jasper could keep guards with her around the clock and could keep her hidden away in one of his giant mansions.
“Jessica.” Her father hugged her as she came into the governor’s mansion. He shook Alek’s hand. “Thanks for finding my little girl.”
“No problem, sir. I hope this is the last time we’ll have this little problem.” He gave Jess a stern look before leading his team away. The security team constantly patrolled the grounds of the governor’s mansion when she was home. You never knew when a werewolf, or worse, was going to attack.
“Can we speak for a minute, honey?”
She followed her dad into his office and sat across from him at his desk. She hated these little chats. It was never to tell her anything good. She shrugged off her heavy cloak and let her hair free of its tightly wrapped bun. With her hair hidden away, it was much easier to pass among the townspeople unnoticed. But having it up for too long gave her a tremendous headache. She massaged her scalp to get the blood flowing again.
“Did you have a nice time shopping today?” he asked her.
Jessica nodded. “It was nice walking around without the guards. I felt so free.”
“The guards are for your own protection. If what happened to your mother ever happened to you, I would be devastated.” His eyes shone with tears. “I thought we were past this. What can I do to make you understand how important your safety is to me?”
Jessica swallowed around the lump in her throat. She hated seeing her father cry. She didn’t want to do anything to hurt him. Her mother’s death at the hands of a werewolf had almost killed him too. “I understand, Daddy, but the guards are too much. There hasn’t been a shifter attack in Penicalla in years. Tell Alek and his men to give me some space and I won’t run away from them again.”
Her father sighed. “I thought you liked Alek. He’s certainly the best guard we’ve had, and I trust him.”
“I don’t like Alek,” she huffed. “He was fine, but he’s become overbearing, and he crosses the line. He doesn’t need to ever put his hands on me.”
“Did he do something?” her father asked, standing up. “I’ll fire him on the spot.”
“Nothing like that, Daddy,” Jess assured him uneasily. Her best friend always used to joke about Alek “guarding her body.” Jess didn’t think it was a very funny joke. “I mean he gets too close for comfort when he’s following me. I need my space. I thought they were supposed to be invisible.”
“I’m sure it isn’t on purpose.” He sat down again. “I’ll speak with him about it. Please don’t do this again.”
“I won’t, Daddy.”
“Good. It’s even more important now that you’re getting older.” He leaned back in his chair. “That’s what I wanted to talk to you about today. I know that you’ve been unhappy here. You think I treat you like a child and you want your freedom as an adult.”
She shrugged but didn’t say anything. That was somewhat true. He didn’t treat her like a child as much as a prisoner, but it was close enough. She didn’t want to upset him any more by saying he was more like a warden than a father these days.
“I think I’ve found a solution to our little problem.” He gave her his most winning politician’s smile. “I’ve spoken with Maurice Collins of Collins Jewelry. He and I agree that it would be best if you and his son Jasper got married as soon as possible.”
“Are you kidding me? This is the twenty-first century. I’m not marrying anyone because you want me to.”
He shook his head. “I hoped you’d be happy with my surprise. We’ve arranged for the wedding to take place next month. I know it’s very short notice, but I’m going to be hitting the campaign trail hard again soon.”
“I don’t love Jasper. I barely even know him. I am not marrying him.”
Her father frowned. “You two spent a lot of time together during the campaign.”
“We spent a few events together, but I was just being polite, like you always ask me to be. I knew his family’s money and endorsement were very important to you.”
“He’s a good man, Jess. He’ll treat you right and he’ll always keep you safe.”
“I don’t need to be kept safe,” Jessica exploded. “I need to be able to live my life! You’re insane if you think I’m ever going to marry Jasper.”
Her father stood up and went to the window. “I’d hoped that you’d be a little smarter than this, baby. You know how rich Jasper is? You know what kind of opportunities would open up for you if you married him?”
“I don’t need his money or his opportunities. I can make my own way!”
“But think of how much easier it would be with Jasper at your side. You would always be safe and you’d never want for anything.”
“I don’t want for anything now.”
“Because of me.”
Pain shot across her forehead. This conversation was making her headache even worse. “What does that mean?”
Roger Sheridan took a deep breath before turning to face his daughter. “If you don’t marry Jasper, I’m going to cut you off.”
“I thought you wanted to keep me safe.” Jessica fought back tears. “This is all getting completely out of hand, Daddy. Why don’t we talk about this tomorrow, when we’ve both had time to calm down?”
He nodded. “Sure. But I’m not going to change my mind. Marry Jasper or get cut off. Those are your only options. I want to lead a full and safe life. I think I’ve made a pretty good deal here. I know you’ll make the right choice. See you later tonight for dinner?”
Jessica put on a big fake smile. “Sure.”
Alek was waiting outside the door to accompany her to her room. She didn’t even have the energy to glare at the cocky guard. He stayed half a step behind her all the way up to her room and didn’t say a word.
She locked the door to her suite, knowing he was standing just outside. He wasn’t going to leave her alone for the next week if their history was any clue. Last time she’d gotten away from him, he’d stayed on duty for ten days straight. He’d slept outside her door while another guard kept watch, and he had been waiting for her the minute she woke up.
At least she wasn’t going to have to feel guilty about leaving anymore. Her father had implied that he wouldn’t stop her from leaving, but that was a lie. If he was telling the truth, Alek wouldn’t be posted outside her door anymore. All politicians were brilliant liars and her father was one of them. He knew that she would be easily talked into coming back. She hated being a bad daughter and didn’t want to become front-page news. If she left, the media would wonder where she’d gone. She had become a small-time media star during his campaign.
She’d basically acted as his first lady. She was the only woman in her father’s
life, so it made sense. But she’d had no idea how much smaller it would make her world. Her father’s hard anti-shifter stance had made him a target of many shifter rights groups. There had been many death threats aimed at both of them during the campaign, and they hadn’t stopped when he won. In all honesty, she was scared to go out on her own. Not that she would ever admit it to Alek or her guards.
It didn’t matter. She couldn’t marry Jasper Collins or anyone else she wasn’t in love with. She was going to leave, and she knew exactly where she was going to go.
She opened her laptop and sent her best friend an SOS message so she’d call her. Daria used to live in Penicalla, but her parents had moved to Baghera when her younger brother was bitten by a were-bear. The Fleur family had left in the middle of the night and the two friends hadn’t even been able to say goodbye. The girls still kept in touch with frequent texts, calls, and emails.
Once Jessica was free of Penicalla, she was going to make it to Baghera as fast as she could. The Caribbean island was a shifter sanctuary. The lush, tranquil island was the exact opposite of their bustling New England hometown. Jessica had always been curious about the secretive island. She’d started pumping Daria for information as soon as the family had gotten settled, but her friend had nothing good to say about her new home.
Daria hated Baghera with a passion. Jess had assumed a town of shifters would be full of violence, but that wasn’t the problem at all. It was too small and too quiet. The only reason Daria stayed was for love of her family.
Bentley’s transformation had been hard on them all. Daria wanted to support her brother, but she’d vowed she’d leave Baghera the minute he was settled.
Daria’s hate didn’t deter Jessica. She loved the Fleur family, and the island sounded lovely. It seemed like all the good shifters lived there. Plus, there was zero chance of her dad trying to drag her home. The Baghera shifters were very protective of their human guests.
Jessica’s phone rang half an hour later. “Daria. You won’t believe this. Dad wants me to marry Jasper Collins!”
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