Clearwater Romance

by Marissa Dobson

  Raising a family in Clearwater. I’ll be able to have the best of both. What’s the catch? You always have to choose, you don’t get to have everything. She had a hard time wrapping her mind around it. “What about your friends, your life, apartment? You don’t want to leave everything behind for me…”

  “My dear Tess how can I make you understand that you’re the woman I love, the one I want to spend my life with. I’m not giving up anything as long as I have you next to me. My life doesn’t matter unless you’re with me.” He ran his hand down her cheek. “If Clearwater isn’t what you want we can go anywhere. I love you.”

  “I love Clearwater, it’s the small town I’ve always wanted to raise a family in. Everyone is so sweet—Jennifer Anderson, the owner of Express-Ohh’s had become a good friend as well. I’m not sure if you remember her from Chloe’s wedding but you’ll like her. All the cute little shops, it’s just how I’ve always pictured a small town, and they have this adorable little baby store—Tiny Treasure Baby Store is owned by Zoe Noble. I bought so many cute baby outfits I don’t have any more room.” She smiled up at him. “I’m sorry I’m rambling. Clearwater is fine with me or anywhere as long as you’re by my side.”

  “Then it’s settled. When I’m discharged, we’ll go back to Clearwater. We can look for a house and settle in before Rosalie is born. We’ll give our Rosalie the complete family you always wanted.” He pulled her snug against his body. “How’s Chloe and Jordan? Glad to get rid of you for a few days?” He teased.

  “Oh…” She started to rise from his embrace. “They’re here…down the hall in the waiting room. They wouldn’t let me come alone. I should go let them know you’re awake.”

  His grip on her tightened, keeping her snug against him, as if he was scared to let her go. “Call her. I’m not letting you out of my sight, not even for a moment. It’s our time now, nothing will separate us.”

  Chapter Sixteen

  “I don’t want to leave you.” Tessa sat on the edge of the bed, her hand in Cameron’s, as he fought sleep, but the antiseptic smell of the hospital was getting to her. Chloe and Jordan stood on the other side of the bed watching them.

  “Love, you need to get some rest. Go take a nap in a comfortable bed and gather some of my clothes so we can leave straight from here.” Cameron’s voice was laced with sleep. “All of you need to rest. I’ll be fine.”

  “Tessa he’s right you need some sleep. I’ll go with you and Jordan can stay with Cameron, if there’s any change, he’ll call us.” Chloe stepped forward and grabbed her purse off the bedside table where she tossed it.

  “No…” Jordan took hold of his wife’s arm. “You stay here, and I’ll go with Tessa. Just because she hasn’t heard from Tony in a while doesn’t mean he isn’t still a threat. Being back in his city, we need to be on guard.”

  “All of you go…” Cameron’s eyes where shut, the pain pill threatening to pull him under at any moment.

  “No…”

  Chloe held up her hand, silencing the argument. “It’s okay Tessa. Jordan’s right, I’ll stay. Go get some rest and pack, I’ll call you if anything changes.”

  Unhappily Tessa agreed to the plan, she leaned over and kissed Cameron. “I’ll be back before you wake. Rest.” With a heavy heart, she followed Jordan out. In the hall, the medical staff moved about, checking on the patients, she couldn’t help thinking that some families weren’t as lucky as she was. Many others had loved ones in worse condition than Cameron, and more than she wanted to think about would never see their loved ones again.

  There was a woman by the nurses’ station tears pouring down her face, an older woman who appeared to be her mother had her arm around her. There was so much grief written across their faces, she expected they received news their loved one didn’t make it. Reminding her of the news report, she heard on their way from the airport. Protestors. The poor families that lose love ones in the line of duty had enough grief to deal with they didn’t need protestors at the funerals protesting the war. To Tessa there was a time and place for things and a funeral of a young military soldier was not it.

  She had always been supportive of the soldiers who fought for their freedom. They rose to the call of duty while others ran for shelter, and gave them the freedoms they loved so much. One of those being the freedom of speech, but in her opinion some took that liberty too far. Protest the war, fine, but not at the gravesite of someone who just gave their life for their country.

  For a moment she thought of the worst case, if Cameron had come home in a casket instead of injured. To have these protestors at his grave would have been too much. After everything he’d given to his country, to have them repay him that way would have been as heartbreaking as his loss.

  Jordan left her to her thoughts, as they drove across the city. Even Rosalie seemed subdued.

  * * *

  Tessa sat on the bed holding a picture of them she found on his nightstand, taken just a week before he joined the Marines. The love that they felt for each other all those years ago was apparent in the picture. Young love, blossomed into an undeniable love that she had for him now.

  “Is that everything?” Jordan asked after returning from putting the suitcase she packed of Cameron’s stuff in the car.

  “Yes.” She stood, slipping her purse over her shoulder, taking the picture with her. She wanted it to be one of the first things in their new home, a reminder of where they came from. She took one last look around the apartment before turning back to Jordan. “I’m ready.”

  Outside she went to slip the picture frame into her purse while he locked the door when someone came moving towards them. There was such speed and anger in the movements it caught her attention.

  “There you are! I’ve been looking everywhere for you since I heard you arrived…”

  Tony barreled towards her. She took a step back but it was too late…Tony’s fist came flying at her and impacted with the side of her head. The blow sent her stumbling back into the wall, and the frame fell. Jordan was there, moving between them, shoving Tony away from Tessa. Tony kept yelling at her but she only caught a few words.

  “You stupid bitch…think I’d really let you get away…you’re mine! You’re pregnant…”

  She wasn’t sure if she lost consciousness but the next thing that she focused on was Jordan leaning over her, and holding an ice pack to her temple. “Tessa…Tessa can you hear me?”

  “I’m sorry…what?” She raised her arm, bringing her hand to her spinning head.

  “You’re pressing charges against him…the police need your statement.”

  “Okay.” She moved as if to get off the floor, but Jordan’s hand on her shoulder kept her from getting up.

  “Not until the paramedic checks you out.” He nodded to the nearby medic who was waiting. “Hold this to your temple I’ll get the officer to take your statement and we can get you out of here.”

  She noticed the picture she had been holding a few feet away, covered in shards of glass and for some reason that was the final straw. Tears shook her. Every time her life went right, something else went wrong. Her life was like the broken picture frame, in so many pieces and no matter how many times she tried to put it back together it always seemed to fall apart again.

  * * *

  Cameron woke to Chloe speaking quietly into her phone. Only catching the odd word he could tell just from the way Chloe’s shoulder sagged that something was wrong. Tess? Forgetting about his leg, he started to get up, to find out what was going on. The agony from his leg didn’t let him get far. “Chloe?” He called to her, drawing her attention.

  “He’s awake, I’ll let him know.” Chloe ended the call and walked towards the bed.

  “What is it? Is Tessa okay?”

  “Tony was waiting outside your apartment when they were leaving…”

  “Damn it! Is she all right?” Anger roared through him. She should have never come back here. This is entirely my fault.

  “She’s going to be
fine. She’ll have a black eye, the paramedic looked her over and everything else is fine with both her and the baby.” She laid her hand on his chest, pushing him back into the bed, when Cameron started to get up. “She’s giving her statement to the police officer now and Jordan will bring her here when they’re done.”

  “I’ve got to go to her.”

  “Jordan’s with her and there’s nothing you can do. Just stay in bed. They’ll be here shortly.” She didn’t take her hand off his chest even once he stopped fighting against it.

  “She needs me.” He explained.

  “You’re right she’ll need you, which is why you’re not going to her now. She’ll need your comfort, and you can’t give that to her if you’re doped up on pain pills because you got out of that bed and went to her.” She sank into the chair beside the bed closely watching him. “You get out of bed now you’re going to do more damage to your leg. You have a daughter on her way; you’re going to need to be at your best, which means there’s no time to go screwing up the healing process. So just lay there and wait, they’ll be here soon.”

  He knew she was right but it killed him not to go to Tessa when she needed him. Being laid up was not something he did well. He was a man of action. “Tony?”

  “He’s in custody.”

  Now that he knows she is pregnant, will he figure out it’s his child? If he does, Rosalie will only consider me her stepfather. Damn it. He’d do whatever it takes to hide the fact she was Tony’s biological daughter, even if that meant forging a paternity test. There was no way he’d let Tony use Rosalie as a pawn against Tessa.

  Chapter Seventeen

  The black eye was already beginning to take color when they finally made it to the hospital. Drums beating loudly away in her head replaced the dizziness, but thankfully besides the headache and black eye she was okay. More importantly, Rosalie was okay.

  When she entered Cameron was sitting up in bed, concern creased his angelic face. “My Tess…” He tried to get out of bed, but the pain stopped him, instead he held out his hand and she went to him. She wanted to be in his arms, she felt safe there. “Jordan, call and find out the first reservations you can get us. If we can leave tonight, I want to. Tony’s a lawyer; he’ll be able to make bail. I want her out of town before then.”

  “There’s no reason to rush you from your hospital bed, I’ll have to face him eventually.” She curled into his embrace, feeling safe and protected, even Rosalie who had been subdued since she left the hospital hours before seemed to notice the excitement.

  “You can face him in court if it comes to that. Ryan, the Sheriff from Clearwater, checked the temporary restraining order was served and is on file here too, Tony will have that violation as well. Right now I just want you out of town, and safe.” Cameron kissed the top of her forehead, and looked over at Jordan. “Thank you.”

  Jordan nodded. “I just wish I could have protected her better. I was locking the door when he attacked. He must have been lying in wait for us to come out…I didn’t see him before when I was out there.”

  “It would have been worse if you weren’t there. Thank you Jordan.” Tessa explained.

  “Just rest, I’ll see about reservations. Chloe, you want to get a cup of coffee with me while I do?” It was clear Jordan was making an excuse for them both to step away for a few minutes, giving Tessa and Cameron some privacy.

  When they left, Cameron raised his hand to her chin, tipping it back gently so she was looking at him. “Did you ice it?” His eyes were dark with anger, yet he kept his temper in check, even his voice was calm.

  “It’s fine.” She nodded. “I should have been looking, but I was slipping the picture of us from your bedside in my purse. I didn’t see him coming.”

  “None of this is your fault.” He ran his hand over the dimple in her chin. “I’ve always loved that picture.”

  “The glass is broke…” She slipped her hand into her purse and pulled out the picture frame minus the glass, and tears slid down her cheeks before she quickly wiped them away. “Sorry pregnancy hormones, seems like I’m always crying.”

  “Shh love. It’s okay. We’ll get another picture frame.” He rubbed small circles down her back, trying to calm her. “Everything’s going to be fine, I promise. Close your eyes and rest, you’ve been through a lot the last few days.”

  * * *

  Cameron watched Tessa sleep peaceful in his arms, while his thoughts tormented him. He never expected to marry and settle down, yet he was doing just that, and he wouldn’t change it for the world. He loved Tessa, and for reasons beyond him, she saw goodness in him and loved him too. It was almost too much to ask for, yet he wanted more. He hoped like he never did before that Tony would never find out of Rosalie. The thought of losing his daughter, or her being used as a pawn in his games sent him swirling towards the breaking point. Hatred and fury coursed through his veins like the roaring fires of hell, when Chloe and Jordan returned carrying a tray of food.

  “Tessa needs to eat.” Chloe nodded to the tray. “Jordan said she refused to get some on their way back because she wanted to get back to you.”

  “Okay. We’ll wake her in a moment. What about reservations?” Cameron asked.

  “First flight back is at ten tonight. I have us booked, but it means flying throughout the night. I’m not sure, in her state that it’s the best to…” Jordan set the drinks on the hospital bed table.

  “She’ll be fine. She needs to be somewhere safe. I can’t protect her here.” He ran his hand through her long brown hair. “I’ll protect her at all costs…”

  “The cost being your child?” Chloe asked almost slamming down the tray.

  “Chloe, even though I haven’t been here for each step of the pregnancy, I know her OBGYN told her that both the baby and she are healthy. Traveling isn’t going to change that. She can sleep on the plane.” He looked down at the sleeping Tess before returning his gaze back to Chloe. “You have to realize that staying here puts her in more danger then flying through the night. Tony is a nasty man, he’ll get out of jail and he will come for her.”

  He refused to let Tessa stay in danger longer than necessary. Once she was safe in Clearwater, he’d make sure Tony received the message loud and clear to stay away from her. Too long he’d stayed out of it, not wanting to interfere in case he was wrong, but he couldn’t keep his opinions quiet once he knew, and now it was time Tony found out you couldn’t treat people like he had spent too long doing to Tessa.

  Chapter Eighteen

  The night was long and grueling, and exhaustion hung heavily on Tessa when she collapsed into bed next to Cameron. The trip back from North Carolina was hard on everyone, they traveled in silence, none of them able to sleep. Cameron took the worst of it, his leg up on a pillow, his teeth clenched in pain.

  “There’s no need to be macho, why don’t you take a pain pill?” She ran her hand over his chest, careful to avoid the burns.

  “I’m fine. Sleep is what we need.” He wrapped his arm around her, drawing her close to him. His dog tags around her neck caught his attention. “Why?”

  She raised her hand to them, fingering it. “Don’t laugh, they made me feel closer to you.” She reached under her pillow and grabbed his shirt that she put there before they left. “I even wore your shirt until my stomach got too big. I really missed you.”

  “I’m home now and not going anywhere.”

  She couldn’t believe he was there next to her. Too afraid to close her eyes, worried that when she opened them again he’d be gone, she just watched him sleep. She thought the time would never come when she was able to lie in his arms, or if he did, he’d have changed his mind about their marriage. Now that it was here, she knew the wait was worth it.

  * * *

  Cameron woke covered in sweat, his heart racing, images of the incident that landed him in a cast vivid in his mind. Wounded soldiers surrounding him, as he laid there broken and bleeding. There was nothing he could do for most of them, his at
tention focused on the youngest Marine under his command who lay clinging to life next to him. He wouldn’t let Juan Carlos die. He was too young…with so many people depending on him.

  He held that young Marine’s hand until they were loaded into the helicopter, giving him the encouragement he needed. The images filled his vision making him feel like he was back there again. J.C’s honey-golden skin paled with the loss of blood, and his deep blue eyes held pain and fear. Damn it, J.C, you’re a Marine we don’t give up. Cameron kept telling him, refusing to let one of his men give up.

  J.C never should have been there! He volunteered for the deployment to help with his family financially. At twenty-one he was the oldest of nine children, the man of the family since his father took off five years before. Losing his leg meant a long hard recovery road in front of him, and worse yet when he couldn’t find work.

  If he died, his family would have had the insurance… Cameron hated himself for even thinking it. Having him in their life meant more than money ever would. He met J.C’s family and they might not have much but they had love that got them through. They’ll find a way.

  It was damn lucky they didn’t lose anyone. Many men would never be the same but at least no one lost their lives. For that, he was grateful.

  “What are you thinking about?” Tessa’s soft and sexy voice went straight to his shaft.

  He looked down to find her watching him. “How long have you been awake?” He cupped the side of her face.

  “Long enough to know you’ve been lost in thought. You were distant, and I didn’t want to disturb you.” She ran her hand down his chest.

  “You’re beautiful.” He lowered his head to hers, bringing their foreheads together, their gazes locked together. He kissed her. Their lips met with passion and desire. The air sizzled around them. Their kiss broke apart, but his lips hovered just over hers. “I’ve waited for so long, I want you.”