CHAPTER NINETEEN
Jake paced. He wasn’t good at waiting, and he pretty much sucked at it when it came to waiting on news about his daughter. Now, he could add Maggie to that list. Sunny was in one room with a team of specialists who were doing the transplant at the Amarillo hospital. Maggie was in another room being treated for the injuries she got from Wade.
This sure as heck wasn’t the way to spend Christmas morning.
“Wade,” Jake spit out. It was a good thing the weasel was in jail or Jake might be inclined to beat him senseless. The fool had nearly gotten Maggie killed.
“How much longer?” Chet snarled. He was sitting in one of the chairs in the waiting room, but he looked just as impatient as Jake.
Even Nell’s nerves were showing. She was next to Chet, a paperback in her hand, but her eyes were fixed on the corridor where they’d last seen both Sunny’s and Maggie’s doctors.
Royce was the only one not in wait mode. He was on his cell getting updates on the nightmare that Tanner had created when he’d arranged the ambush at the Mustang Ridge hospital. Royce had already relayed that the explosive device was off David and that Billy had him locked up, pending arrival of the Texas Rangers. Jake had gladly handed over jurisdiction to them since he was way too personally involved in the case.
Sheriff Shawn Marcus was okay, too. He’d sustained a gunshot wound to the shoulder and would spend a few days in the hospital, but he was expected to make a full recovery.
And the latest update—one of the ranch hands was on the way to the hospital with Sunny’s Christmas presents.
“The transplant has to work,” Nell said, and it was something they were all thinking.
While Jake was saying his prayers for Sunny, he was adding some for Maggie, too. She hadn’t appeared to be hurt badly, but she’d been in the examining room a long time now.
Royce ended his latest call, and they all looked at him, waiting.
“It’s true,” Royce said. “Tanner’s dead.”
None of them reacted. At first. Then, Nell let out a breath of relief. Chet bobbed his head in approval. Jake felt the relief, as well. Tanner had been responsible for so many horrible things, and he hadn’t deserved to live.
“David will be charged with murder for hire for his father’s death,” Royce added. He sank down in the chair next to Nell. “But he’s confessed and said he won’t fight any of the charges. He’ll accept whatever sentence the D.A. offers him.”
Good. That would mean no trial, and maybe Jake, his family and Maggie could wash their hands of the Tanners.
“David told Billy that Tanner lured Maggie and you to the prison so he could set up the attack on the road,” Royce explained.
Not a surprise, but Jake wanted to kick himself for falling for it. He’d been so desperate to keep Sunny and Maggie safe that he’d made too many mistakes. And Tanner had nearly succeeded in finishing Maggie off.
The sound of the footsteps in the corridor brought all of them to their feet. Not one of the doctors but a nurse. She had something in her hand, but Jake focused on her expression. She wasn’t exactly smiling.
Oh, God.
Sunny and Maggie had to be all right.
“Your daughter’s fine,” the nurse said before she even made it to them. According to her name tag, she was Mary Dickson. “The doctors are very optimistic this will work.”
The relief that Jake had felt over Tanner’s death was a drop in the bucket compared to what he felt now. He didn’t whoop for joy, but he would later. Once his legs weren’t so rubbery. He didn’t want to disgrace himself by falling flat on his face.
“When can we see her?” Nell asked.
“Soon,” Mary assured them with a smile. “The doctor’s finishing up now.”
More good news, but Jake shook his head. “What about Maggie?”
The nurse’s smile vanished, and she handed Jake the folded piece of paper she had in her hand.
Jake’s heart went to his knees. “What the hell happened? Is Maggie okay?” And he would have torn past the nurse if she hadn’t caught him.
“Ms. Gallagher said the note would explain everything.”
Jake looked down at the paper. A note? Maggie had left him a note? “Where is she?” Jake demanded.
Mary shook her head. “She didn’t say, but I think if you read the note, you’ll know.”
He flipped the paper open so quickly that he was surprised it didn’t rip in half. Jake hadn’t intended to read it aloud, but the words just popped out of his mouth.
Jake, the doctor just told me that Sunny is going to be okay. Thank you for allowing me to help her, and thank you for giving me this time with Sunny and you. If you need more marrow harvested, just contact Marshal Walker. I won’t be going back to WITSEC, but he’ll know how to reach me. If I stay in Mustang Ridge, it’ll only cause problems for you and your family, so I’m saying goodbye. Love, Maggie.
Hell. She was leaving. She wasn’t even giving him a chance to tell her how he felt about her.
Except Jake didn’t know how he felt.
He cursed, rethought that. Yeah, he did. He knew exactly how he felt, and he wasn’t just going to stand there and let Maggie leave.
The nurse cleared her throat. “Maggie said to give you the note in half an hour so she’d have time to get out of the hospital. But I didn’t think the part about waiting was a good idea. Hope I’m right about that.”
“She’s still here?” And Jake couldn’t ask that fast enough.
“Maybe.” She fluttered her hand toward the back parking lot. “One of the medics is giving her a ride to the police station. They’ll be in a white four-door Ford.”
Jake turned to run toward the parking lot, but he paused to look at his father. “I want Maggie,” he managed to say.
His father’s mouth tightened. Then, relaxed a little. “Hell, I could have told you that. Go ahead. Go after her. I won’t stand in your way.”
Royce and Nell added their nods of approval, and Jake took off. But the truth was, he would have run after Maggie even without his family’s approval. Sunny had already given her endorsement by asking Maggie to move to the ranch and be her mommy. That and his feelings for Maggie were all that he needed.
He ran down the corridor toward the parking lot, and he threw open the door. Because the snow was coming down hard now and everything was white, it took him a moment to pick through the lot and the sea of cars to find the Ford. Finally, he spotted her about to get into the passenger’s seat. The other woman, the medic no doubt, was already behind the wheel.
“Maggie?” he called out.
She turned, met his gaze, which was possibly a glare. He was mad enough for one. But his glare and anger softened a lot when he saw the bruises on her face, and her moving as if she was still in pain.
“Where do you think you’re going?” Jake barreled off the steps and hurried through the snow toward her.
“Amarillo P.D. A marshal is on the way to pick me up.”
“And take you where?” he snapped.
She lifted her shoulder, shook her head. And reached for the door handle.
“Not back to the Tip Top Diner,” he snarled. Jake made it to her and latched on to her wrist to stop her from opening the door.
“No,” she verified. “I’m not sure where I’m going, but I just know I need to get there.”
He didn’t like the sound of that, and she wasn’t exactly rushing into his arms. “Tanner’s dead,” he told her. “Another prisoner killed him.”
She blew out a short breath that mixed with the cold air. “I thought maybe David was telling the truth.”
Since she kept dodging his gaze, Jake turned her toward him. “The danger’s over, Maggie. You don’t have to leave.”
“But I do,” she argued. “I have to find a life, Jake. I want to be a cop again. I need something, well, normal.”
Normal? Well, hell, he wasn’t sure he could give her that, but he could do something about the other part. “I’ve had an opening for another deputy for months now. You’re hired if you want it.”
She looked at him as if he’d just sprouted a third eye.
“Maggie?” the medic said, lowering the window on the passenger’s side. “Are you leaving, or what?”
“Or what,” Jake answered for her. “Come back inside and let’s talk,” he whispered to Maggie.
She glanced around as if trying to decide what to do, but Jake didn’t want to see indecision in her eyes. So, he kissed her. He kept it gentle because of those bruises, but he slid his arm around her, pulled her to him and he really kissed her.
He felt her hesitation. And then he didn’t. Maggie gripped his arms and returned the kiss. Man, did she. When she finally pulled back, both of them were fighting for air.
“Sheez.” She scrubbed her hands down his arms. “You’re freezing. Where’s your coat?”
“In the waiting room. When I read your note, I ran out without it. That was a stupid note, by the way. And you’re stupid to have written it.”
Her left eyebrow came up. “Gee, that’s just what a girl wants to hear.”
Hell. He was messing this up. “You’re stronger than that. And what do you care how my family feels about you?”
“I care because you care. You love them.”
“Yeah. But this is my life, not theirs.” He ducked down, looked at the medic. “If Maggie needs a ride to the police station, I’ll take her.”
The woman waited for Maggie to give a verifying nod, and she killed the engine and locked up before heading back inside. Jake got Maggie moving in that direction, too. Even though she had on a coat, a huge one that she’d obviously borrowed from someone, it was too cold to be standing in a parking lot. Hard to win an argument with his teeth chattering.
And this was one argument he’d win.
He kept his steps short and slow. “Are you in pain?”
“My hip’s a little sore, but I’m okay.”
He still didn’t speed up. “I’m taking back my don’t.”
She stopped, stared at him. “What?”
“My don’t.” He got them moving again. “When you told me you were falling for me, and I said ‘don’t.’ Well, I’m taking it back.”
“Are you saying you want me to fall for you?” she asked.
“Oh, yeah.” And he didn’t hesitate.
Maggie, however, swallowed hard, and he didn’t care for the doubts in her eyes. “My family won’t stand in the way,” he promised her. “So, if you’re looking for an out so you can leave, don’t use them.”
Her gaze snapped to his. “I don’t want an out. I want you. I’ve loved you since I was fifteen.”
Those words alone nearly brought him to his knees. The kiss that followed probably would have, too, if he hadn’t heard someone call out his name. It was Nell, and she was standing in the hospital doorway motioning for them.
“Sunny’s asking for you,” she said. “Both of you.”
That got Maggie and him moving even faster.
“She’s fine,” Nell added. “Better than fine. She already looks like she’s getting better. She just wants to see you.”
“After we see Sunny,” he whispered to Maggie, “I want you to repeat that part about loving me.”
And he’d say some things to her that he needed to say.
Maggie and he made their way back into the building and down the corridor to Sunny’s room. One look at his baby girl, and he knew Nell had been right. Sunny looked more alert than he’d seen her in weeks, and she gave him a thousand-watt smile when she saw them.
“Daddy and Aunt Maggie.” She reached for them, and the nurse quickly handed them some antiseptic wipes for them to use.
Maybe they wouldn’t need to take such measures too much longer. He went to Sunny and kissed her on the forehead.
“Santa left your presents at the ranch, but someone’s bringing them out. You up to opening them?” Jake asked.
She eagerly bobbed her head and extended her arms to Maggie so it became a group hug. But Sunny’s smile faded when she saw the bruises on Maggie’s face.
“You got hurt.” Sunny sounded very concerned.
“Just a little. And you know how I helped you get better?” Maggie asked. “Well, you’re helping me get better.”
“How?” Sunny asked.
“By smiling.” Maggie gave Sunny’s ear a playful tug. “The doctor said that’s what will cure my boo-boos. I just need some Sunny smiles.”
She giggled, smiled, and Jake figured that sound was the cure for a lot of things. He could almost feel the dark cloud lifting.
Sunny looked up at Maggie. “Are you one of my presents?”
Maggie froze, a surprised sound rattling in her throat. Jake knew what Sunny was asking, and even though he’d wanted to have a talk with Maggie first, he really wanted Sunny to get that present.
“I’m working on that,” he assured Sunny. And he turned to Maggie, kissed her. Maybe the kiss would make her a little mindless, as it was doing to him. “I asked Aunt Maggie to stay.”
“And what did she say?” Sunny asked.
Both Jake and Sunny stared at Maggie. He hated to put her on the spot like this, but he’d hate even more if she walked out.
Maggie drew in a deep breath and another one when she turned and saw Nell, Royce and Chet in the doorway. “I’ve loved your daddy for a long time,” she said to Sunny. “So, I really want to stay if that’s all right with you?”
“And be my mommy?” Sunny pressed.
Jake held his breath. Turned to Maggie. “Will you marry me?” He wondered how many other men had proposed in front of a three-year-old and his entire family.
Maggie blinked. Behind them, he heard his family mumbling. At least there wasn’t any profanity, and Royce even said, “All right.”
“You want to marry me for Sunny?” Maggie clarified.
“No.” Jake put his arm around her, eased her to him. Kissed her. “I want to marry you because I’m in love with you.”
The air seemed to swoosh out of her, and Maggie practically collapsed against him. It took Jake a moment, one terrifying moment, to realize she was smiling and relieved.
“Yes, yes, yes,” Maggie said. She kissed him back and kept kissing him until Nell cleared her throat.
“Might want to save that for later,” Nell suggested.
That was a great idea. Jake wanted lots of later with Maggie.
He looked down at Sunny, who was smiling from ear to ear. “I got my Christmas present.” Her voice was little, but it showed every bit of her happiness.
“And I got mine,” Jake whispered back to her. He brushed another kiss on her forehead.
A nurse made her way through Royce and the others, and she snagged Jake’s gaze. “Sunny should probably take a nap before her other presents get here. We don’t want her to get too tired.”
“Aw, I gotta take a nap?” Sunny complained.
That complaint was music to his ears. It was probably too early for the marrow to be working, but it was a good start to having Sunny nap whether she wanted to or not.
Maggie kissed the top of Sunny’s head. “Maybe just a short nap,” she bargained. “Close your eyes, and when you wake up, there’ll be more presents. Lots and lots of them.”
Sunny closed her eyes but then peeked out. “Next Christmas I want a baby sister.”
Jake didn’t know who was more shocked by that—Maggie, him or Chet.
“I’ll see what I can do about that,” Jake told his daughter.
“A baby sister?” Royce teased as they filed back into the hall and the nurse closed the door. He looked at Maggie. “You think Jake’s up for that?”
“He is,” Jake answered for her. “But I figure I need to get a ring on her finger first.”
“I can help with that.” Nell took the diamond ring from her hand and tried to hand it to Maggie. “It was Mom’s engagement ring.”
Maggie pushed Nell’s hand away. “I couldn’t take your mother’s ring.”
“Sure you can,” Nell said at the same moment that Royce said, “Why not?”
“Since Jake’s the oldest, Mother would have wanted his wife to have it,” Nell insisted. She leaned in, kissed Maggie’s cheek. “Welcome to the family.”
“Yeah, welcome,” Royce added, and he kissed her, too.
“Here,” Nell said, handing the ring to Jake. “Get it on her fast before she changes her mind.” Nell winked at him and Maggie.
Even though he didn’t think there’d be any mind-changing today, Jake did take Maggie’s hand, and he slipped the ring onto her finger. Perfect fit.
Tears sprang to her eyes, and she practically melted into him. Jake was ready to give her another of those celebration kisses, but he realized one person hadn’t given them well-wishes, and that one person—his father—was staring at them.
“Don’t you dare object,” Royce ordered Chet.
That caused Chet to bristle. “Wasn’t going to object. I was just gonna say I’d rather have a grandson next time around. Especially since it appears neither Nell nor you is interested in getting me another generation to help run the ranch.”
And with that, Chet turned and headed toward the waiting room.
“Coming from him, that’s practically a whoop for joy,” Jake assured Maggie.
She laughed and then gave him a look that let him know she, too, would like one of those celebratory kisses. Nell and Royce picked up on that, and they mumbled something about checking on the Christmas presents.
Maggie watched as Chet disappeared around the corner. “I want to marry you. More than my next breath, I want that, but I don’t think living under the same roof with Chet would be a good idea.”
Jake had a simple solution for that. “Then, we won’t. I own all that land by the creek, and we can break ground there for a new house.”
“You’d build me a house?” she asked, surprised.
“I’d build us a house. You, me and Sunny.”
She smiled, inched him closer to her. “And you’d offer me a job?”
“That, too. But you’d have to sleep with the boss.” And since Jake was the boss, he hoped she wouldn’t object.
Her smile widened, and she inched even closer. “Before or after I take the job?”
“Both.”
“I like the sound of that. In fact, I like the sound of all of it—you, the house, the job, a new life with Sunny and you.”
“So do I.”
And Jake meant it with all his heart.
He pulled her to him and gave her the kiss that they’d both been wanting. Not just to celebrate but to seal the deal of their becoming a family.
“Merry Christmas, Maggie.”
* * * * *