Morris & Gibson had given the associates the summer to take the bar before they had to show up for work. They had even paid for the absurdly expensive bar course just to seal the deal. The deal being: make sure you pass.

They’d all been warned that they had exactly two shots to pass. Jordan had no intention of going for round two. It was bad enough trying to study with a rapidly expanding middle and her hormones raging. She couldn’t imagine what it would be like trying again in the winter with a newborn, and a stressful job, not to mention the embarrassment of everyone knowing you hadn’t passed the first time around.

No, she was sealing the deal this summer. Then she could relax. Sort of.

She’d taken a wee break to watch the Sluggers play the Giants.

When Carter hit that home run, instinct took over, and her heart swelled with pride. She knew nothing about baseball, but the swing had seemed incredibly awkward. She hadn’t been sure that he would even hit it. Which made it all the more impressive.

She wished she could talk on the phone with him after the game to congratulate him like she used to.

Why had she given him back that ring?

The rational part of her brain knew it was the right thing to do. They obviously had issues to work out and needed to be on the same page before they even thought about marriage. On the other hand, she loved him, he loved her, they were a family. Everything could work itself out. Couldn’t it?

Why the hell had she given him back that ring?

* * *

By the end of the week, her mind had returned to studying for the bar. Naturally, she was cognizant of the fact that the Sluggers were flying back into Houston today. In between torts and contracts, Carter popped into her head.

Today he was coming back.

It had been a tedious day of lectures, and note taking, and she desperately needed to eat before taking practice tests tonight. She pulled into the parking garage of her apartment building and parked in her spot. She opened the back passenger side door to reach in and pull out her bag full of study materials, and the Chipotle salad bowl she’d picked up. Just as she pulled herself out, she turned around and, with a yelp, immediately dropped the bag that held her dinner.

It was a man, or at least she thought it was a man. He had a man’s build, but his face was covered with a plain white mask. Her heart stopped…right before it began beating in a panic.

Before she could so much as scream, he brought a phone up to her face and snapped a photo of her.

“Tell Carter Fox we said hi,” the man’s voice said.

The next moment he took off running on foot.

Jordan let the shock subside, then fell back against the car with a sob. Her mind was a blur of what to do next. Run inside her apartment? Hide in her car? Call the police?

Her eyes fell to the Chipotle bag on the ground and something about it made her fall into the passenger seat shaking convulsively.

Minutes later, she cried out in surprise as her phone rang in her purse. Her body was so shaky that it slipped and fumbled out of her grasp. By the time she managed to pull it out, it had gone to voicemail. She looked at the screen and saw that it was Carter.

Before she could call him back, he called again.

“C-Carter?” she asked with a shaky voice.

“Jesus Christ, thank God you’re okay,” she heard him breathe out with relief in his voice. “Where are you?”

“I-I’m in my car, my garage—

“Okay, Jordan I want you to go into your apartment right now, do you hear me?” he demanded. “I’m on my way over.”

“What’s going on Carter?” she cried.

“Just do it Jordan!” he yelled, making her jump. “I can explain later, but stay on the phone with me, okay?”

She nodded dumbly into the phone, not registering that he couldn’t see her. She had the wherewithal to grab her things, pick up the bag from the ground and rush to the entrance to her building.

“Are you still with me?” he prodded. “Say something, sweetheart.”

“I-I hear you. What’s going on Carter? That man he—he—”

“What did he do to you?” Carter growled.

“He said to say hi to you,” she responded, getting on the elevator.

The call broke up and then died. Jordan felt like her lifeline had been cut and she began to tremble as the elevator took her to her floor.

As soon as the doors opened she jumped out, looking up and down the hallway with her heart in her throat, waiting for another masked man to assault her. The phone rang in her hand startling her. She pressed the button to answer it.

“Jesus Jordan, don’t hang up on me!” Carter shouted before she could answer.

“It was the elevator,” she trembled.

“Ok, baby, I’m sorry,” he said in a calmer voice, realizing that his shouting wasn’t helping. “Are you in your apartment? I’m almost there.”

She fumbled with the keys, still looking left and right as she nodded into the phone again. “Yeah,” she said realizing yet again he couldn’t see her. She finally got the key in the lock and opened it quickly. She rushed inside and slammed the door shut behind her.

It wasn’t until she was inside that she let loose again. She fell back against the door with a whimper.

Carter heard it through the phone and began to soothe her. “It’s okay Jordan,” he cooed. “I’m right here on the phone with you, almost there, sweetheart. Just hang on okay?”

“Mmm-hmm” she said nodding, hanging on tightly to his voice.

“Okay Jordan, I just parked the car on the street outside. Buzz me up sweetheart.”

She heard the call come through and his voice in the speaker. She pressed the button and waited. Her body was so taut that she jumped when he pounded on the door. For a brief hysterical moment, she assumed it was the same man in the mask coming for her. Then Carter’s voice boomed on the other side of the door.

“Jordan,” he called. “It’s me, let me in babe.”

She reached out to unlatch the door and open it.

He rushed in and immediately snatched her into a bear hug. “Oh man, thank God,” he breathed into the top of her head. “I’m so sorry, Jordan.”

She let the seconds pass as she acclimated herself to the fact that Carter was here and she was safe. Then she pushed away from him. He held on tight but eventually gave in to her pressure.

“What’s going on?” she demanded, getting angry now that the scare had passed.

“It’s a long story—”

“Tell me!” she insisted.

“It—It’s my dad. He owes money—”

“Your dad?!” she said in surprise. “Isn’t he in jail?”

“Yes but—”

“But he’s still screwing up your—our—lives!”

“Jordan, right now we need to think about your safety, yours and the baby’s.”

She stared at him for a few beats, not knowing what to say. Finally, she shook her head. “I can’t believe this is happening.” She walked over to her sofa and fell into it.

Carter stared at her giving her a moment.

“You have to move in with me Jordan.”

She looked up at him with disbelief.

“It’s for your own safety,” he said before she could voice any complaints.

She put her hands over her stomach remembering that she had someone besides herself to consider. His eyes followed and a look of pain came over his face.

“Jordan, my house is just safer. I’ve got the alarm system, the gate out front, it’s River Oaks for Christ sake! We’ve got our own security. I’m hiring guards first thing in the morning.”

She stared at him, wanting to hate him for bringing this in to her and their baby’s life. But she knew it wasn’t his fault. Now he was trying to do the right thing.

She couldn’t let her ego or need for independence get in the way of their safety.

“Okay,” she sighed, and saw him relax with relief.