BONUS SCENE

Motherhood the second time around was far from easy. You’d think since I’d been through it once already that it would be a piece of cake. Maybe if the Twins weren’t from Jack’s loins that would be true, but Keller and Kaiden were their father’s sons. Meaning they did what they wanted, ordered me around, and shook their heads with dismay when I tried to argue with them.

Having two little Jacks in the house, along with dealing with the big, bad original, you’d think I would run screaming for the hills. However, just as it happened with their father, I was helpless at first sight to do anything but fall in love with them. Also like their father, they were possessive of my time and brooded when I left them alone for too long. Just like they were doing this moment after returning from a long weekend in Alaska for Jack’s cousin Max’s wedding.

Jack and I had taken the trip without the boys, leaving them here with their big sister Bailey, and now they were making me pay for abandoning them for a few short days. Keller and Kaiden were three, but they weren’t high-strung little boys who drew on walls and gave me sloppy kisses, they were future lawmen in the making. When we’d returned home, they'd scowled at me as if I'd been a bad mother, then proceeded to let me have it just like their father did when he thought I’d gone too far with a story. I had no doubt that if they could have put me into timeout, they would have done so; such was the heinousness of my crime. What made it worse, in my opinion, is they didn’t even blink an eye at their father for leaving. Instead, they’d run to Jack for comfort, glaring daggers at me as they went, all while shouting, "We told you not to leave," at the top of their little boy lungs.

I gawked at them as Jack picked them up, chuckling at their reception. “You’ll get used to her not following instructions,” he mumbled in solidarity as he carried them to their room. But the looks they gave me as they left the room . . . Honestly, if they'd given me two fingers to their eyes, as if saying, “I’m watching you,” I wouldn’t have been surprised.

Now, I was alone with the Twins while Jack was at the office. They were still giving me cold shoulders.

Done with being ignored, I sat down at the table where they were eating their lunch and decided it was time to reason with the two.

Now, I’ll remind you again that they are their father’s sons, so reasoning wasn’t precisely the word I’d use. It was more like creative manipulation to bring them around to my way of thinking. Not that it’s ever worked with Jack. But they're three, almost four, so I'm counting on their age as a positive indicator I can achieve my objective.

“If you two will stop being mad at me, Mommy will take you to the park and then let you visit Daddy and Uncle Barry at work.”

The boys turned slowly and looked at me. I could see the wheels turning in their little heads and waited for their answer. They looked back at each other, and I watched their beautiful blue eyes sparkle with excitement as something unspoken passed between them.

“Ok, Mommy,” they both replied, grinning from ear to ear.

Huh, that was easier than I thought.

“Good. Great. Glad you’ve come around to my way of thinking,” I smiled. “Finish your lunch, and we’ll head into town when you’re done.”

An hour later we were in the park. I sat on the bench where Jack and I had spoken when I’d first moved to town. The spot where I first knew he was the man for me. I kept an eye on the boys as I worked on an article about the man who’d been hired to replace the retiring Principal of Gunnison High School. Sam Steele, the new principal, was a handsome forty-five year old with broad shoulders, a head of thick, light brown hair, and stunning green eyes. He was also divorced, which thrilled the single females in Gunnison between the ages of thirty-five and forty-five. They were chomping at the bit for an introduction.

As I watched the boys swing, a shadow blocked the light of the sun, and I looked up to find the man in question, Sam Steele, smiling down on me.

“Hello, Mr. Steele,”

“Sam,” he answered.

“All right,” I replied. “How are you settling in over at the high school?”

“Your former principal ran a tight ship. My transition with the staff, in preparation for the new school year, has been easy,” he responded, taking a seat next to me.

“How do you like our fair city?”

“Can’t complain. The welcoming committee has been more than...welcoming,” he smiled.

“I’ve heard. You’re a shiny new toy,” I explained, then laughed because I knew how he felt. Small towns don’t get many newcomers, so when they do, and especially if they are single, they get a lot of attention.

Sam chuckled in response as I looked back at the boys to make sure they were still behaving themselves. They’d stopped swinging and were now running towards me.

“Are those your boys?” Sam asked as he watched them approach.

“Yeah,” I smiled, but frowned when I got a look at their faces. They were scowling at me again. Clearly, they were going to hold onto this grudge longer than I thought.

When they made it to the bench, the Twins immediately grabbed my hand, pulling me to my feet, saying, “We want to go see Daddy now.”

“Oh. Are you sure you don’t want to play longer?”

They shook their heads and tugged on my hand. I let go of their hands, shoved my article into my bag, then I turned to Sam. “It was nice to see you again. Let me know if I can assist the school in any way,” I offered. “Maybe if I lend a hand now, you’ll overlook these two hooligans when they grace your halls,” I laughed.

I’d barely gotten that out before the boys were pulling me down the sidewalk towards Jack’s office, so I waved at Sam as he smiled.

When we entered the reception area, the boys took off down the hall as I greeted Dorothy, the receptionist. I took off after the boys, expecting them to head towards Jack’s office, but I found them begging Barry to show them one of the isolation cells instead.

“Come on boys, let's go find your father,” I told them, but Barry shook his head and buzzed the boys through, so I followed them.

We walked the long hallway to a single cell that they used to separate dangerous criminals from the general population. I had seen this particular cell up close and personal when Jack and I had first started dating. I still complained about my treatment whenever I needed to win a fight. After five years it still hadn’t worked, but I was a firm believer in never giving up.

“Is this the cell that Daddy put you?” Kaiden asked.

“The same one,” I informed him, indignant. “Your poor mother had to sit in here for . . . days.” I lied because if you’re going to lie to earn sympathy from your sons who are still mad at you, go big.

They walked into the cell, so I followed them inside. I’d just cleared the opening when they darted behind me and grabbed the cell door, closing it.

“Boys, what are you doing?” I cried out as I moved to the barred door and tried to open it. They smiled impishly, then turned around and took off running down the hall.

“Keller, Kaiden?” I shouted at their retreating backsides. The didn’t even halt. Then I watched with suspicion as they were buzzed back through the door.

“Barry,” I shouted at the camera in the ceiling, hoping he was watching from his position in the control room.

Nothing.

Not about to panic that I’d been locked in the cell, yet again, I walked to the cot and sat down until help arrived. I knew the boys would run straight to their father, so it was just a matter of time before Jack came and let me out.

Five minutes later, I heard the door buzz open, and in walked Jack holding both boys’ hands.

“It’s about time,” I hollered.

When they reached the cell, I expected Jack to laugh and open the door, but all three of my men stopped and crossed their arms, staring at me.

“Open the cell, Jack,” I demanded.

“Did you sit on our bench and laugh and smile at another man?”

“What? Where did you—”

“Yes or no, Jenn?”

My eyes shot to the twins. “You set me up,” I gasped at the boys.

Anyone who knew Jack well figured out he was possessive and easily jealous where I was concerned. He kept it in check for the most part, but I had no idea the boys had figured that out.

“Baby, answer the question,” Jack grumbled, but there was a bit of a twinkle in his eye.

“I can’t believe you boys set me up,” I repeated.

Keller and Kaiden’s little faces pulled into grins that matched their father’s, and I knew then they were getting back at me for leaving. I crossed my arms and glared at them both, just as I would their father when he was out of line, letting them know, in no uncertain terms, that they could not order me around.

“Boys, it looks like your mother needs time to think about her answer. Who wants ice cream?”

“You wouldn’t!” I hissed.

“Babe, I think I’ve already proven that I would.”

“I swear I’ll never speak to you again if you do,” I threatened.

“Sweetness,” Jack chuckled, “that’s not much of a bargaining chip.” He looked down at the boys, put out his hands to high five them both, then, after celebratory slaps, all three of them turned on their heel and headed for the door.

Time for a different approach.

“Boys,” I called out, hoping they would listen. “I’m... I'm so sorry I left you behind. I’ll never leave you again, I swear." I whimpered dramatically for effect, hoping the sad tone of my voice would appeal to their love for me.

It didn’t fool them one bit, and they kept right on walking.

Jack stopped when they reached the door and looked back at me, smiling, calling out, “Baby, this hurts them more than it hurts you, promise.”

And then they were gone