CHAPTER NINE

Thanksgiving, two days later

 

Dining with the entire Taylor clan was an experience. Zane remembered his first time about a year and a half ago, and now he enjoyed Dean Mercer’s awe during his first immersion into the rambunctious family. Zane suspected the psychiatrist would attend many more celebrations. Patsy Taylor had a gleam in her eye that had been missing since her husband’s death. And Dean couldn’t take his eyes off her.

Dean had no idea who Dawn Hazelwood was when Zane and Stevie had shown him the group picture from the fundraiser. He’d been shocked to hear the woman had tried to kidnap Liam and hold him for ransom.

Zane, Seth, and Bruce had privately conferred about the psychiatrist and had agreed the man deserved a chance with Patsy. But if Dean ever stepped out of line, he would have three angry men to answer to. And two enraged Taylor daughters.

Setting a basket of rolls on the table, Zane looked up as the doorbell rang and Bruce let in a young woman. A very pretty young woman. Bruce immediately put on a big smile, and Zane could see happiness radiating from him. “Who’s that?” Zane whispered to Carly.

“That’s Julie Sanchez. She was a nurse on duty the night we took Liam to the hospital.” Glee filled her tone. “I thought she’d caught Bruce’s attention that day.”

“What do you know about her?” Zane scowled at Julie.

Carly lightly punched his arm. “Settle down. Bruce can look out for himself.”

She was right. The lazy young musician Zane had first met had matured into a responsible man. Life had kicked him in the teeth, and he’d emerged stronger instead of crumbling.

“Big” Bill Taylor would be proud of his youngest son.

Scanning the room, Zane felt a sharp stab of sorrow that Bill was missing the warm family gathering. Zane had believed Bill was the rock of the clan, but now he suspected that Bill and Patsy had formed the solid base together. Patsy had pushed on after his death, keeping her focus and love on her children and their families.

Zane hadn’t missed the stash of fireworks in the back of Stevie’s vehicle. He knew she and Carly had plans to visit their father’s grave after the big meal to continue their father’s tradition of lighting illegal fireworks on holidays.

“What else can I do to help?” he asked Patsy, who was holding court in the warm kitchen, giving orders right and left as she checked on her turkey, beat the mashed potatoes, and pulled the stuffing out of the oven all at once.

“Open the wine,” she stated as she grabbed a fragile glass bowl of salted nuts from the hands of James and Debra’s youngest son. “Let me do that, honey.” She gave the child a handful of nuts and sent him out of her workspace.

Zane winked at his nephew. The boy’s dark eyes reminded him of Liam’s. Wade and Liam had left town yesterday as soon as one of the roads had opened. Wade had told Zane he’d originally taken the $10 million to force Terry’s hand into telling the military about the faulty equipment. Instead, Terry had immediately struck back by killing Wade’s wife and kidnapping his son. Wade grabbed the body armor evidence and ran, staying under the radar and hunting for his child. Wade had heard on the news that he’d been accused of abusing his wife before her death and emphatically told Zane it wasn’t true, speculating that it was a rumor started by Terry. Yes, he battled anger issues and PTSD, but he’d never raised a hand against his wife.

Wade had turned over the Knight Products’ faulty-armor evidence to the Seattle FBI agents who had arrived to take charge of their two murdered coworkers. They’d promised to inform the military immediately and confirm that the appropriate actions were taken to replace all the armor.

“Will Wade be charged for taking the ten million from Knight?” Zane had asked one of the Seattle agents.

“No. We took a closer look at the path of the stolen money. Everything points to Terry Reece having stolen the ten million, not Wade.”

“What?” Zane had been shocked. But then he’d thought about the CFO who’d been in hiding for three months. Would a financial wizard leave tracks that led to himself?

Zane didn’t think so. Wade’s revenge for his wife’s murder had included turning over the company-destroying evidence and setting up the CEO to look like a thief.

Zane was impressed.

Marcus was dead, a pawn whose grief and anger over his sister’s murder had turned him into a kidnapper and a murderer bent on vengeance.

Terry Reece and Dawn Hazelwood were both in jail.

Wade and Liam were home free.

Without a wife and mother.

The pain of losing his wife still hovered around Wade. It’d weighed on Zane to simply be in his presence. The relief of having his son back helped, but the sadness still shone in Wade’s eyes.

What if something had happened to Stevie?

Zane grabbed four bottles of wine from a corner of the kitchen and took them to the table. He maneuvered the corkscrew into the first and discreetly spied on his wife. She and Carly were setting the table. Plates, plates, and more plates. Zane didn’t understand why the dinner plates were set on top of another unused plate. Then there was the salad plate, bread plate, and appetizer plate. He didn’t know what the others were for.

But the Taylor women liked to do holidays right. The room was already decorated with Christmas decor. A huge noble fir tree, fresh garland, lit candles, and red bows. Everywhere. Patsy liked the house decorated by Thanksgiving so she could enjoy a long holiday season.

He levered out a cork and inhaled the scents of the room. Turkey, freshly baked bread, fir boughs, and cinnamon. He watched Stevie pop half a buttered roll in her mouth and glance to see if her mother had noticed. Zane grinned, and Stevie’s gaze stopped at his.

My hot wife.

Her long, curly hair was twisted into a messy knot at the back of her head, making Zane want to loosen it and watch the hair fall down over her shoulders. Knowing he couldn’t touch her that way for a few hours made him slightly cranky. Her eyes lit up, and she batted her lashes at him with an accompanying grin; she’d known exactly what he’d been thinking.

How can I miss my wife when she’s fifteen feet away?

Music started. No Taylor get-together was complete without music. Bruce sat at the piano and pounded out Billy Joel’s “Piano Man.” Julie sat beside him, and he encouraged her to sing.

Zane’s brows shot up at the woman’s pitch-perfect voice, and he met Stevie’s gaze again, a silent message between them. Julie passed the first test in fitting with the Taylor clan.

He sighed. Life didn’t get any better than this.

###

Stevie was delighted by the sounds of Julie and Bruce. The couple made a nice harmony together. Maybe . . .

She watched Zane lever out another wine cork, thoroughly charmed by her husband, who smiled as he took orders from her mother. A good man. Her whole body quaked as the scare from the river assaulted her again. For the last two nights, she’d dreamed she’d missed Zane’s coat and he’d gone in the water never to come up.

What if he wasn’t here today? She grew weepy at the thought as she mechanically set the table. It was more important than ever that Zane was still at her side.

She didn’t understand how she’d managed to hold back a diving man of Zane’s size and weight. Her shoulder still ached where she’d torn a muscle.

She was strong. But she wasn’t that strong.

Only someone as huge as her father could have stopped Zane.

Miss you, Daddy.

Dean Mercer brought over the silverware holder, and Stevie took it from his hands. “Show me how to do this,” he asked. “There are too many spoons.”

She laid out one setting in demonstration, knowing it was more than they’d ever use. Dean studied the setting. “Got it.” He perfectly set the next, and Stevie’s eyes smarted at the sight of a man who wanted to please her mother. Together they finished the table.

Carly bustled over with the dish of cranberries and a serving bowl of green beans. “That looks perfect!” She beamed at Dean.

It’s just silverware. Her sister’s praise seemed excessive. Stevie narrowed her eyes at Carly. She’d worn a constant smile all day and acted secretly pleased about something. Seth passed by and his hand lingered at his wife’s waist. The heated look they exchanged made Stevie happy for the two of them . . . but something was up.

She’d pry it out of Carly later.

“Time to eat!” Patsy stated as Dean set a big platter of sliced turkey in the middle of the table. Everyone scrambled to find their seats. Zane played waiter, pouring wine in all the wine glasses and then took his chair next to Stevie, grasping her hand under the table. Dean sat next to her mother, and James took her father’s old place at the other end of the table. Everyone talked at once, a joyful clamor of family.

Stevie looked around the table, her heart bursting with happiness. Tears burned again.

I’m so damned emotional.

Zane squeezed her hand, and she looked at him. There was a questioning, caring message in his eyes.

He knows I’ve been on an emotional roller coaster since the river.

It’s time.

Stevie stood up, and the voices slowly cut off as everyone looked at her expectantly.

“I’m so happy right now,” Stevie said, ignoring the crack in her voice. “Our family is safely together, and we welcome our new friends. I hope we don’t scare you away,” she said earnestly to Dean and Julie.

A smattering of laughter.

“It’s been a difficult few years, but I think we’re better for the trials we’ve each faced. I know I am.” She met Zane’s loving gaze. Stevie picked up her water goblet and held it, ready to make a toast. Patsy’s gaze locked on Stevie’s glass, and she gasped.

Small Town Rule #4: Everyone knows your announcement before you make it.

Stevie looked at Zane and blurted. “I’m pregnant.” And burst into happy tears.

“Whaaaat?” Carly shrieked, and Zane knocked over his chair as he leaped up and embraced Stevie. Patsy cheered, and James and Bruce let out whoops of excitement.

“Oh my God,” he whispered in her ear. “That’s so incredible!”

Stevie sank into his hug, her emotions swinging like a pendulum from happy to crazy-ecstatic and back to happy again. At that moment, everything was right in their world.

He pulled back, and she saw his eyes were wet. “When did you find out?”

“The morning of the day you nearly went in the river after Liam.” Stevie gave a watery sniff. “I had a special evening planned for the two of us, and I was going to tell you then. But instead I nearly lost you!” Her voice rose and her tears started fresh.

“You went to that shoot-out knowing you were pregnant?” He paled, and moisture started down his cheeks. “What if . . .” He choked and hugged her to him again, letting the sentence and anger float away. “It doesn’t matter now.”

“Dammit, Stevie!” Carly jumped to her feet and put her hands on her hips. “I was going to announce that I’m pregnant!”

“We’re pregnant,” Seth amended in a normal tone. He stood and put an arm around his wife’s shoulders with a grin as he met Stevie’s shocked gaze.

That’s what was up with Carly.

Patsy clapped her hands, bouncing in her seat. “My girls! Two babies! When are you due?”

“Next summer,” Stevie and Carly announced in unison. The sisters stared at each other in delight.

“This is going to be awesome,” Carly stated, a big grin on her face.

“Yes, it is,” Stevie agreed, leaning against her husband and looking into his dark eyes. She felt completely connected to him; the two of them made a complete whole. But in the air around them, she sensed a tiny life force that would change that equation. For the better.

She couldn’t wait for the future.