entire Rose Mountain police force will be there. On duty and ready for trouble if it happens.”
That did make her feel a bit better. “All right.” She forced a smile. “Then let’s go have a good time.”
* * *
Reese wasn’t quite as sure about the man who’d threatened Maggie as he’d led her to believe. Not that he doubted his reassurances, but he was making his judgments based on experience. Everything he’d told her was true. He just hoped this time didn’t turn out to be the exception to the rule.
No, there was no hoping for that. He firmed his jaw. He’d make sure of that. He’d stick with Maggie and Belle like superglue to ensure they were safe and had a good time. In the meantime, he’d do his best to put her at ease. She needed to relax. But...he looked at her and said, “I meant what I said about believing you’ll be safe, but...”
“But what?”
“But don’t go anywhere alone. Even to the restroom, okay?”
Worry wrinkled her forehead once again and Reese grimaced. But as much as he wanted her to enjoy herself, she had to keep her guard up. Her lips flattened but she gave a short nod.
When Maggie pulled into the parking lot, Reese was surprised at the number of people there. “This must be a popular activity for the church.”
Maggie nodded. “Holly said it’s an annual tradition. The church supplies the turkey and everyone brings enough side dishes to serve a cruise ship.”
Reese smiled at that picture. Maggie unbuckled her seat belt and climbed out to get Belle from the backseat. “But,” she said, “the good thing about this is the church invites everyone in the community. They even have volunteers who deliver meals to people who can’t get out to come eat. Which is why I brought that huge thing of green beans.”
She set Belle’s carrier on the ground beside her.
“Nice.” He frowned. “I didn’t realize that or I could have helped.”
“I think you get a pass your first visit.”
“This is your first dinner here and you didn’t take a pass. You brought beans.” She smiled at him and pulled the beans from the truck. His breath seemed to lodge somewhere between his chest and his throat as her eyes crinkled at the corners. She really was a beautiful woman. And a strong one, he thought, as, with beans in one hand, she lifted Belle’s car carrier in the other. He quickly offered, “You want me to carry her?”
She lifted a brow at him. “Would you?”
“Sure.”
“Then, thanks.” She started toward the church and Reese glanced down at Belle, who looked like a miniature mummy wrapped in blankets. The small pink hat came down over her ears. Brown eyes studied him. He grasped the handle and lifted her. Carrying a baby in a carrier was different than carrying one in his arms. With his fingers wrapped around the handle, he didn’t feel the sharp pang of grief and remembrance he did when he held a small body in his hands.
A small, fragile body, devoid of life—
He inhaled, his lungs protesting the sudden intake of frigid air. As he exhaled, he noticed Maggie almost to the door. She turned. “Are you all right?”
“Yeah.” He forced a smile. “We’re coming.”
She waited until he caught up then held the door open. He let her pass in front of him and followed her inside.
Smells of home cooking tantalized him and his stomach rumbled. Home-cooked meals were few and far between unless he put forth the effort—which he rarely did. This was a real treat. He looked at the woman beside him and the baby carrier in his grip.
And swallowed hard at the picture the three of them made.
If the people in the small church didn’t know the truth, they would probably think Reese, Maggie and Belle were a family.
The thought didn’t bother him nearly as much as he thought it might. In fact, it just occurred to him that his first impulse had been to volunteer to carry Belle—not the beans.
He smiled and hope stirred. Maybe the big hole in his heart would one day
That did make her feel a bit better. “All right.” She forced a smile. “Then let’s go have a good time.”
* * *
Reese wasn’t quite as sure about the man who’d threatened Maggie as he’d led her to believe. Not that he doubted his reassurances, but he was making his judgments based on experience. Everything he’d told her was true. He just hoped this time didn’t turn out to be the exception to the rule.
No, there was no hoping for that. He firmed his jaw. He’d make sure of that. He’d stick with Maggie and Belle like superglue to ensure they were safe and had a good time. In the meantime, he’d do his best to put her at ease. She needed to relax. But...he looked at her and said, “I meant what I said about believing you’ll be safe, but...”
“But what?”
“But don’t go anywhere alone. Even to the restroom, okay?”
Worry wrinkled her forehead once again and Reese grimaced. But as much as he wanted her to enjoy herself, she had to keep her guard up. Her lips flattened but she gave a short nod.
When Maggie pulled into the parking lot, Reese was surprised at the number of people there. “This must be a popular activity for the church.”
Maggie nodded. “Holly said it’s an annual tradition. The church supplies the turkey and everyone brings enough side dishes to serve a cruise ship.”
Reese smiled at that picture. Maggie unbuckled her seat belt and climbed out to get Belle from the backseat. “But,” she said, “the good thing about this is the church invites everyone in the community. They even have volunteers who deliver meals to people who can’t get out to come eat. Which is why I brought that huge thing of green beans.”
She set Belle’s carrier on the ground beside her.
“Nice.” He frowned. “I didn’t realize that or I could have helped.”
“I think you get a pass your first visit.”
“This is your first dinner here and you didn’t take a pass. You brought beans.” She smiled at him and pulled the beans from the truck. His breath seemed to lodge somewhere between his chest and his throat as her eyes crinkled at the corners. She really was a beautiful woman. And a strong one, he thought, as, with beans in one hand, she lifted Belle’s car carrier in the other. He quickly offered, “You want me to carry her?”
She lifted a brow at him. “Would you?”
“Sure.”
“Then, thanks.” She started toward the church and Reese glanced down at Belle, who looked like a miniature mummy wrapped in blankets. The small pink hat came down over her ears. Brown eyes studied him. He grasped the handle and lifted her. Carrying a baby in a carrier was different than carrying one in his arms. With his fingers wrapped around the handle, he didn’t feel the sharp pang of grief and remembrance he did when he held a small body in his hands.
A small, fragile body, devoid of life—
He inhaled, his lungs protesting the sudden intake of frigid air. As he exhaled, he noticed Maggie almost to the door. She turned. “Are you all right?”
“Yeah.” He forced a smile. “We’re coming.”
She waited until he caught up then held the door open. He let her pass in front of him and followed her inside.
Smells of home cooking tantalized him and his stomach rumbled. Home-cooked meals were few and far between unless he put forth the effort—which he rarely did. This was a real treat. He looked at the woman beside him and the baby carrier in his grip.
And swallowed hard at the picture the three of them made.
If the people in the small church didn’t know the truth, they would probably think Reese, Maggie and Belle were a family.
The thought didn’t bother him nearly as much as he thought it might. In fact, it just occurred to him that his first impulse had been to volunteer to carry Belle—not the beans.
He smiled and hope stirred. Maybe the big hole in his heart would one day
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