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She hadn’t complained. She figured her life and that of her child were more important than clothes. But she had to admit she’d be thrilled to have something new to wear.
So why did she feel such disappointment when she realized Jake wasn’t going to stay with her while she acquired her new belongings? If she were honest, she knew the answer to that question.
Over the past six months she had needed Jake to protect her physically, but she also had an emotional need for his approval. She worked hard to hide it. Jake wasn’t interested in any personal involvement, she knew, so she didn’t want to make him even more uncomfortable. Still, she couldn’t help asking, “But where will you be?”
“I’m going into Austin. Max will stay with you.”
“Of course. I thought—of course, we’ll be fine.” And they would, she knew, or Jake wouldn’t go. But she’d been looking forward to having him see her in something new.
She blushed at the thought. It was only too obvious that he wanted nothing to do with her outside of their professional relationship. But his kindness, his big body, his warm gaze, all had become as important to her as fresh air. Once her ex-husband was put behind bars and Jake opened the door and told her to leave, she’d be lost.
She was in love with Jake Maitland. She finally admitted it to herself for the first time.
What a foolish, foolish thing to happen. An FBI agent and a gangster’s ex-wife.
When it was time to leave, Jake escorted her and Jamie out of the house to his SUV. He placed a hand on her back to steady her as she climbed into the car, and she shivered. Admitting her feelings about Jake to herself had made his touch so much more intense. Good thing he kept his distance.
To distract herself, she thought about the last time she’d left the cabin, the night she’d given birth to Jamie.
Throughout her pregnancy, Jake’s sister Abby had come to the ranch to examine her once a month, and then every week when she was closer to term. The plan had been for Camille to be admitted to Maitland Maternity under an alias once she’d reached her due date, but she’d gone into labor early, with intense contractions, and Abby had insisted Jake call an ambulance for Camille. Jake hadn’t wanted to risk revealing their hiding place at the cabin so he compromised by taking Camille to the main ranch house, where the paramedics arrived and whisked her to the hospital. She smiled at the memory.
“What’s funny?” he asked, looking at her as he drove.
“I was just thinking that even though I was at Garrett’s house the night I went into labor, I was too distracted to even notice what it looked like.”
Jake shrugged. “It’s just a ranch house.”
Knowing that was all she’d get from Jake, Camille asked, “What about your mother’s house? Where is it located?”
“In Austin.”
Well, that didn’t tell her much. “Will Garrett be at the dinner?”
“Of course. He’s like family.”
“He’s your cousin, isn’t he?”
“He may as well be. He and his brother and two sisters were foundlings. Friends of my mother’s—the Lords—adopted them. We’ve considered them family ever since. Mitch, my brother, was six years older than me, so I played more with Garrett and Michael.”
“It must be nice to have so much family,” she said wistfully. An only child, she’d always yearned for siblings.
“Do you want more children?” he abruptly asked.
Startled, she turned to stare at him. “I—I always wanted a big family, but—but without a husband—I mean, I wouldn’t consider—without—” She fell silent, embarrassed by her incoherence. But his question had brought an instant image of herself wrapped in Jake’s embrace, surrounded by several children.
He appeared almost as embarrassed. “Forget it. None of my business.”
“How far is it to Garrett’s house?” she asked, hoping the change of subject would help.
“About another mile.”
“Then why did we leave so early?” she asked. It was only a little after three.
“I want us well in place before Anna gets there.”
“Oh.” She never questioned Jake’s ability to protect her. After all, he’d kept her safe for six months.
“I called the house. Garrett’s housekeeper is expecting us.” He stared straight ahead as he drove.
“I’ve never met her,” she replied.
He frowned. “We haven’t exactly been meeting and greeting. But she’s nice.” To her surprise, he reached over and smoothed his thumb across her forehead. “Quit worrying.”
“I’m not worrying,” she hurriedly assured him. After all, she had confidence in him. But his touching her, even on the forehead, had her longing for more.
“Yeah, right. That’s why you’re looking pretty fragile these days.”
Fragile? She lifted her chin. “I’m stronger than I look.”
“You convinced me of that in the delivery room,” he said with a shudder. “Thank God men don’t have to have children.”
It was the first time he’d voluntarily mentioned Jamie’s birth. She closed her eyes as she remembered his arm around her, one hand holding hers, his strength pouring into her.
“We’re here.”
Jake’s announcement had her popping open her eyes. To her astonishment, in place of the cozy little ranch house she’d expected, her gaze fell on a large, two-story home.
“My heavens, what is this, Tara?” she asked, thinking of the famous antebellum home in Gone With The Wind.
Jake shot her a surprised look. “Nope. Just Garrett’s place.”
Camille frowned as he got out and walked around to open her door. If Jake thought this house was normal, he must have been raised differently from her.
Not that she was penniless. Her parents’ life insurance had left her with some reserves. And the government had promised to handle the sale of her parents’ house and put the money in her account when she was ready, according to Jake.
But their house had been small, a Beaver Cleaver kind of house, not a mansion like this.
“Want me to take the baby?” Jake offered as he opened the door.
She nodded and eased the baby from his carseat and into Jake’s arms, the contact between them sending shivers through her again. But she liked the picture of Jamie in his arms. His hands were so large, Jamie fit perfectly. Jake stood back so Camille could slide to the ground. Then he handed the baby to her.
When they knocked on the back door, an older woman invited them in. Jake introduced her as Mrs. Easley, and Camille thanked her for her hospitality.
She offered them a cup of coffee and they sat down at the kitchen table. The woman immediately began to ooh and aah over Jamie, winning Camille’s approval at once.
Almost an hour later, Camille had finished a glass of milk, while Jake drank his coffee. They’d obviously come too early and had run out of small talk. But Jake was even more impatient than she was.
She and the housekeeper chatted quietly while she fed the baby again, and Jake wore out a path through the house, going to the front to watch for Anna’s car, then back to the kitchen to check on Camille.
“Jake, please, you’re making me tired.”
“I don’t know what could’ve happened,” he muttered, ignoring her complaint. “I tried calling, but she’s not answering her phone.”
“Jake—” Camille began again.
But the sound of a car stopped all of them. A van pulled into sight behind the house, and Jake opened the kitchen door, glowering.
As a pretty woman slid from behind the wheel, Jake shouted, “Where the hell have you been?”
CHAPTER THREE
CAMILLE WATCHED the other woman, wondering how she would react.
With hands on her hips, Anna grinned at Jake. “Hey, shopping is hard work. It took longer than I expected. Besides, it’s just past four.”
Before Jake could respond to that, the other door to the van opened, and a second woman got out. “What the hell are you doing here, Shelby?”
“Well, I feel welcome,” the woman drawled.
Camille admired the women’s sangfroid. Obviously they didn’t bow to Jake’s orders.
“This is supposed to be secret!” Jake practically shouted, frustration in his voice.
“Then you shouldn’t be yelling,” Anna said calmly. “Come help us carry things in.”
Camille watched from her seat at the kitchen table, Jamie in her arms, as the three of them trooped through the kitchen and up the stairs with the clothing. She was amazed at how easy the two women were with Jake’s anger. After several trips, Jake introduced them to her.
“Camille, this is my sister Anna and our good friend Shelby Lord.”
“Are you related to Garrett?” Camille asked. She noticed some similarity in Shelby to Garrett. A very feminine resemblance. Both women were attractive and fashionably dressed in tailored slacks and silk blouses, making Camille feel like the dowdy country cousin.
“Yes, he’s my brother. I can’t believe he didn’t ask us out here before to keep you company,” Shelby replied with a smile.
“Shelby, everything about Camille has to be kept secret,” Jake insisted. “You shouldn’t even be here.”
“This is my brother’s place. I come and go all the time. No one will think anything of it,” she assured him.
Camille turned to Jake. His gaze reminded her to be discreet. Then he looked at the other two women. “Just fix her up for tomorrow night, okay? No questions.”
“Okay,” Anna agreed, smiling, but she sent a warning look Shelby’s way before leaning down to look at Jamie. “What a sweet baby! May I hold him?”
“Yes, of course,” Camille responded, “though, since he just ate, he’ll probably go right back to sleep.”
“We can only hope,” Jake muttered, and received a glare from Camille for his efforts.
Anna smirked at her brother before saying to Camille, “We’ll take your baby and go upstairs so some people won’t bother us.”
Her words didn’t seem to affect Jake. His attention was focused on the road.
“What, or should I say who, are you looking for?” Anna asked.
“Max. He’s going to stay here while I run into town.”
Anna looked at her brother, a glimmer in her eye. “I’m sure you’re going to give him a piece of your mind for showing up so late.”
Jake ignored his sister’s teasing. “There he is!” he exclaimed a moment later. As he headed for the door, he called over his shoulder, “I’ll see you later, Camille.”
She stared after him, missing him already, feeling a little unsure on her own. After all, he’d been with her almost constantly these past months.
When she turned to find Anna and Shelby studying her curiously, she shrugged. “Shall we go upstairs? I don’t want to keep you any longer than necessary.” That wasn’t quite true, though. Female companionship, especially with these two charming women, was a welcome change.
“Don’t be silly,” Anna said. “We’re delighted to meet Jake’s mystery woman.”
“I’m just a job for Jake,” she hurriedly said, and followed the other two up the stairs.
Camille knew they’d carried in a lot of clothes, but she was stunned by the amount. Anna had brought a selection of casual clothes besides the dressier items. A linen jumper with several different silk T-shirts to be worn underneath was her favorite item.
“I love this.”
“You have good taste,” Anna assured her. “It looks terrific on you.”
Shelby laid out several pairs of walking shorts. “You must’ve been hot lately in the clothes you have. It was much colder when you arrived.”
“Yes. I had no idea I’d be in hiding so long,” Camille confessed.
“Have you been bored?” Anna asked. “I don’t think I could stand to be trapped in one place.”
Camille thought back to the lonely days and nights. Jake hadn’t been much of a conversationalist, though toward the end of her pregnancy, he’d opened up a bit more.
Then, when he’d gone into the delivery room with her, helping her through that difficult time, she’d thought they’d drawn closer. But she could sense he was pulling away again.
“I read a lot. And we have a television and VCR. Jake got us movies to watch.” Though most of them she’d watched alone.
“Well, tomorrow night you’ll get to socialize a little,” Anna said. “Which brings us to what you’ll wear at Mom’s. Shall I show you my favorite?”
Camille nodded, and Anna unzipped a garment bag and pulled out a cocktail dress in pale leaf green. Its empire style relieved Camille’s concern about her waistline, which hadn’t quite shrunk to its pre-pregnancy trimness, and the frothy chiffon skirt gave the dress a certain grace and elegance.
Camille gasped. “How beautiful!”
“It will be perfect on you,” Anna assured her.
Camille picked up the dress and gasped again. “But—but it’s a designer dress!”
“Don’t you like it? It’s beautifully simple, such great lines,” Anna enthused.
“Yes, it’s wonderful…but expensive,” Camille said, frowning.
“Oh, don’t worry. After I talked to you and Jake, Mom called. She was afraid you’d have nothing to wear. She wants the gown to be a gift from her.”
