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He and Keri had argued that first time he’d met her, but that wasn’t something he would tell Joe. In the end, she hadn’t taken his advice, had specifically gone against it, in fact, because she felt she had to, that Escobar’s survival depended on it.
“She didn’t call you?” Joe asked.
“They hadn’t hired me, but when the copter didn’t show, she did call me.” He’d told her to stay put, but she’d insisted the transplant team wouldn’t wait long before contacting the next person on the list. “What was I supposed to do? Let her take Escobar alone? Unfortunately, for medical reasons, she refused to wait. I met them on the road to Caracas, but it was too late. We were accosted by armed men, forced into their van, blindfolded and taken to a location miles away.”
Jake dumped his coffee down the drain, the taste suddenly bitter. “It was an inside job, involving someone at the hospital who knew all the details—Escobar’s address and when he would be on his way. The helicopter was prevented from taking off. My presence was a surprise, but everything else was according to plan. They knew they could get a lot of money for Escobar anytime, but especially right at that moment, when his life depended on it.”
Joe joined him at the sink. “So he was ransomed?”
“Within hours.”
“But not you?”
“Or Keri.” The leader of the gang, a loose cannon named Marco, had taken a fancy to her. They’d decided to demand a ransom for Jake but keep Keri for a while. Jake wouldn’t give them a contact for himself. He wouldn’t leave Keri alone, period.
“What happened?”
“One of the kidnappers got us out.” There was much more to it, of course, an internal power struggle, a disgust of Marco’s intentions by José, the man who helped Jake and Keri escape. José had been killed for it.
“So, when you were home over Labor Day last year,” Joe said, “this had already happened? That was why you were keeping to yourself so much?”
“Yeah.”
“How does Keri fit in? Why didn’t she come back with you?”
Jake rested a hand on Joe’s shoulder. “That’s all I want to say about it for now. And it’s between us, okay?”
“Hey. Goes without saying, Jake.”
The sound of the front door stopped further conversation.
“Where are my boys?” Aggie’s voice filled the house.
“In the kitchen, Mom,” Joe called out, then fired a “good luck” look at Jake.
Aggie breezed through the doorway. She was a vibrant sixty-seven-year-old widow of ten years with a great laugh and a big heart. The McCoy children had been raised to know unconditional love—and little privacy, which some of her children handled better than others.
“I saw your car out front,” she said to her oldest son, passing him a plastic container. “Apple turnovers.”
“I was coming to see you next,” Jake said honestly, giving her a hug.
“Isn’t this a rare treat, having all my boys here at the same time.” She accepted the mug of coffee Donovan handed her. “I expect you’ll be gone soon, though, hm, Donny?”
He shrugged. “I’m thinking I’ll hang around a while longer, if Joe doesn’t mind. Or maybe I’m cramping your style?”
Joe looked over the rim of his mug at Donovan. “Nana Mae’s going to need some help now that Keri has moved out.”
Jake laughed. He’d missed this, being with his family, the comfort of familiarity, even as he didn’t know them as well as he used to or should.
“Didn’t you hear?” Aggie said. “Dixie’s moved in with Mama to help.”
All eyes turned to Joe. Jake wondered why his youngest brother and the love of his life, Dixie, hadn’t managed to find their way back to each other this time. They’d never stayed apart more than a month before, and this made six months.
“Good of her.” Joe turned away as he spoke. He rinsed out his mug and set it in the sink, the motion deliberate. “Well, some of us have to work.” He kissed his mother’s cheek and grabbed a turnover from the container Jake opened and held out to him. “See you all later.”
Donovan excused himself, as well, after also snagging a turnover. Jake set the container on the counter. He didn’t think his stomach was ready for the high-fat, high-sugar treat. “Do you want to go into the living room?” he asked his mother.
“Sure. Bring those things along. You need to eat, Mr. Skin and Bones.”
He guided her out of the kitchen. “Not now, Mom. I appreciate your making my favorite, though. I’ll take them home with me.” They sat on the sofa. He saw the unspoken maternal concern in her eyes. “You look like you’ve dropped a few pounds, too.”
“Not too much room for food in a stomach when it’s full of worry.”
He took her hand. “I’m sorry. I wish I could’ve gotten word to you.”
“Where were you, son?”
He debated how much to say. “Helping take down a kidnapping ring.”
Her face paled but her gaze held steady. She wasn’t one to crumble. “One you infiltrated, I suppose. I’ve seen enough movies and TV shows about that kind of thing.”
“Then you have an idea.” Although she really couldn’t. No one could imagine what went on unless they lived through it.
“And that you probably can’t say more than that,” she added authoritatively.
“You got it.”
“We kept your Christmas presents,” she said, her eyes lighting up. “I figure we can have a Christmas-in-May party.”
He smiled at that. “Give me time to shop first.”
She squeezed his hand. “Your being home is gift enough. And the new grandbaby you’re giving me.” She settled herself in the sofa cushions. “How’d it feel seeing Keri? I’ll bet you were surprised at how big she is.”
The understatement of the year. “Yes.”
“We think the world of her, you know.”
“She told me you all adopted her. I appreciate everything you did.”
“She’s a sweetheart. And so brave.”
Those particular traits of hers, along with extreme stubbornness, were what had led to their capture. “You’ll get no argument from me.”
“So when’s the wedding?” Aggie asked, lifting her mug.
Wedding? “Uh, we haven’t talked about it yet.”
“Don’t you think you need to get to it? She could pop any second. She’s already had two false labors.”
“She has?” He didn’t know exactly what that entailed.
“A real trouper, that one.” Her eyes, deep blue and direct, took aim at his. “We’ve had a few ‘early’ babies in our family, but none as close to the wire as this one.”
And no divorces. Jake didn’t say the words out loud, but they clanged in his head like the bell at Notre Dame, reverberating, deafening. “When Keri and I decide what we’re going to do, you’ll be the first to know.”
Aggie pursed her lips. “I don’t see how there could be any hesitation—or doubt.”
“Just give me a chance to breathe, okay?” His jaw hurt, his hands clenched.
After a long silence, Aggie said, “How is Keri feeling this morning?”
“I don’t know. I left before she woke up.” He could see her debating what to say. He was, after all, one of her children who ignored what she called her “mother’s right to know,” as all eight siblings had been told forever. To forestall any unwanted advice or recrimination, he stood. “I’ll go home right now and check.”
“Would you like to come to dinner?”
He forced himself to keep his voice level, reminding himself that she didn’t understand all he’d been through and that he needed time and space—something Keri had recognized. Score one for her. “Not tonight, okay, Mom? I’ll talk to you later.”
Jake scooped up the container of turnovers, then went out to his car. He headed up the winding road, again with no particular destination in mind, only a need for his previously unappreciated freedom, and solitude of his own choosing.
And yet ten minutes later he found himself pulling into his own driveway.
He had responsibilities he couldn’t ignore now, no matter what else was on his mind.
He could almost see his mother’s approving nod and feel his late father’s pat on the back, the weight of his responsibilities made even heavier by parental expectations—and those of his grandmother, who hadn’t yet had her say.
Chapter Four
He hadn’t even left a note.
Keri kicked a pebble and watched it tumble down the slope behind Jake’s cabin. He’d taken off this morning without extending even the most basic courtesy of telling her he was leaving, and also stranding her without a car.
She toed another pebble loose then kicked it, not giving it her all. The baby had dropped recently, shifting her center of balance, and there was nothing to grab hold of to stop her from falling.
She grumbled at the ground, feeling handcuffed by her isolation after months of living in the easy company of Nana Mae, and with Aggie right up the block, not to mention Dixie only three streets away.
Keri had constantly thought about seeing Jake again, her fantasies about their reunion mushrooming out of proportion with time and distance, and pregnancy, of course. Doesn’t every woman want her baby’s father in her life? And it wasn’t just her, but his family and friends’ steady assurance that everything would be perfect once Jake came home. She’d begun to believe it herself, needing something to hold on to.
The reality hadn’t matched the fantasy, which made the letdown even harder.
Keri heard a car approaching. Through a smattering of trees, she spotted a black SUV as it made its way toward the house. She rounded the corner of the house as Jake got out of the vehicle. She had a whole lot to say to him, then stopped short when she saw him—his too-lean body and too-tired face stark reminders that he’d been through some kind of hell.
She didn’t want to fight with him or add to his burdens.
“Good morning,” she said, as they walked toward each other.
His shoulders relaxed a little. “Morning. You okay?”
“Yes, I’m fine, thanks. How about you?” They sounded like strangers. Well, technically they were. Strangers who’d slept together once, no matter what ensuing hopes had come of that for her.
He passed her a plastic container. “Apple turnovers. Mom made them.”
“Yum.” So, he’d gone to visit his mom. Keri forgave him for leaving without a note. “Did you have breakfast with her?”
“I wasn’t hungry.” He gestured toward his side yard with his head. “You were out for a walk?”
Nothing else to do. She stopped the words from escaping. “I walk a few times a day.”
“Did I interrupt it?”
“No, I’d been out for a half hour. I’m ready to sit for a little while.”
They turned toward the house at the same time.
“You’ve been healthy, then?” he asked, matching his stride to hers.
“Exceptionally. I adore your Doc Saxon.”
His brows raised. “He delivered me. He must be ninety by now.”
She laughed. “Seventy-two, I think. He’s looking for a replacement, but it’s hard to get anyone to come to a community this small. I told him after the baby was born, I’d help him search, maybe even work a couple days a week.”
Jake turned a sharp gaze on her. “I’ll provide for you and the baby.”
Her heart slammed into her sternum. What did that mean? Provide in what way? “I don’t want to lose my nursing skills,” she said as they went into the house. “It’s not about the money.”
“Isn’t it? You don’t own anything.”
“By choice.” She took off her sweatshirt and hung it on a hook by the front door, then went into the kitchen to make some tea. “I couldn’t accumulate anything, since I moved from job to job so often. If I wanted those things, I could have them,” she added, waiting to see if by “provide” he meant he would offer her money to set her up somewhere and guarantee he’d get to see the baby. As if she’d keep the baby from its father. Or maybe he’d meant he intended to be part of their future, although she’d always assumed that would happen. He was a good man, not one to shirk his responsibilities.
“I’ve hardly ever had to spend any money, Jake. I’ve got a ton. Well, that’s an exaggeration, I guess, but I could buy what I need.”
“Yet you stayed with my grandmother.”
“Again, a choice I made. We needed each other. Money wasn’t the issue.” She lit the burner under the teakettle. “Can I fix anything for you? Coffee? Breakfast?”
“Have you eaten?”
She’d had a bowl of cereal, which was enough, but she decided he wouldn’t let her fix him anything if she wasn’t eating, too. He needed to eat. “I thought I’d have some scrambled eggs and toast. Would you like some?”
“Yeah, thanks. If you’ll do the eggs, I’ll do the toast.”
“That’s a deal.” As she washed her hands, she felt him come close. He stopped maybe a foot behind her, but her sense of him was so strong, her pulse leaped. If only she could turn to him, be held for a while. He’d held her in that dark, dank, frightening place all those months ago, when she’d panicked in a big way, thinking they would never get out alive. He’d taken her in his arms and held her tight, soothing her even though he’d been furious at her, too, for getting them into the situation to begin with.
Eventually he’d kissed her as she crumbled in fear, his mouth warm and comforting at first, then hot and needy, stopping her tears, giving her different reasons to shake and quiver.
And after the wild and intense sex, he’d held her as she slept well for the first time since they’d been kidnapped…
“What’s wrong?” he said from behind her, passing her a hand towel.
