Holding Out for a Hero (Baytown Heroes #9)

Chapter 36

36

ONE MONTH LATER

Bess walked out of the front door with a cup of coffee in her hand and turned to see Belinda walk out of hers, also holding a cup of coffee. The two sisters grinned as they moved toward each other.

“You good this morning?” Belinda asked.

Bess nodded. “I can finally turn over in bed and not have my leg hurt so much. Who knew it would take so long to heal!” She sipped the deep-roasted brew, liberally doused with cream and sweetener. “What about you?”

“I’m good,” Belinda replied. “I think my in-and-out bullet wound was easier to heal from than your injury. But you’re still in physical therapy, and I’ve finished with my shoulder PT. It’ll take time, sweetie.”

Bess nodded, just glad that she was back at work, even if everyone in her life hovered as though she would become overwrought and swoon . At that thought, she chuckled, thinking of when she and Brad first got together. He’d learned that the Crowder girls were tough cookies, like she’d once told him.

“I like your shirt, by the way,” Belinda said.

Bess looked down to see what she was wearing. Long-sleeved T-shirt with a sweater over it. The shirt was bright purple with fuchsia lettering. Baking Manager… because freakin’ miracle worker isn’t an official job title. Looking back up, she lifted a brow. “Is it right?”

Belinda burst out laughing. “Oh yeah. I’d say it’s exactly right!”

The two sisters sipped their coffee for a few minutes, then Bess sighed, her heart full. “I love having a day off so we can enjoy living next to each other again.”

“I know,” Belinda agreed. “I can’t imagine living any other way.”

A sound behind her made Bess look over her shoulder as Brad came out with a quilt. He nuzzled her neck in greeting as he wrapped the multicolored quilt around her shoulders. “I figured you’d need this.”

Aaron had the same thought as he walked up behind Belinda and wrapped a long blue blanket around her. Both women turned and shared their coffee with the men who now warmed them with their much larger bodies and the wraps they’d brought out.

The quartet stood along the railing looking out over the mist in the front yard. The duplex rental behind them was their new home. Aaron and Belinda in one side with Bess and Brad living in the other. They were lucky when both sides of the duplex came up for rent at the same time.

Bess was no longer living over the bakery, but considering she was in the process of expanding, she had to admit it felt good to drive away from the business at the end of each day. And to have a place to call home—shared with Brad and connected to Belinda and Aaron—was her haven.

“What’s on the agenda today?” Brad asked, his lips nuzzling her neck.

She shivered, but not from the cool morning. “We need to get a Christmas tree. In fact, we need to get a bunch of Christmas trees.”

“Christmas is still three weeks away.”

She twisted her head and glared up at him. “So?”

He fought a grin and kissed her quickly. “Okay, Christmas tree.”

“Christmas trees… plural.”

By now, Belinda and Aaron were chuckling, obviously listening to their conversation.

“For who?” Brad asked.

“Us. Mom and Dad. Artie?—”

“Artie? Seriously?”

Bess turned so that she was still wrapped in the quilt and Brad’s arms and stared up at him. “Yes, Artie. He probably hasn’t celebrated any holiday since Dorothy died. We’re going to make sure he has a wonderful Christmas.”

“I think Jules and Gwennie might take care of that,” he muttered.

Bess giggled. It was true—since moving up two weeks ago, both her grandmother and great-aunt had learned of Artie’s hand in rescuing Bess and had decided to shower him with attention. Now, every time her mom dropped the two women to spend some pleasant time sitting at one of the cute tables in her kick-ass bakery, Artie made an appearance. The three would sit, eat, and talk, reminiscing about the old days on the Shore.

The four finished their coffee, and then Brad looked over at Aaron. “Tree hunting today?”

Aaron squeezed Belinda and nodded. The two men both kissed their women and headed back inside the duplex doors. It wasn’t as though the two sisters needed more privacy, considering they saw each other every day, but it was tradition. They moved toward each other and hugged tightly. Leaning back, they continued to hold hands and stare into each other’s eyes as wide smiles curved their lips.

Breaking apart, they followed their men into their houses.

Ten Years Later

Bess stepped onto the porch of the large, two-story house with the sweeping, fenced-in yard. Brad spied her as he backed the family SUV out of the two-car garage and climbed down to walk toward her.

Reaching the porch, he grinned as he kissed her gently. Then he bent to kiss the red-haired six-year-old, who held her mother’s hand tightly. “Hey, Princess.” Looking at Bess, he asked, “Do you want me to get her in?”

Sighing, she shook her head. “No, you need to wrestle your sons into getting all their gear together. I’ll get Caroline in. At least she’s ready. I swear this is like herding cats.”

Laughing, he walked past her, nearly colliding with the auburn-haired, eight-year-old and four-year-old boys. “Come on, guys. We don’t want to be late for the first game of the season.”

Johnny pumped his arm into the air, already proclaiming victory even though he hadn’t played yet and had no idea who they were playing. He had his bag over his shoulder that held his baseball glove. “Ready!” he exclaimed, running out to join his mom and sister on the porch.

Jason’s exuberance was more subdued than his older brother, but he grinned up at his dad and nodded. “Ready!”

“Good job, guys. Let’s go.” He locked the house behind his family and headed to the SUV. Once everyone was buckled in, he walked around to the driver’s side.

“See you there! I have extra sunscreen!”

He turned to see the next-door neighbors in their SUV, waving out the window. Their two-story colonial house was like his and Bess’s, although it was painted traditionally in white with black shutters. Bess had insisted on painting their house blue with navy shutters. The neighbors had a picket fence, as well, but since all the kids played together daily, they had made a gate between the two yards. A gate that Brad knew was almost never closed since the sisters… and cousins were inseparable.

He waved as Aaron and Belinda drove past, then climbed behind the wheel. He soon followed into Baytown, where the town ball field sat on the outskirts. The stands were filling with friends he’d known now for years. Parking next to Aaron and Belinda, he noted they already had their two sons and one daughter out of their vehicle. All redheads, like his children.

Johnny complained loudly that he needed to get out of his seat belt. Brad took care of him first, watching as he raced to his oldest cousin, Tom, who had just turned eight. The next two climbed out, Jason grabbing his best friend and cousin, Hank, who was five. Caroline moved to her youngest cousin, having thanked the gods of babies that she finally had a girl to play with. Diana had just turned four and adored her cousin, grabbing her hand.

“Stay where we can see you,” Bess called out to the girls as they made their way to the stands.

Brad and Aaron walked behind their families. Two beautiful wives, six bright, healthy children between them, and grandparents in the stands ready to cheer them all on regardless of whether they played or not. Friends and coworkers all around.

Just as they were ready to separate, Aaron turned to shake Brad’s hand. “Do you remember what we said to each other about ten years ago?”

Brad knew exactly what Aaron meant. Nodding, he said, “Yeah, I do. We’re two lucky men.”

Clapping him on the back, Aaron grinned. “Hell, yeah. That was right then… and is still right now.”

Aaron jogged to the outfield where he was coaching, but Brad turned to look at the gathering of redheads in the stands, Bess and Belinda surrounded by their kids and the grandparents. He then looked over at his father, who happened to be staring right at him. And suddenly, more words came back to him from ten years ago. These from his dad.

“Just want to see my kids safe and happy. With you as a detective, I don’t have much control over your safety, so I’ll focus my energy on making sure you’re happy.”

He understood those words now. Lived them and had taken them to heart. And staring at his dad, he offered a chin lift in acknowledgment.

His gaze drifted to Bess, who no matter what she was doing or who she was with, always seemed to know when his eyes were on her. She looked down from the stands and smiled. He returned the smile. Oh yeah… I’m happy.

As though she knew his thoughts, she blew him a kiss.