Target in Jeopardy Read online

Her black slacks emphasized her slender legs. Her red blouse elegantly skimmed the fullness of her belly. In spite of her current condition, the memory of their night together was suddenly a hot burn in his brain. It had been a night of intense pleasure. She’d been a giving lover and the experience of having sex with her was emblazoned in his mind.

  As she paid for a cup of something, he tried to shove those provocative memories out of his head. This whole thing felt so surreal and so very awkward.

  She eased down in the chair opposite his and brought with her a scent of an exotic spice and citrus fragrance that he instantly remembered from their night together.

  He tightened his fingers around his warm, plastic-foam cup and worked up a smile that hopefully didn’t show how very ill at ease he was under the circumstances.

  “There’s nothing better to calm the nerves than a hot cup of herbal tea,” she said, to break the ice.

  Maybe he should have opted for some of that tea instead of the coffee that now sat heavy in his chest. He had so many questions, yet at the moment, sitting across from her, he was uncharacteristically tongue-tied. “Why didn’t you tell me?” The words finally blurted out of him.

  She raised an eyebrow. “How could I have told you? I only knew your first name and that you were in the army. I had no idea where you were stationed or how to contact you. We didn’t exactly exchange phone numbers and addresses that night.”

  Her cheeks flushed with a pretty pink color. “You can believe it or not, but that was the first and only time I’ve ever done something like that in my entire life. It was a night of risky behavior and that isn’t who I am. You were the only man I’d been with for a very long time.”

  He really had no reason to believe her, but he did. Despite their wild desire that night, there had also been a shyness, an awkwardness about her that had let him know it wasn’t something she did all the time.

  She didn’t need to know he’d acted out of character that night, as well. Driven into the bar with a deep grief, he’d intended to drink himself into oblivion. Although he’d had more than his share of booze that night, it had been Avery’s smile that had prompted him to try to lose his grief in her rather than the bottom of a bottle.

  It hadn’t worked. He’d awakened the next morning hungover and with his grief still intact, and a new guilt weighing heavy in his heart. The only real difference had been he’d had a beautiful woman in his arms who had wanted more from him than he could give.

  “I would have loved to contact you when I first found out I was pregnant, but I couldn’t. I had no idea how to find you.” Her hand dropped to her stomach. “I don’t expect anything from you, Dallas. I made the decision to have these babies and I’m fine doing this all on my own.”

  A shocked surprise jolted through him. “B-b-babies?” he stuttered.

  She nodded and smiled. “I’m carrying twins...a boy and a girl.”

  He couldn’t help the small gasp that escaped him. He hadn’t even completely processed that she was pregnant with one baby, let alone two.

  She frowned and stared down into her cup for a long moment and then glanced back at him. “Look, I know this has to be a big shock to you,” she said. “I really don’t need anything from you, Dallas. I’ll be fine on my own.”

  “You aren’t getting rid of me that easily,” he immediately replied. This might not be the time or the way he would have chosen to become a father, but that didn’t matter. Now he knew she carried his son and his daughter and he wasn’t about to walk away from his babies.

  “Uh...do you have a significant other in your life right now?” he asked.

  She laughed, the sound rich and melodic. “Right, I’ve had to beat the men away from me and my girlish figure.” She sobered and then sighed. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to be sarcastic, and no, there’s no significant other in my life. I’ve never even wanted one. I’ve been pretty focused on my career. What about you?”

  “No, there’s nobody,” he replied. Unless he counted the ghost of a woman who haunted him, a ghost he just couldn’t let go of because the pain of loss, of utter emptiness, would be too great for him to endure.

  “When do you leave to go back to where you’re stationed?” she asked.

  “I don’t. I’m now former Army Sergeant Dallas Colton. I finalized my discharge three months ago and I’m here in Whisperwood to stay.”

  “Oh, I’m surprised we haven’t run into each other before now,” she replied.

  “I’m living in an old foreman’s cabin out on the ranch, and for the last couple of months I’ve been doing what I can to help with the cleanup after the hurricane. I don’t get into town much.” His gaze once again took in the sight of her stomach. “Should you still be working?”

  “Actually, this was my last case. Once the jury comes back I am officially on maternity leave. It’s time for me to nest.”

  “Nest?”

  She smiled. She had a beautiful smile that lit up her features and warmed whoever it was directed at. It had been her smile that had initially grabbed his attention in the bar that night, and that warmth now swept over him.

  “You know, I’ll make sure I have everything ready for the babies when they arrive. I’ll get a manicure and a pedicure and make sure I get extra sleep and relax before they get here.”

  “Do you have everything you need for when they do get here?” he asked.

  “Yes. My coworkers gave me a big baby shower last month and they were all very generous. I told you I didn’t need anything from you, Dallas, and I meant it. There’s only one person here in town who knows you are the father and that’s my closest friend. She would never tell anyone. I would love for you to be a part of their lives. I certainly believe it’s important for children to have both parents involved, but I understand if you just want to walk away.”

  “What would make you think I’m the kind of man who would just walk away from this?”

  She tilted her head and gazed at him intently. “Dallas, I really don’t know what kind of a man you are.”

  And he didn’t know what kind of woman she was. Oh, he knew how hot her kisses were and how her bare skin felt against his. He knew how her sweet moans had sounded against the side of his neck. But, that was really all he knew about her.

  “I think it would be nice if we got to know each other better,” he said. Actually, he thought it was a necessity in this crazy circumstance.

  “And how do we do that?” she asked.

  “Why don’t we start with me taking you out to dinner at the Bluebell Diner tomorrow night?” he replied.

  She looked at him in surprise. “Uh...okay, that would be nice.” Her cell phone rang. “Excuse me,” she murmured, and took the call. It lasted only a minute and then she hung up and gathered her purse and briefcase.

  “I’m sorry. The jury has returned and I’ve got to get back to the courthouse.”

  He stood as she did. “That was fast.”

  She flashed him that beautiful smile again. “And hopefully a good sign.”

  “Shall we say six tomorrow evening?” he asked.

  “That sounds perfect. I’ll text you my address and I’ll see you then.”

  He watched as she headed toward the door and then he sank back down into his chair. Twins. Jeez, this was the very last thing he’d expected when he’d driven into town this morning to be a support to his brother. Heck, in a million years he couldn’t have expected to suddenly discover he was about to become the father of twins.

  He took a sip of his now cold coffee and leaned back in the chair. Two babies. A little boy and a little girl. He was going to be a father, and fairly quickly. With the initial shock slowly wearing off came a sense of anticipation...a sense of unexpected joy.

  He hadn’t expected to ever feel that again, not after losing his wife. When he’d buried Ivy, he’d believed he’d also buried his heart and so
ul with her. Any hope for future happiness, for joy or laughter, had gone into that grave with her.

  But this...this sudden surprise, this miracle of two little souls who would be forever connected to him brought with it a glimmer of hope. They were a promise of a happiness he’d never dreamed of and had never thought possible before.

  He had no idea if he even liked Avery. There was a possibility that once they spent a little time together she might not like him.

  But like it or not, somehow, some way they needed to figure things out, because for the next eighteen years or so they would be in each other’s lives due to their mutual love of a baby boy and a baby girl.

  Chapter 2

  With a groan, Avery pulled the black-and-white-checkered maternity blouse over her head and threw it on the bed to join the others she’d tried on and then rejected.

  Clad in just her black maternity slacks and a bra, she went back to her closet to make yet another selection. She knew she was being utterly ridiculous. It was just dinner at the Bluebell Diner. Any one of the blouses on the bed would have been just fine to wear for the meal out.

  Still, she was ridiculously nervous and determined to look her very best. It wasn’t just a meal out, it was the first time she would spend real time with a man who would be in her life in one way or another for a very long time to come. Unless he chose not to be.

  “Somehow, some way, everything is going to be okay, right, Lulu?”

  The black toy poodle sitting in the doorway of her room barked happily at the sound of her name. At the same time the babies kicked, and it felt as if they turned somersaults in her belly. She had yet to pick out names for them, which was probably a good thing, since now Dallas might want to be a part of that process.

  Aware of time ticking by, she focused on the clothes in her closet once again. Her gaze landed on a pink-and-black-striped blouse. The last time she’d worn it she had gotten several compliments. She yanked it from the hanger and then pulled it on over her head. She closed her closet door to insure she wouldn’t change her mind yet again.

  As she went into the adjoining bathroom to put on her makeup, she fought against a new flurry of nerves. Despite the fact that she and Dallas had been intimate with each other, he was a virtual stranger to her.

  What if they really didn’t like each other? What if their views of life were completely different? What if they clashed in every area that was important? After having time to digest the news of her pregnancy, would he resent her for getting pregnant? Would he feel like she was somehow trying to trap him?

  It wasn’t like she was asking him to marry her. In fact, that was the very last thing she wanted. Losing Zeke had changed her, made her reluctant to ever care deeply about anyone ever again. She had no desire for a partner or to be married, but these babies were part of her, they were her family, and she would shower them with all the love she had in her heart.

  She tried to tamp down the concerns about Dallas as she applied her eye makeup and then added pink-tinted gloss to her lips. She ran her brush through her hair and then spritzed on perfume and called herself ready.

  She left the bathroom and went into the living room and sat on the edge of the sofa. He should be arriving within the next fifteen minutes or so. Lulu sat at her feet, gazing up at her adoringly.

  She picked up the dog and then looked around, assured by the neat-and-tidy condition of her living room. She’d spent the morning cleaning, to make sure the house was in tip-top shape just in case Dallas came in.

  She’d bought the three-bedroom ranch house right after she’d learned she was pregnant. She hadn’t wanted her babies to be raised in the small apartment where she’d been living at the time, and in any case, she had been thinking about purchasing a house.

  The minute she’d seen this place she’d known it was a perfect fit. Not only did it have the three bedrooms and a big eat-in kitchen, but it also had a large fenced-in backyard that would be perfect for growing children.

  Every move she had made, every decision she’d reached in the last seven months had been in what she believed was the best interest of her little family.

  Family. She felt as if she’d lost every member of her family, and having these babies had been her chance to create a new family unit for herself.

  It was impossible to think about family without thinking about Zeke, and thoughts of him always brought a sharp grief that even after a year still had the ability to almost take her breath away.

  If only she had done something differently. If only she had—

  The ring of her cell phone pulled her from her thoughts. She set Lulu on the floor and dug in her purse for the phone. She looked at the caller identification and then answered. “Hi, Chad.”

  “How’s our pregnant lady?” Chad Ruland asked.

  Avery smiled at the sound of her fellow prosecutor’s deep voice. “The pregnant lady is doing just fine.”

  “I’ve got Danny here with me and he’d like to talk to you.” Danny Jenkins was a file clerk, and he and Chad had been wonderfully supportive throughout her pregnancy.

  A knock sounded at her door. “Chad, I’ve got to go. Tell Danny I’ll call him later.” She rose from the sofa as nerves fluttered wildly inside her. She and Chad said their goodbyes.

  “You be good while I’m gone,” she said to Lulu. She grabbed her purse and then opened the door. “Hi,” she said.

  Jeez, Dallas looked so darned hot in a pair of black jeans and a long-sleeved black polo shirt that emphasized his broad shoulders and flat abdomen. He looked like a cowboy in a pinup calendar, and she looked like a pink-and-black-striped beached whale.

  “Hi,” he replied. “Are you all ready to go?”

  Lulu gave a cheerful bark, her tail wagging in anticipation of meeting a new friend, but Avery quickly stepped out of the house and then closed her door behind her and made sure it was locked.

  “Sounds like you have a friend in there,” he said.

  “I do. A friendly little poodle named Lulu. She’s two years old and a complete sweetheart. It’s a nice evening,” she said, changing the subject as they walked toward his truck, parked in her driveway. The air was just a bit crisp, cooler than usual for early September.

  “It is,” he agreed. “Fall seems to be arriving a bit ahead of time this year.”

  “That’s okay with me. Out of all of the seasons, fall is my favorite.”

  “I like it, too. Are you hungry?”

  She laughed. “I’m always hungry. Eating for three is a responsibility I take very seriously.”

  “Well then, let’s get the three of you fed as soon as possible,” he replied with an easy smile. He opened the passenger door for her and then helped her inside.

  His smile had gone a long way in easing some of her nerves. This dinner wasn’t supposed to do anything but allow them to get to know each other better. It was a first date without the expectation of any romance.

  Even knowing that, she couldn’t help the way her heart beat just a little bit faster in his presence. Hormones, she told herself...crazy, pregnant hormones. That had to be why a pleasant energy raced through her as he got into the truck, bringing with him a scent of minty soap and a clean, fresh-scented cologne.

  “It looks like this is a nice neighborhood,” he said, as he backed out of her driveway.

  “It is nice. I bought the place soon after I found out I was pregnant, so picking a good neighborhood and a nice house was very important to me.”

  “I’m sorry you’ve had to go through so much of this process alone. Do you have family here?”

  Her heart constricted. “I have my father, but we aren’t really close.”

  “I’m sorry to hear that.”

  “Thanks, but it is what it is.”

  “By the way, congratulations. I heard through the grapevine you got your man yesterday.” He shot her a quick gla
nce. “I’m not surprised. You were quite passionate in your closing argument.”

  She smiled. “I’m quite passionate about getting bad guys behind bars, especially drug dealers.”

  By that time they had arrived at the restaurant. The Bluebell Diner was located on Main Street, along with the general store, Lone Star Pharma, a corner store and Kain’s Garage. There were also various other kinds of businesses on the main drag, like a grocery store and an ice cream parlor.

  Since it was Friday, the parking spaces in front of the diner were all full. It was definitely a popular place for the people in Whisperwood to dine, especially on the weekends.

  “Why don’t I drop you off here at the door and I’ll find a parking space down the block,” he suggested.

  “Oh no, that isn’t necessary,” she protested. “Walking is actually good for me.”

  “If you’re sure...”

  “It’s fine,” she assured him. “I could use the exercise.”

  He found an empty space in the next block and they got out of the truck to walk back to the diner. As they went they chatted about the storefronts they passed. She pointed out the boutique where she had bought most of her maternity clothes, and he told her where he bought his cowboy boots. They both agreed that Edwards’s Ice Cream Parlor was a favorite place to visit.

  Within minutes they entered the busy diner. The air inside smelled of simmering meats and baked goods, of rich sauces and vegetables. Avery’s appetite came to life. The sounds of people talking and laughing and the clinking of glass and silverware filled the room.

  They wove their way to the back and quickly staked claim to a blue-and-white-gingham-tablecloth-clad booth. “At least the noise level is a little less intense back here,” he said, once they were settled in.

  “You do realize you’re going to be the object of gossip after this evening,” she said. She’d been acutely aware of the curious stares that had followed them from the diner’s front door to their booth.

  “Gossip has never scared me,” he replied easily, and then frowned. “Does it bother you?”