Page 146 of Tangled up in You

“We sorted out the basics,” he said, glancing back at Jesse. “It was a huge misunderstanding. She’ll come home with me so we can talk more.”

Josie met her gaze. “Is that what you want, honey?”

“Yeah, I do.”

“I don’t have to ask your father to make them disappear?” Josie asked.

But from her smirk Jesse knew she was kidding.

Mostly.

“No, please don’t. I want to fix this.”

“We won’t expect you for dinner,” Josie said. “If you’re not coming back tonight, please text me and I’ll run interference. And send me their address, okay?”

“Yeah.”

Chris pulled out his cellphone and Josie whipped hers out of her back pocket and they quickly exchanged digits and info. Meanwhile, Jesse remained in Mark’s embrace, his arms firmly holding her pressed against him. She didn’t like that he worea bulletproof vest because it meant she couldn’t feel the firm planes of his muscles against her, but at least he was…here.

They both were.

And that was something she’d convinced herself would never happen again.

Josie nodded, smiling. “I’ll tell your father we’re extending our time here by two weeks. He was overdue for a vacation anyway.”

“Thanks.”

Josie waggled her fingers at them in a wave and turned. The security guy looked conflicted, but Josie motioned for him to follow. “One of them’s packing a gun and has a badge, if you didn’t notice. And they kept her alive for nearly two weeks in the wilderness. I’m reasonably certain she’s safe with them.”

Once they were alone, Chris closed the door and rejoined their embrace. “See? Scary.”

For the first time since leaving Yellowstone months earlier, she felt like laughing. “She’s a good mom.”

“Do we have a plan, then?” Chris asked. “You come home with me, Mark comes home at the end of his shift, and we talk.”

She nodded. “Yeah.” She gasped when the baby kicked again. She grabbed their hands and held them over her belly. “I felt them kick for the first time earlier today.”

“Them?” the men asked in unison.

“No, they’re not twins. But I’m not calling them ‘it’.”

When the baby kicked again, both men looked awestruck, and it was so adorable she smiled.

“We have a lot to talk about,” Mark said, meeting her gaze.

“We do.” She finally realized they wore matching rings. “You got married?”

“Yeah,” Chris quietly said. “A couple of weeks later. Right before season opened.”

She ran her thumbs over their wedding bands. “Sorry I missed it,” she said. “I wish I’d been there.”

“So do we, sweetie,” Chris said.

When they finally emerged from the office, Chris carried her computer backpack and Mark carried her hiking pack as they flanked her for the walk to Christopher’s truck.

She climbed into the passenger seat and Mark leaned in, kissing her. “I love you, sweetie. I’m sorry we lost that time between us. I’m sorry we weren’t there for you before now, but we want to be here however you’ll let us.”

Jesse blinked back more tears. “I love you, too. And I’m sorry, too. We’ll figure it out.”

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