14. ELEVEN
ELEVEN
C aitlin clung to Isabelle as she slept in her arms. She hadn’t been able to let the girl go since they had finally come home. Part of the time she felt in a state of catharsis and others, it seemed like what happened had been a nightmare or a horrible daydream.
“Processing will take time,” Chasity had told her before she left. She had given Caitlin a hug, and for once, Caitlin actually had relaxed into it, allowing another female, besides her mom, to comfort her. “You call me when you’re up to talking. We can grab Megan and go for a walk along the lake.”
Caitlin had stepped back and scooped up her daughter, fear lacing through her.
“We can bring the kids, too. I know how hard it is to let them go after something like this. Megan really does. Did she tell you about their scare with Krista?” Chasity had asked as she settled her boy back in her arms, getting ready to leave.
“Krista got hurt?”
“Oh, no. She was fine, but of course, they didn’t know that right away.” Chasity turned to Kami. “Come on, sweet girl. Time to go.”
“Can we come back to Uncle Jordan’s tomorrow?” Kami asked.
“Probably not tomorrow, but we’ll see them soon.” Chasity smiled knowingly as she turned to Caitlin. “Get some rest and remind yourself that it’s over now…as many times as you need to.”
Caitlin squeezed her eyes shut, breathing in the scent of her daughter’s hair, sending up prayers of gratitude that her little girl didn’t have to experience any of today’s fright. The floor squeaked, sending Caitlin into a panic as she sucked in a breath.
“It’s just me,” Jordan’s voice gentled further, like she had heard it when he worked with horses over at Tyler’s ranch when they were younger.
Caitlin blew out a breath, releasing her tight hold on her daughter slightly, and willing her heart rate to ease. “I’m jumping at every sound and every movement,” she whispered.
“That’s to be expected, but I’m here. I won’t let anything happen to you.”
Caitlin nodded, looking over her daughter to the cowboy in the doorway. “Can we…I mean…I know Derrick has them locked up, but I’d feel safer if…” Caitlin swallowed.
“Sleep in my room?” Jordan’s lips lifted at the corner. “You don’t have to ask. You’re welcome there anytime you like.”
“I’m not…I mean, well, I’m not trying to say that, you know, something else…I just need sleep.” Caitlin’s cheeks burned as she lowered her gaze to the peace in her daughter’s face.
“That’s all I’m offering anyway,” Jordan said. His lips slipped into a smile, but his eyes held a deep seriousness, even fear, as he approached her. “I’ll take our girl in there.” Isabelle barely moaned as he gathered her to him. “She sure is a sound sleeper.”
“Always has been,” Caitlin said, staying close to them as they slipped down the dark hall.
“Like her mama,” Jordan said, turning sideways to get through the door and taking one last look down the hall. “Armstrong, Derrick’s deputy turned FBI, is coming to get those men tomorrow. Have you met him? He’s from New Hope, but he graduated a few years after us.”
“Maybe if I saw him. Right now, the name doesn’t ring any bells.”
“Anyway, they can’t bother you any more, and Miller and his men are still here…as a precaution.”
Caitlin nodded.
“Douglas blames himself. If he had been at his post rather than the bathroom, none of this would have happened.” Jordan laid Isabelle in the center of the bed and covered her, planting a kiss before standing upright.
“It’s not his fault. It just happened…and I keep telling myself that it’s better this way. No one was hurt, and they’re behind bars…and now it’s over…right?”
“Well,” Jordan ducked to look at her closer in the dim light, and she met his eyes, though it tore at her soul. “Until the trial is over, we need to continue to be careful. At least we know the town has your back.”
Caitlin’s lips twitched, and she shook her head. “I still can’t get over Mrs. Manning and Henry and everyone. I mean, how did they even know in the first place…and how brave they were! All for me…and after what I did…”
“Well,” Jordan sat on the bed and drew her down next to him. “The rumor is that you fled Hope Lake because of those unsavory men, trying to keep your daughter safe…I corrected that. Isabelle’s mine, and I’m taking ownership.”
Caitlin raised her eyebrows, but motioned for him to continue.
“So, to them, it’s perfectly logical that you left the way you did.”
“But you know better…and our friends and family know better…” She watched her fingers twiddling with each other.
“We do, but we also know how to keep our mouths shut…to save our reputation.” Jordan laid a hand on hers, stilling them. “Besides, it’s none of their business, even if they did rescue you.”
“So…” Caitlin glanced at their daughter, then down to their intertwined hands, but she couldn’t meet his powerful gaze. “What do we do now?”
“Now?” Jordan stood and lifted her up to stand by him. “Now, we sleep. I don’t know about you, but I feel like we just mountain biked the entire backcountry.”
Caitlin pushed out a half-hearted chuckle. “Yeah, something like that…maybe add a bear chasing us and you’ve got it.”
“More like a mountain lion,” he said with a snort.
“That about sums it up,” Caitlin said, slipping into bed beside her daughter, but Jordan didn’t move to his side of the bed. “What’re you doing?”
“I’ve got to change, and I’m going to do one more check of the doors and windows…as a precaution.” He leaned down and gave her a chaste kiss on the forehead. “I’ll be right back.”
Her gaze followed him while he checked and double-checked the slider, and a shiver went through her. When he left the room, it felt colder, emptier, and she counted the seconds until he returned.
As she did, the words he had told her right after the rescue raced through her. Did he really mean them? Had it only been the heightened emotions, or could he really see himself forgiving her enough to be by her side forever?
Or would he revert once the danger has fled and realize that he can’t forgive her or isn’t cut out for this daddy gig? Would he send them away or worse…would he want to keep Isabelle and send her away? Of course, he couldn’t keep her from her daughter completely, she had rights…but so had he.
Her mind spun…there was too much between the kidnapping and the fear of the future. She needed sleep, but at every sound she jumped, instantly awake again, until finally Jordan returned to the bedroom with Buster on his heels, locking the door behind them.
“You still awake?” he whispered.
“Yes.” She twisted to look at him.
“The house is all locked up. Miller and his men are keeping patrol. You’re safe.”
“Thank you,” she said, swallowing and fearing for her heart more at the moment than any physical danger.
Jordan must have heard the constriction in her voice, for he was by her side in a moment. “It’s going to take time, but we’ll find our new normal. Until then, you might have to deal with a bit of an overprotective…well, whatever I am.”
Her heart squeezed at him not saying husband…something he had called himself when she first returned, but not since she told him the truth about Isabelle. Tears escaped despite the fact she squeezed her eyes shut. “Promise…promise you won’t take her from me, please?”
Jordan stiffened. “I thought we’d been over this.” Then he sighed, his shoulders dropping. “Get some sleep. We’ll worry about us after everything calms down.”
Once Jordan had climbed into bed, he reached over Isabelle to find Caitlin’s hand holding her daughter, and he intertwined his fingers with hers. “Just so you know I’m here.”
With that contact and the warm bed with all of them in it, she finally allowed her worries to fade and sleep to take hold of her.
The next few days were a blur. She went from playing freely with Isabelle one minute to fighting tears the next, and avoiding serious conversations with Jordan for fear of him laying out a future that matched her worst nightmare. He stayed with them, sometimes pacing on the phone on the deck as he dealt with some work crisis, but always watching them from the window, finagling contracts and finding parts, and organizing his employees.
If she didn’t think too much or let flashbacks overtake her, their life felt almost real…the three of them together, moving like a well-oiled machine already. She found it odd that she and Jordan had similar beliefs in raising Isabelle, though Jordan had the tendency to cave when their daughter fell into tears over not getting something she wanted...daddy’s girl.
The wry smile pulled at her, leaving her heart aching for her own daddy. They had talked after the kidnapping, but it consisted mostly of her crying and her dad apologizing and promising it wouldn’t happen again. As if thinking about him caused it, her burner phone rang, and she answered it breathlessly.
“Hello, pumpkin! It’s over! This whole ordeal is over now!” Her dad’s excitement hit a barrier within her.
“What? What do you mean? I thought the trial was in two days?”
“There is no trial, at least not for me. Those men who stole you,” his voice momentarily hardened with the words. “Well, it seems they had much more solid evidence against Mr. Big Shot than I did, and they no longer need my testimony.”
“Really? So, it’s really over? No more men hunting you down or me or any of us?”
“We can’t do him any harm now…and with what those guys have on him, and the plea bargain they’re getting in return, they’ll put him away for life.”
“I can’t believe this.” She looked up as Jordan came in through the slider; her brow furrowed as he met her eyes.
“What? What is it?” He rushed to her side.
“It’s over,” she said, the shock still rolling through her, but as she said it a second time, her lips quivered. “It’s over. Daddy no longer has to testify. Those men who,” she glanced at Isabelle who watched them while she made her horses run across the couch, “they are testifying…Daddy says it will put the man behind this away for life.”
“So, it’s over? It really is over?” Jordan asked.
“It is!” her dad shouted over the phone, and she put it on speaker. “We’re coming your way, pumpkin. If that’s okay with Jordan, of course.”
“Yes, sir!” Jordan said, squeezing Caitlin to him. “You’re welcome anytime.”
“How about in three hours?”
“Gampa?” Isabelle ran over to the phone.
“Hey, little whipper snapper. Gampa and Gammy have missed you. We’ll see you in a few hours!”
“Yay!” Isabelle cheered, clapping her hands. “I growed so much and I rode a horsie and I have two horsies but they not real and there is a pool and forest and…”
“Okay, sweetie.” Caitlin laughed, feeling the lightness finally enter. “I can’t wait to see you guys. I’ve missed you so much!”
“We’ve missed you both, too. We’ll see you soon.”
“Drive safe. Should we get the extra bedroom ready for you guys?”
“If there’s room, that’d be great. The hotel is full, and I’ve told Miller to let that tenant stay. Though we have some thoughts…okay, dear. Your mom says to get off the phone and drive. We’ll tell you more when we get there.”
They said their goodbyes, leaving Caitlin holding the phone, staring at it, frozen. Isabelle ran around the living room singing a chanting song about Gampa and Gammy coming. It wasn’t until Jordan pulled Caitlin into his arms that she awoke from her stupor.
“It’s over, Caity. It’s over.” He lowered his forehead to hers. “Now it’s only us that needs to decide the future.”
“I…I better go get the bedroom ready. Wait, where are they going to stay? Miller and his guys are using the extra room, and Isabelle and I are…”
“Using a room as a closet,” Jordan’s lips turned up into a smile. “Think you could handle bringing your things into my room…at least for now?”
“With my parents here?” Caitlin’s cheeks flooded with warmth.
Jordan raised an eyebrow. “We were married…and there’s Isabelle…they have to know how that happened… Besides, Isabelle will be with us. Surely they couldn’t have a problem with us sleeping all together, especially under the circumstances.” He shrugged.
Caitlin turned away, wondering if sharing a bed, no matter how innocent, with Jordan was wrong…but she didn’t know if she could sleep without his protective presence. Couldn’t they…couldn’t they just be a family again?
She glanced at him quickly, averting her eyes before they met his and he wanted to talk about it now. Maybe she should find her courage and have that talk with him before her parents arrived.
Jordan knew Caitlin was avoiding talks about the future. On the one hand, he didn’t blame her. The thought didn’t excite him, either; but not knowing created such stress in him, he felt like he had consistent heartburn.
For the next couple of hours, they took turns entertaining Isabelle and getting the house ready for her parents. An internal quivering had entered Jordan since they announced they were on the way.
He had blamed them for years for Caitlin leaving him, and now he had to face that belief head on. Knowing the truth helped, but a sense of guilt twisted his gut as if they would know the minute they saw him how much anger he had had toward them. Plus, Caitlin would never have been kidnapped, and neither one of them would have had to go through that terrifying ordeal if her dad hadn’t put her in that situation.
At one point, while passing each other in the hall, Caitlin put her hand on his arm. “Remember, me coming here was Dad’s idea…his work may have put us in danger, but in the end it also saved us, and….” She dropped her gaze, but he had read it before she did.
“Brought us together again.”
She nodded.
He put Isabelle down. “Sugar cakes, why don’t you go collect all your stuffies.”
“Okay,” Isabelle said. “I’ll get Mr. Bear, and Lambie, and Oscar, and of course, horsies, too.”
Jordan smiled, watching his daughter. Then he met Caitlin’s wet-eyed gaze. “I know you don’t want to do this.”
“Do what?” Her eyes widened, and she bit her lip.
“Talk about the future.” Jordan sighed, leaning against the wall. “I get it. It’s scary, but we need to do it.”
“I thought you said no more serious conversations right before company?” She played with the trim on the doorway, not meeting his eyes.
“Well, I did, but—”
Caitlin cocked her head. “Was that a car in the driveway?”
Buster woofed, a deep call, as he raced to the front door, letting several more barks echo in the house.
“Already?” Jordan ran a hand down his face. “Your dad drives like a maniac.”
“So you’ve always said.” She smiled, though, relief in her eyes. “I still can’t believe it’s over, and everyone is safe.” She squeezed his hand, looking at him imploringly.
“Fine. Conversation later…but I’m not letting this go on much longer.” He rubbed his chest. “I swear it’s eating me alive.”
Caitlin smiled and turned toward Isabelle as a car door shut. “Gammy and Gampa are here!”
Isabelle’s head popped up, elation filling her adorable features. “Gammy! Gampa!” She squealed and ran toward the door.
“I better go…make sure,” Jordan said, racing to the door, heart pounding, until he saw his in-laws through the narrow windows on either side of the door. “It’s them. It’s okay, Buster. Just family.”
Caitlin rushed past him, opening the door and throwing herself in her parents’ arms. “You’re safe!”
“You’re safe!” Her mom cried as she hugged Caitlin.
“Gammy! Gampa!”
“Come here, little whipper snapper,” Caitlin’s dad said as he threw Isabelle up and caught her in his arms.
Jordan waited, realizing as he watched what the last several weeks had been for the family. He had lost the severity of it in the realization he had a daughter and his estranged wife back in his life, quite often having to remind himself of the danger that they were in. It wasn’t until the men had stolen Caitlin from under his nose that the reality really sunk in, and even then…this reunion, a release of held-in emotions, solidified the danger that had been lurking, torturing in their souls.
He watched Caitlin in a new light, realizing the strength she had shown, keeping the terror of what ate away at her hidden, away from their daughter, and even him. What had that cost her?
“Who’s this?” Caitlin’s mom asked as Buster sniffed them.
“Buster! He my doggy.” Isabelle wiggled to get down and nuzzle the dog.
“Son?” Caitlin’s dad turned toward him after handing Isabelle over to his wife and grasped Jordan by the shoulders.
“Glad you guys made it.” Jordan leaned in and gave the older man a pat on the back.
“In more ways than one,” he said with a deep-hearted chuckle. “Thanks for keeping our daughter and granddaughter safe.”
“Well,” Jordan pulled at the collar of his shirt, “I didn’t do a grand job of that…”
Caitlin’s dad waved his comment away. “You got her back before any harm came to her, and in the process freed me of an obligation that might have cost my life and those I love.”
Jordan shrugged. “That was Derrick and your men.”
“I still can’t believe that young upstart is sheriff. Obviously a good one, though.” He leaned in, glancing at the girls as they walked inside with Buster happily prancing after them. “How’s it going?”
“Oh, everyone is okay. Caitlin still has some flashbacks and gets scared pretty easily, but she’s…”
“That’s not what I mean, son.” Her dad leveled a gaze at him.
“Oh,” Jordan said and swallowed. “We haven’t talked about the future yet, sir.”
“Why not?”
“Well, there’s been a lot going on, you know. And Caitlin…she’s dealing with a lot. Her mind isn’t quite up to…” His words faded out as the other man’s gaze hardened.
“Are you going to leave the past where it lies?”
“The past? I don’t know, sir. There’s a lot of good in the past.”
Caitlin’s dad rolled his eyes. “You’re always the jokester, taking nothing seriously.”
Jordan stiffened as the anger he held at bay came. “ I don’t take anything seriously? I’m not the one who took a job that would put my family at risk.”
“And what have you done for your family in the last four years?”
Jordan blew out the frustration mounting in him. He wasn’t one prone to anger. He would rather laugh something off than deal with that hated emotion, but this was too much.
“I fought for her…but you stood in my way of even having the chance to understand why she left. You blocked that. You kept me from being there when my daughter was born, when my wife almost died, and missing out on all the firsts with Isabelle. Don’t you dare talk to me about my dedication to my family!”
Jordan read the surprise in the man’s eyes even as it welled in himself. He spun away from Caitlin’s dad before the smile reached his lips, but self-satisfaction filled him as he sauntered into the house, leaving the older man standing shocked on the porch.
“Everything okay?” Caitlin asked, glancing behind him and back to him.
“Yeah, me and your old man just had to get a few things straight.” He bent down to Isabelle, who was jumping around trying to show Gammy, who looked like she was about to drop, the entire house. “Come here, sugar cakes. Daddy has an idea.”
“You have good ideas!” Isabelle launched into his arms, nestling into his neck.
He turned with her wrapping her arms around his neck to face Caitlin’s dad as he came in and shut the door. They briefly met eyes before he carried his daughter toward the kitchen. “Let’s make a yummy snack for your Gammy and Gampa.”
“Yay! Maybe cookies and raisins and little fishy crackers.”
Jordan took his time setting up a smorgasbord of snacks on a couple of platters: one with crackers, cheese, and salami, and the other with anything and everything Isabelle decided was a good idea, including jelly beans, raisins, cookies, carrots, popcorn, and a few nuts even though she didn’t like nuts.
“This is…lovely,” Caitlin’s mom said as they brought in their platters.
“I made it myself, just for you, Gammy.” Isabelle smiled proudly, looking up at her with an air of maturity.
They nibbled on some snacks quietly for several awkward moments.
“Miller and his men will leave tomorrow…unless you would like them to continue watching over you?”
Caitlin’s mouth dropped open, but then she turned and met Jordan’s gaze. “They’ve been working around the clock and deserve a break.”
Her dad gave a nod. “Miller, of course, will continue employment with us, at least for a while, but I agree he needs time off after this ordeal.”
“So, what are your plans?” Caitlin asked, her fidgeting hands giving away her nervousness. “You said you had some thoughts?”
Caitlin’s dad’s eyes shifted to Jordan and narrowed before they turned to Caitlin and gentled. “Well, that depends on you, pumpkin. What are your plans?”
Caitlin sat up straight, her eyes going from her dad to Jordan, to her mom to Isabelle, and back to Jordan until she stared out the window. “We, uh, haven’t talked about that yet.”
“Well, what’s there to dilly dally over? You planning on staying in Hope Lake or not?” Her dad’s gruffness wasn’t near as gruff as his Pops’ but ?it always rankled Jordan hearing him talk to his adoring daughter that way.
“Give her a break, man. She’s gone through a lot over the past week.” Jordan scooted closer to Caitlin, the protectiveness in him edging forth.
“Dear,” Caitlin’s mom patted her husband’s thigh, “maybe right now isn’t the time.”
“But her decision solidifies ours. I don’t like limbo.” He huffed.
“What decisions are you talking about?” Caitlin asked timidly.
“I’m retiring,” he grumbled.
Caitlin gasped and relief swept through Jordan, his shoulders relaxing. “Good. No more mobsters to hide from,” he joked.
Caitlin smacked him, and her mom fought a smile.
“What a mobster?” Isabelle sounded out the word slowly.
“Oh no,” Caitlin said, covering her mouth.
Jordan swooped up the girl, plopping her, with sticky fingers and fists full of fish crackers, on his leg. “That’s a great question. You know what else is a great question?”
“What?” Isabelle asked.
“Why do unicorns have horns?” Jordan asked, scratching at his chin.
“Cause if they didn’t, they’d be horsies, silly.” Isabelle giggled.
“Oh, well, that makes sense,” Jordan said, and she slid off his lap to grab a handful of raisins. He glanced at Caitlin and swiped his brow dramatically. She rewarded him with a smile.
Caitlin tore her eyes away from his gaze, settling on her dad. “So, what are you going to do? It’s not like you sit well.”
Her dad settled back in the recliner. “Well, I was thinking of fishing, playing with our granddaughter, and maybe joining some sort of men’s club.”
“My dad goes to a golf club that my mom says he likes.”
“Yeah, maybe I’ll even pick up golfing,” he said, an easy smile spreading across his lips.
“What he isn’t saying, sweetie, is that we would like to retire here, in Hope Lake…that is, if you’re going to stay,” her mom said gently. “But there’s no rush, is there, George? We still have all the accounts to settle and sell the house in the city. There’s a lot to do.”
“Well, that there is, but a house takes time to build, Elenor.”
“Build?” Jordan asked, his interest peaked.
“Yeah, our tenants seem like nice folks, and that house is too big for the two of us.” He peered at Caitlin. “If it’s going to be just the two of us.” He turned back to Jordan. “There’re a few lots that we’ve been looking at, right on the lake.”
“Those are prime locations,” Jordan said, eyeing him, but he knew the man had plenty of money. “What type of structure are you thinking about?”
“One level,” Elenor said. “We’re not getting any younger and stairs are no fun hauling laundry up and down.”
“Two bedrooms…” He eyed Caitlin. “That way, our little whipper snapper can have sleepovers when she wants.”
“I like sleepovers,” Isabelle said, her mouth stuffed with food. She covered her mouth with one look from her mom. “Sorry.”
“Open concept, of course?” Jordan asked, easing back against the cushions, allowing his shoulder to brush up against Caitlin’s.
“It’d make it easier.” Elenor nodded.
“Level parking area that I can easily use a snowblower on. My shoveling days are behind me.” George sat up and leveled his gaze at Jordan. “Does that sound like something you could do?”
“I think I could manage it, yeah.” Jordan laughed, but secretly, the thought of them being so close unnerved him. What if they got involved in his progress with Caitlin again?
Caitlin eyed him, and he shrugged. She read him too well, but now was not the time to talk about it.
That night, once he secured the house, he came back to the bedroom intent on having that talk, but Caitlin already had nestled into bed and had her eyes closed. He sighed, not bothering to be quiet as he readied for bed. After slipping under the covers, feeling Isabelle’s warmth between them, he reached over his daughter and found her mom’s hand with a squeeze.
“I know you’re not asleep yet,” he said.
“Hmm,” she said, a little too sleepily to be a complete fake.
“Fine. Tomorrow, but I’m telling you this: I won’t let you leave again, and if you sneak out, I’ll hunt you down, so don’t bother.”
“I don’t want to leave,” her words came out slowly, purposefully, and she squeezed his hand back before her breaths eased into little puffs that matched their daughter’s.
She didn’t want to leave . He repeated her words like a mantra as he joined them in dreamland.