Dylan's Redemption (32 page)

From that day on, she and Dylan committed themselves to each other. They spent every weekend at her home. For three months, every Friday night he and Will showed up for dinner, and they’d spend every moment together until Dylan and Will left again on Sunday evening. During the week, she and Dylan both worked and kept in touch. Dylan came by her work site and ate lunch with her. She still found sweet notes on her car in parking lots and flowers on her doorstep. In every little way, he let her know that although they weren’t together every night, he thought of her every day.

She worried about him and the work he did. He’d had to break up a few fights and stop some hairy domestic violence incidents. He always reassured her he was trained for his job and always careful. He reminded her he had a lot to live for, namely her and Will. Still, the gun strapped to his side constantly reminded her something could happen to him. The calls in the middle of the night asking him to come and help with a situation always put her on edge. He always came back in one piece, if a little banged up on occasion. She couldn’t help the worry. She loved him.

They’d talked about getting married. Both of them threw it into casual conversation, but they never made the commitment to move forward. She stalled, needing to be sure their new relationship carried them through the next fifty years. She told him time and again when she married him, it would be for life. He’d smile and tell her that’s all he wanted, a lifetime with her.

In little ways, she gave into the idea and the fear. Will’s furniture had been completed and ready for Dylan to take home. Instead, one weekend he and Will showed up and she’d led them upstairs to one of the bedrooms. She’d painted it during the week a soft wheat color and put Will’s new furniture in the room. She got him a red-bandana comforter and a wrought-iron lamp with a cowboy riding a bucking bronco. She made a toy chest for him to match his bedroom set. Each week when he came, more and more of his toys ended up staying in the chest. She bought him a few new ones. He was in heaven each time he came to stay and found a new toy on his bed. Dylan just smiled and told her she spoiled him. She told him too bad, and they’d laugh.

More and more often, Will slipped and called her Mommy. She and Dylan had agreed not to encourage him until they officially decided to get married. Life for them became a routine, one she liked. Lately, she grew more and more restless when they were gone during the week. The nights dragged with wanting Dylan in her arms, in her bed, with her always.

She wanted to ask Dylan to come and live with her.

He wanted the whole deal, marriage and more babies. The babies worried her. She didn’t want to lose another child, but she was even more afraid of not having Dylan and Will. She wanted more babies, and in the last week, she’d simply taken the condom out of Dylan’s hand and put it back on the nightstand. He never said a word. That cocky half grin of his said it all. He wanted another baby with her and willingly complied with her silent request.

Only a few weeks from completing the housing development, she planned a celebratory barbeque in the nearly finished park.

Today, she’d taken the day off to take care of Dylan’s birthday present. His birthday was a few days away and she wanted to make him something special. She drove to his office to pick up Will so he could help with her special project. It would be the first time she had Will to herself, and she looked forward to having him for the day. Dylan would join them for dinner and stay the weekend as usual.

She pulled into the sheriff’s office parking lot, but didn’t see Dylan’s car. She’d either beaten him to the office, or he was out on a call.

Several of the other officers waved to her as she came into the office. Dylan’s secretary, Lynn, typed furiously at her desk and she walked over.

“Hey, Lynn. Is Dylan out on a call?”

“Hi, honey. Yeah, he’ll be back soon.”

Jessie spotted Will with one of the officers. He waved at her and said, “Hi, Mommy.” She smiled, her heart tripping a bit, and waved back.

“That little munchkin is so excited about spending the day with you,” Lynn said cheerily.

“I’m looking forward to it myself.”

“You did a real kind thing, speaking to Mrs. Dobbs, trying to help her after her husband knocked her around again.”

“Dylan thought she might relate to me better than him.”

“She said you helped her. She’s staying with her sister over in the next town and might actually divorce her husband this time.”

“Is he still in jail?”

“He gets out in a few days. I hope she goes through with the divorce for her own good. Dylan asked Owen to talk to her about signing the divorce papers.”

“After what happened with Owen and Claire and the last divorce case he handled with domestic abuse, I’m surprised he’d agree. Still, Mrs. Dobbs is a nice woman. I hate to think of her staying with her husband, but it’s hard to break out of the mindset you caused the abuse somehow.”

Jessie looked at Will and thought about all she’d endured to get to this point. It hadn’t been an easy road, but she’d worked hard to make a good life for herself. Mrs. Dobbs had a long, hard road ahead of her.

“She’s strong. She can make it, and with help from her sister, she’ll do just fine. The first step is the hardest. It’s hard to break out of what you know and try something new,” Jessie explained.

Which made her think of marrying Dylan. So easy to try something new when it’s what you wanted more than anything.

“You did it. You’ve become a huge success. Those fancy houses you built are beautiful. I hear you designed a few of them yourself.”

“Thanks. I did.” Proud of herself, it was nice to have someone else recognize what she’d overcome and her accomplishments. “I made a life for myself because I had John Langley and his son, Greg, to help me. I was lucky.”

“I think Sheriff Dylan is the lucky one. The man has been downright happy since the two of you started seeing each other again. I know you all are trying to keep things quiet, but it’s nice to see the two of you together.” Lynn beamed an approving smile.

Dylan and Will made her happy. What was she waiting for? She needed to talk to Dylan about getting married. She’d surprise him and bring it up first this time. Tonight. No more stalling and waiting for something they already shared. Love.

“Did Dylan want me to wait for him before I take Will?”

“I’m not sure. He said you’d be here soon and were spending the day with Will. He’s been gone for a while now. Why don’t you just take him? I’ll tell the sheriff Will’s with you. He can call you if he needs you.”

“Okay. I’d really like to get back and get started. Will and I are making Dylan a birthday present.”

“I’ll bet he’ll like anything you make. I have my eye on a round side table over in your store.”

“Oh, yeah. Tell Andrea I said you can have it at a thirty percent discount.”

“You mean it?”

“Absolutely. You take such good care of Dylan when he’s here. You always make sure he gets out on time on Fridays. I appreciate it.”

“It’s no trouble. You young people need time together.”

Jessie touched Lynn’s hand lightly in affection and headed over to pick up Will. He sat, looking through a book of mug shots. “Come on, you little hoodlum, we have work to do.” She scooped him up and blew kisses on his neck and made him laugh. She grabbed his backpack and car seat before walking out the door. They drove to her house and went straight into her barn. Will loved being out there with her.

Boys and power tools
, she thought with a chuckle. Today, he’d get to help her use some of them to make a surprise for Dylan.

Chapter Thirty-Three

J
ESSIE THOUGHT IT
sweet Will felt at home. He went from room to room and played with his things. She’d put several snacks on a low shelf in the pantry for him so he could help himself, which he did often.

Dylan missed dinner with them. Will asked her half a dozen times when his father would be home. She’d tried calling Dylan, but his cell went straight to voicemail. She left him several messages. Something wasn’t right. Why didn’t he call her back?

“Will, do you want ice cream while we wait for your dad to get here?”

“No. I want Daddy. Where is he?”

No ice cream. Not a good sign. He yawned hugely on the sofa where they watched TV. He had a blanket over him and his little face rested on her thigh. She absently stroked his hair, worried too about Dylan’s silence and absence. He usually called to let her know if he had to work late. It wasn’t like him not to call, especially since she had Will. Something tingled up her spine, warning her something was wrong. All of a sudden, that feeling she’d had for hours grew beyond her capacity to hold it down. She picked up the cordless phone from beside her and called his office.

“Oh thank God, Lynn. I’ve called twice and couldn’t get through. I’m trying to find Dylan.”

“Didn’t they call you? I thought the hospital or one of the deputies would have called you by now. Oh, honey, I’m sorry.”

“Hospital? Why would the hospital call me? Where’s Dylan?”

“I’m so sorry, honey. He’s been in an accident. He was chasing down a drunk driver who decided to take a high-speed joyride. Dylan lost control of his car and crashed into a guardrail, and then a light pole.”

“Oh, no. No. Is he okay?”

“I’m not certain of his injuries. They took him to the hospital by ambulance just after three o’clock today.”

“Three o’clock? That was almost four hours ago. I’m going down there.”

Will climbed up on her lap and leaned against her with his head on her shoulder. Tears slipped down her face, and Will wiped her cheek with his palm.

“Don’t cry, Mommy.”

“It’s okay, sweetheart. We’re going to see Daddy.”

“I’ve been trying to get out of here myself,” Lynn went on. “This place has been a madhouse since the accident. Two deputies caught up with the suspect and brought him in. Another couple of deputies went to the hospital to be with Sheriff Dylan. I sent another to his parents’ home to notify them.”

“Why didn’t you notify me?” she snapped.

“I’m sorry, I thought the hospital called you and things have been crazy here.”

Lynn hadn’t meant to leave Jessie out of the loop. Things happened and she’d done her best to keep the office in some semblance of order. It was an oversight Jessie hadn’t been called, and one Jessie hoped never happened again. She’d make sure of it.

“There’s only a few people who know Dylan and I are seeing each other,” she said frantically. “I’m going down there. I’ll see you whenever you can manage to get out of the office.” She hung up and stood with Will still in her arms.

“Come on, buddy. We’re going for a ride.”

“Daddy got hurt?”

“Yes, honey. He did. He’s in the hospital and we need to make sure he’s okay.”

“Will you kiss his owie better?

“I’ll kiss him a million times when I see him.”

“Me too.” Will held her tighter, and she hugged him close. Both of them needed the comfort.

She strapped Will into his car seat in the Porsche and peeled out of her driveway. He asked a hundred times as she drove if his father would be okay. She tried her best to reassure him. She just didn’t know. She tried calling the hospital on her cell to get information. They wouldn’t give her any because she wasn’t family or his wife. She thought about calling back, lying and saying she was his wife, but she needed to concentrate on the road. She hoped the police didn’t pull her over and give her a ticket for speeding. She couldn’t afford the time it would take for them to issue the citation.

A couple of the sheriff department’s cars sat parked in the emergency parking lot when she pulled in. She got Will out of his seat. Carrying him in front of her, she ran into the emergency room desperate to see Dylan.

“I’m looking for Sheriff Dylan McBride. They brought him in several hours ago. Can you tell me where he is and if he’s okay?”

The nurse working the desk barely took the time to look at her before asking, “Are you family?”

“This is his son. I’m his girlfriend.” She hated having to use that term. She’d much rather be his wife. No one could stand between her and Dylan then. The thought of losing him and never being his wife hit her hard.

“They took him upstairs to the third floor about twenty minutes ago. A couple of officers went up with him along with his parents.”

“What is his condition?”

“I’m sorry, ma’am, I don’t know. Check in with the nurse’s station on three.”

Jessie took off for the elevator. “Let’s go find Daddy, Will.”

Concerned and nervous, she didn’t know what she’d find when she located Dylan. The elevator doors opened. Down the hall, the two officers entered the elevator at the other end of the hospital. She rushed to the nurse’s station and waited while the nurse finished a phone call.

“I’m looking for Sheriff Dylan McBride. Is he here? Is he okay?”

Someone came up behind her, and she turned. “I’m Dr. Tanner. Are you the sheriff’s wife?”

“No, she’s not,” Martha McBride snapped.

Dylan’s mother exited one of the rooms a few doors down from the nurse’s station.

“Is he okay? Is he hurt badly?”

Martha disregarded her concern and focused on Will. “What are you doing with Will?”

“Is Dylan okay? Please, just tell me if he’s okay.” Jessie walked to the room Martha exited. The doctor moved on to his next patient. Jessie’s gut twisted. No one would tell her about Dylan.

Martha blocked the door. “Stop. Jessie, you can’t go in there. Dylan needs to rest.”

Jessie glared at the woman who cost her and Dylan so much. “Dylan and I have been seeing each other for more than three months. I love him and he loves me. I just want to see he’s okay. Will wants to see his father.”

“Come to Grandma, Will. I’ll take you to see your dad.”

Will clung even tighter to Jessie, burying his face in her neck. “Mommy, let’s go see Daddy.”

“We are, baby.” Jessie took a step toward Martha, but she didn’t move. Dylan’s father, Robert, stepped into the hall and stood beside his wife, a wall, blocking her from entering the room. “Why are you doing this? I just want to make sure he’s okay.”