Jobe: Alvarez Security Series (33 page)
Outside of the
hospital, Tank slid on his sunglasses just before climbing into the large, black SUV. The driver glanced at his passenger carefully before saying, “You ready, Cam?”
Tank nodded silently as the vehicle pulled into traffic. Several minutes passed before he spoke. “Yeah, time to make a change.”
Jack Bryant just nodded.
*
Shane stayed in
the hospital for just a few more minutes, updating Mackenna and Jobe on the latest. With preliminary information from Tank and Paulina, Tito’s gun running operation was going to be shut down. He had not been arrested yet, but indictments would be coming.
“From what Tank had seen, Gabby was Tito’s greatest downfall,” Shane said, much to the surprise of Mackenna. “He hated that she left, but must’ve really had feelings for her—enough that the others were questioning some of his judgements. It’s true that he wanted you out of the way, but he wanted Gabby back with him.”
Shane left soon, letting Mackenna know that once she was out of the woods they would question her about the events of the previous night.
The sun was just rising as Penny, Rachel, and Joseph tiptoed quietly into the room. Jobe lifted his head from its position on her bed, giving a tired smile to their parents. Standing, he moved over to offer hugs to all of them, then took Penny by the arm leading her to her daughter’s side.
Mackenna’s eyes fluttered open and she smiled seeing her mother’s face. “Mom, I’m fine,” she assured as Penny leaned down to hold her.
After a few minutes, the parents left, with Rachel’s vows of filling their refrigerator with food so that Mackenna would not have to cook.
Jobe watched Mackenna as his mother left, whispering, “You know what that means, doll? She’ll bring enough to feed an army.”
Giggling, Mackenna laughed. After a moment she sobered, looking at the monitors. “Everything still okay?”
“Yeah, babe. Your blood pressure’s back down and listen,” he said, encouragingly.
Swish, swish, swish.
Her expression gentled into a smile as she heard the baby’s heartbeat. Settling back against the pillows, she asked, “When can I go home?”
“Soon, the last nurse who came in said.” He brushed her hair back from her pale face, the dark shadows underneath her eyes stark in contrast. “Try to rest some more.”
As soon as the words left his mouth, their room quickly filled with friends as Sherrie, Tony, Gabe, Jennifer, Vinny, and Annalissa came in. The women rushed to her bedside as the men moved over to Jobe.
“Good shot last night,” Gabe said to Jobe, referring to his kill shot to Jazzie.
Jobe glanced over at Vinny, addressing him with a nod. “Thanks for letting me get that one. And for taking out that other asshole.”
Turning to Tony, he asked, “Any problems?”
Shaking his head, he replied, “Nope. We had the police with us. Clear evidence. We’re good.”
The four brothers shared a look, no words needed.
Epilogue
(6 months later)
“C
ome on, doll.
You’re doing great,” Jobe encouraged, trying to ignore Mackenna’s glare. She panted through the contractions, anxiety mixed with hope spurring her on. Her thick mane of hair had been trimmed in layers around her shoulders and was currently pulled back with a headband, keeping the damp tresses from falling in her face. Jobe used a cool, moist washcloth to wipe her brow as her body relaxed. The epidural was easing her pain, but she was exhausted.
She looked into his face, as familiar as gazing into a mirror. His handsome features along with two days of stubble, piercing but tired eyes, had her smiling in spite of the exhaustion. Unlike Jennifer, who had only been in labor for about six hours before delivering a healthy boy, Mackenna was going on almost eighteen hours.
“I don’t know how much longer I can keep this up,” she confessed, tears in her eyes.
Before Jobe could call the doctor again, he appeared and checked her once more. The obstetrician’s jovial manner had Mackenna wanting to punch him, but one hand gripped the bed sheet while the other clung to Jobe’s instead.
“Looks like we’re about ready to start pushing, little lady,” he said with a smile, nodding to the nurse in the room who began moving equipment around.
Jobe saw Mackenna’s glare turn murderous at the name
little lady
, and he could only smile, thinking that his tiger was about to show her fangs. Leaning down, he whispered, “Good thing you don’t have any sport’s equipment handy or I’d be afraid for the doctor’s safety.”
Her eyes jumped to his and she could not help but grin. For her birthday, he had given her a beautiful, silver charm bracelet with her first charm being of an envelope. Together, they had burned the old letters, choosing to not to be defined by their past, but by their future. The tiny, silver envelope charm was the perfect reminder of their earlier years. She had been even more surprised when Gabe and Jennifer gifted her with a silver charm in the shape of a baseball bat, followed by a tennis racket charm from Vinny and Annalissa.
After the events of that night, the New Beginnings Center moved to the new location and had not been bothered by gangs again. They had had eleven more women graduate from their program and were getting recognized at the local and state level as a premier facility for their purpose.
Gabby had given birth to a little girl, whom she was raising on her own. Tito was in prison and Gabby was determined to raise her daughter in a way that would keep the allure of gang life from her. Even hearing that Tito truly had feelings for her, she had her own life…and the life of her baby…to focus on.
Rose had been in secret arrangements with a local church to take on the women in educational programs including child care. She had explained her phone calls to Mackenna after that night, saying that she had hoped to have a big surprise waiting for her when the new center opened. The extra help was welcome and new business partnerships had been created.
Mackenna, true to her vision, had resigned as the center’s administrator and become the counselor only. She loved continuing her work and spent a lot of time in the local high schools reaching out to girls before they took the fateful step toward gangs.
Her mother had continued to thrive in her rehabilitation, her speech almost perfect and her left side much more functional. She, along with Rachel and Joseph, were outside in the family waiting room, eagerly awaiting her first grandchild.
And now, it was time to push. At this point, Mackenna’s body took over and with Jobe by her side, they welcomed their baby girl into the world.
*
(Years later)
The Alvarez picnic
was in full swing, the area overrun with good friends. BJ’s son had commandeered the playground’s fort, along with Shane, Tony, and Gabe’s sons. Matt’s two girls played on the swings with Shane, BJ, and Vinny’s daughters. Jobe’s daughter was trying to attack the fort, much to the consternation of the boys.
When the boys tried to push her down, she roared a war cry, swinging a plastic baseball bat before the men could intervene. Tony and BJ continued to man the grills while the others refereed the children.
Mackenna rolled her eyes at her daughter’s antics, saying, “I wish she would learn a little diplomacy instead of swinging a bat.”
“She’s just like her momma,” Jennifer quipped, as Sherrie and Annalissa nodded.
The other women laughed as they continued to set out the food, waiting for the meat to finish grilling. As food was finally passed around, good friends joined in the conversation, comfortable in the intimacy of the group.
Each adult, in their turn, reflected on the years that had passed. Their career paths, old friends and new friends, and life as it evolved.
Makenna snuggled closer to Jobe on the picnic table bench, her small son in her lap as she watched her daughter play with the others. This was the dream she had had so many years ago—life with this man. She felt his warm breath on her neck, as he kissed her shoulder.
Jobe’s arms wrapped around her as he settled her deeper into his embrace. Like the others there, he managed to keep up with the conversation and keep one eye on the children playing games in the grass.
Nothing like having children to make you feel like you’ve lost all control
.
Control—no longer a word that he had to live by…or live for. Life moved along at its own pace and as long as it was filled with friends and family, he was good with that.
Kissing the top of his wife’s head again, he smiled down at her as she twisted around to gaze into his face. The beautiful face that he once tossed aside out of fear was now his to admire every morning. He had to agree with something that Penny had once told them. Sometimes, love has to find its own way.
The End
Maryann Jordan
I am an avid reader of romance novels, often joking that I cut my teeth on the old bodice rippers. I have been reading and reviewing for years. In 2013, I created a blog, Lost in Romance Books, to promote and showcase indie authors. In 2014, I finally gave into the characters in my head, screaming for their story to be told. From these musings, my first novel, Emma’s Home, The Fairfield Series was born.
I recently retired as a high school counselor having worked in education for thirty years. I live in Virginia, having also lived in four states and two foreign countries. I have been married to a wonderfully patient man for thirty-four years and am the mother of two adult daughters. When writing, my dog or one of my four cats can generally be found in the same room if not on my lap.
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Laurie’s Time
Beautiful Laurie Dodd was perfectly happy with her life. Raised by her loving aunt, she was ready to discover life out on her own. A new town, a new teaching job, a new apartment, and new friends. Finding a new man was not on her list, especially not one with the reputation of a player.
Rob McDonald, a local firefighter, had grown tired of one-night stands, but had no desire to be paired with the new woman in town. Until he met her. One look was all it took and Rob knew that Laurie was the one for him, but he was going to have to work to convince her that he was a changed man. One that was worthy of her.
A fire at the elementary school brought them together, but illness and deceit threatened to tear them apart.
Will Rob be able to find the missing pieces of Laurie’s past to help her fight for her future?
Will Laurie be able to forgive Rob’s deceit in order to have a future with him?
Beautiful Emma Dodd has always taken care of everyone. She raised her niece when they were orphaned and she cares for the students that she counsels. Deciding to move to Fairfield where her niece now lives, she was hoping to finally find a place to call home.
Jake Campbell, was gorgeous enough to catch any woman’s eye, but he had a hard time finding the right one for him. A Fairfield detective, he lives with his mother to help care for her since she was diagnosed with a debilitating disease.
After meeting Emma, he knows he has met the woman of his dreams. Now he just has to convince the independent Emma that it is time someone took care of her.
