The Baby Bond (23 page)

“Nic.” She twisted her hands again. “I love you.”

Yeah, yeah, she’d said that before. “You said love wasn’t enough.”

“Maybe it’s not.”

“Right.” He took a step away from her.

Cassidy moved forward. “Hear me out, please. I’ve only got so much throat left.”

The raspy words reminded him of their night’s work. Chastened, he said, “Are you all right? What did the doctors say?”

She waved him off. “Stop it, Nic. Let me say this. I love you. I love everything about you. Tonight when I thought you might die, I…”

Tears sprang to her eyes. She turned her head, trying to hide them.

That’s all it took. Nic crossed the space between them in one second flat to cup her face. “You came in after me. Why? Why did you do such a foolish thing?”

Her hot tears fell onto his fingers. She lifted her chin. “Because I love you. I need you in my life. Alex needs you.”

Though he’d kick himself tomorrow, Nic tilted her head
and kissed the tears from her cheeks. “You are the most confusing woman but I love you anyway. I just wish…”

“What?” she whispered. “What do you wish?”

“I wish you weren’t afraid. I wish you could accept me for the man I am. I wish we could be together.” He dropped his hand, furious at the ache in his voice. She’d already made herself clear on the topic.

“Nic, that’s what I’m trying to tell you.” She grabbed his hand and held on tight. “Tonight something happened to me inside that house. I felt God’s presence in a way I can’t explain. And as I stumbled through the smoke, praying for you, begging God to spare your life, I realized something very important.”

“What was it?”

“I’m not afraid anymore. Inside that house, the most perfect peace settled over me. For the first time since I was a little girl, I knew I could trust God with my life. And with my love. He sent you along to teach me that and to set me free.”

Nic was so stunned he couldn’t speak.

Cassidy’s beautiful, smudged face twisted in worry. “Can you forgive me? Can we start again? Please say I’m not too late.”

All he could think of was, “This is a dream. I should lie down.”

Cassidy moved closer. Sliding her arms around his waist, she stared up into his face. His heart chugged like a steam engine. Her blue, blue eyes melted him, boring into him, making promises he wanted her to keep. He knew then, knew without a shadow of a doubt, that Cassidy meant exactly what she said.

But he had to hear her say it. “You choose me? Fire helmet and all?”

She nodded. “I do, if you’ll have me.”

As if the weight of the earth had been lifted from his shoulders, Nic closed his eyes and rejoiced. “I love you, Cassidy.”

Her eyes twinkled up at him. “More than Mandy and Rachel and all those others?”

He did his best to appear obtuse. “Who?”

She tiptoed up and bit his chin. “You heard me.”

“Ouch. Wicked woman.” Then all frivolity disappeared. “I’ve been looking for you all my life.”

“Same here,” she murmured. This time she kissed his chin.

“Much better.” He smiled into her eyes. “But higher would be stupendously better.”

Cassidy’s beautiful mouth curved and moved closer. “I think,” she whispered, “that’s an excellent idea.”

F
ire Station One seemed unusually quiet as Cassidy pulled into the visitor’s parking space, unharnessed Alex and went inside. She stopped in the doorway to listen. Cool air rushed at her, but the usual bustle and murmur of men at work was missing.

Rounding the small kitchen/living area, she headed down the hall past the offices and out toward the truck bay. Three trucks—the engine, the brush pumper and the air truck—were parked side by side as always, gleaming clean and ready to roll at the sound of an alarm. As she approached the double glass door leading out into the bay, a firefighter disappeared between the engine and brush pumper.

In the two months since the fire, Cassidy had found a new freedom as well as newfound happiness. Facing her fears head-on, she now visited the fire station to share lunch with Nic every time he was on duty. Though the other firefighters teased him about losing all his other girlfriends, Nic didn’t seem to mind. The more she learned about him and about his selfless work, the more she fell in love with Nic Carano. He was no longer Notorious Nic, the shallow ladies’ man with no substance.

“Nic?” The heels of her sandals sounded hollow in the cavernous bay. “Sam?”

As if he’d been waiting for her voice, Sam Ridge appeared from the space between the two trucks. His expressionless face looked darker than usual. Was the man blushing? “Nic’s over here. Come on around.”

Those were more words than she’d ever heard the Kiowa say at once. Hoisting a babbling, bouncing Alex higher on one hip, Cassidy followed Sam’s order.

As she rounded the front of the massive truck, the sight stopped her in her tracks. A dozen firefighters, a smattering of her and Nic’s friends, the Carano family and even her grandmother stood around a white linen–covered table.

Bewildered, Cassidy looked at the grinning faces. “What’s going on?”

Nic, looking crisp and handsome in dress blues, stepped from behind the gathering and strode toward her. The
tap-tap
of his black shoes matched the rhythm of her heart. Intensely dark eyes latched onto hers and wouldn’t let go. She knew him well enough to see his nerves, though others wouldn’t notice the rapid rise and fall of his chest or the way his nostrils flared the tiniest bit.

“Nic?” What was going on?

He took Alex from her arms, handing the baby off to his sister. Then he shocked her silent when he took her hand and dropped to one knee.

“Cassidy Luanne Willis.” He stopped and cleared his throat. Someone—Adam, she thought—chuckled. “When God brought you into my life, I was a mess. I didn’t know it, but I was. I’d been running from God, running from my family.” One shoulder rose and fell. “Just running in general, like a lost pup. Then you and Alex came along and suddenly the whole world took on new meaning.”

Cassidy touched his cheek with trembling fingers. She smiled, felt her lips trembling, too, and her eyes growing moist. Was he about to propose? Here? In front of all these people?

She opened her mouth to speak but closed it again when Nic reached into his pocket and removed a black velvet ring box. When he flipped up the lid, Cassidy gasped at the stunning engagement ring inside.

“I love you, Cassidy. And I love that little boy over there. What I’m trying to say is this.” His fingers shook as he removed the diamond solitaire. “Will you marry me? Will you do me the honor of being my wife?”

He slid the ring onto her third finger. Cassidy stared at her hand in stunned joy and then at the man she loved with everything inside her.

She didn’t hesitate a second.

“Yes!” she screamed. “Yes!”

Her knees gave way then and she tumbled down, falling against Nic’s sturdy form. His strong, firefighter arms circled around her, holding her safe. She could feel him trembling, too, and was humbled by the power and beauty of his love.

The tears she’d been holding back fell like rain. She buried her face in Nic’s shoulder and sobbed.

In the next moment, they were surrounded by well-wishers. Voices rose and fell in laughter and congratulations. Cameras flashed.

With Nic’s hand rubbing soothing circles on her back and his amused voice whispering sweet things in her ear, Cassidy finally hiccuped away the joyful sobs. Together they stood, Nic’s arm firmly around her waist, snugging her to his side, right where she wanted to be.

He leaned to whisper against her hair. “I love you. Do you like my surprise?”

Through a watery smile she beamed up at him. “I love your surprise. But I love you more.”

He patted his chest twice. “That’s what I’m talking about right there. Come on. There’s cake.”

“From Carano’s Bakery?”

“Where else? The best Italian cream cake on the planet.”

Cassidy groaned in mock dismay. “I’ll never fit into a wedding dress.”

Her grandmother, dressed in pumps and a blue business suit, approached with her usual no-nonsense bossiness. “Cassidy, we need to talk.”

Cassidy fought not to let the woman ruin her wonderful engagement party.

“Thank you for being here, Grandmother,” she said, hoping to circumvent any unpleasant remarks. “It means a lot to me.”

“Of course I’d be here. You’re my only granddaughter.” Eleanor sniffed and Cassidy was astonished to see tears glistening in her eyes. “Apparently this young man loves you. He seems to be solvent, a man of character, and he’s gone to a great deal of trouble to make this surprise engagement party work. You’ll do well with him.”

Cassidy was too stunned for words. Grandmother approved? She had never approved of anything Cassidy did. Cassidy turned her head the slightest bit to stare at Nic in wonder. Amusement twinkled from his eyes. He winked. Somehow he’d worked his charm on Eleanor Bassett.

“Now,” Grandmother said, returning the attention to herself. “The two of you need to adopt Alex. A child needs two parents. I’ve already discussed the issue with my attorney. He’ll take care of everything, paid in full. Just call him.”

Though barely able to believe her ears, Cassidy was deeply touched. For once, Grandmother’s bossiness did not offend. “Thank you, Grandmother. This means more than I can say.”

“Well.” Awkwardly, Eleanor patted her on the shoulder. “I think I’ll have some punch.”

With the regal posture of a queen, she moved toward the table where Captain Summers dipped golden punch into clear cups and Gabe Carano slid sandwiches onto paper plates. Next to him, his wife cut perfect slivers of Italian cream cake. Nic’s father, Leo, captured all the proceedings on video, his balding head shiny with perspiration.

“I thought about pizza,” Nic said.

“This is perfect. Perfect.”

“Yeah,” he said happily. “I think so, too.”

He led her to the circle of folding chairs where several children, women and firefighters were gathered. He bent to kiss his mother on the cheek. “Doing okay?”

Although dark circles rimmed the eyes so like her son’s, Rosalie touched Nic’s cheek and beamed. “Happiest day I’ve had in months.”

The words were true and a painful reminder that the Carano family faced struggles of their own. Yet, their faith and love sustained them. Cassidy vowed to remember and to continue that legacy in her own family. Hers and Nic’s.

“Come on, you two, kiss for the camera.” Nic’s brother Adam pointed a digital in their direction.

Nic laughed and pumped his dark eyebrows. “I can handle that.”

As he bent to kiss her, the fire alarm began to wail. Nic jerked upright. The other firefighters were already in motion, running toward the engine.

“Sorry, sweetheart. I gotta go.” He kissed her nose.

“I know. It’s fine. Go.” And she told the truth. Fear no longer ruled her life. “I’ll be here when you return.”

He hesitated, fingers on her face. “You’re really okay?”

She smiled, heart full. “I really am.”

He stared at her for one more second. “I love you.”

“And I love you with everything I am and all that I’ll ever have. You are my hero.”

“You’re mine, too,” he whispered, bending to press his lips to hers. Though the kiss was brief, she felt the love all the way to her toes.

As she watched her firefighter dive into the open door of the truck, heard the doors slam and watched the shiny red engine roll into traffic, horns and lights blaring, a beautiful, joyous peace flowed over her. God never promised that life would be without heartache but He’d promised to always be there to comfort, love and heal.

With His help, Cassidy had walked through the fire and come out stronger. She fully trusted that her hero would always do the same.

An arm went around her shoulders from the left, and then another from the right. She looked up to find herself bracketed by Adam and Gabe. In the next instant, she was surrounded by Caranos, stalwart and faithful and supportive.

Struck with awe, Cassidy could almost hear God whispering in her ear.

For as long as she could remember, she’d longed for a big loving family. Now, here they were, full of smiles and laughter and love, eager to welcome her into the fold.

Dear Reader,

Ideas for books come about in a variety of ways. Sometimes I get an idea from an incident in real life or from a song or a single turn of phrase that tickles my fancy. Sometimes an idea arrives like a gift. This is what happened to me with
The Baby Bond
. About the same time I began brainstorming ideas for my next Love Inspired, my grandson was born. A few days after Noah’s birth, my son sent a photo of the new baby. Since my son, the baby’s daddy, is a firefighter, the photographer had the brilliant notion to place the newborn inside my son’s upturned helmet. The moment I saw that precious photo that spoke of the love of a firefighter for a baby boy, the wheels began to turn inside my head. What if a firefighter fell in love with an orphaned baby he rescued from a burning house? In a short time, the idea for
The Baby Bond
came to be.

I truly hope you’ve enjoyed the story. I love hearing from readers so feel free to write me c/o Steeple Hill, 233 Broadway, Suite 1001, New York, NY 10279 or through my Web site at www.lindagoodnight.com

Warmly,