The Baby's Bodyguard (16 page)

E
than opened the car door. Charlie had already unbuckled his car seat and barreled through the open door toward Ethan’s mom. “Mimi!”

Janie screamed in her car seat on the other side of the car. “Out!”

“I’m coming. Cool your jets, Priss.” Kelsey, in jeans and a pretty white blouse, unbuckled her daughter and released her on the Clark family.

“Are you sure they’re ready for this?” she asked Ethan. Her long black hair blew in the breeze like a flag as she reached to the floorboard for the food. She turned just in time to see Ethan’s mom reach Charlie and Janie, enveloping them in a hug. And she laughed. “Never mind, I can see your mom is totally ready.”

Charlie gave Mimi a kiss on the cheek and then ran on to Marcus, slapping his hand in a manly high-five. “Jump on the trampoline, Marcus.”

Marcus picked up his small nephew and threw him over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. Charlie screamed with laughter as he jiggled across the yard.

A car pulled in behind them. Dave parked and got
out, coming around to open the door for Linda. She opened the back door and lifted out an infant car seat, covered with a pink blanket.

“Oh, the baby!” Kelsey started for the car, but Ethan got there first.

“Look how little she is—Charlie couldn’t stop talking all weekend about his new baby sister and how cute ‘her wittle ears are.’” Ethan took the cooler that Dave handed him out of the back seat.

“That’s really funny. The day we brought her home, he was pretty sure he wanted to send her back.” But Dave beamed, talking about his two kids.

Bethanne Clark walked toward them, balancing Janie on her hip. “I was beginning to wonder if you guys were going to make it.”

“Ethan had to do his hair,” Kelsey teased. “He was twenty minutes late picking me up.”

Bethanne shook her head. “He was always the one making us late for church. He used to press creases in his jeans.”

“Mom …”

“He was always the goody-goody, too. Never let us have any fun.” Matt came up behind Kelsey and grabbed his soon-to-be sister-in-law in a bear hug.

She grinned at Ethan. “Oh, I can totally believe that.”

“Thanks a lot, Matt.” Ethan snagged the hash brown potato casserole from midair before Matt could send it flying, too.

Matt kept his arm around Kelsey as they walked toward the backyard. Ethan pushed him away with one
hand and looped his arm around her waist. “Go hug your own woman.”

Matt shoved him back. “I think I will.”

“Hands to yourselves, boys,” Bethanne said, but she was smiling. “We’ve got a couple of tables set up for food and one really long table for us to sit at. I put a high chair at one end for this one.”

She nuzzled one of Janie’s cheeks and laughed out loud when Janie grabbed both of hers and gave her an open-mouthed smack. “I know. I love you too, Janie, you darling.”

Ethan could tell how happy his mom was to have them all here. It was the first time in a long time. There was a bittersweet pang—but he figured there always would be—that Amy wasn’t here. But today was about celebrating the living. Being thankful for what God has blessed you with. And he was thankful—so, so thankful.

His sister-in-law, Lara, the EMT, was standing guard as Marcus played popcorn on the trampoline with Charlie. Matt grabbed her from behind and kissed her on the neck—taking Ethan’s advice, he saw.

Ethan’s dad, Reid, was at the smoker, wearing an apron that said Big Turkey. Tyler, beside him, giving Dad pointers—which Dad was clearly ignoring—had a matching one that said Turkey in Training. Ethan rolled his eyes.

Pastor Jake and his wife, Chloe, were sitting with Gracie on a quilt under one of the big oak trees in the backyard. His mom hadn’t put Janie down yet, so
he grabbed Kelsey’s hand and pulled her over to Jake. “We’re ready when you are.”

Jake looked confused. “I thought we were going to wait until after the Thanksgiving meal.”

“We are.” Kelsey looked up at him. “We were?”

Ethan nodded. “I don’t want to wait.”

Tears formed once again in Kelsey’s eyes. Just when she thought she couldn’t be surprised by Ethan anymore, he showed another, deeper, more romantic side.

Jake shrugged. “Okay.” He lifted his fingers to his mouth and whistled. “Hey, everyone, come over here for a minute.”

The entire group, even Ethan’s dad, in his Big Turkey apron, gathered around. Jake spoke first. “Ethan and Kelsey asked me to join you today because all of you are the most important people in their lives. And they would like you to be witnesses as they are joined in marriage.”

Ethan’s mom gasped. Marcus laughed.

They stood under the ancient oak tree that had thrived in the sandy soil, through years of drought and years of plenty, surviving hurricanes and tropical storms. Somehow it seemed fitting that here was where they would be saying their vows.

Jake began the vows, but didn’t get far before they were interrupted.

“Mama!” Janie yelled from Bethanne’s arms.

Kelsey laughed. She was a mama, now, and the children were a part of their lives. She looked at Ethan and shrugged. He smiled into her eyes and took Janie from his mom, hitching her high onto one arm.

He reached for Kelsey’s hand again. Jake continued, but another little voice cut through.

“Dad?” Charlie’s voice piped up from the back of the group, where Marcus had him on his shoulders so he could see. “Hey, Dad! Marcus says you’re getting married.”

Ethan laughed and jerked his head. Marcus put Charlie on the ground and he ran for them. Kelsey picked him up and they stood, the four of them, Ethan’s arms encircling her and their children as they finished their vows and exchanged the rings.

With the dapply light shining on them through the leaves of the old oak tree, and their family all around them, Kelsey’s heart was so full. It was perfect.

Pastor Jake smiled and spoke louder. “Now that Kelsey and Ethan have given themselves each to the other and have declared the same by the joining of hands and the giving of rings, I pronounce them husband and wife. Ethan?”

Kelsey didn’t wait for permission. She gave Ethan a smacking kiss, sending his three brothers into gales of laughter and whooping high-fives.

Ethan laughed. “I’ve been waiting for that part all day.”

He wrapped his free arm around her and pulled her closer so he could whisper in her ear. “Forever can’t start soon enough for me.”

Questions for Discussion

1. What would you think if you found a baby in an unlikely place?

2. How did Ethan respond to the grief when he lost his wife?

3. Why do you think guilt was a factor in Ethan’s grief?

4. Ethan’s brother thinks he might be invested in saving Kelsey and Janie because he’s trying for a do-over. What do you think his motivation is?

5. How does Kelsey respond differently (than Ethan) to the loss of her parents?

6. What are some of Kelsey’s qualities that draw Ethan to her, despite the tense situation?

7. What are some of Ethan’s qualities that draw Kelsey to him?

8. Loyalty and betrayal both play a part in this story. Who are the characters that embody these traits? Why?

9. Why do you think it takes Kelsey so long to tell Ethan about her village being destroyed?

10. Ethan worries about meeting the couple who has been his son’s parents for the past two years. How do they put him at ease?

11. Ethan tells Kelsey that he’s afraid of love, of uncertainty. Do you think he was right to take the time to think?

12. Kelsey tells Ethan that he’s wrong—God has much bigger plans for them. Do you think sometimes God has plans for us and we think too small? How?

13. Ethan comes back to Kelsey with his heart in his hands. Have you ever had someone come to you asking for forgiveness? How did you respond? How do you think God wants us to respond?

ISBN: 978-1-408-95140-8

The Baby’s Bodyguard

© Stephanie Newton 2011

First Published in Great Britain in 2011
Harlequin (UK) Limited
Eton House, 18-24 Paradise Road, Richmond, Surrey TW9 1SR

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