Guarding the Babies Read online

He tightened his grip on his gun. “I can’t let you do that, Holly.”

  “Yes, you can. Just step aside. I don’t want you to get hurt.”

  “Holly...” he began.

  Before he could finish, she glanced up at Willie. “Let’s go.”

  A mocking smile pulled at his lips. He glanced at Julie. “Okay. Let’s go.”

  As he turned to speak, Holly felt the gun pull away from her head a few inches and his arm around her waist loosen. Taking a deep breath, she threw her hands up and sank her fingernails into whatever they could reach. Willie screamed out in pain and released her completely, his hands flying up to protect his face. Seizing the opening, she twisted around and kneed him in the groin.

  He staggered backward, his gun aimed at her. “You’ll pay for that!”

  Before he could fire, a bullet whizzed past her, and Willie fell to the floor. The SWAT team members zeroed their guns in on Julie and Willie’s henchman, who raised their hands in defeat. Holly’s legs weakened, and she felt herself sinking toward the floor.

  Before she could, Cole’s two strong arms caught her and pulled her against him. She’d held back the tears ever since she’d been taken, but she couldn’t any longer. She turned her face into his chest and sobbed hysterically.

  She saw the officers around her taking Julie and the other gunman out in handcuffs, but she couldn’t look up at them. She heard another officer calling for ambulances, but she only snuggled closer to Cole.

  After a few minutes, her sobs began to subside, and she pulled back to stare up at him. “I can’t believe you found us.”

  He looked down at her with love in his eyes. “I’ll always find you, Holly. You’re a part of me, and I don’t want to ever lose you.”

  At that moment, two officers walked in the door. One held Ethan, and the other had Emma. When they saw Holly, they began to cry and reach for her. Holly pushed to her feet and grabbed Ethan while Cole took Emma. After she had finished showering Ethan with kisses, she exchanged babies with Cole and did the same thing with Emma.

  “I think we should get them home,” Cole said, and she nodded.

  They stepped outside, and Holly realized night had fallen. It had only been a few hours ago that they were playing in the park, but it seemed like a lifetime had passed. Although she’d never given up hope that they’d survive their ordeal, at times it had proved to be trying.

  She looked up at the sky and stared at the stars, then let her gaze drift over Cole and her two babies. The three people that she loved the most, and they were all here together tonight. Thank You, God, she prayed, for keeping us safe and bringing us all back together.

  Two hours later, Holly relaxed in the den of her house and thought back over all that had happened today. Mandy and Mrs. Green had hovered over all three of them since Cole brought them home, but now the house seemed quiet. The babies had been fed and were asleep in their own beds. Although they’d endured an exhausting day, Emma and Ethan didn’t appear to have suffered any ill effects from it.

  She wasn’t so sure about herself, however. She doubted if she would ever get over the fear she’d felt when she thought Ethan and Emma were about to be taken away from her. Eventually, she was going to have to make herself stop being so overly protective of them. She had already been upstairs three times since they went to sleep, checking on them. Maybe in time she would relax some.

  She glanced at her watch and wondered what was keeping Cole. He’d left shortly after bringing them home and gone back to his office. He wanted to be there to question and book Julie, the helicopter pilot and Willie’s sidekick. Then he said he would go by the hospital. She’d wanted to go with him to visit Todd, Ray, Dan and Stephen, but a call to the doctor had informed her that all four were doing well and she could visit tomorrow.

  Although Willie and Richmond, along with the men they’d hired, had been shot, none of them had died and they were all receiving treatment. She hoped they lived, so they could answer to the charges that were waiting to descend on them. When it came time for their trials, she intended to be in the courtroom every day.

  Tonight, she had two of the other security team members on duty, but she felt it might no longer be necessary. The danger had passed, but Cole had insisted they stay. He’d warned her that you never could tell what some fan might do after learning of her ordeal. He didn’t think she’d like to have a stranger suddenly appear at her house. She had to admit she agreed with him.

  She was jerked from her thoughts by the opening and closing of the front door. Cole walked into the room, and his eyes locked on her. He looked tired, but the smile on his face told her that he was glad to be back. She stood and waited for him to reach her. When he did, he let his gaze drift over her face. His Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed, and she saw a sheen of moisture in his eyes.

  He reached up and let his thumb rub across her lips. “I was afraid I might never see you again.” The words were laced with fear and dread.

  “I felt the same about you,” she said. “And yet somehow I knew you’d find us, and you did. How did you do that?”

  He sighed, took her hands in his and pulled her down to the sofa. “It’s a long story.”

  For the next few minutes he told her everything that had happened to him today from the time he received Teresa Wilson’s autopsy report until he’d visited the hospital—just before coming back to her house—to see how all the wounded were doing. “Dan is doing great, and I talked with Todd and Ray. They all said they’d be back to work soon, and Stephen said he hoped you could finish the interview sometime.”

  She laughed and nodded. “My manager is already taking care of that. The network wanted to reschedule, so they could include all the facts about how we were abducted trying to do the interview. I’m sure they’re wanting to garner some high ratings with the story.”

  “I don’t care about their ratings,” Cole said. “I’m just glad you’re all back safely.”

  “Me, too.”

  He still held her hands, and he looked down at them as he rubbed his thumb over her knuckles. “When I was telling you about what happened today, I didn’t mention your voice mail.”

  “I noticed that.”

  He took a deep breath. “I kept putting off listening to it, because I didn’t want to hear you say goodbye. Finally, I listened, and I had just finished when I learned you and the twins had been kidnapped. After that, things got a little crazy.”

  Her heart had begun to pound, because she couldn’t tell what he was going to say next. “Holly, you said that one word from me would make you change your mind about leaving. Did you mean it?”

  “I did.”

  He took a deep breath. “Then I know what I want to say.”

  “What is it?”

  He inched closer to her, put his arms around her and pulled her close so that his lips hovered over hers. “Stay,” he whispered. “That’s my one word. What do you say?”

  She looped her arms around his neck and smiled. “Okay.”

  Then she pulled his head down and crushed his lips against hers.

  * * *

  Cole had thought he’d sleep late after the exhausting roller coaster he’d had yesterday. But to his surprise, as soon as it was morning, he’d jumped up out of bed, excited about what this new day held. Something had happened last night that he thought never would. Holly had come back to him. Now there were decisions to be made, the most important one being how they were going to merge their two lifestyles into one. They needed to talk right away.

  After showering and eating breakfast, he drove to Holly’s house. When he pulled up, he didn’t see any of the security team but thought they must be inside. Whistling with happiness, he bounded up the steps to the porch and pounded on the door.

  The door opened, and Holly stood there, a smile on her face. “What are you doing knocking?”

  He gla
nced around again for one of the security team. “I’m used to your team checking me out before they let me through the door. When I didn’t see anybody outside, I thought they must all be indoors, and didn’t want to come barging in.”

  “I gave them the day off,” she said as she opened the door wider.

  He stepped inside and turned to frown at her. “You gave them the day off? Don’t you think that’s a bit reckless?”

  She shook her head. “Nothing can happen that’s worse than yesterday. I just needed to feel free for a while.” She turned and headed to the den with him behind. When they were settled on the sofa, she scooted closer and kissed him on the cheek. “I didn’t expect you this morning. I thought you probably had a lot of work to do at the office.”

  “I do. We’ve got to get all the charges filed against Julie and her team of murderers, but I thought we needed to talk first.”

  “About what?”

  He cleared his throat and stood up. He paced across the floor, then turned and walked back over to her. “Holly, I love you. I always have, and I always will. You say you want to stay here, but I’m afraid you’ll change your mind. I don’t think I could stand to see you grow to resent me because I took your life away.”

  She smiled and held out her hand. “Come here, Cole.” He walked back and sat down beside her. “What you don’t understand is that I haven’t had a life for the last ten years. I gave up everything that I needed to make me happy when I walked away from you. I’ve had an existence, and it’s been like a dream. I’ve given myself and my music to my fans, but my life has been empty. I know now that I want some peace, and I want it here with you and the twins.”

  “I want that, too, Holly. I want to marry you, and I want us to adopt the twins. I just want to make sure that’s what you want.”

  She leaned closer. “It is.”

  “Then what are you going to do? How can you continue your career from Jackson Springs?”

  “I’ve thought that through, too. After I heard Jason’s band play, I started thinking about how many talented young musicians are trying to break into the business. All they need is someone to give them a helping hand. I want to be that person.”

  “How do you plan to do that?”

  She took a deep breath. “Well, I’m committed to a tour for the next six months, and I want to honor that promise. A lot of people in different cities have already bought their tickets, and I don’t want to disappoint my fans. Are you all right with that?”

  “Of course. But after the tour, what then?”

  “I want to settle down here and build a performance center. I’d like to showcase emerging artists and talented performers who are trying to get noticed, as well as doing guest performances myself. I’d also like to book some established artists to perform off and on. I think, with all the tourists that this area attracts, I could make a go of it.”

  A stunned look crossed his face. “That sounds wonderful. So you’d go on tour for the next six months, and then you’d come back and marry me?”

  She shook her head and then smiled at the surprised look on his face. “Even though I’ll be touring, I’ll still have open dates when I can come home. I’d like for us to get married now and for you and the new nanny to be here taking care of the twins until I can be back for good. What do you think? Do you want to take on a wife and a ready-made family right now?”

  A big grin covered his face, and he pulled her close. “That sounds like a plan to me. When is this wedding taking place?”

  She bit down on her lip and tilted her head to one side. “I have to be in Nashville the end of next week. That gives us about five days. I think we better tie the knot right away if we’re going to have any time for a honeymoon.”

  “I like the way you think,” he said as his lips descended on hers.

  Holly wrapped her arms around his neck and returned his kiss. Her heart that had once felt like stone now pulsed with a rhythm that told her God had indeed restored it with a heart of flesh that would beat for the rest of her life for this man—the only one she had ever loved.

  EPILOGUE

  A year later

  Holly sat next to her husband in the small church they attended and smiled when he reached over and covered her hand with his. As they waited for the service to begin, her thoughts drifted back to how different life was now than when she’d first come back to Jackson Springs a year ago.

  The performance center was nearing completion, and the opening celebration was planned for next month. The list of performers coming sounded like a who’s who of country-music celebrities, and she was thankful for their willingness to participate. When she’d made her plans public, she’d braced herself for criticism, but instead she had received a lot of support. Many praised her for dedicating her efforts to preserving the country-music heritage.

  It wasn’t just the performance center itself that made her happy, though. It was being able to come home every day and find two toddlers waiting for her and a husband who loved all of them. She’d never felt so complete as she did now. Cole’s love had given her a new outlook, and she would always be thankful they’d been able to reconcile their differences. Their life was one of harmony, peace and love.

  Cole leaned over and whispered in her ear. “What are you thinking about?”

  She smiled and squeezed his hand. “About how far we’ve come in the past year.”

  His gaze raked over her face. “And it’s all been good.”

  “Yes, it has.”

  He swiveled in the seat to face her and frowned. “I can’t help but wonder if we should have brought the children. I hated leaving them behind today.”

  She laughed and swatted at his arm. “Don’t be ridiculous. They had no business being here today. Besides, Lisa, the new nanny, had a fun afternoon planned for them.”

  He picked her hand up and kissed it. “You’re a wonderful mother to those kids.”

  “And you’re a wonderful father.”

  He gazed at her. “The happiest day of my life was when we stood before that justice of the peace at the courthouse and got married. The second happiest day was when we went back there to finalize the adoption. That building has become one of my favorite places.”

  She laughed and then turned her head to stare at the front of the church. “I think they’re ready to get started.”

  The whispered chattering of the congregation grew silent as the first chords of soft music swelled from the organ. A door at the side of the choir loft opened, and their pastor walked out and headed toward the pulpit. Jason Freeman, along with another young man, followed him.

  When they were in place at the front of the church, a young woman holding a bouquet of flowers and dressed in a flowing blue dress walked down the aisle, stopped at the front and turned to face the entrance. Suddenly, the familiar melody of the “Bridal March” filled the air, and the congregation stood and turned to watch the bride’s entrance.

  Kathy Dennis, soon to be Kathy Freeman, stood at the start of the aisle, her arm draped through her father’s, and stared at Jason, who waited at the front of the church. His smile grew larger as she came nearer.

  Holly couldn’t help but remember the night she had arranged to introduce the couple. She’d hoped they would like each other, but she hadn’t expected that they would fall in love. Now their families and friends were here to see them united in marriage.

  Fifteen minutes later, with the ceremony completed, the happy couple rushed up the aisle amid well wishes from the congregation. Holly and Cole watched them go before they stepped from their pew and filed out of the church.

  “The reception doesn’t start for another hour. Do you need to do anything before we go there?” Holly asked.

  “I think I’ll run by the office. I have a few things I need to check on. You don’t mind, do you?”

  She smiled. “Of course not.�
�

  When they reached their car, Cole opened the door for her. “That was a beautiful wedding,” he said. “I just hope they’ll be as happy as we are.”

  “I do, too,” she agreed. “I’m so thankful that we were able to find our way back to each other.”

  “I am, too. Life is mighty sweet right now. I have you and the children, and we’re about to open the performance center. I’m thankful for all the blessings God has given me.”

  He still stood beside the open door, and she leaned closer and whispered in his ear. “God’s not through blessing you yet.”

  His eyebrows arched. “He’s not?”

  “No.” She rubbed her cheek against his. “You’re going to be a daddy again.”

  He jerked back from her and stared in shock. “We’re having a baby?” he gasped.

  “Yes. Are you happy?”

  He grabbed her and hugged her against his body. “I’m thrilled.” His arms tightened around her. “A baby. We’re going to have another baby.”

  “I’m glad you’re happy. It’s going to be bedlam around our house with three little ones.”

  He laughed. “I told you when we married I wanted to fill that house with children. I guess we are well on our way.” He paused for a moment and then pulled back and gazed down at her. “I’ve changed my mind.”

  “About what?”

  “I don’t want to go to the office. I want to go home and spend some time with my wife and children. What do you say?”

  “Like you always say, it sounds like a plan to me.”

  She started to climb in the car, but he stopped her and pressed his lips to hers. When he released her, he helped her into the passenger seat and stared down at her before he closed the door. “Life just keeps getting better, Holly.”

  Then he walked around to the driver’s side and they headed home to see their children.

  * * * * *

  If you enjoy stories about strong heroes protecting children in danger, don’t miss these books:

  THE BABY ASSIGNMENT by Christy Barritt

  BABY ON THE RUN by Hope White