Always and Forever Together, page 11
“He killed their grandchildren because he was a selfish man. How could they possibly ask me to defend the man who took away such two precious gifts? Tom and Beth were my life. And besides, it was the police who brought the charges against him for drunk driving—he was almost twice over the limit. Apparently, he had been drinking all day.”
“So why has the court case taken so long to settle? It’s been fourteen months.”
“It has, but his parents are very well connected, and they’ve done whatever they had to to keep him out of prison. When you have money, a price will always be accepted.”
“Damn, it shouldn’t be like that.”
“No, it shouldn’t,” she agreed.
“So this is it—the final hearing.”
“Yes, he will be sentenced in two weeks.” The thought of seeing Jack again made her feel physically sick; she had to swallow the bitter taste at the back of her throat.
“They are protecting their son, although it all sounds heartless,” he said.
“Oh, they will do anything to ensure he gets the least time in prison. I felt bad enough I couldn’t organize everything for my children’s funeral.” She spoke with huge regret in her heart.
“You were severely injured. There was nothing you could do about it. Did you see Tom and Beth before they were buried?”
She nodded. That had been one of the most complex decisions of her life. Maisy had been unsure until the last minute, almost not going to see them. The aching in her chest almost crushed her as she thought about them and how angelic they had looked. Jarrod squeezed her arm, and she sighed and leaned her head against his chest. She felt safe.
“Yes. I could almost convince myself they were sleeping.” The sadness clouded her memory for a moment, before she carried on. “Beth had her much loved teddy, Mr. Mistoffelees, cuddled up to her, named from the Cats musical she loved. Tom had his Liverpool scarf around his neck and his signed football from the team. We had to let the air out of it so it would fit beside him.” Going to the chapel of rest had been a last-minute decision, and now Maisy was so glad she had.
“What a lovely memory. But it’s one you can focus on rather than on the accident. I know you won’t ever forget what happened. But hopefully, the nightmares will lessen as time goes on, and only the good times will come to mind, not the bad ones.” His fingers were smoothing through her hair, which comforted her more than she could admit.
“How come you know the right words to say to make me feel better? You always did have a way with words, you old smoothie.”
“Hey, less of the ‘old’ if you don’t mind.”
Maisy laughed, already feeling better from talking to him. It was beautiful that she felt so comfortable with him. Chatting about her children, and at the same time laughing and joking with him.
The thought that she might forget Tom and Beth one day frightened her, but Jarrod was right. Little by little, the special memories were taking up more of her thoughts instead of the bad ones overshadowing everything.
“Where is Elsa?” she asked, suddenly realizing she had left the bottom of the bed.
“She must have gone into the living room,” Jarrod said, looking in the same direction as if waiting for her to reappear. “Do you want me to go look for her?”
“No, Elsa isn’t used to being squashed up at the bottom of the bed, so she’s probably gone to find somewhere to stretch out.”
Jarrod nodded as she tipped her head up to look at him when he spoke. “I’ll start on the floors tomorrow, and by the time I’ve done that the wood will be ready for the kitchen cabinets.”
“The wood?” she asked.
“Yes.”
“You’re making them yourself?”
“Uh-huh. They’ll fit better and look nicer. We make most of the kitchen furniture ourselves.”
“Wow, Jarrod, are you sure you have time?”
“Yeah, plenty.” He smiled down at her. “I love working with wood and creating something new. Every kitchen is different, and therefore requires a design that will benefit you and reflect your surroundings.”
Maisy lifted her hand to her forehead and closed her eyes. Teasingly, she feigned a dramatic swoon. “Oh, I can’t take the excitement!”
Jarrod turned on his side. “That’s all it takes to turn you on? Obviously, I’ve been going about it the wrong way.”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” she teased.
He lifted her chin, so his lips were hovering over hers. She breathed in unsteadily.
“I’ve been trying to seduce you from the first moment I saw you. Now I see that all I had to do was talk about wood and kitchen cabinets.”
“Please, the excitement is too much,” she said, laughing mischievously.
He cupped her face and kissed her hard on the mouth. It made her heartbeat thud.
“Is that what you want? To seduce me?” She put both hands on his chest as she stared into his eyes.
“No, that’s not all I want. I like you, all of you, everything that makes you Maisy.”
“I can’t… I don’t think I’m…”
“Honey, I understand, and I’m willing to wait as long as it takes. We can take as much time as you want.” He kissed her again, this time slowly and gently.
“I can’t make any promises, Jarrod. The court case is constantly on my mind, and I must focus on that.”
“I don’t want you to promise anything yet. I understand. Take as long as you like. But I warn you, I’m not about to let you go again.” He rubbed his thumb along her lips. “I’ll tell you what. Why don’t you put your painting skills to practice? Go out later and choose some paint for the walls. You can paint while I build.”
“I would like to do that. When I was expecting Tom, I painted his nursery to tell the story of how excited I was. I painted small, cute insects, Ladybirds, because they are small, delicate, and beautifully marked with color. Dragonflies symbolize a change in self-realization, mental and emotional. They’re creatures of the wind—their delicate wings move in the slightest breeze. And to have such a precious thing inside me sharing every breath I took, connecting in an indescribable. My life changed when I knew that a child would soon be in my life.” She glanced at him. “You have this knack of making me say things I’ve never told anyone.”
Jack hated the room and said it would make Tom become too soft. But her son had loved the little animals and had inherited her artistic nature. Throughout the years, he added more and more animals, from dinosaurs to cats, and even painted a picture of Elsa. It had been one of the hardest things to leave behind when she sold the house.
“I like to listen to you talk about your family, and don’t ever think I wouldn’t want to hear anything that you think is important.”
Maisy’s heart jerked, and she placed her hands on either side of his jaw, feeling the rough growth against her palms. It was the most natural thing in the world as she drew his head toward hers and kissed his lips. Before long, the gentle kisses had turned more passionate, and he worked her mouth. The earth-shattering kisses left her lips swollen, and she trembled in his arms.
Shocked at the intensity, she pushed him away before rolling onto her back and then off the bed. She went over to the window facing the ocean. Opening it, she wrapped her arms around her body and breathed in the warm, salty air. Even in the first light, she could tell it would be a sunny day. The sound of the water breaking against the sand was oddly comforting, and she closed her eyes.
Maisy felt Jarrod behind her, and when he slipped his arms around her, she couldn’t help but lean back against him. His hands covered hers, and confusion fluttered in her stomach. She didn’t know what to do with the sensations engulfing her. She felt guilty for the happiness she knew Jarrod would bring her.
He kissed the top of her head, and it seemed to Maisy that she was in the most special place in the world. Could life get much better than this? Did she ever think she would ever find happiness again in a million years? Was it even right for her to feel such pleasure in this man’s arms?
****
Jarrod felt her trembling, although he wasn’t sure if it was her, him, or a combination of them. He felt her breathing quicken, and he needed to be close to her. He couldn’t help putting his lips to the side of her neck, feeling her soft, warm skin, and nibbling at her cute earlobe with his teeth.
Maisy responded to his touch by leaning her head to one side, giving him better access to her silky skin. Jarrod breathed deeply, letting her scent work over him in a veil of delicious sensations. Suddenly, without giving him a chance to see what was coming, Maisy turned around, hooked her arms around his neck, and lifted her legs to wrap around his hips.
He settled his hands on her ass, so she was coiled around him like a snake. “I wasn’t expecting that,” he said. “Great maneuver.” He turned them around and leaned her back against the wall. “It’s always the quiet ones you have to watch.”
“You liked that?” she asked.
He captured her mouth in a hot kiss he seriously expected her lips to set him on fire. “Uh-huh,” he said, as his tongue mated with hers—teasing, licking, sucking. The urge to squeeze her ass was overwhelming. It was so soft, and fitted into his hands like the perfection it was. He hadn’t expected things to get so out of control so quickly. The pressure of her yielding hips were almost too much to bear.
“Jarrod,” she gasped, her arms tightening around him, her fingers grasping at his hair.
Fuck! He wanted her, needed her. Hardened nipples pressed against his chest through his shirt. His erection pushed against her, and it was impossible to stop the groan that came from him.
“Baby, you feel so good.” He wanted nothing more than to feel her pretty flesh beneath him.
“I need you,” she said as her lips covered his ear lobe.
He turned them around and scrambled for the bed.
“Shit,” he said as they landed on the duvet together. “Very sophisticated.”
They both laughed.
“And you started so well.” Maisy’s eyes teased him.
“Then it will end beautifully.” Jarrod slowed things down. Leaning in, he kissed her lips. He wanted to be gentle with her. He almost self-combusted from the sexiness and promise she delivered through her lips.
“Promise, promises,” she said as her tongue smoothed over her lips provocatively.
He started to undo the small buttons of her top when a little moan stopped him cold. He looked at Maisy, who was frowning.
“What was that?” she asked.
“I don’t know.”
Maisy disentangled herself. “Where’s Elsa?”
She got up from the bed, and he followed her to the living room. Jarrod’s eyes trailed hers toward the kitchen where the dog was lying. Maisy was there like a shot, and he was behind her, crouching down. She stroked the top of Elsa’s head, and Elsa looked up at her. It was obvious that something wasn’t right with her.
“Elsa, what’s wrong?” She settled her hand on the dog’s head, and her fingers stroked her as Elsa let out another moan. “Jarrod.” Maisy’s voice was suffused with distress as her eyes filled with tears. She looked at him for some explanation, which he didn’t have.
“I’ll call a veterinarian.” He entered the living room to get his cell phone out of his jacket pocket. It was early, but after googling, he found an emergency number. Jarrod stood in the doorway as he made the call.
The sheer panic on Maisy’s face as she lay her head next to Elsa’s was very apparent. He knew if anything happened to the dog, she would be distraught. Elsa was all she had left of a family that had been torn apart.
Jarrod spoke to the veterinarian and arranged to take Elsa to the clinic immediately. Switching off his phone, he slipped it into his trouser pocket before crouching next to Maisy. “We’re taking her now. I’ll carry her to my truck.”
Maisy stepped out of the way, hovering behind him. He reached beneath the dog with both arms. Elsa’s pain was significant enough to make the usually placid dog growl at him.
“It’s okay, girl.” Jarrod lifted her up and into his arms. “Grab my keys,” he said as Maisy opened the door.
Racing ahead, she clicked the key fob and opened the back passenger door of his truck.
“Get in the car, sweetheart.” But she just stood there looking at Elsa. “Maisy.” His firm tone seemed to do the trick, and she climbed into the back seat and moved over. He very gently laid the dog on the seat so her head rested on Maisy’s lap.
Jogging around the truck, he got into the driver’s side, and turned to look at her. “Keys?”
“Oh my God, I don’t know where they are.” Her frantic tone was panicked.
They both looked around the cab, and he caught a glimpse of metal on the floor by her feet. Reaching down, he grabbed them and started the engine. “Don’t worry. It’s probably just something she’s eaten.”
Chapter 8
Maisy held Elsa’s head on her lap. Stroking her soft fur, she tried desperately to keep the tears from falling down her cheeks. Big brown eyes looked up at her, the pain evident as Elsa gave out another moan. Maisy felt a hand grip her heart so tightly she could barely breathe.
She couldn’t lose her; she just couldn’t. Elsa was all Maisy had left of her past life—all she had that connected her to the children she’d lost. Her hands shook as she stroked the dog. Maisy lifted her hand to brush away the tears.
“How far is it?” she asked.
Jarrod put his hand over hers. “It’s about fifteen minutes. I’ll get there as quick as I can.”
She nodded, knowing those minutes were going to feel like a lifetime. She appreciated Jarrod’s deft driving skills. He drove as fast as he could, and because it was so early, there wasn’t a lot of traffic.
“It’s going to be okay, baby. Hang in there,” she whispered, hoping she was right as she stroked the top of Elsa’s head.
They pulled into the parking area outside the Outer Banks Veterinarian Hospital. Jarrod drove into a spot right outside the main door. Jumping out of the truck, he moved around the hood and opened the back door. The dog gave another yelp when Jarrod lifted her into his arms. Maisy got out and raced ahead, opening the reception area door, then followed Jarrod inside.
A woman stood behind the counter and looked up when they came in. “Elsa?”
Maisy nodded frantically; she could feel the hysteria welling up inside her.
“Through here,” she spoke to Jarrod, carrying the now whining dog in his arms.
Maisy followed them into the exam room and stood beside Jarrod as he lay the dog carefully on the table. She winced as Elsa cried out in distress when the veterinarian put his hands on her stomach, palpating gently.
“Hey, baby, we’re gonna sort you out.” He spoke calmly to her as he took his stethoscope from around his neck and set it on the now rigid abdomen.
“Is she going to be okay?” Maisy asked. She was vaguely aware of Jarrod taking her hand and squeezing it, but couldn’t acknowledge it. She had only one focus, and that was Elsa.
After putting his stethoscope back around his neck, the veterinarian smiled, stroking Elsa. Why was he smiling? Maisy couldn’t tell. Elsa’s pain quite obviously racked her body.
“Very soon, she’s going to be fine.”
Maisy frowned.
“Nothing serious then?” Jarrod asked.
“No, it’s the most natural pain in the world. Little Elsa here is going to be a mom. However, I need to examine to see how far along she is. How long has she been like this?”
“What? Elsa…having pups…how?” She stammered out the words of disbelief. How was that even possible?
“Is Elsa in labor?” Maisy wasn’t able to keep the incredulity from her voice.
She thought back to Elsa playing with the dog by the water, the dog she’d been friends with since their first walk on the beach. It couldn’t be. She never left them alone…or had she? She felt Jarrod’s arm go around her, and to be honest it seemed to be the only thing keeping her from dropping to the floor. Elsa let out a loud moan, and Maisy stood straighter, bracing herself for what was about to happen.
“I’d say she is about to give birth,” the vet said with a slight smile.
Jarrod squeezed Maisy, and she looked up at him and frowned. “She was a little quiet last night if I think back, but we didn’t hear her moaning until about an hour ago,” she said, her mind searching for why she hadn’t seen the signs. How could she not have known? Her stupidity astounded her when the factors were right in front of her—the extra weight Elsa had put on, how lazy she’d become.
“Okay, I think I need to examine her more thoroughly. Why don’t you go sit in the waiting room? I’ll call you back in momentarily.”
Maisy stroked Elsa’s head and bent down. “We won’t be long, sweetie.”
The dog was obviously in some pain. It broke Maisy’s heart, and she couldn’t stop the sob that surged up from her chest, escaping her lips.
“Come on, honey. Let the veterinarian do his job.”
Jarrod guided her into the waiting area, where she sat down, her hands clasped in front of her.
“It will be fine, Maisy.” He put his large hand over hers and squeezed them tight. She looked at him and smiled tentatively. She was worried sick.
Within minutes, the door opened, and the veterinarian walked into the waiting room. She stood immediately to face him, aware of Jarrod standing at her side.
“It’s my opinion we need to do a cesarean immediately. It feels like Elsa only has two babies in there, but one is particularly large and the wrong way around.”
Her stomach surged with nausea, and she swallowed the bitter taste in her mouth.
“Are you okay with me doing it? She needs it ASAP,” he said.
“Let him do it, baby,” Jarrod said.
“Okay,” Maisy said. “Do it, just take good care of her.”
“I will look after her as if she were my own,” he said reassuringly. “I’ll need you to sign some paperwork while I get her prepped for surgery.” He signaled to the woman behind the desk. “Jenny, can you sort out the release forms for this lady to sign, please?”
