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“Me?” she whispered. She hadn’t been the best mother to her son. Far from it! She’d been absent for far too long to deserve that kind of devotion.

“Love isn’t something you earn, Eloise.” Gil’s voice grew quieter. “It’s freely offered. All you can do is accept it.”

Something inside her broke. “Oh, Gil!” Her hands flew to her mouth. Though his anger with her was justified, she was two snaps away from ugly crying in gratitude for what he’d just said.

“When this mess first started, I asked you to stay stateside as much for your own safety as for Jillian’s.” He edged closer to the door, clearly eager to be on his way. “You’ve made our job of protecting you that much easier by being present.”

“Thank you.” She lowered her hands to her sides, fisting them to keep them from trembling. “I guess I didn’t realize y’all have been including me in the whole equation.”

“Unbelievable,” Gil huffed, reaching for the door handle.

“I’ve got it.” She moved around him to unlock it and open it for him. “And before you say something pithy, I promise to lock it this time.”

“You’d better.” His hard mouth twitched at the corners. “Just for the record, I’ve enjoyed our sparring matches, Eloise. I’m not looking forward to them coming to an end.”

“Maybe they won’t have to end.” She darted a nervous look over her shoulder. “In light of full disclosure, Edward proposed about an hour ago, and I said yes.”

Gil threw back his head and gave a cowboy whoop of delight. “I’m not sure whether to congratulate you or pray for you, Edward,” he called across the room. “I’ll probably do both, just to be on the safe side.”

“Get out!” Pretending to be offended, Eloise made a grand show of locking the door behind him. It felt insanely wonderful to be loved and cherished like this. To have good people in her life who cared enough about her to worry about her safety. She was, hands down, the most fortunate woman on the planet.

“Jillian had her first contraction.” Josh Hawling folded his arms, leaning back against the wall and looking every inch the bull rider he’d once been. His jaw was set in grim lines beneath the brim of the Stetson he’d pulled low. “We’re still waiting to hear if it’s a false alarm or if she’s in labor.”

“Where is she?” Dave shot to his feet. He’d been expecting to receive this message soon. Just not this soon. Jillian was still three weeks from her delivery date. He already had his go bag packed.

They were inside the subterranean lounge below Lonestar Security’s headquarters building. It was located in downtown Heart Lake, close enough to the lake itself to have a waterfront view on one side. He’d essentially been hiding in plain sight, coming and going from his bunker room as needed while disguised as one of the many security guards on staff there.

“She’s at home.” Josh didn’t make any move to follow him to the door. “She’s with your mother and Edward Wagner, whom I understand is about to become your next stepfather.”

Though that was news to Dave, he had little interest in discussing his mother’s exhaustively long and complex dating life. He’d deal with that later. “I’m assuming they’re taking her to the medical center?” Because of Jillian’s age, there were much higher risks involved in her upcoming delivery.

“Gil didn’t say.” Josh’s tanned features were set in hard lines. “He’s on his way here with a bouquet of flowers that got delivered to your home today.”

Dave’s eyebrows came together. “Who are they from?”

“That’s what we’re trying to figure out.” Josh shook his head. “Whoever sent them didn’t attach a message.”

Dave ran a hand over the scruff on his jaw. He’d spent so much time sheltering in place lately that he no longer shaved every day. What was the point? “Any news yet about those hang-up calls she’s been receiving?” With Jillian’s permission, they’d been tapping her phone. It was the only reason they knew about the person or persons who’d been calling her every day for the past week. They’d been calling at different times from different numbers. Unlike the random cold calls most people received from solicitors, these callers weren’t staying on the line long enough to roll to voicemail.

“As a matter of fact…” Josh straightened, pushing away from the wall and stepping further into the light. “Our team was finally able to trace one of the calls. It came yesterday afternoon from a surrogacy clinic in Dallas. The same one your wife did business with.” His expression didn’t register any surprise or curiosity. He already knew Jillian’s story, and he wasn’t passing judgment on it.

Since Josh looked like he had something else to say, Dave waited impatiently.

“Because of your value as a federal witness, we passed the information on to the Feds, hoping they would use their resources to follow up on it, which they did.”

“And?” Dave prodded.

“They convinced the clinic to give up the name of her donor.”

“You mean?—?”

“The biological father of her child, yes. A man by the name of Donovan Marks. The call came from the clinic’s legal counsel. He was attempting to contact her about a breach of contract.”

“A what?” Dave snarled. How dare they make such a claim! They were already skirting the outer edges of what was legally permissible in their handling of Jillian’s pregnancy.

“Hold your horses, partner.” Josh held up his hands. “The breach is on Mr. Marks’ part, not hers. Apparently, he’s changed his mind about wanting to keep the child. When they refused to reach out to her, he hired a lawyer to hound them about it. In the process, someone let slip that Mr. Marks is currently en route to Heart Lake.”

“He found her,” Dave declared in a dull voice. Did it mean his enemies had gotten to Donovan Marks as a way of tracking down Jillian’s location? Dave had been so careful to keep his and Jillian’s names off the utility bills and what not. He’d cloaked the ownership of their home in the same layers of legal documents, trusts, and anonymity.

“Feds are crawling the lake as we speak, probably tripping over the guys we’ve had on patrol since the day all of this began.” Josh was referring, of course, to Dave’s involvement with the Jacobsons. “It’s only a precaution. We have no reason yet to believe your wife’s donor has any connection to the case.”

Yet. So much rested on that three-letter word. In the meantime, Dave’s enemies were pulling their net ever tighter around Heart Lake. The last thing he and Jillian needed to add to the mix was a custody suit! Dave wished like crazy that he was back in his office building on the third floor, putting his years of experience to work on Jillian’s defense. Since that wasn’t an option, he’d just have to find another way to help her. One thing was for sure; he wasn’t going to sit on his hands and do nothing while the creep that had abandoned his responsibilities toward her tried to worm his way back into her life.

She’s mine now. My family. The child she was about to deliver was also his. Donovan Marks was going to need a very good lawyer before this was over, because Dave planned to throw the book at him.

Josh’s work phone buzzed with an incoming call. He lifted it to his ear. “Josh speaking.” He grimaced. “We’re on our way.” He pocketed his phone. “Jillian’s water broke. They’re scrambling a few ambulances to get her safely to the medical center. They’ll be taking three separate routes.”

Dave knew what that meant — two distractions and only one ambulance carrying the love of his life and their unborn child. He wordlessly strode to his room off from the lounge and grabbed his go bag.

Since it was quicker than taking the elevator, he and Josh jogged up the two flights of stairs leading to the gated parking garage. They nodded at the guy manning the guard shack and hopped inside one of Lonestar Security’s collection of armored vehicles. They’d been rotating through the lineup, taking a different set of wheels each time Dave ventured out of hiding. This time, they were in a black Lexus sedan.

“I appreciate everything you’re doing for me and my family, man.” Dave was amazed that Josh and his partner, Decker, had been willing to go to so much trouble on their behalf. Sure, he got the fact that they were in the middle of bringing Gil on as a third partner, but still.

“About that,” Josh drawled as they exited the parking garage. He turned left across a tiny break in the traffic, squealing the tires of the car in his haste to be on their way.

Here it comes. Dave braced himself for whatever the co-owner of Lonestar Security was about to ask for. He was in no position to refuse any requests from the man.

“Look at you squirm.” Josh gave him a bemused sideways glance. “Relax. I’m not about to ask for your firstborn child in return for our cutting-edge security services.”

No, but you sure as all get out are about to ask for something else. “I’m listening,” he growled.

“As you know, Lonestar Security was recently honored to bring Gil Remington on board.”

“Yep.” Old news. Get to the point.

Josh’s voice grew animated. “After no small amount of additional prayer and soul-searching, we’re now gunning to turn our triad into a tetrad.”

No kidding? “A fourth partner, eh?” Despite Dave’s growing anxiety over his wife’s condition, he was happy for the owners of Lonestar Security. Happy for Gil getting in on the ground floor of something good. Happy for the incredible future looming for the company as a whole. And he was happy to be able to be a part of it from the legal side of things.

“Yep.”

“Guess I better get busy drawing up the paperwork.” He hoped Josh didn’t expect it on his desk today, because that wasn’t happening.

“Yep.”

“Who?” Dave didn’t know why Josh was being so stingy with the details. As their new in-house attorney, he wasn’t a guy they’d be able to keep many secrets from going forward.

“You, Dave. Who else?”

Dave’s head whipped in Josh’s direction. “Is this some sort of joke?” Talk about kicking a dog when he was down!

“Do I look like I’m laughing?”

Dave was stunned. His life and career were in shambles at the moment. If someone had even suggested he submit his resume for another job right now, he would’ve told them they were crazy. Somehow, though, one had fallen from the sky into his lap .

“I’m sure you have questions.” Josh reached the main highway and gunned the motor. “We’ve been trying to set up an in-person meeting for the four of us, but your schedule hasn’t exactly made that easy.”

Dave snorted. “Okay, now you’re laughing at me.”

“Nope. Still not laughing.” They reached the edge of Heart Lake and skirted the first bend around the lake.

Dave’s townhome rose in the distance. A trio of ambulances were parked at varying angles around the house, with their lights flashing.

My wife is in one of them!

He yanked his ball cap further down over his forehead, ready to unclasp his seatbelt and hit the ground running before the vehicle came to a complete stop.

“I have one more offer to make you,” Josh intoned gravely. “Despite all the precautions we’re taking, it’s possible your enemies have been watching your home, lying in wait for Jillian’s delivery to draw you out of hiding. If I drive you straight to the medical center, we can avoid?—”

“No!” Dave’s voice was harsh. “I promised my wife I’d be at her side when this day came. If I don’t keep my word, none of the other stuff will matter.”

“But—”

“I know the risks, Josh. You’d do the same for your wife.”

“Yes, I would,” Josh sighed. “I had to make the offer, though.”

A flash of burgundy caught Dave’s eye. It was a minivan rounding the corner in front of them. The driver took the curve way too fast and careened into their lane.

“What in the—?” Josh laid on his horn.

The minivan barreled closer. If the driver didn’t move back to his lane soon, they were going to have a head-on collision.

Josh had no choice but to mash his foot on the brake. The sedan skidded to a halt with a squeal of rubber against pavement.

The driver of the minivan slammed on his brakes, yanking the wheel hard to return to his lane. Though he didn’t succeed, he stopped the minivan in the nick of time, avoiding a collision by a hair. The van ended up sideways in the lane in front of them. The driver gave them a dazed look before slumping forward over the steering wheel.

“Wait here! It may be a trap.” Josh pushed open his door and crouched behind it with his weapon drawn. “We were expecting something like this.”

The driver didn’t move.

Dave scanned the road ahead of them, the lake to their left, and the distant tree line on their right. He saw no movement anywhere but on his property ahead.

I need to get to Jillian!

“Cover me while I move,” he snarled. Hoping it wasn’t something he’d regret, he pushed open the passenger door and sprinted, half bent over, to the driver’s side of the minivan.

He jiggled the handle and found it unlocked. Flinging it open, he stepped back, using the body of the vehicle as a shield. “Who sent you?” His hand hovered over the weapon in his holster.

The sandy-haired driver blinked a few times and slowly sat up, groaning, “N-nobody. I came on my own.” His face was ashen beneath a few freckles and a single mole resting above his upper lip. A ketchup stain rode the front of his blue dress shirt, which was tucked crookedly into a pair of khaki trousers. He didn’t present the typical thug image, though looks could be deceiving.

“Who are you?” Dave shot off his next question, hoping to keep the guy off balance and talking.

“Donovan Marks.” The man scowled and twisted his head around, trying to get a better look at Dave. “What’s it to you?”

What’s it to me? Fury burned through Dave’s veins at the realization that he was speaking to Jillian’s donor from the surrogacy firm in Dallas. Where do I begin? “For starters, you can quit stalking my wife. The only thing your hang-up phone calls and creepy flower deliveries are gonna get you is a restraining order.” And possibly some jail time if it turned out he was in cahoots with the gamblers.

“I’m n-not looking for any trouble,” the man stuttered. “I just want to speak with the mother of my child. Please.” His voice grew hoarse. “I’m begging you. It’s important.”

Blood rushed to Dave’s head, nearly blinding him. “Let’s get one thing clear, Mr. Marks. You are not the father of my wife’s child. I am. All you are is a donor. Big difference! A father wouldn’t have tucked tail and run to avoid all responsibility toward the child you’re now claiming you want so badly. You’re on the same level as those scumbags who drive into other people’s neighborhoods to throw out litters of kittens.” But worse. Donovan Marks had abandoned a dirt poor receptionist and her unborn child.

“I’m sorry.” The man ducked his head in shame. “I truly am. The thing is, my wife died after we contacted the surrogacy firm, and?—”

“I’m sorry to hear it.” For all Dave knew, the man could be lying. “The fact remains, you gave up all legal rights to my wife’s child. You put it in writing. Done deal.”

“I know, but?— ”

“Then you waited eight whole months to change your mind. If that’s not complete financial and emotional abandonment, I don’t know what is. You have two choices, Mr. Marks. Leave my family alone, or I will bury you in court.”

The three ambulances turned onto the road, two coming in Dave’s direction, one going in the opposite direction. Their lights flashed and sirens screamed as they zigzagged around the minivan.

Josh Hawling used two gloved fingers to wave them around the armored Lexus sedan. The ambulance drivers probably recognized him, since he was the one who’d authored their current maneuver.

Great. I’ve missed my ride. Dave felt like throttling the man slumped in the driver’s seat of the minivan like a sack of potatoes.

To his dismay, a lone tear leaked from the corner of Donovan Marks’ left eye and slid down his cheek as he watched the emergency vehicles depart. It made him wonder if the creep knew Jillian was in one of them.

“Okay, mister. Okay.” Mr. Marks reached inside the pocket of his trousers.

Oh, for pity’s sake! Dave withdrew his weapon, preparing to aim and fire if the man tried anything stupid.

All he did, though, was hold out a business card between two well-manicured fingers that were trembling like crazy. “You may not believe me, sir, but our encounter has helped me.”

Whatever. Dave made no effort to take the card from him.

“After losing my wife, it took a while for me to come to my senses. When I did, I was consumed with guilt over walking away from our surrogacy agreement. For all I knew, the mother of my, er…of the child I helped bring into th e world…had terminated the pregnancy. I’m more grateful than you will ever know to find out that she didn’t. I’m also grateful to find out she has a guy like you in her life. A lot of surrogates don’t. Someone who will give this child the life they deserve.” He held the business card out further. “Please take my contact information. If you ever need anything from me…”

“We won’t,” Dave grated out.

“You don’t know that,” the man sighed. “Down the road, you might have questions about my medical history. Or, Heaven forbid, need something like an organ replacement for the kid. I mean, you never know.”

Against his better judgment, Dave snatched the card from him and stuffed it in his pocket, if for no other reason than to shut him up.

“I’m sorry,” the man said again. “I hope you and your wife can find it in your hearts to forgive me.” He wearily shut his door, fumbled with the gear stick, and drove off.

Dave remained standing in the middle of the lane, watching until he drove out of sight.

Josh strode his way. “I think we can rule out any connection to the case.”

“Yeah.” Dave shook his head wryly. “Pretty sure he’s not one of the creeps after us.”

“Come on.” Josh squeezed his shoulder. “We’ve got bigger fish to fry. You’re about to become a dad.”

They jogged back to the sedan and climbed inside.

“Missed my ride to the medical center,” Dave grumbled.

“No, you didn’t.” Josh turned on an emergency siren Dave hadn’t realized was installed in the car and flashed a set of emergency lights that Dave did know about.

They took a different route than any of the ambulances and arrived at the medical center right behind the first ambulance screaming into the parking lot. Josh drove to a side entrance reserved for authorized personnel only. “This way!”

The moment Dave stepped from the car, he was converged on by more Lonestar Security guards. They ran with him in a huddle to the building and entered an authorized personnel only set of elevators.

Within moments, Dave stepped through yet another pair of guards into Jillian’s delivery room.

She looked up from her bed, flushed and panting. “Dave!” She sobbed out his name, reaching for him. “You made it!”

He sprinted her way, bending over the bed to kiss her tenderly. “Sorry I’m late, babe.”

“You’re right on time.” She winced as another contraction seized her.

He held her hands, not knowing what else to do. Please, God, be with Jillian and our baby. Dave’s entire world was in this delivery room.

Jillian gripped his hands like a lifeline as she bore down, keening in pain.

His mother was perched on a vinyl chair on the other side of the bed. At the sight of him, tears started dripping down her cheeks. “Oh, Dave!” She waited until Jillian finished panting through her contraction before standing and moving around to his side of the bed. She slid her arms around his neck from behind. “I love you so much. Both of you.” She kissed the top of his head, weeping softly. “I’ll be in the waiting room if you need anything.”

He reached up and awkwardly patted her hand, unaccustomed to any show of emotion from his irascible parent. “Stay,” he pleaded.

He’d never expected her to remain in town this long, but she had. More importantly, she’d been there for Jillian in ways that he hadn’t been able to. She was as much a part of this now as he was.

Jillian soon pushed out a squalling baby.

“It’s a boy,” the delivery physician announced excitedly.

Her medical staff did their thing — clipping, suctioning, weighing, measuring, and cleaning. They pronounced the infant smaller than average at just shy of six pounds. He was otherwise in tiptop shape. They wrapped him in a clean white blanket and handed him to Jillian.

“Congratulations, Mr. and Mrs. Phillips!” The physician shook Dave’s hand and beamed a satisfied smile at Jillian before leaving the room.

“Thank you,” Dave called after her. “And thank you!” He turned in wonder back to his wife. “Thank you for giving me a son.” He gently stroked a finger down her cheek, unable to tear his gaze away from her and the baby trying to nurse for the first time. After helping put countless criminals in jail, it was an entirely new experience for him to witness the miracle of birth.

“Just look at those itty bitty fists,” his mother sighed. “And those sweet little dimples in his feet. My heart is full, son.” She reached out to press a finger into one of the miniature dimples.

“What do you think of Bowen Chess Phillips?” Jillian’s voice wafted up to Dave, soft and questioning.

His hand on her cheek grew still. “For our son?”

She nodded, all misty-eyed and glowing. She’d never been more beautiful to him. “After both of our fathers.”

“I like it, babe.” They hadn’t had the opportunity to spend much time discussing stuff like this. Clearly, she’d given it more thought than he had .

“I know my dad’s name is Chester, but I like Chess better.”

“Me, too.” It was a nod to her father without giving him the full glory he didn’t deserve.

“I’d like to call our son Bo,” she continued with a happy chuckle. “He’s too little for more right now. He’ll have to grow into the rest of it.”

Dave leaned closer to brush his mouth against hers. “I love you so much, Jills.”

The name was perfect. Their tiny son was perfect. She was perfect.

“I love you more,” she whispered, kissing him back.

It was his favorite argument, one he hoped they would never finish.