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T he plane landed and Knight searched for Saint’s truck among the line of vehicles waiting to pick up the passengers from their flight. When he noticed his brother-in-law inching closer, he waved and headed toward him.

“Thanks for picking me up,” he said as he climbed inside.

Saint nodded as he pulled away from the curb and back on the street. “Did you handle everything you needed to in California?”

“Yeah. Gabby didn’t answer her phone when I called. Do you know if she’s all right?” he asked.

“Bryanna spent the afternoon with her yesterday. She seemed fine but insisted Bryanna return home to her own family. Kassie stopped in and checked on her later in the evening. She mentioned Gabby’s holding her own,” Saint reported, a bit coldly. “I have some bad news. They located her assistant, Jackie and her car in a lake outside of Seattle. We thought you might want to break the news to her.”

Knight rubbed his hand over his face. “Oh, man. That’s the last piece of news I want to give her.”

“I’m sure Bryanna will do it if you want. I know she’s concerned about Gabby. I personally, don’t need my pregnant wife stressed out either.”

Knight shook his head. “No. I’ll tell her. It seems we need to talk anyway.”

“Speaking of talking, I want to run something by you. We have two docs on staff at the hospital. When we experience something horrific, we use them to help us deal with the situation,” Saint brought up, tentatively.

“You mean like a shrink?” Knight asked.

“Yeah. There’s nothing wrong with using them to keep our heads on straight,” he defended.

Knight sighed. “No. I’m not judging. My visit to California opened my eyes to a few things. I’m not sure how to begin,” he admitted.

“As your brother-in-law, I’m always available to talk,” Saint offered.

Knight glanced at Saint. “I appreciate it. I want to talk to Gabby first. I’m concerned about how she’ll handle her friend’s death. Do you think it’s wise to tell her?”

Saint twirled the toothpick in his mouth. “You don’t want her to hear this coming from someone else. Kassie notified Dr. Beecham if you run into any problems. I’ve asked the women to give you some time alone to tell her. Considering the situation between you two, they’ll support her if she needs extra help.”

Knight focused on the passing landscape. “How did my sister overcome her fear of dating a military man? You didn’t date very long before she became pregnant.”

Saint’s eyebrow went up in question at Knight’s statement. “If you’re asking me if I trapped your sister, I didn’t. I’ve loved her since the moment I set eyes on her. She cared for my daughter as her own and they’ve developed a wonderful relationship. It took persistence, patience and honesty. I didn’t do everything right and neither did your sister. We’ve learned to communicate with each other.”

“Did she ever get mad enough at you she refused to speak with you?” he asked.

Saint grunted and then chuckled. “More times than I care to count. Sometimes, walking away felt like the easier solution, but I love her. Our relationship has only deepened with our commitment to each other.”

Saint turned onto the mountain’s access road. Knight’s heart beat faster at the thought of seeing Gabby. He may have only left the day before, but he missed her. The desire to fix things between them grew with every curve in the road. Knight knew he needed to own up to his mistakes and somehow fix them. How to repair them remained the question. Like Saint, his love for Gabby was worth fighting for and he refused to walk away again.

Closing the truck’s door, Knight sprinted toward the cabin, anxious to see his wife. He pressed the code into the panel and turned the knob. The cabin remained quiet and he figured she was still sleeping since he took an early flight to hurry home to her.

Setting the kettle on the stove to boil water for tea, he opened the fridge to take stock of what he might fix for a meal. Did she eat breakfast? Bryanna mentioned her morning sickness lasted past the first three months. Knight frowned at how little he knew of his wife’s pregnancy. Disappointment ran through him at how little he knew of her due to his own damn fault. Vowing to repair it, he opted to wait until she woke and ask her directly. They spent too much time guessing things about one another. Taking out a tin of chamomile tea, he carefully measured the loose leaves into the strainer and waited.

A noise from the back bedroom alerted him to Gabby waking. He walked down the hall and gently tapped on her door before opening it. Gabby came out of the bathroom, adjusting the tie around her expanding stomach.

“Good morning. I’m making you tea. I wanted to make you something to eat, but I didn’t know if you can eat first thing in the morning,” he greeted her.

“When did you return?” she asked, avoiding his gaze.

“A few minutes ago. Do you want to keep me company in the kitchen while I rustle up something to eat?” he asked, trying to sound cheerful.

“I only have tea and toast. Once it settles, then I can eat,” she cooly informed him.

“I missed you,” he whispered.

Gabby turned her startled eyes on him. He saw the hurt and doubt flash across her face before her chin lifted.

“I’m taking a shower first. Bryanna’s having a baby shower this weekend, and I want to go into town to purchase a gift for her. Can you ask one of the team members to escort me down?” she asked as she walked into the closet, gathered her clothes for the day, and returned to the bathroom. The shower turned on, and he heard her rummaging around.

Returning to the kitchen, he turned the heat on low to give her enough time to dress. He paced the kitchen restlessly as anxiety overtook him. When he saw her standing in her robe, he fought the urge to wrap his arms around her and kiss her gently. Knowing he lost the right to hold her, made his stomach sink in despair.

Hearing her open the door to her bedroom, he poured the hot water over the strainer to steep the tea and pushed down the lever on the toaster. Pulling out a stool for her, he gently held her elbow as she wriggled her way up to the seat, holding her belly.

“How did you sleep??” he asked as he poured the tea into a cup, added honey and passed it to her.

“Okay, I guess,” she replied, sipping the hot brew.

“Does the baby move at night? Bryanna says it keeps her up sometimes. I wondered if it happened to you.” Knight pulled the toast out and buttered it before passing it to her.

Gabby’s gaze went from surprise to suspicion. “No.”

“Kassie mentioned something about a Lamaze class. Have you given it any thought? I want to go as your partner if you don’t mind.”

The cup settled on the counter a tad bit hard as she stared at him as if he suddenly grew two heads. “Why all the sudden interest in my baby? Before you left, I attempted to discuss custody, but you didn’t want to. Now, you’re offering to act as my partner. You’ll have to excuse me while I recover from whiplash.”

He pulled out a check from his pocket and slid it toward her. “I used my time in California to think about our situation. I’m at fault for not communicating with you. I overreacted to a situation and came to a very wrong conclusion. An apology doesn’t begin to express my sorrow at all the hurt I’ve caused both of us. I want us to try to work things out. We’ll be parents before you know it and I want to raise this child with you.”

She turned over the check and her eyes widened as she saw the sum.

“This represents your half of the house. You deserve it after all the work you put into it. I never want you to think I won’t support you and the baby.”

She turned the check over, pursed her lips tightly, and brought the tea to her mouth, swallowing it down. “I don’t want or need your pity, Marcus.” She pushed the check back to him. “The time for you to show you cared has long since passed. The baby and I will get along without your help. After all, I’m an accountant. Just because this firm ended up crooked and dirty, doesn’t mean there aren’t several other accountant jobs available. I already accepted three interviews for this week.”

“You can’t leave the mountain. How the hell do you expect to hold down a job? You’re supposed to take it easy,” he fumed as he shoved the check in her direction.

“I’ll ask one of the team to act as my bodyguard until we figure everything out. After all, I’ll need one when I return to California next week.”

He stiffened as he realized she meant the date to return to court for their divorce.

“I want to postpone the hearing,” he admitted as he watched her expression.

“Why?” she cried as if the mere thought of postponement meant a death sentence.

“Because I realize how much I love you and I’ve screwed everything up. I want?—”

“Don’t.” Gabby slid from the stool. “I’m tired of hearing about your wants. It’s time I focused on mine. I don’t want you to stay here with me. I’m perfectly capable of handling myself. I know I can’t run through the town, declaring who I am, but I don’t need to live with you either. After next week, I’m no longer your burden.”

Knight stepped closer to her and she stepped back.

“I’m sorry if I ever made you feel like a burden,” he whispered. “I always considered you a blessing and I took it for granted.”

“As soon as Leo and his team say I can leave, I plan to return to California. Admit it. It’ll make your life easier if you don’t have to see your ex-wife with her lover’s baby,” Gabby venomously replied. “You didn’t give a damn about the baby when I tried to tell you about it. Let’s pretend you still know nothing.”

“I can’t. I want it and us,” he admitted as he slowly moved toward her.

Gabby shook her head. Tears pooled in her eyes. “Don’t do this. You’re trying to confuse me. You can’t have my baby. I don’t want you to treat this child with the same animosity you’ve shown me the last few months. Don’t you dare fight this divorce. We have one week to go. How can you do this to me?”

The anguish in her voice halted him. “I want to make things right. Starting with giving you half the proceeds of the house. It’ll give you some security and you won’t need to search for a job right away,” he explained as watched her closely. “I don’t mean to upset you. I have a lot to atone for and I’m asking for a chance to undo the damage I’ve caused.”

Her hands balled into fists at her side. “I want the divorce. Promise me you won’t try to stall it,” she demanded desperately.

Pain shot through his chest at her request, but he only nodded. “I won’t deter the divorce in any way as long as you agree to let me stay here until you’re safe and allow me to stay in this child’s life.”

She glanced away from him. “Once you doubted the baby’s paternity. Now, you’re making demands.”

He shook his head. “Not demands, requests. Eat your toast,” he coaxed, knowing he needed to break the news about her friend. “You’re my priority and I’ve done a poor job of proving it to you.”

Easing back onto the stool, she picked up the toast and bit into it while watching him warily. He refilled her tea. “Thank you.”

When she finished, he placed the dish into the sink and helped her down. “Can we sit in the living room? Saint gave me an update on the investigation.”

He followed her, noting she took the overstuffed armchair to keep from sitting beside him. He sat on the corner of the couch and took her hand. She started to pull away, yet something in his expression stopped her as she gazed at him expectantly, waiting for the news.

“There’s no easy way to tell you this. Please stay mindful of the baby. They found Jackie and her car in a lake outside of Seattle,” he gently told her. “It’ll take a few days to confirm her identity, but they discovered her purse and briefcase with her.”

Gabby’s hand shot to her mouth as she absorbed the information. Tears rolled down her cheeks. “I never should’ve asked her to retrieve those files,” she sobbed. “I killed her.”

“No.” Knight said firmly. “You didn’t do anything. Those bastards who steal innocent people and sell them for some sick individual’s pleasure did it. You can’t blame yourself.”

“She was my only friend,” she whispered. “When Bryanna refused to speak with me, Jackie mothered me. She made me feel like someone cared,” her voice trembled.

“Oh, sweetheart,” he said gently. He picked her up, ignoring her stiffening, as he sat in the chair and placed her in his lap. Grabbing a tissue from the side table, he held it as she blew her nose, then took another to dab her eyes. He placed a third in her hand. “I’m the reason why Bryanna refused to speak with you. It’s my fault you felt all alone. I’m glad Jackie cared for you. I’ll always remain grateful to her for watching over you when I acted like a butthead.”

Her body wracked in sobs as he coaxed Gabby’s head onto his shoulder and rubbed her back soothingly. “I know it’s terrible to lose Jackie, but if she were here, she’d want you to think about the baby.”

She nodded jerkily. “She always plied me with yogurt and cheese. Jackie set an alarm to check how much water I drank and if I ate my meals.”

Knight listened to her describe her friend. “She sounds like a special friend when you needed one.”

“Do you think they will hold a funeral for her? I don’t care what you say, I want to attend,” she demanded as she dabbed her eyes.

“It’ll take some time to identify her body and do you know if she has any family?”

Gabby shook her head. “She mentioned a sister back in Ohio. I don’t think they got along. Jackie said she hadn’t spoken with her in years. Do you think Matthew can find her?”

“I’ll ask Saint,” he assured her. “Do you want to lie down for a bit? I didn’t want to tell you because of the baby. But I didn’t want you seeing something on the news or hearing about it from someone else.”

As if realizing where she sat, Gabby stiffened and attempted to rise.

“Hey, let me hold you until you feel a bit better, no strings attached. It’s me comforting you and not expecting anything in return.”

She gazed into his eyes as if searching if he played a trick. Gabby didn’t even trust him to console her.

“If you prefer, I can ask Bryanna and her friends to come over. I’ll go speak with Saint,” he offered as he brushed the hair away from her face.

She rose and his arms fell to the chair as he watched her head toward her bedroom. He texted his sister.

Can you come and stay with Gabby? I informed her of her friend’s passing.

Three dots appeared and then she responded.

I’m with Kassie, Catherine, Lizzy, and Tess. We’re waiting for Samantha and Claire, then we’ll drop by the cabin.

I’ll stay until you arrive.

See you soon.

Bryanna texted.

Knight stuck his phone back in his holder. He swiped at his jaw. Fighting the urge to stay even after the women appeared. He wanted to support his wife.

He knew in his gut, losing Gabby meant he made the biggest mistake of his life. Without any clue on how to dig himself out of the hole he created, Knight swallowed his pride and texted Saint.

I need some advice. Do you have time to talk?

A minute later, his phone dinged with a response from his brother-in-law.

I’m at the team building. Meet me there.

He walked down the hall to find Gabby locked her door, keeping him from entering. He pressed his forehead to the wood and whispered, “I’m sorry, Gabby. Sorrier than you’ll ever know.” He turned and exited the cabin, waiting outside for his sister to arrive. His stomach twisted in knots when he thought of how he let her down. How can he possibly win back her trust and remind her of the love they once shared? He didn’t know, but he vowed to do everything he could to win her back.