My Deadly Valentine - By Valerie Hansen & Lynette Eason Page 0,33
or to say hello when we pass on the street.”
“See?” Bud insisted, making a sour face at her.
“What made you think I wouldn’t date you? You never even tried to ask me out.”
“No, but George told me. He oughta know. He’s your daddy.” He eyed a familiar car that was pulling to a stop in front of the stakeout house. “There he is. Go ahead. Ask him.”
Rachel sagged back against the scratched fender of her car. “My father again. I should have known. I think it’s time he and I had a serious discussion about my love life. And this time, I’m going to do all the talking.”
Jace handed his prisoner over to the sheriff and rejoined Rachel, taking her in his arms and holding tight. “What will you say?”
She cuddled closer before she answered. “You can listen to the whole conversation. As a matter of fact, I want you to. I plan to tell him that I’ve fallen in love with a cop and am no longer in the market for a husband.”
Raising her face she studied the astonishment in Jace’s expression. “If that’s all right with you.”
“It’s more than all right. It’s perfect,” he said tenderly.
“Good, because I can’t think of anyone I’d rather spend the rest of my life with than you, Deputy Morgan.”
Tears of joy misted her vision. This was the answer to many of her prayers, all wrapped up in one wonderful man. And if she had not faced danger, they might never have gotten to know each other.
“Will you do me one favor?” Rachel asked.
“Kiss you, before your father gets here and starts hollering at everybody? We’d better hurry. He looks fit to be tied.”
“I was thinking of something else. Will you be sure to give me a really pretty Valentine in a few days? I want to remember this holiday fondly for the rest of my life, not have it spoiled because of some guy who isn’t rowing his boat with both oars in the water.”
“Gladly,” Jace said, grinning. “Know where I can find a lacy, expensive card?”
“I think so. And when you go to buy it, be sure to tell Eloise who it’s for. It’ll make her day.”
Jace wasn’t surprised when Rachel pivoted to address her red-faced father with a casual “Hi, Dad.” What did astonish him was the calm way she stood her ground.
“Will somebody please explain what’s going on?” George demanded.
“Gladly,” she said, “but you’re not going to like what you hear.”
Jace felt George’s piercing stare settle on him. “Are you going to tell me he’s involved?”
“For the rest of my life, if I get my way,” she said, tightening one arm around Jace’s waist and leaning closer, much to his relief. “And that’s just the beginning. Maybe you’d better sit down, Dad.”
Grinning, Jace couldn’t resist adding, “Yeah, Dad. Sitting is an excellent idea. Rachel and I have plenty to tell you and I’d hate to have you fall over in a faint when you find out what apparently triggered her stalker in the first place.”
Rachel touched her father’s hand and said, “I think he knows. Don’t you, Dad?”
The color left the older man’s face as he stared at the familiar person the sheriff was loading into his car. “It was Bud?”
“Yes.” Jace kept her close, protecting her from the danger that no longer existed because it gave him a sense of tranquility to do so. “He was under the impression that you had tried to set up a date for him with Rachel and that she had refused.”
The starch seemed to go out of George and he shook his head sadly. “It wasn’t like that. I didn’t think he was right for her so I kept making excuses whenever he approached me about it.”
“Well, in that case you were right,” Jace said. He gave his future bride a squeeze. “Now, what do you think about me? Will I do? Because I think our Rachel has made up her mind and I’d like your blessing.”
“You’re a cop.” George’s eyebrows arched.
Rachel laughed and cast a loving gaze at Jace that melted his heart as she said, “I know, Dad. I know. But nobody’s perfect.”
EPILOGUE
One of the things that gave Rachel the biggest thrill was the way her father had mellowed in the aftermath of the stalker incident. George wasn’t a totally different man. That would have been too much to hope for. But he was definitely easier to get along with. She had been wondering if the changes were all in