“You would have managed, like you always do. You’re an amazing woman, Helen Brody.”
“Better with you there,” she murmured.
She nestled closer to his side. She didn’t want to manage alone anymore. And what did that say about her?
Something scary. Something she shouldn’t even be considering.
She turned her head and found him staring at her. His eyes were serious and a little scared as he said, “I’m glad I could be there for you. I was exactly where I wanted to be today. With you. My only regret was that I couldn’t protect you from that madman.”
She squeezed his hand. “You protected the kids. That was so much more important. You didn’t scare them. You made sure they didn’t see their mother being shot. You kept them away from their father.” She twisted to face him. “I saw how good you were with them.” She drew a breath, feeling hollow inside. “You’re going to be a great father.”
“Yeah, Helen. About that…”
“No, let me go first.” Her heart was breaking, but she needed to say it. Needed to let him go. What had happened today made it clear that Jamie was meant to have children. A bunch of them. Something he wouldn’t have with her.
Letting him go would destroy her. But better now than wait another month or two. Saying goodbye would be infinitely harder then.
“I can’t see you anymore, Jamie. It’s not fair to you. You need to find someone who can give you all the kids you want, and we both know that’s not me.”
“Helen.” He shifted so he was facing her and took her hands. “I already found the only woman I want to have kids with. And if she can’t have kids? There are other ways to make a family besides giving birth.”
Her heart went all mushy, and she ruthlessly beat the hope down. “I can’t do that to you.”
“Why not?”
“Because you’d end up hating me, and I couldn’t bear that.”
“I’d never hate you, Helen. I love you, just like you love me.”
“I don’t…how did you…?” She must still be loopy from the pain meds. Funny, because she’d felt every bump in the road on the way home.
He smiled, his eyes tender. “You told me so.”
“I did not!”
“You did. When I first got to your room in the ER. You told me you were glad I was there. Rose was coming, you said, and you loved her, but you loved me more.”
“You’re making that up.”
“Sorry, babe. You spilled the beans and now you’re stuck with me.”
“You can’t believe stuff I say when I’m under the influence of drugs,” she sputtered.
“Is that the only time you’re going to tell me you love me?”
“I’m not…I never intended to say that.”
“Are you telling me it’s not true?”
Helen looked at their joined hands. Since she’d apparently blurted out her love in a drug-induced haze, she wouldn’t lie to him. She did love Jamie, more than she’d ever loved anyone.
Running her thumbs over the backs of his hands, she wished she could hang on tight and never let him go. But because she loved him, she wouldn’t.
“One of the first things you told me was how much you loved kids. How much you wanted a big family. I can’t give you that.”
“We don’t know that for sure, Helen.” He scooted around so he was kneeling in front of her. “But even if it is true, that doesn’t change how I feel about you. I love you, too, Helen. Before I met you, I would have laughed at the idea of love at first sight. Now I know it really does happen.”
He took her hands in his. “I love you. You’re it for me. I don’t care if you can’t have kids. I love you, and I’m not letting you go. I won’t let you be all noble and self-sacrificing. We’ll figure this out together, Helen.”
He tasted like Jamie. The man she loved.
She eased back and stared into his green eyes, now overflowing with love. “I love you, too, Jamie. I don’t want to let you go. But I don’t want you to resent me later. I don’t want you to regret not having children.”
“No regrets.” His hands tightened on hers. “I just want you, Helen. We can work out the details later.”
She hesitated, and he kissed her again. “We’ll go to a doctor. Get another opinion about kids. Just say you won’t walk away.”
It was wrong. Completely selfish of her. But God help her, she couldn’t tell him to leave. Her heart would shrivel into a cold, hard pebble, and her existence would be a desert, devoid of life. “I do love you, Jamie,” she whispered. “I don’t want to let you go. And if we can’t…”
“Shh.” He put his finger on her lips. “We’re not talking about can’t. We’re talking about maybe. And we’re going to think positive thoughts. We’re going to hope.”
He scooped her up in his arms and headed for her bedroom. “I’m putting you to bed tonight. But after your arm is healed, all bets are off. We’re going to think positive thoughts every chance we get.”
Helen leaned her head against Jamie’s chest and wrapped her arms around his neck. “I want to hope with you, Jamie,” she murmured, pressing her mouth into his neck.
“Then that’s what we’ll do. Except for one thing.” He stopped next to her bed, bent his head and kissed her. “We’re not going to hope we’ll live happily ever after. Because that’s a sure thing.”
*****
Thank You
Thank you for reading Love Me. I’m honored you chose one of my books, and I hope you enjoyed it!
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My Books
(by series)
The Donovan Family
Love Me
Watch Me
Find Me
Trust Me
The Devereux Family
A Safe Place
The Woman He Knows
Bending the Rules
Welcome to Otter Tail
Can’t Stand the Heat?
Life Rewritten
For Baby and Me
The McInnes Triplets
A Place Called Home
No Place Like Home
Home at Last
Door County
Small-Town Secrets
Small-Town Family
Stranger in a Small Town
Partners in Crime
In Her Defense
Family First
Cameron, Utah
Rodeo Man
For the Children
Cowboy With a Badge
The Fugitive Bride
The Marriage Protection Program
Stand-alone titles
Hometown Girl
Two on the Run
Family on the Run
To Love and Protect Her
A Thanksgiving to Remember
Someone to Watch Over Her
To Save His Child
The Dark Side of the Moon
An Innocent Man
Personal Best
About the Author
Two-time Rita finalist Margaret Watson published her first book in June, 1991. Since then, she has written thirty books for Silhouette Intimate Moments and Harlequin Superromance, as well as four titles in the Donovan Family series.
Margaret’s books have won or been finalists in many contests, including the Colorado Award of Excellence, Desert Rose Golden Quill, Holt Medallion, and Nationa
l Reader’s Choice. Her most recent book, TRUST ME, was released in November, 2014.
When she’s not writing, Margaret practices veterinary medicine. She lives in the Chicago area with her husband, three daughters and a menagerie of pets.
Table of Contents
Copyright
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Thank You
My Books
About the Author