His Badge, Her Baby...Their Family?

“I’m a bachelor, Dr. Merrick. I wouldn’t know what to do with a woman in the house!”

“If I remember correctly, you told me the two of you were married for five years. Surely you remember how to share your living space with a woman.”

Oh, yeah, he remembered way too much, Vince thought grimly. These past few days he’d been in a constant fight to push and shove memories of Geena out of his mind.

“You’re putting me on the spot, Doctor. It—”

“I realize that. And I apologize for doing so. But I got the impression that you cared about Geena. I didn’t think you’d feel comfortable with her going to a public shelter—especially with her being pregnant. There’s not much privacy there. And as a lawman, I hardly have to tell you that unsavory characters go in and out of those places on a regular basis.” He paused for a moment, then said, “I’m sorry I bothered you with this problem, Detective. I’m going to make a few calls to some of the local churches. Most of them have members who are willing to take in a homeless person. Thanks anyway.”

Realizing the doctor was about to end the call, Vince practically shouted, “Doctor, wait! Uh—when did you say Geena was going to be released from the hospital?”

“The paperwork is being done as we speak. She’ll be ready to go as soon as you can pick her up. If that’s something you can’t deal with, then I’ll call social services and let them make other arrangements for her.”

Biting back a curse, Vince raked a hand through his tumbled hair. The doctor had missed his calling, he thought. A lawyer couldn’t have argued a more perfect case for Vince to give Geena a temporary home.

“Okay. I’ll take her in,” Vince told him. “But only until other, more suitable, arrangements can be made. I can pick her up in the next hour.”

“You’re doing the right thing, Detective. For the both of you.”

Vince was hardly convinced. The doctor couldn’t know the pain and heartache each of them had endured while trying to patch together a crumbling marriage. He supposed the only good thing about the situation was that Geena couldn’t remember those bad times. Or the good ones.

“Yes, well, let’s hope Dr. Dunlevy can make a breakthrough. Having her memory return would fix things for all of us.”

The doctor agreed and ended the call. Vince tossed the phone back onto its cradle, then glanced across the room to see Evan watching him keenly.

“I suppose you heard enough to know what I’m going to do,” Vince said grimly.

Evan swiveled his chair so that he was facing Vince’s desk. “Sounds like you’re going to let Geena live with you for a while. You think that’s wise?”

“Wise, hell! Is jumping into a den of rattlesnakes wise?”

Evan shook his head. “Your ex-wife isn’t poisonous. Besides, in her state of mind, it will be like a stranger living in your house.”

“She won’t be a stranger to me,” he muttered.

Evan got to his feet and walked over to the small table that held the coffeepot, a few chipped cups and an odd assortment of snacks.

After he filled one of the cups with the freshly brewed coffee, he moved over to Vince’s desk and set the steaming cup in front of him. “Here, drink up. You look like you need it.”

Vince glanced gratefully up at him. “Thanks.”

Evan lowered a hip onto the edge of the desk. “Look, Vince, if having Geena in the house is going to tear you up, then you shouldn’t do it. She’s not your responsibility. Anyway, she’s welcome to come stay with me and Noelle for a while.”

Frowning, Vince took a long sip of coffee, then said, “Don’t be crazy. Noelle already has her hands full taking care of little Joanna and keeping up with the ranching chores. She doesn’t need a pregnant woman added to that.”

“Noelle is a tough cookie, and she’d be gentle with Geena.”

Vince cut him a dry look. “Noelle is only tough when she needs to be. Except when it comes to you, then she’s not nearly as firm as she ought to be. As for Geena, I have no doubt she’d treat her like a princess. But, no. It’s not your place to take my ex-wife into your home.”

Evan shrugged while Vince continued to sip his coffee. “Like you said, the crucial word is ex. And a shelter isn’t that bad. At least she’ll have a roof over her head and a bed to sleep in. I imagine they’ll find her something to wear. If not, Noelle can take her some of her old maternity things. She won’t be needing them for a while.”

“For a while? Is Noelle expecting again?”

A sly grin put a twinkle in Evan’s eyes. “We’re hoping. And trying.”

His partner had a loving wife and an adorable two-year-old daughter. The couple managed to juggle his career with her desire to work the ranch. Together, they were able to keep their love healthy and strong in spite of their busy schedules. Vince often envied the other man for having the things he’d tried so hard to have with Geena.

“So that’s why you’ve been looking so tired here lately. I thought it was because we’ve been working overtime.”

“Ha! I don’t look any more exhausted than you do,” Evan argued. “Who have you been spending your nights with?”

A sardonic twist slanted Vince’s lips. “Oh, just half the female population of Carson City.”

“Sure,” Evan muttered. “You haven’t had a date in months. No, make that years!”

“I have better things to do with my time.” Vince drained the last of his coffee and stood up. “If you can handle things here, I need to get over to the hospital.”

“I’ll hold down the fort,” Evan assured him. “You go do what you have to do.”

“Thanks. I’ll be back as quick as I can.”

Vince was almost to the door when Evan called to him.

“Uh, Vince, it’s none of my business, but it might be nice if you’d pick up some flowers for Geena. You know, just to tell her you’re glad she’s feeling well enough to leave the hospital.”

Vince rolled his eyes with exasperation. “You’re not only a hopeless romantic, you’re clueless. To her I’m a stranger. She doesn’t need or want flowers from a stranger.”

“Wanna bet?”

Vince didn’t bother with a retort. Anyone could take one look at Geena’s expanded waist and see that she had a man in her life. And it damned sure wasn’t Vince.

* * *

Across town at Tahoe General Hospital, Geena stood at the window in her room and stared at the mountain range in the far distance. When she’d first arrived at the emergency room the night of the accident, the nurses had informed her that she was in Carson City, Nevada. Nothing about the revelation had made sense. And in her mental state, she could only guess as to whether she’d ever been here before.

Now as she studied the ridge of mountains, she could only wonder why she’d been traveling on the highway between here and Lake Tahoe. Had this town been her destination? Or had she merely been passing through? Apparently she didn’t live in this area or someone would have already identified her. At least, someone other than Detective Vince Parcell.

Thoughts of the man brought a sigh to her lips. Learning that she’d once been married to him continued to amaze her. How could he have been her husband? He was a tall, sexy hunk of man. Just looking at him stirred every female cell in her body. There was no way she could have forgotten sharing a bed with him. And yet she had the photo of their wedding proving that the two of them had exchanged vows.

Yesterday he’d stopped by her room for a few brief minutes to check on her health and give her an update on the investigation, but she’d hardly taken note of anything he’d been saying. All she could do was look at him and wonder what it must have been like to be his wife and speculate as to why their marriage ended.

He’d said their lives had taken different courses and they’d parted on friendly terms. Yet she couldn’t imagine letting this man go without fighting tooth and nail. Unless there was something else that had gone on that he’d purposely avoided telling her. Like infidelity or something she’d considered unforgivable. If that had been the case, then she didn’t want to know the true cause of their divorce. It would be too embarrassing.

Stop it, Geena! Quit thinking about Vince Parcell. The man is not your husband anymore! Somewhere out there is a man who you must be in love with. You’re about to have his child. Finding him is what you need to be thinking about. Not mooning over a lost marriage you don’t even remember.

A light tap on the door had Geena turning away from the window just in time to see the object of her troubled thoughts walking through the door. The sight of him caused her heart to leap with hope and a strange sort of excitement. Perhaps he’d brought good news.

“Hello, Detective Parcell.”