“Now we have to go explain all of this to our parents,” Abbie laughs.
“Yep, this calls for coffee and maybe some whiskey,” he teases.
An hour later they are sitting across from two stunned couples as they try to explain everything that’s happened.
“What happens tomorrow, Tucker?” Abbie asks softly, and he can hear the fear in her voice.
“Tomorrow you finalize your adoptions and rest. We give Mason some time to heal and find a doctor to check out both of them.”
“Could you bring Sterling too?” she asks.
Tucker frowns, “Why?”
“Because he’s Mason’s only blood relation and he needs to meet him,” Abbie explains.
“Of course,” Tucker stands and looks at his parents. “I’ll need to make sure Abbie and the children aren’t alone until I can get some more help.”
“We’ll stay,” Abbie’s father says. “I don’t like the idea of something happening to my daughter.”
“Thank you, Dad,” Abbie says with a yawn.
“You should sleep while, Cora does,” her Mother insists.
“Cora?” she asks with a raised eyebrow.
“It has a ring to it, don’t you think?” she asks.
“Yes, it does but I don’t want to upset Mason,” she yawns again.
“Bed, now,” her Mother insists. “We can take care of a baby if she wakes up.”
“I am tired,” Abbie says with a smile. “She likes to sleep on her side with her yellow blanket…”
“Abbilene, go to bed,” her Mother snaps.
Abbie giggles and looks at Tucker with a smile that takes his breath.
“I’ll show you to your room.” Mrs. Manning insists and guides her from the room.
Abbie stops at the door and turns back, “You’ll bring her to me?”
“Yes, sweetie. I will. Now go get some rest while you can.”
“Good night,” she says and looks at Tucker before turning away with a frown. How is it possible that she has gotten so attached to him that the thought of sleeping away from him upsets her? She pauses again, “Tucker?” she calls.
He turns to look at her, “Where will you be?” she asks.
“Upstairs,” he watches the worry flicker in her beautiful eyes and strides to her.
“I see.” She looks at her parents and nods.
“I will hear you, Abbie, you’re safe here,” he says.
“It’s silly, right. I mean, I’ve lived alone in that big house for years, but that was before… well goodnight.”
“Sweet dreams, Abbilene,” Tucker says.
After they hear the door close her father asks, “Before what?”
“Abbie was attacked on the train,” Tucker explains.
“What?” her mother almost shouts.
Coralie jumps and frowns, but Mrs. Manning scoops her up before she can start crying.
“You’ve been waiting for that,” her husband teases and they sit together on the couch to listen.
“Explain,” her father demands.
They listen quietly as Tucker fills them in on the train attack.
“What are you doing to keep my daughter safe?” he demands.
“Everything I can, Mr. Manning. I am hiring extra security when I’m in town tomorrow. No one will touch her again, I promise.”
“Good.” He glances at the women and the baby. “Until I can go home you need to loan me a gun.”
“Yes, Sir.”
“I’ve got plenty at the main house. I’ll bring them back in the morning. Maybe we should stay here tonight to keep an ear out?” Mr. Manning suggest.
“Dad. Of course, you’re welcome to stay. You can take my room. I’m sleeping downstairs, just in case.”
“Beth, you come get me if you need help with the children. Abbie needs to sleep.”
“Thank you, Nora. I will.”
“Coralie will go with me and your Dad. I’ll bring her down when it’s time to feed her.” His mother smiles lovingly at the sleeping baby in Nora’s arms.
Tucker nods, “I’m going to ride the fence line one time before bed. Goodnight.”
Chapter 54
Abbie is sleeping a deep, dreamless sleep, when she hears the first cry. Mason turns restlessly in his sleep. He shouts and sits up sobbing with his hands over his ears. “No!” he shouts.
Abbie leaps from the bed and runs to his side. She tries to console him, but he won’t take his hands from his ears.
“Mason!” she calls. Nothing. She picks him up and he starts fighting her, screaming and Abbie gasps.
Tucker throws open the door with is hand on his pistol and the light from the lantern fills the room. He is shocked to find Abbie fighting a sobbing child.
“I’ve got you,” she says softly and wraps her arms around him, pinning his arms down to keep him from hitting her.
“You’re safe,” she promises and rocks him in her arms. “It’s okay,” she promises as his sobs turns to soft weeping.
Mason deflates and lets her cradle him.
Tucker wets a cloth at the basin on the table and offers it to her. She looks up at him and they both are stunned to find Mason sleeping soundly.
“What was that?” he whispers.
“I don’t know,” she presses a kiss to his head and takes the cloth to wipe his face clean.
“We need to replace his bad dreams with good ones,” Tucker says and helps pull her to her feet.
Abbie is standing in the glow of the lantern wearing a peach nightgown with her dark hair around her shoulders. Tucker stares at her and his mouth goes dry.
She’s oblivious to the picture she presents and Tucker fights with the urge to touch and claim her. Instead he swipes a shaky hand over his face and walks to the door.
“Thank you,” she climbs back into her bed and is asleep in three breaths.
Three more times that night, Abbie and Tucker fight Mason in his sleep until finally, she tells Tucker to put Mason in her bed.
She pulls his little body to hers
