“They’re nice.”
“I’m glad you like them. They want us to go over there tomorrow. Would you like to do that?”
“Will Dad go with us?”
“No. He’s out on a case and won’t be home for a little while. He called earlier when I thought you were asleep. He told me to give you a kiss.” She leaned over and pecked his cheek.
He was missing Vic. Hopefully her news would put a smile on his face. “Guess what?”
“What?”
“Tonight your dad asked me to marry him.”
“He did?” Jeremy cried. His eyes shone with happiness.
“Yes, and I told him I wanted to be his wife more than anything in the world.”
He shot up in bed and hugged her so hard he almost knocked her over. “Dad said a lady has to wait for the man to ask her. I’ve been waiting and waiting for him to ask you.”
She laughed gently. “I’ve been waiting, too. Sometimes your father is slow as molasses before making up his mind about something.”
“I know.”
Jeremy sounded so adult just then, she melted with love for him.
“I always wanted my very own boy. I love you, Jeremy. If it’s all right with you, I want to be a mother to you. No one can replace your own mother, but no one could love you more than I do.”
He wiped his eyes. “I love you, too. Do you want to know a secret?”
“What is it, sweetheart?”
“I’ve wanted y
ou to be my mother for a long time.”
“Then aren’t we lucky that we can be together as a family.”
“Can I tell Nate?”
“You can tell everyone, even Comet and Daken.”
He giggled. “You’re funny, Claire.”
She put an arm around his shoulders. “I’m the happiest woman in the world tonight.”
“I’m happier.” He looked at her with a loving expression.
“How come?”
“I never have to have a nanny again.”
Chapter Nine
At 10:00 p.m. Vic got out of the Ford Super Duty F-350 Platinum crew cab truck he was using for his undercover role. It had New Mexico plates and a decal of the Lipan Apache Nation on the back window. He locked it, looked around and then walked to a brown van parked two cars away in the packed casino parking area on the outskirts of Luckenbach.
Kit and two of the staff from the bureau running the surveillance van did a double take when Vic opened the door and climbed in.
“Good grief. When I look at you, I know it’s you, but I don’t recognize you at all. The Dream Tan really worked.”