Drake Forever (Unrestrained 7)

tried to relax.

"This is where Mommy and I got married," Drake said to Sophie, kissing her plump cheek. "It was the happiest day of my life up until then. The next happiest," he said and looked over at me, "was the day I found out that you were conceived and then the day I realized that both of you were going to live after all."

Drake's eyes softened and he leaned over and kissed me. I know he was thinking of the horrible day that I was attacked and almost died. He could have lost us both but luckily, the doctors were skilled and we survived.

"I love you, Mrs. Morgan," he said, his voice filled with emotion. "Thank you for the best years of my life."

"I love you, Dr. Morgan," I replied, my throat choking up, my eyes filling with tears. "Thank you for the best years of my life."

We smiled together and then Sophie bounced again and Drake lifted her up and into the baby carrier so they could walk together for a while.

The leaves were all reds and oranges and yellows in Central Park and we let Sophie down so she could run around in them, laughing as she did. It was my favorite time of the year and for an hour at least, all the cares of the trial and what Drake would face once the video came out and the talk began on television and on the internet were forgotten.

* * *

We arrived back home and spent the rest of the morning lazing on the sofa, watching a show on a home channel, looking at houses along the coast. Drake and I loved our apartment, but we also loved being close to the ocean when we were in San Francisco and had talked about getting a house on the beach. Maybe on Fire Island. It could be our summer place and we'd divide our time between the apartment on 8th Avenue and the beach house. Drake suggested we build a brand new house exactly to our specifications and so we enjoyed watching home renovation and design shows on cable. I figured it would give Drake something other than the trial to focus on and I encouraged it. I'd love to be able to walk to the beach each morning with Sophie the way I had back in San Francisco.

Drake got a call from Lara a little after noon, and they talked in the office while I fixed Sophie's lunch. I wanted to go into the office and listen, but I was busy with Sophie so I waited for Drake to come out and relay to me what they discussed.

When he finally emerged from the office, his face told me everything.

"The video is live on the internet on some gossip website. They claim it's me, but I watched it and it's not. Not even close. The guy in the video has a pot belly, for God's sake..."

"What?" I said, frowning. "You've never had a pot belly. Not even close."

"I know," Drake said and came up behind me, sliding his arms around me for a hug. "It crushed me to think they'd even suggest it could be me."

I knew he was trying to make light of the situation, but his voice betrayed his true feelings. He was angry and upset.

"When are you going to meet with Lara?"

"Right away," he replied. "We're going to meet at her office. She's asked me to bring her lunch, so I'll eat with her and we can talk about the case while we do. She's meeting with a client at 2:00 so we have to be finished by then. I hope you don't mind..."

I turned around and slipped my arms around his neck. "Of course I don't mind. I know you have to meet with her to figure out how to deal with this. She's busy and you have to work a meeting in around her schedule. I can eat with Sophie. Then, I think the two of us will walk down to the corner store and get some fresh fruit for a fruit salad."

"Make sure you let Mike know," Drake said, reminding me about my bodyguard.

"How could I forget Mike?" I said, only slightly sourly. "My constant companion."

"It's for your protection," Drake chided. "You said yourself that you barely notice him now."

"I know," I said. "I'm being a spoiled brat about it. I just wish we didn't have to worry about it."

"One day soon, maybe we won't," Drake said and squeezed me. He kissed me on the lips and then let go, moving to where Sophie sat in her highchair and giving her another kiss.

He went to the closet to get his jacket and his boots, and then wrapped a scarf around his neck.

"See you soon," he said and waved at Sophie. "Try to enjoy your walk to the store. Pretend that Mike is just a big bear of a man and happens to live in the same neighborhood as you, is out for a walk and would help you if you needed it."

I smiled at Drake, for that described Mike perfectly -- a big bear of a man. A handsome bear, but still big and burly, his biceps bulging from under his jacket.

* * *

After Sophie and I finished our lunch, we took the stroller and went out to the street. Before I left, I texted Mike and he said he'd be waiting outside for me when I was ready to go for the walk.

Sure enough, he stood with his hands in his pockets, a pair of dark sunglasses covering his eyes, his blond brush cut and square jaw giving his identity as a former Navy SEAL away. I could almost see the bulge of his concealed weapon at his hip -- or at least, I imagined I could see it.

Strangely, it didn't comfort me the way I thought it would. I was almost killed by a car, not a weapon. I'd read recently about a woman who was stabbed in the gut while she was out walking her dog in the morning. She'd bled out before the ambulance even arrived because the knife blade severed an artery. The culprit walked towards her and at the last minute, slipped the knife out of his pocket, stabbing her and then walking on. When it happened, she was alone on the block in the section of Harlem, close to where I lived before. People had passed by, thinking she was a drunk, but her little dog stayed at her side the entire time. It made my heart squeeze to think of her dying all alone while people walked by. I didn't want that to be my end, but there was no way of knowing. The assailant was unknown to the woman. She was a target of opportunity and nothing more.