Can't Stop the Feeling (Whispering Bay Romance 6)

Jenna helped the little girl into the back seat of her car. Since she didn’t have a car seat, she strapped her in as securely as possible and drove at a snail’s pace all the way to Ben’s beach house. A Whispering Bay police cruiser sat parked in the driveway.

“Oh no,” Rachel squeaked.

Jenna killed the car engine and whipped around to see Rachel’s big brown eyes wide with fear. “Honey, what’s wrong?”

“That’s the police.”

“Your uncle probably called to help them look for you.”

Rachel shook her head vehemently. “Do you think they’re gonna take Uncle Ben to jail? Like they did daddy and mommy?” She began to cry again.

The confusion she felt earlier was back full force. Rachel’s parents had gone to jail?

“They’re not going to take your uncle to jail,” Jenna said firmly. She unbuckled her seat belt and was about to help Rachel out of the car when the front door to the house flew open. Ben came running toward her.

“I saw you pull up and—” The look on his face when he spied Rachel in the back seat of the car made any anger she’d had at Ben evaporate. Jenna had never seen such raw emotion before. Not on anyone, and certainly not on this man who always seemed to keep his feelings so in check. “Thank you. Thank you for bringing her home,” he said hoarsely before pulling Rachel into a hug.

Jenna nodded, unsure what to say as she witnessed their reunion. It was obvious Ben cared deeply for his niece, but this situation with Rachel was confusing. At this moment, there was only one thing Jenna was certain of. She wasn’t leaving Ben’s house until she got some answers.

* * *

Ben took a long, hard look at his niece. “Are you hurt?” When Greta had come home without Rachel, he’d had to restrain himself from strangling her. But within a few seconds, the anger had turned into a bone-chilling fear like nothing he’d ever felt before. And nothing he ever wanted to experience again.

“I’m sorry I ran away from Greta. I…promise, I won’t do it no more,” she sobbed out.

She’d run away? What was going on here? “It’s okay, honey, I’m just glad you’re all right.”

Jenna looked at him with a mixture of sympathy and wariness. “I found her walking down the side of the road, Ben. Alone.” She didn’t bother hiding the accusation in her voice, not that he blamed her. She was right. If anything had happened to Rachel it would be completely his fault.

“Will you come in the house, please?” he asked Jenna.

“Oh, believe me, I’m not going anywhere.”

They walked into the living room to find the Whispering Bay police chief still interviewing Greta. Zeke Grant took one look at Rachel and smiled for the first time. “I take it this is the missing child?”

“Hi, Zeke,” Jenna said in a friendly tone.

“Hey, Jenna. I sure am glad to see you.”

Greta went to embrace Rachel, but she turned her face away from the nanny. “Rachel, I thought you’d been kidnapped!” She scowled at Jenna. “What are you doing here?”

Jenna ignored her while Zeke hunkered down to get on eye level with Rachel. “Are you all right?” he asked using a quiet, professional voice meant to reassure.

“You’re not gonna take my uncle away are you?”

Ben winced at the fear in Rachel’s voice.

The police chief shot him a look. “No, honey, he called me because he was worried about you.”

“I think I can explain all this,” Jenna said. “Is it okay to tell your uncle and the police officer what you told me?” she asked Rachel.

Rachel frowned. “Everything?”

“I think it’s important to always tell the truth. Don’t you?”

“Okay,” Rachel said.

Jenna went on to tell them how she found Rachel walking alongside the road and the story behind it. The anger he’d felt earlier came flooding back. At Greta, yes, but mostly at himself. How many times had he berated Jake for his irresponsible behavior? Well, the joke was on him. At least Jake had an excuse. A shitty one, yeah. But what excuse did he have?