married 2021
Love for eternity
Holy shit.
She really was delusional.
Pretending he hadn’t seen any of that, Baz returned to find Molly holding on to the wall, her other hand curled tightly around her protruding belly.
He helped her out into the hall, closed and locked the door behind them. A few minutes later, she was in the passenger seat of his truck, her gaze scanning the interior as though she was looking for something. Her entire demeanor had shifted. Gone was the panicked, freaked-out mother-to-be, in her place a calm, assessing planner.
“We’ll need to get an SUV,” she said with a smile. “Something that’ll be easier for me to get the car seat in and out of.”
Baz cocked an eyebrow and peered over at her.
It was then he realized Molly Ryan was more than hormonal or unhinged.
She was quite possibly batshit crazy.
*
JJ stared blankly at the phone asshe set it on her desk.
Now that the team had solidified the travel plans, everyone had dispersed, and they’d shifted their attention back to how they wanted to rearrange now that Allison wouldn’t be returning to the task force. Downstairs she could hear Holly and Becs chatting about who would sit where, which direction the desks should be facing. It all faded away as Baz’s words repeated in her head:She’s actin’ crazy. Said she wouldn’t have the baby if I didn’t marry her today.
Marry her.
Not for the life of her had JJ considered that might be an option for Baz. Even knowing he would forever be tied to the other woman, JJ’s mind hadneverconsidered marriage.
Of course, he’d just told her he wouldn’t marry Molly, but that was now. He was a good man, one of the best she knew. He was a stand-up guy, a true gentleman. Would he change his mind one day? Be with Molly for the baby’s sake?
JJ pressed her hand to her stomach. The thought of Baz marrying anyone caused an ache she couldn’t ignore.
He’d never mentioned it before. From what she knew, the relationship between him and Molly was strictly platonic, had been since that one and only night they’d been together. And she believed him.
He’d said he wouldn’t, she reminded herself. No sense in jumping ahead of herself.
This was all Molly. The woman who called and texted him three dozen times a day, always asking where he was, who he was with. JJ wasn’t sure how Baz could stand it. He had to turn his phone off otherwise he couldn’t get through a simple meal without an interruption.
“Do you want a say in what’s—”
JJ looked up, her thoughts interrupted by Brantley’s voice. “What?”
“Everything okay?”
She glanced down at her phone, back up to her boss. “That was Baz. He said…” JJ cleared her throat. “He has to go to Molly’s. Said to let you know.”
“Somethin’ wrong with the baby?”
JJ shrugged. “I don’t think so. I…” She shrugged again.
“Well, let me know if there’s anything we can do.” Brantley motioned toward the downstairs. “If he can’t make it to Dallas, you can ride with us if you’d like.”
JJ nodded. She hadn’t even considered that Baz might not go. They were sharing a hotel room, which meant if he wasn’t there, she would be sleeping alone. It would be the first time since… God, she didn’t want to think about that right now.
Brantley cleared his throat, motioned toward the main floor. “You want to weigh in on this once and for all?”
Forcing her thoughts away from Baz, JJ shook her head, smiled. “Nope. That’s why I’m up here and they’re down there.” She canted her head. “Did Allison really quit?”
