Unexpected Hope (Book 2 in the Red Valley series)

Chapter 31

Levi sat on the side of his and Hope's bed watching Mason and Emma sleep together in their cradle. They had tried putting them in separate cradles but they just weren't happy unless they were together. Their soft sighs filled the air as the morning sun filtered into the room, giving the white walls a warm rosy glow. The love that he felt for his children, all three of them still amazed him every single day. Secretly he had worried that he might love the twins more than Ellie, only because he loved Hope so much and had never even liked Alicia. Smiling, he realized that his fears were unfounded. It didn't matter who their mother was, he loved them all the same.

A noise at the door pulled his thoughts back, turning his head, he saw Ellie standing there, in one of the new soft pink gowns with a ruffle at the bottom, rubbing her eyes. "Good morning." He whispered, getting up and walking across the room to her. He bent down and swooped her up into his arms. She had been so wonderful and helpful since the twins were born, but he knew that she missed having all of his and Hope's attention. "How about we go downstairs and we'll fix breakfast together, just like we used to."

Ellie sat on the counter in her night gown with her bare feet swinging back and forth as she stirred a bowl of pancake batter while Levi sliced thick slabs of bacon. Half an hour later, he and Ellie were taking two trays of food upstairs for the three of them to have breakfast in bed. They walked into the bedroom just as Hope was throwing the covers back to get up for the day.

"Oh no you don't. You get right back into bed. The three of us are having breakfast in bed." He said with a cheeky grin, as they sat the trays at the foot of the bed. They ate and talked and just enjoyed their time with each other as the twins slept.

Hope set her fork on her plate and leaned back against the carved cherry headboard rubbing her full stomach and groaned. Her ebony hair hung in silky curls framing her face, emphasizing her ivory complexion. Today her eyes were a vivid violet, letting him know that she was feeling better and more comfortable with the memories that had begun to trickle back to her.

The first couple of days had been pure hell. She had been beside herself with worry and fear now that Philip knew where she was. Levi had sent another Pinkerton detective to follow Philip and keep an eye on him as soon as he found out the man had been Hope's former fiancé. About two weeks ago he got a telegram that the detective had lost Philip's trail completely. Levi hadn't been worried, until then.

There really wasn't a whole lot that Philip could do. After all, he and Hope had been married for a year now, and they had the twins. Hell, he couldn't even have their marriage annulled because they had the twins. About the only thing Philip could do is just outright kidnap her, and he really didn't think the man would go that far. Well, if he were to die, then Hope would be free to marry someone else. That thought didn't sit well with him, at all.

"I think I'll take Ellie into town with me. Cole and I are meeting with Andy today to see if he's heard anything from the other sheriffs." Levi said as Hope nursed Mason and he burped Emma.

Three hours later Hope sat in one of the rocking chairs on the front porch with Claire running her fingers over Emma's downy soft head, loving the way she and Mason smelled after they'd had a bath. "Thank you for sitting out here with me Claire."

"Oh, you don't have to thank me. I love spending time with you and the babies."

"Well, I'm sure that it won't be too much longer and you will have a houseful of your own." Hope said with a knowing smile at her friend.

"No, I don't think so."

"Oh, you don't? And why is that? I thought that Tuck asked if he could court you and that he was courting you." Hope cut her eyes over to the other woman and watched as a becoming flush crept up her face. She knew that they went off for walks after supper most days. Moving her eyes back to the front, she soaked in the beautiful landscape. A soft breeze rustled the leaves, causing the sunlight that filtered through them to dance along the thick green lawn.