The Chosen Child

  “Did you bring gloves?”

  Cody eyed Dustin's baggy jeans. A person could hide a small child and two dogs in the pockets of those things.

  “Don’t need ’em.”

  Cody bit back a sigh, “Yeah, you do.” He leaned forward and took the small pair of leather gloves he’d picked up at the feed store out of the glove compartment and tossed them in Dustin’s lap. The boy glared at him, but Cody ignored him.

  “I’m not a hick.” Dustin spoke the word in such a way that it let Cody know exactly what he thought of him.

  “I believe the politically correct term is cowboy,” Cody shot back. Then he softened. He was supposed to be setting a good example, not arguing with the boy. “Look, the gloves are for your safety, like I told you before. I’m not trying to make you into a hick.”

  “Don’t you mean cowboy?” Dustin looked out the passenger window as though bored out of his mind. “How can you stand living out here in the middle of nowhere?”

  Cody resisted his initial impulse to throttle the kid. The ranch meant almost as much to him as his marriage. It might be the only one of the two he had left at the moment.

  Hell, if he lost Nikki, nothing else would matter.

  Dear Reader,

  Sometimes the old saying “Blood is thicker than water” doesn’t hold true. I have friends who are closer to me and who know me better than many of my blood relatives. There’s another old saying—“You can pick your friends, but not your family.” Again, not always true. Many children are chosen to be part of a family through adoption.

  When the hero and heroine of this book, Nikki and Cody Somers, discover they cannot have a child of their own by traditional means, they turn to in vitro fertilization and surrogacy. But a tragic accident changes their plans.

  As so often happens, Nikki and Cody find themselves journeying down an unexpected path. And when a special boy enters the picture, they must take a step back and explore the true meaning of family.

  I invite you to take the journey with Nikki and Cody, and see that in today’s world, where there is often so much darkness, there is a ray of light, as well. We just have to be willing to look for it.

  I love hearing from my readers. You can e-mail me at BrendaMott@hotmail.com. Please reference the book title in the subject line. Or stop by my author’s page at the Smoky Mountain Romance Writer Web site at smrw.org.

  Happy reading!

  Brenda Mott

  The Chosen Child

  Brenda Mott

  This book is dedicated to Sam and her lost boys. And also to the women who are my sisters, if not by blood, then of the heart: Wanda Barnes, D’Ann Linscott-Dunham, Judy Meister, Jennifer Niles, Kayla Perrin, Janet Swanson, Joanne Ward (“Sissy”) and Brenda Williams. I love you all.

  With special acknowledgment to retired 911 operator Barb Dimich, The Silt, Colorado and Rifle, Colorado Police Departments, and MADD—Mothers Against Drunk Driving. Any errors in this work of fiction are my own.

  CONTENTS

  PROLOGUE

  CHAPTER ONE

  CHAPTER TWO

  CHAPTER THREE

  CHAPTER FOUR

  CHAPTER FIVE

  CHAPTER SIX

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  CHAPTER NINE

  CHAPTER TEN

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN

  CHAPTER SIXTEEN

  CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

  PROLOGUE

  THE GLASS DOORS of the hospital emergency room slid open with a mechanical hiss, throwing Nikki Somers into a world tipped off its axis. Bright light and the sterile odors of medicine and cleaning solutions enveloped her, pitching her stomach into a nervous roll.

  Faces, voices, blurred around her as she bypassed the busy front desk receptionist to find someone with answers. “Excuse me!” Hands shaking, Nikki waved down a woman in a nurse’s uniform. “You contacted me. My sister—Amanda Kelly—was brought in by Flight For Life. She was in an accident. I need to find her—now. Please.” The words poured out, nearly choking her. She felt as if she’d been dropped into some strange netherworld, and her real life was back there, somewhere outside the hospital doors.

  Eyes filled with sympathy, the nurse met Nikki’s gaze. “Your sister is in surgery.”

  Nikki’s heart nearly leapt from her chest. “Surgery! My God, how bad is she? What about the baby?”

  “I’m afraid I don’t have the details, ma’am. The doctor will talk to you after Ms. Kelly is taken to recovery. There’s a waiting room upstairs, third floor. Take the elevator—” she pointed “—and follow the yellow line.”

  “Isn’t there anything you can tell me?” Nikki persisted. “Anything I can do?”

  The nurse shook her head. “I’m sorry. You’ll need to wait for Doctor Smith.”

  “Thank you.” Nikki could barely bring herself to utter the words. She didn’t want to wait. She rushed to the elevator and pressed the Up arrow.

  Please, God, no. Not my sister…and not the baby.

  The elevator bell dinged and the doors slid open. Nikki stepped inside. In what felt like slow motion, the car ascended to the third floor, where a lemon-colored line painted on the polished linoleum pointed the way to the waiting room. Nikki followed it, feeling as though she were on an alternate yellow brick road—one that led to nightmares.

  The waiting room seemed small and close. She avoided eye contact with the four people who sat around the perimeter of the room. She had no interest in speaking to them, trading horror stories about why a group of strangers had been brought together in this room. Yet she couldn’t help but steal a glance in their direction.

  In the far corner, a middle-aged woman sat with her coat unbuttoned, her dark hair pulled into a flawless bun. Beside her, a young man stared unseeingly at the television centered on one wall. The woman’s pantsuit looked designer, her nails professionally manicured, her makeup perfect. Nikki saw that she’d been crying and looked away as she sat, perched on the edge of one of the mustard chairs.

  But she couldn’t block the whispers of the man and woman who commiserated with the elegantly dressed lady. She caught the words drunk driver and hit-and-run. And the fact that someone named Caitlin now hovered at death’s door. The dark-haired woman’s next words brought Nikki’s head up with a snap.

  “The other woman was pregnant.”

  And the man. “Dear Lord.”

  My God. They were here because of the same accident Amanda had been in. She didn’t want to share this common bond with them, though she prayed their loved one—Caitlin—would live. Instead, she willed this all to go away and not be real, and for Amanda and the baby to be safe…alive.

  The woman had said was pregnant. Surely she’d meant is. Nikki felt faint, but before she could address the woman, the door to the waiting area opened.

  “Mrs. Somers?” Nikki turned toward the doctor as he entered the room.

  “Yes.” Quickly, she rose to her feet and hurried to him.

  “I’m Doctor Smith.” He held out his hand, and Nikki shook it reflexively. “Your sister is in recovery. You can see her in a little while, once she’s been taken to her room.” He pressed his lips together, looking grim. “I’m afraid the news isn’t good. Ms. Kelly suffered a placental abruption as a result of the impact from the accident. I understand her Blazer rolled into the ravine.”

  Nikki’s throat constricted. “And the baby?”

  “She lost the baby. I’m so very sorry.” He gently squeezed her shoulder, then went on to describe the extent of Amanda’s injuries—a concussion, cracked ribs…she’d required blood transfusions. She had yet to learn that the baby
had died.

  Nikki could only stare at the man, one hand over her mouth. This wasn’t happening. It couldn’t be real. She bit her lip, trying to hold back the tears, wishing Cody were here instead of on duty some seventy miles away. When the hospital had phoned to say Amanda had been in an accident, she hadn’t even taken time to call the Deer Creek police station. The Colorado State Highway Patrol had responded to the accident, which meant Cody didn’t know. She needed to call him.

  “Are you all right, Mrs. Somers?” Doctor Smith’s words barely penetrated the fog shrouding her mind.

  She managed a nod. “I just want to see my sister.”

  “Well, like I said, it’ll be a little while yet.” He gestured toward the phone on the wall. “That’s an in-house line. A nurse will call you with your sister’s room number once she’s been transferred from recovery. I’ll be dropping in later to talk to her as well.” He looked as if he didn’t know what else to say, as if he’d like to move on to his next duty, his next patient. The smartly dressed woman had risen to her feet as soon as Doctor Smith entered the room, and she now moved forward, questions of her own at the ready. He started to turn toward her.

  “Doctor.” Nikki laid her hand on his arm. “Was the baby a girl?” The ultrasound had indicated it was.

  His eyes softened with genuine sympathy. “Yes. Again, I’m so very sorry for your sister’s loss.”

  Nikki mumbled a thank-you, but for what, she wasn’t sure. She amended the thought, thanking God that Amanda was alive.

  An eternity later, the wall phone rang and Nikki hurried to pick it up. She listened as the nurse gave directions to Amanda’s room. Once more, she followed the yellow line to where her sister lay on sterile white sheets, her blond hair spread across the pillow, eyes closed. Fighting back tears, Nikki moved up beside the bed. Amanda’s eyelids fluttered open.

  “Amanda.” Nikki reached for her hand.

  “Nikki?” The fear in Amanda’s voice devastated her, and it was all she could do to stand. She couldn’t speak to answer the question in Amanda’s eyes. All she could do was shake her head.

  Amanda’s wail tore her apart, and Nikki’s emotions whirled in confusion. Relief at knowing Amanda would live mixed with sorrow at seeing her sister in pain. At the same time, the sickening loss in knowing the baby had not made it continued to grip her.

  Not Amanda’s baby, as the doctor had assumed. Amanda had been a surrogate mother.

  Nikki squeezed her eyes shut and wished she could melt into nothing.

  Wished with all her heart that she could slip into a dark, quiet place where there was no pain.

  Where her little girl was not dead.

  CHAPTER ONE

  NIKKI STRUGGLED to control her anger as she looked at her husband. “Vengeance won’t bring Anna back.” In the four months since the accident, they’d made little progress in working through their grief, moving past the loss of their baby girl. And Cody’s attitude wasn’t helping.

  His dark blue eyes held hers. “Maybe not. But I still intend to find the son of a bitch who killed our daughter.” He rose from his chair and walked out of the room.

  Embarrassed, Nikki sighed, leaned back in her chair and faced Regina Jeffries. “I’m sorry.”

  “Don’t apologize. Cody needs to work out his feelings in his own way.” She studied Nikki with her expressive eyes. “Obviously, revenge against the hit-and-run driver responsible for your sister’s accident is not your first concern.”

  “No, that’s just it.” Nikki shook her head, the heated words she and Cody had exchanged ringing in her mind, giving her a headache.

  Why are you so hell-bent on finding the guy, Cody? Let the State Highway Patrol and the sheriff’s office do their jobs.

  It’s not that simple, Nikki. I wish you’d try to understand.

  “Let’s talk about what you think is more important.” Regina glanced at her watch. “We’ve still got fifteen minutes left.”

  Nikki shook her head. “I think I’d better go after Cody.” She stood and gave Regina a small smile. “Thanks. Hopefully we’ll see you next week.”

  “I’ll be here.”

  Outside the three-story brick building of Colorado Family Counseling Services, Nikki paused. Cody wasn’t in their truck, parked at the curb. He wasn’t anywhere in sight. Where had he gone? Her patience wearing thin, Nikki craned her neck, looking up and down the few blocks that made up Main Street in their little mountain town of Deer Creek. Through the plateglass window of Pearl’s Diner she caught sight of him, sulking over a cup of coffee. Head bent so that his black cowboy hat partially hid his face, he reminded her more of a pouting teenager than a thirty-one-year-old man. Half tempted to get in the pickup and drive away without him, Nikki instead took a deep breath and strode across the street. The bell on the door tinkled as she entered.

  Cody didn’t look up when she slid into the booth across from him, and she waited until the waitress left with her order for coffee and a doughnut before she spoke, keeping her voice low. “Care to tell me what that was all about?”

  He stared into his coffee. “I’m tired, Nikki. That’s all.”

  “Maybe you should try coming to bed at night then, instead of falling asleep in front of the television.” She knew he purposely did that to avoid sleeping with her.

  He looked up. “I’m tired of fighting with you.”

  “I thought that was the purpose of counseling. To sort things out instead of arguing.” She hated what Anna’s death had done to their already shaky marriage. Their relationship had been tested by the injustice of three miscarriages in two years, and now they’d lost Anna. “How can we do that if you walk out in the middle of our session?”

  “Do we have to do this here?” He indicated the room full of patrons enjoying Pearl’s down-home cooking and conversation with friends and neighbors.

  “No, we don’t.” Nikki stood. “You know what, Cody? I’m just as tired as you are. I’ll see you at home.”

  She turned and nearly collided with the waitress who’d brought the coffee and doughnut she’d ordered. Nikki eyed the huge, chocolate-glazed pastry, anticipating the comfort she knew she’d find in curling up with the treat in a quiet corner of her bedroom. “Can I get that to go, Sherry? Sorry to trouble you.”

  “It’s no trouble.” Sherry smiled and darted back around the counter.

  Cody was at Nikki’s elbow before she reached the cash register.

  “We drove here together,” he reminded her.

  “I thought I’d go see Jana.” Nikki’s longtime friend owned the bookstore down the street. “She can give me a ride home on her noon break. It’s my turn to buy her lunch anyway.”

  “Fine.” He pressed his mouth into a thin line and slapped money down on the counter to pay for their order. “See you later.” He shot out the door and drove away in the Chevy.

  Take-out bag in hand, Nikki headed down the block.

  An hour and a half later, Jana drove her home, pulling up the long driveway of the sixty-acre ranch. Not even the welcome sight of the horses grazing in the sun was enough to lift Nikki’s spirits. She climbed from Jana’s car, palms sweating at the thought of picking up where she and Cody had left off. Both the truck and Cody’s squad car were parked in front of the garage, today being his day off.

  “You’ll call if you need me?” Jana’s voice drew her from her thoughts.

  “Of course.” Nikki lifted her hand in a wave. “Thanks again.”

  “You bet.”

  Inside, she found Cody in the kitchen. He’d made a sandwich, but had left it half-eaten. She sat at the table near his elbow. “What’s happening to us?”

  “I don’t know,” he said quietly.

  Silence gripped the room. “We need to find a way to get past this,” Nikki said. “How can we do that if you’re not willing to try?”

  There were sorrow and hurt in the look he gave her. “I am trying, Nikki. But you don’t seem to understand that. You think going to town once a week
to spill our guts to some stranger is going to make everything right. But it won’t.”

  “And neither will your obsession with finding the drunk driver.” Nikki struggled to contain her temper. “Cody, I want to see justice for Anna, too. I want the jerk who ruined our lives to pay.” She leaned toward him, and laid her hand on his wrist. “But if you let revenge consume you, we’ll never be able to move on with our lives.”

  He pulled away from her and stood. Raking his hands through his dark hair, he began to pace. “I’m a cop. It’s my duty to uphold the law.”

  “You’re too close. Let the Highway Patrol and the sheriff handle this.”

  Cody stopped pacing. “You do what you need to do to cope with Anna’s death. Why can’t you leave me to do what I need to?”

  She leaned back in her chair. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

  “Your hair. Your clothes.” He shook his head. “I’ve known you since high school, and this—” he indicated her bright pink jeans, lacy blouse and pink cowboy boots “—is not you.”

  Stung, Nikki’s jaw dropped. “I thought you liked my new look.” She fiddled with a strand of her recently dyed-blond, shoulder-length cut. “And what’s wrong with my clothes?”

  “Nothing is wrong with the clothes, Nikki.” Heaving a sigh, Cody sat down again and stared at her. “They’re just not you. The colors, your makeup, none of it is you. Even Regina noticed the changes.”

  “Yes, but she said they were good changes.” Defensively, Nikki folded her arms, suddenly conscious of her extra weight. She’d eaten her way through her depression, until she’d gone from the severe weight-loss she’d suffered since Anna’s death, to being ten pounds past her normal body size. But food gave her comfort. Something she hadn’t found anyplace else lately.