"Jack?" I pushed myself off of his chest, propping myself up on my elbow.

He rolled onto his side, reaching over to push the hair from my face. "Hm?"

"I was just thinking. We've known each other for almost a year and a half, we've been married for over half of that, and I still don't really know all that much about your job. I mean, I know you're a sheriff, so I've really just been imagining an Andy Griffith scenario."

He laughed softly. "Well, I hate to break it to you, but it's not really like that. I'm really a police officer. They just haven't changed the title, maybe for the nostalgia." His fingers danced up and down my arm.

"Are there deputies in your department?"

"Mhmm, but it's the same situation with the title. They're just lower-ranked police officers."

"And why do you have to go out of town so much?"

"Sometimes, it's for trainings. Sometimes, other small towns need backup for bigger cases, and we usually have enough people here that we can afford to send a few to help out. Or sometimes, there's a case that covers multiple towns or counties, so we have to go meet up with other police departments and courts and stuff."

I touched his cheek. "What is it this time?"

"Big case."

"How can they put a timeline on something like that?"

"They can't, really. They just estimate. If it takes longer than they expect, they'll either make me stay a few more days, or they might send someone else to relieve me if it's looking like it'll be a while still."

"And if it doesn't take as long as they expect?"

He knew I knew the answer. "Then I get to come home early." He leaned in and pressed his lips to mine, just barely. "Come home and kiss you." He leaned in again, teasing.

I couldn't help but giggle as he touched his lips to my cheeks, my neck, my shoulder. "Jack, Teddy is going to be up any minute."

"He's not up yet." His lips found my ear, and I shivered.

He huffed when I slid from his embrace to check on the baby, who had just begun to stir in the bassinet.

"Sorry, babe. Not that I wasn't enjoying that, but I figured we probably didn't want to be interrupted by a screaming infant." I settled into the glider so Teddy could eat. "Besides, we needed to get up and get ready for church anyway."

"Later?"

"Oh, definitely."

He grinned and hopped out of bed, making his way to the bathroom.

I looked down at Teddy as he ate. "Your daddy is so silly, Teddy Bear."

...

"Beth." He lightly brushed the back of his hand across my cheek. "I have to leave."

I slowly opened my eyes to see him kneeling beside the bed. "Don't go." I ran my fingers through his hair. "Stay here. Get back in bed. They won't miss you. I'll miss you."

"Elizabeth, you know I have to go." He leaned in and kissed me. "The next two weeks will go by fast. I'll be back before you know it."

I sat up, and he pulled me up beside him. He snaked his arms around my waist.

"I promise I'll call you."

"You'd better." I stood on my toes and kissed him again. "Go ahead and say bye to Teddy. I'll walk you to the door."

I watched as he lifted our son from the bassinet and snuggled him close. "Hey, little man. I have to leave for a little while, but I'll be back soon. You be good for your mama, okay?" He kissed the top of his head. "I love you, Teddy Thornton."

Teddy started fussing as he was lowered back into the bassinet.

"I'll be right back, Teddy Bear." I touched his cheek before I followed Jack down the stairs. "So…"

He stood beside the door, his bag on the floor beside him. "It's just two weeks. We can do this."

"Stay safe."

"Always." He wrapped me in his arms. "I love you, Elizabeth."

"I love you, too. Come back to me, Jack."

"I will." He kissed me soundly once, twice, saying nothing more before he grabbed his bag and headed out the door.

I stood on the porch and watched him drive away, fighting the tears that I felt forming. Teddy's crying grew louder, drawing me back inside.

"Hi, buddy." I picked him up, resting him against my shoulder. "It's just you and me for a little while. Daddy will be back soon. He always comes back." I sighed and settled into the glider to rock him, praying that Jack would come back to us.

...

Rosemary and I loaded the babies into their car seats.

"Okay, I know Teddy is a big baby, but goodness, he looks like he's going to pass up Alina soon, and she's eight months older than him. How much does he weigh now?"

"Over twelve pounds, and he's not even two months old yet."

"I don't envy you." She chuckled. "But at least he wasn't born twelve pounds."

I laughed softly. "He would be an only child forever if he would've been born twelve pounds. Nine and a half was bad enough."

We buckled ourselves into the front seats, and Rosemary backed out of the driveway. "I still don't know how you did that without an epidural."

"Honestly, I don't know, either." I smiled as I glanced back at the babies. "Thanks for thinking of this, Rosie. I needed to get out of the house."

It had been a week since Jack had left. I hadn't done much aside from taking care of Teddy, so Rosemary had suggested we take a trip to Pawhuska to visit the Mercantile again, though part of me wondered if Jack had asked her to find some way get me out of the house.

Both babies were asleep by the time we reached our destination, but Alina woke when we got out of the car. Her eyes were wide as she took in everything around her. Meanwhile, Teddy just snoozed away in my arms.

"Oh, my goodness. I forgot how amazing this food is."

"So good. I've been dreaming of this quesadilla all week." I took a bite and closed my eyes, savoring it.

Rosemary took a sip of her lemonade. "So, how have you been with Jack being gone?"

I sighed. "It's a little bit easier this time, because I've had more regular communication with him. He's busy, though, so it's been just a quick text to let me know he's okay every other day or so. I'm glad I have Teddy to distract me the rest of the time." I glanced down at the baby; he was still sleeping peacefully in the crook of my arm. "Except I think he misses Jack, too. He's been crying more before bedtime, I think because he's so used to Jack putting him to bed."

"How long until he comes back?" She fed Alina a bite of potato.

"He's supposed to be there another week, but it depends on if they get everything squared away by then. He texted me earlier and said he should be able to call me tonight, so he should be able to tell me then if anything has changed."

"That's good."

We continued to chat as we finished eating, then we fed the babies before we left the table.

I wrapped Teddy back up so he was snuggled against my chest while Rosemary and I browsed the store.

"Can you believe that the last time we were here, Jack and I weren't even engaged, Teddy wasn't even a blip on my radar, and you were only halfway to meeting Alina?"

"That feels like a lifetime ago."

Without our husbands there, we didn't feel so rushed, and we took our time looking around at everything. Now awake, Teddy was fascinated by everything I picked up.

Rosemary and I both purchased a few things before we headed upstairs to the bakery.

I smiled as I remembered eating the cupcakes in Jack's hotel room while we watched Sound of Music, and how we fell asleep together on the couch. Even then, I knew I would marry him someday, though I definitely didn't think it would be so soon.

"We really should do another weekend getaway together."

"I was just thinking the same thing. I'll ask Lee what his schedule looks like."

I rubbed Teddy's back as he started to squirm, trying to calm him down. "It'll require a lot more planning since we both have babies now."

She smiled. "We'll figure something out."

...

That evening, I leaned back against the headboard, settling Teddy on my lap. "Okay, Teddy Bear, daddy's going to call any second to talk to us, so we need to be ready. Are you ready?"

I stared at the phone in my hand, grinning when Jack's name finally popped up on the screen.

"Hey, babe. It's good to see your face."

"You, too. I miss you. How's our boy?"

"I don't know. Why don't you ask him?" I angled the phone so Teddy was on the screen.

"Hi, bud. Are you having fun with mama?"

Teddy cooed, and Jack chuckled.

"Oh, really? I love you, little man. I'll see you soon, okay?"

I turned the phone back on me. "I think he misses you. He's been fussing a little more than usual, mostly at bedtime."

"I'm sorry."

I shook my head. "It's fine. You'll be home soon, and he won't even remember that you were gone. You will be home soon, right?"

"Mhmm." He nodded. "It's looking like their two-week estimate was about right. I'll let you know if anything changes, though."

"Is everything going smoothly there?"

"For the most part. Nothing unexpected has come up so far, so that's good. What have you been up to?"

"Rosemary and I took a day trip with the babies to the Mercantile." I covered my mouth as I yawned. "Sorry, it's been a long day."

He chuckled. "I can imagine. That's what, like four hours in a car total? And with two infants, that's a lot."

"It was so worth it, though. I forgot how good that food is. I don't think I'll be able to eat for the next three days. Oh, and I got you a present."

"Is it a plate?"

I chuckled. "No, it's not a plate, or a mug, or any sort of dish. It's not really a serious gift, but you'll like it. I promise. Rosemary didn't understand it."

"Now I'm really curious."

"Well, you have to come home to find out what it is." I gave him a mischievous smile.

"I'll work fast." He winked.

Teddy started squirming in my arms. I set down my phone and resituated him. "Hey, Teddy Bear. Are you hungry, or are you just restless because you can hear daddy?" I looked at the clock beside me. "Give me a second, Jack. He's hungry."

"I should've thought about it and called after he ate."

"No, this is fine." I picked the phone back up once Teddy was happily filling his belly. "If you had called later, he would've been asleep, and you wouldn't have gotten to talk to him."

"True." He sighed. "Man, I miss you both so much. I miss sitting with you while you feed him."

"At least you only have one more week. It's not like when you had to leave for a whole month right after we got married."

"That was the worst. I'm still sorry about that."

I shook my head. "That's in the past. You can't change it. And you came back."

He smiled. "Have I mentioned lately how lucky I am to have you? I love you."

"I love you, too."

...

A few days later, my phone buzzed, and Jack's name flashed across the screen.

"Jack. I didn't expect to hear from you tonight." I turned my phone on speaker and set it on top of the dresser. "Is everything okay?"

"Yeah, everything's fine. I just got a few minutes to myself, and I wanted to hear your voice."

I laid Teddy on the changing table and grabbed a clean diaper and onesie from the drawer. "Well, I'm glad you called. I miss you."

"I miss you, too. What are you doing right now?"

"Just getting Teddy ready for bed."

"How cute is he tonight? Scale of one to ten?"

I chuckled as I looked down at Teddy. "Like a twelve. I'd go higher, because obviously he's the cutest baby who's ever existed, but I'm currently changing a particularly nasty diaper, so that knocks him down a few points."

"He really is the cutest baby. I can't wait to see him again."

"Just him?" I fastened the fresh diaper on him.

"Well, of course I can't wait to see you too, beautiful." He cleared his throat. "By the way, did you get a delivery today?"

"Um, no, I don't think so. Was I supposed to?"

"Yes. Go check when you're finished changing Teddy."

"Okay…" I slipped the onesie over Teddy's head and carried him to the crib. "I'll be right back, Teddy Bear. Jack, I'll be right back. I'm just going to leave my phone up here while I check."

"Okay."

I headed down the stairs, wondering what sort of delivery could be waiting on the front porch. I nearly fell down when I opened the front door.

He was standing there, holding a bouquet of purple roses.

"Jack!"

He pulled me into his arms. "I told you I couldn't wait to see you, Beth." He kissed me deeply and backed me into the house, kicking the door closed behind him. "I love you."

"I love you, too. I can't believe you're home. You weren't supposed to be back for a couple more days."

"We finished early, and I like surprising you." He set down the flowers and linked his fingers behind my back.

"You know I don't like surprises, but I guess I can let this one slide." I sighed, rubbing my hand across his cheek. "I missed you so much."

"I missed you, too." He kissed me again. "Do you need to check on Teddy?"

"Yes. He's going to be so happy to have you back. He likes it better when you put him to bed."

"I need to go get my bag from the car. I'll meet you upstairs and help you with bedtime." He kissed me softly.

I couldn't stop grinning as I made my way up the stairs and picked up Teddy from his room. "Hey, Teddy Bear. Guess what. Your daddy came home early. Isn't that exciting?" He cooed as I carried him across the hall and settled into the glider. "That means he can put you to bed tonight after you eat. I know you've missed him at bedtime. And maybe we can all go to the park tomorrow or watch a movie in the backyard."

I heard the door close downstairs and Jack talking to the dogs.

A few moments later, he came into our bedroom. He set his bag by the closet before he returned to my side. "Goodness, he's gotten a lot bigger since I left."

He pulled away from me at the sound of Jack's voice.

"Do you hear your daddy? You can go to him in a minute, but you need to finish eating first." I got him resituated before I looked back at Jack. "He still eats all the time, so I'm not surprised."

"I'll have to start calling him 'big man.'" He chuckled and brushed his finger across the bottom of Teddy's foot.

I changed into my pajamas while Jack burped Teddy and put him to bed. I was right about him preferring Jack at bedtime; he didn't fuss at all.

Jack stripped down to his boxers and slid into the bed beside me. "I missed this, sharing a bed with you."

"Me too." I snuggled into his chest.

"So, what's my present that you were telling me about the other day?"

I leaned up and pressed my lips to his. "I'll give it to you in the morning. Unless, of course, you don't want this present right now." I kissed him again, deeply, running my hands across his chest.

He grinned. "The other present can wait."