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  As she lifted the frame up higher, Ben sucked in as much air as he could. His lungs burned, his vision blurred, but he would take her out before he'd let her hurt another person he loved.

  Just as he attempted to get his balance, he heard her scream as he saw Nichole grab hold of Justine's hair and pull her back from him.

  The frame crashed to the floor next to him as Nichole punched and pushed Justine until she too was backed up against the wall and slithering to the ground, her mouth bloodied now.

  Nichole moved in again to land another blow, but she pulled back and stopped, noticing Justine had collapsed where she had fallen.

  Panicked, she exchanged a look with Ben. "Oh, God, did I kill her?"

  Ben crawled to her and touched her neck. "No. She's alive." He sat back against the wall. "I think she was on something. She was absolutely mad—crazy."

  "She is crazy, and I could kill her right now!" Nichole's voice raged, and he wondered if she might try to attack her again, but she eased back and covered her face with shaking hands.

  "Oh, God! Oh, God!" she repeated.

  Ben worked to find his balance and stand. He reached for her and pulled her in close. "Hey, breathe."

  "Look what she did to you. And she was here, in my house." She pressed her face to his chest. "She's lost her mind."

  "Yes. She truly believes she's you and that Jerome was her husband. He made her angry so she got him locked up. And when I called her Justine she threatened me, because she thought I was in love with her—you."

  When Justine stirred, Nichole stepped forward, prepared to attack. "She's not going to get up, Nichole. Take it easy."

  It was then he heard the front door open, and Phillip walked through the door with two other deputies, guns drawn.

  "Nichole, step back easy," he said in warning.

  "I didn't do anything wrong. She was attacking him," she shouted and Ben reached for her.

  "Just ease back," he said, guiding her away from Justine.

  One of the deputies moved in and knelt down beside the redhead on the floor. "This is her," he confirmed. "She might need an ambulance."

  Phillip called for one on his radio and then holstered his gun. "What happened here?" he asked turning toward Nichole.

  "I kicked her ass. Are you going to arrest me for that? She's in my house. She was cooking my food. And she attacked Ben. I'm just in what I did."

  Ben wrapped his arm around her. "She came at me. Nichole happened to have gotten here just in time."

  Phillip grinned. "I'm not calling you weak, Walker. But you were getting your ass kicked by a woman?"

  Ben had to chuckle at that. "Yes. But drug screen her, I think you're going to find she's on something. She wasn't right, in the head, you know?"

  "Yeah, we know. We've been looking for her once we realized she changed her look. We caught her dealer yesterday. Mr. Cowell called 911 when you left his house," he offered turning toward Nichole. "He said he realized it wasn't you that had been living in the house. Said he'd even spoke to the woman, thinking it was you just yesterday. Looks like he made the right call," Phillip said as he watched his deputy open the door for the paramedics.

  "I want her taken down," Nichole spat out the words angrily. "She had no right to take from me or impersonate me. And she hurt Ben."

  "We'll take care of her," Phillip promised. "Why don't you and Ben head back home and I'll come out later and talk to you."

  Ben turned Nichole to face him. "Let's go get the kids. I think they'll make you feel better."

  He watched as she breathed in and out trying to calm the anger that ran through her. He couldn't even imagine the satisfaction she felt knocking Justine Meyers to the ground after all the hell she'd put her though. Well, he could. He'd landed a few satisfying punches in his life.

  "C'mon. Let's go home," Ben offered and her eyes went soft.

  "Yeah. I want to hug my kids," she said with tears now welling in her eyes. "Thank you."

  "You never have to thank me. We're a team." He pulled her in close before looking at Phillip. "Come by anytime. I'll have a beer waiting for you."

  He shook Phillip's hand and escorted Nichole out of the home she'd once shared with her children and guided her toward the truck. Perhaps she'd never want to go back to that little house in the city after what happened. Maybe now she'd want to live with him in his little house in the country.

  43

  Nichole sat outside the ice-cream store on the bench she'd sat with Ben that night he'd first taken her out. God, she was glad she’d gone out with him even though he'd been so awkward. It humored her to think of it now in the August heat of late summer. The boys would be starting school in a few weeks, and Glenda had asked to watch Laura during the fall when Nichole was working.

  She never would have thought that everything would have worked out so perfectly for her. She'd never thought she'd fall in love, but she had. She never thought she'd look forward to the forty-five-minute drive into town each day, but she did.

  Not only was she happy in her life and in her job, but the kids were thriving living with Ben. They'd become a tight little family, she thought to herself as Laura came out of the ice cream parlor with an ice-cream cone which dripped over her hand.

  Nichole pulled her up next to her and wiped Laura's hand with a napkin as she tried to lick the droplets quickly melting in the heat.

  "Where are all of the boys?" she asked her.

  "Machine." She took a lick. "Quarter in Ben's pocket."

  Nichole laughed. She had no idea what that might mean, but watching her sweet daughter enjoy her treat brought her great joy. It didn't matter what it meant.

  A moment later Zane and Wyatt walked out of the store with double dips of ice cream in their cones.

  "Boys. That's too much sugar. I said one small one."

  They laughed in unison.

  "Ben said we could," Zane said as he licked his top scoop.

  She supposed she could let it go. It was the end of summer after all.

  Finally, Ben walked out of the shop with a shake in his hand with two straws. "I hope you don't mind sharing."

  "I'd share anything with you," she said gazing up at the man who had stolen her heart the moment he'd walked in to get his hair cut for his cousin's wedding.

  "I'm glad you said that." Ben handed her the shake and reached his hand into his front pocket. He pulled out a plastic container, one she recognized from the toy machines in the store. That must have been what Laura was telling her. He was buying toys with the quarters in his pocket.

  Ben held the container in his hand and gave it a shake.

  "What are you doing?" Nichole laughed as she sipped her drink.

  "Laura picked this out. I had something else in mind, but she seems to think it's the right one."

  Nichole noticed the boys giggle at the end of the bench as ice cream dripped off their chins.

  "And what is it that my sweet Laura picked?" she asked, pressing a kiss to Laura's head.

  Ben looked at the container again and then knelt down on the hot cement in front of her on one knee.

  "What are you doing?" She laughed. "It's hot and dirty down there. We can scoot down."

  Just as she was going to pick Laura up and put her on her lap, the boys stood next to Ben. She looked at the three of them with their matching grins.

  "Mom, you should see what Ben brought you," Wyatt said. "But first you have to tell him your answer."

  "My answer to what?" she asked.

  Zane let out a huff. "Mom, we want Ben to be our dad. Is that okay?"

  "Yeah," Wyatt agreed. "And we want to live out on the ranch forever. Okay?"

  Laura tugged on Nichole's shirt. "I want ring."

  With a grin on her lips, Nichole turned back to Ben who still held the plastic toy in his hand.

  "Ben, what are my children trying to get at?"

  With a twist of his wrist, Ben opened the little container and pulled out a large plastic pink ring. He held
it up to the sun and examined it.

  "I don't think I'll ever be able to top this. Laura did a great job," he said as he looked up at Nichole and reached for her hand. Pausing with the ring at the tip of her pinky he smiled. "Nichole, I want you all to live out on the ranch forever. I would love to be their dad and to give them my name. And more than anything, I'd love it if you'd be my wife and take my name too."

  The chocolatey, ice cream grins surrounding her should have had her laughing, but she found that she was ready to burst into tears. Dear God, he was proposing to her. He'd asked for their blessing, and they had apparently given it to him. Her children wanted him as much as she did.

  The first tear fell, and Laura sat up on her knees and wiped a sticky hand over Nichole's cheek.

  "No cry, Mama. Nice ring."

  She laughed through the tears. "You're right. It is a nice ring. I'd be honored to have it."

  Ben narrowed his eyes at her. "Is that your way of saying yes?"

  She nodded as she wiped away the tears. "Yes. Yes. I want to live on the ranch forever with boys and girls that have the Walker name. And I too would like the name. Above all else, I want to wear your pink ring forever."

  Ben slid the ring on her pinky and then stood to kiss her, but not before Laura rose and kissed him on the cheek and wrapped her arms around his neck. He lifted her up and then took Nichole's hand to pull her to him.

  "I'll love you forever. I promise you that," Ben said as the boys moved in around them. "I'll love all of you forever."

  Nichole had never wanted anything more than to be Mrs. Walker. She wondered how it was going to be possible to wait to plan a wedding. She wanted to be Mrs. Walker at that very moment, and she knew that her children would be equally proud to be Walkers too.

  Epilogue

  Nichole had never seen any cuter boys than her own in the tuxes that they wore. Ben had chosen them as his Best Men, along with all of his brothers. Laura looked like a princess in her flowergirl dress. Pearl had pushed for the tiara, as she thought it was appropriate for a little girl whose mother was marrying into a family that would treat her like royalty.

  Her mother had been crying tears of joy, she promised Nichole, all morning. And she was fairly sure she'd caught her father having a heart to heart with Ben.

  Every moment leading up the wedding had been memorable, even the bad stuff.

  "Okay, I'm done nursing," Audrey said as she handed her son to Glenda. "Give me ten minutes to shimmy into that dress."

  Glenda rocked her grandson on her shoulder as she patted him on the back and Nichole watched. The woman was magnificent with children, and she supposed that was why she had five sons who were quickly being snatched up by women who loved them. They were kind, generous, and loving. And they all looked out for each other and took family very seriously.

  "I have to admit, I've never seen anyone in a pink wedding dress that looked more beautiful," Pearl said as she finished fussing with the bow at the back of Nichole's dress.

  "I had to go with the theme," she offered, looking at the pink plastic ring Ben had given her which now was prominent on Laura's tiny hand.

  Lydia stood next to her and looked in the mirror. Her short crop of hair was adorned with a ring of flowers. "You're a lucky girl."

  "Don't I know it." Nichole smiled at her reflection. "We're all lucky to be marrying him." She looked at the boys who were standing with their grandfather.

  "Everyone is ready," her father said as he took the hands of both boys. "I'm going to deliver these handsome men to the right people. I'll be back for you."

  Nichole let out a nervous breath and giggled. She was about to become Nichole Walker. It was hard to believe.

  * * *

  Ben couldn't remember a time in his entire life when he'd ever been so nervous. His palms were wet and his stomach jumped. There had been a few moments that morning, when he'd seen the kids all dressed up, that he thought he might just pass out. Seriously, there was no reason to be so nervous.

  He thought about the fact that a year ago he'd been sitting in his mother's garden watching his cousin marry the man of her dreams. Now Audrey was a mother, and Gregory was more smitten than ever with his wife and his new son. Ben remembered the casual looks behind him to always find Nichole looking back at him. They'd shared a promised dance at the reception, and had each caught the traditional bouquet and garter as well. Perhaps their union had always been destined.

  Ben patted his tux pocket and felt the piece of paper inside. Ella had worked some miracles for him, and he couldn't wait to share it with Nichole and the kids.

  Gerald's hand gripped his shoulder and pulled him from his thoughts.

  "You ready, man? Times up," he joked.

  "Yeah, I think I am."

  "Good, because I got a look at your bride, and you're one lucky man."

  At that moment the music started, and Ben looked toward the house to see his cousins and Lydia walking toward them. Pearl held Laura's hand until she got to the garden, then she began to pour her flower basket out on the white runner Lydia had insisted they use. The guests chuckled, and both his mother and Nichole’s mother wiped tears from their cheeks.

  And then he saw her.

  Her wedding dress was pink. The sight of her lit in his heart and a smile widened on his mouth. It was so much better than white, he thought. It was perfect, and it would go so well with the ring he'd bought for her.

  When Laura made it to him, she tugged on his jacket and lifted her arms for him to pick her up. Nichole's mother moved in to take her, but Ben waved her off for the moment. He wanted to be holding Laura as they watched her mother come toward them. After all, this union wasn't just about him and Nichole. It was about all of them.

  As Nichole's father walked her toward him, he stopped, whispered in her ear, and kissed her on the cheek. Then he shook Ben's hand before taking Laura from him and sitting with her on his lap.

  "God, you're beautiful."

  The smile on her face gave her a glow. "Thank you. I liked the pink dress."

  "I like it too."

  He took the hand of his bride-to-be, and they listened as the minister began the ceremony. They gave their vows and promised themselves to each other for eternity.

  When the minister asked for the rings, Ben delighted in seeing Nichole's eyes widen as he slipped it on her finger.

  "Ben, you got me a pink diamond?"

  "It seemed right. Laura took your other one."

  Once the ring was on her finger, she held it up to admire it. "I couldn't have picked out a better one." Looking up at him, she cupped his face in her hands and kissed him.

  The guests laughed at her impromptu move.

  The minister finished the ceremony and introduced the new Mr. and Mrs. Walker. When the guests applauded, Ben turned his wife toward him. He motioned to the boys to join them and Laura wiggled off her grandfather's lap and into her mother's waiting arms.

  Ben pulled the piece of paper from his pocket and knelt down next to the boys. "My friend Ella helped me with something, and I want to give it to you now in front of all these people. It will be a new beginning for us all."

  He watched as Wyatt wiped his eyes and Zane put his arm around his brother's shoulders.

  Ben looked down at the legal document in his hands. "If you will all have me, I have permission to give you my name. You can all be Walkers too if you want to be."

  Laura reached for him, and he pulled her to him.

  "So my new name would be Wyatt Walker?"

  "If you want it to be," he offered.

  "Can I call you Dad?"

  He felt the tears stinging his eyes, but he smiled through it. "That's up to you and your mom."

  Wyatt and Zane both looked up at her, and she gave them a nod.

  And with that, the boys wrapped their arms around Ben and Laura.

  Laura looked up at him and placed her small hands on his cheeks, much like her mother had during the ceremony and said, "Daddy."

 
; Now the tears spilled down his cheeks as all three of his children hugged him and his new wife joined them.

  The minister laughed and announced, "It looks like I'm proud to introduce the new Walker family."

  He would assume that there wasn't a dry eye in the crowd as they all stood and applauded, and a moment later his brothers circled around them engulfing his new family in an embrace. It was just the kind of beginning he'd been looking for, and he hadn't even known he wanted it.

  We hope that you liked this release from Bernadette Marie. Please enjoy the following excerpt of the next Walker Family Series Book,

  Walker Defense

  Walker Defense

  Book number 9 in the Walker Family Series

  Laughter and applause had enveloped all the guests at the wedding of Ben and Nichole.

  Ella wiped the tears from her cheeks with a handkerchief as she watched the new family welcome their congratulations from Ben's brothers. She envied the relationship the Walker family had with one another. Ella came from a good family. Her mother and father had been married nearly thirty years and her sister was happily married with a growing family, but they didn't have the same bond the Walkers had.

  Perhaps that made her a little weepy, and today wasn't a day to sob over her own life. It was a day to celebrate Ben and Nichole and their children.

  She'd spent a lot of time with Nichole over the past nine months as they prosecuted the woman who had stolen her identity and attacked Ben. As far as Ella was concerned, Nichole and her family would never have to worry about her again.

  Once that case was closed, Ben had approached her about adopting the kids. In order for the adoption to take place, their father had to give up rights to his children. Considering he was in jail on embezzlement charges, he wasn't too worried about giving up his kids. In fact, Ella was sickened by how quickly he signed them away.