WITH YOU, I CAN DO ANYTHING

Trixie blew the hair from her forehead, a very familiar move of late. She was lying across the bed in her room, waiting for the promised phone call from Jim.

Earlier in the day, Jim had stopped over. The planning meeting for their wedding was almost finished, and they had an opportunity to talk briefly.

Trixie had shown her vulnerability when she broke down. She voiced her fears that she wouldn’t be a good choice as Jim’s wife. She wanted to be so much more for the man she loved. She felt greatly inadequate.

Jim had tried to alleviate her fears, and he made assurances that she was the only woman for him.

Now as Trixie sat in her room, alone, she thought about the phone call from Jim’s assistant, Laura. Who was the mysterious visitor to the school?

She glanced at the bedside alarm clock and wondered Why hasn’t he called me yet?

Meanwhile…

Jim sat alone in his office. He felt the numbness that only came from shock. He wasn’t sure which way to go with this newfound information.

He felt a need to call Trixie. But then, as fast as that urge had come over him, he rethought it.

Not yet. Don’t get Trixie involved yet.

The events of the afternoon flitted through his mind. He had felt helpless when the first tears slid down Trixie’s cheeks. She was the strong one, more often his rock than he was hers.

Once again, the guilt he’d felt when he realized he’d let her down, washed over him. His heart felt as if an arrow had pierced it, aching with the knowledge of his failure to be there for the woman he loved.

He knew he needed to speak with her. To tell her of the news he’d received earlier, yet Jim was at a loss where to begin this conversation.

Down in the hollow…

Trixie opened her bedroom door, and proceeded downstairs to the kitchen. She was oblivious to the hustle and bustle of her mother putting the finishing touches on their dinner. Bobby looked her way, and opened his mouth to say something, but she continued to walk past him, toward the back door.

Helen Belden noticed the far away look on her daughter’s face. She caught Bobby’s mouth opening to speak, and silently shook her head, signaling him not to talk. Bobby frowned, watching Trixie open the door and leave the farmhouse, without a thought to help with dinner.

Trixie shrugged into her jacket, never thinking to stop the door from slamming, as she walked off.

Once outside, Trixie moved as if on auto-pilot. She had an internal navigational system onboard, as she was invisibly led toward Jim’s school. Shoving her hands into the pockets of her jeans, she put her head down and walked briskly toward Ten Acres Academy. Every beat of her heart seemed to chant, Jim.

The foreboding she’d felt after Jim had received that phone call, returned ten-fold. Given the force that seemed to be driving her, Trixie arrived at the school within a minute.

Jim always walked over to the school from the Manor House, so she wasn’t sure if he was there. Easing the door open, she peeked into the entrance, noticing Laura’s desk in the middle of the entry way. It stood empty, since Laura had already left for the day.

A brief glance toward Jim’s office showed her the door was closed tightly.

Is he still here? Or has he already left?

Chewing her lip in indecision, Trixie took a fortifying breath and stepped up to the closed door. Raising her clenched fist, she knocked gently.

It took a long moment for Jim to open the door. Trixie had almost turned to go when she heard the door knob grate gently, and the door opened slightly.

“Hi, I didn’t think you were here,” she told him.

Jim stood back and opened the door further, allowing her room to step into through the door. Trixie glanced at his desk, sure she’d see a mountain of paper work, yet surprisingly, all she saw was the clean wood of the desk. She turned to look at him expectantly.

Jim looked away as soon as she tried to make eye contact. He walked across the room to his desk, pulling the chair out and sitting down heavily. He opened a drawer and pulled a manila file from it. After opening it, he proceeded to scribble some notes on the Post-it pad he also retrieved from the drawer.

“Jim, I was just wondering what was keeping you,” Trixie said quietly. “You said you were going to call me after your meeting,”

Jim took a deep breath, running his fingers through his hair. He looked up at her and could see the worry in her big, blue eyes. He’d give anything to never cause worry to creep into them ever again.

Trixie frowned, opening her mouth as if she was going to say something more, and Jim very quickly said, “My meeting just ended. Did we have a date or something that I forgot about?”

Trixie bent her head to hide the hurt she felt at his attitude, but she wasn’t quick enough; Jim saw the flash of pain.

Trixie lifted her head, and gritting her teeth, she apologized, “I’m sorry, Jim. No, we didn’t have a date. You just told me you’d call and I was worried. I hope your meeting went well for you. I’ll go now, I won’t bother you anymore. I can see you have work.”

As she spoke, she slowly backed away from him moving toward the door. As she finished her last word, she turned to reach her hand out for the knob on the office door.

Jim was behind her. He placed the palm of his hand on the door, keeping it shut, as she tried to pull it open.

Trixie turned around, staring wide-eyed up at him.

“Why?” she rasped, “What happened?”

Jim closed his arms around her waist, pulling her into the circle of his embrace and lifting her from the floor. Trixie felt his deep breaths whoosh into her hair, and she rested her arms on his shoulders.

He nuzzled his face into her neck, breathing in her scent. “I’m sorry.”

Trixie pulled her head back, as far as Jim would let her in his tight hold.

“What is it?” she asked, suddenly very frightened by his behavior.

Jim let her feet touch the floor again, but only loosened his hold on her slightly. “I’m sorry, Trixie. I was being an idiot.”

“You’re not an idiot!” Trixie’s fierce devotion touched his heart.

“Yes, I am. You didn’t do anything wrong, and I was a jerk to you.”

“Well, the jury’s still out on that one Trixie cocked her head, looking deeper into his eyes. “Did something happen this afternoon?”

Jim’s eyes searched her face, as if memorizing it. Trixie saw him swallow, once then twice, before he tried to speak again.

“I’m really sorry,” Jim paused then, and Trixie was about to remind him he’d already apologized when he spoke again.

“I met with William Tesch today. He was the man waiting for me, when I got that phone call from Laura today.”

Trixie didn’t want to say anything to stop him from talking, now that he’d begun, so she just nodded.

Jim continued, still maintaining his hold on her. “I didn’t know who he was. He’d sent me a letter a week or so ago. I assumed he was a friend of my father.”

He stopped and when he didn’t continue, she nudged him gently.

“And, were you right?”

Trixie noticed Jim’s complexion pale slightly. He had sweat beading on his forehead.

“Almost,” he took a shaky breath before continuing, “He’s involved with my step-father.”

Jim’s whole attitude made sense. And Trixie completely understood it now.

This time, it was Trixie who held on to him tightly. “Oh, Jim,” she murmured. Laying her head on his shoulder, she held him close; giving him the comfort he sought.

Finally, he pulled his head back and stared into her eyes. The stark pain sent shivers down Trixie’s spine.

“After all this time…” Jim shook his head helplessly.

“What did he do, now?” Trixie had to know.

“He was paroled last month.”

Trixie’s startled gasp filled the now-silent room.

“How could that happen? Why weren’t you notified before now?”

Jim slowly loosened his grasp on her, and led her to the sofa in the corner of the office. He sat down with a plop, tugging on her hand to get her to sit beside him.

“I’m not sure, Trix. I thought I’d hear before it happened.”

Jim titled his head, resting it on the back of the couch.

“Jim, who is this William Tesch?

Jim didn’t lift his head; he answered her without looking at her. “He’s a lawyer. Apparently, Jonesy hasn’t checked in with his parole officer for the last week. He was wondering if I’d had any contact with him.”

Trixie’s mind raced a mile a minute. This little tidbit was the last thing she’d expected. She could only imagine how shocked Jim had been. She squeezed his hand, hoping it would give him the comfort she knew he needed.

Jim lifted his head, his emerald eyes boring into her cerulean ones. The anguish she saw there cut deep.

“I’m just so sorry,” he whispered.

“Jim Frayne, you have nothing to be sorry about,” Trixie interrupted indignantly; “You didn’t do anything!”

He shook his head in denial. “Yes, I was pushing you away. I was trying to deal with something alone, without talking to you about it.”

Trixie released his hand to grasp his cheeks with both of her hands, forcing him to meet her gaze.

“You just had a terrible shock. It must have sent you into a tail spin to know Jonesy has been out of prison for a month and you’re just now hearing about it. And, not only is he out, but now no one has heard from him in a week.”

The understanding Jim saw in her look, gave him the release he sought.

He hugged her close, brushing his lips against her hair, and down her cheeks, seeking her lips.

That kiss wasn’t passionate, yet held the love he felt in his soul for this woman. Trixie closed her eyes, feeling so much. She released his mouth to plant butterfly kisses over his cheeks and nose. Licking her lips, she tasted salt. She opened her eyes, now seeing Jim’s tears.

“Jim? No, please don’t!”

When she moved to gather him close again, he held her at an arm’s distance.

“Trixie, I love you so much! This is our time. We’re planning our wedding!”

“I know we are, but that has nothing to do with Jonesy.”

“It does, if he tries something,” Jim informed her firmly, “What if he tries to stop the wedding? What if he tries to cause trouble?”

Trixie placed a fingertip over his lips.

“He doesn’t have that power! You’re right, this is our time. Our wedding will be beautiful. We made head-way with the plans today. But, you know what the most important thing is? It’s our wedding! We are getting married. Until death do us part. And, that won’t be for at least seventy to eighty years. Maybe more! Jim, he only has the power to hurt us, if we let him.”

Jim tried to think clearly about the situation at hand. On one hand, he wanted so badly to believe the words Trixie so vehemently proclaimed. But, in the back of his mind, the fear lingered.

What if Jonesy causes trouble? What if he hurt Trixie as revenge? What if he hurts our families?

One last look into those blue depths gave Jim the ounce of courage he needed.

“I love you so much!” he said determinedly, “You’re right, this wedding is going to be fabulous! Jonesy won’t stand a chance if he tries to bother us!”

Trixie raised her fist in a cheer, “That’s the attitude!” she grinned in triumph.

Jim smiled in return. His smile wasn’t as strong as her grin, but he made the effort to smile.

Reaching out, he ran his fingers through her blonde tresses. “I can’t believe this hit me so hard. You’d think after all this time, it wouldn’t have.”

“Jim, please don’t worry about this. Jonesy lost against us once, then, he thought to come back and try again. But, he lost again! If he tries a third time, then he is stupider than I ever thought he was.”

He was quiet for a long moment then he pulled her into another embrace.

“I don’t know what I would ever do without you,” Jim’s voice was rough with the emotions he felt.

Trixie’s arms tightened around her fiancé. “You won’t ever have to find out. You’re stuck with me.”

PART 2

They had gone on, moving through the motions of their lives, all the while knowing that Jonesy could spring out and try to ruin their happiness.

Jim had drilled it into Trixie’s head over and over again that they needed to be careful. Jonesy could try something at any time. Trixie had smiled, and soothed as she always did. She tried to alleviate Jim’s fears, and was always quick to promise him that she was extra careful.

Jim had been in daily phone contact with William Tesch, but Jonesy remained on the missing and wanted list. Trixie tried to use her connections within the Sleepyside Police Department and the surrounding areas. She put out the notice of Jonesy’s disappearance to anyone she thought might help. But, no one had any information. It seemed as if the man had disappeared from the face of the Earth.

During this time, while they were working hard but always aware of themselves and their surroundings, they still had a wedding to finish planning.

Diana had taken some of the pressure off by speaking with Nick Roberts about designing the invitations. Nick was happy to do this for the couple. He’d been thrilled they’d thought of him for such an important endeavor.

Nick arrived at Crabapple Farm the evening of March 15^th. He’d come up with several designs for the couple to choose from, and had done it within the time frame Diana had given him.

Peter Belden opened the door to his knock.

“Nick, good to see you! How are you?” Peter extended his hand to shake the younger man’s.

“Real good, Mr. Belden. I hope you are, as well?”

Peter nodded, “Everything is great. We’re getting this wedding off the ground, now. The invitations are one of the last decisions to be made.”

Nick stepped into the warm, inviting kitchen and Peter shut the door behind him. “I hope to solve that problem tonight, sir,” Nick assured him.

“I’m sure you will.”

Peter motioned for Nick to proceed into the dining room. “I’ll gather everyone. Jim isn’t here yet, but I expect him at any moment.”

Those words were no sooner said than Jim knocked on the kitchen door and poked his head in.

“Hello?” he called out.

Peter excused himself and went back into the kitchen to greet the future groom.

A smiled greeting and a hand shake later, Peter sent Jim into the other room, where Nick was waiting. He then went in search of his daughter and wife.

Jim went into the dining room and saw that Nick had set out his designs for the invitations.

“Hi.” Nick was surprised that Jim had come into the room so quietly.

“Hi, how are you doing?” Jim’s eyes roamed the items on the table with interest.

“I’m great! It’s getting closer to your big day, huh?”

Jim nodded and grinned. “I can’t wait!”

“I’m happy for you both! You’ve got a great woman, Jim. I think you’ll be very happy together.”

Jim sighed a little and had a dreamy look sweep across his face. “I know we’ll be happy! Trixie is the best thing to ever happen to me!”

With that said, the woman in question swept into the room, heading straight for her groom. She kissed him soundly and let him go. With an embarrassed smile, she greeted Nick.

Peter and Helen had joined the trio then, and they all sat down to see what Nick had brought them. He made his presentation quickly, and then nervously sat back as they absorbed the choices he’d given them.

Trixie’s eyes danced from one sample to the next. They were all beautiful, and she was torn between naming any one favorite. She looked to Jim for his opinion.

His red head was bent over the samples as well. Feeling her eyes on him, he looked up. Grinning sheepishly he said, “I like them all. You pick, whatever you want is okay with me.”

Rolling her eyes, with a matching grin, she told him, “Hey, I was relying on you to make the decision. I can’t pick one. They’re all wonderful.”

Helen and Peter watched them pour over the samples again and again until Helen excused herself to get them each a cup of coffee. She returned a short time later, with a tray laden with not only the mugs of steaming coffee, but a platter of her home-made cookies. Placing a mug in front of each person, and setting the platter down in front of Trixie, Helen took her seat again and asked what she had missed.

“Nothing really, Moms.” Trixie assured her, holding the platter out for first Nick, then Jim, to make their selections. After helping herself to her own chocolate chip and molasses cookies, she passed the platter to her father.

“We’re stuck! We love them all and we’re having a tough time making a decision.”

Helen smiled sympathetically, “You’ve out done yourself, Nick. They are fabulous. Let’s see…”

Helen looked up from perusing the invitations, eyeing Jim and Trixie.

“Okay, it’s obvious they’re all great, but don’t you have something you love more than the others?”

In silence, the couple looked over them again, and then they simultaneously pointed to a sample. Nick had made an invitation with a white orchid on the cover and it opened up to reveal the invitation information.

Looking up at each other in surprise, Jim and Trixie laughed out loud. They’d managed to agree on their favorite and make a decision.

“All right, now, how would you like it worded?” Nick asked.

Trixie searched through the notebook that seemed to be an appendage these days. With a triumphant smile, she waved a sheet of paper in the air.

“Here it is. Jim and I, along with our parents, wrote this, I hope it’s okay.”

Nick read aloud from the sheet of paper that Trixie handed him.

Mr. & Mrs. Peter Belden and Mr. & Mrs. Matthew Wheeler

request the honor of your presence at the wedding of

Beatrix Alicia Belden

To

James Winthrop Frayne II

On the 13^{th day} of May, 2006 at three o’clock in the afternoon, at Crabapple Farm, Sleepyside-on-the-Hudson.

Dinner and Dancing to follow at the Manor House, Sleepyside

Nick nodded as he read it. “It sounds perfect. Just right.”

Jim cleared his throat, “So how long will it take for the invitations to be printed?”

“I don’t expect it to take longer than two weeks, probably sooner. Once the printers are set up, they can print them off fairly quickly. I should get them to you before April first, giving you time to write them out and get them sent in time for the wedding. I’m including the response notes, envelopes, and thank-you notes. Di told me you were going to need around 200?”

Trixie nodded, “Yeah, we think that should be enough.”

“I’ll tell you what, I’ll save the templates, and if you need more, I can print some more.”

Jim squeezed Trixie’s hand and they both beamed with happiness.

Nick went through the weights of different papers, the ink colors, and the fonts with them. They managed to make decisions very quickly. After one more cup of coffee, Nick was on his way home.

Her parents left them alone, and Trixie gathered their coffee mugs to take them into the kitchen. She turned as she felt Jim’s presence behind her. He looked down at his favorite girl.

“I should go, too. You have to work in the morning.”

Trixie sighed when his fingertip brushed a lock of her hair from her cheek. “I know, but I just don’t want this night to end.”

“It was a good night,” Jim agreed.

Trixie sighed again and wrapped her arms around his waist, tilting her head back for a kiss. Jim obliged his lady, pressing his lips to hers.

“I love you, Shamus.”

Trixie still had her eyes closed, when he pulled out of their embrace. “Hmm, I love you too.” Opening her eyes, she noticed Jim had moved to get his jacket from the hook.

Sporting a pout, she frowned at him.

“Hey now!” he said in response to her pout. “It won’t be long before we don’t have to leave at the end of the night,” Jim reminded her.

Trixie brightened a little.

“You’re right! Soon I’ll be Mrs. James Winthrop Frayne the second.”

“Not soon enough,” Jim growled, grabbing her and pulling her close. One

last passion-filled good night kiss and he was off.

Trixie looked out the window, watching him walk toward the Manor House until he crossed over from the circle of the yard light into the darkness.

Her mind, so focused on the love of her life, missed the movement in the shadows of the garage.

PART 3

The weeks sped by. Trixie was busy at the station with a mass of car burglaries. She, Honey, and Hallie were so busy with extra shifts for patrolling, they barely had the time to shop for bridesmaid gowns or attend the fittings.

Jim was busy at the school, too. Spring brought with it new projects for the boys at the school and camp-outs in the preserve. He continued to watch out for Jonesy, on the constant guard for any sign that Jonesy had surfaced here in Sleepyside.

The invitations were finished and Nick personally delivered them to the farm. That night after dinner, Honey came over to help Trixie and her mother to write them out.

Setting the last of her stack on the pile of the others, Trixie breathed a sigh of relief.

“That’s finished, thank goodness. Thank you both for the help.”

“Anytime, Trix,” Honey sipped the iced tea before her.

Trixie made the stacks of invitations neater and set them in a box. “I’ll take these to the post office tomorrow. I, thankfully, have the day off.”

“Yeah, rub it in!” Honey teased, pushing back in her chair and standing to leave.

“Maybe if they get somewhere on this car burglary case, it’ll settle down a little. You should have seen the look I got from Molinson when he overheard me say I’d be taking a week off soon.”

Honey giggled at the thought, “You have a good reason though. You did tell him that didn’t you?”

Trixie laughed right along with her, “Of course I did, but he’d already started the lecture of how we all had to be there, to keep our eyes and ears opened, to stop that burglary ring.”

Honey rolled her eyes.

Trixie continued, “I waited for him to pause for a breath, then I very nicely told him, I really had a good reason to be off. I explained it was for my honeymoon, and he put up his hand to cut me off. Then, he growled, in his own special way, telling me that he ‘guessed’ that excuse would work, but not to make it a habit.”

Honey laughed so hard, she clutched her stomach, “Oh my! Does he think you plan to make it a habit of getting married?”

It was Trixie’s turn to roll her eyes. “I’m not sure. He walked back to his office, leaving me standing in the middle of the station house.”

Honey laughed and hugged her friend.

“Sending these invitations out brings you one step closer to marrying my brother.”

Trixie’s eyes misted with sudden tears.

“I know it does. I’ve been waiting for this day for so long, I keep pinching myself that it’s real.”

“It’s real! Believe it!”

Honey raised her hand in a final wave, and then she left Crabapple Farm.

The next morning, Trixie slept later than usual. When she finally got up and showered, she dressed as comfortably as possible in a T-shirt and jeans. Closing her bedroom door behind her, she sprinted down the stairs. Her mother was in the kitchen making out a grocery list.

“Good morning, sweetie. I thought you were going to sleep all day,” he mother said, getting up to pour Trixie a mug of coffee.

Trixie glanced at the clock on the wall, and it confirmed it was 9:30 a.m.

Helen set the coffee in front of her, and Trixie looked up, “Thanks Moms. I know I slept later today. I must have been more tired than I’d thought.”

“That’s okay. You’ve been working extra hours lately; you need your rest. What’s on your agenda for your day off?”

Trixie sipped the hot brew from the mug. “Well, first, I’m going to the post office to mail the wedding invitations.”

Helen smiled at her daughter. “Sounds like a wonderful way to start the day! Why don’t you come with me to town. I have a few things to get for groceries and we can go to the post office together. Dad left me with the cash for the postage.”

Standing up, Trixie grinned, “Sounds like a great idea. When do you want to go?”

“I’ll just finish this list for shopping, and then I’ll need to change clothes. Will that work for you?”

“Yes, it’s perfect! I’m so excited!” Trixie swallowed the last of her coffee and rinsed the empty mug in the sink before loading it into the dishwasher.

As she always did, she gave the dishwasher an extra pat, ruefully shaking her head.

It amazes me that my parents waited until I was out of the house before getting a dishwasher. Then again, I was their dishwasher they did need to replace me!

She went up to her room to get the box of invitations. She had just gone into her room when the phone rang. A moment later, her mother called up to her that it was Jim on the line.

Trixie threw herself across her bed and reached for her extension on the night stand. “Hello, love of my life!”

Jim chuckled at her greeting. “Good morning, love of mine!”

Trixie shifted, moving to sit back against the headboard. “What’s up? Don’t you have anything better to do than call me?”

“There is nothing better than calling you!” Jim proclaimed. She felt her cheeks warm under the shelter of his love.

“Seriously, though, I’m on a mission. I know this is your day off, and would like to steal you away for a picnic lunch later on. It will be an indoor picnic, of course.

“Hmm, that sounds great. A picnic sounds wonderful!”

The New York spring time could be unpredictable but over the last week, a warming trend had begun to dry the ground and started the flowers and trees off to greening and budding. Trixie wasn’t naïve enough to think they wouldn’t get any more precipitation. April showers and all. It was really okay with her though; she wanted the apple blossoms in full bloom on her wedding day.

“So, when will you be free? I can adjust my schedule anytime.”

Trixie explained the plan she and her mother had just made, and told Jim she’d be available at noon.

“That works for me! Don’t worry about the food, it’s all arranged. Leave it to me.”

“OK, I will. What are we having? I skipped breakfast so I’m hungry already.”

“The menu is a surprise, and never fear, there’ll be plenty.”

They talked for just a minute more before saying their goodbyes.

When Helen was ready, they got into the old station wagon, ready for their morning of shopping.

“Do you want to go to the post office first or shopping first?” Helen asked, glancing at her daughter.

“Shopping. It’s on the way after all.”

Helen nodded her agreement, and proceeded to turn into the parking lot of the Sleepyside Grocery. Once they’d entered the store, they divided the list to make the job easier and faster.

Forty five minutes later, the carts filled to the maximum, Helen and Trixie made their way back to the station wagon. Trixie loaded the back end of the wagon, while Helen placed the more fragile items in the back seat. Once they were finished, Trixie took the carts back to the entrance of the store before joining her mother in the car.

“Now, let’s get those invitations mailed.” Helen inserted the key and turned the ignition. The low hum of the engine didn’t drown out Trixie’s gasp.

“What is it?” Helen looked over anxiously at her daughter.

Trixie’s wide eyes were looking up and down and all around the interior of the station wagon.

“Trixie?”

Trixie pushed herself over the seat, dangling into the back seat. She moved things around, and finally, she slid back into her seat.

“Moms, I can’t believe it!” Trixie turned to look at her mother, tears welling in her eyes.

“What is it?” Helen was sharper than she’d meant to be, but Trixie’s behavior was scaring her.

“They’re gone.” Trixie whispered.

“What’s gone?”

“Th- the invitations.” A tear slid down her right cheek. “Someone took the invitations!”

Helen turned the car off again, looking at her daughter in disbelief. “Why would anyone take them? They wouldn’t be of any good to someone else.”

Trixie felt the numbness creeping into her body.

Why? Why would anyone take our wedding invitations?

Jim’s words flooded her memory.

Jonesy would do something to cause trouble.

“Why? Why would he do this?” she asked out loud to no one in particular. Trixie made eye contact with Moms. More tears trickled down her cheeks as she realized that more than likely, Jonesy had something to do with this.

PART 4

Jim answered the call from Helen Belden and made the trip to the police station in record time. He’d been in the middle of gathering supplies for the picnic he had planned with Trixie.

Helen’s voice cracked when she told Jim there had been a problem with the invitations and Trixie was very upset. Not needing to hear anything more, he asked her where they were, and promised to be there momentarily.

As he entered the police station, it was humming with the regular activity. He scanned the people for a sign of his fiancée. Narrowing his gaze, he spotted her across the room, seated at a desk, with her mother beside her.

Trixie’s face was red and puffy and looked as if she’d been crying. That fact caught Jim by surprise. The Trixie he knew wasn’t prone to tears, yet lately, she’d been crying more often. Shelving that worry for another time, he moved steadily toward the woman he loved.

Trixie looked up suddenly, and saw Jim striding purposely towards her. The vision of his fierce determination and protectiveness brought a new onslaught of tears. She jumped up and rushed into his waiting arms.

“J-Jim!”

His heart ached when he heard her brokenly cry.

“Sshh! Don’t cry, baby!” Jim massaged his fingers into her hair, comforting her as best he could. A fellow officer walked up to the couple, pressing a few tissues into Jim’s hand.

Trixie sniffed once and lifted her head from his chest. Jim immediately handed her the tissues, and she began to clean up the mess from her crying jag. Her face was still red and puffy, but she’d dried the tears away. Now calmer, she looked up at him, “Someone took the invitations out of the car.”

Jim’s head pounded with the bit of news, and thundered when his first thoughts turned to Jonesy as the culprit.

Trixie felt the tension in the air. He stood close enough to her still that she could also feel the tension in his body.

“Jim-” she began, placing a calming hand on his arm.

Jim shrugged her hand off, and started pacing angrily around the desk where she’d been seated.

“Jim, please,” she tried again.

Jim spun around to face her, anger evident in his red face and the bulging veins of his neck.

“Trixie, no! Jonesy did this! You know he did!”

Trixie tried to be the calming factor. She’d never seen Jim as angry as he was. “That was my first thought too, but we really don’t have any proof.”

“Proof? How about the fact that Jonesy would do anything to make me miserable? He’d do anything to hurt me! Throw in his revenge on you for getting him caught to begin with! How can you NOT think it was him?!”

Trixie closed her eyes briefly, gathering her wits, before she very quietly said, “I agreed with you, remember? I thought it was Jonesy, too.”

Jim seemed to deflate like a balloon. He sagged against the edge of the desk. The realization that he’d been shouting at Trixie dawned on him. He rubbed a hand down his face in an effort to calm himself down.

“I’m sorry,” he finally said. “So, sorry! I’m not angry with you. I just want him out of my life forever. I don’t want to have to worry about Jonesy the rest of my life.”

The sight of the big, strong man seemingly sagging with defeat lit a fire in Trixie.

“Oh, you won’t have to worry about Jonesy! I won’t let that animal bother you. He’d better hope and pray I’m not the one who finds him again!”

The venom spitting from the beautiful woman in front of him made Jim crack a smile. It was just a small one, but a smile nonetheless. Trixie had come alive with her lust for revenge on Jonesy. The fire lit up her eyes and breathed life into a body that was tired of dealing with the junk. She was breathing heavily and swiping the hair from her face. She had looked away from Jim, and then suddenly turned back, catching him mid-grin.

“What, may I ask, do you find so amusing?” Her arms were crossed on her chest, and she stomped her foot in protest of his humor.

“Nothing, I swear,” he held a hand over his heart in solemn vow. “I find you to be a beautiful woman. I find your loyalty awe-inspiring. And, I find the fact that you love a clod like me, a blessing and a gift.”

The anger eased from Trixie’s face, and she smiled at him, “You aren’t a clod. You are the most wonderful man in the world. I am so lucky to have your love. I don’t know what I did to deserve you!”

Jim became aware of their surroundings. He wanted very badly to kiss her, but he knew they had an audience. Four other officers in the station were trying their hardest to look busy while his future mother-in-law was still sitting in her ringside seat.

He looked down at her, smiling apologetically. “I’m sorry I went off like that.”

Helen shook her head, and waved his words away. “No apologies are necessary! You have every right to be angry. I’m not too happy myself. We’ve made a statement to the police. Now, we need to get in touch with Nick. We’ll need more of those invitations.”

Jim had a keener sense of where Trixie got her resiliency from. He couldn’t help but smile again. “Do we need to do anything else here?”

Trixie shook her head, “No, we made our statement.”

“Then let me take you ladies home.”

“Oh, can we go to the Print Shop first? I want to explain to Nick what happened and order another set of invitations. I feel bad, all of his hard work.”

“Of course, we can go to the Print Shop. Nick will understand.

“I hope Dad does, too.” Trixie added nervously. “He already paid for them once. Will he be very upset, Moms?”

Moms rolled her eyes heavenward. “Of course, he’ll be understanding. We didn’t do anything wrong.”

“If it helps, Mrs. Belden, I’d like to pay for the invitations this time,” Jim quietly offered.

Helen patted his arm. “That isn’t necessary, my dear, but, thank you. Let’s go order more invitations.”

The trio made their way down the block and ordered the invitations from a very understanding Mr. Roberts. He promised to give the message to Nick, and assured them it would be done as fast as possible.

Helen told the kids she was going to stop in at the bank to speak with Mr. Belden, hoping he’d take her out to lunch. She invited them along, but they quickly assured her they’d be fine at home.

Trixie slipped her hand into Jim’s as they walked back to his Tahoe. He squeezed it gently.

“Trix, I’m sorry about earlier. I didn’t mean to get so angry. Please don’t think it was directed at you.”

“I don’t,” she assured him. “It’s okay. I really understand your anger and frustrations over the situation. I feel it, too.”

Jim stopped walking and looked down at her. “We’ll get him this time, too. He won’t get away with it. He won’t cause us anymore trouble.”

“You’re so sure of this?”

Jim nodded firmly, “I do know it! I won’t let Jonesy, or anyone else, hurt us ever again. With you by my side, I can do anything. Jonesy had better get far away from here. He doesn’t stand a chance!”

Trixie wasn’t sure what had brought on the change of attitude with him, but she liked it.

Standing on her toes, she sweetly kissed his lips, and grinned. “With you, I can do anything, too! Let’s go! You owe me a picnic lunch and I’m starved!”

AUTHORS NOTES:

This is the story to celebrate my very first Jixaversary! Yay!!!

Thank you so much for giving me a home away from home, Cathy! Without you, none of this would be possible.

Jix has become so much a part of my life that I forget what I did before I discovered this. That’s such a good feeling!

A big, HUGE thank you goes to Steph H. for her save this week. She jumped in and offered me her editing services. And, I gave her a work-out!! I went a little, OK, majorly comma crazy! I gave her lots of empty spaces! LOL Steph, I hope you’ve recovered! Thank you so much!!

I have loved each and every word I’ve written this last year. Not because I’m crazy about my writing abilities, but because I love to do it.

It’s all made so easy because of the great people who read what my sometimes crazy mind comes up with. I appreciate you so much!

Thank you all! I hope we have many more years together!!