"No. She could stay as long as you don't tell her anything, but ..."

"But?"

On a slow blink he looked down. He didn't want to see the expression on her face when she figured out what he meant.

"When Jillian and I left San Francisco, we knew we would never return, never see anyone from our previous life again."

"Jackson, I can't never see my daughter again."

He nodded, still looking at his feet. "I know. That's why there are only two options."

"She can come too or?"

"Or you can stay." He met her eyes again.

"And you?"

"If I stay, my life is in danger and so is everyone I know. I don't have a choice. You do."

"I don't know if Maddie will go."

"It doesn't have to be a choice."

"It does. She's an adult with friends and school and ..."

"Her father?"

"Oh my G.o.d ..." She closed her eyes again and shook her head. "I didn't even think about my parents. I would never see them again either, would I?"

Biting his lips together, he shook his head. "It's only Sat.u.r.day. You don't have to decide until Monday. Take some time to think about it."

"Time? Are you serious? Basically twenty-four hours. That's what you're giving me to make the biggest decision of my life ... of my daughter's life."

Pulling her into his arms, he hugged her. The love thing hurt so d.a.m.n bad.

"I'll love you no matter what decision you make."

She looked up at him, eyes br.i.m.m.i.n.g with renewed tears. "If Maddie won't go, and I highly doubt she will with no real explanation, then I can't ..." One blink sent them running down her cheeks as her words caught in her throat.

"I know." Jackson gave her a sad smile.

He'd broken all the rules by telling her before marrying her. He would have to break another if he left her behind. She knew too much and in the eyes of G.A.I.L that made her a liability. He'd take his own life a hundred times over before even a spark of a thought about killing her would enter his mind.

He trusted her with his life and Jillian's. If she couldn't leave, he would never think of her as a liability, and he would never tell a soul that she knew everything.

Chapter Twenty-Five.

Day Fairy G.o.dmothers were real. That's all Jessica could think when she looked at her reflection.

"Don't cry." She smiled at her mom.

Sunny stood behind her, dabbing her watery eyes with a tissue. "This is all I've ever wanted for you."

Jessica slid her hands down the white fitted bodice to the thin satin argyle ribbon tied around her waist. It made her grin.

"Luke is all I've ever wanted."

"Am I going to have grandkids?"

Jessica smirked. "You should investigate Jude's past. It's possible you already have grandkids."

"Don't say that. I don't like to think-"

"About your son being a wh.o.r.e?"

Sunny sighed. "I don't want to talk about Jude right now. I want to just look at you."

Lifting the skirt to her dress, she turned to face her mom sitting in Luke's chair by the window. "Kids were part of a dream that I lost years ago. But Luke is my unicorn. He resurrected my dreams, and he likes to give them back to me one at a time. I'll have as many of his babies as he wants to give me, but don't tell him I said that."

Sunny's smile beamed as much as her daughter's. "Why not?"

"I like to make him work for things." She winked.

"Babe?" Luke called, knocking on the bedroom door. "Why is the door locked?"

She reached for the zipper to her dress as Sunny jumped up to help.

"Uh ... what are you doing back so soon?"

"Look outside. It's raining. Jones is not a water dog. Open the door." He rattled the doork.n.o.b.

"Just a sec."

"What are you doing?"

"Hiding my lover under the bed."

"Well then take your time. I'd hate for you to hurry and poke a hole in him."

Sunny slapped a hand over her mouth to contain her laughter as Jessica shoved the wedding gown back into its hanging bag.

"Here." She handed her mom the bag. "Love you. Bye. See you tomorrow at rehearsal dinner."

Sunny draped the bag over her arm and opened the door. "There's my favorite son-in-law to be."

"Sunny."

She blew him a kiss on her way to the front door. "Be good to my baby girl."

"I'll see what I can do," he said, staring at Jessica as she tied the belt to her robe.

"Really? You think the only hot affair I would have is with a blowup doll?"

He smirked, shrugging off his wet T-shirt on the way to their bathroom. "Trying on your dress again? Thought you did that the other day. You said it fit perfectly."

Jessica followed him to the bathroom and stood in the doorway as he removed the rest of his clothes and stepped into the shower.

"I just ... I wanted to try it on again. That's all. You have a problem with that?" She let her robe drop to the floor then removed her panties.

"I'll be quick. Don't come in."

She laughed. "Don't come in?"

He looked like a video in fast forward, soaping up and rinsing off at record speed.

Jessica stepped in the shower.

"I'm done," he said in a quick, jerky voice.

She moved in front of him as he tried to slide past her. He looked at everything but her.

"Does my body offend you?"

He swallowed. "Not at all."

"Then what's up?" Jessica grinned, looking at exactly what was up.

"My family will be here in ... ten minutes."

"I bet I can get you off in under two."

Luke groaned.

"Go." She let him out with just a hard smack on his a.s.s. "But this is a huge shower, I bet your parents would join us."

"NO! No. No. No," he mumbled from beneath the towel as he dried his hair. "Look. Just like that, my erection is gone."

"You're welcome." Jessica's giggle echoed from the shower.

"Everyone decent?" Tom called as Jones barked.

Luke finished b.u.t.toning his navy shirt as he made his way to the door. "Do you really care if we're decent?"

Tom dropped two suitcases by the door as Felicity gave Luke a hug.

"Not really." Tom winked.

"Where's the bride?" Felicity peeked into the kitchen.

"Drying her hair. Where's everyone else?"

"Lake wanted to introduce them to Ben's parents then they'll be here."

"I like his parents. Jessica and I met them two weeks ago when Lake invited us to Ben's birthday dinner."

"We do too. They've stayed with us twice in Tahoe and while I don't want Lake thinking about marriage before she's done with college, I hope he's the one. What would be the chances of all of my kids marrying such wonderful people?"

"Zero."

They turned to Jessica's voice.

"But maybe over time you'll learn to love me anyway."

"Shut up, half pint, and get your skinny a.s.s over here." Tom hugged Jessica, lifting her off the ground.

"Tom Jones. G.o.d, I love me some Tom Jones."

"Let her go, Thomas, before you chafe her perfect skin with your scruffy face that you will be shaving Sat.u.r.day morning."

"Yes, dear." He set Jessica back on her feet.

"Louise." Felicity grinned.

"Thelma." Jessica hugged her.

"Not this again." Luke rolled his eyes at their Thelma and Louise thing. He didn't know why they did it, and whenever he asked they both replied, "It's our little secret."

"So what's Gabe got lined up for us tonight? t.i.tty bars or a private adancer?'"

"What?" Jessica perched her a.s.s on the counter, shock in her wide eyes, but not the kind that most brides-to-be would have at the thought of their fiance watching strippers. Her shock was an offended shock, but for an entirely different reason.

"I offered to get you a stripper for you bachelor party, but you said no. What that h.e.l.l?"

"Jess-"

"You offered to get him a stripper?" Tom asked.

"Yes. t.i.tty Tina. She used to do marathons with us, but then she messed up her ankle. I saw her last month at the store and Oh. My. She has some serious new jugs. Of course, I didn't say anything but she just came out and told me. Now get this ..."