With This Ring (Windswept Bay Book 6) Read online

  Table of Contents

  Title Page

  With This Ring

  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

  More Books in the Windswept Bay Series

  About the Author

  Copyright

  WITH THIS RING

  Windswept Bay Book Six

  DEBRA CLOPTON

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  With This Ring:

  After her small son, Kevin, asked both God and Santa for a new daddy for Christmas, and then didn’t find him under the tree, schoolteacher Jessica Price is starting the new year out with a very unhappy six-year-old little boy on her hands. He can’t understand that she’s only been a widow for two years and she can’t imagine marrying again. But, unknown to her, Kevin has a plan and has decided that if God and Santa won’t give him what he wants, then maybe the police can! When the very handsome chief of police, Levi Sinclair, shows up as Kevin’s show-and-tell, he believes—as does she—that Kevin has asked him there to show him off as the police chief—it’s a little awkward when her son introduces him as his next daddy!

  Things are getting a bit complicated on the shores of Windswept Bay! Come join the fun in With This Ring, book 6 of this captivating series. You’ve watched the four Sinclair sisters fall in love; now it’s time to watch the five Sinclair brothers find the women of their dreams.

  Chapter One

  “Hurry, Momma. Drive faster.”

  Jessica Price shot a glance in the rearview at her six-year-old son. He was tiny for his age and looked so very small in the back seat. “I’m going the speed limit, young man. What’s your hurry, anyway?” She knew what it was, but asked him anyway, glad to see his beaming smile again.

  “It’s show-and-tell and I have the best one of anybody,” he exclaimed, bouncing in his seat belt.

  Kevin had been excited ever since the day before when Deputy Ryan Locke, and his wife Jillian, had picked Kevin up and given him a ride in a Windswept Bay police SUV decked out with lights and siren. Kevin had been in heaven.

  Ryan had promised him the ride before Christmas. But then Ryan and Jillian got married, and then Kevin had gotten ill. And then the holidays had taken precedence and there just hadn’t been time for Ryan to fulfill his promise until yesterday. She’d been thrilled watching Kevin’s joy as the man he’d connected with at Thanksgiving had strapped him into the backseat of his cop car and taken him for a ride. She didn’t want Kevin to grow up and be thrilled to ride back there but for a little boy, it was one of the most exciting days of his life. It showed in his eyes as he’d looked at Ryan. It had been one more reminder to her that her son had no man, alive, to call Daddy and he so desperately wanted one.

  He’d made that clear at Christmas.

  But that was a hard thing, because she wasn’t ready to think about marrying again. So for Ryan to come through on his promise after the Christmas they’d just had was a huge thing for her as well as for Kevin.

  Ryan and Jillian had given Kevin a ride to the police station for a tour. And it had been there that he’d met Jillian’s brother, Chief of Police Levi Sinclair. Kevin had talked nonstop about him.

  It was obvious that he, too, had been kind to Kevin because, to her son’s delight, the chief of police had agreed to come to the school today to be Kevin’s show-and-tell in class.

  It was the perfect distraction for him from what had happened over the holidays and seeing Kevin his happy self again made her happy. She would have to thank the chief because it was a welcomed difference from the quieter child Kevin had been since being so disappointed about not getting his Christmas wish. Her poor son.

  They’d driven from Windswept Bay back home during the two-week holiday to spend Christmas with their family. With a six-year-old and Roscoe, their huge dog, it had been a long drive from Florida to Kansas. The drive must have given Kevin time to come up with his heart-wrenching plan of asking Santa and God for a new daddy for Christmas!

  He’d been one highly disappointed child when a new daddy had not been waiting for him underneath the Christmas tree on Christmas morning.

  She sighed even now, thinking about it. She hadn’t known how to help him. She wasn’t ready to find a husband. Adam had only been dead two years. She needed time…though she certainly didn’t want her little boy growing up without a daddy and nor would Adam want that. Her sweet husband had grown up without a dad and knew what it felt like. He would want her to remarry, for both Kevin and herself. But her heart…her heart was not ready.

  And so this morning, as she drove to school with Kevin bouncing with excitement, she was happy. Maybe this was the start of a good new year after all.

  They’d made it through one more Christmas without Adam, and as hard as it was, she knew they would make it…he would want it that way and he would want her to be strong. And she had been. Taking this job in Florida, so far away from her family, had been part of her determination to move forward. To stand on her own two feet.

  She pulled into the parking lot of the school and smiled over the seat at Kevin. “We’re here. Are you happy now?”

  He grinned as he unbuckled his seat belt. “Oh yeah, this is going to be the greatest day of my life! All my friends are going to be so jealous.” He grabbed the door handle.

  “Hey, hold on there. You know not to open that door before I get out of the car.” Her warning had him stopping before he jumped out of the backseat.

  “Yes, ma’am. But could you please hurry?”

  She laughed, grabbed her purse and got out of the car. The kid was going to run her ragged before her time.

  Levi Sinclair stood outside the elementary school building. His phone rang and he pulled it from its clip on his belt. The ID showed that it was Jillian. He was in this fix because of her. She and Ryan had brought Kevin to tour the office and the cute little guy had been curious and excited and had asked Levi all kinds of questions. Levi had answered every one of them as Jillian and Ryan had stood in the doorway of his office and grinned while they watched. And then Kevin had asked him to come to his class today for show-and-tell. Levi hadn’t been able to say no.

  “Hey,” he said, after accepting the call. His sister’s soft chuckle greeted him.

  “I called to remind you about Kevin’s class this morning, but I can hear the angst in your voice so I’m assuming you’re on your way.”

  He scowled. “I’m standing outside the school now. And stop laughing. You got me into this. You and my new deputy. I think you knew Kevin was going to ask me to do this. As a matter of fact, I bet you and your husband might have set me up.”

  Jillian chuckled again. “He did ask Ryan to do it when we were riding around in the SUV. But, Ryan just told him that the police chief would really be impressive to show off for his class. And he was right, this is a good thing.”

  “I’m glad you think so.”

  “Don’t be nervous—you’ll do fine.”

  “I’m not nervous,” he denied, but in truth, he was a little. He’d never been comfortable when talking to kids and usually sent one of his deputies for things like this.

  Levi liked kids; he just wasn’t good w
ith them. Which was why he’d been surprised when Kevin had taken his hand and had him come on the station tour with them. The freckled faced kid looked younger than a first grader and had chattered excitedly the whole time asking all kinds of questions. He had a great sense of humor and had Levi and Ryan laughing several times. There had been no way Levi could say no to helping him out.

  “You were great with Kevin yesterday and he really enjoyed the time you spent with him. I just want to say good luck. Kevin needs this attention. And his mother, Jessica, is a sweetheart. You’ll meet her. She’s one of Kevin’s teachers.”

  “Okay, well, I better get in there.”

  “Go and have a good time.” She laughed and ended the call and he entered the school building.

  Immediately Levi was transported back to his childhood, when he had been a student here at Windswept Bay Elementary. He’d been a rebel back then at the ripe old age of six. He and Ryan had, together, given the teachers the dickens. No one would have believed that he—or Ryan, for that matter—had grown up or would grow up to become police officers. Ryan’s dad had been the police chief back then, and Mr. Locke and Levi’s dad, Sam, had made many trips to the school’s principal office to discuss their young reprobates.

  Maybe that was the reason Levi had a little trouble coming back here for things like this. What if he saw a kid acting up? What was he supposed to say—watch out, if you keep acting like that you could grow up to become a police officer?

  He laughed silently to himself as he reached room three. The door was open and he could see colorful tables with children looking toward the front of the room where a little girl was showing the class her turtle. A turtle might be far more interesting to a room of first graders than a police officer. Poor Kevin; this might be a no-win situation for the kid. And that suddenly bothered Levi.

  Where was the teacher? Levi saw kids starting to notice him in the doorway and decided he needed to lean forward and look past the doorframe in order to see the rest of the room and find the teacher. Instead he waited until the little girl finished showing off her turtle—she reminded him of his sister Shar, who was a one-woman wonder when it came to rescuing endangered sea turtles. Heck, Shar would have been a huge hit for show-and-tell. Levi should have suggested her to Kevin instead of coming himself. The little girl set her turtle back in its box sitting at her feet. And then he started to lean forward, just as a pretty strawberry-blonde woman moved into view. Her blue eyes crinkled at the edges as she smiled at him.

  “Hello, Chief Sinclair, it’s so good of you to come. Just one moment please.”

  As she spoke, Levi wondered whether this was Kevin’s mother. Jillian had said that she had been at the Thanksgiving Day Celebration that the Windswept Bay Resort his family owned put on each Thanksgiving. That was where Jillian and Ryan had first met Kevin and his mother. Then later they had rescued Roscoe, Kevin’s dog, and returned it to the boy. That was when Ryan had promised to give Kevin a ride in the police vehicle, which had also turned into a tour of the station.

  Studying the teacher, Levi realized he had seen her that day at the meal. She had been at the buffet line and he’d noticed then, like he was noticing now, that she had a soft beauty about her. He looked away, irritated with himself. He wasn’t here to notice the teacher’s beauty; he was here for Kevin. But when she glanced back to him briefly, her expression warm with welcome, he had a hard time focusing on anything but her.

  “Class, we’ve been highly entertained by Clara and her turtle, Jeremiah. Thank you, Clara. You may sit down now.”

  Levi heard the smile in her voice and saw the twinkle in her eyes. An avalanche of attraction rumbled through him as she turned back to him and held out her hand.

  “I am Jessica, Kevin’s teacher and his very grateful mother.” She leaned close so only he could hear her words. “Thank you so much for coming. It means the world to him. He’s been so excited since yesterday when you agreed to show up.”

  He took her hand and yes, that attraction went up his arm like a forest fire eating up ground before he released her hand. “I’m glad to be here. Your son is quite a salesman.”

  “Yes, he is. Please, come in.”

  Levi stepped into the classroom and all the kids could see him now. He spotted Kevin at one of the tables with a look of complete exhilaration on his little face. The boy jumped to his feet and waved.

  “Hi Levi-I mean Chief,” he called.

  Immediately Levi was glad he’d come. Ryan had told him that the boy had lost his father and Levi felt bad for him. “Hi Kevin.”

  Jessica chuckled. “Okay, Kevin, calm down. It’s your turn for your show-and-tell time. I’ll let you introduce your guest.” And then smiling, she moved to the back of the room as Kevin raced full throttle to the front of the room and looked up at Levi with a gigantic grin from ear to ear.

  “I knew you’d come,” he gushed.

  “Of course I came. You asked me, didn’t you?”

  Kevin nodded. “I did.” He leaned forward and whispered, “I just had to see it to believe it.” And then he stared at Levi for a long quiet moment.

  “Kevin, introduce him,” Jessica urged.

  “Oh, yeah,” he laughed and took Levi’s hand and turned toward the class of about thirty-five.

  Levi surveyed the room then. There was another woman at the back of the room who smiled as Jessica joined her. The kids were staring at him with varying degrees of interest and Levi suddenly felt very much like Jeramiah the turtle.

  “Today, for my show-and-tell,” Kevin said in a very serious tone, “I have brought Police Chief Sinclair. But I call him Levi, because he told me to the other day when he showed me the police station. It was really, really cool. But that’s not why I brought him to be my show-and-tell.” He grinned and looked up at Levi for a moment before dramatically looking back at the class. “I brought him to show you all that he is going to be my new daddy.”

  What? Levi nearly broke his neck as he looked from the class of suddenly alert, wide-eyed kids down to the boy grinning proudly at his classroom of peers; then the boy turned his face up and grinned at Levi with an expression of pure delight.

  The boy had just told his classroom and his mother that Levi was going to be his new daddy…and he did not look like he was joking. Where had that come from?

  Levi’s gaze met Jessica’s. Her mouth was open and she looked as if she’d just been hit with a bucket of ice water—then she turned red and hurried up the row of tables.

  But Kevin was talking again, “When he’s my daddy, we can all go to the station and he can take us on a tour then lock us all in jail cells and—”

  Jessica interrupted him, “Kevin, um, that was interesting,” she said in measured tones. “But you may sit down now.”

  “But, I’m not finished—” Kevin started.

  Jessica held up a finger to stop him. “No sir,” she said, firm but gentle. “You’ve had your time.”

  To his credit, the boy shot one last wistful look up at Levi and then headed back to his seat.

  Levi, though stunned, noticed that the kid looked taller as he walked away.

  Jessica turned toward him and a pale pink tint stained her cheeks. Her blue eyes seemed to ask for understanding. “I’m sorry,” she said softly. “He’s going through a tough time right now. I had no idea he planned to do that.”

  Levi had been trained for all types of trouble. Nothing had prepared him for this…it was awkward to say the least. And sadly a little heartbreaking. He felt for her and he felt for Kevin.

  “It’s okay,” he assured her. “Since I’m here, can I say something to the kids?”

  Relief flashed in her expression. “Yes, please, whatever you would like. The floor is yours. The children would be thrilled to hear something from you. And maybe it would distract from what just happened,” she said, continuing in the soft tones that they had been speaking in.

  “That’s exactly what I was thinking.”

  She turned back to the
children who were now talking excitedly. “Calm down, everyone. Chief Sinclair wants to say a few words to all of you. Now please quiet down and give him the respect that he as our police chief and one of the men who protects us and our community deserves.”

  Levi watched her as she moved aside. She chose not to go to the back of the room this time but instead stood near the doorway.

  “I think Kevin may have made a great suggestion for a field trip. I think I’ll coordinate with Ms. Price for a tour of the police station for the classes and all of you kids can meet my deputies. That way when you see them on the streets, you will know them and know that they are your friends. And that if you ever need help, you can feel comfortable asking them.” He was amazed at how the children stared at him with complete attention.

  One of the boys in the front row raised his hand and Levi decided that questions from the kids might be a good option.

  “You have a question?” He pointed at the kid; immediately, other hands went up around the room.

  The little boy grinned. “When are you getting married?”

  And then the questions started.

  “When are you marrying Ms. Price?”

  “My mom is not going to be happy,” a little girl huffed. “She said she was going to marry you, Chief Sinclair. My mom said you were a hot hunk.”

  “My mama said she bet you kissed good,” a little boy said and made a face. “That’s gross.”

  “Class,” Jessica gasped.

  “Hold on, kids.” Levi held up his hand, deciding maybe he should have left when he had the chance. How many of these kids’ moms had talked about him? He glanced over at Jessica who looked as troubled as he felt.

  “Class,” she said, her voice tight. “Police Chief Sinclair and I are not getting married. And I would thank you for not spreading this around.”

  “But Kevin said so,” someone declared.

  “Yes, he did, but no. We are not getting married.”