Guarding His Children

Chapter Two

Brittany entered Broken Bow Records, where the receptionist directed her to Michael's office"I'm Brittany Kerr Mr.Aldean is expecting me."

"Yes," the older woman rose, crossed to the double doors and turned the knob. "He told me to send you in when you arrived. He'll be back in a minute. May I get you something to drink?"

"No, thank you. I'm fine."

Brittany stepped into a spacious office and waited until the secretary closed the door before she scanned the room, noticing the photo on the desk of two young girls with blond hair. Lifting up the picture, she studied the children she would be protecting. Jason's daughters with Jessica. Brittany's grip on the silver frame tightened.

Keeley and Kendyl's smiles gave there crystal blue eyes a twinkle. She saw a lot of Jessica in Jason's daughters, but not anything of him. She wasn't sure if that was good or bad. She and Jessica had never been friends in high school. In fact, the second she and Jason had fought and broken up, Jesdica had swooped in to pick up the pieces of Jason's heart.

The sound of the door opening sent a wave of panic through her. Why had she come? Yes, Kyra Hunt, her employer at Guardians, Inc., had offered her the job but had given her a way out if she felt she couldn't do what was needed. Slowly Brittany turned toward the man she'd once thought she would marry. Now she wasn't so sure she should have agreed to be his daughter's bodyguard, but when a child was in danger she had a hard time saying no.

"I'm so glad you came, Brittany."

He was the same and yet not. His brown hair was cut much shorter, and he'd grown a couple of inches taller since he was nineteen. He had laugh lines at the corners of his dark green eyes, but at the moment all she saw in them was worry.

"I'm still not sure this is a good idea," she finally said. "At Guardians, Inc. we have other female bodyguards available. Why me?"

"Because I know you. I trust you'll do the best job possible."

Brittany entered Broken Bow Records, where the receptionist directed her to Michael's office"I'm Brittany Kerr Mr.Aldean is expecting me."

"Yes," the older woman rose, crossed to the double doors and turned the knob. "He told me to send you in when you arrived. He'll be back in a minute. May I get you something to drink?"

"No, thank you. I'm fine."

Brittany stepped into a spacious office and waited until the secretary closed the door before she scanned the room, noticing the photo on the desk of two young girls with blond hair. Lifting up the picture, she studied the children she would be protecting. Jason's daughters with Jessica. Brittany's grip on the silver frame tightened.

Keeley and Kendyl's smiles gave there crystal blue eyes a twinkle. She saw a lot of Jessica in Jason's daughters, but not anything of him. She wasn't sure if that was good or bad. She and Jessica had never been friends in high school. In fact, the second she and Jason had fought and broken up, Jesdica had swooped in to pick up the pieces of Jason's heart.

The sound of the door opening sent a wave of panic through her. Why had she come? Yes, Kyra Hunt, her employer at Guardians, Inc., had offered her the job but had given her a way out if she felt she couldn't do what was needed. Slowly Brittany turned toward the man she'd once thought she would marry. Now she wasn't so sure she should have agreed to be his daughter's bodyguard, but when a child was in danger she had a hard time saying no.

"I'm so glad you came, Brittany."

He was the same and yet not. His brown hair was cut much shorter, and he'd grown a couple of inches taller since he was nineteen. He had laugh lines at the corners of his dark green eyes, but at the moment all she saw in them was worry.

"I'm still not sure this is a good idea," she finally said. "At Guardians, Inc. we have other female bodyguards available. Why me?"

"Because I know you. I trust you'll do the best job possible."

Brittany's stomach churned with emotions she'd thought were long buried. But she was a professional. She could do this, especially if she kept her distance from Jason. "Kyra told me about what has been happening, the calls, the harassment and the photo yesterday. Are you being protected, too?"

"No. I'm a rising country star, and I'd prefer that this didn't get out to the public."

"Why not?"

"I want the public to think I'm capable of handling any problems that are thrown at me."

"There's one thing I will make clear, and it's a deal breaker. When I ask you to do something concerning the girls protection, I don't want you to argue with me."

"Fine." Jason grabbed a folder off his desk and started for the double doors. "Follow me home and I'll introduce you to Keeley and Kendyl. My mom Debbie lives with us and takes care of the house and my girls."

"I remember her."

She rode the elevator with Jason to the parking garage below the office building and trailed him in her SUV to a nice farm called Black Jack Ridge area in Williamson County. She tried to recall all the reasons she shouldn't take this assignment. The heartbreak she felt when he married Jessica flooded her all over again. When she reached his house, she'd tell him she'd handpick one of the other female bodyguards for him. She wasn't the right person for the job.

When she turned onto Sooner Street right behind him, flashing red lights greeted her. Three patrol cars were parked in front of Jason's home.