brides for brothers 15 - a randall hero (13 page)

“Three times I told him he was breaking the law and he needed to let you go. He ignored me and tried to drag you after him, using your body as a shield.”

“That’s why John shot him in the head?”

“He didn’t have a choice. He wasn’t going to take a chance of hurting you.”

Lucy kept her gaze on her hands. “I know.”

“Breakfast is ready, Lucy,” Camille announced. “And your coffee is hot, too, Mike.”

“Okay. Where are Griff and John?”

“They went to the barn to check on a calf there.” Camille put Mike’s coffee in front of him.

Lucy sat down at the table, unsure if she would be able to eat. Her stomach still wasn’t settled.

“Just try, Lucy,” Camille whispered as she put the plate of pancakes in front of her.

Slowly, Lucy picked up her fork and cut into the pancakes, after she’d added a little syrup. Managing to swallow the first bite, she was surprised when hunger attacked her. She reached for a second bite, loving the way it filled the hollow in her stomach.

“Good job, Lucy,” Mike said softly, giving her a smile. “You need to eat so you can be strong for Emma.”

Just then they heard the two men come in the back door. When they got to the kitchen, they both smiled at Lucy, who was swallowing the last bite of breakfast.

“Good job, Lucy,” Griff said. “We were worried about you getting some food down you.”

“These pancakes awakened my hunger,” Lucy assured him. She noticed John look at Mike, a question in his gaze.

Mike nodded, to let John know everything was all right.

“Well, now that I’ve finished my coffee, I guess I’d better get back to town.”

Both Randall men shook his hand again, offering their thanks. Lucy swallowed a bite of pancakes and stood, also, extending her hand. “Thank you, Mike, for finding a way out for me. I appreciate it.”

“I hope you’ve thanked John. He’s the only man here who could’ve made that shot.”

She turned to John and swallowed the lump in her throat. “Yes, thank you, John. I know—it was a difficult thing to do. But I’m grateful you saved me.”

She hadn’t loved Cecil much when she’d married him, and she had hated him by the time she’d left him. Still, she would’ve preferred a way out without killing him.

But it had come down to him or her, and she was glad she was the winner.

T
HAT AFTERNOON,
when the phone rang, Camille answered it.

“Wonderful. Tomorrow at twelve-forty? Probably Griff will come. I don’t know about anyone else. But you can come here for supper. We’ll want to hear all about your trip and you’ll need to meet Lucy and Emma.”

After a moment, she said goodbye.

“Lucy, that was Melissa. She and Harry are coming in tomorrow afternoon. Isn’t that great?”

“Yes, of course. I’d better pack our things.”

“What? Why would you do that?”

“Aren’t you sending me home with them?”

“No, Lucy. I think you should stay here with us. Melissa and Harry are a great couple, but they don’t notice anyone else. I think you’ll be better off here with us.”

“I don’t want to add to your burdens, Camille.”

“You’re not a burden, and Emma is a continual delight. I swear, I’ve gotten younger just holding her!”

“Oh, Camille, you are so kind. But I’m not sure—”

“At least wait until we talk to Melissa and Harry.”

“Okay, I’ll wait. But I’m not sure—”

“I am. Isn’t it almost time for Emma’s bottle again? I’ll be glad to feed her if you have something else to do.”

“I do need to fold clothes,” Lucy said, knowing that was what Camille wanted to hear. But in her head, Lucy was trying to think what she should do. She could understand why Harry and Melissa might not want her in their house. But she wasn’t sure where she could go. She’d have to have a babysitter taking care of her baby while she held down a job.

She didn’t look forward to leaving her child.

Could she trust someone to take care of Emma? Could she find a job in Rawhide or go back to Kansas City? With Cecil’s death, she could do that. Suddenly her life was in a tailspin. She felt as if she’d lost her sense of direction.

She wasn’t sure Harry’s arrival would make a difference in her life. She wanted to get to know her brother again. But if he wasn’t interested, she could go away. Make her own life, for her and Emma.

Except that she didn’t have much money. Just the seven hundred dollars she’d had with her when she got to town. And she hadn’t paid any bills…because none had been presented. What could she do about that? Did she go to the hospital and ask for a bill that she knew she couldn’t pay?

Confusion reigned. That night, Lucy didn’t sleep well. Even as she fed Emma, she couldn’t sleep afterward. She’d finally dozed after an hour or so, only to wake up two hours later. By the time Emma woke her for her eight o’clock bottle the next morning, Lucy was exhausted.

When she reached Emma’s bed, she found John changing Emma’s diaper.

“What are you doing?”

John didn’t turn around. “What does it look like?”

“Why aren’t you riding out today?”

“I’m going with Dad to meet Melissa and Harry’s plane.”

“Oh. I didn’t know.”

He picked up Emma and turned to face her. “What’s wrong with you?” he asked, staring at her.

“I didn’t sleep very well.”

“Go back to bed. I’ll take care of Emma.”

“Are you sure?”

“Emma and I are pals. Of course I’m sure.”

“All right.” She leaned toward John and kissed her baby before she went back to her bedroom, to crawl into bed and close her eyes.

“D
AD!
J
OHN!
T
HANK YOU
for coming to get us!” Melissa exclaimed, offering them both hugs.

Harry hugged them both, too. He loaded their luggage in the back of the SUV before getting in.

Griff drove out of the Casper airport and headed for Rawhide.

“So how’s Lucy and the baby?” Harry asked.

“She’s fine,” John said. “And Emma is a darling.”

“She’s healthy?”

“Yeah, Harry, she’s great.”

“Has her ex-husband been heard from?” Melissa asked.

There was a silence for several minutes. Then John told them about the recent event.

“I owe you, John, for saving Lucy.”

“I did it for Lucy, Harry. She deserves to live without that man threatening both her and Emma. He died not even knowing about Emma. Lucy didn’t want him to know.”

“Good. Is she traumatized by what has happened?”

“I’m not sure. She didn’t sleep well last night. When she got up this morning she didn’t look good.”

“She doesn’t blame you, does she?” Melissa asked.

“She says not.”

“Dad? What do you think?”

“I think Lucy could use a little time to realize what has happened.”

“But she can’t blame John!” Melissa protested.

“Sis, she’s suffered a lot in the past month or two. She’s not blaming me. She just has to find her own way through all of this.”

“Well, we won’t stand for her blaming you!”

“Missy, we have to be fair to Lucy, as well as John,” Harry said, using his wife’s pet name. “You have to remember the man beat her in her eighth month of pregnancy.”

“I know. That’s why she should be glad that he’s dead!”

John looked over his shoulder at his sister. “Melissa, you need to be gentle with Lucy. She hasn’t done anything wrong.”

“We’ll see,” she said, determined to support John.

Griff cleared his throat. “Your mom wants Lucy to stay with us, even though you’re back home.”

“Why?” Harry wanted to know.

“She says you two aren’t even aware of anyone else. That Lucy would be really lost if she lived with the two of you.” Griff added, “I think she may be right.”

“Daddy!” Melissa protested.

“Well, you don’t seem to notice anyone else when the two of you are together.”

“I can’t leave my sister at your place, Griff,” Harry said. “That wouldn’t be fair.”

“Have you thought about taking the baby away from Camille? She’s enjoying herself taking care of Emma.”

“She’s not her grandbaby,” Melissa said.

“You tell her that and you’ll discover a mama bear protecting her young,” Griff warned. “She may not be, but we like to think of her as our grandchild. She doesn’t seem to have any other grandparents.”

“But what if we have a child?” Melissa asked.

“You got news for us, little girl? We can have more than one grandchild.”

“I—We’ll wait until we come for dinner and talk then.” Melissa lay her head on her husband’s shoulder.

They all rode in silence for about fifteen minutes. Then Harry asked about the sheriff’s office business for the past six weeks.

John filled him in with what he knew. When he looked back to Harry, he realized his sister was asleep. “Is she okay?” he asked softly.

“Yeah. She’s just a little tired. Traveling can do that. She hasn’t been sleeping well.”

“Mom hired some cleaning ladies to work on your house. It should be in good shape when you get there.”

“Great. Be sure to thank her for us.”

“Yeah, we will,” Griff assured his son-in-law.

Melissa didn’t stir as they pulled up at the house on the back street of Rawhide that her father had bought from Caro and Mike.

Harry shook her awake. “Honey, wake up. We’re home.”

She groaned and fluttered her eyes.

He kissed her. “Wake up, Melissa. We’re home again, finally.”

J
OHN AND
G
RIFF DECIDED
not to say anything in front of Lucy.

“Hi, honey, we’re home,” Griff called as he entered the house. When he got to the kitchen, he discovered Lucy there helping Camille prepare Melissa and Harry’s homecoming dinner.

“You met them?” Camille asked, obviously anxious.

“Sure we did. They were doing fine. Except they were both pretty tired. Melissa fell asleep on the way home. Harry was pouring her a glass of milk as we left their house.”

Camille jerked her head up. “Milk? Melissa was drinking milk?”

“That’s right, honey. That’s what she asked for.”

“Is she pregnant?” Camille asked at once.

“She said she and Harry would talk to you when they got here tonight,” Griff said.

“And you didn’t think that meant something?”

“Mom, you can’t assume—” John began.

“Yes, I can. I think she’s pregnant!”

“You’ll have to wait until this evening, sweetheart.”

“What brought up the subject?” Camille demanded.

Griff and John looked at each other and then looked away.

“Griff?” Camille prodded.

“Uh, Lucy, could you excuse us for a minute?”

Lucy stared at Griff. Then she nodded and walked out of the kitchen.

Griff nodded at John. He followed Lucy out of the kitchen. “Are you going to check on Emma?” John asked Lucy as she walked through the den.

“I thought I would. It’s almost four o’clock.”

“Mind if I go with you? I haven’t seen her in three or four hours.”

“You spend more time than that in the saddle every day.”

“Yeah, but I always miss Emma. And you.”

“Me? What are you talking about?”

“Nothing. I just miss talking to you and Emma. That’s all.”

“You know I can’t stay here, don’t you?”

“No, I don’t know that.”

“Look, John, I can’t live off your parents now that Harry and Melissa are back. I’ve got to go someplace. I don’t know where, but I can’t let your parents support me.”

“Honey, don’t you realize money isn’t a problem for my parents?”

“That doesn’t matter. I need to pay my own way. I’m going to get a job.”

“But who will take care of Emma?”

Lucy looked away. “I don’t know. I’ll have to find someone who can take care of her while I work.”

“Mom could do that.”

“What?”

“I said Mom could take care of her.”

“But she wouldn’t let me pay her.”

“So? That’s no reason to leave Emma with strangers.”

“I need to be independent,” Lucy said as she entered Emma’s nursery.

“I think you’ll hurt Mom’s feelings with that argument. Is that what you want to do?”

“Of course not! I owe Camille so much. There’s no way I could repay her.”

“You know how much she loves Emma. Letting her take care of your baby would be a gift.”

“John, I can’t make a decision about that when I don’t even know what I will be doing or where I’ll be living.”

“You think you’re moving away? Why?”

“I don’t know!” Lucy exclaimed, tears in her eyes. “I don’t know anything. But I’m guessing that’s why your dad wanted to talk to Camille without me there. And why you came after me to make sure I couldn’t hear anything they said.”

John couldn’t argue with her. “Okay, let’s wait until after tonight. But remember, you won’t leave without saying goodbye.”

“I’ll remember.”

Emma stirred, as if their fierce whispering had disturbed her. She tried to lift her head.

“Sorry for waking you up, Emma,” Lucy cooed. “How are you? Are you ready for a new bottle?” Lucy asked.

“Hey, Emma. It’s good to see you waking up,” John added. He reached out to touch her cheek. She turned her head, moving her mouth toward his finger.

“Don’t bite me, Emma!” John teased.

Lucy changed Emma’s diaper. Then lifted Emma against her shoulder.

“May I go to the kitchen to fix her bottle, or should I wait?”

“I think you can go back. I’ll go with you. I can make her bottle while you sit at the table and wait.”

“All right.”

They walked quietly until they could hear his parents still talking about something.

“We’re coming to fix Emma’s bottle,” John called out.

Lucy said nothing.

When they reached the kitchen, Camille wore a welcoming smile. Griff smiled at them, too.

“Thanks for the advance warning,” Camille said. “But it wasn’t necessary.”

“Mom, she already guessed you needed to talk without her hearing. I figured there was no need to take chances.”

“Melissa was out of humor. That’s what Griff wanted to tell me. I don’t know what’s wrong with her, but we’ll find out tonight. I’m anxious for you to meet her.”