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Authors: Colleen Coble

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BOOK: Lonestar Homecoming
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As Gracie grasped the judge's hand, the implications hit her. She was the mother of three children now.Three little ones, not just Hope, who needed her.

Michael escorted her from the room, and she paused in the hall. “I. . . I wasn't sure I was going to get through that,” she whispered.

He gripped her hand. “Thank you, honey.You're going to make a great mother.You already are.”

“You're welcome,” she mumbled. Her gut clenched. “I need to find the ladies' room,” she said.

She bolted for the marked door and barely made it before she lost her lunch in the toilet. Her stomach cramped again, then calmed. She rinsed her mouth with cold water, then patted her face with a damp towel. Her lip gloss was in the bottom of her purse, but she found it.

Her cell phone rang, and she froze, then relaxed. The caller ID read
Unknown
. She stared, then forced herself to answer it.

Cid's voice assaulted her ear. “Where are you, Gracie?”

“Cid,” she said, her voice failing. She faced the light of a low window.

“That's right. Cid.The man you were going to marry.You've got to come back
now,
Gracie. It's best for Hope. She misses me, I know.”

She put her hand to her throat. “Hope is fine. Just fine now that you're out of her life.You've lied to me at every step. I'm not coming back. Not now, not ever.”

His voice took on an edge. “Something could happen to you, and then where would Hope be?”

Her fingers tightened on the phone. “Cid, did you put out a poster offering a reward to whoever found me?”

“What if I did? I
will
find you, Gracie.You had no right to leave me the day of our wedding.”

A relieved sigh eased out her lips. “I. . . I thought the men who killed the federal agents were the ones looking for me.” A long silence followed her words. Her stomach dipped. “Cid?”

“Your leaving ruined everything.You must tell me where you are. I will come get you, no questions asked. If you do not . . .” His voice was thick with menace.

Her head swam, and she sank onto the sill of the window. “Cid, did you do the poster?”

But she was talking to dead air. She closed her phone and sat shaking and crying. When the phone rang again almost immediately, she turned it off and dropped it back into her purse. If he was trying to scare her, he was doing a good job of it.

T
HE AROMA OF ENCHILADAS STRUCK
G
RACIEAS SHE ENTERED
A
LLIE'S
kitchen. The clock over the sink showed nearly five. Her hands still shook from Cid's call, but she didn't want anyone to suspect her frayed nerves. Not now, when they should be rejoicing with the children about becoming a family.There would be time to talk to Michael later.

Fear tactics, that's all Cid's call was. She should be used to it from him. On top of that, Michael told her the federal agent in charge wanted to talk to her. The man had called back while she was in the restroom and made arrangements to be here at the end of the week.

“Got everything done in town?” Allie asked.

“I'm the mother of three now.” Gracie meant the smile that stretched her lips.Whatever else happened, she was going to help Michael and the kids. “We stopped by the school and got Hope enrolled too.”

“Perfect!”

Allie's smile was too gay, her tone too cheerful. Gracie was afraid to ask what drove Allie's good mood. “Anything I can do to help?”

“Just one thing.” Allie's eyes danced, and she turned Gracie around toward the doorway. “Come with me.”

“What on earth?” Gracie allowed herself to be propelled into the living room, where she found a mound of clothes and two suitcases. “What's all this?”

“This is the packing for your honeymoon. Jack and Michael are about the same size, so Shannon brought over some stuff for him. I dug out some things and Shannon brought more, and she stopped and bought underwear for you both. It's just up to you to decide what you want to take to Chisos Mountains Lodge.”

“We can't go to the lodge now! Someone tried to bomb the house.”

Allie waved away her protests. “That's exactly right. All the more reason to lay low until the sheriff finds out who is behind this and grabs him.”

“But the kids . . .”

“The kids are perfectly safe here.This place is like a fortress, with plenty of people around to watch out for them.They can catch the bus from here.”

Gracie backed away from the suitcases. “I appreciate the thought, Allie, but it's just a bad time. Michael will never go for it either.”

“If you're all packed up and ready to go, he won't turn you down. You
need
this time alone with him, Gracie.You've been surrounded by kids and problems ever since your wedding.”

“This is such short notice,” Gracie muttered.

Allie's impish grin widened. “I've already made the reservations for tonight.When Michael gets home, you grab him and go.”

“You've got enough on your plate without more kids.”

“I love it! Shannon and I are going to share the fun with them. Betsy and her girls are all looking forward to a sleepover.” Allie grabbed the nearest suitcase and flipped it open. “The reservation is for two nights. I've thrown in incidentals, but you need to go through the jeans and blouses and pick out what you like.”

Gracie swallowed hard, then turned as the screen door slammed and Michael entered. He could deal with this situation. She didn't have the emotional resources.

“What's all this?” Michael stood in the doorway with his eyes crinkled in a smile. “Are you going somewhere, Allie?”

“No, you are.” Allie's smile widened. “You two have a reservation tonight at the Chisos Mountains Lodge.You can be there in an hour.” She peered at her watch. “In time for dinner alone.”

Michael's smile faltered. “I have to work.”

“You're still on sick leave,” Allie said.

His face flushed, and he took a step back. “But our house was nearly bombed. I can't go running off when I need to find who did it.”

Allie shook her finger in his face. “Listen to me, you big blockhead! You just married this woman. There has been problem after problem slamming into her—and you—ever since you signed that license.”

“All the more reason to stay and face them,” he muttered, glancing at Gracie.

Allie rolled her eyes. “You can't get into the house yet anyway. This is the sheriff's investigation, not yours, right now. All you'll be able to do is pace and worry.Why not do that in a beautiful setting with your new bride?”

He blinked, then shot a glance at Gracie. “Okay,” he said. A grin spread across his face.

Gracie gasped. “We're going?” The promise in his gaze made her catch her breath.

“I'm game if you are.” He nodded toward the sofa. “But what is all this?”

Allie's eyes were sparkling again. “Pick out some clothes and stuff them in a suitcase.You can't get into your house, so Jack sent some loaners.”

He picked up a pair of jeans. “Nice duds. Bet he paid more for them than I do.” He folded up two pairs of jeans, then grabbed several T-shirts. He stuffed a package of new briefs into the top.

Gracie moved to the sofa.This couldn't be happening. How could he cave so easily? And what on earth were they going to talk about for two days? The memory of last night seared her cheeks, and she bent her head so her hair would hide her blush. She didn't know if she was ready to move this relationship to a different level quite so fast.

Without looking, she grabbed some jeans and shirts and stuffed them in the suitcase. Her hand touched a filmy negligee Shannon had bought, and she gulped. This was all wrong. She couldn't go through with it. Once they were in the truck, she'd talk Michael into getting separate rooms or something. He would see the wisdom of moving slower.

“Where are the kids?” Michael asked.

“At Shannon and Jack's.They claimed the rascals for the first night.”

Michael frowned. “Does he know what happened at our place?”

Allie held up her hand. “Don't worry, Michael. Jack has a dozen hands, and he'll watch your babies like a hawk. But we both know Vargas is after you, not them.”

“He might use them to get to me, though.” He rubbed his forehead. “I'm not so sure about this, Allie.”

“I
am
, ”Allie said, shutting the suitcase and zipping it.“Now, get out of here. Both of you. Put all this out of your mind. Let go of the stress for a few days. Hike in the ponderosa pines. Go rock climbing. Or rafting on the river. Laugh; cry; let the wind run through your hair.”

“Stop! You're making it sound too fun,” Gracie said, half laughing. “I'm not sure about this either.”

“You have no choice. It's all arranged. Call your commanding officer on your way.”

Michael grinned. “I hear it's a terrific place.”

Allie nodded. “You'll never want to leave the mountains. The restaurant at the lodge has the most amazing view of the sunset. If you hurry, you can get there in time to see it.”

“Wait—the livestock,” Gracie said.

Allie shoved a suitcase at each of them. “We'll care for your horses. I'm not taking no for an answer.”

“I can see that,” Michael said slowly, glancing at Gracie. He grabbed her suitcase. “I'll put these in the truck.You have everything you need for tonight?”

She could say no. She could sit on the sofa and refuse to budge. But in the end she just nodded and followed him out the door, with her heart about to jump from her throat.

20

S
UNSET HIGHLIGHTED THE MOUNTAINS WITH RED AND GOLD
. T
HE CHISOS
Mountains Lodge Restaurant had a panorama of windows that looked out over the best view in Texas. Delicious Tex-Mex aromas hung in the air—peppers, chili, onion. Gracie sneaked another glimpse of the mountains, then went back to studying her menu.There was a large variety of food, so it was hard to choose from so many dishes she loved. Settling on chicken enchiladas, she closed her menu and studied Michael's bent head.

They'd barely talked on the way here. She hadn't known what to say and suspected he felt the same. “Did you find out anything today?” she asked after the server took their order.

He lifted a blank expression. “Find out anything?”

“At Border Patrol. About your brother's death.”

“Oh. Nothing concrete. Pickens said he had some leads, but if he did, they're not in the file.”

“That doesn't make sense.Wouldn't he have to put them in the file?”

He sipped his coffee. “That's standard protocol. Estevez was openly hostile to me looking over the file too. I'm wondering if someone in Border Patrol had a hand in Phil's murder.”

“How can you find out?”

“By talking to people. Digging. Pickens isn't going to like it.”

The server interrupted with their salads. Gracie waited until she left. The sound of Michael's voice was a blue wave cresting on the beach. She liked listening to it, seeing it. Someday she wanted to close her eyes and let it carry her away. She didn't realize she was staring until he laughed uncomfortably.

“Do I have something on my nose?” he asked.

She glanced down at her salad. “Sorry. I was lost in thought.”

“Care to share it? Tell me more about yourself, Gracie. I still don't know whether you have siblings, or anything about your life before you showed up here. Other than your mother's death.”

With his blue eyes boring into her, she couldn't think. “There's nothing much to tell. I'm an only child.” She toyed with her napkin. “Did you know I left Allie's ranch today?”

“Where'd you go?”

She tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. “I can't believe I'm telling you this.”

He reached across the table and took her hand. “I'm listening.”

But she had ceased to think, with his thumb rubbing across the skin on top of her hand. “I went to Pecos,” she said. “To the place where I grew up.”

His thumb stopped its movement, then resumed. “Pecos? You got there and back and still made it to the courthouse?”

She smiled. “I didn't let the grass grow under my tires.The house looks the same.”

“Did you stop?”

She opened her mouth, then closed it again.“No, I chickened out. Maybe next time.”

“I could go with you.”

Her pulse stuttered, then resumed its rhythm.When she tried to withdraw her hand, he maintained possession. “I shouldn't have mentioned it,” she said. “I don't want to talk about it.”

“I think you do.You brought it up.”

All she had to do was open her mouth. Bare her soul. How hard could it be? But the weight of years of silence pressed hard.

“I bet your dad wants to see you as much as you want to see him.”

A hummingbird darted from blossom to blossom outside the window. The bird's wings moved so fast they could hardly be seen. Her life had been like that. She moved from place to place quickly so she could come and go without being noticed. If she was noticed, she might have to give a part of herself to someone. Michael was pushing her to do what she'd avoided for six years.

Something squeezed her chest. Maybe a cry that wanted to escape. She managed to hold it at bay behind the lump in her throat. She shook her head.

“He hates me,” she choked out. “When he found her in the stall, I saw his stricken expression, the hatred in his eyes. I didn't have to tell him—he knew what I'd done.”

Michael smiled tenderly. “No one could hate you, Gracie.”

“I killed my mother and broke his heart. Then I took the money my grandmother left me and sneaked off in the night so I wouldn't have to see the condemnation in his face over breakfast every morning. That money is gone, all of it. I used it trying to forget, but it didn't work. Nothing works.” She was crying now, barely aware of the curious stares around her.

BOOK: Lonestar Homecoming
10.69Mb size Format: txt, pdf, ePub
ads

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