Christmas at Twin Falls Read online

  “You seem like a level-headed young man from the sound of your voice and from what you’ve described to me about what happened,” Cornell Morgan had said. “I’m going to trust you to take care of her until I can come for her.”

  “What?” Cody had declared. “You don’t know me, and more importantly she doesn’t. She needs you here with her now!”

  “I would give anything to be there, but that’s impossible for the time being. What I’m asking you is, will you take care of Kaleena until I can get there?”

  Cody had argued some more, demanding to know what he did that kept him from taking a flight out of whatever hole he found himself. From what he could gather, Kaleena’s uncle had a job with the government, one he wasn’t at liberty to share the details about. He mentioned the word agent, and Cody guessed it was FBI or CIA. If he was on an undercover case, even Kaleena’s emotional health wouldn’t make his superiors release him to go to her. Once again, Cody wondered what would have happened if he wasn’t there, if someone else had found her. As he reviewed the conversation, he looked over at her again. Right now, she couldn’t be alone, and from what Cornell had said, she had no other family, no close friends who would be willing to be here for her now. What kind of life had she led? He knew half the town of Huntsford and had his brother Beau too. They didn’t have much in the way of family, but even his hand Henry would help him if he needed it.

  “Cody, you there?” Beau called over the line.

  Cody shook himself. “Yeah, I’m here. Listen, I can’t abandon her. Maybe it’s because of how Mom and Dad died. I don’t know. She needs someone, and I’m the only one here. I’ll look after her until her uncle comes. Bro, I have to go. They’re signaling to me. Talk to you later.”

  He ended the call. When he stood up, the chill of the floor called his attention to the fact that he wore the disposable shoe covers someone had found for him. One of his men would be there soon with a change of clothing, socks, and boots. He’d been examined already for frostbite and given the all clear.

  Cody tucked his phone in his pocket and approached the doctor. He ran through potential motels for Kaleena in his mind. Maybe if someone had a room for rent that might be better with less coming and going. Huntsford was a bit far for him to check on her every day what with work keeping him busy.

  “How she doing, doc?” Cody asked when he drew up to the man.

  Dr. Stevens took his arm and led him out of earshot of Kaleena. He tucked the clipboard in his hands under one arm and gestured while he spoke. “There’s nothing wrong with her physically except for a few bruises. The bump on the head is minor, but she might have a bit of a headache. Nothing a couple of pain pills won’t help. What I’m more concerned about is her mental state.”

  Cody looked past him at Kaleena. She really was a beauty, shoulder length hair, pouty, kissable lips, and of course her big, brown eyes. He judged her to be no more than five foot five. The top of her head barely reached his chin, and her figure was not too small but curvy with full breasts. Stop it, you ass. She doesn’t need you lusting over her at a time like this. He focused on the doctor. “What do you mean her mental state? I know she lost her fiancé, and she’s probably depressed. Who wouldn’t be?”

  “I’m worried about her becoming suicidal. I can’t make an accurate assessment since she won’t talk, but I’d feel better about someone staying with her twenty-four seven—at least for a few days. The shock will wear off, and it will be worse for her. It’s too bad she has no family to be with her in this time.”

  Cody got the message. Kaleena could not stay in a motel or rent a room. He had to take her home with him. He ran a hand over his face and rubbed his eyes. Hitching his shoulders and rolling his neck didn’t release the tension. “I’ll take her home.”

  The doctor’s eyes widened. “I didn’t mean—”

  “What did you mean, doc? She needs someone to look after her, doesn’t she? Who else is available? Name him or her, and I’ll take her to them myself.”

  The man hesitated. “You aren’t exactly…”

  Cody frowned. “If you’re about to suggest I’ll do something to her in her vulnerable state, I suggest you rethink those words. I’ve never forced myself on a woman or tricked her into sleeping with me. I don’t need to.”

  “I would never accuse you of that.”

  “Get her papers in order. If you’re not keeping her overnight, I’ll take her now.”

  By the time the doctor was ready to release Kaleena, Cody had received his change of clothes and breathed a sigh of relief to be fully dressed and warm. He strode into the area where Kaleena waited and stopped in front of her.

  “Hey, there,” he started, cursing himself for the nervousness. “Are you ready to go? You’ll be staying at my house for a while, if that’s okay.” She didn’t respond or look up. Someone had taken her boots off, so he bent to put them on. He noticed they were cut for style as much as warmth, being black suede with medium high heels. They came up over her knees, and he averted his gaze from her thighs as he zipped them. “Stand up,” he ordered gently but with firmness.

  She did as he asked, and she stuck her arm into her coat while he held it for her. He didn’t require her to button on her own. The sooner they left this place, a reminder of what happened that day, the better. Besides, it was getting late, and he didn’t want to leave Macaulay with his friend too long. He would need to stretch his legs and get something to eat.

  When they pulled up to the house, Cody turned off the engine to his truck. “Let’s go inside, Kaleena. I’ll show you to your room.”

  He stepped out of the vehicle and walked around ahead of her. He strained his ears for any sign she would follow, and he blew out a breath when she opened the door and walked behind him to the house. Cody knew how to combat depression, or at least how he had done it after he left home. He moved, he did. He would not push Kaleena too hard, but he wouldn’t let her lie still and get lost inside her head either. He considered what the doctor told him. Things might get a lot worse when the shock wore off. He would just have to bear down and deal with it.

  He took her inside the house and headed down the hall to the room he would give her, the one next to his. That way he stood a chance of hearing if she had a rough night. When he opened the door to the room, he took in the bland furnishings, all brown wood and no fancy accents. That was because no woman had ever been in his house. He’d had it built after taking over the cattle side of Twin Falls Ranch. No, that wasn’t accurate. There was the one time he’d taken it into his head to hire a maid. Her changes had irritated the hell out of him, so he’d let her go and handled things himself.

  “It’s not much, but it’ll do for the time you’re here.”

  She walked past him and stopped at the end of the bed. “You don’t have Christmas decorations.”

  His eyes widened at the unexpected comment. “In here?”

  “At all.”

  He scratched the back of his head. “I’m sorry. My brother and I don’t really celebrate it.” The holiday was just a couple weeks away.

  “I’m glad.”

  He watched as she twisted the ring on her finger. He guessed there’d been a lot of love there. Who wouldn’t love her? He shook his head to dislodge foolish thoughts. “Are you hungry? I can microwave something or fix some scrambled eggs. Sorry, I’m not much of a cook.”

  “I just want to sleep if that’s okay.”

  He nodded and turned to leave. At the door, he hesitated, but she sat on the side of the bed and began removing her boots. He scanned the room one last time and then shut the door.

  * * * *

  Cody opened his eyes and looked at the clock on his nightstand. Two a.m. He rubbed his temples. A headache pounded at his head, and he wondered why he woke up. Usually, he slept well throughout the night, too exhausted from the physical labor. Then he remembered Kaleena and sat up. That’s what awakened him, a sound from the hall. He hurried to the door and threw it open. Kaleena was sick in the
bathroom.

  “Kaleena, are you okay?” he called out to her. She didn’t answer, so he checked the knob. She hadn’t put on the lock, but he hesitated. With no clothes to wear, he’d needed to give her something of his. He recalled how she looked in one of his T-shirts, her bare legs and feet uncovered. “I’m coming in.”

  She crouched over the commode throwing up, and he hurried to her side to pull her hair back. Tears wet her face as she dry-heaved. She’d refused any food.

  “It’s okay.” He rubbed her back, feeling awkward again.

  After some time, she struggled to her feet, and he helped her. He stayed by while she washed her mouth and wet a cloth to cool her heated face. When she stumbled turning toward the door, he put an arm around her shoulders and led her to her room.

  “I’ll make you tea,” he offered. He didn’t drink the stuff, but he was pretty sure there was some left over from the maid. Coming back in the room, he noticed she’d curled up on the bed with the covers drawn to her neck and her knees to her chest. He sat down beside her. “I didn’t add sugar yet, so tell me when.”

  She murmured something, so he took that as enough and handed her the cup. Her hands shook.

  “I’ll help you.” He took up a spoonful of the hot liquid, blew to cool it, and guided it between her lips. She drank in silence, trusting him not to burn her.

  “Why are you doing this?”

  “My mother believed tea cures all ills.”

  She lowered her sad gaze to the blanket and worried the ends. “Not that.”

  “I’m taking care of you because your uncle asked me to.”

  “Th-that’s what I thought.” She sniffed. “Uncle Cornell works with the FBI. I think he’s on a case they spent a long time putting together. They can’t let him go…” Her words drifted off, and she began struggling to breathe. Cody set the cup aside and nipped her onto his lap. He held her tight and tucked her face into the crook between his neck and shoulder. She gripped his forearm, her nails digging into his skin, but the movement seemed to help her calm down. “I shouldn’t let you hold me.”

  “Take from it what you need. Nothing else matters.”

  “He asked me to marry him. Jeff did.” She took the tissue he offered and wiped her nose. Then she climbed off his lap to curl under the covers again. “His parents hate me because I’m black. Neither of us gave a damn. We were going to get married on Christmas Day to make it extra special. We didn’t need any fancy ceremony or elaborate plans.”

  Cody cursed. Way to ruin her Christmas forever. For the first time, he was glad for his and Beau’s hang-ups. He handed out bonuses and gave his people time off, but that was as far as the celebration of the season went.

  “You don’t have to worry about seeing decorations here. Beau and I haven’t celebrated in a long time.”

  “Beau?”

  “My twin brother. We’re mirror identical twins.”

  Most people exclaimed over that fact and asked stupid questions such as if they’d traded places as kids. Kaleena gave no indication of having heard him or being impressed. He didn’t blame her.

  “I won’t get in your way, and I’m not going to kill myself. No matter what that doctor said.” Her voice wobbled on the end of the statement, so he couldn’t say he believed her.

  “Here, drink the rest of this tea. It will settle your stomach. I can fix you a PB&J sandwich too, if you like. You should eat something.”

  She frowned.

  “Well…egg…”

  “I’m not hungry. Thank you.” She scooted down in the bed and rolled over with her back to him.

  Cody gathered up the tea things and returned them to the kitchen. He made it to his bedroom door when he heard her crying. The anguish ripped through him, and he touched the door panel with his forehead, eyes shut. In a few hours, he would need to rise for the day’s work, and his head still pounded. He spun on his heel and returned to her room. She didn’t move or stop crying when he pulled the covers back and settled into the bed behind her. Careful not to move too close, he stroked her hair and squeezed her shoulder. “I’m here.”

  To his surprise, she flipped over and threw herself into his arms. He drew her to his chest, ignoring the fact that he wore no shirt, and she didn’t have a bra on beneath the tee he’d given her. For a long time, she sobbed, but eventually she dropped off to sleep. From sheer exhaustion, he soon joined her.

  Chapter Three

  Kaleena felt him long before she came fully awake. She heard his soft breathing as he slept and felt his chest rise and fall against her breasts. Guilt assailed her for finding solace in this stranger’s arms, but she had nothing else. Jeff had meant everything to her. She’d met him after years of dating losers, and at first he’d seemed too good to be true. The first man with everything going for him, including looks and a successful career, and he loved her. Now he was gone, and it seemed like she was cursed, that no one decent would ever come along and stay.

  Every breath hurt to draw in, and thoughts tormented her because they centered around the one man aside from her uncle she loved more than life. She’d told Cody suicide didn’t enter her mind, but the truth was if death came, she would welcome it. To live burned like hell, and right after she knew Jeff was gone, only Cody’s voice kept her sane. He talked to her, rubbed her back, and stroked her hair. He said it would be okay, and she wanted to shout at him and tell him how stupid and empty those words were. Yet, something in them helped all the same. She told herself she could make it another minute, another second, since Cody went so far to help.

  Somewhere nearby, a rooster crowed, and she heard the call of cattle as they stirred. A horse neighed, and out the window over Cody’s shoulder, she caught sight of the skyline as it lightened. Morning always came, even when one didn’t want it to. She moved a little and realized Cody’s arm was slung over her side. They’d slept in the bed together all night. Guilt rose, and she pushed at his chest.

  “Let me go.”

  He jerked away and scanned the room before jumping to his feet with a curse. “Damn it, I’m late.” He crossed to the door in two long strides. Tall, she noted with little interest, maybe six foot four, and built broad-shouldered. Jeff had been big. She swallowed back tears. Cody stopped at the door. “You can sleep in today. I’ll make you breakfast before I go out.”

  She didn’t respond. Why did it seem like he emphasized “today”? Would he make her earn her keep? He wasn’t such a good guy after all. In fact, what did she know about him? He might have slept in the bed with her with intentions of taking advantage of her.

  He left, and she lay there. Time passed, but she didn’t know how much. He came in with a tray and left it by the bed. When he paused and put a hand up, she thought he would touch her, but he drew it back. She stared at him in silence.

  Why should she care if he smelled good? He did, like a fresh shower and soap. He said something, but the thoughts in her mind were too loud. She shut her eyes and rolled to her side. Hopefully, he would be gone by the time she woke up again—if she did.

  * * * *

  An earthquake jarred Kaleena from her sleep. Her covers fell away, and a chill in the air raised goose bumps on her bare legs. She shivered and moaned in fear. When the cobwebs left her head, she realized it wasn’t a natural disaster but a man-made one. Cody tore away her covers and forced her to sit up. She glared at him.

  “Leave me alone.”

  “To wallow in your pain?”

  “My fiancé just died, you insensitive ass!” Saying the words unsettled her stomach. She’d been lying in bed for the last two days, sleeping off and on, eating not at all. Each night when she gave into sobs, Cody came to her and held her. His strong embrace seemed to hold the pieces of her mind together when it felt like they would fly apart. She let him hold her because the alternative went beyond reason.

  “I let you stay in for two days when I’d told you one. You haven’t eaten, and you haven’t showered.”

  She put her hands on her hips,
but every limb trembled in weakness. “Are you saying I stink, because if you are, you might as well say it plain to my face.”

  She thought she saw amusement in his eyes before it disappeared. He stood up from the side of the bed and faced her. “I’m saying you have until the count of ten to get up and get showered and put clothes on. If you don’t start by the time I reach one, I will be dumping you in the shower myself and dressing you.”

  Kaleena’s mouth fell open.

  “Ten.”

  “I hate you!” The damn tears filled her eyes and spilled over. She swiped a hand over her face.

  “Nine.”

  She slid to the end of the bed and stood up. “Get out. I’m not changing while you’re here.”

  He moved to the door and gave her a look that said he would be back if he thought she made no progress. If Kaleena had the energy or the will, she’d flip him off. Instead she scanned the room for her clothes. She thought she remembered Cody saying he had brought her things from the wreck.

  A cry tore from her chest, and she sank on the bed. What about the funeral or informing Jeff’s parents. She’d thought of none of that. “Oh no. I can’t…”

  Cody appeared in the doorway some minutes later.

  She peered up at him. “I forgot about taking care of things.”

  He walked over and sat down beside her. When he took her hand, she tried to pull away, but he held on and rubbed a thumb over her skin where he held it. “Everything is arranged. His parents took care of it when the police department notified them. I’m sorry, sweetheart. I asked if they wanted to see you or since you know them and not me if they wanted to bring you to their house, and—”

  “Don’t say it.” She squeezed her eyes shut, drawing in shallow breaths. “They hated the fact that he was involved with a black woman. They accused me of being after his money. I have a right to be there!”