Hungry, she realized she’d skipped both breakfast and lunch. Dinner time had come and gone.
She rolled off the bed, splashed her face with cold water, and walked to the casino next door where a diner was open around the clock. A bowl of soup and a grilled cheese sandwich filled the empty spaces in her stomach although nothing would fill the gaping chasm in her heart.
Kash had been her Mr. Right — the one.
The one she dreamed about. The one she envisioned spending her future with. The one who made her breath catch when he walked into a room and melted her into a heap of emotion when he did kind things like hand little girls stray balloons.
How could he be so spiteful and lie to her like that? How could he pretend to be such a nice guy when he was exactly like his horrid brother?
Too tired to think about it anymore, Celia returned to her room, put on her pajamas, and climbed into bed.
The chiming of her phone woke her early the next morning. She grabbed it and answered with a groggy, “Hello?”
“Miss McGraw?”
“Yes?” She sat up and tried to get her bearings.
“This is Mike at the automotive shop. I got your pickup running, but your engine is in bad shape. You need to get a new one or maybe even trade in your truck. With that many miles on it, I’m surprised it runs at all.”
“Thanks. Will it make it back to Boise?” she asked, scooting out of bed and flicking on the lights.
“Probably, but I can’t guarantee anything.”
“I understand. Thank you for working on it for me.”
“You’re welcome. I have to run that direction to pick up some parts anyway. I can drop it off for you if you like and bring the bill.”
She breathed a sigh of relief. “That would be wonderful. Thank you so much, Mike. I’ll wait for you in the lobby.”
“Okay. See you in about thirty minutes.”
Celia raced through a shower, hastily dressed in the last of the clean clothes she owned, and repacked her suitcase.
It rolled behind her as she hurried down the hallway and onto the elevator then to the front desk to check out.
“Did you get your pickup fixed, Miss McGraw?” a friendly woman asked as she accepted Celia’s payment.
“I did. Just cross your fingers it gets me home.” Celia smiled at the woman and thanked her. She strode across the lobby as the mechanic drove up and parked outside the hotel’s front door. A truck with his shop’s logo followed behind.
“Hi, Miss McGraw,” the mechanic greeted her. Like I said, you’re to the point of being held together with hope and duct tape, so I’ll say a little prayer this truck gets you home.”
“Me, too.” She watched as he swiped her credit card on his phone. When he handed her a receipt, she signed it and thanked him again. He set her suitcase in the back for her and waved as she climbed in and drove out of the parking lot.
Nervous, Celia looked at the darkening skies to the north and hoped the storm her mother had warned her about didn’t hit Nevada. She had a long, lonely stretch of highway to cover and the last thing she needed was to make the drive on snowy roads.
An hour into the trip, skiffs of snow dusted the side of the highway. Three hours into her trip, snow covered the barren landscape as far as she could see. She breathed a prayer of thanks that the roads remained clear. The snowstorm must have hit in the last few days, but the road crews had done a good job of keeping it off the highway.
After four hours in the truck with no rumbles of trouble, she stopped to fill up with fuel, use a restroom, and eat some lunch.
She purchased snacks and several water bottles then climbed back into the truck.
It started right up and she patted the dashboard. “You’re such a good boy. Now let’s get home.”
The next two hours passed without any problems and she started to relax. She flipped through the console in the truck where she kept her CDs and pulled out one with a red ribbon tied around it. The Trace Adkins Christmas album was one she’d wanted but hadn’t gotten around to purchasing.
She swerved into the other lane of traffic as she read the attached post-it note:
Thought you’d enjoy this.
Happy holidays!
Love, Kash
A honking horn drew her focus back to her driving as she yanked the wheel and returned to the right side of the road. She tossed the CD on the seat and slammed the lid shut on her console.
When Kash had managed to sneak the CD in there remained a mystery. The little act of kindness seemed completely at odds to the despicable things he’d said Saturday night and then texted her yesterday morning.
Frustrated, she concluded she didn’t need to listen to music and kept her eyes on the road.
Twenty minutes later, it started to snow. Big, fluffy flakes drifted down from the sky and covered the road.
“No, no, no,” Celia whispered as she flicked on the windshield wipers. The further she traveled, the heavier the snow fell.
As she drove north, she thought about staying in Jackpot, Nevada. It was the last stop before she crossed into Idaho. The possibility that the roads might be worse the next day made her decide once she reached the small town she’d keep going. Other than a handful of casinos and a small convenience store, there wasn’t much else there.
Desert surrounded her as she continued on her way. The number of people crazy enough to be out driving in the snow dwindled to none. An eerie feeling settled over her as she realized how alone she was in the middle of nowhere.
Thirty miles out of Jackpot, the pickup spluttered, belched a gusty plume of dark smoke, and died.
Celia coaxed it off the side of the road and the back end slid into the ditch. She popped the hood and hopped out, but had no idea what to do even if she could see through the nasty, acrid smoke.
Quickly dropping the hood, she slipped and slid her way back into the pickup. She wouldn’t make the mistake of getting out again. It was freezing and with the pickup dead, she had no way to keep the cab warm.
Although she should have looked into getting a new engine several thousand miles ago, or replacing the pickup, she’d kept driving this one because it reminded her of fun times she’d had with Cort and Tate. The vehicle had been her mode of transportation during her transformation from goofy teen into adulthood.
She pulled out her phone, hoping to reach Cort or her parents. One of them would tell her what to do or at least call a tow truck to come get her. Unfortunately, she had no cell reception.
Angrily tossing it down next to the CD on the passenger seat, the turmoil, loss and disappointment of the past few days flooded over her. She buried her face in her hands and cried.
Upset about the photographer who belittled her work and distraught over the pickup leaving her stranded, it was thoughts of Kash’s cruel words that shredded the last bit of composure she possessed.
Sobs poured out, soaking the delicate handkerchief she pulled from her purse. Finally, she hunted around in the door pocket and unearthed napkins from a drive-through to mop her nose and cheeks.
Celia freely admitted she was an ugly crier. It was probably a good thing no other cars traveled that stretch of highway. If they had and bothered to stop, the sight of her would have frightened them off anyway.
Cold and afraid, she picked up another napkin and blew her nose. She wiped the remainder of her tears away and dropped the napkins into a plastic bag of garbage behind the front seat.
Perhaps it was the buckets of tears she’d just cried or the emotional overload she experienced, but her throat ached and her eyes burned. She wanted to curl up in a ball, go to sleep, and wake up at home. In need of a little comfort, she searched through the snacks she purchased earlier, looking for a bag of peanut M&M’s.
A tap on the glass near her head made her jump. When she saw who stood outside her door in the snow, she crossed her arms over her chest and stared out the passenger window.
She’d rather freeze to death than speak one more syllable
to Kash Kressley.
Chapter Sixteen
Kash couldn’t get out of Las Vegas fast enough. The rodeo had been over for a day and a half when he finally headed out of town.
Sunday, his dad and their crew worked with him to load the stock. Ransom showed up about the time they were done. He pretended to help gather up the equipment that wasn’t already in the trailers.
After the trucks left for home, Kash said goodbye to his dad and offered Ransom a parting nod. A sports coat and pressed jeans replaced his work attire as he attended a few meetings he’d scheduled about contracts for the following season. He invited his father to join him, but the older man shook his head and assured him he trusted his judgment and abilities with the negotiations.
Kash spent one more night in town, wondering if Celia made it home without any problems and wishing she’d talk to him. He considered calling her then thought better of it. His father advised him to give her a little breathing room and time to calm down before he attempted to explain the situation to her.
If he’d known she was listening the other night, he would never have entered into a conversation meant to goad the fools that thought they were superior to her.
In hindsight, he should have just told them who he was and bragged up Celia’s work in the first place. It’s what he was working around to when she sailed past him like a scorned tempest.
Blame for the current situation fell entirely on him, even if it would have been easy to toss the responsibility at Ransom.
While he was at it, he might even throw a little out at Celia. She’d been very touchy when it came to the subject of her rodeo photography and the fact she was not one of the chosen few to photograph the finals. That was one door hard for anyone to open, especially a young woman building her portfolio and reputation.
Besides, she shouldn’t be so quick to assume the worst of him. Just like when she thought he’d been the one to rough her up at the rodeo outside of Portland and offend her at the Snake River Stampede.
Rather than take into account what she knew of him, knew about his personality, and come to a rational conclusion, she jumped to the worst scenario.
Perhaps the latest snafu in their relationship was a good thing. When he’d rarely see her, it seemed stupid to continue trying to date her.
As he recalled her temper, the number of times she’d yelled at him, he tried to convince himself her parting words to leave her alone were for the best.
Up until he’d met her, he’d never had his face slapped, never felt so tied in knots, and never lost so much sleep. Thoughts of her kept him tossing and turning most nights.
Then his traitorous heart stepped in and brought to mind how much he enjoyed her laughter and making her smile. Celia said some of the most hilarious things he’d ever heard.
Honestly, he didn’t even mind her temper. It was just a part of her — feisty, fun and full of life.
Until he’d picked her up and settled her across his saddle back in June, he hadn’t realized how much his life lacked. In that moment, his gray existence burst with vibrant colors, the most predominant shade being red.
Even Kash knew enough to recognize red as the color of love and passion. That is exactly what he felt for Celia.
She was stunning and it certainly wasn’t any hardship to watch her move, hold her close, or kiss those beguiling lips.
Nevertheless, it was her tender heart and warm spirit that drew him in. She was so good with Jacob and Gideon, treated her family with respect, and was loyal and generous to her friends. Ambitious and driven, her talent and creativity boggled his mind.
Celia was like a beautifully wrapped Christmas package. While he admired the wrappings, it was what rested inside that made him giddy with anticipation and overcome with longing.
As he drove north through Nevada, Kash’s thoughts swirled around him almost as much as the snow blowing outside his pickup. He hadn’t even noticed when the snow began, but wished it would stop.
Miles and miles of desert made up the landscape while the sky grew darker and the snow heavier.
He was nearly to Jackpot when he noticed a pickup pulled over on the side of the road. With the back end off in the ditch, the truck must have slid off the road.
The vehicle looked so much like Celia’s that his heart thumped madly in his chest. What if she’d been stuck out here since yesterday?
Most likely, she was cuddled up on the couch in her apartment. He pictured her drinking hot chocolate with little marshmallows floating on top, and calling him names that would cause her former Sunday school teacher to cringe.
Gingerly easing his pickup onto the shoulder behind the vehicle, he flicked on his hazard lights, tugged on his coat and trudged through the snow to the door.
His heart sank into his boots as he peered in the window at Celia, shivering in the truck and wiping tears off her face.
Quietly tapping on the glass, he tried not to startle her. One look at him, and she turned away, lifting that stubborn chin.
No matter how mad she was at him, he wasn’t leaving her to freeze out in the middle of nowhere. From his own experience, there wasn’t any cell service in the area and with the snow storm, the likelihood of another vehicle happening by to help her drizzled down to nil.
Adamant in his refusal to leave her stranded, he didn’t care if she kicked and screamed or even slapped his face.
“Open the door, Celia.” Surprise registered on his face when he yanked on the handle and it opened. Before she could react, he slipped an arm around her back, the other beneath her knees and lifted her out of the pickup.
Angry, she squirmed and bucked against him, almost sending them both down the embankment into the ditch.
“Settle down, Red. I mean it.”
Although she stilled, her frosty glare chilled him more than the winter storm. Kash somehow kept his footing and worked open the passenger door of his truck, setting her inside.
“You will sit there and behave until I come back.” The harsh tone and angry look on his face left no room for argument.
It wouldn’t have stopped her from speaking her mind, but he shut the door before a single word escaped her lips.
Once he slid his way back to her pickup, he made several unsuccessful attempts at starting it. After peering beneath the hood, he began collecting her things. The engine was shot. The only way the pickup would move was with a tow truck. If the weather was good, he might have tried to pull it as far as Jackpot, but not in the snow.
After he set her suitcase in the back of his truck, he returned to her vehicle and cleaned out the back. Carefully stuffing her camera equipment in the backseat of his pickup, he made another trip to gather anything that looked like it might be of value. A plastic tub held winter supplies like snow boots, gloves, tire chains, a shovel, and a bag of rock salt. When he pulled a small duffle bag from beneath the seat, colorful candy-coated peanuts rolled onto the floor, making him smile. Celia certainly liked her M&M’s.
The CD he’d bought went into her purse, along with her phone. He removed the keys from the ignition and locked the pickup.
Back at his rig, he set everything in the backseat. He held out her purse and she took it with a trembling hand. Teeth chattered behind her compressed lips, and her face seemed even more pale than usual.
“Are you, okay?” He touched a hand to her forehead and scowled. She was burning up with fever. Kash reached behind his seat and unearthed a fleece blanket, handing it to her.
Celia accepted it without saying a word. She flicked it open and wrapped it around herself from shoulders to toes. Her eyes closed and she leaned her head back against the seat.
“What happened?” Kash asked as he turned off his flashers and pulled back onto the road.
“The engine made a funny noise and started smoking. It was black and smelled like burnt oil,” Celia said. A raspy tone riddled her voice and it hurt to talk. “Even I know that’s a bad sign.”
“Yep. It’s totally shot. When we g
et to Jackpot, I’ll call a tow truck to haul it back to Twin Falls.” Kash dug behind his seat and found a water bottle, handing it to her. She worked one hand free of her blanket cocoon and took a long drink. When she finished, she set it in one of the cup holders in the console between them.
“I thought you planned to leave Vegas yesterday. What are you doing out here in this storm?” Kash worked to get the pickup back under control when it slid on a patch of snow-covered ice.
Celia closed her eyes and nodded. “I planned to leave yesterday, but the stupid pickup wouldn’t start. Cooper helped me find a mechanic. He finished the repairs this morning.”
Kash shook his head. “I hope he didn’t charge you an arm and a leg since he didn’t fix what was wrong.”
Celia opened one eye and looked at him. “He warned me it might not get me home and said I either needed a new engine or vehicle.”
“I might be wrong, but I don’t think he’s the first one to tell you that.” Kash had pointed out more than once that Celia could have made a down payment on a new car for the money she’d invested in keeping the pickup running the last few months.
Rather than answer or argue with him, she turned her face to the passenger window and tugged the blanket up beneath her chin.
Kash reached over and tucked it in around her shoulder then repositioned the vents so they all blew warm air on her.
“Is that better?” he asked. Concerned she might be coming down with something, he wondered how long she sat in the cold pickup, waiting for someone to stop.
A barely perceptible movement of her head indicated she’d heard him.
He remained silent as they drove into Jackpot. Celia slept, so Kash ran into one of the casinos to use the restroom and called a tow truck. The man at the auto shop told him with the storm it would be awhile. He promised he’d haul the pickup back to Twin Falls just as soon as possible.
Capturing Christmas Page 18
