A CALLAHAN CHRISTMAS MIRACLE

by Tina Leonard

  Shots erupted outside, and Rose gasped again. Pain sliced across her abdomen, doubling her over.

  * * *

  GALEN COULD SEE there was trouble the moment Rose’s face had filled with fear. Mack had been gone too long. Galen had known in his heart of hearts that he should have moved Rose and Mack farther away, maybe all the way out to the compound in Hell’s Colony. He’d been selfish, wanting her close by so he could visit her. But he’d left her in the path of danger.

  It was damn cold outside. Galen headed to the barn, hoping that maybe Mack had gotten distracted with some work with the horses.

  That’s not what had happened. Mack would never leave his baby girl alone for very long, especially not this late in her pregnancy, when she could go into labor at any time. With triplets, who knew?

  Galen had left her here because he’d known Mack was strong, could take care of himself and his little girl. But when he saw Mack facedown on the floor in the barn, he realized he should have sent more than one reinforcement.

  The doctor in him went into instant medical mode. He charged toward his father-in-law without another thought.

  All hell broke loose. He heard a bullet scream by his head, so he jumped toward Mack, dragging him into a stall. Checked his pulse—it was strong, steady—and noted that the older man was out cold and his extremities were chilled. He’d been lying there awhile.

  Galen grabbed his mobile, hit one button that would send out the call he needed.

  “Hello?” Ash said.

  “Mack’s down. We’re under attack.”

  “Hang on.”

  Galen checked Mack’s breathing, which was clear and regular. The man was still unconscious, and there was nothing he could do but wait. Bullets flew outside—there was more than one shooter, so the bodyguard he’d put on the place was doing their job—but there was no telling how long he and Mack would be safe. Galen held the sheriff against him, wishing he had a gun, or even one of Jace’s “party favor” explosives.

  But he didn’t. He wasn’t like his brothers, who were better trained in military technique and survival. He was the thinker in the family—his focus was on curing the sick. “Damn it,” he muttered, and Mack opened his eyes.

  “Galen... What the hell?” Rose’s dad struggled to get to his feet, but Galen pulled him back, trying to keep the sheriff warm.

  “Stay still. We’re under fire.”

  Mack stiffened, pulled away. “I’ve had my eye on that son of a gun for weeks. Did he get me?”

  “I guess so. Stay still. He knows we’re in here, but the guard I put on this place is doing her job.”

  “Guard?” Mack looked at him.

  “Bodyguard. Figured you could use one or two around here.”

  Mack grunted. “Could have told me.”

  “Could have, but I needed you to stay sharp, not rely on a new hire. Frankly, I wasn’t all that certain about this bodyguard. It was the best I could do on short notice. As time went on, I realized she was doing a good job.”

  “She?” Mack’s brows beetled. “You can explain that later. Where’s Rose?”

  “In the house, keeping her head down, I hope.” His gut clenched at the very thought of her getting near a window. She’d make a sweet target for Wolf’s thugs. “Give me your hunting knife, Mack. Your holster’s empty, so they obviously took your gun.”

  “I’m not giving you anything if you’re going to go off in a hotheaded hero attempt.” Mack frowned. “I’ve got a helluva headache, by the way.”

  “No doubt a minor concussion. There’s a bit of blood. I’m thinking you got beaned pretty good. Hand over the knife you keep in your boot.”

  Mack passed it to him. “I’m calling my daughter.”

  “Good idea. Tell her to lock herself in a bedroom and stay the hell away from windows.” Galen crawled toward the stall door, heard another shot pop off and decided not to risk it at the moment. “They’ve got decent-size magazines. I’d say eighteen rounds. I’ve counted that many shots, at least. We might be here awhile, but I’ve got backup on the way.”

  “I warned my daughter about marrying a Callahan,” Mack said. “Rose, baby. Pick up.”

  He looked at Galen. “She doesn’t answer.”

  Galen’s blood went thick and cold in that instant. Every fear he’d guarded against, tried to protect himself against, slammed into him, suffocating him and searing him with tight ties to the past. He’d felt these emotions before, when his siblings had been young, when their parents had gone away. Suddenly, he’d been responsible for raising people he hadn’t thought much about in his quest for a medical degree. Life in the tribe taught you independence, yet it also taught deep faith and community.

  Just like that, he’d become head of a household, a family that was in danger. He’d had to think fast, make decisions on behalf of his siblings, acting in a way that benefited the whole. And all the while, be very afraid that they’d never see their parents again. Running Bear had guided him, but at the end of the day it was Galen’s duty to lie awake at night, washed in new fears that perhaps he wasn’t the right one to lead them all. “I’m going to find Rose. Will you be all right here? I expect backup any second.”

  Mack nodded. “Normally I’d tell you not to be a hero, or a dumb son of a gun, as the case may be, but I’m scared to death for my daughter. If you go left out of the barn, you’ll be only a few hundred yards from the house. Run like hell, not in a straight line, and hit the back door. I left it unlocked because I was only stepping out to check on the cattle. Didn’t expect to be gone more than five minutes.”

  “Got it.” Galen stuck the six-inch blade in his belt and crouched at the stall door.

  “I’m going to count to fifteen from the moment you leave this stall. Then I’m running out the opposite way, to draw the fire. Make sure you don’t get picked off in the last five feet to the house, because that’s where you’ll be a sitting duck.”

  Galen tensed. “I don’t need help. You stay right here. Rose’ll kill me if anything happens to you.”

  “Nope. Not gonna do it. And since you won’t be here, you have no say in it, son.” Mack nodded. “That’s the hand you’re playing with at the moment, so get a move on and find my daughter. My ticker’s acting up at the thought that she might have been taken like your other Callahan women.”

  “Damn it.” The same thought had occurred to Galen but he’d pushed it away. She’d never survive what Fiona had been through, or Taylor, or— “Count fast. I’m a good runner.”

  “Not in fresh, deep snow and boots, you’re not.”

  “Try me.” He might have been a nerd in school and in the family, but he was fast. “See you on the other side.”

  Galen slipped from the stall when the shooting went silent. Most likely this was his best chance; they were probably reloading. Maybe his dash from the barn wouldn’t be noted fast enough.

  Maybe it didn’t matter.

  He had to get to Rose.

  Chapter Nine

  Galen sprinted like he never had before and dived through the back door, just as Mack had advised. Not a shot had been fired. In fact, it was deadly silent. He caught his breath and realized why it was so quiet.

  His family had arrived. Ash would have notified any Callahan cousins who were currently staying at Dark Diablo, the Callahan ranch in Tempest. Ash was probably on her way herself, or Jace. Someone had gotten to the shooter, or maybe the bodyguard Galen had hired had taken him out.

  He’d let the family handle it. Staying away from windows, leaving the lights off, he strode quietly into the den.

  His heart fell into his stomach when he saw Rose on the couch, clearly in pain. “Babe! What’s going on?”

  “Galen!” She gasped. “I heard the gunfire! Where’s my father?”

  “He’s fine. What
’s going on with you?”

  He knew what was going on by looking at the placement of her hand on her stomach and the sweat on her face.

  His wife was in labor.

  “Why are you wearing boots?”

  “So you can take me to the hospital,” she said, closing her eyes. “I don’t think the babies enjoyed all the excitement.”

  He stroked her brow. Could he get his wife out of here without drawing fire? It was silent as a tomb outside; he’d just have to assume the shooter was dead.

  Galen could call an ambulance. But Rose needed to get to Santa Fe, where her doctor who specialized in multiple births was located.

  She groaned, and the sound was full of held-back pain. Rose wasn’t going to make it to Santa Fe.

  “Let me help you up.” Outside, he saw flashing lights, which meant that squad cars had arrived. Tempest’s finest were on the scene to protect their sheriff and his family.

  “I’m not going anywhere without Dad. I can’t leave him out there, Galen.”

  “I promise you he’s safe. The cops are here, my family’s here. The shooter’s probably dead by now. I’ve got to get you to the hospital before we have babies right here in the den.”

  “You’re a doctor. You could handle it.”

  He felt a shiver cross his skin. “Not delivering three babies, beautiful. Obstetrics is not my forte. Let me help you up.”

  He carried her, with one ear tuned to the sounds outside. A police cruiser was parked beside his truck, so Galen felt he had a good chance to get her away safely. “It’s all over, baby girl. Hang on. By tomorrow, we’ll be parents.”

  “My father,” she said in a weak voice.

  “Everything’s going to be fine. Try not to worry. Think about those three little babies. Remember when you said you didn’t want to know what we were going to have? I have a feeling we’re about to find out just in time to put their names on their Christmas stockings.” Galen put the seat belt around her and closed the door, telling himself that this wasn’t going to be their life together.

  History wasn’t going to repeat itself. He wasn’t going to live on the run the way his parents had—he’d fight for the sake of his three unborn children.

  * * *

  TEN HOURS AND an emergency C-section later, Galen stood in the presence of three tiny baby boys, so small he figured he’d seen bigger baked potatoes. That was an exaggeration, but their small size alarmed him. They didn’t look like children who might grow into bull riders or military personnel.

  They looked small and fragile, and his heart broke.

  Ash came to stand beside him to peer through the nursery window of the neonatal ICU. “Hard for me to believe you’re actually a dad, big brother.”

  “Me, too. Hard to believe those are my sons.”

  “They look healthy,” she said cheerfully. “They’ll grow, although it may not seem like it today.”

  “Thanks.” Galen didn’t feel any better. It was his fault his sons were born early, and now lay with tubes sticking out of them and monitors attached to every conceivable body part that could be monitored.

  He wanted to make them strong and big—and he couldn’t. “That littlest one, the one no bigger than my thumb...” he said, exaggerating because he was ill with fear. “The doctor says we’ll know in twenty-four hours if he can pull through.”

  “Oh, Galen.” Ash rubbed his back. “Everything’s going to be fine. He’s a Callahan. He’ll grow up to kick butt.”

  Galen’s chest tightened with fear. Maybe, maybe not. He wasn’t certain he picked up a lot of life force in that tiny little body. It seemed a bad sign that everything was being fed into his sons with tubes.

  A series of bad decisions he’d made had led to his three sons being born too soon, and maybe too weak, to survive. It was his fault, and he knew it in his soul.

  “How’s Rose?” Ash asked, laying her head against his shoulder.

  “Brave as always. Braver than me.” He grimaced. “Where’s the sheriff?”

  “Mack? He’s resting at home. Feels fine, except for the bump on his head and his pride being a bit dented.” Ash smiled. “Rose gets all that toughness from her father.”

  He’d relied on that toughness to keep his family safe. “I blew it, Ash.”

  She rubbed his arm and kept her head against his shoulder, supporting him. “You couldn’t have changed what happened if you’d been there, Galen.”

  “I should have warned Mack.” Actually, he should have been there with his wife and kids, every minute. He’d known that. “I wanted to be at Rancho Diablo in case something big happened. Thought I could be both places at once.” He sighed. “And maybe in my heart I didn’t think the worst threat would follow Rose to Tempest.”

  He left his sister and his babies with a sad glance and went into his wife’s hospital room. Rose looked at him with a tired, happy face.

  “Are they beautiful?” she asked.

  He kissed her forehead. “So beautiful they break my heart a little.”

  “You’re sweet.” She smiled at him fondly. “Dad just called. He says he’ll be here in a while.”

  Guilt swamped Galen. “I don’t suppose we could convince him to rest.”

  “You can try, but you’ll get an earful.” Rose pointed to the gallery of bouquets and balloons that filled her room. “See those flowers? Those are from your cousins.”

  He didn’t, couldn’t care. “There’s something I have to tell you.”

  “Sit here on the bed with me.” She patted the space beside her. “Get it off your chest.”

  “I don’t think I hired the best help.”

  “You mean the scout?” Rose shrugged. “Good enough to run the shooter off, or get him. Anyway, Dad knew someone was watching us. He had an eye on him all along.”

  “The scout was Somer.” Galen knew they’d been outplayed.

  Rose blinked. “You think it was Somer who attacked my father? We were attacked by someone hired to guard us?”

  “Looks that way.”

  “No. Somer is Sawyer’s cousin. She wouldn’t do that.” Rose shook her head. “I don’t believe it. The sheriff is wrong.”

  Galen didn’t think so. “I knew there was something off about her the first time I met her. Her aura was dark. I felt darkness when we talked. I should have heeded my instincts.”

  Rose put a hand over his. “It doesn’t matter. If you’re right, and Somer was sent by Wolf to scare us—or worse—then Sheriff Cartwright in Diablo will see she’s put in jail. I don’t believe it, myself.”

  It had been a kick to the gut when he’d found out his family had captured Somer.

  “Anyway, what was the point?” Rose asked. “It wasn’t like I could have gone anywhere. I wasn’t really a target, was I?”

  “I don’t know.” Galen had wondered the same thing. “It would have been obvious to anyone that you couldn’t travel. Perhaps they were just trying to rattle our cage, let us know they have spies everywhere.”

  “My poor father.” Rose shook her head. Then her expression turned serious.

  “I didn’t realize you’d hired someone to protect us. Dad didn’t know, either.” She looked at him, her gaze suddenly perplexed. “Who was covering us, Galen?”

  He sighed, wishing he didn’t have to say. Felt a little foolish, considering what had happened. No, he felt really dumb, as if he hadn’t paid attention to the warnings he’d felt inside him all along.

  He looked at his wife, wishing he’d been wiser. It was too late for regrets now. “Sawyer Cash,” Galen said.

  * * *

  A WEEK LATER, Rose was allowed to go home. She took one baby with her—little Ross Galen, who was stronger than his brothers. The other two were still tiny, but flourishing, though Riley Galen wasn’t quite as hardy
as his brother, Mack Galen. She’d given all three boys middle names after their father, because as far as she was concerned, Galen was the finest man she’d ever known, besides her own dad. If all three of her sons could grow up anything like him, she’d consider herself a mother who’d done her job.

  But no matter how much she loved Galen, Rose had to admit that something had changed between them, and it wasn’t just the babies’ arrival. Galen stayed with her at night, helped her with Ross, but he was distant. Almost as if he had a lot on his mind and didn’t want to share it.

  Then again, it could be her imagination. Rose knew she was probably hormonal and tired. She put it out of her mind and concentrated on little Ross.

  Galen brought her in some soup. “Hey, beautiful.”

  Rose smiled. “Hello, handsome.”

  “Your father’s gone out for a bit. Think he and Sheriff Cartwright are in cahoots over something.” Galen sat down next to her. “Your father doesn’t share a whole lot of details.”

  “He’s trying to get Somer off,” Rose said, feeling cranky about the whole thing. “He doesn’t want charges pressed.”

  Galen raised a brow. “Why? She gave him a minor concussion.”

  “Dad said it was barely a tap, and that you Callahans were bound to drive anyone nuts. That Somer was just doing her job, and besides which, he thinks he was attacked by a man. He thinks she’s being framed.”

  Galen sank back into the chair across from her bed, glanced over at Ross in his white bassinet. They had three ready, one for each baby when they were finally allowed home. Rose was hoping for Christmas, but she was pretty certain that would take a miracle.

  “Framed?” Galen repeated. He looked stunned.

  “I don’t really want to talk about it,” Rose said. “I like Somer. At least I did—or still do—until we know exactly what happened that night. So I’m not getting involved. I’m going to sit here and do nothing but enjoy being a new mother.”

  She couldn’t look at Galen. It was true what her father had said in the beginning, that with Callahans there came a lot of drama and agony. He’d warned her. Galen was worth it, of course—she loved him—but she had three sons to think of now. They might be a part of the Callahan legacy, but that didn’t mean she was going to allow them to be part of the sacrifice that went along with being part of that legendary family.