The Surgeon's Christmas Baby

by Marin Thomas

  Alonso had been just what the doctor ordered.

  Her smile grew wider. She knew what she’d done with him had been out of character, but if she was going to have a one-night stand, she couldn’t have picked a better man. She could justify her actions all she wanted—she was stressed out, lonely, whatever. But the truth was, if she’d met Alonso when her life hadn’t been so crazy, she’d still have been wowed by him.

  Hannah didn’t completely understand the attraction—they had nothing in common. He was city. She was country. He was college educated. She wasn’t. He saved lives. She was just trying to save her brother. He led an exciting life. She didn’t. But none of that had mattered last night.

  All good things had to come to an end, and even though she’d rather spend the day in the loft with Alonso, she had chores to do. She dressed, then hurried from the barn. When she entered the house, the smell of frying bacon greeted her nose. Alonso stood in front of the stove, stirring a mountain of scrambled eggs in her cast-iron skillet. Their gazes clashed, then his brown eyes roamed over her disheveled state and his lips curved in a smile.

  “You have a piece of hay stuck in your hair.”

  She brushed her snarly tresses out of her eyes and searched for something to say.

  “I didn’t want to wake Luke to take a shower in his bathroom,” he said. “So I used yours.”

  “I’ll be right down.” She raced upstairs, took a quick shower, then changed clothes. On her way back to the kitchen she stopped outside Luke’s door and knocked. She waited for his usual “go away,” but this morning she got no response. She opened the door and poked her head inside the room. His bed was still made and his cell phone sat on the dresser. Where had he gone? Better yet, how long had he been gone?

  “Did you see Luke this morning?” she asked when she returned to the kitchen.

  “Isn’t he sleeping?” Alonso divided the eggs between three plates.

  “No. It doesn’t look as if he slept in his bed.” Guilt tore through Hannah. If she hadn’t been wrapped up in Alonso last night—literally—she’d have gone into the house and checked on Luke when they’d returned from Maloney’s.

  “Have you tried his cell phone?”

  “He left it on the dresser.” A ploy Luke used when he didn’t want Hannah knowing where he was. “I bet a friend picked him up last night.” She doubted it had been Connor, which left one other suspect—Ben Nichols.

  “Have you checked your phone for messages?” Alonso asked.

  “Good idea.” She took her cell from her purse and entered the pass code, then breathed a sigh of relief. “Someone left a voice mail.” As she listened to the recording, her legs grew weak and she sank into the chair at the table.

  “Hannah, this is Sheriff Miller. Come into the station when you get this. I have Luke here.”

  Dear God, what kind of trouble had her brother got into this time? She’d warned him to straighten up, but had he listened to her? No. She set the phone down. “That was Sheriff Miller.”

  Alonso’s eyebrows lifted.

  “Luke’s at the jail.”

  Alonso moved behind her chair and massaged her shoulders. The tender act brought a lump to her throat. “Is he okay?”

  “I assume so, or Sheriff Miller would have said something.” If only Alonso’s gentle touch could wash away her fears. Fear that she was failing Luke. She wanted so badly for her brother to succeed—why was he rebelling?

  “Did the sheriff say what happened?”

  “No, but I’ll find out soon.” The eggs on the plate in front of her began to blur.

  Alonso knelt next to her chair and tipped her chin until she looked him in the eye. “If you want, I’ll go with you to see the sheriff.”

  Her gaze shifted to his duffel bag by the door. She was dragging Alonso into her problems again, but she was so tired of handling Luke on her own. “You wouldn’t mind?”

  “Let’s go.” He dumped the eggs back into the skillet, then slid the pan into the fridge.

  Alonso drove and Hannah sat in the passenger seat, trying not to worry—fat chance. All she’d done the past two years was worry. If she hadn’t let her ego get the best of her last night, they’d have stayed home and eaten chili and Luke wouldn’t have been able to sneak out of the house.

  Alonso parked in front of the jail and they went inside. Sandy—part-time secretary and part-time dispatcher—sat at her desk talking on the phone. She pointed to the sheriff’s door, then cupped her hand over the mouthpiece. “He’s expecting you.”

  When Hannah and Alonso entered the office, the sheriff set aside a file he’d been reading and stood. “Hannah.” He eyed Alonso. “I don’t believe I’ve seen you around town before.”

  Alonso shook hands with the lawman. “Alonso Marquez.”

  The sheriff’s gaze swung to Hannah, and when she didn’t offer an explanation for Alonso’s presence, he said, “Have a seat.” He cleared his throat. “Luke’s in hot water.”

  Hannah swallowed hard and prayed her fear that she wouldn’t always be able to save Luke’s butt hadn’t finally come true. “What did he do?”

  “He didn’t commit the crime but he was with the troublemakers who did.”

  “Crime?” The word squeaked past Hannah’s lips.

  “The convenience store was robbed at 2:00 a.m. this morning. Luke sat in the car while the other two boys held the clerk up at gunpoint.”

  Hannah gasped. She’d been prepared for petty theft or even slashing someone’s tires, but not armed robbery. “What are the names of the boys?” And why weren’t their parents here?

  “The gun belonged to Kenny Potter. He and his buddy T. J. Templeton are both from Cañon City. High school dropouts with rap sheets a mile long.”

  She’d never met the boys and Luke had never mentioned their names, but she had a feeling they were responsible for her brother suddenly wanting to quit school. “Was anyone hurt?”

  The sheriff shook his head. “Maybe it’s time to call in social services, Hannah. I know you’re trying your best, but Luke may be too much for you to handle alone.”

  No way would she allow her brother to be put in a group home or sent to live with a stranger.

  “I had planned to phone you tomorrow to discuss another situation that came up with him, but now is as good a time as any.”

  Hannah braced herself for more bad news.

  “Matt Connelly stopped by my office to chat on Friday.”

  Hannah looked at Alonso. “Mr. Connelly is the principal at the high school.”

  “Luke skipped classes again on Friday,” the sheriff said.

  She hadn’t known. Usually the school sent out automated messages when students didn’t show up and their absence hadn’t been reported by a parent or guardian. Hannah had never got the message.

  “That makes eleven days in two months.”

  “Eleven?” She only knew about six.

  “Matt said the school quit contacting you to schedule conferences, because you never returned their calls.”

  “I have a ranch to run, but I’m more than happy to speak with someone on the phone.”

  “That’s neither here nor there.” The sheriff shrugged. “Matt’s hands were tied, Hannah. He had to expel Luke.”

  Hannah felt nauseous. “Expelled for...a week or two?”

  “The remainder of the semester.”

  “But he’ll fall behind the other kids in his grade.”

  “Some students need more time, Hannah. You and your brother have had a lot to deal with the past few years. People are sympathetic, but if Luke doesn’t turn the corner soon, he’ll end up in juvenile detention.” The sheriff walked out from behind his desk. “I’ll get him.”

  Hannah felt a headache coming on and rubbed her brow. The school and the sheriff b
lamed her for Luke’s wild ways—but that wasn’t fair. Luke was sixteen—old enough to know what he was doing. Old enough to know right from wrong. She couldn’t beat him into making better choices. He had to do it on his own.

  Alonso squeezed her hand. “It’ll be okay, Hannah. The main thing is Luke isn’t hurt and no one was injured in the robbery.”

  Hannah clung to his words, wanting with all her heart to believe things would be okay, but she felt as if her world was spinning out of control and she couldn’t do anything to stop it.

  When Luke walked into the sheriff’s office and flashed his I-don’t-give-a-crap scowl at Hannah, she had to bite her lip to keep from laying into him. Then he looked at Alonso’s sober face and uncertainty filled her brother’s eyes. There were a thousand things she wanted to say, but they’d wait until they had more privacy.

  “I told Luke that he’s used up his last chance. If he gets into trouble again, he’ll be processed through the juvenile court system.” The sheriff’s threat appeared to have little effect on her brother, who stared at the wall, looking bored out of his mind.

  “Thank you, Sheriff Miller.” Hannah left the office, Luke trailing her and Alonso bringing up the rear. They piled into the pickup, and no one said a word when Hannah drove across the street and parked in front of the convenience store. “Let’s go, Luke.”

  “Go where?”

  “Inside to apologize to Mr. Washburn.”

  Luke grumbled but left the backseat.

  Hannah handed Alonso her credit card. “Would you please fill the tank?”

  He ignored the card. “I’ll take care of it.”

  She didn’t have any fight left in her to argue, so she let him pay for the gas.

  “This is stupid,” Luke said.

  “No. Hanging out with losers and trying to rob a store is stupid!” They entered the business and walked up to the counter. When the manager spotted them, he stiffened. “Mr. Washburn, my brother, Luke, has something he’d like to say to you.”

  Luke dropped his gaze and shuffled his feet. Hannah set a hand against his back and pushed him closer to the counter. “I’m sorry about last night,” he said.

  “You’re better than those boys you were with, Luke.”

  Her brother nodded, his face turning red. “I didn’t know one of them had a gun.”

  “Guns kill people,” Mr. Washburn said.

  “I know.”

  “I promise you that Luke won’t be hanging around those boys anymore.” Hannah didn’t know how she’d keep that promise but she’d find a way.

  “That’s good to know.” The phone rang. “I need to answer that. Good luck.”

  Hannah would need all the luck she could get. They left the store, and instead of driving to the ranch, Hannah headed out to the Hendersons’ to pick up the Civic. The family wasn’t home but the keys had been left in the ignition. When Luke reached for the door handle, she said, “Alonso will drive the car home.”

  Luke didn’t protest while she waited for Alonso to get behind the wheel of the Honda—a gift to Hannah from her father on her sixteenth birthday. She and Luke didn’t speak until she parked in front of the house forty minutes later.

  “I’ll be in my room doing homework.” Luke scrambled out of the backseat.

  “Don’t bother,” she said.

  His mouth slackened and his jaw dropped open. “You’re always telling me to study.”

  “You were kicked out of school.”

  “What?”

  “Principal Connelly informed the sheriff on Friday that he had to expel you because you’ve skipped too many days.”

  “Six is—”

  “Try eleven.”

  Luke scowled.

  “The principal will consider allowing you back into school after the Christmas break. Until then you’re a full-time ranch hand.”

  Luke spat a four-letter word, then rushed into the house, slamming the door behind him.

  Alonso parked the car next to the pickup. “The change-oil indicator light is on,” he said.

  Knowing Luke, the light had been on for weeks. “I’ll take care of it.” Add an oil change to the list of a millions things to do. She opened the driver’s-side door of the pickup.

  “Where are you off to?” he asked.

  Had he forgotten that he’d planned to leave today? “Don’t you want a lift back to the highway?”

  Alonso’s gaze shifted between the dirt road and Hannah. He should leave—put Hannah, Luke and their problems behind him. So why did he feel such a strong urge to stay?

  He wasn’t surprised by his desire to help them, but he was surprised by his reluctance to leave Hannah. He’d just got a taste of her goodness, and the last thing he cared to do was hike down the road alone.

  “I might have a way to help Luke,” he said.

  Hannah stood on the running board and stared across the roof of the pickup. “How’s that?”

  “I have connections with the people who run a ranch for troubled teens.”

  That sounded an awful lot like a group home for boys. “Where is it?”

  “Not too far from here. It’s called the Juan Alvarez Ranch for Boys. I gave you their card. The guy who runs the place was a former bronc rider. He and Maria helped me and a couple of friends when we were expelled from school.”

  Hannah’s eyes widened. “You were expelled from school?”

  “I had an interesting childhood.” He grinned. “I can make a call to see if there’s room for Luke.”

  As tempting as that sounded, Hannah couldn’t let her brother go off to some boys’ ranch without first checking it out. “Tell me again the name of the couple who run the place.”

  “Riley and Maria Fitzgerald.” Alonso hadn’t planned on spilling his whole life story to Hannah but she needed someone to help her with Luke. “When I was seventeen, Fitzgerald helped me and two of my friends by convincing a juvie judge to let us do community service at a ranch. While we were there, my high school teacher homeschooled us, and we earned our GEDs.”

  “There’s a school on this ranch?”

  “Yep. If Luke went, he wouldn’t fall behind in his classes.”

  “It sounds perfect except for one thing. I doubt I can afford the cost.”

  “It’s free. They’re funded through private donations.” Money from the Fitzgerald Kentucky Thoroughbred farm.

  Hannah stared at the house and Alonso could almost read her mind. She was thinking she didn’t stand at chance at preventing Luke from running off again and getting into trouble.

  “I need to see this place first,” she said.

  “I’ll ask if we can drive out there tomorrow.”

  She shut the truck door, then came around the hood and stopped in front of him. “If things work out and they accept Luke, I won’t have anyone to help me here.”

  He’d been hoping she’d ask him to stay. The only thing waiting for him at the end of the dirt road was miles of empty highway. “I’ll hang around for a while.” Her smile reassured him that he’d made the right decision.

  “I’ll go warm up breakfast,” she said, “while you make that call.”

  Once Hannah disappeared inside the house, Alonso dialed Fitzgerald’s number.

  “Change your mind about coming for a visit?” Riley said.

  “There’s a kid who could use your help.”

  “Who?”

  “His name is Luke Buck. Both his parents are deceased. His sister is his legal guardian, but she’s having a heck of a time keeping him in line. He was just expelled from school for the rest of the semester.”

  “You know we never turn away a kid in need. I’ll have Maria get a bed ready in the bunkhouse.”

  “Thanks, Riley.”

  “Plan on staying for
a while when you come. Cruz will want a chance to catch up with you.”

  “Sure.”

  “When can we expect you?”

  “Tomorrow.”

  “See you then.”

  Alonso shoved the phone into the pocket of his cargo pants and climbed the porch steps. Hannah met him in the doorway. “What did Mr. Fitzgerald say?”

  “They’re expecting Luke tomorrow.”

  “Thank you.” Her voice cracked and he pulled her into his arms. If he wasn’t careful he could get used to holding Hannah.

  “It’ll be okay. I promise that once you see this place you’ll know Luke will be in good hands. When he comes home, he’ll be a different kid.”

  “I hope so.” She rested her forehead against his chest.

  They stood for a long time, holding each other—Alonso needing her hug as much as she needed his.

  Chapter Five

  “I don’t know why I have to go to this stupid ranch.” Luke glared out the passenger window.

  Hannah had talked at length with Luke the night before and he hadn’t protested when she’d informed him that they were visiting the boys’ ranch today. “I promised you that if you don’t feel comfortable you don’t have to stay.” She expected an argument, but Luke turned his sullen face back to the window.

  Maybe he was as exhausted as she was. They’d put in a full day’s work after rising at the crack of dawn. They fed Buster and the bison, finished cutting the hay. And after storing the bales inside the barn they made temporary repairs to the broken fence—at least the bison wouldn’t wander onto the Los Pinos Ranch while they were gone. By two in the afternoon, they’d showered and hit the road. They’d been driving a couple of hours when Alonso left the highway and turned onto a rural road.

  “Here we are.” Alonso pulled up to a massive gate with the words Juan Alvarez Ranch for Boys across the front. He rolled his window down and pressed the green talk button on the security box.

  Maria Fitzgerald’s voice came over the intercom. “Alvarez Ranch.”

  “Hey, teach, it’s Alonso Marquez.”