Hitched by Christmas

by Jule McBride

  Evander slapped a hand against his thigh, as if to say they’d concluded their business. “Will you look for my boy by Laura, then?”

  “Sure.”

  “Come around after the holidays, and I’ll turn over the files the last investigator left with me,” said Evander.

  Somehow, Luke found his voice. “Will do.” Glancing away, his eyes landed on Claire, who was standing by the door. She’d apparently come back to the stables. She’d overheard every word, too, judging from the fact that she looked as stunned as Luke.

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  LUKE WAS MOVING with impossibly long strides, taking the path of least resistance toward the Cherokee, ignoring a walkway and plowing straight through the snow. His shearling jacket was open, the sides flapping in the biting breeze.

  “Wait a minute.” Shivering as she jogged alongside him, Claire fumbled with the zipper to her parka, her freezing fingers yanking it up. “Luke, I heard everything.”

  “Claire, for once...I’d really like to be alone.”

  Feeling frustrated, she squinted against the sun that had broken through the clouds and was reflecting off the snow. For years, she’d suspected Evander had a secret past, and yet she could barely believe he was Luke’s father. All the facts fit, though. Luke had been found with a blanket from the Lazy Four, he was obviously half-white, and now she could see that he had Evander’s eyes. How could she not have seen the resemblance before? “I thought you wanted to see me,” she ventured, the brisk wind making her shudder.

  “Changed my mind.” As they reached the Cherokee, he swept the hat from his head, slapped it against his thigh and turned into the winter breeze to face her, fine strands of his jet hair whipping across his chiseled face.

  “Don’t shut me out,” she began simply. Last night proved they could be everything a man and women were meant to be, and now, one look at Luke made her long to feel his strong arms around her again. If he’d only talk to her, maybe she could take that as proof that he was willing to completely open his heart to her. Once more, she thought of last night, and despite the chill air, memories of loving him warmed her. “Talk to me,” she urged. “We’ve known each other so long. And you need a friend.”

  His look was guarded, his eyes dark. She watched as he wriggled the Stetson onto his head again, the brim shadowing his face. Compressing his lips, he eyed her a long moment. “Let me handle this my way.”

  “Handle this?” Was he considering not telling Evander?

  “C’mon. Let’s not stand out here arguing.”

  He meant he didn’t want to talk at all, but she chose to deliberately misunderstand. “Okay,” she said. Turning on her heel, Claire circled the Jeep and hopped in the passenger side.

  Luke got in and slammed the door. He turned the key in the ignition, and when the motor roared to life, he flicked off the windshield wipers and muted the radio. Then he turned toward her. “Claire,” he continued with unusual calm as he reached and trained the heater vents on her knees. “It won’t do a bit of good to announce my suspicions. At the first bend of a willow, no rational man assumes a storm’s coming.”

  For a second, she couldn’t even respond. Her eyes were riveted on the key chain dangling from the ignition; it was the laminated photo from the mall where she was sitting on Santa’s lap. Only now did she recall Luke’s taking the key chain from the elf’s table and pocketing it. He must have put his keys on it this morning. “Evander’s your father, Luke,” she forced herself to continue. “He’s got to be.”

  He stared through the windshield a long moment, his expression grim as he pulled down the sun visor. “Seems like it,” he conceded. “The blanket I have came from here. And I recognize the picture of...” My mama. Luke couldn’t quite get out the words. “Of her.”

  Claire could still barely process it. “Luke, you recognize the picture? Then it’s true. You have to tell him.”

  As Luke’s eyes roved over her face, fire suddenly came into them, communicating equal parts lust and anger. “Claire,” he nearly growled, “I’m going to make sure of the truth before I turn everybody’s lives topsy-turvy.”

  “Evander asked you to look,” she protested. “He wants to know.”

  His gaze softened, lingering a long moment on her mouth. “I’m not talking to him before I’m sure.”

  “But you know it’s true.” Her voice rose. “Besides, only getting blood tests from Evander will prove it, Luke.”

  Luke’s eyes scanned the windshield again, taking in the snow-blanketed field near the stables. “Evander and his wife have been working this ranch for years, Claire. What if he feels he has to...”

  “Recognize you as his son?” Claire gasped. “That’s the whole point.” Oh, she thought, with mounting frustration, she was beginning to know Luke so well. “You’d risk not knowing your family better because you fear they might not want you making demands on them? Or because they might not want you to become part of life at the Lazy Four?”

  His eyes had slowly dropped down, almost caressing her as they took in the length of her body, but when they returned to her face, they held molten anger. “It’s easy for you, Claire,” he returned, obviously fighting to keep his voice even. “You’ve had your needs met. You’ve been pampered. Cared for.”

  Maybe he was right, but the words stung. “Maybe it’s true. Maybe it’s easier for me. I admit, I don’t know what it’s like to be left on a doorstep in the middle of winter. But you know something else? This means your mama loved you, Luke. She left you because she was dying—” Claire suddenly drew a sharp breath. She hadn’t yet pieced together the rest. “The family in the red car,” she said now. “That was Evander and Jenny, wasn’t it? The two babies must have been the oldest boys, Bob and Clive.” Her voice hitched with excitement. “Evander said he has an old red Cadillac. He hasn’t driven it for years, so I’d forgotten.”

  Luke looked noncommital. Fishing a toothpick from his pocket, he began chewing it with calculated slowness. “Maybe.”

  She tried not to react, but his attitude was starting to infuriate her. If Luke would only deal with his past, maybe they could have a future. Her voice low, she continued, “Why are you always so unwilling to confront the truth?”

  His lips closed tightly around the toothpick for a moment. Leaning back in the seat, he rested a hand on the steering wheel, as if he was ready to go. “Like I said, Claire, I don’t feel right, stepping in and changing everybody’s landscape just because I’ve got a hunch.”

  It was the wrong time to remember how sweetly he’d touched her body last night, and how lovingly he’d kissed her naked skin. Her pulse suddenly leaped, and she shifted uncomfortably on the seat. “You’ve got more than a hunch, Luke,” she managed to say.

  “Well, I don’t want to mess up other people’s lives.”

  Her lips parted. “As if I do?”

  Lifting off his Stetson, Luke thrust an angry hand through his hair. Shoving the toothpick to the side of his cheek with his tongue, he spoke, his voice suddenly sounding strangely hoarse. “You made a commitment to a man who’s disappeared, Claire.”

  Hearing the suppressed emotion beyond the words, her heart skipped a beat. “Clive’s all but broken off our engagement,” she defended. “And I’ve got a gut feeling Clive’s fine.”

  Luke’s eyelids had lowered, and now he was watching her carefully from beneath them. “That’s convenient. Soothes your nerves, I bet. I’m not as convinced.”

  Claire sucked in a deep breath. Luke’s body suddenly seemed too close, too unforgettably masculine and powerful. The proximity was enough to warm her, and so was her rising temper. “Don’t attack me because you want to push me away,” she warned softly. “You’re the one who’s never wanted to make commitments.”

  He eyed her. “So, you’re definitely not marrying Clive?”

  “No.�
�� She stared steadily back at him. “I’m going to tell him...I have feelings for you, Luke.”

  He sighed. “When you were fighting, Clive might have been blowing off steam. If he comes home, that news might rock his world, Claire. Your mama and Tex have no idea you’re thinking about calling off the wedding. The church is set to go. The musicians are—”

  “Given our conversation this morning, my wedding’s none of your business,” she said, damning the way her heart was beating out of control.

  Luke’s eyes turned hot on hers. “After last night, it’s all my business, Claire.”

  “I’m beginning to think you really feel I should marry Clive.”

  “Of course I don’t want that, Claire.”

  Luke surveyed her with shaded eyes. The Jeep suddenly seemed too small, the heat coming through the vents far too warm. Taking a deep breath, Claire couldn’t help but recall the smooth glide of their naked bodies, the raw sexual needs and emotions they’d shared. Last night, she’d said she loved him. And now, returning his unwavering gaze, she knew that would never change. “Evander wants to know what happened to you,” she said, forcing herself to continue with their earlier conversation, knowing that this was the wrong time to address their relationship. In part, she feared Luke was just trying to deflect the serious talk about Evander. “If you’re his son,” she continued, “and I know you are, he wants a relationship. That’s what you’ve always wanted, isn’t it?”

  He sighed, his eyes still boring into hers. “Things are...difficult now. Don’t you understand what this means for us?”

  She’d lost his train of thought. “For us?”

  “All my life, I’ve wanted folks.” Luke’s eyes turned strangely hard. “And now there’s a good chance Evander Stoddard’s my pa. There’s a chance...that Laura Blackfeet didn’t leave me because she didn’t want me.”

  “Your mama had no choice, Luke,” Claire quickly assured him. “She knew she was dying. She must have come back to Lightning Creek to bring you to Evander. She probably didn’t know what to do when she realized he’d started a family with another woman.” Claire sighed. “If only she’d told Evander then.”

  “He might not even be my pa,” Luke reminded her.

  It was as if he didn’t dare to hope. “He is. All the facts fit too neatly. And Luke—” She wondered if she should address the real issue “—you can let them love you. You can love them back.” Her voice suddenly trembled. “Luke, you can love me, too.”

  “But don’t you see?” His eyes fixed on hers, steady and intense. “I wanted a family all my life. What kid in my shoes doesn’t? It’s why we’ve both been trying to help Brady. Anyway, I always swore if I had them, I’d do right by them. I used to watch folks yelling at their kids, or kids disrespecting their elders, and I’d think they didn’t know how good they had it. I couldn’t imagine why somebody might leave a baby on a doorstep.” The focus of eyes sharpened. “Don’t you see, Claire?”

  She didn’t understand. “What?”

  “Claire,” he said slowly. “The man you’re supposed to marry tomorrow is my brother.”

  He was right. She hadn’t thought of it that way. Realizing how much strain Luke was under, guilt flooded her. She’d thought that if he understood Laura Blackfeet loved him, then surely he’d open his heart now and begin to share more of himself with her. But Clive was his half brother...a relation Luke wanted and had never known he had. By loving Claire, Luke would be going against his own blood.

  Luke looked shaken. Leaning across the seat, he lifted a hand and traced a thumb along her jaw. “See, Claire?”

  She wished she didn’t, but she nodded. Nothing would ever be possible with Luke until her past was put to rest with Clive, and until Luke came to an understanding with his family.

  The car phone suddenly rang, startling them both. Pressing a hand to her chest, Claire said, “The phone.”

  Luke blew out a soft, irritated sigh as if to say he was sorry, since there was a world of things for them to discuss. Leaning over, he pressed the receiver button. “Luke here.”

  It was Wesley. “Luke, I’ve been trying to reach you for the last hour.”

  “What’s up?”

  “Lots. But I hear rustling. It that the same woman who was in your bed this morning?”

  The car filled with warm tension at the reminder of last night. Claire glanced through the window as it all flooded back—the dampness and relentless heat, the words of love and broken cries. Now it was hard to say where their relationship was heading. She could swear she heard a soft catch in Luke’s voice when he said, “Yeah.”

  “Howdy-do,” said Wesley.

  “Hi,” said Claire.

  “Soon as I got back from Christmas shopping,” Wesley continued, “I called a couple of the places we were talking about. Gomer’s Hole and the Flying Swords.”

  Luke glanced at Claire, the quick pass of his eyes like a soft caress of silk. “What about the Triple T?”

  “Just talked to them on the phone. Thing is, Clive was right. But like to say, it’s Christmas, and we didn’t have much manpower. The poor folks out at Gomer’s Hole are packing their bags. Seemed too scared to talk, but let’s just say I’ve got a special way about me, and after a while, they opened up a bit.”

  “And?” Luke prompted.

  “And it sounds like a couple of guys scared the heck out of Gomer Silvers, and Web Saunders, who owns the Flying Swords. Both of ‘em feel pressured to sell their land. Turns out, the perps meet the description of your friends Ham and Jack.”

  Luke said, “And the Triple T’s having trouble?”

  “Yep. Said they had a suspicious brush fire that ruined last year’s hay. According to the Cheyenne Mining Company, the red truck’s theirs, too, but it’s a one-man show, and the owner, B. G. Boggs, says he doesn’t know which employee took the truck.” Wesley paused. “Of course he’s only got two employees.”

  “And they are?” asked Claire.

  “Nicknamed Ham and Jack,” returned Wesley.

  “Sounds like Cheyenne Mining’s too small an operation to mess with the Lazy Four, though,” Luke commented.

  “True.” Wesley replied. “But I figure B. G. Boggs is looking to mine something in the area. Bentonite. Silver. Who knows?”

  “And Clive got a line on it,” Luke continued with fraternal appreciation.

  “And now we’ve got a line on Clive,” assured Wesley.

  Surprise touched Luke’s voice. “You do?”

  Claire’s fingers tightened on her knee, and her heart felt as if it was in her throat. Only then did she realize how truly worried she’d been. “Is he all right?”

  “Can’t say as I know.” Wesley sighed. “He’s definitely been to all the ranches, asking questions. Gilbert Tucker at the Triple T says he saw Clive with Ham and Jack. They all piled in the red truck and drove away together this morning. Gilbert overheard them saying something about going to Casper. And Clive looked none too happy. Now Gilbert’s thinking maybe Clive was forced into the truck.”

  “Was there another vehicle out at Gilbert’s place?” Luke asked with concern. “Clive drives a—”

  “Ford Explorer,” interjected Claire. “It’s black.”

  “And it’s parked on Gilbert’s property. The way I figure it, Clive was spying on Ham and Jack when they caught him. Since he’d hidden the Explorer, Gilbert didn’t find it until a few hours ago. He didn’t bother to call it in, either. He figured somebody was fishing illegally on the Triple T’s lake.”

  Luke frowned. “Gilbert didn’t want to stop trespassers?”

  Wesley sighed again. “Nope. Said it was Christmas, so he was hardly going to shoot some poor fellow’s backside full of buckshot.”

  Luke chewed hard on the toothpick in his mouth. “When did Clive leave with Ham and Jack?”r />
  “It’s been a few hours now.”

  “I hope he’s all right,” Claire murmured. “And I wonder where he’s been staying. This means he’s been in town the past few days.”

  “Guess he got a line on these guys and followed up,” agreed Wesley, “since we were busy. He’ll have done folks a good turn, too, if they’ll testify that Cheyenne Mining was harassing them. Anyhow, we called the Casper cops.”

  Claire felt relief course through her until Luke said, “You sure it’s Casper, the city?”

  “Come again?” said Wesley.

  Luke’s frown deepened. “As opposed to Casper, the mine?”

  Wesley whistled softly. “I didn’t think of that, but you’re right. They could be staying out at the old Casper mine.”

  Luke was already putting the Cherokee into gear. “I’ll head up there now.”

  “Ten-four,” said Wesley, right before he rang off. “I’ll meet you up there with some backup.”

  Luke turned toward Claire. “You’d better get out.”

  She stared at him, not intending to budge. “I’m coming.”

  He uttered an exasperated sigh. “We’ve already been shot at once. I really don’t want you in any danger, Claire.”

  She didn’t want that, either, but she had to know if Clive was okay. “It’s noon,” she returned decidedly. “So, if you hurry, I might make it home in time for Christmas Eve dinner.”

  By now, Luke knew arguing with her was pointless, so he put the Jeep into gear and started driving.

  * * *

  LUKE EDGED AWAY from where he’d hidden the Jeep behind a stand of pines and aspens. Across a clearing was the mining shack, a rickety, dilapidated one-room cabin with a tin roof; a cinder block was in front of the door, serving as a makeshift porch step. From this distance, nothing was visible through the darkened, smudgy windows, but the red truck was parked in front of the shack, and judging from the black smoke billowing from the chimney, the inhabitants were burning coal. Next to Luke, Claire shivered, her gaze following his across the clearing.