by Debbie Mason
Teddy smiled up at her and took her hand. “I guess Owen really is Santa’s special helper. My Christmas wish is coming true. We’re just like a real family now.”
Chapter Thirteen
Do you want to explain to me how the seven of us eating at the same table played into Teddy’s fantasy?” Gabe asked Mallory, who was washing the dishes while he dried. His boys and hers were downstairs playing foosball, as evidenced by the ten-decibel cheers that wound their way up the stairs every few minutes. “I mean your pizza casserole and the snickerdoodles were great, but we eat cookies and pizza all the time.”
“But not cookies and a pizza casserole that Teddy helped make.”
“True, and he made them with you so I can see that being slightly fantasy inducing.”
“Huh, that’s good to know,” she said, fighting back a smile.
He nudged her with his hip. “You know what I mean. I thought, if I didn’t touch you or kiss you—not that I would,” he quickly amended. Unless she initiated it, because God knew he wanted to touch and kiss this woman. “It’s just that I assumed, naively, it seems, if there was no PDA, we didn’t have to worry about playing into Teddy’s fantasy that you and I would get together.”
“But indirectly I did. I made fun food. I didn’t get upset when they made a mess or when they had a food fight in the middle of dinner.”
“You’re right. And worse than you not getting upset, or from Teddy’s point of view the best, was you took part in the food fight. You’ve got some serious skills as a food fighter, by the way.”
“I had lots of practice in foster care. You’re not so bad yourself.” She nudged him back with her hip.
“Four brothers.” He turned to lean against the counter as he dried the casserole dish. He’d been hoping for leftovers but no such luck. “Yesterday, when Eden was talking to us after the meeting, she mentioned that my experience as a single parent with three sons would be beneficial because of your lack of siblings and experience with kids. But that’s not true, is it? From what I saw today, you have plenty of experience with kids. You’re great with them.”
She shrugged. “I don’t know if I’d go that far. But yes, I have years of experience dealing with children. Children who were lonely, abused, and terrified of what the future held in store for them. Children with behavioral and psychological issues and some of the sweetest kids you’ll ever meet.” She gave him a faraway smile. “I was older than most of the kids, so I took on the role of den mother in some ways.”
And watched all those kids come and go while she stayed. “Why did you stay at the home? Did you not want to be adopted?”
“No one wanted me.” She bent her head over the sink, giving the plate in her hand more attention than was warranted.
He cursed her father in his head. Boyd Carlisle had a lot to answer for. Gabe put down the casserole dish, then reached into the soapy water for her hands. “Their loss. They missed out.” He gently dried her hands. “Teddy was right. You are perfect.”
“We both know that’s not true, Gabe. If I was, Oliver and Brooks wouldn’t want to go back to England.” She looked down at their joined hands, then raised her gaze to his. “And we both know that I’m far from perfect in your mother-in-law’s eyes.”
He’d answered his own question. Everything Mallory had said and done tonight had played into his son’s hopes and dreams. She’d played the role so well that even Gabe had let himself be drawn into the fantasy and hadn’t known it. But she was right—he wouldn’t have a hope in hell of keeping custody of his boys if he was involved with her.
As if she read the acknowledgment on his face, she said, “It’s probably best if I take the boys home now. And it would be best, I think, if we avoid joint family dinners from here on out.”
“You’re probably right.” He knew she was because he was as disappointed as his youngest would be. “I’d still like to work with Oliver, though, and the boys seem to enjoy hanging out together so—”
“I don’t want to take any of that away from them. And if you’re okay with it, I’d still like to spend time with Teddy. Dylan and Cody, too, if they want. But I’m pretty sure they’re not my number-one fans.”
“Honestly, they were better with you than they’d be with any other woman horning in on what they see as their mother’s territory.” He smiled. “You won them over with your pizza casserole and food fighting skills.”
She grinned. “Then they’d be very impressed with my cheeseburger cups and my burping skills.”
He laughed. “No way you’re a champion burper.”
“I’m a little out of practice, but I used to be able to burp for almost a minute.”
“This I have to hear. Come on, show me.” He’d been teasing and was surprised when she took him up on the challenge. Almost as surprised as the five boys were when they came up to get a drink and heard the beautiful and sophisticated Mallory letting out the longest burp he’d ever heard. And from the looks on Dylan and Cody’s faces, they fell a little in love with her in that moment. He wasn’t the only one who noticed. Teddy looked at him with an I-told-you-so grin on his face.
“Okay, guys, we should probably get going,” Mallory said with a nervous glance at his sons. She must’ve noticed the love-sick grins on their faces too.
“They can’t go yet. We’re in the middle of our game, and we’re tied,” Cody complained.
Gabe was going to suggest that the boys could stay and Mallory take some time for herself when his cell phone rang. He held up a finger for quiet, then answered. It was the mayor. “Hey, Winter, what’s up?”
“I’m sorry to bother you, Gabe, but I didn’t know who else to call.”
“It’s not a big deal. Tell me what’s going on. You sound upset.” He walked out of the kitchen. No matter how quiet the boys were trying to be, there were five of them.
“I am, Gabe. It’s Owen.”
Gabe barely managed to hold back a groan. “Look, Winter, I know he’s bored. But I seriously can’t—”
“It’s not about the job, Gabe. It’s about Boyd Carlisle, Mallory’s father. I’m afraid Owen has gone up the mountain to confront him. Owen’s never forgiven himself for removing Mallory from her home, and he’s never forgiven Boyd for not going to get her. He always believed Boyd would bring her home. He didn’t know…Anyway, I hate to ask this of you on a Saturday night after you worked through Thanksgiving, but I’m worried something might happen. There’s a lot of bad blood between them that has festered for a very long time.”
“I’ll head out right now.”
“Do you need someone to help with the boys? I could—”
“It’s fine. Mallory’s actually here, thanks,” he reluctantly admitted.
“That’s good, then—but, Gabe, don’t say anything to her. The poor girl has enough on her plate.”
“Yeah, she does. And I’d like to talk to you about that on Monday. But right now, I better take off.” They said their goodbyes, and he disconnected.
Mallory was alone in the kitchen, wiping up the counter. She stopped and turned. “Is everything okay?”
“I have something I need to take care of. I shouldn’t be long. Would you mind staying with the boys? It’s no problem if you can’t. I’ll give Ainsley a call.” Her family lived up the road. Gabe paid the teenager above the standard rate so she’d be willing to come at the last minute. If it was late and on a school night, her mother occasionally filled in for her.
“No, I’ll stay. I’m sure the boys will be thrilled. You go and take care of what you need to.”
* * *
Gabe drove along the rutted mountain road, the headlights cutting a swath through the barren trees. It was at least ten degrees colder up here, and a thick frost coated the forest floor. Black ice made the dirt road shine. Even in four-wheel drive he struggled to keep the SUV on the road. He should have put chains on the tires but the worry in Winter’s voice suggested he didn’t have time to waste. As long as he’d known her, she’d neve
r shown a proclivity toward the dramatic. If anything, she tended to underplay a situation.
He glanced in the back to make sure he had his bulletproof vest. Some might say he was overreacting. A few years back, he might’ve said the same. Not anymore. His boys had only one parent. He’d be damned if he’d make them orphans because of some macho sense of pride.
Up ahead, tendrils of gray smoke floated up into the wide expanse of starlit sky. It looked like someone had shaken a container of silver sprinkles on black velvet.
“Keep your eyes on the road, dumbass,” he muttered to himself when something lumbered through the brush on his left.
Boyd Carlisle and Owen Campbell weren’t the only dangerous things in the woods tonight.
There’d been several black bear sightings in town earlier this month. They needed to pack on the pounds before hibernating for the winter. Gabe had his officers hang out at the area schools at drop-off and pick-up times just to be on the safe side.
There’d also been a Bigfoot sighting north of town, which he’d ignored. He was pretty sure it had been the seniors messing with him again. Although several of the locals swore Bigfoot existed. The next county over had a Bigfoot research group as well as a Bigfoot festival in the spring. Dylan and Cody were determined to go.
At the fork in the road, Gabe glanced at his GPS. Boyd Carlisle’s place should be just up ahead. He’d heard it referred to as a shack in the woods, but the log cabin that came into view a few minutes later looked nothing like a shack. It looked like a home that had been well cared for.
As he pulled to a stop to the left of Owen’s white truck, a rusted pink swing set got caught in his high beams, and it felt like a punch in the gut. Mallory had lived up here in the woods with her mother and father. No kids to play with. He rubbed his chest with the heel of his palm. She must’ve been lonely.
Gabe pushed the thought away and shrugged out of his winter jacket to put on the vest. Before he turned off the engine and climbed out of the truck, he checked his gun, praying as he did so that he didn’t have to use it.
As soon as he opened the SUV’s door, he heard the two men yelling at each other.
“Get the hell off my porch, Campbell. You’ve got no damn business being up here. You’re not the law anymore,” Boyd Carlisle growled through the screen door he held open with his foot, the light from inside the house shining on him. It was the first look Gabe had gotten at Mallory’s father.
He appeared to be a youthful sixty with a head of wavy dark hair and a clean-shaven face. Around six-two with a wiry build, he wore jeans and a plaid shirt but it was the twelve-gauge shotgun in his hand that held Gabe’s attention.
“I’m not going anywhere until we have it out. Your daughter’s come home, and she needs a father. It’s about time you did your damn duty, don’t you think?” Owen’s voice came from the other end of the porch. It was difficult to make him out. He stood in the shadows.
“You took away my chance to be her father seventeen years ago, Campbell.”
“Mr. Carlisle, Owen’s not the law but I am.” Gabe moved his jacket aside so the man could see his badge and his gun. “I’d be obliged if you’d lower the shotgun, sir.”
It was when the man turned his attention to Gabe that he saw his resemblance to his daughter. Mallory had gotten her blue eyes from her father. “And I’d be obliged if you’d get him off my property, son. If he’s not outta here in two minutes, I’m going to shoot him in his sorry ass.”
“Damn it, Boyd. You left me no choice. You were drunk off your head when Miriam died,” Owen said, stepping from the shadows. “I thought you’d snap out of it. I thought you’d go get your daughter. I told you the home in the next county was full and that I’d found her a good place in Durham. Told the director at the home not to let anyone adopt her. Told them they’d see, you’d come and get her.”
Gabe briefly closed his eyes. Mallory thought no one had wanted her, but that wasn’t the case. He wondered if Owen knew what he’d done. From the tortured look on his face, he did.
“Are you telling me no one adopted my little girl because of you? Is that what you’re telling me, Campbell?” Boyd took a menacing step toward Owen.
“It’s not my fault! You left town a few weeks later for that job in Montana. Figured once you made yourself some money, you’d go collect Mallory.”
“She deserved better than me. She deserved more than I could ever hope to give her. She needed a momma and a daddy that could give her everything me and Miriam never could. She took care of her momma all those years, and I wanted someone to take care of her. You stole that from her, you interfering no-good son of a bitch.” Boyd stalked toward Owen, and his arm shot out, grabbing a fistful of the other man’s jacket.
“Mr. Carlisle, I understand how you must feel but…” Gabe began as he cautiously closed the distance between him and the porch.
“You have no idea, son,” he said. Then, releasing Owen’s jacket, Boyd hauled off and punched him in the face.
Owen held up his hands. “You can beat me bloody, but I’m not leaving here until you agree to come down off this mountain and make amends to your daughter.”
Boyd punched him again. “I’m not the one who has to make amends. You do! You ruined her chance for a good life.”
“She’s had a good life. She’s a doctor. She married a rich man. But that don’t mean she doesn’t need her father,” Owen said, and took a swing at Boyd.
“I heard all about who she married last summer when she came to town. A rich old man who died and left everything to his first wife. And now I know why. It’s because of you she did. You made sure she never got that family I wanted for her.”
They were going in circles, ducking and throwing punches.
“Would you two just listen to yourselves for a minute?” Gabe said as he stepped onto the porch. “It’s obvious you both made mistakes, big mistakes that hurt Mallory. But what’s just as obvious is that you care about her. So instead of beating each other bloody, why don’t you figure out what you can do to help her? Because from where I’m standing, she could use some help.”
From the way they continued dancing and ducking with the shotgun between them, they either didn’t hear him or didn’t give a damn what he said. The mayor was right. This fight had been coming for a long time. And if Gabe wasn’t mistaken, one of these men would die tonight if he didn’t intervene.
He took a step toward them. “Stop it right now or I’m going to drag your sorry asses into the station.”
“Good,” Owen said as he attempted to put Boyd in a headlock. “That’s where the stubborn son of a bitch belongs.”
“I said asses, Owen. You’ll be in the cell right along with him.”
“That’s exactly where he belongs for what he did to my daughter,” Boyd said as he broke free of Owen’s grip, only the momentum caused him to lose his balance, and he tripped. Gabe stepped forward to break his fall, and a shotgun blast ripped through the cold late November night.
Chapter Fourteen
Mallory glanced at the time on her cell phone when Gabe’s front door opened. It was after midnight, and she’d fallen asleep reading. She sat up on the couch and finger-combed her hair. Then she straightened the throw she’d pulled around herself earlier. The night had grown cold. She would’ve started a fire in the stacked stone fireplace but didn’t feel it was her place.
She frowned and came to her feet, worried when Gabe didn’t immediately walk into the living room. Maybe it wasn’t him. “Gabe,” she called softly as she walked toward the entryway. “Is that you?”
“Yeah.” His smile seemed strained. “Boys give you any trouble?”
“No, not at all. Teddy went to sleep around eight, and once I sent Oliver and Brooks home, Dylan and Cody went down around ten.”
“I won’t keep you, then. Thanks for stepping in. I appreciate it. I imagine we’ll see you around tomorrow.” He went to open the door.
She put out her hand to hold it shut. “What
’s going on? Something’s wrong.” He wouldn’t look at her.
“It’s nothing. Like I said, I appreciate you helping out. Now I’d just as soon—” He bowed his head when she didn’t move. “Mallory, I’m tired, and I want to go to bed.”
He was keeping something from her. She was sure of it. She searched his face but now he held her gaze and raised an eyebrow as if she were keeping him from his bed. “Okay, it’s none of my business. I’ll go now, but if you don’t mind, I need my jacket.”
“Right. Sorry.” He took a step away from the coatrack behind him, wincing as he did so.
She looked down and gasped. “Gabe, you’re bleeding.”
He glanced down the hall. “Would you keep it down? The last thing I need is for the boys to wake up.”
“I’m sorry, but you’re dripping blood through your fingers so excuse me for overreacting. What happened? Where are you hurt?”
“It’s nothing, Mallory. I can take care of it myself, okay?”
“No, it’s not okay. I’m not leaving until you tell me exactly what it is you’re taking care of.”
“I got shot.” He put up his hands at what must’ve been her horrified expression. “Relax.”
“That’s a little difficult to do when you just told me you were shot, and you’re standing here and not at the hospital. I’m going to call Oliver and Brooks to come over and watch the boys. I’ll drive you to the—”
He took her phone from her. “You’re not calling the boys, and I’m not going to the hospital. It’s a flesh wound.”
“Why don’t you let me be the judge of that? And even if it were just a flesh wound, you could go into shock, get sepsis or lead poisoning, or develop post-traumatic stress.”
“Fine. I stand corrected, Doc. Now that we’ve got that cleared up and you’ve listed everything I need to watch for, can you leave so I can clean myself up?”
