Taken in Texas

by Susan Sleeman

  He reached up and drew her closer until his lips touched hers, gently at first, then with an urgency. His kisses were warm and insistent and altogether perfect, and she gave in to the kiss. She vaguely heard movement nearby but didn’t come up for air until she was breathless.

  NINETEEN

  Today was the day, and Kendall was beside herself. Cord would be back in Lost Creek after a three-week absence. Everything had been resolved in the investigation. Her dad arrested Edwards, who was awaiting trial as was Hurley who recovered. And Eve was thriving on the ranch as she looked for a new home.

  Kendall wished she and Cord could have wrapped things up so neatly, but despite their desire to be together full-time, they hadn’t figured out a way to make it happen. As she suspected, he couldn’t live on the deputy’s salary alone. She thought to tell him if they got married, she could help with the finances, but they weren’t there yet. So he and Lucas had gone back to Houston, and they left, knowing if God wanted them together, He would make a way. Now they would spend the weekend trying to figure it out again.

  She heard a car pull up to the house, and her heart lurched in excitement.

  “Chill,” she warned herself as she went to the window to check if it was Cord or someone in the wedding party come to get ready for Matt and Nicole’s wedding. Kendall spotted the dusty old pickup truck coming to a stop.

  “Yes!” She made a beeline for the door, weaving in and out of the McKade women doing hair and makeup in the dining room.

  “Go get him,” Nicole called out.

  Kendall laughed and flung the door open. Cord climbed out, and shock at his appearance had her feet stilling. He wore a dark suit with a green shirt that brought out the coloring of his eyes and made his hair a richer brown.

  She couldn’t take her eyes off him but was vaguely aware of Lucas jumping out and running up the steps. Suddenly, his arms came around her middle, and she reluctantly pulled her gaze from Cord to tousle Lucas’s hair.

  “Hey, I worked hard to make it look good for the wedding,” Lucas grumbled good-naturedly. “I need to look my best for all the ladies.”

  Lucas laughed, and Kendall joined in, as did Cord while he climbed up the steps. “Beat it, kid. You’re taking my action.”

  Lucas rolled his eyes.

  “Nana baked cookies,” Kendall said.

  “Then later, you two.” He hurried inside.

  Cord’s arms replaced Lucas’s and he smiled. “You look amazing in that dress. I won’t even notice the bride when she walks down the aisle.”

  She faked twisting a mustache. “Drat. You found me out.”

  “Then there’s only one thing to do. Silence you.” He bent to kiss her, and the moment his lips touched hers, her breath left her body. She clung to him and kissed him with every ounce of her love for him.

  When he lifted his head, she reached up and drew his head back down for another kiss.

  “Ahem.” Her dad cleared his voice from behind them.

  Cord pulled back but kept his arms loosely around her waist.

  “Sir,” he said, not looking up, and Kendall had to give him a lot of credit for not wilting in front of her father like many lesser men might.

  “Sorry to interrupt,” her dad said, sounding sincere. “But I have something I need to show you before the wedding.”

  Cord eyed Kendall. “Do you know what he’s talking about?”

  “Have no idea.”

  “Then if you’ll get in Mom’s SUV, I’ll show you.” Her dad gestured at the car.

  Cord opened the front passenger door for her. She didn’t want to sit in the front, but next to him in the back. She didn’t say anything, though, as her dad was already in the car, tapping his thumb on the wheel. He took them down a narrow road on the property that led to the old foreman’s house. Kendall hadn’t been on this part of Trails End for years. She was surprised to see the place had a fresh coat of paint, and there were flower boxes at the windows with a riot of colorful blooms.

  “What’s going on, Dad?” she asked.

  He glanced into the rearview mirror at Cord. “This was once the foreman’s house. Been on the property for years, but we haven’t had a need for it since we quit the cattle business.”

  “And?” Kendall asked pointedly.

  “Let’s go inside, and I’ll tell you a story.”

  Kendall was starting to get irritated with her dad. They really didn’t have time before the wedding for stories. Or more accurately, she wanted to spend every minute as possible alone with Cord, but she wouldn’t disrespect her father and hurry him along when this seemed important to him.

  He led the way up the steps and opened the door to release the smell of fresh paint. Pale blue walls and gleaming wooden floors greeted her. The living room was filled with comfortable furniture, and a lovely dining set was in the adjoining room.

  “Dad?” she asked.

  “I know Cord went back to Houston because of the job, but neither of you wanted that to happen. So I got to thinking. This place sits empty, and the biggest cost young people face today is housing. I thought maybe Cord could take the open deputy job, and he could live here with Lucas for free. The family all pitched in to do the labor.”

  “But the cost of the materials?” Cord said, looking uncomfortable.

  “No biggie. It was wise to reinvest in the house to keep it from falling down.”

  “Oh, Dad.” Kendall ran to him and gave him a hug. “You’re a big old softie.”

  “Harrumph,” he said, but she had his number.

  She released him and looked at Cord. “What do you think?”

  “And you really didn’t know about this?” he asked.

  She shook her head. “Though I have to admit I didn’t think my family could keep a small secret, much less a big one like this.”

  “I think it’s the kindest thing anyone has done for me, but I...” Cord shook his head.

  “You what?”

  “I can’t be beholden to your family like this.”

  “I kind of thought you might say that,” Walt said. “But think about the joy Lucas will feel living on the ranch. And the McKades will surround him and you and welcome you into our family like one of our own.”

  Kendall eased toward Cord. “And then there’s me. I might be around a little, too.”

  “Then how can I say no?” He held out his hand to Walt. “Thank you, sir. It means the world to me.”

  “Why don’t I wait out in the car while the two of you take a walk through the rest of the house?” Her dad bolted like an armed suspect was chasing him.

  Cord turned to her and drew her into the circle of his arms. “If you were wondering if I could give up control in my life, this proves I can.”

  “It does at that.”

  “I feel so blessed right now.”

  “Me, too.”

  He grinned. “How soon do you think Lucas and I can move in?”

  “I’d say the moment the wedding is over.” The thought had her nearly giddy with joy.

  “You know, I really believed God would find a way to resolve this for us.”

  “You did?”

  He nodded. “And so.”

  He took a ring box from his pocket.

  She gasped. “You really did believe, didn’t you?”

  He got down on his knee and opened the box, revealing a single solitaire on a wide gold band. “Kendall McKade, love of my life, will you marry me?”

  “Yes. Absolutely. Yes. Of course.”

  “You had me at the first yes.” He grinned and slid the ring on her finger.

  He climbed to his feet and pulled her into his embrace. His lips descended, and she got lost in his kiss. Time passed. She had no idea how much, but she could spend an eternity in his arms.

  He finally raised his head. “I suppose we
should go tell Lucas and bring him back here to see his new home.”

  “No worries,” her dad called out from the doorway and opened the door wider.

  Lucas came running in, followed by Eve and the entire McKade clan, minus Nicole.

  Kendall held out her hand to display the ring for Lucas.

  “Yeah, I knew he was gonna ask,” he said, unimpressed, the way an almost-teenage boy could be. “But I didn’t know about the house.”

  “Are you okay with living here?” Kendall asked.

  “Are you kidding? On a ranch? Totally.” Now his excitement rang through his voice.

  Kendall was beside herself with joy. She wanted only happiness for Lucas and she hoped she could be part of that. “I was wondering, Lucas—I know Cord is going through the process to adopt you, and I’d like to, too. I know it’s sudden, but I love you, bud.”

  He faked gagging the way a boy his age would react to such a mushy declaration in public, but then grabbed a hold of Kendall for a rough hug. “Don’t need to think about it. That would be great.” He pushed away. “Can I choose a room now?”

  “I’ll help you.” Cord followed the charging boy toward the back of the house.

  “I couldn’t be happier.” Eve hugged Kendall. “And I’ve never seen Cord happier. He deserves it so much.”

  “Have you settled on a new place yet?” Kendall asked.

  “A cute little bungalow in town. Close to church, the shelter and my friends.”

  “That sounds perfect, but if I have my way, you’re going to be spending a lot of your time out here with us.”

  “It will be my pleasure.” Eve stepped back.

  Matt took Eve’s place and hugged Kendall. “Congrats, sis. Nicole wanted to be here, but she said something about me seeing the bride on our wedding day.”

  He chuckled and released her only for Tessa to step in. Then her mother. And her nana and granddad. And then Lexie and Gavin. Finally, Emilie charged up to her.

  “Can I be your flower girl, too? I want to wear my pretty dress again.” She spun, holding out her full skirt.

  Kendall noticed she was wearing her red cowboy boots and wondered if Nicole would be able to get her daughter out of those before she reached the church aisle. “Of course you can be my flower girl.”

  Emilie offered one of her heart-melting smiles. “I haveta go. There can’t be a wedding without me. I’m throwing the rose petals. Mommy said it was the most important job.” She skipped in her little boots toward Matt, who waited with his hands held out.

  He swung Emilie up into his arms and looked at Kendall. “By the way, sis, we’ll both be navigating the waters of adoption and can compare notes.”

  “I’m going to be official,” Emilie announced, but Kendall didn’t think she had any idea of what she was saying.

  It didn’t matter. Everything had turned out perfectly for all of her siblings, and now she would be able to share the same joy.

  Cord came from behind and circled his arms around her stomach. “You have quite the family, you know that?”

  “I do, and I’m sure it’ll take only a lifetime or two to get used to them all.” She twisted in her husband-to-be’s arms and smiled up at him.

  “Thanks to God, I’ll have that time with them and with you.” Cord’s eyes sparkled. “And I promise to cherish every big, wonderful, loud, boisterous moment of it.”

  “I’ll hold you to that, Cord Goodwin.” Tears of joy pricked her eyes. “And in my heart forever.”

  * * *

  Keep reading for an excerpt from Justice at Morgan Mesa by Jenna Night.

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  Dear Reader,

  Thank you for reading Taken in Texas. Wow, I can’t believe this is the last of the McKade family’s stories. Seems just like yesterday that I came up with the idea for this miniseries and now it is ending. I have loved every moment of writing about this family, and I hope you have enjoyed taking the journey with them.

  In this story, Cord and his nephew Lucas have lost family members, and they are both struggling to figure out how to go on. This situation really hit home for me as both of my parents passed away within a year of each other, and I was devastated. I struggled for some time to come to grips with it. If you’ve lost a loved one, I hope that Cord and Lucas’s journey gives you hope and encouragement that God can make a way for your future just as He did for Cord and Lucas.

  If you’d like to learn more about the McKade Law miniseries or my other books, please stop by my website at www.susansleeman.com. I also love hearing from readers, so please contact me via email, susan@susansleeman.com, on my Facebook page, www.Facebook.com/susansleemanbooks, or write to me c/o Love Inspired, HarperCollins, 24th floor, 195 Broadway, New York, NY 10007.

  Susan Sleeman

  We hope you enjoyed this Harlequin Love Inspired Suspense story.

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  Justice at Morgan Mesa

  by Jenna Night

  ONE

  Vanessa Ford heard footsteps behind her. She turned around, but she didn’t see anyone. Just pine forest beyond a narrow expanse of rocky soil and scraggly grass struggling to come back to life after a harsh winter.

  Morgan Mesa, the place where she stood, towered a thousand feet above her hometown of Torchlight, Nevada. As a kid growing up in Torchlight, she’d been in awe of the rich people who lived on the rim of the mesa. The homes up here had looked like palaces to a little girl living in a single-wide trailer down on the flatland below. Since then she’d made something of herself as an attorney in Las Vegas, nearly five hundred miles away in the southern end of the state.

  She was back in town for a few weeks to help her grandfather with preparations to open the Silver Horse Guest Ranch. He and his two closest friends had put their life savings into the endeavor. When their financing had come up short, Vanessa had kicked in some of her own money.

  And while she was here, she was investigating a murder.

  Standing at the edge of the mesa, she was sure she could feel someone’s gaze focused on her. A chilly breeze brushed the surface of her skin, setting the hairs on the back of her neck on end.

  Snap.

  The sound of a footstep breaking a twig confirmed her suspicion. Somebody was there, hidden in the forest.

  A weird whistling sound pierced the quiet. Vanessa tried to convince herself the noise had been made by an animal or some kind of machine. But she knew better. Somebody was hiding in the woods, whistling a creepy melody she couldn’t quite place. Was someone deliberately trying to scare her? Her gut twisted itself into a knot and her heart began to race. Maybe she was on the verge of stumbling ac
ross something she wasn’t meant to see.

  The whistling sound abruptly stopped and the sudden quiet made Vanessa’s racing heart pound even harder.

  Her hands shook as she reached into her jeans pocket for her phone. She glanced toward the edge of the forest where she’d last heard the whistling, but she still couldn’t see anyone.

  She held her breath and listened for sounds of somebody moving around. Whoever was hiding in the woods, watching her, could make their move at any minute. If they were armed, they could fire a shot at her without ever leaving the cover of the forest.

  She didn’t have a weapon. Her car was parked a mile away. And the hiking boots she wore weren’t designed for running. Her best option was to call the police and pray they got here fast.

  She’d already started punching in 9-1-1 on her phone when she glanced down at the screen. Her heart sank. No bars. No cell service. She was on her own.

  She was also still close to the rim of the mesa with a one-thousand-foot drop straight down. She could not stay there. Not if some lunatic was watching her with evil intentions in mind. The rustling of the breeze through the tops of the pine trees could easily mask the sound of footsteps. Maybe the creepy whistler had moved around and was no longer in the direction of where she’d last heard him.

  In the late afternoon’s blue-gray shadows, she couldn’t see if anyone was there. Whichever direction she went, she ran the risk of running directly into the lurker she was trying to avoid.

  There was always the chance that it was just some fool with a twisted sense of humor taking a shortcut through the woods. Maybe he was already gone.

  Or maybe not.

  “Hello?” she called out. “Anybody there?”

  Nothing.

  And then, from among the trees, a mocking, exaggeratedly falsetto voice repeated her words. “Hello? Anybody there?”

  Goose bumps dimpled the surface of Vanessa’s skin. It was time for her to leave.