by Susan Cliff
“You might have?”
“Okay, I did. I suggested that you’d already been shot once because of her—”
“I didn’t get shot,” Cam growled. “It’s a graze.”
“—and maybe she should leave you alone until things blow over.”
“You son of a bitch. How dare you?”
Mason flinched at Cam’s vehemence. “I’m your brother. I was worried about you.”
“So you chase off my girlfriend? That’s your way of helping me?”
“You’ve been racing toward death since you got here,” Mason said, raising his voice. Now they were both shouting. “I thought you hooked up with her to accelerate the trip!”
Cam wanted to tackle Mason. He pictured them wrestling on the floor, knocking over trays of medical supplies. If he didn’t have a broken foot, he’d have launched himself at his brother, fists flying.
“I wasn’t racing toward death,” he said curtly. “I was already dead inside. She makes me want to live again.”
Mason fell silent for a moment. “I’m sorry.”
“She’s the opposite of whatever you’re thinking. She’s the best thing that’s ever happened to me. She shot a man to protect me, for Christ’s sake. You had no right to blame her for my injuries.”
“I was looking out for you.”
“I didn’t need you to look out for me,” Cam said. “I needed you to look out for her. She’s a victim of domestic violence, and her abuser’s in town.”
Mason raked a hand through his hair. “Do you want to go after her, or yell at me?”
“Go after her,” Cam said.
They didn’t wait around to listen to the doctor’s orders. Mason gathered Cam’s belongings and headed out the door. Cam followed him down the hall, clumsy on his crutches. His foot throbbed and his arm burned as he loped along. He wanted to pick another fight with Mason in the elevator, but he saved his breath. They’d already spent too much time arguing. He had to focus on finding Tala.
They looked in the lobby, the gift shop and the cafeteria. She wasn’t there.
“Maybe she went back to the hotel,” Mason said.
“Let’s check it out.”
Mason brought his rental car to the front entrance of the hospital so Cam didn’t have to maneuver across the parking lot. Crutches didn’t mix well with snow and ice. Cam didn’t thank him for the courtesy. He was too angry to speak.
“She returned your wallet,” Mason said. “It’s in the glove compartment.”
Cam glanced in his wallet and found a key card with the room number. Mason drove the short distance to the hotel and pulled into a parking space. He hopped out to help Cam with his crutches.
“Be careful. It’s slippery.”
Cam offered a curt two-word response as he exited the vehicle. He wasn’t in the mood for Mason’s brotherly advice. They entered the hotel lobby and walked down the hall. Tala had booked him a room on the ground floor. She wasn’t inside, but he noted the evidence of her presence. The scent of shampoo lingered in the bathroom, and a damp towel hung on the rack. There were no clues to her current whereabouts. She’d taken her backpack and clothes with her. The graphic novel she’d been reading was sitting in the middle of the bed.
He wasn’t sure if she’d meant to leave it behind. Maybe it was a subtle hint that their erotic encounters hadn’t been important to her. They were fleeting pleasures, easily forgotten. Abandoned at the first opportunity.
He picked up the book and threw it against the wall, very close to his brother’s head. Mason ducked to avoid the object, which wouldn’t have hit him anyway. Pain stabbed down Cam’s arm from the sudden motion, and one of his crutches fell to the carpet. He struggled to maintain his balance.
Mason hurried to help him sit on the edge of the bed. “Settle down, Cam! You’re going to end up right back in the hospital.”
“I should put you in the hospital,” Cam said.
Mason shoved him until he sat down. “Dream on, little brother. You can’t even take me when you’re healthy.”
Cam considered punching his lights out. “I could take you right now.”
Mason leaned forward and pointed at his chin in offering. “Make my day. You think I won’t hit you back just because you’re injured?”
Cam didn’t really want to fight. Not in his current condition. His entire body ached and his brain felt scrambled. Hurting Mason wouldn’t bring Tala back. So he took a deep breath, trying to refocus. His crutches were in a heap on the floor. He had a busted-up foot and a bandaged arm. And his brother was still getting in his face, taunting him.
Cam had to laugh at Mason’s pugnacious expression. “You’re ridiculous.”
Mason straightened abruptly. “You started it.”
“Give me my crutches.”
“Don’t be stupid.”
“We have to keep looking for her.”
“You’re in no condition to be out on foot in this kind of weather. You weren’t even officially discharged.”
“I’m fine,” Cam said, his irritation rising again. “We’re driving around, not climbing Denali.”
“One of us should stay here in case she comes back. That’s you.”
It wasn’t a bad plan, but Cam didn’t trust his brother to find Tala. Mason was the one who’d scared her off. “She won’t talk to you.”
“She doesn’t have to. I’ll just make sure she’s safe.”
“Okay,” Cam said, because he didn’t really have a choice. They were wasting time arguing about it. “You’ll want to check the airport.”
“What about the bus station?”
“There’s no bus service in the winter. This isn’t Seattle.”
“Where else?”
Cam raked a hand through his hair. “I don’t know. She might go to a diner or a bookstore. She likes books.”
“I see that.”
“If all else fails, I can get on a CB and ask the truckers to be on the lookout. Do you know what her husband drives?”
Mason’s eyes narrowed. “Yeah, I do.”
Cam swallowed hard. He couldn’t finish that thought, but he didn’t have to. Mason knew the statistics for domestic homicides better than Cam did. If she’d been harmed, Cam would tear Duane apart with his bare hands.
“Stop mad-dogging me,” Mason said. “She’ll turn up.”
“She’d better, or I’ll kill you.”
They stared at each other for a tense moment. Mason looked a little choked up. Cam glanced away, clearing his throat. His brother meant well, and he seemed sorry. It was difficult to hold a grudge against Mason. He had emotional issues, and not just because of his divorce. In his line of work, he dealt with unspeakable atrocities.
“Go on,” Cam said. “I’ll keep my phone handy.”
Mason nodded and left the room, his gaze sharp with determination.
Chapter 23
Tala ran until her muscles ached and her lungs burned.
When she got off the treadmill, she was breathing hard, her skin damp with sweat. Her head was clear, and she felt better.
Much better.
She preferred running outdoors, but that wasn’t an option in this nasty weather. The hotel gym was nice enough. She’d changed into her leggings before she left the hotel room. She ran barefoot on the treadmill, her muscles flexing. She ran off her tension, and her troubles. She ran without running away.
Then she started a load of laundry and waited for Cam. He’d said he’d get discharged sometime today. After she put the clothes in the dryer, she wandered down the hall and found an empty office area. There were a couple of desks for guests to work quietly. There was a cozy-looking chair and a phone.
On impulse, she settled in to call her mother. The hotel clerk charged the long-distance fee to Cam’s room. Tala waited for her mom to pick up. Once a
gain, she sounded happy to hear from her.
“When are you coming to visit?” her mother asked.
“I’m not sure.”
“What about Christmas? Bear will be here.”
“Oh, now you want me to hang out with Bear?”
Her mother laughed. “You don’t have to.”
Tala switched the phone to her other ear. “I met someone here in Alaska, but I don’t know if it’s going to work out.”
“Why not?”
She struggled to find words for her feelings. “Maybe I’m supposed to be alone.”
“Of course you’re not. Why would you say that?”
“Dad didn’t have anyone.”
“He had you.”
“That’s not what I mean. He didn’t have girlfriends. After you, he gave up on love.”
“He didn’t give up on love. He had a girlfriend.”
“Who?”
“Helen Barclay.”
“Mrs. Barclay? The music teacher?”
“That’s her.”
“She was married.”
“Yes. That’s why he kept it a secret.”
“Where did you hear that?”
“There was gossip around town. They started seeing each other when you were eleven or twelve. It went on for years, until her husband caught them. He moved the family to Edmonton. Helen wanted to stay in Yellowknife, but your father told her not to. They had two little girls, and he didn’t want to break up their family.”
“She came to the funeral.”
“Yes. She loved him.”
“I never knew,” Tala said, her voice breaking. “That’s so sad.”
“I didn’t tell you to upset you, nitânis. I just wanted you to know your father had love in his life, even after me. He worked hard and he never gave up on anything. I think he learned not to be so selfish after what we went through in our divorce. He became a better man.”
Tala was glad her mother had told her about the ill-fated affair. She wasn’t sure if it brightened her outlook, but it did color her perspective. She said a quick goodbye to her mother, rising from the chair.
She’d always thought of romantic love as something beautiful and fleeting. It was the rainbow after the storm. It didn’t last. Maybe she’d been wrong. Maybe love was the storm, too. Maybe it was the wind and the rain and the thunder. It wasn’t a settled feeling, static and unchanging, but it didn’t have to fade away. It could be calm one day and tumultuous the next.
Her mother said love was hard work. Tala had never been afraid of hard work. She loved Cam, and she was willing to fight for him.
She couldn’t run away from love anymore.
She had to tell him how she felt, right now. She left the office and hurried down the hall, her heart racing. She had to get back to the hospital and confess her feelings to Cam. He’d said he loved her, and she’d left him hanging. She’d been afraid to say the words back to him. Afraid to put herself out there. Afraid to get hurt again. She was still afraid, but she couldn’t let fear stop her from getting what she wanted. Maybe this time everything would work out. Maybe it wouldn’t. Either way, she had to try.
She was her father’s daughter. Unlucky in love, perhaps, but not a quitter.
Feeling giddy, she ducked into the laundry room to retrieve their clean clothes. Then she headed down the hall with her arms full. When she opened the door to the room, someone was inside, waiting for her.
She let out a startled shriek and dropped everything on the floor.
It was Cam.
Her heart couldn’t take another shock, even a good one. She clutched the center of her chest and tried not to hyperventilate.
He stood, with some difficultly. He seemed as surprised to see her as she was to see him. He was wearing flannel pajamas, and he had crutches under his arms. His left foot was encased in a heavy black medical boot. He looked injured, but still strong. Still ruggedly handsome. Her chest swelled with love for him. She wanted to throw her arms around him and kiss him senseless, but she was afraid to knock him off balance.
“You came back,” he said.
She closed the door and locked it behind her. They stared at each other for a taut moment. Emotions welled up inside her, spilling over. She rushed into the comfort of his embrace. He managed to hug her back without falling. He smelled like snow and heat and man. She closed her eyes, relishing his warmth. “I love you.”
His body went tense. “You do?”
She pressed her lips to his neck. “I should have told you earlier.”
“I thought I’d lost you,” Cam said, hugging her closer.
“I’ve been here all afternoon.”
He released her abruptly, his expression incredulous. “You’ve been here at the hotel? This whole time?”
“Where did you think I was?”
“I thought you ran away!”
“I didn’t run away. I came here and ran on the treadmill. Then I called my mother and did some laundry.”
He stared at her as if he couldn’t fathom these ordinary things. “My brother said Duane attacked you in the parking lot.”
“He did, but he’s gone now.”
Cam lowered himself to the edge of the bed. “How did he find you?”
She took his crutches and placed them nearby. Then she sat down next to him and told him the whole story. “I think your brother broke his nose.”
“I guess he did one thing right,” Cam muttered.
“It almost makes up for the attempted bribe.”
Cam narrowed his eyes. “He offered you money to leave me alone?”
“Yes.”
He dragged a hand down his face. “I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be. It’s not your fault.”
“He’s out looking for you right now.”
She laughed merrily at that turn of events. “Are you sure he wants to find me?”
“I told him I’d kill him if he didn’t.”
Her amusement died at this dark claim. “Cam, I don’t want to cause trouble between you and your brother.”
“You’re not causing trouble. It’s him.”
“He doesn’t want you to get hurt.”
“I’m not going to get hurt,” Cam said, stretching out his injured leg.
“You’re already hurt.”
He ignored this observation and took his phone out of his pocket. “Should I tell him I found you, or let him sweat a little longer?”
“Tell him.”
She waited while he had a short conversation with his brother. They spoke to each other in grunts and monosyllables.
“He wants to apologize,” Cam said.
Tala shook her head, grimacing.
“She’s busy,” Cam lied. He listened to Mason for a minute. Then he said goodbye and hung up. “Mason talked to the state police. They spotted Duane’s truck in Delta Junction. It’s halfway to the Canadian border.”
“He’s going home.”
“Looks like it.”
She was relieved by the news. She hadn’t figured Duane would stick around to cause trouble with a busted nose. She’d stood up to him, and he’d run off with his tail between his legs. Good riddance.
Cam set his phone on the nightstand and stretched out on his back. She put a pillow under his ankle to prop up his broken foot. She retrieved the clean laundry from the floor and folded it. Then she cuddled next to Cam, enjoying his warmth. He had a great physique for snuggling. He was lean and solid. Steady as a rock.
“Do you want kids?” he asked.
“Right now?”
“Now, later, whenever.”
“Why do you ask?”
“It’s good to be on the same page about some things.”
She considered the question carefully. “I’d like to be a mother.”
“Before I’m thirty, I guess.”
He seemed to find this timeline acceptable.
“What about you?”
“I’m past thirty already.”
“I know.”
“Before I’m forty is good. I don’t want to be too old.”
“There are a few things we should discuss before we plan the next five years, Cam.”
“Okay.”
“I’m planning to finish college. You already know that. I’d like to go to school in Billings, where my mother lives. I want a chance to repair our relationship. We’ve spent too many years apart.”
Cam pointed out the obvious. “I can’t be an ice-road trucker in Montana.”
“You could be a regular trucker.”
He made a noncommittal sound. Maybe after the ice road, highway hauling didn’t hold the same appeal. “What if I returned to law enforcement?”
“Would you consider it?”
He arched a brow. “I thought you hated police officers.”
“That was before I fell in love with one.”
Cam smiled at her answer. “I can look for work in Montana. I’ll live wherever you want to live. When you’re ready to get married and have babies, we’ll do that. You want me to come home to you every night, I’m there. How does that sound?”
She smiled back. “Too good to be true.”
“Maybe we’ve earned it.”
“My grandmother used to say, ‘After the storm comes the rainbow.’”
“Do you believe it?”
“I’m trying to.”
He shifted into a more comfortable position. “We’ll make it work.”
“How do you know?”
“Because you’re a warrior, and I’m your soldier. I’ll do anything for you. Together, we can’t lose.”
She studied his handsome face, contemplative. Maybe he was right. Last night he’d dragged himself upright, half-conscious and bleeding, to tackle the gunman. “You’re unstoppable.”
He propped a finger under her chin. “So are you.”
Tears filled her eyes. “I love you, Cam.”
He touched his lips to hers. “I love you, too.”
She kissed him until they were both breathless. His hands roved over her body, squeezing her waist and the curves of her bottom. She could feel his arousal swell against her hip. She gentled the kiss, reluctant to encourage him. He grasped her thigh and tugged, as if urging her to climb on top of him.
