Rachel's Rescuer. Roxann Delaney
eyes to be as cold and hard as ice, but instead they held a warmth that had surprised her. And if she dared to be honest with herself, something in those eyes had sent a bolt of heat straight to her center. But she wasn’t into daring honesty, and she shook her head, refusing to believe she’d felt anything of the kind.
With a cup of the hot brew in one hand, she moved silently, checking through the cupboards and refrigerator for breakfast supplies. She owed her host something for his hospitality. She couldn’t pay him, but she could do this for him.
While sausage sizzled in a pan, pancakes cooked on a grill, and thick slices of buttered toast waited on the table, she took a quick look out the window as the sky lightened to a dull gray. To her dismay, snow continued to fall like a white curtain, shutting off the rest of the world.
Isolated. To some, the word might bring fear, but to her, it meant safety. Unless the sheriff had been suspicious and checked her license tag number, she and Cody were safe, for a few days.
The feeling of protection stayed with her as she filled several platters with food and put them on the table. Satisfied that there would be plenty to eat for a man whose job probably entailed a lot of physical labor, she started a pan of scrambled eggs.
It was ironic that she could feel so safe, staying in a house with a man who, at any moment, could endanger her future and her son’s. But for some reason, she trusted Lucas Callahan. She just couldn’t confide in him. She only needed a place to stay until the storm was over, and she didn’t want to cause him any trouble.
Scooping the finished eggs onto a plate, she reminded herself that the longer she and Cody stayed where they were, the less money she would have to spend on a room somewhere else. Or sleep in the car, again.
She nearly dropped the plate on the table when the back door swung open with a gust of wind. Looking up, her gaze caught and held a pair of deep-brown eyes, and her breath caught in her chest. She had to get control of herself and not let merely the sight of this man affect her.
Searching her mind for something to say, Rachel stuttered on her words. “Y-you must have a nose for food.”
Lucas’s gaze slid to the table. “Did you do this?”
Rachel nodded, not sure if he was happy to see the display of food, or angry she had made so much.
“You didn’t need to,” he said without looking at her.
She took a deep, fortifying breath, filling her lungs with much needed air and her nerves with resolve. “I wanted to do something to thank you for letting Cody and me stay the night. I hope it was all right to raid the food supply. It looked like there’s enough to last a while.”
His answer was an unconcerned shrug.
To her surprise, the door opened again. Along with another blast of frigid air, a cowboy, dressed in heavy snow gear, walked in. The moment he saw her, he removed his hat and smiled.
“Mornin’. You must be Miz Stevens.”
“Yes. Rachel Stevens.”
“Harley Peterson,” he said, with a brief nod, and began to unfasten his coat. “Nice to meet you, ma’am.”
“Harley’s my stepbrother. He’s here to help with chores,” Lucas said from across the room.
Hope rose in her heart. “Are the roads clear?”
Harley shook his head. “I rode over from my place.”
“Rode?”
“A horse.”
“Oh.” Her hope disappeared, and Rachel placed the eggs and the other food on the table, while tears of frustration burned her eyes. Choking back the disappointment, she set an extra place, while the cowboy peeled off his outerwear.
Unlike Lucas, Harley was big and blond, with a grin that probably made flowers grow. His sparkling blue eyes were enhanced by crinkles at the corners when he smiled, and Rachel bet her soul he smiled a lot. He was nearly as tall as Lucas, and his broad shoulders filled out the two-tone western shirt he wore. The two men were complete opposites, and so was her reaction to them.
Lucas moved across the room and flipped on a radio nestled under one of the cupboards. A Garth Brooks song filled the room. “You heard the weather report?”
“Should say somethin’ soon.” Harley took a chair at the table. “How’s that calf?”
Rachel filled the cups with coffee and sat down, listening to the conversation. She was curious to know about ranching, but wouldn’t ask for fear Lucas might think she was being nosy. It really wasn’t any of her business, but since Jenny and her husband also had a small ranch, Rachel wanted to learn as much as she could before descending on them. She couldn’t stay at Jenny’s indefinitely, but if she could help in any way, she would. Deerfork might not offer much in the way of employment.
“I shouldn’t have to call Doc Wellman about him,” Lucas was saying. “He’s stronger this morning.”
“You’d think as big as he is, he’d be chargin’ around,” Harley commented around a forkful of eggs.
“Once he gets a good hold on life, he’ll be the best bull of the lot.”
Rachel’s mind wandered as she half listened. As a little girl growing up in the foster program, going from one family to the next, she had often dreamed of escaping the busy city for a quiet spot. Jenny had been a neighbor for a short time, and they’d become best friends. When Rachel had moved on to a new family, they had kept in touch. They hadn’t spoken since Steven’s death, and Rachel had never mentioned the trouble with his parents. Jenny wouldn’t mind a visit, but she didn’t know they were on their way.
“Mom?”
Her son’s voice jerked Rachel from her thoughts. “You’re up early,” she told him, his arms now wrapped around her legs. She quickly introduced him to Harley, then bent to ruffle his hair and kiss the top of his head. “Would you like some breakfast?”
Cody turned to look over his shoulder, never letting go of her. A sniff was followed by a hesitant nod of his head.
“There’s some cereal up there in that cabinet,” Harley offered. “Maybe he’d like that better.”
Cody gazed up at her with an expectant look in his eyes. Disengaging herself from his hold, she gave him an encouraging pat and steered him to the empty chair. She poured out a bowl of sugared cereal and added milk, then set it in front of him. “Is that better?”
“Better.” Cody’s grin was visible for a split second before he dove into his breakfast.
“You ought to keep him off those sweets,” Lucas announced.
Stung, Rachel stared at him. She was a good mother, but kids just liked sweet cereal over a conventional breakfast. If they had been at home, she might have insisted that Cody eat something more nutritious, or at least add a glass of juice. But they weren’t at home, and Cody deserved a treat.
“And how many children do you have, Mr. Callahan?” she asked in a wounded voice.
“None,” Lucas snapped back.
She could have sworn she saw a flash of pain in his eyes before he turned his attention to his plate. The man hadn’t said a word to Cody since they had arrived except to ask his name.
“I was thinkin’ of the boy.” He looked pointedly at her and then at Cody.
Embarrassment and traces of anger heated her cheeks. Staying here was a mistake, but not one she could do anything about. As long as no one knew her true identity, she and Cody would be safe. For a while.
Lucas knew she was lying. He watched her leave the table, the uncertainty of her steps adding to his conviction. It hadn’t taken him long to know that she couldn’t be involved in a burglary ring. One look in her eyes the night before had told him that much. Whatever she was hiding from had her running scared.