Home for the Holidays Read online

  He nodded. “Yeah, it was. Still is, sometimes.”

  “I’m sorry,” she said. “That—” She broke off at the sound of thundering footsteps on the porch.

  “Give it to me!” Jason called from outside.

  “Oh, no.” Faith felt the familiar sting of dread and stood, quickly moving toward the front door.

  “What is it?” Gabriel asked, following after her.

  “They’re chasing each other on the wraparound porch. Both of them have on dress shoes and the porch is wet from the rain. A disaster waiting to happen,” she said, her words running together as she hurried onto the porch.

  “Jason! Becky! Stop it this—” Faith stumbled and her feet slid out from under her. She tried to break her fall with her hand, but her ankle turned, sending pain shooting up her leg. She fell back on her bottom with a thud just as the children rounded the corner.

  “Mom!” Becky said, her face contrite as she gripped a computer game. Close on her heels, Jason slammed into her back.

  Faith felt strong arms lift her to her feet. The solid wall of Gabriel Raines’s chest at her back made her feel safe and protected. For at least thirty seconds. She tried to put her weight on her left ankle and pain shot through her. “Ouch!” The sound came out of her mouth before she could stop it.

  “What’s wrong?” Gabriel asked, his mouth close to her ear.

  Her heart hammered in her chest. “I don’t know. I think I hurt my ankle.” Flustered by his proximity, she tried to gather her composure. “But I’m sure it will be fine. I probably just need to walk it out.” She tried to hop a step away from him.

  Gabriel looked at her doubtfully. “I don’t know if walking is going to help.”

  “Well, I think I should try,” she said, thinking this would be a terrible time for her to hurt her ankle. Actually anytime was a bad time. Taking a shallow breath, she gritted her teeth and tried again to put her weight on her foot. Pain shot through again. She bit her tongue to keep from making a noise, but her face must have given her away.

  Gabriel shook his head. “Give it up. You’re going to have to give that foot a break. You can see a doctor tomorrow, but I’m betting you are out of commission.”

  Chapter 3

  “I can’t be out of commission,” Faith wailed. “I don’t have time to be out of commission.”

  “I don’t think you have any choice,” Gabe said, picking her up and carrying her inside. “You want me to carry you to your bedroom or—”

  Faith felt a sliver of panic. The idea of Gabriel Raines in her bedroom even for something as innocent as setting her down on her bed and promptly leaving sent off an internal alarm inside her similar to a tornado warning.

  “—the sofa’s fine. Thank you,” she said, trying not to notice the drugging scent of his aftershave, his broad shoulders, his bedroom eyes or full mouth. Upon such close inspection, the man evoked feelings she hadn’t experienced in years. Feelings she hadn’t thought she’d feel again. Feelings she had no time or energy for, her logical brain nudged her. When she realized she was resting her palms on his well-muscled chest, she pulled her hands back as if she’d touched a hot stove.

  As if he sensed the commotion going on inside her, he studied her intently. “Something else hurt?”

  “Uh, no,” she said, feeling hot and uncomfortable. “I think I’m still just rattled from the fall. You can put me down now.”

  He gave a half grin. “I was planning on it, but I didn’t think you’d want me to throw you on the sofa like a football.”

  Please do, she thought, appalled at her breathlessness. Maybe it will knock some sense into me.

  Her eyes dark with worry, Becky hurried over as Gabe lowered Faith onto the sofa. She fidgeted with the computer game. “Mom, are you sure you’re okay? Your face is red and your eyes look funny. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have fought with Jason. I wanted to get on the Internet and he wanted to play the game.”

  “I’ll be fine, but you’re right. You and Jason shouldn’t fight over the computer. You just got it.”

  “When I was growing up, if my brother and I couldn’t share, we had whatever we were fighting over taken away,” Gabe said.

  Both Jason’s and Becky’s eyes grew large with horror. Jason shook his head. “We won’t fight over it. You can get on the Internet, Becky.”

  Becky pressed the game into his chest. “Oh, no, you play the game,” she insisted.

  Faith’s lips twitched as she met Gabe’s steady, but knowing gaze. Two points for backing her up, she thought, unaccustomed to any support.

  “Do you think your ankle is broken?”

  Faith shook her head and sent up a silent prayer. “It will probably be better by morning.”

  “Or a couple of mornings from now,” Gabe corrected.

  From the way her ankle was throbbing, she feared he might be right, but she sure didn’t like him for it.

  “I can fix you stuff to eat and drink,” Becky offered.

  “I can help,” Jason said, pushing closer.

  Faith tensed and hated herself for it. She adored Jason, but he was in a stage where he seemed like an accident waiting to happen. The idea of him carrying trays of food and drinks brought to mind a nonstop train wreck.

  She put her arms around both Becky and Jason. “I’m sure I can hobble back and forth to the kitchen, and like I said, I hope I’ll be all better tomorrow.”

  “But what if you’re not?” Becky asked. “We go to school tomorrow.”

  “I’ll get you some ice now,” Gabriel offered. “And I can come over tomorrow.”

  Faith’s heart slammed into overdrive. “Oh, no! Absolutely not,” she said to his back as he headed for the kitchen.

  “Why not? You’re hurt. I’m not busy,” he said over his shoulder.

  “You’ve done too much already. Way too much,” she emphasized. “Besides, I’m sure I’ll be just fine.” She glanced at the clock and looked at Becky and Jason. “I see two somebodys who need to get ready for bed.”

  “Oh, Mom,” Jason complained.

  “Not already,” Becky protested.

  “You’re not going to make me regret letting you open a gift tonight, are you?” Faith asked quietly.

  “I should get to go to bed later than Jason since I’m older,” Becky said, jutting out her chin.

  Faith nodded. “You can read for a while in your bed after you brush your teeth and change into your pajamas.”

  Becky’s face fell, showing she was still hoping she’d get a few more minutes on the computer.

  “Or if you don’t like that choice, we can turn out the lights and you can count your blessings,” Faith said.

  Becky didn’t pause a half beat. “I’ll read.” She ran out of the room. “I get the bathroom first!”

  Jason tore after his sister and Faith cringed. “I hope he doesn’t—”

  She heard the sound of a body colliding with a floor or wall or door. “Jason!” she called.

  “Shoot! Becky beat me again. I’m okay. I tripped.”

  Faith closed her eyes and shook her head. “If I can just get him through this awkward stage.”

  “How long has he been accident-prone?” Gabriel asked as he gave her a bag of ice.

  Faith placed the bag on her ankle. “Since he started walking.”

  Gabriel gave a wry smile. “He hasn’t even hit the early teen years when a guy feels like he’s all arms and legs.”

  Faith nodded, taking in Gabriel’s broad shoulders and muscular build. “I can’t believe you ever felt that way.”

  His eyes lit with curiosity. “Why?”

  “You carry yourself like you’ve always been an athlete.”

  He chuckled. “Trust me. When I was thirteen, I spent a lot of time tripping over my own feet.” He nodded toward her hurt ankle. “What can I get for you?”

  “Nothing. I’m fine. I meant it when I said you’ve done too much.”

  “I’ll get you the remote for the television. What do you want to
drink?”

  “I said no—”

  He shook his head. “You’re going to get thirsty sometime. You might as well let me get it for you before I leave.”

  “Okay,” she said, waving a mental flag of surrender. “Soda.” She watched him leave the room and felt a wicked kick of feminine appreciation at the sight of his backside and body. The man had a great body. She covered her eyes, willing herself not to notice.

  He returned with a can of soda and handed her the remote control for the television, but the kids popped back into the den ready for good-night kisses. When she rose to tuck them into their beds, Gabriel picked her up to carry her.

  “I can hop,” she protested, struck by a slew of uncomfortable feelings—embarrassment, frustration and a superawareness of him that bothered her.

  “No need,” he said and set her down on Jason’s bed.

  Trying to ignore Gabriel was ridiculous, but she did her best as she read a story to Jason. She kissed her son good-night and tucked his covers around him.

  She stood and again, Gabriel picked her up to carry her into Becky’s room where her daughter was furiously scribbling on a sheet of paper. Faith’s stomach instinctively tightened. The last time she’d caught Becky scribbling on a sheet of paper with such concentration and passion she’d later learned Becky had been composing her letter to Santa.

  “Last-minute homework?” Faith asked hopefully.

  Becky looked up with a comically surprised expression on her face that screamed “caught” and pushed her glasses up her nose. She shook her head. “No, it’s just a special project for all of us.”

  Gabriel set Faith down on the bed and Faith reached for the paper. “What is—”

  Becky snatched it out of her reach. “You have to promise you won’t get mad.”

  Faith opened her mouth in surprise. “Why would I get mad?”

  Becky shrugged. “You can get touchy.”

  Faith prided herself on maintaining an even keel. “I’m not that touchy, am I?”

  “No, but—”

  “Then let me see what you’re writing,” Faith said, extending her hand.

  Becky glanced at Gabriel then back at Faith. “I just want you to answer some questions.”

  Faith’s heart twisted, surprised that Becky would doubt her. After all they’d been through, she and her children were extremely close. She wondered what could be bothering her daughter. “Honey, I’ve always been willing to answer your questions.”

  “You promise you will?” Becky asked solemnly.

  “Of course.”

  Becky picked up her pencil and took a deep breath. “Okay, just remember you promised. Number one, what are the top five most important things you want in a man?”

  Faith dropped her jaw, speechless for a full moment. She stared at her innocent-looking daughter in disbelief. “You tricked me.”

  “You promised!” Becky reminded her.

  “What is this about?”

  “You know Jason and I want you to get married again,” Becky said.

  Faith felt a twinge of guilt that she’d been unable to provide her children with a caring father figure. Their biological father had abandoned them years ago. “I’ve explained this to you before, sweetheart. I’m busy at the café and with you two. I don’t need a man in my life.”

  Becky set her chin stubbornly, a bad sign. “But we want a dad, and I’m pretty sure Santa’s not going to bring one down the chimney, so we’ve got to try to find one.”

  Faith shook her head. “This doesn’t have anything to do with an online matchmaking service, does it?”

  Becky shrugged. “I just want to know what kind of man you might like so I’ll know him when I see him.”

  Faith bit back a groan. “Becky—”

  “You promised you would answer my questions.”

  She heard Gabriel chuckle from behind her.

  “Looks like she’s got you.”

  Faith shot him what she hoped was a quelling look. It didn’t do any good. His eyes glinted and his lips lifted in a grin that reminded her of the devil himself.

  “Easy for you to say,” she muttered, turning back to Becky.

  “It’s just a few questions. It shouldn’t kill you,” he said.

  Becky cleared her throat, her pencil was poised over the paper. “Top five things you want in a man,” she said.

  Feeling Gabriel’s gaze burn a hole through her back, she tried to ignore him. She sighed, feeling her cheeks heat with embarrassment. “Oh, Becky, I haven’t had time to think about this in ages.”

  Becky rolled her eyes. “Okay, let’s start with looks. How do you like a man to look?”

  Faith frowned. “Well, appearance isn’t the most important thing.”

  “Then what is?”

  “Character,” Faith said. “A sense of humor. Intelligence.”

  Becky scribbled her mother’s response. “That’s three. I need two more.”

  Faith had been stumped, but Becky’s question unleashed a stream of wishes in her mind. “Strength,” she said. “I want someone strong enough to take care of me and to let me take care of him.” Someone who thinks I’m pretty, someone who can’t get enough of me. Her cheeks burned as if she’d spent all day in the sun. “I think that’s enough for now,” she said.

  “But Mom, you only gave me four and I asked for five,” Becky complained. “And how am I gonna find you a husband if I don’t know how you want him to look?”

  Faith kissed Becky’s soft cheek. “I’ll have to think about number five and let you know later.”

  “Promise?”

  “Promise,” she said. “Twenty minutes of reading then lights out.”

  “Thirty minutes?” Becky asked.

  “Or zero minutes,” Faith said, countering her daughter’s negotiation.

  “Twenty,” Becky quickly said.

  Faith gave her a hug then stood. She wasn’t on her feet more than a few seconds before Gabriel swooped her up in his arms again.

  She gasped as he carried her out of Becky’s bedroom. “This is really unnecessary. I can hop. I can crawl. You have to stop. What’s going to happen when I go to bed or take a shower?”

  “Good point,” he said with an expression on his face that made her nervous. “Maybe I should stay.”

  Chapter 4

  After extracting a solemn oath from Faith that she wouldn’t overdo it with her foot, Gabe left her house. The second he stepped outside, he felt a loss of warmth, inside and out. It was the driving rain, he told himself, but it felt like more.

  Faith’s home had felt so warm. The smells of a homemade meal and baked cookies were comforting. Her laughter, even the children’s squabbling, had felt as if someone had rubbed a soothing balm on a sore place inside him.

  Ever since he’d lost his wife and daughter, he’d felt as if he’d been in deep-freeze. The advantage to being frozen, he thought as he got into his truck, was that he felt no pain. Gabe preferred to keep it that way.

  Driving away from the small ranch, he concentrated on the road. The rain slapped at his windshield and he drove through knee-high mud puddles. As he approached the bridge, two police cars blocked the entrance and a man dressed in a poncho waved a lantern.

  Gabe pulled his truck beside the man and lowered his window.

  “The bridge is flooded,” the man said. “No crossing tonight. You’ll have to go back.”

  “Great,” he muttered. “Is there another way into town?”

  “There’s another bridge twenty miles down the road, but it’s rained out, too. Your best bet is to wait till morning or midafternoon.”

  “Great,” he muttered again and turned his truck around. He thought about sleeping in his truck for the night and dismissed the thought. Faith wouldn’t mind putting him up for the night even though she’d looked panicked when he’d suggested staying earlier.

  After returning to her house, he walked up the steps to the wraparound porch and tapped lightly on the door so he wouldn’t wake
the children. No answer. He tapped again, slightly louder. Still no answer. He waited a few moments then tapped again.

  He heard a hopping sound and the door swung open. Faith wore a towel around her head turban-style, and a wraparound terry robe dipped precariously low between her breasts, revealing a hint of cleavage. She smelled like something sweet, he thought and inhaled. Peaches. Her eyes were wide with surprise.

  “Did I catch you in the shower?” he asked.

  “Bathtub. Why—”

  “The bridge has been rained out. Do you mind if I take your couch for the night?”

  She opened her mouth, but no sound came out for a full three seconds. “Oh. Of course not. Come in,” she finally said, hopping to the side to allow him inside. “Did they say how long they expected it to be a problem?”

  She didn’t want him around, he concluded and felt a twinge of humor. It was ornery as the devil, but he liked getting her flustered. She was so calm, implacable. It was fun to see her blush and stutter. When Becky had demanded to know Faith’s top five most important things she wanted in a man, he’d wondered if she’d known her cheeks had turned the color of ripe strawberries.

  “At least you won’t have to hop as much. I can carry—”

  “Oh, no.” Her eyes widened in alarm and she raised her hand in a stopping motion. “Not necessary. I’m going to bed soon anyway. No need.” She turned away and began to hop. “Let me get some linens for you.”

  A slice of protectiveness cut through him, pushing him to action. He swept her up in his arms and shook his head. “I thought you promised you were going to take it easy.” He inhaled and caught another hint of peaches. She felt soft and warm.

  Her eyes glinted with defiance as she squirmed in his arms. “I was just going for linens, not entering a bunny hop contest.”

  He tightened his grip slightly. “Could have fooled me,” he said, taking her into the den and setting her on the sofa. “Stay there,” he said firmly. “And point me in the direction of the linen closet.”

  “It’s down the hall next to the bathroom, but…”

  Gabriel headed toward the bathroom and caught a steamy draft of peaches. An image of Faith, naked and lounging in the tub, slid through his mind, catching him off guard. He scowled at himself. Where were these thoughts coming from? He’d successfully ignored his baser needs for a long time now, and it wasn’t as if Faith was a beauty queen.