Kash thanked him, bought two cups of hot coffee to go, and hurried back to his truck.
Celia glanced up at him with glassy eyes when he slid behind the wheel.
“Drink this hot coffee. It’ll help you warm up.” Kash held out a cup and Celia took it from him, sipping the warm brew.
“Thanks,” she whispered.
“Are you hungry?”
She shook her head and took another sip of the coffee.
Kash guided the truck back onto the road and headed for home. Celia finished her coffee and returned to sleep.
Any number of thoughts trickled through his head as he drove through the blinding snow. What if he hadn’t found her when he did? What if she’d had to spend the night out there in the cold?
Plagued with questions and worries, he silently sent up a prayer of thanks that she was safe with him.
A few miles before they reached the outskirts of Twin Falls, Kash turned off the highway and drove several miles, then made another turn, driving for another four miles.
He made a left onto a winding driveway and released a relieved sigh at the lights of the porch gleaming through the snow and darkness.
When he parked his pickup in front of the house, a handful of dogs lifted their heads with interest from the porch.
Kash got out and walked around to the passenger door, pulling it open and unfastening Celia’s seat belt. Despite the cool air, her face appeared flushed, and her skin felt hot and clammy against his palm when he touched her cheek.
“Come on, Red. Let’s get you inside.”
She mumbled something he didn’t understand as he lifted her in his arms, blanket and all, and carried her across the front walk and up the steps.
The dogs circled around him, wagging their tails, eager for attention.
“You guys hang on a minute. I’ve got my hands full right now, but I promise I’ll come back.” Kash grinned at the canines, pleased they remembered their manners and didn’t jump up on him.
He fumbled to open the front door but finally reached the knob. The door swung inward and Kash pushed it closed with the heel of his boot.
“Dad? Dad, are you home?”
“In the kitchen, Kash.” A voice echoed from the back of the house.
“Can you come help me, please?”
Frank hurried down the hall with a dishtowel in his hands. At the sight of his snow-covered son holding a woman wrapped in a blanket, Frank grinned. “I see you found Miss Celia.”
“Her truck broke down in the middle of nowhere. She’s lucky I came along,” Kash said. He shifted her in his arms, trying to pull up the tail of the blanket that had dragged through the snow.
Frank lifted the corner and tucked it into Kash’s hand. “She doesn’t look too good.”
“Celia’s sick.” Kash tipped his head so his cheek touched her forehead. “She’s burning up and has hardly said two words in the last hour.”
“Let’s put her in the guest room at the top of the stairs.” Frank led the way up the wide staircase and opened the first door in a long hallway. He flicked on the light and hurried to remove all the throw pillows Barb insisted were necessary for properly welcoming a guest. Frank flipped back the covers and stood aside as Kash walked in with Celia.
The girl looked in a bad way as her head lolled against his son’s broad chest.
Gently, Kash set her on the bed, but she seemed to lack the strength or ability to hold herself upright.
In slow motion, she flopped backward and went limp.
“We probably should get her under the covers,” Frank suggested, not moving from his spot by the foot of the bed.
“You think?” Kash asked with a hint of sarcasm. Celia needed to be put to bed, but he didn’t want to be the one to do it. “Is Barb still here?”
“Nope. I took her to the airport bright and early this morning. She won’t be back until the third of January, so we are on our own.”
Kash glanced at his dad. “What do you suggest?”
“I suggest you get her out of those cold, damp clothes and tucked beneath those warm blankets.”
“But I…” Kash clamped his mouth shut. There were a hundred reasons he didn’t want to undress Celia, but he’d run out of options.
“What’s going on?” Ransom asked, sticking his head inside the door.
“Celia’s sick and we’re tucking her into bed.” Frank pointed a finger toward Ransom. “Go grab a T-shirt for her to wear.”
Ransom disappeared and returned to find Frank and Kash tugging off Celia’s boots and socks.
“I’ve got plenty of practice with this sort of thing if you need any help.” Ransom waggled an eyebrow at Kash as he handed him a T-shirt. “Can’t say that I’d mind getting my hands on her.”
“Out!” Kash snapped and tipped his head toward the door.
Ransom held his hands up in front of him and backed toward the door. “Hey, just trying to be helpful.”
Kash took a step his direction and Ransom hurried out the door. The sound of his footsteps thudded down the stairs.
Frank helped Kash remove Celia’s coat and sweatshirt. He took a step back when they got down to a button-up blouse and her jeans.
“No need for both of us to do this. You go ahead, son.” Frank moseyed over to the door. “You get her tucked into bed and I’ll bring up some broth. There’s a few cans down in the pantry.”
“But, Dad, don’t you think it would be better to just…”
Frank shook his head. “It’s okay, son. She’ll rest better out of those clothes. Just don’t enjoy it too much.”
An exasperated growl rumbled out of Kash as his dad left the room and shut the door behind him.
“Celia? Can you hear me?” Kash tapped her cheek, but she didn’t so much as blink. “I’m not buying your claims of being a light sleeper. I could set off dynamite in here and you wouldn’t notice.”
While he grumbled, he unbuttoned her blouse and worked it off her shoulders and down her arms.
He tugged one of his old T-shirts over her head, not surprised Ransom wouldn’t willingly share one of his. With a bit of effort, he got her arms through the sleeve holes and pulled it down.
His fingers quivered as he undid her belt buckle then unbuttoned her jeans. The metallic resonance of the zipper as he slid it down sounded deafening in the quiet of the room.
Quickly working her jeans over her hips, Kash tossed them on the floor, picked up Celia, and settled her in the bed. He pulled up the covers and smoothed the hair away from her face.
A memory of Barb caring for him when he was sick came back to him. He stepped into the adjoining bathroom and rinsed a washcloth beneath warm water. After squeezing out the excess, he returned to the bed and sponged Celia’s hot face. Barb had done the same for him one year when he’d gotten sick right after Christmas and spent part of his vacation from school in his room with a high fever and bad cough.
As Kash glanced down at Celia, a wave of love for the independent, sassy girl washed over him.
Who was he kidding? He didn’t know how he’d survive without her. His life would go back to being shades of gray and he didn’t want that. He wanted to embrace and enjoy every color she brought into his world.
A tap at the door drew his gaze that direction as his dad stepped inside with a steaming mug.
“I warmed up this broth,” Frank said as he walked up to Kash. “If we can get it in her, it might help. All I remember from when you boys were kids is to keep lots of fluids going in and to take you to the doctor if the fever gets too high.”
Kash slid a hand behind Celia’s shoulders and lifted her up. He sat down and let her lean against him in an upright position.
“Celia, you need to drink this. Open your mouth, baby. All you have to do is swallow.” Kash took the cup from his dad and held it to her lips. She drank about half of it before her head tilted to the side and she muttered something unintelligible.
Kash moved and let her rest against the pillows again. After straightening
the covers, he followed his dad out of the room, leaving the door partway open.
Together, they walked downstairs.
“I’ll get her things out of the truck before I put it away. I should probably call her folks to let them know she’s here.” Kash didn’t have Jana and Trevor’s number, but it was programmed into Celia’s phone.
“I just about have supper ready. Come on back to the kitchen as soon as you put away your pickup.” Frank ambled down the hallway while Kash ran back out into the cold.
Five trips were necessary to haul in Celia’s suitcase and anything he thought might freeze, along with his own suitcase.
After he parked the pickup in the carport, he stopped and gave each of the six dogs some attention before returning inside.
He removed his snow-covered coat and boots by the back door then hurried to the downstairs bathroom where he washed up for dinner.
When he entered the kitchen, the smell of a beefy casserole filled the air. “I take it Barb had time to fill the freezer with heat-and-eat meals for us?”
“She did.” Frank grinned as he set a bowl of salad on the table. “I swear, I don’t know what I’d do without that woman. Before she came to us, I went through a few dozen housekeepers, trying to find one who could cook, clean, and keep you two boys in line. It was a tall order.”
“Barb never seemed to have any problem with us,” Kash commented as he poured three glasses of milk and set them on the table.
“No, she loved you boys from the start. She once told me that she didn’t like namby-pamby kids. Barb said the trouble you two got into showed intelligence and a curiosity for life.”
Kash chuckled. “If she felt that way, why’d we get yelled at so much or spend so much time doing chores as punishment?”
“We couldn’t just let you run wild.” Frank shook his head as he set biscuits he’d baked from a can of refrigerated dough onto a plate and placed it on the table. “You’re a good man, Kash, and I’m proud of you.”
“Thanks, Dad. I appreciate it.” Kash took the casserole out of the oven and set it on a potholder in the middle of the kitchen table. He glanced around, expecting his brother to materialize. “Where’s Ransom?”
“In the family room. It’s Monday night football.”
Kash rolled his eyes then stepped into the hall and hollered. “Ransom, get your lazy behind in here. Food’s getting cold.”
“Do you two ever say anything nice to each other?” Frank asked as he took a seat at the table.
“Not if I can help it.” Kash smirked at his father and sat down next to him at the square table that comfortably seated four. They had a fancy dining room that would seat sixteen. Except for one weekend a year when they invited a bunch of people in to see their rodeo stock, the room went unused.
Ransom swaggered into the kitchen and took a seat opposite of Kash. Frank gave him a warning glare when he reached for a biscuit. He dropped his hand to his lap and waited while his father asked a blessing on the meal then added a prayer for Celia.
Frank looked to Kash as they started passing food around the table. “Did you get in touch with her folks?”
“No, dad. Thanks for the reminder. I almost forgot.” Kash pulled a phone out of his shirt pocket. The sparkly red cover hinted that it belonged to Celia.
Ransom choked on the milk he’d just swallowed. Frank thumped his back and gave him a curious glance “What’s wrong with you?”
“Nothing, Dad. I’m fine.” Ransom wheezed between coughs. If his brother discovered the text message he’d sent Celia pretending to be him, the storm raging outside would have nothing on the one that would sweep through their cozy kitchen.
Kash tapped the screen, trying to guess Celia’s password. Since it had to be four numbers or letters, he’d tried Cort, Seal, her birthday, and was about to give up when he entered his name.
Granted access, he smiled at a background photo of her sitting in front of a Christmas tree with Jacob and Gideon.
Quickly, he scrolled through her contacts and found her mom’s number. Jana answered on the second ring. He told her Celia had broken down, the truck was being towed, and she was sick.
“Do I need to come take care of her, Kash? We can come get her in the morning.” Jana sounded concerned about her daughter.
“I think she’s just got a good old-fashioned cold, but I’ll keep you posted. I hate to see you travel in this weather. If she’s ready to go home in the morning, I’ll drive her to Boise myself.” Kash didn’t like the thought of Celia leaving until they had a long discussion about what had happened the last night they were together in Las Vegas. Regardless of what he wanted, if she demanded to go home, he’d take her.
“Thanks, Kash. I know you’ll take good care of her. Is your Dad and brother there, too?”
“Yep. We’ll all keep an eye on her.”
Kash heard Jana’s smile when she spoke. “I appreciate it, Kash. You boys don’t spoil her, though. She’ll be impossible for me to handle if you do.”
“No, ma’am. Wouldn’t dream of it. Either I’ll call you tomorrow, or have Celia.”
Jana mentioned something about Celia having a photo shoot Tuesday and trying to find a contact name to cancel it before she disconnected the call.
Kash looked over and smiled at his dad. “Her mom doesn’t sound too worried about leaving her in our care.”
“Your food’s getting cold.” Ransom pointed to Kash’s plate with his fork. Sincerely hoping his brother would put down the phone, he needed to get his hands on it before Kash found the message he didn’t want him to see.
Kash set the phone by his plate and picked up his fork. He and his dad talked about snow removal around the ranch house, which crew members would leave to visit family for Christmas, and a new bull they planned to purchase in January. Ransom quietly shoveled in his food, plotting an escape.
After taking another bite of the casserole, Kash picked up Celia’s phone. “Jana said Celia is supposed to do a photo shoot tomorrow. She mentioned getting in touch with the client to let them know Celia needs to cancel. She keeps all the appointment info in here somewhere.”
When he went to her text messages, it opened to their most recent texts. Kash read the message he supposedly sent her Sunday morning.
Anger began boiling somewhere in the vicinity of his toes and rapidly gained steam as it worked its way up to his head. He dropped the phone on the table and stood so fast it knocked over his chair.
His hand shot out across the table and gripped the collar of Ransom’s shirt, jerking him to his feet.
“What did you do?” Kash demanded in a hard, cold voice. “I’m seriously going to kill you.”
“Now, Kash, just calm down.” Ransom tried to pry his brother’s fingers loose but they tightened on his shirt. There wasn’t a single doubt in his mind that Kash wished he squeezed his throat instead of the fabric.
“I won’t calm down. In fact, the more I think about what you did, the more inclined I am to punch you so many times we’ll no longer look like twins.”
“Kash! Whatever he’s done, let go of your brother and we’ll work it out.” Frank rose to his feet, trying to be the peacemaker.
“Read what he wrote to Celia from my phone. No wonder she’s so mad at me.”
Kash glowered at Ransom as his father picked up the phone and read the message. Disappointment mixed with irritation in the older man’s eyes as he glared at Ransom.
“Why would you do this, son? Why would you make a bad situation worse?” Frank held the phone out toward Ransom. “Why would you want to hurt Celia or your brother?”
“Because I hate him! I hate everything about him!” Ransom jerked away from Kash. The sound of his shirt ripping filled the silence that followed his outburst. He raised a hand and pointed across the table. “Saint Kash never does anything wrong. Everyone likes him. I’m sick and tired of everyone telling me what a great guy he is, how he’s so dependable and smart and perfect.” Ransom glared at his father. “Y
ou’ve always loved him best and don’t deny it. I’m sick of everyone talking about how lucky I am to have Kash for a brother. I was happy to hear that he screwed things up with Celia. I thought I’d just make sure there was no chance she’d ever take him back. On top of everything else, why should he get the beautiful girl, too?”
Ransom started to storm out of the kitchen, but Frank grabbed his arm. “Let’s talk this through, son. You can’t go around tormenting folks like you do. It’s wrong and hurtful and…”
“I don’t care!” Ransom shouted. “I hate this business. I hate the stock, the rodeos, and this ranch. Most of all, I hate both of you!”
He marched out of the kitchen. The sound of the back door slamming let them know he’d gone outside. He wouldn’t get far in the storm. Kash assumed he’d most likely go hide out in the shop or barn.
“I’m sorry, Kash. Your brother fights demons I can’t begin to understand and don’t know how to fix.” Frank slumped into his chair and rubbed a hand over his face.
“He’s like this all the time, Dad. I know you don’t want to see it, but the truth is, Ransom is volatile, mean, and a detriment to the business. In case you missed it, he’s manipulative, selfish, and a liar. If we didn’t look exactly alike, I might even call him an ugly ol’ cuss.”
Aggravated, Kash ran a hand through his short hair and plopped down in his chair. “Why do you insist he be a part of this business, Dad? He’s gonna run it into the ground or kill me trying. Turn him loose to do something he might enjoy, although I don’t have an earthly clue what that might be.”
Air blew out of Frank in defeat. “I don’t know either. I don’t know what would make him happy.”
A snort from Kash drew Frank’s frown. “He can’t earn a living for being a conniving, womanizing, drunken idiot.”
“No, I don’t suppose that would look good on a resume.” Sadness engulfed the rancher’s face as he stared at Kash. “Your brother’s many faults aren’t a secret to me. I know it’s been tough on you having to clean up after him, but I wanted you two to work together for a reason.”
Introspective, Frank rose and rubbed his jaw. “I raised you boys the same, so I can’t begin to unravel where I went wrong with Ransom. He’s just too dang much like his mother. I’d hoped by working the business together this year, you’d learn something from each other. Seems like all you two learned was to hate one another.”
Capturing Christmas Page 19