Her Christmas Protector

To my mother, Dorothy. I love you.

CONTENTS

CHAPTER ONE

CHAPTER TWO

CHAPTER THREE

CHAPTER FOUR

CHAPTER FIVE

CHAPTER SIX

CHAPTER SEVEN

CHAPTER EIGHT

CHAPTER NINE

CHAPTER TEN

CHAPTER ELEVEN

CHAPTER TWELVE

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

ONE

The scent of pine evoked memories of better times, times before…

The doors of the bus swooshed closed. The hulking vehicle rambled away, leaving Faith Delange in a wake of acrid exhaust.

Stifling a cough, she set her bags on the ground and tugged her wool coat tighter against the December chill. Though nothing could ever guard her against the isolation and fear of being found.

A “Help Wanted” sign hanging in the window of a little diner caught her attention and her stomach growled, spurring her onward. Her leather-soled shoes slipped slightly on patches of ice and sloshed in the dirty snow.

A clear, blue sky made a perfect backdrop for tall evergreens and the rustic little town nestled amid the snow-dusted greenery. In the distance, majestic mountains rose above the trees as if stretching toward heaven. Her gaze took in the town, which looked to be a refurbished antique of the old west decorated with holiday cheer. A sense of well-being swirled around her. A spark of hope leaped to life deep within her soul.

Faith liked what she saw. Here, she could be anybody. Here, she could be safe, if only long enough to rest and eat.

Maybe here, God might answer her prayers. The beginnings of a smile tugged at the corners of her mouth.

With the side of her hip, she pushed open the door of the restaurant and walked into a replica of an old dining car. Over the striped wallpaper hung festive cutouts. A small Christmas tree sat on the counter near the cash register. A bright yellow box with the word “toys” blazoned across the front sat overflowing with wrapped presents to the right of the door. Booths upholstered in red vinyl lined the walls. In the corner, a jukebox played a slow country melody, the words of love and loss bringing a pang to Faith’s heart.

A frazzled, gray-haired waitress smiled from across the room. “Come on in, honey.” The waitress wiped a hand across the skirt of her apron, adding another greasy stain to the front. “Sit where you’d like.”

Every head in the diner swiveled in Faith’s direction. She dropped her gaze to the floor and wished people would go back to what they were doing. She just wanted to blend in, be another faceless body.

Who was she kidding? Not only was she a stranger in this small community, but she looked awful, having worn the same clothes for the last three days.

The smell of bacon drifted past her nose, reminding her of her goal. Food and a job. But the last open booth seemed a mile away from where she stood.

She tightened her grip on her tattered suitcases and started forward just as an older, grizzled man in a plaid shirt vacated a spot at the counter. Moving quickly, Faith claimed the stool and set her suitcases on the floor at her feet.

In her peripheral vision she noticed the man to her right and his openly curious stare. She tilted her head away and picked up the menu.

The waitress wiped down the counter. “What can I get for you, dear?”

Her mouth watering and her stomach cramping with hunger, Faith succumbed to the temptation to order a full meal. “I’ll have the eggs Benedict, please.” She set down the menu. “And coffee.”

“Ethel, here, brews the best coffee in the whole state,” the man stated.

Faith nodded her acknowledgement but kept her gaze forward. She didn’t talk to strangers. Especially men.

Ethel beamed. “You’re a charmer, L.C. Your order will be right up, dear.” The waitress moved away with a spring in her step.

The warmth of the diner seeped into Faith’s skin and her coat became too much. She shrugged it down her shoulders and released her left arm from the sleeve. Gingerly, she tried to push the right sleeve down without having to raise her arm.

“Here, let me,” the man, L.C., offered as he reached for her coat.

Faith jerked back at the unexpected move. She stared at him. He had close-cropped dark hair and a ruggedly handsome face with a strong jawline. The slight bump along the ridge of his nose gave his face character, and she wondered how he’d acquired the break. His clean-shaven cheeks barely hinted at the dark shadow she guessed would appear by the end of the day. Dark eyebrows slashed over the bluest eyes she’d ever seen.

Just because he was handsome didn’t mean she could trust him. She knew better than most what evil could lurk behind a beautiful facade.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to startle you,” he said, holding up calloused hands.

“Th…that’s okay.”

“May I?” he asked and nodded his head toward her arm.

Not wanting to draw more attention, she slowly nodded. One of his big hands caught the end of her sleeve, his fingers lightly brushing against the back of her hand, setting off a maelstrom of tingles up her arm. His other hand grasped the collar of her coat. In a smooth motion he slipped the coat down her arm. Faith winced slightly as her shoulder moved.

“Did I hurt you?” L.C.’s rich, mellow voice held a note of concern.

She swallowed and tried to find her voice. “Old injury.”

“Would you like to hang your jacket up?” He motioned toward a row of hooks on the wall near the entryway.

“No, thanks.” She took the coat and laid it across one of her bags.

He turned his attention back to his breakfast. Faith studied him from the corner of her eye. He wore dusty cowboy boots, faded jeans and a blue denim shirt. A cowboy? In Oregon? She’d pictured the mountains of the northwest full of lumberjacks, not cowboys.

Ethel placed a large plateful of steaming hot food in front of Faith. Faith’s stomach reacted to the aroma with a loud rumble.

At the man’s deep chuckle, a sheepish smile touched her lips. “I’m hungry.”

“So I heard.” He flashed a grin.

Heat crept up her neck.

Ethel leaned her hip against the counter in front of the man, drawing his attention. “How’s your mother coming along?”

He sighed. “Better. Reva’s been tending to her, but Mom isn’t happy about it. She wants me to find someone else to come in and stay with her.”

Ethel snorted. “I don’t blame her. Reva would be the last person I’d want hovering over me. She’d be enough to bring on another heart attack.”

Faith glanced at L.C. to see how he’d take Ethel’s disparaging remarks about this Reva person. His expression remained calm and composed. So not like other men she’d known in her life.

Luke shrugged. “Reva means well. Though, I came into town to put an ad in the paper for someone else to help out.”

Faith almost choked on her food. He needed someone to help with his mother. For one insane moment, she almost said she’d take the job. But she needed a way to get cash fast. Just what the job in the diner would offer.

“Now, you tell her hello for me. Tell her we miss her at choir practice and I’ll try to get out to the ranch this week for a visit.”

“I will, Ethel, thanks.”

Ethel turned to Faith. “How’s your breakfast, dear?”

Faith swallowed before answering. “Wonderful.” And to the man beside her she added, “And the coffee is great.”

“Told you so.” He gave her a crooked grin, knocking the breath from her lungs. As a teenager, she’d dreamed of smiles like his.

She’d also dreamed of a happy, normal marriage. Now all she had were nightmares.

“L.C.?”

He extended his hand. “Luke Campbell, at your service, Miss…”

Tentatively, she took his hand. The kiss of the sun had tanned his calloused fingers, a stark contrast to the paleness of her own hand. “Faith Delange.”

She bit back a gasp of anxiety at giving out her real name. Having used so many aliases over the last three months she sometimes forgot who she was supposed to be.

But he’d distracted her.

A big no-no.

She couldn’t let her guard down. Not for a second. She could never be sure who would be the one to give her away.

“Well, Faith, what brings you to Sisters?”

He leaned back and eyed her with an intensity that brought a heated flush to her cheeks. Her heart beat erratically at the probing question. “I’m just passing through.”

“That’s too bad.” He cocked his head to one side and studied her. “Where are you headed?”

Good question. She didn’t want to say, where I can’t be found, so she shrugged. “I’m just traveling around, seeing America.” That sounded innocuous enough.

“Really?” His gaze shifted to her suitcases on the floor.

She asked quickly, “What do you do, Mr. Campbell?”

“Please, call me Luke.”

Her gaze dropped to her plate. “Luke.”

“I…well, for the moment, I’m a rancher.”

“Why just for the moment?”

“I’m a captain in the army. My father recently passed away and my mother suffered a heart attack not long after. Thankfully, I had enough unused leave to come home and help.”

Her hand went to her heart. “I’m so sorry.”

“It’s been hard.” Luke noticed the delicate shape of her fingers, fine-boned and petite. The kind of fingers meant for diamonds. Hers were bare.

He could tell she’d been traveling hard. Her wrinkled clothes looked well-worn, and the dark circles beneath her eyes told him she needed rest. He studied her face, liking the high cheekbones, wide, generous mouth and catlike eyes. Those eyes shifted ever-so-slightly toward the door. Luke twisted around to see what she found so fascinating, but there was nothing there. “Are you waiting for someone?”

“No.”

“Are you alone, then?”

She stared hard at him for a moment before slowly answering, “Yes.”

“Where are you staying?”

“Oh, I’m not.” She spoke quickly, “I’ll be catching the next bus out.” She pushed a strand of blond hair behind her ear.

He shouldn’t care. He wasn’t staying much longer himself. But there was something vulnerable about her that didn’t sit well. “Wouldn’t it be a good idea to stop and stay in one place for a while? Sisters has a lot to offer.”

She glanced at him sharply and wiped daintily at her mouth with a napkin. “I can see a lot from a bus window.”

“Must get terribly uncomfortable.”

She shrugged.

“How long do you plan to keep traveling?”

“As long as it takes.”

“Where to next?”

She thought for a moment. “Alaska.”

“As in tundra?”

She gave him a pointed look. “You ask a lot of questions.”

He grinned. “Guilty as charged.” People tended to open up if the right question was asked. Sometimes it took a lot of questions. “I’m a curious man.”

She leaned in close. “Haven’t you heard the one about curiosity killing the cat?”

Following her movement, he leaned closer. “Will my curiosity kill me?”

Abruptly, she sat back. Her expression took on a pained, faraway look. “It could, I suppose. I really don’t know.”

“Want to tell me about it?”

Her expression became guarded. “About what?”

Every nerve ending went on alert. She was hiding something. Luke stifled the urge to press and ran a hand through his hair. He didn’t need this. Her. He had enough guilt for not being there for his father to take on another person’s problems.

Ethel stopped before them. “Would either of you like anything else?”

Faith’s expression changed and became hopeful. “Do you have pie?”

At least she had good taste and a healthy appetite. “Good choice.”

Faith liked the way Luke’s eyes crinkled at the corners. But his questions still made her uncomfortable and she was thankful he let the subject drop. The last thing she needed was to have someone probing into her life. Making judgments or, worse yet, pitying her.

He pulled out his billfold from his back pocket and laid cash down on the counter.

“Here’s our homemade apple pie,” Ethel announced, setting the pie on the counter before moving away.

Luke rose and took a thick brown, shearling-lined leather coat from the hook and placed a traditional cowboy hat on his head. With an engaging grin he tipped the brim. “Faith, nice meeting you. Have a safe trip to Alaska.”

Safety. If only she had a guarantee she’d find it in the tundra, she’d actually head that way. “Thanks.”

As she watched him walk out, a familiar sense of loneliness assailed her. Only now it was more pronounced. For a moment, talking to the man, she’d felt normal. Mr. Campbell had been kind and thoughtful. Something she’d found too little of lately. Would she ever get used to the isolation?

“How’s that pie?” Ethel asked, as she refilled Faith’s coffee mug.

“Delicious,” she replied. “I…I wanted to…inquire about the job?”

Ethel’s expression went blank.

“The ‘Help Wanted’ sign in the window,” Faith prompted.

“Oh, lands sakes.” Ethel shook her head. “I’m sorry, dear. That should have been taken down two days ago.”

Disappointment rolled through Faith with the force of a thunderstorm. “Oh, I see.”

“I’ll go take care of that sign right now.” Ethel hurried away.

Setting down her fork, Faith pulled open her handbag and brought out a small leather pouch. She tugged out the bills and let the change fall to the table. She didn’t think she’d have enough left after she paid her bill to buy another bus ticket.

Okay, time to regroup. The waitressing job wouldn’t have been an ideal choice anyway. She’d be too visible here, too easy to find. The town was too small.

She scoffed at the irony her life had become. Instead of tipping the server, she was the one in need of the tip. Her grandfather would be so disgusted. And he’d left her all that money. But she couldn’t dip into her inheritance without throwing up a big red flag.

Pushing away the pie plate, she dropped her head into her hands. Oh, God, please help me.

What was the point? God had abandoned her long ago. She supposed her grandfather’s steadfast belief kept her wanting to believe. But so far God hadn’t heard her prayers.

Lifting her head, she stared through blurry eyes at the money lying on the table. What was she to do?

An image of Luke drifted across her consciousness and she recalled his conversation with Ethel. He needed someone to care for his mother. An idea blossomed in the back of her mind.

He didn’t exactly say he was looking for a nurse, just someone to help his mother recover.

She could do that.

After all, she’d been the one to care for her grandfather after he suffered his heart attack. She’d watched the team of nurses come and go, seen the services they’d provided. She’d jumped right in when the nurses had refused to stay.

She had owed her grandfather that for having taken her in after her parents died. Gerald Emerson Delange had been a Bible-thumping, judgmental and unyielding man. But she’d loved him and no one could be as difficult to care for as he’d been.

Oh, yes, she could care for Luke’s mother.

But would it be a wise choice?

She wouldn’t be visible, she’d have a place to stay and the job would probably pay decently. If no one knew she was there, maybe she’d even be safe for a while.

She stretched the aching muscles in her back. She couldn’t go on like this. Fatigue was making her mind fuzzy, not to mention her dwindling funds. And the longer she stayed in the open, the more chance she’d be found.

What choice did she have?

Faith paid her bill, gathered her belongings, and hurried from the diner to find Luke.

She caught a glimpse of him as he turned the corner, disappearing behind a building a block down the street. Even from a distance he made a striking picture. Instead of the expected easy-rolling gait of a cowboy, he walked with a purposeful stride. Head up and shoulders back. Very controlled. In fact, everything about Luke spoke of a forthright and self-controlled man.

I’m a captain in the army.

She had the feeling that with Luke you got what you saw. Faith liked that. It was so opposite of what she’d lived with for so long.

Desperate to catch him before he disappeared altogether, she jogged down the sidewalk, her bags jostling at her sides.

She turned the corner as Luke climbed into a dark green Bronco. An instant later, the engine roared to life. He backed his vehicle out of the parking place, the tires crunching on the snow-covered gravel. Faith dropped her bags and ran toward him.

“Luke! Luke, wait!”

The Bronco screeched to a stop. Luke rolled down his window. “Faith, are you okay?”

His deep voice washed over her, smoothing the rough edges of her nerves.

Nodding, she blinked up at him. “I…I wanted to ask you something.”

He gave her a curious stare. “Ask away.”

Anxiety threatened to wrap itself around her throat, but she bolstered her courage and plunged ahead. “I’d like to apply for that job you mentioned earlier.”

A confused frown marred his brow. “Job?”

Faith took a deep breath. “For your mother. The helper you needed.”

“I thought you were just passing through?”

“I changed my mind. The country air agrees with me.” She breathed in deep, the cold air filling her lungs and making her cough. It was either the air or she was losing her mind.

She probably was nuts to be doing this, but would she be found in this out of the way town in the middle of the Oregon Mountains? And on a ranch?

No, she didn’t think so. She was ninety-nine percent sure she’d be safe.

She’d worry about the other one percent later.

TWO

Hire her, Luke thought to himself immediately, and then heard himself say, “You’re hired.”

Her eyes rounded in surprise. “Just like that?”

Luke hesitated. He knew next to nothing about this woman and yet, when he looked into her eyes, the haunted expression that had bothered him earlier seemed to recede. “Just like that.”

“I’ll…get my bags.”

“Here, let me,” Luke offered as he opened the door. But she was already hurrying away.

Luke drummed his fingers on the door. Okay, Lord. I trust You know what You’re doing. Whatever You have planned, I’m with You.

Still, he couldn’t shake the unsettled knot in the pit of his stomach.

As Faith approached, Luke climbed out from behind the wheel and took her bags. He put them in the back and then helped her into the rig. “You travel light for someone who’s been out touring the country.”

“Easier to pack up and go.”

Luke climbed back behind the wheel and wondered what made her need to “pack up and go.”

He clamped his jaw tight. Why couldn’t God have provided some nice grandmotherly type, someone he could easily dismiss from his mind?

Luke slanted Faith a glance as he pulled out onto the street. Something about the way she held herself spoke of a quiet strength he found appealing. He wasn’t immune to her physical charms, either.

He liked the straight line of her nose and the stubbornness of her jaw. Her blond hair swung about her shoulders and he could almost imagine the feel of the silken strands gliding across his palm.

Resolutely, he shook the sensation away. He really didn’t need this.

Suddenly, Faith moved, throwing herself on the floor and he nearly careened into a building. He eased up on the gas pedal. “What are you doing?”

Her hunted expression reappeared, making her look wide-eyed and scared. “I…think my…ear…earring fell out,” she stammered and patted the floorboards.

For several seconds she continued to search the floor.

There’d been no jewelry adorning her ears. Interesting. “Find it?”

“Yes.” She attempted to sit up but her purse went flying to the floor, scattering paraphernalia at their feet. Diving down, she retrieved her goods.

Luke could have sworn she’d nudged her purse off the seat on purpose. Curiosity burned in his gut. “Room and board.”

He glanced down at her bent head. He noticed one hand held her purse while the other put air into the purse’s opening. His curiosity cranked up a notch and his brows drew together.

She peeked at him through a veil of blond hair. “Excuse me?”

She was acting so…odd. Luke forced his attention on the road ahead of them. “I said, room and board. Plus two-hundred dollars a week.”

“That sounds perfect.” Her muffled voice held relief.

They passed through town and he waved at several people. Then the realization hit him. She didn’t want anyone to see her leaving with him.

Why?

Luke turned the truck onto the road leading to his parents’ ranch. “We’re out of town. You’re safe now.”

Faith started and sat up. Her face flushed a deep crimson. “What do you mean?”

He nodded toward the floor. “You find everything?”

“Huh? Oh, yes. Thanks.” She turned away from him, her hands clasped into a tight knot.

Seeing her knuckles turn white, he felt the need to assure her and calm her fears. “Relax, Faith. It’s going to be okay.”

The fearful expression in her eyes told him she wasn’t convinced.

A little small talk might ease the situation. “Where are you from?”

“Back east.”

“Back east is a big place,” he stated with wry amusement.

One corner of her mouth lifted. “New York.”

He arched an eyebrow. “It’s a big state.”

She slanted a glance his way. “Yes. It is.”

He’d bet she came from money. The graceful table manners she’d displayed and her cultured speech oozed private school, which only left him more intrigued.

“The countryside is so beautiful and peaceful,” she commented, then asked, “Have you lived here your whole life?”

“Born and raised.” He didn’t mention he’d left at eighteen and only recently returned.

“How long ago did your mother have her heart attack?”

“Two weeks.” He’d wanted a nurse to care for his mother just in case she suffered another attack, but the doctor had assured him she would be back to normal soon. All she needed was rest and a little exercise. And someone constantly making sure she was doing just that. Someone besides Reva May Scott.

“What does your family think of your see-America jaunt?” he asked.

She pressed her lips together and shrugged. “Who’s Reva?”

She was good at changing the subject. “That’s a complicated question.”

He thought for a moment how best to answer. “Her father and my dad were good friends. When her mother took off after she was born, her dad started drinking. My dad tried to step in as much as possible for them.”

“That was generous. So you two are like siblings then?”

He let out a short laugh. Reva would disagree. “Yeah, something like that.”

“I take it from what you told Ethel, Reva and your mother don’t get along.”

“No, they don’t. Mom tried real hard with her when Reva was a little girl, but…” He shrugged. “Reva would never accept my mom.”

“That’s too bad,” Faith commented, her expression thoughtful. “I hope your mom will be okay with me coming home with you.”

Letting up on the gas, the Bronco slowed as he turned onto the gravel drive. “I wouldn’t be bringing you home if I didn’t think I was making the right decision.”

She turned away to stare out the window. Stretching before them in wild splendor was his family’s five-hundred acres. At the end of the drive sat a two-story farmhouse, flanked on either side by a pair of large, red barns, one of which had four apartments on the second floor. A paddock and corral sat off to the right side of the barn while the other side was open grazing land with sage brush and bare trees sticking up through the layer of snow.