A Texas Christmas Wish Page 13

  She couldn’t stop the smile even if she had wanted to. This was the life she wanted for her son. A community they belonged in; friends they could trust. There were moments in life when everything came together in a perfect moment. God was good.

  Heading to the tent, she saw a man she didn’t recognize had joined the group of women. He looked familiar. He threw his head back and laughed out loud—a deep hearty laugh that made others want to join in even if they didn’t know why he was laughing. She stumbled on a rock. He was tall with thick dark hair mixed with the perfect amount of gray. The gray was new.

  He turned, his gaze locking on her. “Karly, baby! Surprise.”

  Ice. Ice took over her veins. Her heart stopped. The lungs that had just been breathing forgot how to move. She fell into a black hole, blood leaving her legs. Something hit her. In a dream state she looked down. The plate she had been holding lay shattered on the ground around her boots. Pieces too small to be fixed.

  “Karly?” Vickie was the first to reach her. “Are you okay?” She started picking up the broken pieces.

  Bryce. Her gaze went wild trying to find Bryce. She wanted to grab him and run. Her car was back at the ranch house. She needed to get there.

  “Karly?” Lorrie Ann stood on the other side of her. Her hands on her arms. “Karly?”

  “I wanted to surprise you, baby girl.” Her stepfather stood before her, his charming smile in place. Anthony reached out and tucked her hair behind her ear.

  She stepped away and focused on the chucks of plates on the ground. Vickie took the pieces from her shaking hands.

  His eyes became moist. “It’s been too long. I’m so sorry it took me so long to find you.” He took her into his arms and enveloped her in a bear hug, holding her so close she fought to breathe. He leaned back with his fingers wrapped around her arms. She stepped out of his reach. “Look at you. You look so much like your mom at the same age. It took me so long to find you. And you have a son.” He smiled and wiped a single tear off his cheek. “I have a grandson.” He looked to the kids. “Which one is Bryce?”

  No, no, no were the only words she could find in her brain.

  “I can’t believe how fast I was able to find you here in Clear Water. I checked into a cabin, and the first person I asked knew where to find you.” He flashed the charismatic smile that put everybody at ease.

  Her? A deep chill radiated from her bones to her skin.

  She blinked and looked at the people she trusted. People she loved. They were smiling. A few even had tears spilling over lashes.

  “Oh, I love reunions. This is so amazing.”

  Karly wasn’t even sure who spoke. Everyone crowded around her. A hand landed on her left shoulder. She jumped and turned. Tyler stood there. His blue eyes grounded her. “Karly? What’s going on?” His steady gaze moved from her to the man standing before her. Her long-lost stepfather. Oh, no. She was going to be sick.

  Anthony reached inside his jacket and pulled out a worn picture. “I’ve kept this next to my heart ever since the day I got it.” He held out a picture of Karly at nine years old, bald. Those were the days he had kept her head shaved, allowing people to think she had cancer.

  Vickie gasped. “You never told us you had cancer as a child.”

  She couldn’t breathe. Unable to talk, she shook her head.

  Maggie laid a warm hand on her, questions in her soft brown eyes.

  Sweet Katy had tears in her eyes. “How horrific.”

  Tyler put a gentle hand on her back. “Karly?”

  Maggie tightened her fingers around Karly’s arm. “You’ve been through so much. I’m so glad God brought you to us.”

  Surrounded by Maggie’s fresh, clean smell gave Karly a moment to collect herself. These people were truth and love. She needed to get Bryce and go home, except it wasn’t her home. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Maybe she wasn’t meant to have a home, but her son needed one. “Where’s Bryce? I don’t see my son.” The world became a fuzzy blur. She needed to breathe before she passed out. “Tyler, I don’t feel well. Can we go home now?”

  Anthony tried to haul her into a side hug. “Oh, that’s a good idea. I would love to see your new home. You could give me a ride and we can talk in private. You live here on the ranch now?”

  She pushed against him and moved closer to Tyler. “Um...I don’t know.” How did she keep him from tainting the best place she had ever lived?

  Tyler shifted to her other side, standing between her and Anthony. “Hi. I’m Tyler Childress. Karly works for my dad. She actually lives at our house, and Dad’s not feeling well. He’s not up for company.”

  Oh, she loved him.

  “Tyler!” Katy punched him in the arm. “They haven’t seen each other in forever.”

  He kept his gaze right on Karly. She saw either confusion or concern in his gaze, maybe contempt. She just wasn’t sure. Whichever it was, she was grateful he’d given her a way out of here.

  Maggie hugged her. “Katy, I think this might be too much.” She looked at Anthony. “I can take you back to the Pecan Farm. I’m sure you’re tired after that long trip.”

  Tyler wrapped his arm around her shoulder and pressed his lips right above her ear. “Let’s get Bryce so we can head home.” He shot one quick glare at Anthony before he left to find Bryce, his fingers anchored in hers.

  Anthony kept pace with them. “Karly, I’ve been searching for you since I found out you ran away from the Walters.” He paused and made eye contact with each of his audience members. “I had gone to Peru on a mission.” He went into storytelling mode. She didn’t want to hear any of his stories. They were lies, all lies.

  She followed Tyler. The bad boy promising to rescue her. Not again. She couldn’t fall into the pattern of expecting someone else to save her.

  Life was unpredictable. Proof—her ugly past stood in the middle of her current life. After working so hard to get her life on track, she was right back where she started.

  She’d always made a point to stay in the background—to stay hidden. Clear Water had given her a false sense of security. She’d gotten too comfortable.

  They got Bryce. “We need to go home.” Holding out her hand she waited for his small fingers.

  “Momma, we haven’t practiced yet.” As he complained, he took her hand and followed her and Tyler.

  Maggie met them to the truck. “Karly, are you okay? I should have called you before I brought him out.”

  “No, you’re fine. I just need time to explain everything to Bryce. I haven’t seen Anthony since I was fifteen. I’m just not sure what I’m feeling right now.”

  Maggie hugged her, a long tight hug. “Something is wrong. You let us know if you need anything. We’re here for you. Remember God has you.”

  Karly allowed the truth to seep into her veins. “Thank you.” Leaving Maggie’s warmth was a hard thing to do, but she had done harder things. She was about to do the most difficult thing she had ever done.

  In less than an hour Clear Water would be in her past. “Maggie, thank you for everything. I can’t put into words how much you and so many of the others have changed my life.”

  Maggie patted her cheek and turned back to the crowd. Karly helped Bryce into the ranch truck.

  Buckled into the booster seat, Bryce touched her hair. “Momma, I don’t want to go.”

  “We have to go, Bryce. I’ll explain it later.” He was going to be so upset when he realized they were leaving town, the ranch, the horses, Dub and Tyler. She would be leaving Tyler.

  Tyler drove in silence. He didn’t ask one single question. That made it easier not to cry as she watched the horses in the pasture. He was taking them back to the house she had foolishly believed could be a real home for them.

  Once again, Anthony had stolen Christmas. It was as if sh
e was nine years old all over again.

  * * *

  Tyler parked the truck. Words bounced around in his head, but he didn’t know which ones to use. Something was wrong, something big. Less than an hour ago, she was flirting and laughing. Now she acted like a scared kid, as though she was about to run.

  “Karly?”

  Facing him, she raised an eyebrow in question.

  He had her attention. Now what? “Are you okay?” Well, that was brilliant.

  “Just in shock. I haven’t seen or heard from him in over eight years. We didn’t part on good terms. He never went to Peru.” She was out of the truck before she even finished the last sentence. Bryce had climbed down from the side step.

  Crossing in front of the truck, he noticed the tension in her whole body. Instead of her usual graceful movements, each effort appeared stiff.

  She pulled Bryce through the door. “Sweetheart, I need you to get the red backpack under your bed and put your favorite things in it. We are going on a road trip.”

  “Momma, we can’t. I have school tomorrow, and I didn’t even get to do rehearsal today. We have a Thanksgiving party at school. We can’t leave, Momma.”

  She knelt in front of him, eye to eye. “You know our plan? When I say to go you go, without question.”

  Bryce looked at Tyler, fear in the little guy’s face. “Did you do something to Momma?”

  Without even a glance at him, she brought Bryce’s face back to her. “It has nothing to do with Tyler. You have to trust me. You know how we have an emergency plan. We keep supplies in the car ready to start a new adventure. Well, today we are hopping in the car and seeing where God takes us.”

  He pulled back, anger radiating off him. “No, Momma. I prayed for God to give us a home and a horse and a real family. God gave us them. I don’t want an adventure. I want to stay with my friends.” Tears started rolling, and he wiped them with the back of his sleeve.

  “Shh.” Karly used her thumb to clean his cheek. “It’s going to be okay.”

  Tyler couldn’t stand by and watch this train wreck happen without trying to pull her off the rails. “Hey, Cowboy, will you do me a favor? In your room, under the bed there are boxes.”

  The little boy nodded. Trust and intensity burned bright in his eyes.

  “I need you to find a Bible. It’s brown leather and has the name Samuel Childress engraved on the front. Will you do that for me and bring it to me? There’s something I need to show your mom.”

  “Will you tell her God wants us to stay here?”

  He roughed up Bryce’s hair. “I try not to speak for God, but I’ll see what I can do. Okay, Cowboy?”

  “Yes, sir.” Small shoulders slumped, he stalked off down the hall.

  “You still need to pack your bag,” she called after him. “Or we’ll leave without it.”

  Once Bryce was out of earshot, Tyler turned to her. “What are you doing?”

  She went into the pantry and pulled a box from under the cabinet. “I’m going to take some food. Please make sure it gets deducted from my last paycheck.”

  Tyler leaned a hip on the opposite counter and crossed his arms over his chest, watching as she frantically packed dry food items.

  “And where would I be sending this check?”

  She groaned and covered her face with her hands before going back to grabbing crackers, cereal and canned tuna. “I don’t know. I have your number. I’ll text you in a couple of days.”

  With the box full, she darted past him and went to the computer desk. Opening a drawer, she started moving things around.

  “What did he do?” Because of the way she was reacting to her stepfather showing up, the worst scenarios kept running through his mind. “Did he hurt you? You’re not a kid. We can go to the police.”

  “What?” She paused and looked at him.

  “Did your stepfather hurt you? Is that why you’re running?”

  A flash drive went into the box. “No. No, nothing physical. I... He just... I have to leave. There is nothing the police can do anyway.” The hallway was her next goal.

  Tyler cut her off at the pass. “Karly, slow down, take a deep breath and tell me what’s got you frightened. You running like a scared kid.”

  “Please let me by.”

  Instinct drove him to take her hand and lead her to the living room, away from her frenzied packing.

  “Tyler, let me go. I don’t want him in my son’s life. This is why I have the suitcase in the car ready to go. We never know how our life will change, but I do know if we leave now I can be out of the state by morning.”

  “Why? What did he do that makes you bolt out of the life you’re building here with your son?”

  She turned on him, anger flashing hot on her cheeks. “You, Mr. Childress, with your safe home and bunkhouse, do not know what it’s like.” She actually snarled the words and flung her hand toward the door. “You, with adoring parents and a sister, a town that loves you no matter what you’ve done, would not understand what it’s like to be alone and...” Head down, she turned away from him and buried her face in her hands.

  “Karly, you’re right. I had those things. It doesn’t change the fact that you can’t just run away. This has become your home, Bryce’s home.” He gently held on to her upper arm, wanting to hold her in place. “Look at me.”

  She turned her face away and looked down.

  He held his ground but spoke softly, afraid if she left, that would be it. He would never see her or Bryce again. Suddenly the pressure on his chest made it hard to breathe. They were underwater, and he needed to get them to air. “Your stepfather can’t be in your life without your permission. If he’s hurt you, then we need to talk to Jake or the sheriff.”

  “No, it’s not that. Stop calling him my stepfather.” She made eye contact and poked his chest. “It’s so easy for you. You still belong here, even though you left. You might hate Clear Water, but you still belong. Your father and you butt heads because you’re so stubborn, but he would never use you to hurt other people. You know he loves you.”

  “This isn’t about me and my father. Your step— Anthony can’t hurt you now. Whatever he did happened when you were a child, right?” One step closer to her and he gently wrapped his fingers under her chin, making sure he had solid eye contact. “You’re not a child anymore. You have friends that will do whatever you need. This is your ground. We are your family. Don’t let him run you off.”

  One big tear slid over her bottom lashes and trailed down her cheek. The scared look faded as he watched hope flutter to life in her eyes.

  “Don’t run.” He waited. What else could he say? Please, God, give me the words. “Do you trust that God brought you here for a reason?”

  Shutting him out again, she closed her eyes and turned her head. But no attempt was made to leave. The muscles in her arms still trembled, but she stood in front of him.

  “Karly?” In his heart he knew they were being tested and his job was to find the right words to help her face her fears. “I ran. I ran from the grief. I ran from the pain. I ran from the memories. I ran from everything I knew because it was easier than staying and fighting. You have so much to fight for right now. Don’t let him take that from you.”

  “What if I’m not strong enough?” She blinked a couple of times. Then her eyes focused on him. “What if he makes everyone believe him? He’s good at that.”

  “Recently you were telling me to have faith that God will take care of all my needs—that I didn’t have to be in charge and have all the right answers. You don’t have to be strong enough if you believe that God put you here. We can’t handle everything. We weren’t meant to. God has you, Karly. Let Him be strong enough.”

  She nodded. “‘Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the go
al to win the prize for which God has called me Heavenward in Christ Jesus.’ I say it every night.”

  “Karly, don’t let the past stop you from the future God intended for you.”

  She took a deep breath. “I’m not going to let him steal another Christmas from me or Bryce.” Her gaze searched his as if she found something she hadn’t expected. “Thank you, Tyler.” She smiled. “You’re not as bad as everyone says.” Then she gave him a weak smile.

  Air filled his lungs. He had made it to the surface.

  A half laugh came from his throat. “Yeah, well, don’t tell anyone. I don’t think I’m ready to be the full-fledged prodigal son. I might give Dad another stroke.”

  Dismay stamped on her face and she slapped him on the shoulder. “Tyler!”

  “What, too soon?” He rubbed the back of his neck and winked at her.

  “You’re horrible.” But the small laugh took any insult out of her comment. She stood still for a few moments.

  Tyler held his breath, afraid to spook her. He wanted to pull her into his arms and tell her he would take care of everything. She had stopped packing for now, but the real problem had not been addressed. She didn’t trust him to help her. He ran his fingers through his hair and rubbed the back of his neck. Could he blame her? He wasn’t sure he trusted himself.

  Her shoulders lifted, then fell. “I’m going to tell Bryce to stop packing.”

  As she walked past him, he grabbed her hand. “Karly, seriously, you can tell us anything. You’re not alone. You’ve got Maggie, John, Adrian at your side. Dad would do anything for you. Don’t think you have to do this without help. Whatever it is that had you running can’t be bigger than your friends or your faith. Okay?”

  She nodded before turning away and heading through the kitchen and down the hall to his old room. The room that now belonged to her son.

  Well, he got her to stop packing. Why did he feel so hollow? He’d convinced her to stay, while he knew he would be leaving in a couple more weeks. Faith. He had told her that her faith was bigger than her problems. Where had his faith gone? Half of the time when he talked to Karly, all he could think of was reaching down and kissing her. That was what the heroes did in the old Westerns he had watched with his dad. But she had made it clear she didn’t want his kisses, and he was no one’s hero. The best plan of action was to stay away from her.