One True Heart (31 page)

“Let's get back to work.” Kare faked a smile. “If we can't go back to town, we might as well fix up the place.”

Hank helped unload the supplies Millanie had called in when they'd started work this morning. They had no electricity, but Hank brought a generator for the power tools and wood for framing out rough beds for the mattresses.

“We'll have two beds finished by supper.” Drew frowned at Johnny. “You two are sleeping in separate beds in separate rooms until Christmas Eve.”

Johnny looked innocent. “Of course, Professor, and I'll be checking on you and Millanie several times during the night to make sure you don't need something out there all alone.”

Drew frowned, mumbled an oath in Latin, and moved away.

Johnny turned to Millanie. “Is he ever in a good mood?”

“I never saw him in a bad mood until you came along.” She tried her best to look serious. “It might help if you stopped patting on Kare every time she walks by.”

“I don't. She's the one patting on me,” he answered. “And I'm not telling her to stop no matter how much steam comes out of her brother's ears.”

Millanie spent the next hour watching, and Johnny was right. Kare was doing all the patting and the farmer didn't seem to mind a bit. The little woman loved helping. Once the men passed carrying several long boards inside. Kare hung on to the middle of the stack, her feet walking on air. When Johnny put glass in the upstairs windows, she followed, painting flowers along the bottom of each pane. Her
easy laughter and excitement made the workflow easy, and Millanie was amazed how fast the work went.

Midafternoon everyone voted to take a break. While Kare showed Millanie some of the work they'd done inside, she whispered, “I'm going after my files tonight. Are you with me or against me?”

Millanie knew it would do no good to argue, but she might be able to keep Kare out of trouble if she went along. “I'm with you. You get the pickup keys and drive. I'll ride shotgun.”

Kare laughed. “Aye-aye, Captain. We'll leave about midnight. I've been thinking I could come out and tell Drew there is a big bug in my room. When he goes in the house, we pull out. I've got a key to the bookstore. We can be in and out of my office in three minutes.”

“Sounds like a plan.” Millanie weighed the danger. No one would be expecting them. With the sheriff's offices so close, a deputy could probably be there within minutes. Max Dewy's partner was probably out of the country by now. She had a Glock for backup and knew how to use it. Her bad leg wouldn't matter. She'd stay in the car in sight of the back door while Kare ran in and out. What could go wrong?

What could go wrong?

Night spread across open country slowly. Drew watched the sun disappear, thinking how he was tired and sore and worried but, all in all, it had been the best day of his life. He needed to be home. After three years of writing, a publishing house finally was giving serious consideration to his idea for a series of middle-grade novels about early Texas pioneers. They'd loved the first three stories he'd sent them and wanted at least three more as fast as possible.

But, for the first time in years, people and their problems and needs and desires were getting in the way. Even though he worried about Kare, he loved the feeling that he was finally stepping back into life. Messy as it was with doubts and fears, it felt so good.

Millanie stepped on the porch. “Getting cabin fever?”

He smiled at her. “I live in a cabin, remember? What I'm wondering is how you manage to look so good after sleeping in a pickup last night and working all day.”

“Your glasses must be dirty.” She tugged them off him and cleaned them with her shirttail, something she'd seen
him do a dozen times. “I need a change of clothes, a hot shower, and something to eat besides health bars and tacos.”

Johnny must have turned on one of the battery-powered lamps Hank brought out because a soft yellow light flooded the porch, making the new boards glow golden. Millanie lowered herself slowly onto the box that had become her bench.

Drew didn't have to ask if her leg hurt; he knew it did. They'd all tried to baby her, but the strong captain wouldn't allow it.

“I can't believe Hank only brought out tacos for supper. Couldn't he have added a few salads to the order the farmer turned in?” Millanie complained. “Johnny ate a dozen and we'll still have enough left for breakfast.”

Millanie leaned back against the house. “I miss Martha Q. Well, not her so much as her food and the bed at the inn and the soft pillows. The first thing I plan to do when I get back is stand in the shower for an hour.”

“Hank said he'd come out as soon as he has news. Who knows, we could be back at the inn before bedtime. Johnny and I talked about relocating, but if we did, we'd be exposed if only for a short time. The good thing is here no one can come up or down that road without us knowing it. We're safe here and despite the menu, I can think of no other place I'd rather be than with you right now.”

He knelt in front of her. “I like being here knowing you and Kare are safe, but it's hard not touching you.”

She laughed. “I was thinking the same thing. Besides the obvious reason we can't make love, it seems we have a chaperone.”

“I'm a little old for a chaperone.” He ran his hand along the brace over her leg. “You'll heal, Millie, and while you do I'd like to be right beside you. The scars don't frighten me.”

“What if I limp? What if I'm never steady on this leg?”

“How about we make a pact to be totally honest with each other from now on?”

She nodded.

“I mean about everything, Millie.”

“I promise.” She smiled as if she'd just granted him a wish.

“Then I'm telling you true. If you limp, I'll walk closer. Just promise me you'll give us a shot.” He thought of all he'd like to say to her, but now wasn't the right time. “Honestly, Millie, I had to work hard all day to keep from touching you.” He leaned close, almost brushing her ear. “I kept remembering the feel of your breast in my hand and the lovely way you arch your back when your body is hungry and warm with need.”

Johnny walked around the house with his flashlight, shattering their one private moment. “Well, it's dark,” the big guy said. “I don't know about you two, but I'm going to bed.” He shined the light in Drew's eyes. “That's what farmers do. We go to bed when it gets dark. Besides, tonight without much electricity we don't have any choice. Kare and I will take the upstairs. Millanie, you've got the big bed downstairs, and, Professor, looks like you got the cot in the kitchen.”

“No way.” Drew stood. “I'm sleeping upstairs. Kare will take the kitchen bed. You two aren't sleeping on the same floor until Christmas Eve as far as I'm concerned.”

“But we're engaged.” Johnny grumbled, then stomped across the porch. “I should have found a little fairy fortune-teller who didn't have a big brother. I'll go up and tell her the bad news.”

When they heard him storming the stairs, Millanie laughed. “Being a little hard on the guy, aren't you?”

“I just don't want him taking advantage of my sister. She may be twenty-four but she doesn't have a lot of experience in this world.”

“They just want to be together. Which is pretty much what we want. By torturing him, you're also pulling us apart.”

Drew had to touch her. In the shadows he could barely see her. “Is that what you want, Millie, for us to be together? It seems like you spend most of your time pushing me away.” He moved his hands over her shoulders. “What do you want, my brave Millie?”

“I want us to be honest and open with each other. So I'll only tell the truth. I want you in my life, but I should warn you, trust and love won't come easy for me.”

Before Drew could promise to try, a huge rattling shook the house as breaking boards sounded above them.

He stood, thinking something must have hit the house. Maybe part of the roof had fallen in. Maybe Johnny had tumbled down the stairs. Drew wanted to run in, but he couldn't leave Millie. Offering his arm, he supported her as she pulled to her feet and they moved inside together.

“Are you all right, Kare?” Drew called up the stairs.

He was halfway up when he heard his sister's laughter and stopped climbing.

“I'm fine, Drew. I'll be down in a minute.”

“What happened?” he demanded, fearing she might be hurt.

Johnny swore and said in a voice that echoed off the walls of the little house, “One of the beds broke, Professor, and I'm sure it was the one you hammered together.”

Kare was still giggling as she floated down the stairs. “Looks like you men are going to have to flip for who sleeps on the floor. I'm glad I've got my bed in the kitchen.”

Johnny came down frowning. His boots were off and his hair a mess. One side of his shirt was tucked out of his jeans. “Lucky we tested the beds, Professor. One of us could have been hurt falling out of a tumbling bed in the dark.”

Drew backed down the stairs. “Johnny, I told you to stay away from my sister.”

“And I told you I can't do that.” He rubbed his head. “I might consider getting sturdier furniture once we're married, though. I didn't know she likes to jump on the bed. She said it was fun, but I don't agree.”

“I've always jumped on the bed,” Kare yelled from the kitchen. “It's like you're flying for a moment.”

Drew almost felt sorry for the farmer. He slapped him on the shoulder before heading upstairs. “Good luck. She probably jumps off couches, too.”

Johnny shrugged. “I have to admit it was fun until I hit the ceiling and came down on a bed that crumbled.”

“You hit my ceiling?” Millie stepped into the fight.

Johnny shook bits of the ceiling out of his hair. “It didn't do much damage and I'm thinking that would be a good spot for a ceiling fan anyway.”

Millie rolled her eyes, and Drew laughed, deciding he was going to love having the farmer in the family. A few minutes later with everyone settled in their own beds, they all did the Waltons thing of saying good night to everyone. It probably wasn't ten o'clock, but they were too tired to stay up.

“I hear Johnny snoring,” Kare whispered as Millanie tried to put on her brace by the light of a flashlight.

“I'm ready.” Millanie shoved her Glock in her bag and slung it across her body. “You've got the keys?”

“Johnny left his in the pickup and I've got the bookstore keys in my pocket.” She helped Millanie stand and handed her the cane. Slowly, and silently, they moved toward the truck.

“I figure five minutes to the bookstore once we hit the main road. I can be in and out of the store with my backup files in hand within two, maybe three minutes. Then back here. The boys won't even know we're gone and I'll be able to sleep knowing the files are safe.”

Millanie guessed Kare kept talking because she was nervous, so she didn't tell her to be quiet. In truth, with the lack of sleep and the hard work, she'd be surprised if the men noticed if lightning hit the house.

Kare started the truck. In the silence the engine sounded like a roar.

“Go,” Millanie ordered. If Drew or Johnny woke she
wanted to be half a mile down the road before they could dress and get downstairs. The last thing she needed on this mission was two more people to worry about.

Kare kept talking as she drove. “This is so exciting. I feel like I'm on one of those TV shows with a fast car chase. I've never done anything this wild. Once I ran away from home when I was about seven. I got halfway to the main road before I ran out of food and water. Then I had to walk all the way back to the farmhouse exhausted, hungry, and dying of thirst. I found my parents eating supper when I stepped in the back door. They hadn't even noticed I'd been gone, much less missed me.”

“Dim your lights when you head into town.” Millanie wanted this to go smoothly. “When you pull behind the bookstore, turn off your lights completely. I'll hand you a flashlight, but don't turn it on unless you have to.”

“I won't need it,” Kare whispered, as if spies might be hiding close enough to hear them. “Mr. Hatcher put new bulbs in the back light. I just hope he remembered to turn it on.”

“Take the flashlight just in case.”

“Roger, over and out,” Kare said as she slowed. “This is more fun than jumping on the bed. Don't worry, Captain, I've seen my wedding so I know nothing is going to happen to us. Or me anyway. Sorry,” she squealed. “Never mind. Forget what I said.”

“Great.” Millanie wished she believed. This seemed like a good time to start.

Kare turned off the pickup lights, pulled to a stop, and slid from the truck, a flashlight in one hand and the bookstore key in the other.

Mr. Hatcher hadn't left the back light on, but there was enough moon for Kare to easily see the door.

Millanie rolled down the window as she pulled the Glock from her bag. She watched Kare walk all the way to the back door. If she saw anything amiss, Millanie knew she'd fire one shot in the ground and have the deputy running toward her. On a night like this, one shot would sound an alarm for blocks.