Cowboy Who Came For Christmas (Harlequin Romance) by Lenora Worth

Author:Lenora Worth [Worth, Lenora]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: Thrillers, Contemporary, Romance, Fiction, Forever Love, Holidays, Seasonal, Christmas, Holiday Spirit, Bachelor, Texas Ranger, Principles, Protect Law, Law Enforcement, Secrets. Shotgun, Suspicion, Attraction, Snowed In, Winter Snow Storm, Cowboy, Western, Adult, Locate Criminal, Hunted, Search, Hiding Secrets, Stranger, Adventure, Crescent Mountain, Arkansas, Suspense, Romantic Suspense
ISBN: 9781460385951
Google: 3557BwAAQBAJ
Goodreads: 26521763
Publisher: Harlequin Superromance
Published: 2015-11-02T05:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

THE SNOW BEGAN to melt.

Adan once again tried his cell phone and pumped his fist when he had two puny bars. Checking his watch, he saw it was only eight o’clock. Gaylen wouldn’t be in bed yet.

He hit the number for his parents’ home, waited and hoped he’d at least get to tell one of them that he planned to be home by Christmas. He couldn’t miss yet another holiday.

His mother answered on the first ring.

“Mama, it’s Adan.”

“Adan, where in the world are you? You know we worry when you don’t check in.”

“I know. Look, I’m in Arkansas on a mountain and a snowstorm knocked out the power to the landlines and made cell phone calls sketchy for a while. It’s hard to find service on a good day around here, but this storm was bad.”

“We know. We’ve been watching the weather.”

Their favorite pastime, Adan thought with a smile. “It’s getting better,” he said. “I wanted to let y’all know I’m going to be home by Christmas.”

His mother’s sigh told him she didn’t believe him. “Gaylen has been asking for you.”

“Is she still up?”

“Yes. Reading a Christmas story with Grandpa. Do you want to talk to her?”

The emotion choking Adan made it hard to form the one word. “Yes.”

He heard his mother call out and then the sound of little feet padding across the room almost brought him to his knees.

“Daddy!”

Adan swallowed the lump in his throat. “Sweetheart, how you doing?”

“Miss wou.”

“I miss you, too, honey. I told you I’d be there by Christmas, remember?”

“I know, but come home now. We’re weading a story about wain-deers.”

“Reindeers? That sounds like a good story for Christmas.”

“Can a rain-deer bring you home?”

“No, honey. We have to let the reindeer help get Santa where he needs to go with all those toys. So I can’t get there right now, but I’ll be there before you know it.”

“Before Santa comes?”

“Way before Santa comes, I promise.”

Gaylen launched into the world of a child—going to the mall to talk to Santa again, reading Christmas stories with Grandpa in the big, comfy chair. His father’s recliner. Making cookies with Grandma with “spinkalls.” All the things he’d missed out on so many times.

No wonder his wife had left him.

No wonder his parents had raised his daughter in more hours and more ways than he could ever make up.

“I made wou a special cookie, Daddy.”

Adan pinched two fingers against his nose. “What kind of cookie did you make me, sweetie?”

“A star one—like your badge, ’cept we put red spinkalls on it. It’s weally big.”

Adan glanced down at the badge on his jacket. Sometimes he wondered about that badge and what it had cost him. But a man had to do his job, he had to support his family, and that meant helping his parents and taking care of Gaylen’s future.

But for now, he just wanted to get to his truck and get home. The tear in his gut tugged and pulled from both ways.

He glanced around, glad Sophia wasn’t nearby.

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