A Randall Thanksgiving (11 page)

“Hey, Harry and Melissa, where are you going?” Griff called as he walked toward them up the street.

Harry wondered if his guilty conscience had sent out a signal to Melissa’s dad. A kind of beacon that illuminated a couple headed to a romantic rendezvous.

“I—I was going to show Melissa my apartment,” he said. “She wanted to see it after touring Dale’s new place.” He figured that was as good a reason as any.

“Oh, good, I’ll come, too. I haven’t seen it since the repairs.”

Harry met Melissa’s tortured glance and looked away. At least he knew it wasn’t her happiest moment, either.

“Sure. Though, actually, it’s not that interesting. But at least it’s fairly clean today, because Dale slept here last night.”

Slowly, so Griff wouldn’t notice, he removed his hand from Melissa’s and led the way up the stairs. He unlocked the door and then stood back until both Randalls had entered.

Griff looked around, assessing the place with a keen eye. “They fixed it up real nice,” he said. “No bullet holes in sight.”

“There were bullet holes?” Melissa asked. She looked at Harry, fear and concern in her eyes.

“Yeah, there were a few.” He walked into the kitchen area. “Anybody want a drink?”

“No thanks,” she murmured. “Who did the shooting?”

Griff offered the explanation. “Steve was working undercover in L.A.”

Melissa stopped him right away. “You mean the deputy? He worked for the FBI?”

“No. Your cousin Jessica’s husband, Steve, though, of course, they weren’t married then. Anyway, Jessica had finished with her movie and decided to come home. She found Steve in her alley. He talked her into not calling the cops, and she put him in her car and brought him home. He’d discovered his partners and his boss in Washington were dirty. They came after him.”

“So he shot them here?”

“Not exactly,” Griff said. “You see, Jessica was staying here with Steve. One of the guys got past Mike and broke in. It was Jessica who killed him.”

Melissa stared at her father, her mouth agape, then turned to Harry. “I can’t believe it.” She shook her head. “I don’t know that I could’ve been that strong.”

“You don’t need to be. That was an extraordinary situation.” Harry moved nearer to her again, more than anything he wanted to pull her close to him, to let her
draw from his strength. It was killing him not to take her in his arms. But he couldn’t.

Then, to make matters worse, Griff suggested, “Let’s look at the bedroom.” Without waiting, he went into the room.

Harry took full advantage of being alone for a moment, and pulled Melissa to him for a quick kiss. But it only whetted his appetite for more. Then he walked with her into the bedroom.

“Hey, you’ve got a great view of the town,” Griff remarked.

“Yeah. That’s one of the good things about this apartment.”

“For a policeman,” Griff said. “I mean, most people would rather have a view of the Rockies.”

Harry shrugged. “To each his own.”

The older man nodded. “Well, thanks for the tour. They did a great job with the repairs. We’ve got to get to the hospital. Ready, Melissa?”

She looked her father in the eye. “I’ll be right there, Dad, as soon as I have a moment with Harry.”

“One moment? I’ll wait,” Griff agreed with a smile.

“No, Dad. One moment
alone.
”

Father and daughter stared at each other for several seconds.

Finally, Griff nodded. “I’ll wait downstairs.”

As soon as he left the apartment, Melissa threw herself into Harry’s arms. He didn’t hesitate to kiss her, not needing his convenient excuse of kissing her goodbye.

He claimed her with purpose, his tongue entering her mouth to engage hers in a frenzied dance. Never before had he kissed a woman with this much pent-up desire, and he made sure his lips conveyed all that emotion.

Neither he nor Melissa broke the kiss; it was all they’d have, until they heard Griff bellow up from downstairs. “Melissa!”

Reluctantly pulling away, Harry muttered a curse.

She rested her head on his chest and let out a deep sigh. “I have to go.”

“I know. Me, too.”

“So I guess you kissed me goodbye again, huh?”

“I guess so.”

But as he watched her walk out the door, he realized the goodbye game was no longer one he wanted to play. His arms felt empty without her.

“Y
OU MADE ME FEEL LIKE
a schoolgirl, Dad, and I’m not!” Melissa lambasted her father even as they walked down the street.

“You were going to a man’s apartment in the middle of the day, when everyone could see you! You need to consider your family’s reputation around here!”

“You, of course, have never done anything like that, have you? Isn’t that what Mom was telling me yesterday? That she was a month pregnant when you got married?”

“Are you planning on getting married soon? ’Cause if you are, I haven’t heard about it!” Griff retorted, walking even faster.

Melissa sped up to stay even with her father. “Had you asked Mom to marry you when you slept with her? Tell me, Dad, and remember I’m going to ask Mom that question when we get to the hospital.”

“That’s different, and you know it! You’re planning on going back to France. You’re just making out with Harry and then you’re going to dump him!”

“Oh, so you can read the future? Can you tell me what’s happening tomorrow, or next week, or is it only my behavior you can determine in advance?”

“Tell me you’re staying here and I’ll escort you back to Harry’s apartment myself. But if you can’t tell me that, then I have nothing to say to you except behave yourself.”

“I’m not a child!” Melissa screamed at him.

“Then quit acting like one!”

They came to an abrupt halt as they entered the waiting room of the hospital and came face-to-face with the four Randall brothers.

“Afternoon, Griff, Melissa. How are you two doing?” Jake asked, his gaze alternating between the two of them.

“Uh, we’re fine. Have you been in to see Camille?” Griff inquired, trying to pretend nothing was wrong.

But Melissa stepped forward. “We’re not fine, Uncle Jake. Dad keeps treating me like I’m a child!”

Her uncle Brett leaned forward. “Now, Melissa, it’s hard for a dad to let a daughter grow up.”

“You let Jessica go to Hollywood!” Melissa retorted.

“So? I let you go to France!” Griff pointed out.

“You only did so because Mom wouldn’t speak to you until you agreed!” Melissa turned and almost spat the words at her father.

“Fine! At least I did agree! And now you have to come back to my hometown and ruin your family’s reputation?”

As Melissa opened her mouth to respond, her aunt Anna stepped into the room. “Camille wants to see Melissa and Griff now.”

They both paled, and Griff looked at his daughter. “We shouldn’t have been yelling.”

“I know that. But—but you provoked me!”

“Camille is waiting.” Anna held the door open.

Like children called to the principal’s office, they walked slowly down the hall.

Aunt Janie was with the patient, but she excused herself as they came in.

Camille was sitting up in bed, looking very alert. “You both are certainly in good voice this afternoon,” she said softly.

Griff went to her bedside. “Honey, I lost my temper. I’m sorry.”

Melissa hung her head. “Me, too.”

“You two are so much alike,” Camille said with a sigh.

“No, we’re not!” Griff exclaimed.

Melissa kept her head down. “I know.”

He whirled around to stare at her. “No, we’re not!”

Camille shook her head. “Dear, it’s true. At least Melissa realizes it.”

“Oh, sure, and next you’ll tell me she’s right.”

“About what?” Camille asked, looking directly at her husband.

“She was— Well, it was— Nothing. Never mind. It doesn’t matter.”

“Then why were you yelling in the waiting room?”

“Not just the waiting room, Mom,” Melissa told her. “All the way down the street from the Sheriff’s Office to the hospital.”

Camille covered her eyes with her hand.

“Honey, probably no one noticed!” Griff told her.

She dropped her hand and stared at him. “Are you out of your mind? You yelled out on the main street of Rawhide and you think no one noticed? What were you yelling about?”

“She was going upstairs to Harry’s apartment, just the two of them!”

“And?”

“I couldn’t let her do that, so I went up with them. And when I said we had to get to the hospital, she asked for a moment alone with Harry. I went downstairs and waited almost five minutes. Then I yelled up for her to come down. When she got there, she told me I made her feel like a schoolgirl!”

“Amazing,” Camille said. “It’s a good thing I’m getting out of the hospital today, before the two of you decide to have a discussion about the birds and the bees in the middle of the street, too. They could sell tickets to that one.”

“You get to go home today?” Melissa asked in surprise. “Now? You can go home now?”

“Yes, if anyone will volunteer to take me there.”

Griff finally recognized a cue he knew. “I’ll volunteer,” he said at once.

“We both will, Mom,” Melissa assured her. “I’ll pack your bag.”

M
ELISSA QUICKLY CHANGED
the sheets on her parents’ bed and piled up the pillows for her mother. Griff wanted to carry her in, but Camille insisted on walking.

“The nurse said I should keep on my feet. It’s the best thing for me.” She sat on the edge of the bed. “I’m not sure I should lie down yet. It’s early in the afternoon.”

“The nurse also said you should take a nap when you got home, remember?” Melissa pointed out.

“Okay, but don’t fuss over dinner, dear.”

“I won’t, Mom. I’ll take care of everything,” Melissa promised. She wished she could invite Harry for dinner, but he worked late hours.

“Do you want me to stay with you, honey?” Griff asked.

“No, you’d better go tend the cows while I’m napping.”

“And, Dad?” Melissa called before he could leave the room. Her father stopped and looked at her. “I think you need to tell John what a good job he’s doing. He’s very worried about pleasing you.”

Griff stared at her. “You’re kidding.”

“No, when Harry was here after we moved the
herd, he told me John was afraid he’d mess something up now that you’ve turned the ranching over to him. I just thought—”

“Yeah. I’ll tell him,” Griff said gruffly, and hurried out the door.

“John never mentioned that he felt inadequate about taking over,” her mother said.

“No one wants to confess their weaknesses to you, Mom. You’re so sweet to everyone.”

“You’d think they might trust me to help.”

“You can’t do everything, Mom. Now, tell me what you want for dinner.”

By the time they’d discussed the options, Camille was ready for her nap. Melissa left the room with a sigh. It was good to have her mother back home again.

When she got to the kitchen, she picked up the phone and called the Sheriff’s Office. Dale answered.

“Is Harry there?” she asked.

“No, ma’am, he’s out on a call. Can someone else help you?”

“It’s Melissa. Will you tell him I’m back at the ranch and to please call me here when he gets in?”

“Sure will, Melissa.”

She got started on dinner, hoping Harry would phone. The longer she went without hearing from him, the more her imagination had him in desperate struggles, maybe even gun battles.

Finally, around five o’clock, she called the Sheriff’s Office again. Harry answered the phone.

“Why didn’t you phone me? I’ve been imagining all kinds of terrible things,” she told him at once.

“Melissa? Aren’t you at the hospital?”

“No. I guess Dale didn’t tell you I called,” she said, taking a deep breath.

“Just a minute,” Harry said. He must have covered the receiver with his hand, but she could still hear him talking to Dale.

“Oh, yeah,” the new deputy replied. “I’m sorry I forgot to tell you.”

“Write messages down next time, okay? There’s a notepad on your desk.”

Then Harry came back to her. “Sorry, honey. Dale forgot to tell me.”

“When I phoned, he said you were out on a call. Was it dangerous?”

“No. It was a ten-year-old shoplifting at the general store.”

“Oh. I was afraid you’d been in another gun battle.”

“Honey, they don’t happen that often around here. I go months without even drawing my weapon, much less firing it.”

“I know, but— Well, I called to let you know that we brought Mom home today. So I won’t be hanging out at the hospital anymore.”

“Too bad. I was hoping to see you at dinner when I went to the café to get our orders.”

“I wish I could be there. But I’m fixing dinner here. Oh, Harry, can you join us on Sunday? Mom won’t be
well enough to go to dinner at the main ranch, so it would be nice to have a guest here.”

“Sure, I’ll be glad to volunteer.”

“You don’t have to work on Sunday, do you?”

“No, I’m off all day.”

“Good. Come at noon, or after church, whichever works for you. Mom and I will be here, even if Dad and John go to church.”

“All right, I’ll see you on Sunday.”

“And—and you could phone me if you want to. Sometime when you’re not busy.”

“Okay, Melissa. I’ll do that.”

“Stay safe,” she whispered, and then said goodbye. She didn’t want to hang up the phone, but she had chores to complete.

She’d tell her parents tonight that she’d invited Harry to Sunday dinner. Hopefully, neither of them would object.

A
S
D
ALE AND
H
ARRY ATE
dinner—just the two of them, since Steve was still out on sick leave—Dale said, “Hey, did I tell you I found out who lives in the other apartment?”

Harry didn’t much care as long as it wasn’t Melissa, but he asked, “Who?”

“Two nurses. They’re both really cute, but there’s one named Betsy. I really liked her.”

“Oh, yeah, she was at the hospital yesterday when the rustlers came in. She seemed like a good nurse.”

“Man, I don’t care about that. She has a great body and the prettiest face.”