A Randall Thanksgiving (6 page)

“All I hear is ‘Harry this’ and ‘Harry that.’ I guess I owe him a debt of gratitude for taking care of you all.”

Camille smiled at her family, gathered on both sides of her bed. They’d been here when she woke up, and their faces were a blessed sight, one that had brought tears to her eyes.

“We were worried about you,” Griff explained. “I guess we needed Harry’s level head.” He took his wife’s hand.

“He reminded us to eat.” Melissa added.

“And he kept us from having a fight right there in the waiting room,” John stated.

Immediately Melissa and Griff turned to glare at him, and Camille noticed his deer-in-the-headlights look.

“Fight? You almost had a fight? What about?” she demanded.

“It was nothing, Mom,” Melissa insisted.

“Yeah, honey, it was just the tension,” Griff said hurriedly.

Camille looked at her son. She could always get information out of him. “John?”

“Uh, yeah, Mom, it was just the tension.”

“Children, I need to speak to your father alone,” Camille said calmly, with a smile.

“I don’t think—”

She cut off her husband with another plea to her children.

“We’ll see you later, Mom,” John said, bending to kiss her cheek.

Melissa sent her father an apologetic look and followed her brother out of the room.

Griff gave his wife a smile. “Now, honey, there’s nothing to worry about.”

“I hope not, dear, but I would guess it was one of two things. Either you were pressing Melissa about Harry, or you were pressing her about returning home. And I won’t have either one occurring. Do you hear me?”

“Sweetheart, it’s only right that a daughter be there for her mother,” Griff stated, his voice filled with righteous indignation.

“She is here for me right now, isn’t she? That doesn’t mean she has to give up her life in France. She’s an adult and she gets to make her own choices. I don’t want you mentioning that subject to her ever again!”

“But what if you get sick again?”

Camille saw the fear on his face, but she gave him a soulful look. “You mean you wouldn’t take care of me?”

“Of course I would, sweetheart! I’ll always be here for you!”

“Good. Then we don’t have to worry about what Melissa does, do we? Because I’ll always be here for you, too.”

Griff leaned over to kiss her. “You’re right, honey. I guess it was the fear that got to me. I shouldn’t have said anything. Anyway, Harry saw that both Melissa and I needed a breather, so he took her to get lunch for us. He was a good friend this morning.”

“But you didn’t push Harry on her, did you?”

“Nope. I wasn’t thinking that clearly.” He laughed. “I swear it was Harry’s idea. And Melissa went with him without fussing. She seemed okay when she came back, didn’t she?”

“Yes, she did. You’ve all been wonderful, dear.”

“We’re trying, honey.”

“Now, I want the three of you to go home. The nurses will take care of me, but the ranch needs you, especially in this weather.”

“Let Melissa stay with you, and John and I will go. I don’t want you here alone.”

“All right. But take Melissa home so she can pack a bag, then bring her back. I don’t think she’s used to driving in this much snow.”

“You’ve got a deal, sweetheart.” He kissed her again and headed for the waiting room.

After Griff announced that they were going home,
Melissa stepped forward. “I’ll stay here with Mom. She shouldn’t be left alone.”

“That’s what I told her, honey. She’s going to have a nap while I take you home to pack a bag. I’ll have you back here within the hour.”

And he was true to his word, pulling up at the hospital forty-five minutes later. “Take good care of your mother,” he said to her.

“I will, Dad, I promise.”

“Oh, and about that almost-fight we had, that won’t happen again. You’re right, you’re an adult. You get to make your own decisions, no matter what I think about them.”

Melissa drew a deep breath. “Thank you, Dad.”

“I’m going to drop by the Sheriff’s Office and thank Harry again. Any message you want me to take him?”

“No, thank you.”

“Okay, then. I’ll see you in the morning.”

Melissa appreciated her father’s apology, but was a little suspicious about his offer to deliver a message to Harry. Maybe she’d check with Harry later, when her dad had gone home.

She found her mother still sleeping, so she took out a pad and pencil and began sketching ideas for new jewelry she might want to make. Especially if she started her own line here in America.

She had forced that idea from her mind while she dealt with the question of her mother’s health. Now she could consider her options.

Her opinion didn’t change, however. She had learned a great deal from Monsieur Jalbert, but she was tiring of his iron-fisted control. She thought she would enjoy being her own boss. Even if she never got rich from designing jewelry, she didn’t have to worry about money. Her father had continued to manage both her and her brother’s sizable accounts, established by their grandfather long ago.

Melissa flipped to a new page of her pad and began drafting a letter to her boss, explaining that she wouldn’t be renewing her contract and thanking him for all he had taught her. She kept her unhappiness with him to herself. She wouldn’t send such a letter until she knew when she would be returning to Paris to pack. But she would be sending it. As for where she’d go to start her business, she wasn’t sure. But she had some time now to think and plan.

Meanwhile no one else needed to know her decision. Especially not Harry Gowan. She was enjoying his goodbye kisses too much to take away his reason for them. A wicked smile crossed her lips at the thought.

“What are you thinking about, young lady?” he mother asked softly.

“Mom, when did you wake up?”

“Just in time to see that interesting smile. You haven’t answered my question.”

“Oh, I’ve been sketching designs I might want to make. What do you think of this one?” Melissa asked, hoping to distract her. She showed her a necklace.

“I like it. What’s the center stone?”

“Mmm, I was thinking an opal, but a citrine might look good, too. I could make it with both stones.”

“I might be interested in buying one of those.”

“Mom, you don’t have to buy anything I make. I think an opal would look best on you. I’ll make it for you for Christmas.”

“I think your father should buy it for me. It might make up for his trying to force you to stay.”

Melissa leaned over to kiss her mother’s cheek. “He’s already apologized, Mom. I knew it was because you talked to him, but I still appreciated it.”

“Good for him.”

“Have they gotten you out of bed yet? Caro said they would.”

“No, but I went to sleep after lunch. Probably—”

Camille stopped speaking as the door to her room opened and a nurse came in.

“Right on cue,” she muttered.

“You were expecting me?” the nurse called cheerfully.

“My daughter was asking if you’d gotten me out of bed yet. I said you hadn’t had time because I went to sleep after lunch.”

“Then I
am
right on cue. Dr. Randall said we should get you up before you went to bed tonight. It’s going to be hard for you, but it’ll make it easier in the morning. Okay?”

“Yes, of course.”

“Melissa, do you want to stay? If you have trouble watching your mom struggle—”

“No, I won’t. I need to be here so I’ll know how to help her when she gets home.”

“Good for you. Okay, Camille, let’s give it a try. Sit up and slide your legs over the side of the bed.”

Camille, grimacing, did as she was told.

“Okay. Now I’m going to help you stand. Let me do the work. Then we’ll walk.”

Melissa stood back and watched as the nurse helped her mother take about six steps. Then they turned and walked back to the bed.

“Good job, Camille.”

“Th-thank you,” she muttered.

“I’m going to give you another pain pill now,” the nurse said. “You’ve earned it.”

Melissa moved closer and held her mother’s hand after she took the medication. Slowly, Camille relaxed, and soon fell asleep.

After a moment, when she was sure her mother was sound asleep, Melissa stepped out to the nurse’s desk. “My mom went to sleep after she took her pain pill.” She nodded over her shoulder toward the room. “If she wakes up before I get back, can you tell her I stepped out for just a minute?”

“Will do,” the nurse replied.

Melissa pulled on her coat and went out into the brisk air and sunshine. She walked quickly down the sidewalk until she reached the Sheriff’s Office.

Inside, she found Harry alone. “Hi, Harry,” she said softly.

He jumped up before she finished speaking. “Melissa! Is everything all right? Your mother—”

“She’s fine. She’s sleeping now. I just wanted to be sure— That is, my dad said he was coming to see you, and asked if he could deliver a message from me. I said no, but I wasn’t sure I could trust him.”

Harry looked puzzled. “No, he didn’t say anything about a message. What was it?”

“There wasn’t any message. I was just afraid he might make up something. You know, in a matchmaking effort.”

“No, I think he’s given up on that idea.”

She walked over and sat on the edge of his desk. “Really?”

“Yeah. He thanked me for interrupting your argument and getting you out of there. He said he’d been wrong to start it. He even said he realized you had to make your own decisions.”

“Don’t give him too much credit. Mom read him the riot act after John mentioned that we almost had a fight.”

“I see. Well, it must make you feel good to know he’ll accept your decision if you decide to go back to France.”

“If?”

“I thought maybe you’d reconsidered.”

“I have to go back to France.” To pack up her belongings, but she wasn’t revealing that decision to Harry. Especially since she wasn’t returning to Rawhide to live.

“Damn, lady, you’ve got to stop telling me that.”

Since he didn’t immediately take her in his arms, she
decided he needed a little more persuasion. “Why? Are you going to kiss me goodbye again?”

“I guess I might as well, since you’re going.” He stood and tugged her into his arms for another gut-wrenching kiss. She wrapped her arms around his neck and didn’t let him pull away. He deepened the kiss and she felt the magic all the way to her toes. No one man could kiss the way Harry Gowan could. In fact, she felt as if she’d never been kissed before. Until now.

They were so caught up in the moment, neither of them heard the door open.

“Harry, I— Harry?”

Harry almost dropped Melissa as he realized his partner had walked in on them, but caught her as she started to stumble. Then, with great decorum, he set her away from him.

“Uh, Steve, is there anything to report?”

“No, nothing at all,” Steve said, his eyes wide as he stared at them.

“Melissa just…uh, stopped off to tell me her mother is doing well.”

“Good to hear.”

They all stood there, unease and embarrassment filling the space between them. Finally, Melissa moved toward the door. “I’d better get back to the hospital,” she said, smiling over her shoulder at Harry.

He immediately moved after her, catching up with her at the door. “I’ll see you in the morning.”

“You will?” She couldn’t help the jump her heart made.

“Yeah. I’ll come take you to breakfast.”

“Okay.”

A smile played about her lips as she walked out. She’d hoped Harry would extend an invitation if she came to see him.

Mission accomplished.

“H
ARRY
, I’
M SORRY
I interrupted you, but—I didn’t know you and Melissa were— I mean, you didn’t seem very friendly the other day when she came into the workout facility.”

“She didn’t actually come in, Steve. She just opened the door.”

“Well, yeah, you seemed just as upset as me when she did that.”

“It doesn’t matter. She’s going back to France after the holidays.”

“But, Harry—”

“Let it go, Steve!”

“Okay.” He walked to his desk, his head bent. “Did you hear about Wayne?”

“Yeah, he told me when I came in.” Harry sat back down and started working on the weekly schedule again.

Steve was silent for several minutes, and Harry thought he’d discouraged any further conversation. He was wrong.

“Would you do that?”

“Do what?”

“Give up your job just because your wife said to.”

“Like Wayne said, his first allegiance is to his wife.”

“So you’d do the same thing?”

“I’m not married, Steve. You know that.”

“I know, but if you got married.”

Harry shook his head. “I’m not, so I’m not going to speculate on it. But if you are, your prime allegiance should go to your wife.”

More silence.

Harry again drew a deep breath, glad he’d ended that conversation. But he was wrong again.

“My wife wants us to move back to Denver to be with her parents.”

Harry looked up. “Are they in poor health?”

“No. Her father goes out and plays golf every day, and her mother volunteers all over town. They’re perfectly happy.”

“Then why does she want to go back?”

“She’s spoiled. She thinks she can always get her way.”

“Well, if you’re going to give in to her, Steve, talk her into waiting until we find someone to take Wayne’s place.”

Steve shook his head. “Heck, I’m not giving in. She agreed to move here with me when I got the job. She can’t change her mind now.”

“Your decision, Steve, but remember what I said.”

“I know.”

“I need to finish the schedule now. We’re all going to have to take up the slack until we find someone new.”

“Does the sheriff have a waiting list?”

“I haven’t talked to him about it.”

“Okay. I’ll let you work now. Maybe I’d better take another walk around town.”

“Good idea,” Harry agreed, keeping his head down. But when the door closed behind Steve, he slumped back in his chair. He’d tried to keep Melissa out of his mind while he was talking to his partner, but she was still firmly planted there. How could he focus on anything else when he’d just held her in his arms?