Dakota Homecoming Read online

  “Your mom doesn’t work.”

  He laughed. “Don’t tell her that.”

  “No, I mean…it’s just…”

  “It’s okay. Many a men in this family have tripped over their tongues over the same thing. Dad and Uncle Don run the family’s oil company. Aunt Kate has run the diner in town my whole life. My mom stayed home with us, and many times with my cousins when we were growing up. She liked it that way. She gets Liam on snow days and the days he has off from school and now Ian and Abby’s three kids. She’s in her glory.”

  “My mom had to work my whole life. I don’t think I ever remember a time when she wasn’t working. She used to take me with her sometimes when I wasn’t in school.”

  “I’m sure that was hard for both of you.”

  The sympathetic tone of his voice hit her like a knife to her chest. He’d had a perfect childhood, so unlike her life. And she didn’t want the sad memories of her life to interfere with the sun shining and the excitement of playing in the snow with a handsome man. Even if she were here for all the wrong reasons.

  “So how is this done?” she asked.

  He smiled again. “Now you’re talking.”

  Julian dropped the toboggan on the fresh snow and bent down and grabbed the rope in the front to drag the toboggan behind him as he walked down the narrow path. They walked a few yards until the wooded area opened up at the top of an open field with gentle slope that lead down to a flat area.

  “Do you want to watch me go down first or do you want to try it yourself first?” he asked.

  She locked onto his gaze and gave him his answer with a smile. Grabbing the robe from his hand, she climbed onto the front of the toboggan and carefully sat down in the front being sure to dig the heels of her boots into the snow to keep the sled from taking off before she was ready.

  “What are you waiting for?” she said, shielding her eyes from the bright sun with her fingers as she looked up at him. “Aren’t you coming?”

  “You sure?”

  “Of course. This thing is built for two, isn’t it?”

  Julian shrugged as he lowered himself to the back of the sled. “Actually, I think the record was five of us. But I don’t recommend that. It didn’t end up too well.”

  “No?”

  “There was definitely an emergency room visit that day. And stitches.”

  “Oh, no!”

  “But I was young and inexperienced then. You’re in good hands.”

  She chuckled. “Okay, tell me when you’re ready.”

  Julian tucked his boots into the well at the front of the toboggan and then wrapped his arms around Georgie, pulling her closer.

  “You’re too far forward. We need to sit in the middle of the toboggan or we might flip when we hit a drift.”

  Slipping her feet into the toboggan well next to Julian’s, she pushed with her feet until her back was flat against his chest.

  “Ready?” she asked.

  Despite no longer having her feet dug into the snow, the toboggan didn’t move.

  She stated the obvious. “We’re not moving.”

  “We’re too heavy.”

  “Ha! Speak for yourself.”

  He laughed. “I didn’t mean you. Both of us on the toboggan is pushing us deeper into the snow. We need to rock back and forth until the toboggan moves and we get to the edge of the hill.”

  Georgie did as she was told. Excitement skittered through her whole body and mixed with fear as the toboggan inched closer to the slope and she was able to peer down the length of the hill.

  As they began to move and then pick up a little speed, Georgie let out a squeal of delight.

  “No closing your eyes,” Julian called out. “That’s cheating.”

  The toboggan moved faster and bounced over the drifts of snow the wind had formed overnight. As they hit each drift, the toboggan bounced up and Julian held onto her tighter.

  The cold wind whipped against her cheeks, which were moist from the flying snow. They both laughed hard as the toboggan bounced and sped faster down the slope. As they moved at lightning speed, Georgie was vaguely aware that the slope was leveling out. The flat area in front of the creek seemed shorter than it did when she was looking at it from the top of the hill.

  “Julian, we’re going too fast.”

  As if he’d heard the concern in her voice, he said, “On the count of three, dig your heels into the snow and lean back. One, two…”

  “What?”

  “Three! Dig your heels into the snow!”

  Julian grabbed her by shoulders and pulled her back. Suddenly she was looking up at the sky instead of the creek ahead. Snow started flying all around them. She was stuck in his grip, unable to move her body or her feet and as much as she tried to look ahead of her, she couldn’t see much beyond the flying snow.

  “Julian, we’re going to go into the creek!”

  The sled slowed down, but when Georgie looked down past the front of the toboggan, she wasn’t convinced it was going to stop in time. She twisted her body and pulled herself free from Julian’s grip.

  “What are you doing?”

  “Saving myself from getting wet!”

  She twisted again and rolled over until her body connected with the snow. The force of hitting the snow was easy. But at the speed they were going, her body continued to tumble until she feared her move to save herself from plunging into the freezing water would actually result in her getting wet!

  “Georgie, spread your arms out!”

  She barely heard Julian’s command, but when it registered, she did as she was told and to her surprise, her arms broke her motion. Heart pounding and out of breath, she slowly sat up and peered at the creek in front of her. She was just a few yards away. Julian abandoned the toboggan and ran to her, dropping to her side. The panicked look on his face told her he was just as frightened as she was that she’d end up in the creek.

  He pulled off his glove and wiped the snow from her face and hair. His hand was warm and she relished the feel of his rougher skin against her soft flesh. Despite herself, she leaned into Julian’s touch and glanced up into his blue eyes. They were dark and full of heat that she had known was there deep down, but rarely saw.

  “Are you okay?” he asked, keeping his eyes on hers.

  “I think so.”

  His lips spread into a wide smile. “Why did you jump off the toboggan?”

  “I was afraid we were going to go into the creek.”

  “I wouldn’t have let that happen.”

  “Now I feel silly.”

  “Don’t. I’m just glad you didn’t hurt yourself. Want to go for another run?”

  Her mouth dropped open. “Again?”

  “Yeah. Why not?”

  She peered up the length of the slope they’d just sped down. “Beat you to the top!”

  She bolted from the ground and trudged up the hill through the snow, laughing the entire way. She heard Julian laboring up the hill behind her with the toboggan being a handicap to his efforts. He lagged far enough behind that she was able to get herself ready for when he reached the top.

  Just as Julian reached the top of the hill, he dropped the toboggan to the ground and she tossed a readied snowball she had in her hand as hard as she could. It hit him square in the chest and then disintegrated.

  “What?”

  “You said the best snowball fights are unexpected,” she said, bending down to collect more snow.

  Julian wasted no time at all gathering snowball after snowball and hurling them at her. He clearly had experience that handicapped her. After a few minutes of being completely pummeled by snowballs, Georgie collapsed in the snow laughing. He dropped on his knees to the ground with her.

  “Giving up?” he said. His breathing was labored from running around.

  “Yes. You win.”

  “Lightweight,” he said under his breath with a chuckle. He collapsed in the snow on his back next to her and looked up at the sky.

  �
�This was fun,” she said, peering up at the blue sky. She stretched out her arms and legs and made a snow angel. “I’ve always wanted to do this.”

  “Yeah? You don’t need to make a snow angel.”

  “No? Why is that?”

  He lifted up on his elbow and looked at her for a long moment. “Nah, never mind.”

  “No, tell me. What were you going to say?”

  “It’s lame. I don’t want to.”

  “Let me be the judge of that.”

  He paused another second. “You don’t need to make an angel because you are one.”

  She stopped what she was doing and looked at him. His expression showed he was serious.

  “You’re right. It’s lame.”

  Julian closed his eyes and made a face as if he were embarrassed.

  “But I like it anyway,” she added.

  He opened his eyes again. “Yeah?”

  She nodded. “It’s sweet.”

  He leaned forward so his face was just above hers. “Yeah?”

  “Yes.”

  Bending his head, he brushed his lips against hers. She reached up and pushed his hat off his head and dug her fingers into his hair. He wasn’t demanding. He didn’t take more than the simple kiss. And when he pulled back, it left her wanting more.

  It was only when she looked at his face that she realized their kiss did not have the same effect on him as it had on her.

  “I shouldn’t have done that.”

  “Why not? I liked it.”

  “I’ve wanted to kiss you for a long time, Georgie. More than kiss you, in fact.”

  Her whole body stirred. She was lying in a pile of snow and yet she was on fire. “Is that right?”

  “The lines are getting pretty blurry for me. In fact, I’m getting to the point where I’m having a hard time seeing them at all.”

  She lifted herself up off the ground so that she was sitting next to him.

  “You’re afraid you’re taking advantage of me.”

  “Aren’t I? No matter what I feel, I still…” He grunted in frustration and grabbed his hat, shoving it back on his head.

  “What?”

  “I really like having you here. I’ve always loved coming home to be with my family and I thought it might be awkward. But I like having you here and being with you.”

  “Is that a bad thing?”

  “It is if I lose focus.”

  Reality came crashing down like it always did. “Cash Montgomery.”

  “I’m afraid that between the distraction of this family celebration and being with a beautiful woman like you, I’m going to forget that a man’s life is at stake.”

  “And my cousin’s life. I don’t want to forget that.”

  “No.”

  She looked at Julian’s face and saw the same disappointment she felt inside. She wanted to continue to feel this happiness she’d been feeling when she was with Julian. But not at Angela’s expense.

  “Where do we go from here?”

  “What do you mean?”

  “If Angela calls and we find where Cash Montgomery is being held, what happens.”

  “You’ll probably go into witness protection. The FBI will set you up with a new name and a place to live. You’d get a fresh start.”

  “Is that the only way?”

  “No. You can choose not to go into witness protection. But there will always be a chance that Eduardo will be able to find you. Even here in the United States. Until he loses interest in you.”

  “Or kills me.”

  “We’re trying to avoid that.”

  “And you?”

  “What about me?”

  “You’ll move on to another case. Another pretty face.”

  He brushed his knuckles across her cold cheek. “None will ever be as beautiful as you.”

  She sighed, feeling a stab of pain in her chest. She knew he was right. The safest course for her would be witness protection. Start a new identity somewhere else.

  “I should have never brought you here,” he whispered.

  “Because it puts your family in danger?”

  He shook his head. “Because when you get your new identity, you’ll have to cut ties with everyone you once knew in order to start over. That means me and my family.”

  Suddenly, the realization of what Julian was saying became clear. There was no future for them together no matter how much they were attracted to each other. No matter how much she wanted to be with Julian. The only time they had was the time they could steal while they were here in South Dakota. Hopefully, in a week or two, Angela would be free to leave Colombia and the FBI would be able to find Cash Montgomery.

  This happy homecoming would be over.

  Chapter Eight

  It had been a long time since Georgie had been woken up by laughter. In fact, she couldn’t remember the last time. She’d been in college for sure. She’d lived in the dorms for four years. Despite the fact that so many of her classmates were stretching their legs and being rebellious in addition to earning a degree, Georgie had remained studious. She knew her education would be her ticket for her mother and her to get out of Colombia. Her college years were the most normal years of her life. In fact, it was the one thing she’d always written home to her mother about.

  But normal wasn’t something that came without a price. That became evident yesterday when she was out on the hill with Julian.

  There was no future for them. It shouldn’t matter to Georgie. She’d only known Julian for a short time. She was with him because he’d been assigned to her case. To help her and to help find a man who Eduardo Sanchez was probably torturing at this moment. She had no right to feel bad about her future when she was safe here in South Dakota.

  And she was safe. She felt it every time she looked at Julian. But soon she’d be out on her own.

  On the road, Julian lived like she did. Alone and without family. And if his work with the FBI continued, he’d be leaving here to head out to who knows where after Angela was able to leave Colombia and they’d found Kelly’s son Cash. The thought of it left her cold.

  Her cell phone was charging on the night stand and when it began to vibrate, it moved across the wooden surface. Georgie rolled over and grabbed the phone before he fell off the side and crashed to the floor.

  She glanced down at the phone, read the caller ID, and frowned. “Hello?”

  “I think he knows, Georgie.”

  “Angela?”

  “I’m at a market on a pay phone. I don’t have much money left on the calling card. But I’m scared. He saw me looking at the baby.”

  “Baby. What baby?”

  “Eduardo came home with a baby for his wife.”

  “They adopted a baby?”

  “Come on, Georgie. You know he doesn’t have to go through legal channels for anything. I heard his wife talking to the nanny. She’s claiming the baby is hers. She doesn’t want anyone to know the truth. They stole that baby, Georgie.”

  “I wouldn’t put it past him to do anything.”

  “I…he saw me looking at the baby.”

  “You’re working in the house. Cleaning. Why wouldn’t you be looking at a new baby?”

  “This whole thing has me so afraid. The baby. She’s…”

  “What?”

  “She’s very fair skinned. Her hair is fair.”

  “She’s a baby. Babies change almost daily.”

  “I heard Eduardo talking to Ava. The baby is American.”

  “American?”

  “He said The American can’t know. He’ll never know. And that Ava shouldn’t worry about The American interfering any more. As if Cash Montgomery had something to do with the baby. I think I heard them say…”

  “What? What did they say?”

  Angela paused a second. Georgie could hear the sound of traffic through the phone. She was probably down at the marketplace.

  “Angela?”

  “I think the baby’s father is Cash Montgomery. I think that�
��s why Eduardo has been so crazed about the man.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “I need to go. I may not be able to risk calling again. At least not for a while. Please don’t contact me.”

  Someone called Angela’s name from a distance. The sound of the phone being muffled drowned out what was being said.

  “Angela?”

  “I have to go. Tell your friends to hurry. I don’t want to be here anymore.” The phone call disconnected.

  Georgie’s heart pounded when she glanced down at her cell phone and as if she could bring Angela back. Georgie had gotten out. But her cousin was still there. Still at Eduardo’s compound. And still in the middle of Eduardo’s rule. And after today’s phone conversation, it looked as though she could be under new scrutiny now that Eduardo had brought home a child for his wife.

  She needed to talk to Julian. This wasn’t just about her cousin staying for the sake of a baby. It was about a baby who may have been kidnapped. And if Angela knew the truth, then she was a target for Eduardo.

  With her phone still in her hand, Georgie opened the bedroom door and headed downstairs in search of Julian. She heard laughter coming up from the kitchen. Loud male chuckles, Joan’s voice, and more.

  Pausing at the bottom of the stairs, she clutched her cell phone and then took three cleansing breaths to steady her nerves. She didn’t want the McKinnons to see her rattled. They were too in tune to each other and they would know immediately that something was wrong. When she was reasonably sure she wouldn’t lose it, she walked into the kitchen, she made her way towards the laughter, hoping Julian would see her quickly. If he wasn’t in the kitchen, she didn’t know what she would do.

  * * *

  Georgie hadn’t had to say a word when she came into the kitchen. Julian felt his cell phone vibrate in his pocket and saw the look on Georgie’s face and he knew instantly that someone had contacted her. She walked into the kitchen without looking at anyone else and stopped behind the chair he was sitting in at the table. Bending down, she wrapped her arms around him and put her mouth to his ear as if she were about to kiss him.

  The move seemed so natural for a couple in love that no one else sitting at the table seemed suspicious.