Her Christmas Protector. Terri Reed

and I’ll try to get out to the ranch this week for a visit.”

      “I will, Ethel, thanks.”

      Ethel turned to Faith. “How’s your breakfast, dear?”

      Faith swallowed before answering. “Wonderful.” And to the man beside her she added, “And the coffee is great.”

      “Told you so.” He gave her a crooked grin, knocking the breath from her lungs. As a teenager, she’d dreamed of smiles like his.

      She’d also dreamed of a happy, normal marriage. Now all she had were nightmares.

      “L.C.?”

      He extended his hand. “Luke Campbell, at your service, Miss…”

      Tentatively, she took his hand. The kiss of the sun had tanned his calloused fingers, a stark contrast to the paleness of her own hand. “Faith Delange.”

      She bit back a gasp of anxiety at giving out her real name. Having used so many aliases over the last three months she sometimes forgot who she was supposed to be.

      But he’d distracted her.

      A big no-no.

      She couldn’t let her guard down. Not for a second. She could never be sure who would be the one to give her away.

      “Well, Faith, what brings you to Sisters?”

      He leaned back and eyed her with an intensity that brought a heated flush to her cheeks. Her heart beat erratically at the probing question. “I’m just passing through.”

      “That’s too bad.” He cocked his head to one side and studied her. “Where are you headed?”

      Good question. She didn’t want to say, where I can’t be found, so she shrugged. “I’m just traveling around, seeing America.” That sounded innocuous enough.

      “Really?” His gaze shifted to her suitcases on the floor.

      She asked quickly, “What do you do, Mr. Campbell?”

      “Please, call me Luke.”

      Her gaze dropped to her plate. “Luke.”

      “I…well, for the moment, I’m a rancher.”

      “Why just for the moment?”

      “I’m a captain in the army. My father recently passed away and my mother suffered a heart attack not long after. Thankfully, I had enough unused leave to come home and help.”

      Her hand went to her heart. “I’m so sorry.”

      “It’s been hard.” Luke noticed the delicate shape of her fingers, fine-boned and petite. The kind of fingers meant for diamonds. Hers were bare.

      He could tell she’d been traveling hard. Her wrinkled clothes looked well-worn, and the dark circles beneath her eyes told him she needed rest. He studied her face, liking the high cheekbones, wide, generous mouth and catlike eyes. Those eyes shifted ever-so-slightly toward the door. Luke twisted around to see what she found so fascinating, but there was nothing there. “Are you waiting for someone?”

      “No.”

      “Are you alone, then?”

      She stared hard at him for a moment before slowly answering, “Yes.”

      “Where are you staying?”

      “Oh, I’m not.” She spoke quickly, “I’ll be catching the next bus out.” She pushed a strand of blond hair behind her ear.

      He shouldn’t care. He wasn’t staying much longer himself. But there was something vulnerable about her that didn’t sit well. “Wouldn’t it be a good idea to stop and stay in one place for a while? Sisters has a lot to offer.”

      She glanced at him sharply and wiped daintily at her mouth with a napkin. “I can see a lot from a bus window.”

      “Must get terribly uncomfortable.”

      She shrugged.

      “How long do you plan to keep traveling?”

      “As long as it takes.”

      “Where to next?”

      She thought for a moment. “Alaska.”

      “As in tundra?”

      She gave him a pointed look. “You ask a lot of questions.”

      He grinned. “Guilty as charged.” People tended to open up if the right question was asked. Sometimes it took a lot of questions. “I’m a curious man.”

      She leaned in close. “Haven’t you heard the one about curiosity killing the cat?”

      Following her movement, he leaned closer. “Will my curiosity kill me?”

      Abruptly, she sat back. Her expression took on a pained, faraway look. “It could, I suppose. I really don’t know.”

      “Want to tell me about it?”

      Her expression became guarded. “About what?”

      Every nerve ending went on alert. She was hiding something. Luke stifled the urge to press and ran a hand through his hair. He didn’t need this. Her. He had enough guilt for not being there for his father to take on another person’s problems.

      Ethel stopped before them. “Would either of you like anything else?”

      Faith’s expression changed and became hopeful. “Do you have pie?”

      At least she had good taste and a healthy appetite. “Good choice.”

      Faith liked the way Luke’s eyes crinkled at the corners. But his questions still made her uncomfortable and she was thankful he let the subject drop. The last thing she needed was to have someone probing into her life. Making judgments or, worse yet, pitying her.

      He pulled out his billfold from his back pocket and laid cash down on the counter.

      “Here’s our homemade apple pie,” Ethel announced, setting the pie on the counter before moving away.

      Luke rose and took a thick brown, shearling-lined leather coat from the hook and placed a traditional cowboy hat on his head. With an engaging grin he tipped the brim. “Faith, nice meeting you. Have a safe trip to Alaska.”

      Safety. If only she had a guarantee she’d find it in the tundra, she’d actually head that way. “Thanks.”

      As she watched him walk out, a familiar sense of loneliness assailed her. Only now it was more pronounced. For a moment, talking to the man, she’d felt normal. Mr. Campbell had been kind and thoughtful. Something she’d found too little of lately. Would she ever get used to the isolation?

      “How’s that pie?” Ethel asked, as she refilled Faith’s coffee mug.

      “Delicious,” she replied. “I…I wanted to…inquire about the job?”

      Ethel’s expression went blank.

      “The ‘Help Wanted’ sign in the window,” Faith prompted.

      “Oh, lands sakes.” Ethel shook her head. “I’m sorry, dear. That should have been taken down two days ago.”

      Disappointment rolled through Faith with the force of a thunderstorm. “Oh, I see.”

      “I’ll go take care of that sign right now.” Ethel hurried away.

      Setting down her fork, Faith pulled open her handbag and brought out a small leather pouch. She tugged out the bills and let the change fall to the table. She didn’t think she’d have enough left after she paid her bill to buy another bus ticket.

      Okay, time to regroup. The waitressing job wouldn’t have been an ideal choice anyway. She’d be too visible here, too easy to find. The town was too small.

      She scoffed