A CALLAHAN CHRISTMAS MIRACLE (9 page)

Chapter Nine

Galen sprinted like he never had before and dived through the back door, just as Mack had advised. Not a shot had been fired. In fact, it was deadly silent. He caught his breath and realized why it was so quiet.

His family had arrived. Ash would have notified any Callahan cousins who were currently staying at Dark Diablo, the Callahan ranch in Tempest. Ash was probably on her way herself, or Jace. Someone had gotten to the shooter, or maybe the bodyguard Galen had hired had taken him out.

He’d let the family handle it. Staying away from windows, leaving the lights off, he strode quietly into the den.

His heart fell into his stomach when he saw Rose on the couch, clearly in pain. “Babe! What’s going on?”

“Galen!” She gasped. “I heard the gunfire! Where’s my father?”

“He’s fine. What’s going on with you?”

He knew what was going on by looking at the placement of her hand on her stomach and the sweat on her face.

His wife was in labor.

“Why are you wearing boots?”

“So you can take me to the hospital,” she said, closing her eyes. “I don’t think the babies enjoyed all the excitement.”

He stroked her brow. Could he get his wife out of here without drawing fire? It was silent as a tomb outside; he’d just have to assume the shooter was dead.

Galen could call an ambulance. But Rose needed to get to Santa Fe, where her doctor who specialized in multiple births was located.

She groaned, and the sound was full of held-back pain. Rose wasn’t going to make it to Santa Fe.

“Let me help you up.” Outside, he saw flashing lights, which meant that squad cars had arrived. Tempest’s finest were on the scene to protect their sheriff and his family.

“I’m not going anywhere without Dad. I can’t leave him out there, Galen.”

“I promise you he’s safe. The cops are here, my family’s here. The shooter’s probably dead by now. I’ve got to get you to the hospital before we have babies right here in the den.”

“You’re a doctor. You could handle it.”

He felt a shiver cross his skin. “Not delivering three babies, beautiful. Obstetrics is not my forte. Let me help you up.”

He carried her, with one ear tuned to the sounds outside. A police cruiser was parked beside his truck, so Galen felt he had a good chance to get her away safely. “It’s all over, baby girl. Hang on. By tomorrow, we’ll be parents.”

“My father,” she said in a weak voice.

“Everything’s going to be fine. Try not to worry. Think about those three little babies. Remember when you said you didn’t want to know what we were going to have? I have a feeling we’re about to find out just in time to put their names on their Christmas stockings.” Galen put the seat belt around her and closed the door, telling himself that this wasn’t going to be their life together.

History wasn’t going to repeat itself. He wasn’t going to live on the run the way his parents had—he’d fight for the sake of his three unborn children.

* * *

T
EN
HOURS
AND
an emergency C-section later, Galen stood in the presence of three tiny baby boys, so small he figured he’d seen bigger baked potatoes. That was an exaggeration, but their small size alarmed him. They didn’t look like children who might grow into bull riders or military personnel.

They looked small and fragile, and his heart broke.

Ash came to stand beside him to peer through the nursery window of the neonatal ICU. “Hard for me to believe you’re actually a dad, big brother.”

“Me, too. Hard to believe those are my sons.”

“They look healthy,” she said cheerfully. “They’ll grow, although it may not seem like it today.”

“Thanks.” Galen didn’t feel any better. It was his fault his sons were born early, and now lay with tubes sticking out of them and monitors attached to every conceivable body part that could be monitored.

He wanted to make them strong and big—and he couldn’t. “That littlest one, the one no bigger than my thumb...” he said, exaggerating because he was ill with fear. “The doctor says we’ll know in twenty-four hours if he can pull through.”

“Oh, Galen.” Ash rubbed his back. “Everything’s going to be fine. He’s a Callahan. He’ll grow up to kick butt.”

Galen’s chest tightened with fear. Maybe, maybe not. He wasn’t certain he picked up a lot of life force in that tiny little body. It seemed a bad sign that everything was being fed into his sons with tubes.

A series of bad decisions he’d made had led to his three sons being born too soon, and maybe too weak, to survive. It was his fault, and he knew it in his soul.

“How’s Rose?” Ash asked, laying her head against his shoulder.

“Brave as always. Braver than me.” He grimaced. “Where’s the sheriff?”

“Mack? He’s resting at home. Feels fine, except for the bump on his head and his pride being a bit dented.” Ash smiled. “Rose gets all that toughness from her father.”

He’d relied on that toughness to keep his family safe. “I blew it, Ash.”

She rubbed his arm and kept her head against his shoulder, supporting him. “You couldn’t have changed what happened if you’d been there, Galen.”

“I should have warned Mack.” Actually, he should have been there with his wife and kids, every minute. He’d known that. “I wanted to be at Rancho Diablo in case something big happened. Thought I could be both places at once.” He sighed. “And maybe in my heart I didn’t think the worst threat would follow Rose to Tempest.”

He left his sister and his babies with a sad glance and went into his wife’s hospital room. Rose looked at him with a tired, happy face.

“Are they beautiful?” she asked.

He kissed her forehead. “So beautiful they break my heart a little.”

“You’re sweet.” She smiled at him fondly. “Dad just called. He says he’ll be here in a while.”

Guilt swamped Galen. “I don’t suppose we could convince him to rest.”

“You can try, but you’ll get an earful.” Rose pointed to the gallery of bouquets and balloons that filled her room. “See those flowers? Those are from your cousins.”

He didn’t, couldn’t care. “There’s something I have to tell you.”

“Sit here on the bed with me.” She patted the space beside her. “Get it off your chest.”

“I don’t think I hired the best help.”

“You mean the scout?” Rose shrugged. “Good enough to run the shooter off, or get him. Anyway, Dad knew someone was watching us. He had an eye on him all along.”

“The scout was Somer.” Galen knew they’d been outplayed.

Rose blinked. “You think it was Somer who attacked my father? We were attacked by someone hired to guard us?”

“Looks that way.”

“No. Somer is Sawyer’s cousin. She wouldn’t do that.” Rose shook her head. “I don’t believe it. The sheriff is wrong.”

Galen didn’t think so. “I knew there was something off about her the first time I met her. Her aura was dark. I felt darkness when we talked. I should have heeded my instincts.”

Rose put a hand over his. “It doesn’t matter. If you’re right, and Somer was sent by Wolf to scare us—or worse—then Sheriff Cartwright in Diablo will see she’s put in jail. I don’t believe it, myself.”

It had been a kick to the gut when he’d found out his family had captured Somer.

“Anyway, what was the point?” Rose asked. “It wasn’t like I could have gone anywhere. I wasn’t really a target, was I?”

“I don’t know.” Galen had wondered the same thing. “It would have been obvious to anyone that you couldn’t travel. Perhaps they were just trying to rattle our cage, let us know they have spies everywhere.”

“My poor father.” Rose shook her head. Then her expression turned serious.

“I didn’t realize you’d hired someone to protect us. Dad didn’t know, either.” She looked at him, her gaze suddenly perplexed. “Who was covering us, Galen?”

He sighed, wishing he didn’t have to say. Felt a little foolish, considering what had happened. No, he felt really dumb, as if he hadn’t paid attention to the warnings he’d felt inside him all along.

He looked at his wife, wishing he’d been wiser. It was too late for regrets now. “Sawyer Cash,” Galen said.

* * *

A
WEEK
LATER
, Rose was allowed to go home. She took one baby with her—little Ross Galen, who was stronger than his brothers. The other two were still tiny, but flourishing, though Riley Galen wasn’t quite as hardy as his brother, Mack Galen. She’d given all three boys middle names after their father, because as far as she was concerned, Galen was the finest man she’d ever known, besides her own dad. If all three of her sons could grow up anything like him, she’d consider herself a mother who’d done her job.

But no matter how much she loved Galen, Rose had to admit that something had changed between them, and it wasn’t just the babies’ arrival. Galen stayed with her at night, helped her with Ross, but he was distant. Almost as if he had a lot on his mind and didn’t want to share it.

Then again, it could be her imagination. Rose knew she was probably hormonal and tired. She put it out of her mind and concentrated on little Ross.

Galen brought her in some soup. “Hey, beautiful.”

Rose smiled. “Hello, handsome.”

“Your father’s gone out for a bit. Think he and Sheriff Cartwright are in cahoots over something.” Galen sat down next to her. “Your father doesn’t share a whole lot of details.”

“He’s trying to get Somer off,” Rose said, feeling cranky about the whole thing. “He doesn’t want charges pressed.”

Galen raised a brow. “Why? She gave him a minor concussion.”

“Dad said it was barely a tap, and that you Callahans were bound to drive anyone nuts. That Somer was just doing her job, and besides which, he thinks he was attacked by a man. He thinks she’s being framed.”

Galen sank back into the chair across from her bed, glanced over at Ross in his white bassinet. They had three ready, one for each baby when they were finally allowed home. Rose was hoping for Christmas, but she was pretty certain that would take a miracle.

“Framed?” Galen repeated. He looked stunned.

“I don’t really want to talk about it,” Rose said. “I like Somer. At least I did—or still do—until we know exactly what happened that night. So I’m not getting involved. I’m going to sit here and do nothing but enjoy being a new mother.”

She couldn’t look at Galen. It was true what her father had said in the beginning, that with Callahans there came a lot of drama and agony. He’d warned her. Galen was worth it, of course—she loved him—but she had three sons to think of now. They might be a part of the Callahan legacy, but that didn’t mean she was going to allow them to be part of the sacrifice that went along with being part of that legendary family.

Chapter Ten

“Fiona’s here,” Galen told Rose the next morning. “Do you feel like company?”

Rose nodded. “I’d love to see her. Can you hand me something to wear?” Even though she was sore, she didn’t want to been seen in the oversize T-shirt she had on.

“I’ve always been partial to this
Dark Shadows
T-shirt you were wearing the night we sent you down into the cave.” He grinned, and she caught a flash of the wild-eyed man she’d fallen in love with. “I don’t suppose that’s what you want, though.”

“Something with buttons. I don’t want to pull any stitches. I’m still moving pretty slow.”

He nodded and left the room for a moment, returning with a white box with a big pink bow on it, which he gave her with a wink. “Maybe this will fit.”

She shook the box. “Magic wedding dress? Do I finally get my turn?”

He seemed thunderstruck. Rose laughed. “Don’t look so scared.”

“I’m not scared. I’m surprised.” He sank onto the bed, smoothed a strand of hair behind her ear. “You never said you wanted to be married in the magic wedding dress.”

“I heard that a woman hasn’t really caught her Callahan until he’s seen her in the Callahan dress of dreams.”

“You’ve caught me,” Galen said, kissing her hand. “Oh, you’ve caught me. And I like it.”

“That’s what I want to hear.”

They gazed at each other, and just for a moment, Rose thought she could feel the sparks of affection they’d shared before. She wanted to feel those sparks—wanted her husband to be in love with her.

“Well, go on. Open it,” Galen said. “If you don’t hurry, Fiona will probably come busting in here to hold the baby.”

Rose undid the box, lifting out a beautiful white nightgown and robe with tiny pink roses in lovely lace scattered down one side. “I’ve never seen anything so pretty. Thank you, Galen.” She leaned over and kissed him on the lips, seeming to surprise him.

“Well, the saleswoman assured me it would be easy to wear after a C-section,” he said gruffly. “I personally like you naked the best, but I realize social conventions must be observed.”

“Yes, they do.” Rose slipped on the gown, buttoning the front. “I feel like a princess.”

“That’s because you are.” He helped her into the matching robe, and smiled. “I get to take it all off of you later, and that’s the part that makes me happy. Enjoy your visit.”

He called for Fiona as he left the room, and it was like a whirlwind of pink swept in, instantly chasing off the gloom Rose had been feeling lately. “Fiona!”

“The cavalry has arrived!” Fiona exclaimed, kissing her on the cheek and then spying the baby in his bassinet. “Don’t you worry, handsome. Aunt Fiona’s here to take care of you. And I know a thing or two about what little boys like.” She ran a slow, gentle palm over Ross’s back and grinned at her most recent niece-in-law. “Looks just like Galen. A little prune-faced and puckery around the mouth, but otherwise human.”

Rose giggled. “You wouldn’t be secretly bragging about your movie-star-handsome nephew, would you?”

Fiona sat down in the chair across from the bed, settling herself in and setting the basket she’d carried with her on the floor. “Bragging’s unseemly, my girl. Luckily, in our family we just tell the truth, and that seems to be good enough. Galen’s handsome, if you like them tall and rangy and eggheaded.”

Rose laughed. “Oh, don’t make me laugh, Fiona.”

“Laughter is what cures the soul. Now,” she said, leaning forward, “tell me everything.”

“Everything about what?” Rose looked at the Callahan matriarch. “Is there something I should know?”

“What happened the day the babies were born? You weren’t expecting to have the babies that day, I know. The Christmas ball is next weekend, and as I recall you’d planned your C-section for after that. Galen said there was a furious hubbub out here, and you went into labor early.”

“It’s true. But I don’t know as much as I should, I guess.” Rose shook her head. “I try not to think about it. My dad’s back to normal, and Galen’s got this place loaded with bodyguards, so I just stay in my gentle cocoon of ignorance.”

Fiona nodded. “A good thing indeed.”

“There’s so much I don’t understand,” Rose said. “Like why Sawyer Cash and her cousin Somer would be on opposite sides. Why Galen hired Sawyer if he doesn’t really trust Somer and Storm Cash.”

“You have to ask him,” Fiona said, handing her a pink fabric bag that smelled like chocolate chip cookies.

Rose could feel her resolve melting. “I told myself no sweets after the babies were born, so I could get my figure back. I gained forty pounds! But I can’t resist your cookies, Fiona. You’re trying to get me off the subject.”

“You can ask Galen those questions,” Fiona said, making Rose hesitate as she reached for a cookie.

“No, I don’t think I can.”

“He’ll tell you. You have a right to know,” his aunt said gently.

Unease settled over Rose. She looked at Fiona. “He was trying to protect us.”

“Of course he was.” She pulled a knitted cap and booties from her basket. “Look at these. Turned out fine, if I do say so myself.” She handed the booties and cap to Rose. “I’ve got a set for each baby,” she said proudly.

“They’re lovely,” Rose murmured. “Stay on your point, please.”

“Galen didn’t know Somer was planted here by Storm. I think everything’s gotten out of hand with our neighbor,” Fiona said. “Wolf’s got him by the...by the scruff of his neck, I think.”

“I wouldn’t be surprised.”

“My guess is that Storm was trying to get his nieces out of there, both of them.” Fiona leaned closer. “He told me that he was afraid they were in danger from Wolf, that Wolf had threatened to use his nieces as leverage if Storm didn’t do what he was told. Storm’s a big, tough man, but we knew he wasn’t happy with his role in the attack on Rancho Diablo the day you and I were threatened.”

“So Storm asked Galen to hire Sawyer? Then why would Somer have ended up on the bad side?” Rose stared at Fiona, her heart beginning to pound uncomfortably hard.

“Not exactly,” Fiona said. “Galen hired Sawyer because she’s been keeping in contact with Galen while she’s staying away from Jace. Jace has annoyed her on some matter, and I’m not certain about all that at the moment. Anyway, only Galen knew where Sawyer had gone off to. He thought she did good work, that he could trust her with you, so he hired her. Good decision,” Fiona said, nodding. “But then Storm sent Somer out here, as well.”

Rose blinked. “But I’ve defended Somer to Galen. Told him I didn’t think she would have harmed my father or me. I consider her a friend. We were the new girls at the ranch.”

Fiona looked sympathetic. “Sometimes it’s hard to know who our friends are. Galen knows this. He feels very guilty about not having this place locked down better.”

“Why wouldn’t he have told me?”

“My guess is Galen doesn’t want you to know he was the reason you and your father were shot at. He knows your dad was hesitant about you working at Rancho Diablo in the first place, and that the sheriff warned you against falling for a Callahan.” Fiona settled back in her chair. “Storm is beside himself that Somer shot at her cousin, Sawyer. That’s how I know what I’m telling you is true.”

Rose’s heart seemed to shatter into a million pieces. “This is so hard to believe.”

Fiona shrugged. “Stranger things have happened. Still, you need to talk this over with Galen. If my stubborn nephew isn’t going to cough up the truth, you must make him. It’s the only way you can make decisions.”

“Decisions about what?” Rose asked, feeling sad and a little sick.

“There are many you must face,” Fiona said. “You have three sons. They’ll be raised to fight the Callahan fight. It’s something you’ll have to accept, Rose. There’s no halfway mark on the race we run.”

Rose thought about the cave she’d seen, and the painting of Running Bear. There were tunnels running under the canyons back of Rancho Diablo that were fortified, an underground city whose occupants might crush the Callahans if they weren’t careful.

And now Fiona was telling her that her sons were part of that legacy. That her husband had hired a traitor as a bodyguard to protect her.

That her marriage might not be the stuff of dreams.

* * *

B
Y
THE
TIME
F
IONA
LEFT
that afternoon, the house had been transformed into a Christmas wonderland. Decorations and lights graced practically every corner, and a tree that looked as if it had been created for a Hollywood set glowed in the den near the fireplace. Galen doubted Mack had seen such a holiday extravaganza in his home in years.

If his wife was cheered by his aunt’s elfish ministrations to the house, Galen wouldn’t have known it from the look on Rose’s face when he walked into the bedroom to help her feed and change baby Ross.

“Looks like Mrs. Claus was here,” Galen said, kissing his wife and then his son. “How are you feeling?”

“Fine.” She looked at him. “Fiona’s energy has lifted me to the next level.”

He grinned and sat next to her, taking the baby. “Think you’re going to have Thing Number Two tomorrow, by the way. I just went to see the babies, and they’re progressing nicely. They’ve got the nursing staff wrapped around their tiny fingers.”

“Sort of the way you wrapped me around your finger.” Rose sighed.

“That didn’t sound like a lady who’s happy,” Galen said, kissing her again. “Did my aunt wear you out?”

“She brought up some things we should probably discuss.”

“Uh-oh. That’s the last time my aunt passes through that doorway.”

“Can we be serious for a minute?”

“We can be serious for longer.” He nuzzled her neck. “In fact, I look forward to being very serious with you in a couple of months, or whenever the doctor green-lights you, whichever comes first.”

“Galen,” Rose said, and he noted that she hadn’t responded with her customary eagerness. “Did you hire Sawyer Cash to guard Dad’s house?”

He nodded. “I did. She’s a good bodyguard. She and Jace have gotten crosswise for some reason, and she wanted to get away for a while. I know that my brother could test the patience of a saint—”

“It’s a Callahan thing.”

“I don’t debate that.” He kissed her lightly on the lips. “However, she asked if I knew anyone who might need a bodyguard, and I said I wouldn’t mind having someone out here keeping an eye on things. I thought it was a smart plan—until it wasn’t.”

“What went wrong?”

“I didn’t anticipate Storm sending Somer out here. Of course, having two cousins shooting at each other is a recipe for disaster on so many levels it’s scary.” He shook his head. “I hired Sawyer just as easily as I would hire Ash. Never crossed my mind to look at the job differently because she’s a woman. I knew Wolf would send a scout out here, but I didn’t think he’d send someone with orders to shoot.”

“It’s horrible,” Rose said. “Coincidence?”

“I believe so. Sheriff Cartwright has Somer in custody, and she certainly seems horrified she was shooting at her cousin. Somer claims she had no idea this was your house, either. That she thought she was
protecting
this house when she spied an intruder, which of course was no trespasser firing on her, but Sawyer,” Galen said. “I’m not sure how much of that I buy, but Storm’s her uncle. She wouldn’t doubt his instructions. And if Wolf told Storm he needed someone on this house, he wouldn’t have thought that his nieces would end up firing on each other—or you. I can tell you right now that Storm wouldn’t let anyone fire on a Callahan. He may have gotten caught up on the wrong team, and I know he’s frightened, but I believe in my heart that he wouldn’t try to hurt a Callahan.”

“Not if he knew what was good for him.”

“Anyway,” Galen said, “let’s not worry about this. We don’t have the full story, and I just want you thinking about healing and about little Ross. And we should celebrate that one of his brothers comes home tomorrow.”

“All right. I think I’ll go to sleep now.”

It wasn’t like his wife to be so withdrawn. Maybe she was tired.... Of course she was tired. Carrying triplets stressed the system, as did the C-section, from which she was still healing. Galen put a blanket over her lap and retreated to find Mack, hoping that if he left—and if baby Ross stayed quiet a bit longer—Rose might get some rest.

She’d sounded so worried, and he couldn’t blame her. Any new mom would be scared of the situation Rose had found herself living in.

He had moments when he admitted to gut-deep fear, not that he would ever tell her that. He’d added more coverage, and the sheriff had men keeping an eye on the house, too.

But Galen knew very well that if Wolf was determined enough, he’d get to Rose and the kids. And he hadn’t yet—so that meant Wolf just wanted to keep them all frightened. In limbo.

Enduring the same fear Galen’s parents and his Callahan cousins’ parents must have felt, all those years ago.