Holiday Hideout Read Free Page B

someone hold her and offer—
    She blinked the thought away. Right now she had to concentrate on getting well and leaving before she brought trouble to this sweet family.
    Only then did his uniform register.
    The gray shirt, black pants, black tie. And the gold badge placed just over his heart.
    He was a cop.
    Her heart thudded. She gulped and looked away.
    “Hi, there, how are you feeling?”
    His deep voice sent shivers all over her. Shivers that had nothing to do with a fever she no longer had. “Hi. Better, thanks.”
    Fiona said, “This is Abby Harris. Abby, this is my brother, Callum McIvers.”
    Cal smiled, revealing even white teeth. And twin dimples on his clean-shaven face. “But you can call me Cal. All my friends do. Nice to meet you, Ms. Abby Harris. A beautiful name for a beautiful girl.”
    He was charming. Oh, my. Abby felt she might need to grab ahold of her heart with both hands before it ruptured from her chest. First he’d rescued her, now he flattered her. “I hear I owe you a thank you.”
    “Well, I never could resist a woman falling at my feet.” He winked.
    Her flush burned hotter.
    Fiona slapped Cal’s arm. “Stop it.”
    Cal laughed and cowered from his sister in mock fear. Abby watched their exchange and felt grief pierce her heart. She and Keira used to joke around like that.
    “So, Ms. Harris.” His voice turned serious. “What are you doing here in Rose Mountain?”
    Pulling in a deep breath, Abby ignored the flash of guilt at using a fake name and shrugged. Hoping she came across as nonchalant, she was seriously afraid she failed. “First of all, please call me Abby. And I…um…well, I decided to take a…vacation. Unfortunately, it looks like I took a little detour instead.”
    “Where are you headed?”
    Anywhere that took her away from the man after her. “Nowhere specific. I was just going to find a spot that looked nice and quiet and rent a little cabin. Have some time to myself.”
    “So you have no reservations somewhere?” His right brow lifted like he had trouble believing her.
    Abby sighed and told the truth—at least part of it. “Look, I’ve been working very hard. There’s no mystery here. I decided to take some time off. So I got on a bus that was going in the direction I wanted to go. I’d been traveling for about four days, sightseeing, enjoying the mountains and all that touristy stuff, before I took that header in the bus station.”
    “Four days?” Fiona looked shocked.
    Abby forced a little laugh. “I know. It sounds crazy, doesn’t it?” Not too crazy, she hoped. After all, it was almost the complete truth. She had decided to stop and find a cabin. She just hadn’t planned on it taking her quite so long to lose her brother-in-law. At least that’s who she thought was following her.
    Come to think of it, she hadn’t gotten a very good look at the man.
    However, the man in the bus station definitely looked like Reese. That is, if she hadn’t been hallucinating. And if she hadn’t been hallucinating, then all of her evasive tactics had failed.
    Cal settled himself in the chair in the corner and she felt his astute gaze on her. It made her want to squirm. He asked, “Do you remember what you said to me right before you passed out?”
    Her mind raced. What had she said? “No, sorry, I don’t remember.”
    He steepled his fingers under his chin. “You said, ‘Don’t let him get me.’”
    Abby flinched. “Are you sure I said that?”
    “I’m sure.”
    Abby bit her lip and looked away. How should she respond? How could she explain without lying and yet protect herself at the same time.
    “Are you in trouble, Abby?”
    “Not with the law,” she blurted.
    Compassion flickered in his eyes and he exchanged a look with Fiona. She wondered what it meant. Then he asked, “Are you involved in a domestic violence situation?”
    Abby blinked. Domestic violence? “Yes, he’s—” She broke off and took a deep breath. “Yes, I suppose you