Page 1 of Christmas Ransom

Chapter One

The whole desperate plan began simply as a last-ditch attempt to save his life. He never intended for anyone to get hurt. That day, not long after Thanksgiving, he walked into the bank full of hope. It was the first time he’d ever asked for a loan. It was also the first time he’d ever seen executive loan officer Carla Richmond.

When he tapped at her open doorway, she looked up from that big desk of hers. He thought she was too young and pretty with her big blue eyes and all that curly chestnut-brown hair to make the decision as to whether he lived or died.

She had a great smile as she got to her feet to offer him a seat.

He felt so out of place in her plush office that he stood in the doorway nervously kneading the brim of his worn baseball cap for a moment before stepping in. As he did, her blue-eyed gaze took in his ill-fitting clothing hanging on his rangy body, his bad haircut, his large, weathered hands.

He told himself that she’d already made up her mind before he even sat down. She didn’t give men like him a second look—let alone money. Like his father always said, bankers never gave dough to poor people who actually needed it. They just helped their rich friends.

Right away Carla Richmond made him feel small with her questions about his employment record, what he had for collateral, why he needed the money and how he planned to repay it. He’d recently lost one crappy job and was in the process of starting another temporary one, and all he had to show for the years he’d worked hard labor since high school was an old pickup and a pile of bills.

He took the forms she handed him and thanked her, knowing he wasn’t going to bother filling them in. On the way out of her office, he balled them up and dropped them in the trash. All the way to his pickup, he mentally kicked himself for being such a fool. What had he expected?

No one was going to give him money, even to save his life—especially some woman in a suit behind a big desk in an air-conditioned office. It didn’t matter that she didn’t have a clue how desperate he really was. All she’d seen when she’d looked at him was a loser. To think that he’d bought a new pair of jeans with the last of his cash and borrowed a too-large button-down shirt from a former coworker for this meeting.

After climbing into his truck, he sat for a moment, too scared and sick at heart to start the engine. The worst part was the thought of going home and telling Jesse. The way his luck was going, she would walk out on him. Not that he could blame her, since his gambling had gotten them into this mess.

He thought about blowing off work since his new job was only temporary anyway and going straight to the bar. Then he reminded himself that he’d spent the last of his money on the jeans. He couldn’t even afford a beer. His own fault, he reminded himself. He’d only made things worse when he’d gone to a loan shark for cash and then stupidly gambled the money, thinking he could make back what he owed and then some when he won. He’d been so sure his luck had changed for the better when he’d met Jesse.

Last time the two thugs had come to collect the interest on the loan, they’d left him bleeding in the dirt outside his rented house. They would be back any day.

With a curse, he started the pickup. A cloud of exhaust blew out the back as he headed home to face Jesse with the bad news. Asking for a loan had been a long shot, but still he couldn’t help thinking about the disappointment he’d see in her eyes when he told her. They’d planned to go out tonight for an expensive dinner with the loan money to celebrate.

As he drove home, his humiliation began to fester like a sore that just wouldn’t heal. Had he known even then how this was going to end? Or was he still telling himself he was just a nice guy who’d made some mistakes, had some bad luck and gotten involved with the wrong people?

Chapter Two

There was nothing worse than having to stop by work on her day off less than a week before Christmas. Or so Carla Richmond thought as she entered the bank to the sound of holiday tunes. She waved to her best friend, Amelia, then to one of the other tellers before she hurried into her office. She didn’t bother closing the door since she wasn’t staying long. They were having a true Montana winter, she thought as she shed her snow-covered coat, hat and gloves. She hoped she could purchase the rest of her Christmas gifts and make it home before the snowstorm got any worse.

That’s why she hoped to make this quick. As executive loan officer, Carla took her job seriously, especially the privacy part. That’s why she’d panicked this afternoon when she’d realized that she might not have secured a client file yesterday before leaving work. She was always so careful, but just before quitting time she’d been distracted.

Yesterday, she’d looked up to find Davy Colt leaning against her doorjamb wearing a sheepish grin and the latest rodeo belt buckle he’d won. It wasn’t like she’d missed the way his Western shirt hugged those broad shoulders or the way his jeans ran the length of his muscled legs and cupped that perfect behind. He held his Stetson in the fingers of one hand. His blue gaze danced with mischief as he hid his other hand behind him.

She hadn’t seen him in months, not even in passing, so being caught off guard like that had come as a shock, though a pleasant one. A while back, in a weak moment, she’d made the mistake of asking his brother Tommy about Davy. Was that why he was standing in her doorway? she’d wondered at the time.

Mentally kicking herself, Carla had wished she hadn’t asked Tommy about his brother. Why hadn’t she left well enough alone? She’d made a clean break from Davy and since nothing had changed...

“Hey,” he’d said. “Bad time? I don’t mean to bother you.”

“You aren’t bothering me.” She’d closed the file she’d been working on and shoved it aside. “Is there something...” That’s when he’d drawn his hand from behind him and she’d seen what he’d been hiding. “Is that—”

“Mistletoe,” he’d said with a shy, almost nervous grin. He’d stepped into her office, bringing with him the scent of pine and the crisp Montana air. She’d breathed it in as if she’d never had oxygen before. “I got to thinking about you on my way into town. I pinched the mistletoe from the doorway of a shop down the street.” He’d glanced at his boots. “It reminded me of our first Christmas together.” When he’d looked up, he’d shrugged as if embarrassed. “Guess I was feeling a little nostalgic, the holidays and all. You get off work soon?”

Was he asking her out? Heart bumping erratically against her ribs, she’d checked the time. “In twenty minutes.” That’s when she’d remembered that she’d promised to meet a friend for an early dinner. She’d groaned because she’d already canceled on this friend the last time they’d had plans. “But I’m meeting a friend.”

Had he looked as disappointed as she’d felt? “No problem. I’m home for a few days over the holidays.” His denim-blue gaze had locked with hers for several breath-stealing moments. “Tommy mentioned something about seeing you, and I thought...”

Carla had nodded, although she’d had no idea what he’d thought since he hadn’t finished whatever he was going to say.

He’d set the mistletoe on the corner of her desk. “Maybe another time.”

She’d tried to smile around her disappointment as he’d settled his Stetson back on his thick dark hair. Every one of those Colt brothers was handsome as sin, but Davy... Well, he had always been her favorite.

He’d met her gaze and she’d felt the heartache of the past settle over her. “Merry Christmas, Carla.” And he’d been gone, leaving her with a familiar ache that had gotten worse since their breakup.

Belatedly she’d realized she should have told him that she had the next day off. Not that any good would come from getting involved with Davy again.

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