Page 36 of Christmas in the Shadows

“I can’t get used to depending on you. You won’t be here long before you leave me again.” Chelsea swallowed hard after the words left her lips.

She hadn’t meant to say it like that. But she knew her statement went much deeper than today.

It went back twelve years.

“Chelsea . . .” His voice sounded hoarse with emotion.

She feared Tex might say something in an effort to make the situation better. But there was no making the situation better, and the last thing she wanted was to hear his excuses.

“I’m sorry.” She pushed a stray hair behind her ear. “I shouldn’t have said that. I’m just feeling all out of sorts right now.”

“You can talk to me, you know.”

The way he said those words made Chelsea want to believe him. But she’d be wise not to do that. “I should probably get back.”

“I’ll follow you home, just to make sure there’s no more trouble.”

She knew that arguing with Tex would be useless. So she nodded. “Okay.”

“When we get there, I’m going to walk you inside again and make sure that everything is okay. There’s no other option.”

“Okay,” she said again, a touch of relief in her voice.

Tex looked almost surprised she’d been so compliant. With one last long glance at her, he climbed out. He strode down the street to his own truck.

Why hadn’t she seen the vehicle there? She thought she’d been observant when she drove out this way. But maybe she wasn’t as street smart as she wanted to believe.

She put her car into Drive and took a U-turn on the street. She headed back to her little house, one that suddenly didn’t feel quite as safe as it once had.

Today had certainly been unexpected.

Part of her didn’t even want to know what tomorrow held.

CHAPTER 12

Tex didn’t want to feel angry. But if he were honest with himself, that was the exact emotion pulsing through his blood.

Anger.

It wasn’t even anger toward Chelsea. It was anger toward himself.

How would things be different right now if he hadn’t gone so many years without keeping in touch? Maybe Chelsea wouldn’t be in her current situation.

But the other part of him knew he’d been in a tough position during his military career. If he’d stayed in touch with Chelsea, there was a chance she wouldn’t even like him anymore.

The truth was, he couldn’t go back in time. He couldn’t change anything.

He could only try to make things better right now.

He followed Chelsea home and pulled into the driveway behind her. If he could, he wouldn’t let her out of his sight for even a moment until he knew she was safe.

She climbed out of her car, and he met her, taking her elbow, and leading her to the front door. Then he waited as she unlocked it.

He pushed inside and instructed her to wait by the door.

He went through every room and searched every place someone could hide.

There was no one. He found comfort in that thought—but he still couldn’t relax.

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