Lynette Eason - Christmas Ranch Rescue

“Brody Mac, what are you doing coming in here at midnight and scaring everyone?”

He stuffed his hands into the front pockets of his jeans and shuffled his feet. “I didn’t have nowhere else to go.”

“Anywhere,” she corrected automatically.

“Yes, ma’am, that’s what I meant.”

“Come out here and sit down for a minute, will you? I need to get my pulse back under control.”

Brody Mac stepped into the hall and spotted Nathan. He gasped and ducked back into the room, ready to shut the door. Becca followed him before he could. “Brody Mac, this is my friend, Nathan. Get back out here and meet him, will you?”

“Is he going to shoot me? I saw his gun.”

“No, of course he’s not. I have my rifle, too, but no one is going to do any shooting, okay?” She noticed Nathan had the weapon out of sight and was walking toward the seating area in the large room.

Brody Mac exited the bedroom, his tentative footsteps snagging her heart. She held out a hand and he took it, his palm dwarfing hers. She led him to the sofa where he sat down and released her hand, keeping his gaze on Nathan. Jack bounded over to him and licked his wrist. Brody Mac laughed and scratched the dog’s ears. “Hi, Jack.”

Becca patted his arm, pulling his attention from the animal. “This is Nathan Williams. Say hi.”

“Hi,” Brody Mac said. He extended his arm but then pulled it back. Nathan held his hand out and waited. After a brief hesitation, Brody Mac gave a small smile and shook his hand.

“Nice to meet you, Brody Mac,” Nathan said. “I didn’t mean to scare you with the gun. I’m a cop.”

Brody’s almond-shaped eyes went wide. “A cop? For real?”

“For real.”

“That’s super cool. I like cops. They keep me safe.”

“Yeah,” Nathan said, his voice soft. “We sure do try to do that.”

“Now,” Becca said, “tell me what you’re doing here.”

“I had to leave home.”

“Why?” she asked, but had a feeling she already knew the answer.

“This afternoon, Daddy came home and started yelling ’cause the tractor wouldn’t start. Mama told me to go find someplace to stay. I was at the library for a long time then I walked here. I got lost a couple of times so I had to go home and find the way through the woods. That’s why I got here so late.”

Becca rubbed her eyes and glanced at Nathan. “There’s a shortcut between his land and mine.” To Brody Mac, she said, “Are your things still in the bedroom?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Okay. You know you can stay here.”

Nathan lifted a brow at her and she shrugged. “His daddy’s not such a nice person, but Brody Mac here is a great guy.”

Brody Mac shuffled and rubbed the palms of his hands up and down the sides of his legs. “But my daddy doesn’t like me. He says I’m stupid.” His lower lip quivered. “I’m not stupid, am I, Becca?”

Rage at the man’s careless and needless shaming of Brody Mac burned in her heart, and her tongue wanted to blast the man. With effort, she controlled both and forced a smile. “Of course, you’re not stupid. I know he’s your daddy, but sometimes daddies are wrong,” she said. “About a lot of things.” She looked at Nathan. “Brody Mac’s a hard worker and helps out around the ranch when school’s not in session. He lives here in the bunkhouse during winter break and the summer.” She bit her lip and studied her friend. “Looks like you might need to move in a little early?”

“Can I, Becca?”

“May I.”

“Okay. May I? I’m almost done with school this year. I graduate in—” Brody Mac screwed his face up, then shrugged “—three weeks, I think. Just in time for Christmas.”

“Something like that,” Becca agreed.

“They have graduation in December?” Nathan asked.

Becca smiled. “This school does.”

“I would have graduated in May, but they let me stay until Christmas. I’m twenty-one.” He clapped his hands and grinned. “I’m all legal now.”

“Congratulations,” Nathan said.

“Thanks.” Brody Mac grinned.

Becca stood. “All right, big guy, you’ve got three more weeks of school so that means getting up and getting there on time if you spend the night here. Can you do that?”

“I can. I can do it. I have my alarm clock by my bed. I can set it and everything. I’ll show you.”

“I believe you.” She settled a hand on his massive shoulder. “All right, be sure to tell your mother what you’re doing. She can choose whether or not to fill your father in. As for getting you to school, you can use the moped to get to the bus stop. You know where it is.”

“Thank you, Becca.”

“Sure, and just remember—”

“Roll the moped outta the barn so I don’t scare the horses when I turn it on. I promise.”

“Right. You’ll do great.”

He looked at Nathan. “I learned that last summer.”

Becca couldn’t help the slow curl of her lips. “The hard way.”

Brody’s eyes crinkled at the corners. “Yeah. The hard way.” He rubbed his nose. “I don’t think that horse likes me anymore.”

“He likes you. Be sure to take the lock so you can chain up the moped.”

“I will. Becca says some people have sticky fingers,” he told Nathan. Then looked at his hands. “My fingers aren’t sticky.” He wrinkled his nose. “They only get sticky when I eat pancakes and ice cream.”

Becca could see Nathan fighting a grin and something inside her shifted. He’d been her best friend growing up, the brother she’d never had and always wanted. Only right at that moment, she saw him in a different light.

And it wasn’t as a brother.

She cleared her throat. “It’s been a long day, guys. I’m heading to bed. Brody Mac, Nathan is staying here, too, so please don’t use all of the hot water in the morning, understood?”

“Understood.” He nodded then frowned. “You think my mama’s going to be all right?”

“She always has been.” Why the woman put up with her husband who took off for weeks on end then came home to drink and verbally abuse her and Brody Mac, Becca would never understand. But she could give Brody Mac a safe place to stay and make sure he had a full belly every day until his father decided to leave again. She ushered Brody Mac back to the bedroom. “Get some sleep, all right?”

“Thank you, Becca.” The gentle giant hugged her, and Becca felt her throat grow tight as tears threatened. How anyone could be mean to this man-child was beyond her understanding. He shuffled into the room and shut the door.

“I’ll get Clay to send someone out to his house tonight to check on his mother,” Nathan said softly when she walked back into the den area.

“That’d be good,” Becca agreed. “I can call her, too, and let her know where he is for tonight. Brody Mac’s father isn’t violent—not in the sense that he uses his fists on anyone. At least I don’t think so. But he’s sure got a mouth on him. Last time he was home, he came looking for Brody Mac and he and I got into it. He threatened to see me ‘get mine’ if I kept interfering in his family business.”

Nathan stiffened. “What did he mean by that?”

“I have no idea and I didn’t ask. I just wanted him off my property ASAP.”

“I see. So why does he care where Brody Mac is if he just wants to belittle him?”

“I don’t know for sure, but I suspect it’s because Brody Mac is his. His to boss around, his to be mean to. He wants to control him and make him feel stupid while making himself feel powerful. It’s how he gets his kicks.”

“Sad.”

“I know. And it’s the same way with his wife. She’s not exactly a mouse, but I think she’s afraid of him—and he leaves her alone for extended periods of time so I think she just puts up with it when he’s home and sighs in relief when he’s gone.”