âNow youâre older.â
Natalie continued to stare at him, arms crossed, the toe of her purple clog tapping on the floor.
âAnd smarter.â
âI donât want anything to happen to Austin,â she said after a moment. âHeâs all Iâve got.â
She didnât meet his gaze as she said the words, but he could see how much they cost her. He felt a rush of emotion and a spark of envy. It was irrational and unfair, but Liam didnât have anythingâanyoneâso precious to him in his life. He hadnât since heâd left Crimson.
âIâll keep him safe, Natalie.â He couldnât stop himself from touching her, just a finger on the delicate bone at her wrist. âIâll keep both of you safe.â
She went still as his finger grazed her skin. âIâm overreacting,â she said after a moment, shifting away from his touch. âIt will be fun. Thank you for including us.â The words were as stiff as her body language, but Liam didnât press her on it. He wasnât sure what, if anything, he wanted from Natalie againâbut he had an entire holiday season to figure it out.
* * *
Crimson, Colorado: Finding homeâand foreverâin the West
Chapter One
Natalie Holt blinked open one eye and slapped her hand against the alarm clock blaring out heavy metal music. Heavy metal wasnât typically popular in the mountains, but sheâd managed to tune in to a college station situated a few towns over from where she lived in Crimson, Colorado.
Not her preference, but she slept through every other genre from classical to country to talk radio. Even the annoying default alarm buzz couldnât jolt her awake these days. Probably a result of averaging about four hours of sleep each night.
Last night had been closer to three hours since sheâd stayed up to finish the month-end medical billing for the senior living center where she worked. Sheâd been lucky to pick up the extra positionâher official third job. She needed the money but couldnât afford to take any more time away from her nine-year-old son, Austin. A decent nightâs sleep was one of the few expendable items on her schedule.
Austin was the best thing in her life, and Natalie would manage through bleary-eyed sleep deprivation or walk on hot coals if it meant keeping him safe. Even if she collapsed from utter exhaustion in the process.
But she wasnât dead yet, so she dragged herself out of bed and threw on a sweatshirt and pair of black yoga pants that hadnât seen the inside of a yoga studio for years. It was Saturday morning, which she hoped meant Austin was still asleep. When she found the door to his room open she expected to find him at the computer or in front of the TV. Instead, the farmhouse where theyâd been living for the past several months was quiet.
She headed down the stairs toward the hallway that led to the master bedroom, but something caught her eye out the front window. Shading her eyes against the bright morning light, she stepped onto the porch, wrapping her arms around herself to ward off the frigid temperatures. It was the start of December, so the cold air and dusting of snow on the flagstone porch were to be expected, but still a shock. Not smart to brave the cold precoffee.
An enormous black SUV sat in the driveway, and a shiver of unease slithered up her spine. Who would be paying such an early morning visit to Ruth Keller, the elderly woman who owned the property? And where was her son at this hour of the day?
She turned and went back into the house. The farmhouse had been remodeled with two distinct sections, the bedrooms on one side and the main living area with the kitchen, dining room, office and family room on the other. Her heart raced, then slowed as she found Austin curled on Ruthâs bed with her, reading aloud from one of his beloved Magic Tree House series of books.
âHey, Mom, Iâm keeping Miss Ruth company.â He smiled, showing off the gap between his two front teeth. Orthodontia was definitely a part of their future, but Natalie would put off that financial worry for another day.
Ruthâs smile was softer. âGood morning, dearie. I hope you werenât worried about Austin.â