A Barker Family Christmas (The Barker Triplets 3.50)

Bobbi wiped at the window once more, heart beating way too fast, and squinted in order to see properly. The snow gusted and then fell away. When she spied the truck and Shane’s long legs unfolding from inside it, she bit her lip to stop the tears that threatened to poke at her eyes.

Not now, she thought. No way was Bobbi going to cry in front of Shane.

First off, she was an ugly crier at the best of times and this so wasn’t the best of times. Because secondly, she was feeling a whole lot fragile and more than a little unsure. She was also scared as hell. Bobbi was pretty darn sure that any kind of crying that came from those places wasn’t going to be good.

There was ugly crying. And then there was ugly crying. Gramps didn’t deserve to catch sight of that.

Bobbi slowly peeled her hands away from the plaid sofa she’d been using to keep herself steady. She exhaled and counted to ten before shaking out her fingers.

Maybe Shane had a good excuse for being late. Maybe he had a fabulous reason for not checking his phone or sending her a message to let her know what that fabulous reason was. Maybe his cell was dead and so was every single phone in New Waterford.

Or maybe, Marie Devilde, the pharmacist, had to go

into her secret lab and cook up whatever the hell crap was in the pills that Gramps needed.

So many variables. So many maybes.

Maybe. Maybe. Maybe.

Bobbi Jo was strung so tight that pain shot across her shoulders and she winced. She heard the front door open. Heard boots scuff over the welcome mat. Bobbi listened as Shane murmured something low, his voice hitting that timbre that did funny things to her insides. She had no idea whom he was talking to, or what he was saying and even though things were bad between them, there was still that part of her that reacted to him. She supposed that there would always be a part of her that belonged to Shane Gallagher.

God how she wished that nothing mattered. Not their arguments. The lack of communication these past weeks. Not Shane’s stubbornness or Bobbi’s either. Most of all, she wished that she could just get past this thing between them. That they both could get past it because if they didn’t…

The sound of his voice had her wanting to run into the hallway and throw herself into Shane’s arms.

She wanted to feel his strength. Hear his heartbeat. Hold onto his warmth. She wanted him to tell her that everything was going to be okay. That together they’d weather this storm. A storm neither one had seen coming.

Bobbi Jo wanted to tell him so many things, but instead she found herself hovering in the front room. Waiting. Waiting for something to happen.

And it did.

A bundle of fur flew into the room, barking crazily as it wove around the furniture and then nipped at Bobbi’s feet. Pia.

She bent over and scooped up the little fur ball, hugging the dog close, eyes drawn to the man standing a few inches behind Gramps.

Shane Gallagher.

He looked way too dangerous. Way too intense. Her stomach rolled and the fear she’d been feeling tripled at the look in his eyes. But as always, Bobbi was helpless to look away.

He held her gaze for several long moments and then slowly looked down.

Snow glistened against his dark hair, the ends damp as they waved around the collar of his leather jacket. His generous mouth was curved into a half smile as he watched the little dog struggle to lick every inch of Bobbi’s face. And those eyes, well, they glittered in the dim light, making her stomach tumble yet again.

He leaned against the doorframe, his long legs crossed, his arms loose at his sides, though one hand clutched a small bag.

“That had to be the longest trip to the pharmacy, ever,” Bobbi said before she could stop herself, hating that she sounded like the person she swore she’d never become. A whiner. A shrew.

Shane’s eyes narrowed slightly, and he straightened up, handing the bag over to Herschel.

“Sorry about that,” Shane replied. “I swung by the house to grab Pia because I didn’t want her there alone overnight.”

“Oh,” Bobbi murmured, hands dug into the little dog’s body so tightly, Pia yelped. Bobbi loosened her grip and exhaled.

She’d been staying with her gramps in the evenings ever since their father had gone to the Rest Acres Long Term Care Facility. No way was she chancing anything happening to her grandfather, and with Billie busy with her baby it made sense for Bobbi to stay with Gramps. That she’d been using it as an excuse to avoid Shane wasn’t something she was proud of, but there you have it.

“You’re staying here then? With us?” she asked softly, stomach dipping again.

Shane studied her for a few moments. He rubbed his hands along the stubble on his chin and nodded “The storm is going to get worse overnight. They’re calling for a couple more feet of snow and with that ice, I don’t want you two alone in case anything happens.”