Travis wasn’t often at a loss for words, but he floundered before finding his voice. “What’re you doing here?”
Uncertainty crept over her features. “You said if I ever needed a fresh start…” She fiddled with the covers. “That is, I thought…I thought…”
The poor woman looked at a loss. Cassie took charge. She stood in front of Travis, hands planted on her hips. “Travis McKenna Doyle, get a hold of yourself! Your friend is here, and she needs your help.”
A smile crossed Travis’s face. “Yes, dear.” He chuckled, pressing a kiss to Cassie’s cheek. “What would I do without you?”
Her eyes softened. “Thankfully, you don’t have to find out.” She slipped to his side, motioning to Ella. “Now, you were saying?”
He chuckled. “Forgive me, Ella. It’s a shock seeing you here. But a happy one.” He took a step forward. “Things got that bad, did they?”
Tears welled in her luminous eyes. She nodded, then stared down at the covers, twisting them in her hands.
Cody cleared his throat. “Ma’am, could you tell Travis who attacked you? Were you robbed?”
She blinked, her eyes moving up to meet his. “Robbed?”
“I didn’t see a purse, and Cassie said you had bad bruises…”
Before he could continue, Ella shook her head. “I was not robbed, nor was I attacked.”
It was Cody’s turn to blink. But the bruises? How did she get them? He shifted his gaze to Travis. His friend watched Ella with a thoughtful expression but didn’t say anything. Cody continued. “But you were so distraught, you almost froze in the snow.”
Her cheeks turned pink while her hands resumed their mutilation of the covers. “Yes, I was distraught. I missed my sister.”
Cody waited for her to continue, but it seemed that was the only explanation she planned to give. Anger flared. “You nearly gave yourself frostbite because you wereemotional? Do you realize you could have died out there?”
The words came out harsh and loud. Ella flinched. Her cheeks went white, and her body shook.
Cassie glared at him. “Quit growling, Cody. You’re scaring her.” She sat on the bed and slipped an arm around Ella’s shoulders. “Don’t mind him, honey. His bark is worse than his bite. I promise. He doesn’t mean to sound so menacing.”
Travis laughed. “He has some bear-like tendencies, but underneath that gruff demeanor, he’s got a heart of gold.”
Cassie chuckled. “A big softy. That’s what he is.”
Cody gaped. “A softy…!” He couldn’t even finish his sentence, the idea was so preposterous. Clamping his lips shut, he crossed his arms and glared at his sister and friend. That just made them laugh harder.
Ella looked between the three of them with utter confusion on her face.
Cassie stopped laughing and pierced him with her blue gaze. Her brow hiked up near to her hairline.
He knew exactly what she expected of him. Cody suppressed a sigh, rubbing a hand over his jaw. “My apologies, ma’am. I didn’t mean to frighten you…again.”
Ella tilted her head, a question in her gaze.
He scratched his ear. “In the alley. I scared you into that faint, didn’t I?”
Roses bloomed on her cheeks. She ducked her head. “You were trying to help. I should have realized that.”
Cody frowned, taking a step closer to the bed. “Why’d I scare you so bad?”
Ella swallowed. Her hands moved to rest on either forearm while her throat worked.
Cassie’s glance slid over her arms. “The bruises. Who gave them to you, Ella?”
A tiny moan sounded from Ella’s lips.
Travis stiffened beside Cody. “Howard.”
