Page 105 of Chasing Kaylee Kringle

Rick opened his eyes and groaned. “This is the least romantic way to tell someone that you love them. You only say it when you think they are dying? Such a cop-out.”

Kaylee gasped, pulling back from him. “What? I thought you were shot?”

Rick gingerly opened his shirt, revealing the bulletproof vest beneath. “Paulette gave it to me. Told me in case things went south, she had to do everything she could to keep me safe for you because she could tell you loved me. I didn’t believe it, but now, I guess I have to.”

“Oh, thank God,” she said, throwing herself against him.

“Hey now, still bruised.”

“Pumpkin!” she cried out, wrenching away from him and crawling across the floor. The guinea pig was already up and moving a little unsteadily when she picked him up, snuggling him to her chest.

“You’re my hero.”

“Whoa, what about me?” Rick asked.

Kaylee laughed as she scooted back to him, and his arms went around her and her pet, bringing her closer to him as she broke into sobs, her face buried in his neck.

Pumpkin let out a few chirps, wiggling out of her grasp and pushing between them, making happy little purrs.

“Kaylee, I think he’s going to be okay. Why are you still crying?”

“Because I love you. I thought you were dead, and I couldn’t bear it.” She squeezed him tighter. “Don’t you ever do that to me again.”

“I’ll do my best, but Kaylee?”

“Yeah?”

“I love you, too.”

Chapter Fifty-Two

Kaylee

Kaylee patted her mom’s back when she sporadically hugged her for what felt like the hundredth time in the last few hours. After the FBI arrested the Pit Vipers and the coroner collected Ansel’s body, Kaylee went to stay with Josie for a few days while Rick and some of the other guys from town stripped her floor and put in new planks so that she wouldn’t have to come back to a bloodstained floor. It wasn’t something that she wanted to think about, but the fact that Ansel was no longer in the world to torment her gave her some peace.

Pumpkin had gotten a clean bill of health from his veterinarian, but the doc told her Pumpkin could lose a little weight. Kaylee took him home and gave him a few extra carrots. He’d survived an encounter with a sociopath, and there was no way she was going to thank him by putting him on a diet.

The biggest Christmas miracle had been Rick getting in touch with her parents and flying them to Pocatello so he could pick them up and bring them down to spend the holidays with her. It had been two years since she’d seen them, and the minute that they stepped out of the car, she’d thrown herself in their arms, taking their lectures and their frustration and their bear hugs all in stride. Her parents were both a little grayer and heavier, but other than that, they were the same loving, kind, slightly overbearing people who raised her.

Rick and her dad had bonded while going out to track down a last-minute Christmas tree for them, while her mother, Josie, and she had sat around the table making handcrafted Christmas tree ornaments. Kaylee was particularly proud of her popcorn string and how beautifully it turned out with the cranberries. The only issue was Pumpkin liked to try to climb the tree and eat her garland, the little imp.

Her brother and sister had called to tell her how happy they were that she was safe and would arrive later in the afternoon. Until then, it was just her parents, Rick, and herself.

Kaylee pulled away from her mom’s embrace and squeezed her hands. “I’m so sorry that I kept you in the dark.”

“I know you are.” Her mom smoothed a hand over her face, as if she couldn’t believe Kaylee were real, and the guilt weighing her down grew heavier.

“I understand if it takes time to forgive me.”

Her mom shook her head. “I just hate that you’ve been going through all this alone for the last two years. The minute that we can get you home, I swear, we’ll make sure that nothing like this ever happens again. You can finish up your last term in college online, and we’ll help you look for a house and a job—”

“I am already planning on doing that, Mom, but from here.”

Her mom’s gaze sharpened. “What do you mean?”

And here came the conversation Kaylee had hoped to put off a little longer. “I’m not coming back to California.”

“Why not?” she gasped, horror leaching the color from her face. “That’s where your family lives. It’s your home.”