He turned off the lights, then together they climbed the stairs.
As always, the first thing Melissa did when she reached the top of the stairs was go into the boys bedroom to see that they were still peacefully sleeping. Henry followed her in and a soft smile played on his face as he looked first at Joey and then at James. That smile, filled with such love, with such tenderness created a warmth inside her. She would never have to worry about her sons being loved. If anything ever happened to her, Henry would make sure they not only had what they needed to survive, but that their world would be filled with the love he refused to believe in for himself.
Melissa. He grabbed her hand as they left the room.
She knew immediately what he wantedand what she wanted from him.
About the Author
CARLA CASSIDYThe Cowboys
Secret Twins
Carla Cassidy
www.millsandboon.co.uk
Chapter 1
It had been just a little over a year ago, only at that time the snow hadnt been comprised of pretty little flakes lazily drifting down, but rather a blizzard whiteout condition that had eventually forced her to pull over.
A sexy stranger in tight jeans and a cowboy hat had rescued her. Hed told her his name was James and theyd ridden out the storm together in a vacant farmhouse.
It had been a wild and crazy night and shed acted completely out of character. The consequences of her actions that night were in two car seats in the back.
Joey and James, who were a little over four months old, had been completely unplanned and unexpected, but since the moment shed realized she was pregnant, they had been desperately wanted and loved.
She glanced back now to check on them and smiled. Snug as bugs they were in their little blue coats and matching hats. Theyd been sleeping for the better part of an hour and Melissa hoped to get where she was going before they woke up demanding another meal.
Thirty minutes ago shed passed the place in the road where shed had to pull over during the storm a year ago. It was just outside the small town of Rockport, Texas. She was now ten minutes from the Texas town of Dalhart and her final destination.
On that night a year ago shed been on her way from her home in Amarillo to visit a friend in Oklahoma. Tonight she was on her way to someplace just on the other side of Dalhart.
Tightening her hands on the steering wheel, she hoped she wasnt on some kind of a wild-goose chase. Suddenly all kinds of doubts crashed through her mind. Maybe she was a fool
to trust her cyber friend, a woman shed never met in person but had bonded with over the past year in a chat room for single moms.
MysteryMom had been a source of support, information and friendship over the past year. Shed helped Melissa through the difficult pregnancy. Then once the twins were born shed been a font of advice on everything from colic to diaper rash.
MysteryMom and Melissas best friend, Caitlin, were the only two people on earth who knew about the circumstances of the twins conception.
Melissa suspected that MysteryMom had given her directions to her place, that she was bringing Melissa to her home for a face-to-face meeting and to spend the holidays together.
For the past couple of weeks Melissa had been depressed. Christmas was only four days awaythe twins first Christmasand she hadnt even had any extra cash to buy a tree or a single present.
Shed always dreamed of giving her children the kind of Christmas shed never had, with family gathered close and laughter in the air. It wasnt all about a lack of money that had depressed her, but certainly financial worries played a role.
Shed been working at building her own interior design business when shed found herself pregnant. The pregnancy had been difficult and the business had fallen by the wayside. Since the twins birth Melissa had been living on her savings, which were dwindling fast.
It had been all she could handle to take care of newborns, but after the first of the year she was determined to somehow provide for them and delve back into her work.
She slowed as she reached the Dalhart city limits. According to the directions MysteryMom had sent her she was to turn off the main highway and onto a country road approximately ten miles from where she was now.
With a new burst of nervous tension kicking up inside her, she pulled into a restaurant parking lot and grabbed her cell phone from her purse and punched in Caitlins number.
Are you there yet? Caitlin asked when she answered.
According to the map Im about fifteen minutes from the place, Melissa replied.
Hows the weather? I heard they were calling for snow.
Its been spitting a bit, but nothing to worry me, Melissa replied.
I dont know why you just didnt plan on coming to my place for Christmas instead of taking off on this adventure of yours.
Melissa smiled into the phone. Youre going to have so many fancy parties to attend, the last thing you need is me and the boys hanging around. Caitlin was single and gorgeous and working up the corporate ladder at blinding speed. Besides, look what happened the last time I was on my way to visit you.