The Kidnapped Christmas Bride (Taming of the Sheenans Book 3) (20 page)

Her heart fell. “Trey!”

But he was already gone, skidding down the icy embankment to the water’s edge. A man stood next to the lake, his clothing soaked to his waist, dripping icy water onto the packed snow. “I couldn’t get to her, man. I can’t even see the car. The water is freezing and dark.”

“How many people in the car?” Trey asked, stripping off his heavy jacket.

“Two, three. A lady and a baby. Don’t know if there was more, but I saw the car seat. There was a car seat. I was right behind her when she swerved and went in.”

Trey dove in.

*

There were moments
engraved in one’s memory, moments that became memories, both wonderful and horrifying.

The time Trey spent underwater was endless. The actual time could have been seconds, minutes, but it felt like a lifetime.

McKenna saw a lifetime of memories and moments with him. In high school. After school. Working. Loving. Fighting. Conceiving TJ. Struggling. Loving. Missing. Suffering.

Life with Trey could be difficult, but life without him was impossible.

Life without him wasn’t like living at all.

And this—this thing he was doing—was exactly what she feared most. She hated the reckless dangerous Trey. Hated that he had so little regard for his own life. Hated that he could just abandon her and TJ without a second thought…second glance…

Hated that the one person she needed most, didn’t need her the same way.

If he loved them, he wouldn’t jeopardize his family…

But in the very same moment she knew that he did what he did, took these incredible risks, because he had heart.

His strength was a gift.

His courage set him apart.

He was brave and foolhardy, but weren’t all protectors that way?

In that moment where she thought she’d lost him forever, swallowed by the icy cold lake, she understood him best, and what happened that day at the Wolf Den.

A man was putting his fist in a woman’s face.

A girl disappeared in a fast-flowing river, and no one realized it was serious until too late.

A car went into a freezing lake with a mother and child inside.

Trey couldn’t stand idly by. Trey couldn’t look the other way. Trey was not a bystander, and he’d never do nothing if he could do
something
.

Even if it meant he lost everything he loved.

He risked all, because he knew what it was to love.

And then he was up, dragging a woman to the surface. People rushed forward to take the woman and then Trey was gone again, diving back under.

*

Help came rushing
in, in the form of a helicopter from Kalispell Regional Medical Center, the helicopter landing on the closed highway, sheriffs and fire trucks now blocking the road to keep the area clear.

McKenna stood with TJ, shivering uncontrollably while the helicopter slowly rose, blades whirring, blowing snow as the helicopter airlifted the mother, the baby and Trey out together. The paramedics had told McKenna she’d have to follow in the truck as there was no room in the chopper, and she understood, but at the same time she was shaking so badly she couldn’t drive quite yet.

Her emotions had run the gamut from fear to joy, and she felt worked…wrecked.

Trey surfacing the second time, with the toddler, had been beyond wonderful. The crowd lining the road had cheered. But then Trey lost consciousness and the local fire station medics rushed in and hauled him out of the water, and seeing Trey carried from the water, head hanging, body limp had been terrifying.

She’d thought they’d lost him.

She thought
she’d
lost him.

For a second, she couldn’t breathe, couldn’t get air. For a second, it felt like her heart had stopped.

“Do you want to use that phone now?” One of the ladies on the side of the road asked, holding her cell phone to McKenna.

McKenna stared at her blankly.

“You said you didn’t have a phone, and you needed to make a call?” The woman’s reminder was gentle. But then, people had been so kind, moved by Trey’s actions, impressed by his courage and selflessness.

McKenna’s hand shook as she punched in Paige’s number. Thankfully Paige answered. “Merry Christmas, McKenna! Where are you? How are you? How’s—”

“There’s been an accident,” McKenna choked, her throat constricting. “I’m over at Flathead Lake. I’ve been staying at the Sheenan family cabin outside Cherry Lake. Trey’s hurt. He’s being airlifted to the Kalispell hospital right now. Can you please alert his family? If Troy’s not at the Graff, he’ll probably be at Brock and Harley’s.”

“I’m on it.”

“Thank you.”

“Are you okay?”

McKenna reached up to touch the angel hanging from her neck. “Only if he is.”

“He will be, McKenna. He’s strong. He’s Trey.”

“I’m trying to remember that.”

‡

T
rey woke up
slowly, thoughts thick and tangled, his body heavy and sore. Had he been drinking? Had he been fighting?

He glanced around. Everything was beige and bland. Sterile.

He tried to sit up but something tugged in his forearm. He reached over, fingers skimming the tape and tubing. His confusion increased.

Where was he, and what the hell was going on?

Where was McKenna? And TJ? Why weren’t they here—where had he left them? Lost them?

And then pictures flashed, and it started to come back to him: the crowd at the lake, the tire marks that led from the road to the lake, and someone screaming about a lady and her kids.

He didn’t remember pulling over. He didn’t remember jumping out. He did remember looking at McKenna, briefly. He didn’t remember what she said, or if she said anything, but he saw her eyes, saw her terror.

But he must have gone into the lake, because he remembered it was cold, shockingly cold, like a knife plunging into his lungs.

But he swam down. He swam for the submerged car and he dragged a lady up, and out. And then numb, he went down again.

It wasn’t that dark down below, though, just terribly cold, and he shoved into the back of the car, wrestled with the buckles and harness on a car seat. The child wasn’t moving. The child was still but Trey wouldn’t think about that. He wouldn’t think about anything but getting the child out, and then up.

Up.

Up.

Sunlight. Air.

“Hey, Baby.” A quiet voice sounded at his side. Hands touched him, one hand on his arm, the other on his chest. “You’re awake.” And then McKenna was leaning over him, kissing his forehead and then his cheek. “Merry Christmas.”

He struggled to focus on her face, and then she was clear, and beautiful, so very very beautiful. “Where’s TJ?”

“With Troy.”

“Troy’s here?”

“Everybody’s here. Well, everybody but Cormac, but Dillon said he might be coming.”

“Why?”

“To spend Christmas together. As a family.”

He was silent for awhile, processing, even as he felt the icy cold water all over again, remembered the bone chilling shock of it. “The baby in the car seat…is he…did he…?”

“She. She’s a twenty-two month old girl, and she’s been airlifted to Missoula, but from all reports, she’s stable and the doctors are predicting a full recovery.”

“Are you just saying that?”

“No. You can ask Brock or Troy. They’ve talked to the medical team at the Children’s Hospital. You saved her. You saved both of them, the mother and the daughter.” McKenna’s eyes filled with tears. “You are a hero.”

“Not a hero. Never been a hero—”

“You’ve always been my hero, even if you don’t keep your armor all shiny and silver.” She leaned over and kissed him carefully. “But you did scare me, babe. I thought I lost you.”

He reached up and caught one of her tears. “Is that why you’re crying?”

“I’m crying because I’m lucky. I’m blessed. You’re a good man. You’re tough and strong…absolutely fearless.”

“Oh, Mac, not fearless. I was terrified.”

“But you went after them anyway. There were others standing there. That man was standing there. They didn’t go in. They were waiting for help to arrive.”

“There was no time,” Trey said. “I had to do it. Someone had to do it.”

Her tears kept falling, and he couldn’t stop them. His chest tightened, his heart hurting because he’d hurt her again. “I scared you,” he whispered.

“You did,” she agreed, drawing a rough breath. “And I could have lost you. For a while there, I wondered if we had. But I suddenly understood you, while you were down there, I suddenly understood why I love you. It’s because you are a protector. And the world needs tough men, risk-taking men, men like you. And I hope and pray that when TJ grows up, he’ll end up just like you. Flawed but perfect. Trey Sheenan, you have no idea how much I love you.”

*

Trey was released
late afternoon the next day from the Medical Center in Kalispell. McKenna was there to pick him up in Troy’s big black SUV as Troy had insisted it was safer and more comfortable than Trey’s old truck.

It was almost dark by the time they reached Cherry Lake and the drive up Cray Road still had lots of snow but the parking area by the cabin had been shoveled clear. “Who did this?” Trey asked.

“Your brothers,” she answered, pulling into an empty spot and shifting into park.

“Why? Did they think I was coming home in a wheelchair?”

“I think they needed something to do.” She turned off the engine and gave him a level look. “They were worried sick about you.”

“Sounds like I did a good job of ruining Christmas.”

“Hardly. Your brothers are like big kids. They’ve been having the time of their life, playing with the real kids.” She saw his expression and added. “Mack and Molly are awesome with TJ, very sweet, incredibly patient. It’s been good for everyone to be here as a family—”

“Where’s everyone sleeping?”

“Dillon’s on the couch. Brock, Harley and the twins are in the loft. Troy and Taylor have taken the guest room with the twin beds, and TJ and I are in the master bedroom, waiting for you to return.”

“You sound pretty smug.” But he was smiling as he said it, his expression gentle.

“Not smug, just happy.” She leaned over and kissed him. “And it might sound corny, but I think your mom’s here…at least, her spirit is here. There is so much love in that house…so much good will. I think she needed this, here, having all her boys on Cray land, in the Cray cabin.”