Harvest Moon - By Robyn Carr Page 0,94

you think I finally found you, since you wouldn’t take my calls? I called Muriel, asked her to track you down, tell you she wanted a meeting for a film.” He laughed. He looked down at Courtney. “Where’s your luggage?”

“In the condo. Stu’s.”

“Do you have a key so we can get it?”

“Yes.”

“Let’s get out of here…”

Stu reached out and snatched at Lief’s shirtsleeve. “Wait. What about Muriel?”

Lief couldn’t believe this guy. “She’s a good friend of mine. I asked for her help in finding you. She was all too happy to help. She asked what kind of a bastard would do something like take a child like that. And then she said she thinks you’re an ass. I guess that means the meeting’s off.” Lief looked at the police officer. “Are we free to go?”

“Is everyone in agreement? There’s no further issue with who is the parent in charge?”

All heads shook, even those bystanders who had nothing to do with Courtney’s custody.

“Thank you,” Lief said. Then he turned with Courtney, and they walked away from all the commotion.

It was very late in Honolulu when Lief called his house in Virgin River. A very sleepy Kelly picked up, and he said, “Hey, babe. Mission accomplished. I have Courtney back. We got to Honolulu and she’s asleep. I’m out on the patio. Can you hear the surf?”

“I think I can. What time is it there?” she asked with a yawn.

“Midnight. It’s been a very long couple of days. Stu nabbed her, manipulated her and tried to strike a deal with her to act as babysitter to another couples’ preschoolers so he could work a movie deal. This is why so many of his deals don’t work out very well—he’s an idiot.” He explained how Muriel had helped him flush Stu out. “His biggest concern was that we get our issues handled so he could have his meeting with Muriel. You should have seen the look on his face when I broke it to him that she’d set him up.”

She laughed into the phone. “Oh, sorry. It was probably inappropriate to laugh.”

“I’ll tell you what, if Stu gives me any trouble about keeping Courtney with me after what he tried to pull, I’m going to fight dirty. I don’t know exactly how, so I hope it doesn’t come to that.”

“Are you all right?” she asked.

“I’m tired, relieved, and I miss you like crazy. I’ve got the hotel’s travel agent working on flights back to anywhere in California, but it’s a bad time of year for this last-minute travel. I fed Courtney, tucked her in and came outside with a drink.” He sighed deeply. “What a circus.”

“Thank God you’re back in the driver’s seat!”

“Kelly, we might not get back by Christmas… The chances of getting a seat on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day…”

“I understand… I wasn’t expecting you until January second,” she said. “That doesn’t mean I don’t miss you…”

“You want to know how much I miss you, honey?” he asked. “The only thing missing from my life right now is holding you. Once we get home, maybe life can get a little normal.”

She laughed a little. “You think so, huh?”

“Okay, I admit, we have some adjustments ahead. Courtney has been through a lot of emotional turmoil, thanks to Stu. I’m going to get her in to the counselor before school starts up again. But surely there’s sanity in the future. The near future.”

“Boy, aren’t you an optimist,” she said sarcastically, but he could hear the smile in her voice.

They talked until Lief finished his drink and could barely hold his eyes open. He recharged his phone. It was ringing first thing in the morning. The travel agent got them on a flight into San Francisco on Christmas Eve. Perfect—that’s where he’d left his truck in the first place.

Tired as they were, emotionally worn out as this whole adventure had left them, a little laugh at the airport was the last thing either of them expected. While they were waiting to board, who should arrive in the boarding area but Ann and Dick Paget and the little kids. They wouldn’t even have noticed Lief and Courtney if Alison and Michael hadn’t run up to Courtney, so happy to see her.

“Well, hello,” Courtney said. “Going for a plane ride?”

“Going home,” Michael said.

“Children!” Ann called. “Over here! Now!”

Ann was looking a little frazzled. Haggard. She kept pushing a lock of limp hair back out of her eyes, and she didn’t seem to be wearing her “nice