No Home for the Holidays Read Online Free Page B

preacher didn’t mean he wasn’t human.
    “You think that’s what he wants?”
    “That’s what he said. Unless there’s someone else out there offering a reward for you.”
    She didn’t want to get into that. The less Colton knew, the better for everyone. Especially for him. “Fine. Then take me to the bus station in Canton. Or I can call a cab if you don’t want to drive me that far.”
    “Are you sure that’s what you want to do?”
    “What’s your suggestion?”
    “I could take you to a friend’s house, and you can lay low for a few days. Once everything calms down, then you can leave. Less chance of him still looking for you by then.”
    “I don’t have any friends.” The words sounded sad and hollow, but it was the truth.
    “I meant one of my friends.”
    Chloe didn’t want other people involved in her mess. It wouldn’t be safe. The real Marcy Jones had tried to help. Tears filled Chloe’s eyes as she thought of her friend. She’d given her life to save Chloe. No one else would die because of her mistakes. She shouldn’t even be letting the preacher help. “Take me to the bus station.”
    “Then what?”
    “Then I find a new place to live. I don’t want to get anyone else involved. It’s my mess, my responsibility. I can handle it.” She’d managed for more than three years.
    “OK. But I think it would be better to go a bus station further away than Canton. Say Cincinnati or Indianapolis. Just on the off chance he’s staking out the closer ones. It’s hard to know how many people are working with him.”
    She thought about that. He was probably right. “Columbus will be fine. Drive me there and then I’ll be on my way.” She’d let him do that much. “I can find a room there if I need to.”
    “And I know just the sleazy motel.” He grinned.
    “Could you make it one without bedbugs?”
    He laughed. “I can’t guarantee it, but I’ll try.”
    “Can I get up now?”
    “Nobody followed us as far as I could tell, so it should be safe.”
    She moved up to the seat. “Good, my back was starting to hurt.”
    “You’re quite the complainer, aren’t you?”
    “I am no such thing.”
    “Sure you are. No bedbugs. My back hurts. The house is dirty. No this. No that.” His laughter told her he was teasing. How long had it been since anyone had done that?
    “What can I say?” She turned toward him. “I like what I like.”
    “And I like a woman who knows what she wants.” He turned to her with a smile that reached up to those blue eyes.
    Her heart did a flip. Don’t even think about it, Chloe. Her life was complicated enough as it was. There was no way she could take a chance on getting involved with anyone—let alone a preacher. “So, Columbus, it is.”
    He drove for a few minutes before he asked the question. “What’s going on with you, Chloe? Maybe I can help.”
    “You can’t help. And the less you know the better. But it’s nice of you to offer. Don’t worry about me. I can take care of myself.”
    “You’d be surprised how helpful I can be.”
    “I’m not trying to be difficult or rude. Really. But you can’t help me. Nobody can.” She’d messed up and now she had to pay for her sins.
    “God can.”
    “Yeah, right! I’m the last person He wants to help.” She’d prayed and still she was in this mess. But she didn’t blame God for being mad at her. She deserved it.
    “That’s not true, Chloe. God—”
    “I don’t want to discuss it. If you keep badgering me, I’ll walk to Columbus.”
    “I see your picture every week on your father’s show. He seems to love you. After all, he’s offering a substantial reward to find you. Do you hate him that much? After all you’re an adult so you can live any way you choose.”
    The least she could do was tell him the truth. “I don’t hate my father. I love him and the rest of my family.”
    “Then why are you running from the guy who wants to take you back to him?”
    “Because someone else wants