The Kidnapped Christmas Bride (Taming of the Sheenans Book 3) by Jane Porter Page B

options read to him, even though McKenna knew he’d order chicken and buttered noodles.
    The waitress returned a few minutes later with glasses of water and to take their order. Trey wanted a steak sandwich and TJ chose his chicken and buttered noodles. McKenna was more stressed than hungry and asked about the diner’s soup.
    “It’s vegetable beef,” the waitress answered. “It’s from yesterday but it’s good. I had some earlier.”
    “I’ll have a cup of that,” McKenna said, closing her menu. “And coffee, please.”
    The waitress put away her notepad. “Cream with that?”
    “No, thank you.”
    “Is the coffee fresh?” Trey asked.
    “Brewing a new pot now.”
    “I’ll have a cup, too,” he said.
    “Two coffees coming up,” the waitress said. “And what about the little guy? Milk, chocolate milk, juice?”
    “Milk,” McKenna answered. “Thank you.”
    The waitress headed to the kitchen and McKenna glanced to the register and phone. She needed to call. She should do it soon.
    As if reading her mind, Trey said, “You need to call. Everybody’s going to be worried.”
    McKenna nodded. “Yeah.”
    “I’m sure the waitress will let you.”
    McKenna nodded again. She was dreading the call. It wouldn’t be easy. Nothing about this was easy.
    Trey was studying her face. “What’s wrong?”
    She shrugged. “It’s going to get messy. Fast.”
    “It’s already messy,” he answered.
    “Yeah, but—” she broke off as the waitress returned with their coffees and the milk for TJ.
    “Anything else?” the waitress asked.
    “Would it be all right to use the phone?” Trey asked. “It’s a call to Marietta.”
    “Sure thing, hon. You know where the phone is? On the counter, up front? Help yourself. Just dial normally.”
    “Thanks.”
    The waitress moved on and McKenna looked at Trey. “You didn’t have to do that. I could have handled it myself.”
    “Just trying to help you.”
    “Mr. Helpful, that’s you.”
    His blue eyes sparked, lips curving slightly. “I can be good.”
    “Mmm.”
    “I was instrumental in making Deer Lodge’s ranch program successful.”
    “You’ve always been a good rancher. That was never the problem.”
    “I always loved you, and TJ.”
    “Your love wasn’t the problem, either.” She sipped her coffee. It was surprisingly strong and hot. She sipped again. “I think you know what the problem was.”
    “You’ve always known who I am. I’ve never hidden it from you.”
    “It’s one thing to fight at seventeen, and another when you’re a thirty-one year old man with a fiancée and a baby.”
    “Who did you kill?” TJ blurted.
    “Who told you he killed someone?” McKenna demanded.
    “Lawrence.” TJ shrugged. “He said he wasn’t supposed to say anything, and so I shouldn’t say anything to you ‘cause it’d upset you.” He looked across the table at Trey. “Did you really kill someone?”
    “Yes,” Trey said bluntly. “I did. I didn’t mean to kill him though. We got into a fight in a bar.”
    TJ clasped his milk, more intrigued than scared. “How you’d do it?”
    Trey held his gaze. “I punched him.”
    “You punched him to death ?”
    “No. I hit him three times. On the third punch he went backward, hit his head on the edge of a table. He died a couple of days later.”
    “The police arrested you?”
    Trey nodded. “There was a trial, and two days before your first birthday I was sentenced to five years in jail.”
    “What’s jail like?”
    “Bad. You don’t want to ever go there.”
    “I used to go there. That’s what Mom said.”
    “Yeah, but it’s not a place for kids. It’s not a place you want to visit again.” Trey looked up at McKenna. “I didn’t know why you stopped coming to see me, but I do now. And you were right. It wasn’t the place for him.” He hesitated. “Or you.”
    McKenna struggled to speak around the lump in her throat. “I should have explained it to you. I should have told you—”