Total pages in book: 86
Estimated words: 83244 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 416(@200wpm)___ 333(@250wpm)___ 277(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 83244 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 416(@200wpm)___ 333(@250wpm)___ 277(@300wpm)
Every mile pulled me closer to the place where it all started and where it ultimately ended. I didn’t know where things would go from here, but at least I would finally have answers. And I would have my daughter.
I parked where I always did and killed the engine. Silence settled around me as I looked out at the lake. It was hot, but there was a light breeze, and with all the trees, there was plenty of shade. I leaned against my bike and stared across the lake. Every few seconds, my eyes drifted back toward the road.
I was nervous. That was a new one for me. After a year of prospecting and putting my life on the line, it was a feeling I’d become numb to. But now, it was front and center, and with every second that passed, the feeling became even harder to ignore.
And then, a cloud of dust rose above the trees.
My pulse hammered against my chest as I watched her SUV come into view.
She came.
10
BROOKE
Forty-eight hours.
That was all it took for my life to completely unravel. One trip to the county fair and a familiar face, and things would never be the same. Ryan knew something was up that night at the fair, but he’d trusted me when I said I was just tired. That lie blew up in my face when Brayden showed up at the house.
Ryan waited until Anslee had gone to sleep before asking, “Is it him? Is he Anslee’s father?”
There wasn’t any point in lying. Not anymore. So, I told him everything, including my plans to meet Brayden today at the lake. I’d never seen him look at me the way he did at that moment. He wasn’t angry or bitter. He was hurt. I could hear it in his voice when he asked, “Do you still care about this guy?”
“I will always care about him, Ryan. He’s Anslee’s father.”
“I’m more of a father to her than this guy will ever be.”
“Ryan.”
“I can’t do this right now.”
He walked out and stormed into the bathroom. He took a shower that lasted at least an hour, and when he got out, he went straight to bed. The next morning, he got up early and went straight outside. He mowed the yard, even though it didn’t need mowing, and when he finished with the yard, he cleaned the garage and his truck. I could only assume that he was doing what he needed to do to sort out all the thoughts in his head.
When he finally came back inside, his clothes were damp with sweat, and the anger had faded from his face. In its place was something worse.
Sadness.
When I told him it was time for me to leave, he didn’t argue or try to stop me. He just asked, “What about Anslee?”
“I was hoping you could watch her, but if you don’t want to…”
“I’ll do it.”
“Are you sure you don’t mind?”
“Watching her? No. You leaving to see this guy who left you and broke your heart? That’s something else entirely.” He walked over, kissed my forehead, and said, “But do what you gotta do.”
“I won’t be long.”
“Just be careful.”
“I will.”
I grabbed my purse and started for the door, but stopped when he said, “I’ll be here when you get back… Just like I’ve always been.”
His words stuck with me all the way to the lake.
I knew how he felt. He’d never tried to hide it, but I’d never encouraged him. If anything, I’d tried to push him to move on. But I couldn’t help but wonder if I made a huge mistake by moving in with him. I feared it might’ve misled him.
Guilt began creeping in as I continued my drive to meet the man who was responsible for me holding back with Ryan. He was leaning against his motorcycle, and he couldn’t have looked better.
That didn’t help matters.
I pulled up next to him and parked. I took a deep breath, and then I slowly climbed out. My God, he looked even more handsome than he did when we first met, and it took all I had not to wrap my arms around him as he stepped over to me and said, “You came.”
The words I'd rehearsed in my head were gone. My nerves took care of that, but one thing remained. One thought that had to be said. “You were always enough.”
“What?”
“You were more than enough. You always were. I tried to make you see that.” Tears blurred my vision. “I loved you… I loved you so much. I wanted to spend my life with you. I should’ve never transferred schools.”
He looked away, letting out a slow breath before shaking his head. “No…”
“If I hadn’t left…”
“It would’ve been something else,” he interrupted.
“How can you say that?”
“If it wasn’t your school or my work, there would’ve been something else that would’ve gotten in the way.” He shrugged. “You knew the end was coming, or you wouldn’t have been so torn up about leaving.”