Total pages in book: 47
Estimated words: 44134 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 221(@200wpm)___ 177(@250wpm)___ 147(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 44134 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 221(@200wpm)___ 177(@250wpm)___ 147(@300wpm)
I’m caught off guard by his confession. He loves me? Is that true?
He presses a soft kiss to my forehead. “I’m not going to stop fighting for you, Lauren. I’m never going to stop fighting.”
Then he turns and leaves my apartment. I watch him retreat, more confused than ever. Bronco’s a good man. He’s honorable, and he’s never lied to me. But is it possible he’s just confused responsibility with love?
My heart breaks all over again at the question. Why did he have to show up here? I was planning on making it through this day just fine, but then here he is.
I manage to hold it together until I retreat to the employee break room mid-morning to sob. Officially I’m eating some pre-packaged donuts, but unofficially I just needed a few minutes to cry and pretend that my heart isn’t completely shattered.
“Damn, you look rough,” Ryan says when he comes into the room and spots me. He sits down next to me on the bench, our shoulders touching. “Do you want to talk about it?”
I shrug. “It’s really complicated. What about you? Have you talked to Joyce yet? She’d be lucky to have you.”
He swallows hard. “I haven’t talked to her yet. There’s a difference between belonging and being wanted, you know?”
“Exactly.” I sniff and give a little hiccup. “You can belong without being wanted.”
Ryan nods. “It’s my greatest fear. I mean, if you were in my shoes, would you tell her?”
I hesitate, because I’m not sure I’m that brave. But I look to him and tell him the truth. “Joyce is going to love having you as her grandson. She deserves to know about you.”
“I’ll think about it,” he finally says. “Are you sure you don’t want to talk about it? I’m a good listener, and I got two shoulders you can cry on.”
I force a smile I don’t feel. “Thanks. I think I’d like to be alone right now.”
He stands and plucks a donut from the package. “Well, come find me if you need a friend.”
“Okay. What’s going on?” Aunt Elaine finally asks two days later. She’s called me into her office under the guise of talking about the success of the auction. “You’ve been moping around, and Bronco will not stop calling me for updates about how you’re doing. What’s this about?”
I swallow hard. “I’m sorry. I can make him stop calling you.”
“I don’t care about that,” she says. “I just want you to be happy. He says he loves you. I don’t understand. I thought you were sweet on him. What am I missing?”
“I’ve always been in love with him,” I tell her miserably.
“Then what’s the problem? He adores you too.”
“It’s not that simple.” I blow out a deep breath, knowing she won’t let this go. Then I stop and explain the whole story with Vale and how Bronco promised to look after me. “It’s the same situation with you and my mom all over again.”
She frowns and comes around her desk. She leans against the solid wood oak and crosses her ankles. “Tell me what you know about your mom and what happened with her.”
I swallow hard. I hate even thinking about this stuff, but I do my best to explain, “Vale and I were dumped on you. You were over here living your best life, and she just dropped us off one day. Boom, two kids that you never asked to take responsibility for.”
Aunt Elaine stares at me for a long moment. “Oh, sweetie. You really don’t know, do you?”
“Know what?”
She pulls her phone from her pocket and dial’s a number. “Vale, get your butt in here.”
It only takes him a moment or two to join us. When he does, she gestures for him to take the seat next to mine. “Do you remember what happened the summer you came here?”
He gives a curt nod. He used to be so open, so talkative. I’ve only managed to gather pieces from his time he spent missing, but apparently, he was in the desert alone with a head injury for a long time. He wasn’t even sure who he was or where he came from. That’s why he’s been gone so long without a word.
“Your sister is under the impression that your mom dumped you both here.”
He doesn’t glance in my direction. He keeps his gaze fixed on Elaine, but I don’t doubt he’s cataloging my every movement. That’s something else that’s new. He’s hyperaware of everything. Apparently, he fell in with a band of mercenaries at one point, and they did missions together. I’m not sure what kind of missions, but obviously, the type that demand constant vigilance. “That’s not what happened.”
I frown. “I was there. I remember it all.”
Aunt Elaine’s voice is soft, “You weren’t told all the details, and you only remember it through the eyes of a kid.”