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)
“Maybe a little.”
“Guess that means we need to get to eating.”
“Is that your way of saying you’re hungry?”
“Hell, yeah. I’m starving.” He rubbed his hand over his stomach. “All that packing has worked up an appetite.”
The reminder settled over me like a dark cloud. I still had so much packing to do, and it was all so daunting. We were moving from the only home Anslee has ever known and starting over. It was a lot to take on, especially when we had no idea where we were going.
Before I could respond, a man’s voice said, “About that…”
We all turned to find Preacher, the Fury president, standing there with a beer in his hand and a warm smile on his face. He looked from Brayden and Anslee over to me. “Heard you two are still looking for a place.”
“We are,” Brayden answered. “We have some leads on a couple of places, but nothing’s really checking all the boxes.”
“I might have something for you.”
“Oh, yeah?”
“My place is just sitting there.”
“Your house?” Brayden asked. “Out by the lake?”
“Yeah, that’s the one.” He motioned his head toward Antonia as he said, “I’d hoped that Wes would take it and make it his own, but they had other plans.”
“Okay?”
“You should go check it out,” Preacher suggested. “If you like, buy it.”
“Prez, I appreciate the offer. I really do,” Brayden scoffed. “I’m just starting out here, and we aren’t exactly bringing in the big bucks. There’s no way we can afford it.”
Preacher shook his head. “I’m not worried about the money… I’d rather sell it to a brother for pennies on the dollar than stick a sign in the damn yard.”
“I don’t know.”
“I do.” Preach turned to Anslee. “That house deserves somebody to make it a home again. Never really was for me, but it can be for you two.”
I’d never seen his house. I had no idea what shape it was in or whether it was something we would even want. It didn’t matter. The mere thought of a man giving his home to us made my throat tighten.
He reached into his pocket and pulled out a keyring. He handed Brayden the key as he said, “Go look at it and see what you think. If you like it, we’ll work something out.”
“You sure?”
“Wouldn’t have offered if I wasn’t.”
“Okay.” Brayden took the key. “We’ll go by there tonight.”
“Good deal.”
“Thanks, Prez.”
“Don’t thank me yet.” He nodded toward Anslee and me. “They’ll get the final say.”
“You’re right.” Brayden smiled. “They will.”
An hour later, after an unbelievably good cheeseburger, two helpings of potato salad, and the best banana pudding I’d ever had, we climbed into my SUV and started across town.
We’d barely made it through the front gate when Anslee dozed off. She looked so innocent and sweet with her little head tucked against the side of her car seat. I loved her so much, and I couldn’t imagine my life without her. It was a thought that had me turning to Brayden and asking, “Have you ever thought about reaching out to your folks?”
He turned to me with a surprised look and asked, “Where the hell did that come from?”
“I don’t know.” I shrugged. “I’ve just been thinking… I look at Anslee, and I can’t imagine how I’d survive it if something happened to her.”
“It would be rough. I don’t know if I’d have it in me.”
“Exactly. That’s what I’m saying.” I lowered my voice and hoped he understood when I said, “Your parents had to do it twice.”
“But they didn’t.” Brayden’s brows furrowed. “I’m still here.”
“Yes, but you’re not in their life anymore.”
“They gave me no reason to be,” he snapped.
“I know… They should’ve seen that Aiden’s death affected you just as much as it did them.” I could tell he was getting frustrated and wondered if I’d made a mistake bringing it up. “I wonder if they couldn’t get past their own pain to see what you were going through and how they treated you made you hurt even more. Whatever it might’ve been, it cost them a second son.”
“It was both.” Brayden didn’t try to hide the anguish in his voice as he said, “After Aiden died, it was like we were all living in a house full of ghosts. Every room had reminders of him… Hell, they looked at me and saw everything they’d lost instead of the son they still had.”
“I know that had to be hard.”
“It was impossible… I tried, Brooke. I really did, but nothing I did was enough. If I laughed, they acted like I’d forgotten him… I hadn’t.” He tightened his grip on the steering wheel as he added, “He was there with every damn breath I took, and it damn near killed me. But no one noticed my pain. They were too busy drowning in their own to even notice.”