She gave him the link to the park and waited. The orange juice was bitter on her tongue, but she drank it anyway.
I’ll be there by nine in the morning if that’s okay. And please bring a friend if it makes you more comfortable.
Blake was going to be shocked at all she’d found out tonight. She couldn’t believe it either. It was nearly ten but he’d still be awake. Maybe she should drive out there and tell him in person. The news seemed too important to spill over the phone.
She closed her laptop to take it with her and bolted for the door.
Chapter 37
Blake lay on his side and wished he’d gone home with Paradise. He’d stayed around to put the boys to bed so Mom could run to town with Frank for a root beer float. The kids would have wanted to go if they’d heard the plans, but Blake had diverted their attention by getting out the Monopoly Junior game. He’d kept them entertained until he put them to bed, then had watched TV until Mom got back.
He’d been back in his apartment for an hour but still wasn’t sleepy. He started to reach for the phone to call Paradise when he heard a noise on the steps to his apartment over the garage. It sounded like someone was climbing them. He leaped up and grabbed his gun before easing to the door and looking out the viewer. The stairwell was dark. Had the light gone out, or had someone turned off the power?
A light tap came at the door, then Paradise’s voice softly called, “Blake, are you awake?”
He flung open the door and pulled her inside. “What are you doing skulking around in the dark so late? I could have shot you. Was the light out when you got here?” He pulled her into anembrace and felt her trembling. She smelled of fresh coconut shampoo. Her hair was back in a damp braid, and she wore the sweats and tee she usually slept in. “I’m sorry, did I scare you? You nearly gave me a heart attack.”
“I didn’t mean to.” She nestled against his chest. “The light was out. I couldn’t wait until tomorrow to tell you the news. My brother is coming tomorrow!”
He shut the door. “Whoa, hold on. Tell me what’s happened.” He led her into the tiny living room where they settled on the sofa and she showed him the messages from Drew. The unease that had begun to crawl up his spine subsided a bit at the news he was a detective. Or at leastclaimedto be.
He took her laptop and did a search for an Atlanta police detective named Bartley. The man popped up on the city’s website, and Blake studied his face. “He’s got your eyes and coloring. His hair is redder than yours, but I can see he’s related to you.” She went quiet, and he glanced down at her.
Her hands were clenched together, and she was taking deep breaths. “I—I was afraid to hope he was real, but he has Mom’s eyes too.” Her voice wobbled. “I havefamily, Blake. A real brother. I can’t quite believe that after all this time of being alone, I have a brother who wants to see me. And he knew all about me. Why would they tell him about me but not say a word to me about having a brother? It doesn’t seem right.”
Her euphoria stung a little because he’d thought he was enough. But of course she wanted a connection with someone who was her own flesh and blood. Just like Levi and Isaac rooted and enriched him, her brother would fill an empty spot in her life. He wouldn’t give up his little brothers for anything, and he wanted the best life possible for the woman who was everything to him.
“Maybe you’ll learn more about that when he comes tomorrow.” He studied the messages again. “Not a clue there about why he’s so eager to see you in person. What kind of urgent matter would have him ready to hop a plane at a moment’s notice?”
She shrugged as if it didn’t matter. And maybe it didn’t. The most important thing was he was coming to see her. She’d meet her brother for the first time, and he would get to see it. “I’ll meet him with you. I assume he’ll come to the registration window to ask for you.”
“I gave him the address. I should give him my number too. I’m not afraid now that I’ve seen how we look alike. I’m glad you thought of doing a search for him.” She took back her laptop and sent out a message with her phone number. He answered a minute later with his.
This was really happening. “I wonder if he knows about your mom and dad’s murders. Maybe he’s investigating them.”
“Or maybe he’s trying to find his birth father. He didn’t mention him, and maybe he doesn’t know his identity.”
“That’s possible, but it doesn’t seem as urgent as a murder investigation.”
“You think he’s trying to track down the murderer too?” She tensed and edged away. “I’d love to have him help us, but what if it’s dangerous? I wouldn’t want to lose him as soon as I found him.” Her voice took on a bite. “I wish I knew what he wanted to talk about.”
“Babe, he’s a police detective. He faces danger every day.” He lifted her chin and leaned in for a lingering kiss. The tension eased out of her as she kissed him back, and he pulled her close. “Whatever it’s about, we’ll know in a few hours,” he murmured against her mouth. When she was relaxed and pliable in his arms, he pulled back and cupped her face in his palms. “Let it go untiltomorrow, babe. No sense in getting strung out over something we can’t know.”
She nodded. “You always do that.” She pressed her lips against his neck. “You have a way of soaking the fear and anxiety right out of me with one touch. That’s why I came tonight. I needed you.”
The words struck a chord in his soul. He wanted to be the one she turned to, the one who anchored her and kept her safe. The one who held her when she cried or soothed her when she was afraid. Being with her did all those things for him too. Even when they faced the uncertainty of the park’s future, he’d never envisioned a moment when she wasn’t by his side, facing all these trials together.
He kissed her again. “I’ll be grateful forever that you came back to town and gave me a second chance.”
Paradise checked her hair in the window’s reflection for at least the fifth time as she stood with Blake outside Jenna’s cottage. She tried smoothing the flyaways, but it was a useless attempt. Why did her hair have to react like this in humidity? She’d texted Drew this morning and told him to meet her here at the house away from curious stares. They could sit on the porch and talk.
Blake slipped his arm around her waist. “Relax,” he whispered. “You look gorgeous. He’ll be proud to call you his sister.”
She kissed him. “You always say the sweetest things. I want to invite him to stay for lunch—is that okay?”
“Of course. Mom will likely come out with the invitation herself. Or the boys will. You know they’ll all be watching from the window.”
She spotted them inside the house and waved. Jenna smiled and led the boys off for their lessons. While she was curious, she wasn’t going to be obnoxious about it. Paradise’s phone read 9:05 a.m. “He’s a little late.”
