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ROWAN
She was goingto be right where I wanted her.
Operation Forgivenesshad just been launched.
I would have to grovel and Brinley would have to find a way to let me back into her life.
Her and Zander had lost a lot and something told me there was more I didn’t know yet. It was time I stopped running from everything that made me feel anything.
She needed me.
Or was it the other way around?
ChapterSeven
BRINLEY
My eyes widenedat the sight of the condo.
“Whoopie!” Zander shouted as he raced around in circles in the front room.
As soon as we crossed the threshold a homey feeling washed through me. The vibe was a cool mix of casual, earthy tones with slight feminine touches that trickled throughout the spacious area. It was better than I ever imagined when Summer made the offer. And it was also nicer than the apartment Zander and I had over my bookstore before we lost it.
After Luke died I couldn’t stay in the house we’d had together. The place just made me think of losing him even though he was away so much. It had been his idea to buy it and make it our home, so it felt wrong without him. Besides, it was just Zander and I, so using the apartment over my store was easier in the long run. Although, it still never felt like I was making the two of us a real home. Yes, I loved the bookstore and the loss of it and our things was devastating, but I wanted the two of us to have roots and carve out our own life.
Without the input of others.
Luke’s overbearing mom never seemed to ease up on reminding me what Luke gave me or how much he provided me with, and she thought it was her duty now to oversee everything when it came to Zander. She had even been making noise that suggested taking things to a new level. So when the fire happened and there was nothing keeping us there any longer, I ran.
And while this temporary place was a stepping stone to hopefully find out what Zander and I needed, it also wasn’t home. But it was a damn sweet gesture from people who didn’t even know me and would be a comfortable place to stay while we figured things out.
“It’s perfect. Are you sure it is okay if we stay here for a bit and it’s not inconveniencing you?” I turned to face both Summer and Gyth who were standing behind me. Their son had stayed at the house with the rest of the group and their adorable dog. It was a little difficult prying Zander away from the kids and I knew he would be asking for a dog night and day now that he’d played with theirs. Summer had stepped in and promised a playdate soon so that seemed to satisfy him enough to get him moving.
So there we were.
“Remember what I told you when I came to your house?” Gyth was looking right at me. “Anything. I said if there was anything you ever needed I would do everything in my power to help.”
I watched Summer lay her palm on her husband’s arm in a soothing gesture. You could hear the emotion clogged in his throat as he spoke and she sensed it.
“I promised Luke.” Gyth looked away for a minute. A far-off look crossed his features and then sadness as if those last moments with my husband had been playing in his mind.
A shiver ran through me.
Gyth was the only one right there that knew everything that happened and when he had come to me, I made him tell me the whole horrid story. I’d felt so bad for asking him to do it, but I needed to know. And now that I did there were times when I wished I hadn’t asked. It was hard enough for me to know the details, but I would never know what it was like to be there in that moment like the big, amazing man who stood in front of me, vowing to uphold his friend's last wishes, did.
He looked back at me as Summer leaned in closer and wrapped both arms around her husband.
“As far as I am concerned, you’re family. Remember that and lean on us.”
Tears formed in my eyes as Summer nodded at Gyth’s words and added, “He’s right, sweetie.”
“Mommy,” Zander said, tugging on my hand. “Where am I going to sleep?”
Pushing back my emotions and willing the tears not to fall, I turned to my son who had broken up the emotionally charged exchange.
“Let’s go check out the rooms and we can see what you want to do. How does that sound?” Summer asked him, reaching out her hand.
Zander took it and they headed down the hall, Gyth and me following behind. I was glad for the reprieve from the talk we’d been having. I felt too raw after everything back at home and then seeing Rowan again. We just needed to settle in and then I could figure out what the heck my son and I did next.
