AllFreeNovel
Share Us
He merely grunted. “You don’t sound happy about going back home.”
“Because I’m not. Indiana hasn’t felt like home in a long time.”
“Why not?”
Could she confide in him? He seemed interested, curious about her, and after today, she’d never see him again. Not much risk involved if she opened herself up a little. Besides, when was the last time she’d told anyone about why she felt so disconnected from home?
Never, she realized.
Aubrey walked away from the incoming surf and sat down in the sand, pulling her knees up to her chest, and Gray joined her. His shoulder brushed hers as he sat down beside her, and everything lit up inside of her. She’d never reacted this way toward any man she’d met and wondered why the big, former SEAL affected her so much?
“The only person I was ever really close to was my brother, Garrett. But he passed away a few years ago.”
Something she couldn’t quite read flashed across his rugged face. “I’m sorry.”
Aubrey nodded. “Everybody loved Garrett. He was popular, had a ton of friends and all the girls wanted to date him. He was like the Golden Boy in my small town and my parents doted on him endlessly. He could do no wrong in their eyes.”
“What about you?”
“Me?” she asked, slightly surprised. “I was…kind of an afterthought. Invisible.” She flinched when she voiced the word. As many times as she’d thought it, actually saying it hurt more than she expected.
“You shine too brightly to be anyone’s afterthought. And you’re certainly not invisible.” The words came out harsh and Aubrey blinked in surprise at the unexpected compliment. Then she leaned into his shoulder. Just a little.
“Thanks.”
“So, what happened?”
“It was the Fourth of July, and Garrett and his friends rented out a lakehouse. They planned to celebrate all week. Drink and barbecue, hang out, shoot fireworks. One night, they’d all been drinking and partying late. He and his girlfriend got into a fight. So, he got on his motorcycle and started driving back home. It started raining and—”
Her voice cut off. The accident had happened three years ago, but the strange thing was, time didn’t matter. Some days it felt like yesterday and other days it felt forever ago.
Today it felt like yesterday, and hot tears stung the backs of her eyes. Staring down at her knees, trying to blink back the wetness, she fought her threatening emotions. Gray reached over and curved a big hand around her knee. And strength infused her, allowing her to find her voice again and continue.
“The country roads are dark, especially when it’s raining. He was about ten minutes from his place when a car ran a stop sign and hit Garrett.” Everything inside of her clenched as the pain washed over her. For what? The millionth time?
“Fuck,” Gray hissed, squeezing her knee.
“He died instantly.” A tear slid down her face and, suddenly, Gray’s finger was there, wiping it away. “Sorry, some days it hits me harder than others.”
“There’s nothing to be sorry about,” he murmured, the pad of his index finger still lightly circling her cheek. “Grief is a hard thing.”
Something in his gruff tone told Aubrey he understood what it felt like to lose someone you loved.My sorrowful man.The thought hit her out of nowhere and she realized how silly it sounded. Gray Ellis would never be her man.
“My parents were crushed and never truly recovered. They let their grief eat away at them until they were practically hollow. It’s like they stopped living. Like they wanted to die, too.”
For a very long moment, Gray didn’t comment, and he pulled his hand away. “And you? How did you handle it?” His deep voice was so low, barely a whisper.
“I did the only thing I could—I went through the motions, forced myself to keep on living while my parents shut down. They were so caught up in their own sorrow, they forgot they still had another kid. I mean, I never got a lot of attention and always played second fiddle to Garrett—and that was fine. I’m more of an introvert and hate being the center of attention, anyway. That was all him. But, to be ignored…”
“Hurt,” he finished.
“Yeah, it hurt a lot. It still does.” Aubrey heaved out a shaky sigh. “I knew I had to get out of there and not be surrounded by that heavy anguish. It was unhealthy. I was already working as a nurse, but I couldn’t seem to heal in River Birch, Indiana.”
“So you came to Colombia,” Gray surmised.
She nodded. “The job opportunity for Doctors Without Borders came at the exact time I needed it to and this past year, I’ve focused all my energy on becoming the best trauma nurse I can be.”
“That’s an important job. You’re making a difference.”
