AllFreeNovel
Share Us
15
BRYNN
Letting out a sigh, Brynn set her bag by the door and toed off her shoes. Her feet ached from being on them all day. First, she’d worked the shift at the diner before heading over to the bookstore to lock up. She pinched the space between her neck and shoulder, attempting to massage out some of the tension as Dani zoomed by towards the stairs to her room.
A sliver of disappointment sunk in her belly. She hadn’t seen her daughter all day. Brynn had gotten used to being able to check in with Dani anytime she wanted. It was the best way to make sure she was safe. But she’s safe with Aaron too. Brynn had finally gotten comfortable dropping Dani off at the Hope Facility. The staff there was so welcoming and kind.
Aaron came into the mudroom, prompting Brynn to quicken her pace to the kitchen. They hadn’t spoken about the previous night, but she couldn’t help but think his words this morning encompassed that too. You have nothing to be sorry about.
Brynn grabbed a glass from the cupboard and filled it halfway with water before drinking it down, trying to calm her ever-present nerves. She just wanted to lie in bed and sleep for two days, but her tasks weren’t done yet. She needed to make dinner.
Aaron set his refillable coffee mug by the sink. “How was your day?”
She blinked up at him. “Uh, busy . . . How was yours?”
He crossed his arms and turned around to lean back against the counter. His forearms stretched against the crisp blue fabric of his dress shirt, which he’d unbuttoned a little more, showing off a few dark curls on his chest. Brynn swallowed as his rumbly voice stopped. Shoot. I missed what he said.
“I’m sorry, what did you say?”
A small smile played on his lips. “What did I tell you about apologizing?”
Heat crept up her neck, and something warm settled below her belly at his teasing tone. “I’m sorry—I, I mean, can you repeat that?”
“My day was pretty good. We’re almost at capacity again and I hate to turn kids in need away. I’ve been talking with a few other directors and I’m not sure another addition is feasible because of zoning laws unless I buy the property next to it.”
“Isn’t that a department store?”
He nodded. “Yeah, but they are going out of business, and the lot will be available. I was thinking of getting it and then having Mikel and Andre at Seacoast Construction to oversee the project and turn it into more dorms.”
“Can you do that?” she asked.
He tipped his head to the side. “It would mean cashing out some of my investments.”
She studied him more closely. “You mean you’d pay for it? Not the center?”
“I guess now that we’re married, we should talk about this. I usually like to keep my finances private.”
“Oh, you don’t have to. It was rude of me to ask. I’m so—” She stopped herself, that time earning an even bigger grin from him.
Aaron shook his head. “No, really it’s fine. Like I said, you’re my wife now.”
“Only in name,” she reminded him.
His eyes met hers, something that looked a lot like determination flashing in them. “In every way that counts.”
She swallowed.
“I funded Hope Facility myself. We do fundraisers and get some government grants, but it’s never enough. So, I supplement everything with my own savings. While I played professional ball, I invested most of my earnings, and I picked the right ones for my portfolio. I’m a multimillionaire.”
Brynn blinked and swallowed as she looked away. “You played pro ball?”
“I don’t say that to . . . Hell, I don’t even want anyone knowing.”
“I won’t say anything,” Brynn promised. How many secrets had she kept? So many. But this one felt different. She was honored he trusted her enough to share these very personal details with her.
He nodded. “Thank you.”
“It’s the least I can do.” She flicked her attention back to his soft gaze. Tension rose, some invisible force tugging her towards him. She reached for the handle on the fridge just to have something to ground her. “What do you want for dinner? There is some chicken in here, and leftover rice. I could make a stir-fry?” She shifted her weight to one achy foot, trying to give the other a break.
