Page 51 of Broken
“Yours…” I echo.
Because I am his. I’ve always been his, even when I hated him. Even when I nearly died giving birth to our son. Even when I found out I’ll never have another child. Even when I tried having relationships with other men and failed.
My heart, my body, my soul—it all belongs to Chance Bridger.
And I’ll still belong to him when I tell him the truth.
He may leave me, but I’ll still be his.
But I can’t bear the thought of him leaving me.
So I’ll leave.
I’ll go back to Phoenix.
Back to my life.
A life without Chance Bridger.
After Jarvisand I land in Phoenix, we go straight to the office to finish our report so we’re ready for the debriefing tomorrow. Then I head to the home I share with my mother and my son. In those hours, I try not to think of Chance, of him being so far away. Of what could be if I stayed. If I did what he suggested and relocated to Montana, dragging my mother back with me.
When I walk in the door, Grady is sitting at the kitchen table, working on homework.
“Hey, sweetie,” I say to him. “I’m home.”
He looks up and smiles. God, it’s the same smile I saw this morning on his father. The ache for Chance is familiar, and back with a vengeance. “Hey, Mom.”
“No hug?”
He begrudgingly rises and walks toward me and gives me a fourteen-year old-boy hug. I know he loves me, though. When I finally let go, I look into his blue eyes, so like his father’s. He’s so tall and I can see how he will fill out to be big and broad.
I adopt my stern mother voice. “We need to talk about your suspension.”
“Do we, Mom?” He steps back and drops into his chair, all gangly limbs.
“Yeah. But after dinner.” I give him a little bit of a reprieve. I’ve been gone a few days. What’s a few hours more? “Where’s Grandma?”
“On the service porch. Laundry.”
“Okay.” I lean in and kiss his fair cheek. “Get back to work. Then we’re going out to dinner tonight.”
“What for?”
“Because I’m home! And I solved my case. So finish up.”
I head through the back way where my mom is loading the dryer with damp clothes.
“I’m home, Mom.”
She widens her eyes. “Avery, I didn’t expect you until later tonight.”
I watch as she tosses a sock in the dryer.
“Jarvis and I finished up the report quicker than expected, so here I am. I’m taking you and Grady out to dinner.”
She smiles and studies me. “You look good, honey.”
“Thanks. I feel good.” Then I bite my lip. I don’t keep things from this woman. We’ve been through so much together. “Sort of. I solved the case. Chance is innocent. We found the person who killed that poor guy and threw him onto Bridger land.”
