Three months later
Long before the shadow fell across the end of the dock and hovered over Bryson Anton’s wheelchair, he knew someone was there. Motion sensors and security cameras had made Bryson’s new watch buzz against his wrist when they parked their car in the driveway. More messages warned when they crossed the back patio. And again, when they’d descended the gently sloping lawn that ended at the creek. But he didn’t turn around.
Not yet.
“It’s been nearly three months since you sent me away yet again, Bryson. One minute I’m at the hospital, thanking God that Bishop was able to keep you alive long enough to even get you there. Then I’m on my knees thanking God that you survived yet another arduous surgery. Only to visit you in recovery to discover you’re acting like a grizzly bear, just like last time, proving you’re the worst patient ever in the history of the universe. And then, when you’re finally in your hospital room and we’re alone, I’m ready to pour my heart out to you, and what do you do? You tell me to get out! You order me back to Jacksonville to work on my master’s degree. What the heck, Bryson?”
“The summer semester was about to start. I didn’t want you to have to wait until fall to start back again.”
She said several unsavory things. “No phone calls from you. When I tried calling, you didn’t answer. I don’t even count the pathetic, generic texts you occasionally sent me. Then I find outthat you’ve been talking to my dad every few days, asking how I was doing. If you were worried, all you had to do was talk tome, Bryson. Not my family.”
“I was busy.”
“Really? What’s her name?”
He turned the wheelchair around to face her. She was wearing hunter-green shorts and a lime-green tank top in deference to the warm weather. As always, her rich brown skin was flawless, her full high breasts a reminder of the incredible body beneath those clothes. But his favorite part of her was that gorgeous bright mind of hers. And her beautiful, sassy mouth. He never knew what outrageous thing she was going to say next.
“Helga,” he said.
She frowned. “Excuse me?”
“You asked me her name. Her name is Helga. Or, well, I actually don’t even know her real name. But that’s what you called her when she was here that first day you showed up on my doorstep.”
She put her hands on her hips. “Does this mean that you’ve been doing the rehab the doctor ordered?”
“It does. I have.”
She crossed her arms, looking only slightly less aggravated than before. “Well, that’s good. But I still don’t see why you couldn’t text me a real hello, with feeling, every once in a while. Or actually speak to me on the phone. What makes you think you could just text me last night to come back and everything would be fine?”
He smiled. “You’re here aren’t you?”
She narrowed her eyes, then whirled around.
He caught her arm just before she could get out of reach and yanked her backward.
She let out a little squeak and landed right where he wanted her. In his lap.
“Let me go, Bryson. I’m not kidding.”
He gently turned her face so she’d meet his gaze. “Is that really want you want, Teag? You want me to let you go?” The flash of unshed tears in her eyes surprised him. “Sweetheart?”
“You already have. You wouldn’t let me stay to help with your recovery. You sent me back home like some child—”
“While I could never mistake you for a child, not even close—” he gently stroked her arm, unable to resist touching her “—there’s definitely an age difference between us. Something to think about. You’re young, still working on officially starting your career, although I heard the FBI is interested in grooming you as a future candidate.”
She smiled. Not full wattage, but enough for him to know that he was right, that the FBI opportunity was important to her.
“There might be a nibble there,” she admitted. “They were impressed with the detailed investigation I conducted, and that I was right about Avarice Lowe being a serial killer. Apparently my notes on him have helped them narrow down facts that blow apart his alibis for some of the killings. He may not be around for a trial. But at least some of his victims’ families will have true closure now.”
He pressed a kiss against her cheek and settled her more comfortably against him. The fact that she didn’t resist being snuggled close was encouraging. “You have the most beautiful mind I’ve ever had the pleasure of knowing. It’s about time the rest of the world figured that out.”
She gave him the side-eye before looking away. “I’d say thank you, but it sounds like you’re building another excuse to justify why you wanted me to leave you.”
“Not leave me. Go back to school. Huge difference.”
She shrugged.
“Teag, you’re young, energetic, just starting out in life. I’m more toward the middle of mine.”
