Page 50 of Searching for Love

“No,” Avery said, stepping forward. “Tonight she’s staying with us at my place. I have an extra bed,” she pointed out. “You have a mattress on the floor. We’ll stop off and get anything you want at your place first.”

They turned back to his mother. “Yes, go stay at Avery’s for tonight. After that, we’ll figure something out.”

He nodded and thought about his furniture in the back of his truck. “Right,” he agreed.

“I want to stay here with Mom,” Sophia said.

“No, sweetie. They won’t let visitors after eight,” his mother explained. “Go with them. Shower, clean up, change.” She touched Sophia’s cheek. “I’ll be here, resting. Besides, Graig works the night shift and has promised to keep checking in on me.” His mother turned to him. “Go, please,”

He nodded, knowing that his mother needed to be alone and rest.

“Come on, squirt.” He wrapped his arm around Sophia’s shoulder. “Let’s go and let Mom rest.”

Sophia rushed from his arms to hug their mother gently. She whispered something into their mother’s ear that made her smile and nod.

“Very proud,” she replied. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

The three of them left his mother and grandfather in the private hospital room. His grandfather promised to stay with their mom until he was kicked out.

They drove back to the house in silence. His sister was oddly quiet between him and Avery.

“What about the cats?” Sophia said when they were a block away from the house.

“They’re welcome to come tonight,” Avery said quickly.

“Thanks,” Sophia whispered.

“I forgot.” Avery turned to him. “While I was waiting for your mother to get out of X-ray, I called my dad and brother. They have assured me that they would have your mother’s front door replaced by the time we returned. They were concerned about them and wanted you to know that if you need anything, just to ask.”

Lucas felt his throat close up. He wanted to tell her thank you, but he couldn’t speak so instead he nodded.

“Look, there’s a new door,” Sophia said when they pulled up beside his mother’s car again.

“Tell your family thank you,” Sophia said, hugging Avery while trying not to hit her in the face with her cast.

“You can tell them yourself tomorrow morning. They’re going to meet us for breakfast at the bakery in town. It was all I could do to stop them from heading to the hospital and creating a circus.” She laughed.

As they climbed out of his truck, he pulled Sophia out of his side and held onto her. “I’m sorry I wasn’t here sooner.”

“You tried to warn me,” she said with a sigh. “I’m just thankful you stopped by.”

He looked at Avery over his sister’s shoulder. She was wiping her eyes and smiling at them. When he noticed there was a bruise on her cheek, he held in his rage for the man who had messed with so many of the women he loved.

And the fact was, he loved Avery. He didn’t know when it had happened, but she was as much in his heart as Sophia and his mother were.

Holding out his arm, he motioned for Avery to step into the hug.

When she did, he knew that whatever happened next, there was no way in hell he’d let Diego anywhere near any of them ever again.