“Do you think David knew?”
“He did. He’d always been in love with her. He didn’t think I knew that back when we were in high school.”
“He would have been a wonderful father. David was a great guy.”
“He was. Ben is…amazing. Not too happy with his mother or me right now, though.”
“Ben didn’t know, either?”
“Nope. And then I had to leave because all this blew up here in Seattle, and I haven’t spoken to either of them.” He went silent for a minute. “I said some terrible things to Vee. I don’t know if she can ever forgive me, but even if she can’t, I hope we can find a way to at least get along for Ben’s sake. I’ve already missed so much of my son’s life.” His voice went tight. “My…son. I never expected to be able to say those two words.”
“It’s really amazing, Jackson. I’m glad for you—not how you found out or what you’ve missed, but…having him, that’s amazing. Especially when he’s so terrific.”
“Yeah.” Jackson cleared his throat. “I don’t want to miss one second more.”
“I can only imagine.”
“You think it would help the town if I moved my company there?”
She blinked. “Why on earth would you—”
“My family is there, well, except you. I don’t know if Veronica and I can work anything out—” His heartache echoed in each word. “—but Ben is settled there, and her roots are solid. It wouldn’t be fair to make Ben travel back and forth halfway across the country.” He paused. “Assuming he decides it doesn’t suck to be my son, that is. Jury’s still out.”
“He’ll come around. And you’ll be a great dad. Better than ours, for sure.”
“I plan to be.”
“Moving the company, though…that’s a huge step.”
“It is, but being with Ian and Mackey again…I’d forgotten what that could feel like. Home. Family. People who’ve got your back.”
The love in her brother’s voice made Pen’s heart hurt. He’d been alone so long.
“I love you, Jackson.” At last the tears she’d been fighting for hours spilled. “I’ve missed you like crazy.”
“Think about coming home, Penny. I meant it about the job. I have never needed someone I can completely trust more than I do now.”
“I don’t know anything about corporate law, much less high-tech.”
“You’re smart as hell. You could learn it. Or I can hire specialists for that part. But I need someone strong and smart and…please. Just think about it, okay? I understand that you’ve worked hard to get where you are, but I also know what it’s like to go home alone every night. To be surrounded by people every day but have…no one. I’m tired of it, and I think you are, too.”
She blinked repeatedly, every word a blade in her heart. Even if she’d ever consider the job, if it meant returning to Sweetgrass…she’d see Bridger around every corner. “I can’t talk about this right now.”
“Okay,” he said, disappointment evident. “But I’ll ask again. You know I will. Hard heads run in the family.”
A watery smile broke through. “That they do.”
“And for what it’s worth, I think you’re making a mistake, not calling Bridger. He asked me to keep him updated, but I could tell he’d much rather it come from you. I know both of you believe you can’t change what you want, but I can hear the longing in your voice when you talk about him, and I definitely heard it in his. When push comes to shove, Penny, what’s really important? I’ve experienced phenomenal success in my field, but going back to Sweetgrass showed me that success isn’t enough. Money means nothing in the face of that kind of connection. I’m glad for your victory today, but do you really want to spend your life with people who would convict you without a trial? Who’d sell you out that easily? You know Bridger never would. I barely know him, but I can tell that much. And Mackey can’t say enough about the guy.”
“He wants Suzy Homemaker and six kids.”
“So sell him a different vision. Use that lethal brain of yours to find a compromise. The man who called me cared enough to ignore what he wanted badly to do and instead to respect what you said you needed for yourself. It takes a very strong man to step back and let the woman he wants to protect go out and fight for herself without interfering. That’s one hell of a common ground, that sort of selflessness.”
Her throat was crowded, and she couldn’t speak.
“Okay, lecture over. I’ve obviously said too much.”
“No—” she finally managed. “No, it’s just that…I need to think.”
“You know I’ve got your back, whatever you decide.”
“Thank you. I love you, too.”
“Enough to come to work with me?” he teased.
“Don’t press your luck.”
“But that’s not a no. I’m just sayin’.”
The smile came easily now. “I’ll think about it. Good night, Jackson. Thank you for calling me. And good luck with Veronica.”
“I’m pretty sure I’m gonna need it. Love you, Sis.”
Then he was gone.
And she was alone, just as he’d said.
Across the room the red cowboy hat gleamed with memories that still shone bright in her heart. If only…
Drawn as if by a magnet, she rose and crossed. Stood before it, her vision blurring with tears.
And as she looked, she could see him, big and tall and gorgeous. Kind…so kind. Holding her as she’d wept. Making love to her with power and such beauty…
He deserved his Suzy, his six kids. Deserved someone who could make him that warm, beautiful refuge.
Not a shark who scented blood on the water…and swam toward the fight, not away from it.
Trembling fingers traced the edge of the brim.
Oh, Bridger…
“Not your best meal, Doc. Maybe you should do cleanup, too,” said Larry. The system was that whoever cooked didn’t clean up.
“Bite me,” Bridger retorted. “And don’t call me Doc.” Larry had clearly picked it up from Mackey, and Bridger wanted no reminders of Sweetgrass. He was already fighting the urge to call Penelope and tell her about Molly. That Molly had turned up was directly due to her influence, after all.
Influence? He snorted. Interference, actually. She’d shamed him into calling Dev for help in locating his siblings.
She should know. She would want to know. She loved hearing that she was right. She would get that smug, superior grin that he should hate, but instead it revved him up. Made him want to challenge her, argue with her, just to see her eyes light up and her whole body fire with the urge to battle, to best him.
It made him hot. Energized him—
Crap, what was he doing? No. Way. No.
He pivoted in the hall and headed for the gym to work off some steam.
She was in D.C., busy with a life he couldn’t even imagine, much less relate to. Hell, for all he knew she had already forgotten him, was fully engaged with a world he could never fit into, even if he wanted to. She was probably out at some wine bar or some black tie event where she would look like a million bucks in some gown that would cost a month of his salary—
He was already changed and in front of the weights when his cell rang. His heart bumped—
Until he saw the display. Jackson. “Yeah?”
“Thought you’d want to know. She won.”
Everything in Bridger went into full-on chaos. “I’m glad.” And he was. But he wasn’t. He was happy for her that she’d triumphed—
But winning meant they were done, for sure. She would forget him and move on.
“That’s all you got?” Jackson challenged. “You’re glad?”
“What do you want me to say? It doesn’t change anything.”
“I offered her a job in Sweetgrass.”
“Doing what?”
“Doesn’t matter. She’s not interested.”
Of course not. “Yeah, well, thanks for the call. I’m in the middle of somet
hing, so—”
“So you just, what, give up?”
“What am I supposed to do? She’s built a life, one she likes. One she’s good at.”
“They have firefighters in D.C.”
“I hate cities. All the bureaucracy of departments there, plus the noise and the crowding and—”
“You wouldn’t live there, even for her? Then screw you. She’s better off without you.”
“Why does it all have to be her way?” Bridger’s temper shot high. “Why can’t she compromise?”
“And…what? Forget how bright she is and how capable and focus on making meat loaf for you? While changing diapers for a dozen years until you meet your ideal brood number?”
At least six children, he’d told her. A wife who was focused on her family and her home. He wanted that. He needed that.
But she needed more. If he loved her, he wouldn’t bind her to a life she’d hate. “I know I can’t do that to her. Don’t you think I know that? It’s why I’m staying away. She deserves better. She wants more than I could ever provide her. I’m just a frogman who gave up on his own family, and I—”
He cut himself off. He had to get a grip. “Thanks for letting me know she won. I’m glad, honestly.”
“End of story, huh? Well, that’s good. She deserves a happy ending, one she clearly won’t get with you. See you around, Bridger.” Jackson disconnected and was gone.
Bridger punched the Off button with a vicious stab.
Then stalked over to work off the violence inside him with a killer load of weights.
“Man, if you don’t do something to fix whatever bug is crawling up Bridger’s ass, I’m gonna off the SOB,” the squad rookie said the next day, not realizing Bridger was behind them at his locker. “What the hell has happened to him? Nothing ruffles Bridger—or at least once it didn’t. Gotta be a woman. Nothing else can get under a man’s skin like this.”
“There was a woman back in Texas,” Kyle began. “Long, tall drink of water. Killer legs. But man, she’s a ball-buster. No idea what he saw in her.”
“Maybe we take up a collection. Send him back to Sweetgrass Springs to get her out of his system.”
“She doesn’t live there, man. She’s some shark lawyer in D.C. One pair of her shoes would bankrupt a normal person.”
“Bridger’s got expensive tastes, eh?”
Bridger smacked his palm against the door and stalked into the engine bay. “You boys got nothing better to do than gossip?”
The rookie scrambled to get away. Kyle moved more slowly, giving Bridger the stink-eye.
He couldn’t blame Kyle. His temper had been filthy for three days now. His nights were haunted by dreams of the time he’d had with her…the ache in his gut from missing her. He woke each morning more tired than he’d gone bed. He imagined everyone would breathe a sigh of relief that his rotation ended today and they wouldn’t have to see him for three more.
If only he could have a break from himself. From the constant, gnawing yearning.
Ruthlessly he forced himself to focus on the one positive in his life right now. He was going to see Molly after his next rotation. Her schedule was onerous, so he’d offered to go to Chicago. He’d like to see her in her setting, anyway—even if that meant a few days in a city. He could do cities, he just didn’t want to live in one.
You wouldn’t live there, even for her? Then screw you. She’s better off without you.
Penelope was better off. Her brother wasn’t wrong. She deserved so much more than he could ever give her.
He wanted to throw something.
Instead, he made his way back to his locker. Stared sightlessly into its contents.
He yanked out brass he’d already polished. He’d sit down and polish it again. Keep his hands busy until he could—
Noise arose in the opening of the bay.
Wolf whistles.
Oh, hell, no. He swore. One of the guys had been threatening to order a stripper to see if it would jolly him out of his mood. He had news for them. This wasn’t a mood. This was something he was fighting to get over, but doing so would take time and he—
“Please say you’re here for me, cowgirl,” the rookie pleaded.
Cowgirl?
Bridger began to turn on his stool.
“Sorry. I’m here for Bridger.”
Everything in him went still.
He knew that voice.
He looked over his shoulder and damned if his eyes didn’t behold a pair of skyscraper heels. Travel up endlessly long legs encased in a very short, tight skirt.
And on up that lean, gorgeous body to the face he’d been dying to see for what felt like weeks.
Topped by a red cowboy hat.
“Hey,” she said, coming to a halt about ten feet away. “Um, you have a second, Bridger?”
Was she…nervous? Princess? The warrior goddess?
He began to rise. “What are you—why are you here, Penelope?”
“Well…” She straightened to full Amazon queen height. “I’d think it would be obvious, Hotshot.” Her smile held nerves indeed, but it was the best thing he’d seen in forever. “I came for you.”
He was pretty sure his heart stopped.
“What—” He cleared his throat. Lectured his unruly body, his pulse that was doing a marimba. “What is it you plan to do with me?” He was so damn glad to see her, he wasn’t sure he cared.
“Well…” One elegant brow arched. “I was thinking about kissing you first.”
Catcalls and cheers. “Dude, take her up on it! She’s hot!”
“Thank God—we’re saved!”
“Guys, come on,” he groaned. “Give us some privacy.”
“No way. This the babe who’s had you snarling for days?” the rookie asked.
“That she is,” Larry contributed.
“Why, Bridger, you’ve been snarling at these nice men?” Her eyes went wide and innocent as she revolved to view them. “How can I make it up to you, gentlemen?”
He covered the distance in two strides. “Forget about them,” he growled, then yanked her around and into his body. “Think about me. Think about this.”
And he kissed her with the fervor of all the long, dark nights and endless days since he’d seen her last.
She pressed even closer against him and slid her hands into his hair. Held on as though he’d vanish.
Her cowboy hat fell off.
Bridger caught it. Used it to hide their faces as he kissed her until he had to breathe. “Why are you really here, Penelope?” he asked quietly. “What does this mean?”
“It means I’ll be your blasted Suzy Homemaker. I’ll have—” Her eyes went a little wild. “—your six kids.”
“I don’t want you to be Suzy.”
Her brows snapped together. “You’re not having them with anyone else.”
He laughed then. “I mean that’s not the right life for you. I’ll come to D.C. Maybe we can live someplace where I can have a little space or—”
“I’m not going back there.”
“What?”
“What are you two talking about?” Larry yelled.
“Beat it,” Bridger barked.
“Not on your life.”
He scanned the area with desperation. Drew her into an equipment closet.
She laughed as she glanced around the small room, then returned her gaze to him. “This isn’t exactly the setting I’d imagined for the first time I told you I love you.”
He blinked. “Seriously?”
“You’re supposed to say Penelope, I love you more than my life. I’ll be your slave forever, and I’ll do every last thing you ask of me—”
He kissed her again. Hard.
Then pulled away and put his forehead against hers. “Damned if I might not agree, I want you so bad.”
“Don’t you dare. That’s not the Bridger I adore.”
His eyebrows rose. “You’re way ahead of me here. So if I won’t let you be Suzy Homemaker and yo
u won’t let me move to D.C., what will we do?”
A Cheshire cat smile. “Run away to Bali?”
“Awesome. I can afford a trip to Cleveland.”
She laughed. “Well, you’re looking at a woman who just got bought out of her partnership in a very pricey law firm.”
His brows drew together. “I don’t want your money. I won’t have my woman supporting me.”
“Your woman?”
He waited for the outrage.
He wasn’t prepared for the smile. “I kinda like that, Neanderthal as it is. Who knew?”
“I’m a simple man.”
She laughed from the belly. “Oh, you are so not simple.” Then she clutched at him. “Bridger, I want this. Me and you. Do we agree on that, even if we have no idea where we’ll wind up?”
He took his first deep breath in eons. “Yeah. We agree. Hell, Legs, if I get to have you in my bed every night, there can’t be anything that’s impossible.” He groaned. “Damn it. I’m on duty. And my bed here is in a dormitory.”
Her eyebrows waggled. “I’ve never made out in a bunk bed…”
And there she was, the woman who’d eaten ribs with him and argued over country music. Who’d charmed a whole field full of diamond hunters.
Who’d demanded a red cowboy hat.
“I found one of my sisters. Or Dev did.”
Her eyes widened. “For real? Which one?”
He told her all about Molly.
“Oh, Bridger, that makes me so happy. I can’t wait to meet her. You’re taking me with you, right? We can do another road trip?”
He still couldn’t wrap his mind around the fact that she was here. That they had a chance.
“Seriously, Penelope. What the hell are you doing, letting them buy you out? You loved your work.”
“Nope. I lived in my work, I see now. It was all I was. I thought I was fine, that it was all I needed…” She let two fingers walk up his chest. Leveled Caribbean blue eyes on his. “Until I met this hot fireman and reconnected with my family and realized that my work was an escape, not a life. It was a locked room in which I felt safe.”
“Jackson told me you beat them like a drum, your firm.”
“I totally did.” Her face was sunshine. Then she sobered. “But you want Suzy, not a shark. Not a woman who scents blood on the water and attacks.”
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