Austin picked up the phone to call Bree. He’d made reservations for them at High Cotton. When she didn’t answer, he left her a message with the time he would be picking her up.
He pulled a box out of the small shopping bag. He’d spent his lunch hour looking for the perfect engagement ring and he’d found it. Austin couldn’t wait for Bree to see it.
An hour passed.
Austin checked his phone. It wasn’t like Bree to not return his call. If she was busy, she normally sent a text letting him know when she would be able to talk. He assumed it must be a busy day for her.
He didn’t call her again until right before he left the office for the day. Austin hadn’t heard from her, so he decided to go by her office.
When he arrived, it was completely dark.
Austin called her.
No answer.
His gut instincts told him something wasn’t quite right, but he couldn’t figure out what had gone wrong.
Austin drove over to her house.
When he knocked, there was no answer.
Sara opened her door. “Hey, Austin,” she greeted. “Sugar, they’re not there. She and Emery are on vacation. I’m surprised she didn’t mention it. They left today.”
“No, she didn’t tell me,” he muttered. “Are you sure?”
“That’s what she told me. She said they would be gone for a week.”
“Did she tell you where they were going?”
Sara shook her head. “Naw, she didn’t, which is kinda odd. She usually good about letting me know where she’s going. Bree was in a hurry and she looked upset. I called her about an hour ago to check on her, but she didn’t answer.”
Austin spent the next hour pacing the floor, trying to understand what had happened with Bree. They got along well and thus far, their relationship was amazing. With every minute they spent together, Austin fell more in love with her. And she loved him. He was certain of that.
Why didn’t she tell me she was leaving town?
A sick churning started in the pit of his stomach. Spinning around, Austin went to the living room and picked up the phone.
He tried calling Bree once again.
No answer.
Maybe she was on a plane. This would explain why she hadn’t returned his or Sara’s phone calls. Still, they had prearranged plans to have dinner this evening. Bree never once mentioned that she would be going away. This was something that had come about quickly.
Austin sat in the darkened living room staring out the window and watching the occasional sweep of car lights beam in from the street.
The refrigerator kicked on. The ice maker dumped.
He rubbed a hand over his chest.
It hurt.
* * *
Bree’s thoughts were jagged and painful as she turned on the dusty road that led to her grandmother’s house in Roseville, Georgia. A heaviness centered in her chest as she felt an inexplicable feeling of heartbreak.
Emery was in the backseat sleeping. He had been no trouble during the four-hour drive from Charleston. She was so proud of him.
Tears filled Bree’s eyes at the idea of losing her son. I love him so much. I can’t lose my baby. Worse, she couldn’t believe that Jordin had participated in something like this—they had been close friends since college.
How could she do this to me?
She refused to spend any time thinking about Austin. He could’ve been honest with her—he didn’t have to try to manipulate her. Bree was hurt and furious with him.
The first thing she had to do in the morning after she got Emery settled was to call her attorney. She needed to make sure the adoption was legal. After all, Austin wasn’t listed on the birth certificate. She didn’t want to lose her son. He was her everything.
Bree looked at her phone.
She had messages from both Sara and Austin. She wasn’t in the mood to talk to anyone tonight. All Bree wanted to do was take a bath and go to bed, but she didn’t want to worry her neighbor, so she sent her a text.
Hey, I’m okay. Just needed some time to think. Will explain everything when I return.
Bree
After her bath, she saw a text from Sara.
Austin came by. He didn’t know you were leaving. Everything OK with you two?
Bree decided to be honest.
No. He is part of the reason I left. We’ll talk when I get back.
There was another call from Austin.
Emery was still sleeping, so she joined him in the bed. Bree didn’t want to spend a moment away from him.
Chapter 15
Coming to Roseville had always given Bree a sense of peace. It had come as a surprise when her foster parents received a letter from a pastor, informing them that her grandmother has left the house to Bree.
She was in college at the time and traveled to Georgia to meet with the Reverend Moore. He had been using the house for visiting pastors to stay. The church had been paying the expenses of the taxes and utilities for the place since the death of her grandmother.
Bree allowed the church to continue using the house. When the Reverend Moore passed away, the congregation dwindled down until the doors closed for good. She decided to renovate the house and keep it as a place for her and Emery to come and relax.
She loved the way the flowers bloomed all around the porch in summer and how the trees shifted from green to a golden spectrum of orange and red in the fall. It rained around midnight, the raindrops falling in a monotonous drone that lulled her to sleep.
Today, though, she felt restless.
Even the November air seemed to be holding its breath, waiting for something. She felt that same sense of anticipation inside her like the flutter of butterfly wings. Something was about to happen.
Bree tried to go back to her book, but her mind kept wandering. She found herself looking down the long dirt road. If anyone had been coming, she would have been able to see the dust cloud miles away.
Nothing moved.
The weather was still warm, despite the cloud casting a dark, cool shadow.
Bree shivered, sensing a change in the air.
* * *
Austin burst into his sister’s office without knocking. “Have you talked to Bree?”
Jordin shook her head. “I left her a message earlier, but she hasn’t called me back. Did you try her office?”
“She’s not there,” Austin responded. “Her neighbor said that Bree told her that she and Emery were going to be gone for a week. On vacation. The thing is that she never mentioned going anywhere to me and she’s not returning my calls or texts. I think she’s run away for some reason.”
Frowning, Jordin asked, “Why would she do that?”
He shrugged. “Something’s up with Bree. I just don’t know what it is.”
Jordin picked up the phone. “This isn’t making any sense. Let me try again to see if I can reach her.”
Austin sank down in one of the chairs facing her.
“Hey, it’s me. Austin and I are getting worried about you. Can you give us a call or send a text just to let us know you’re okay? Please let us hear from you.”
“I don’t have a good feeling about this,” Austin said. “Do you think she found out that I was Emery’s father somehow?”
“I don’t see how she could, but it’s the only thing that makes sense. I know Bree and she wouldn’t just take off like this. She certainly wouldn’t just avoid phone calls. It’s not like her.”
“Any idea where she might go?”
“Not really.”
“Do you think she’d go back to Vegas?”
Jordin shook her head. “No, she didn’t really like living out there.”
Her cell phone vibrated.
She picked it up. “Bree just sent a text.”
Jor
din read it aloud.
“I am fine. I know about Emery and I’m not going to lose my son. I will do whatever I have to do to keep him. Bree.”
She looked up at Austin. “I don’t know how she found out.”
“It doesn’t matter now. The only thing I care about is finding Emery and Bree. I can’t lose either of them.”
“Now that I think about it,” Jordin said, “her grandmother left her house to Bree. She used to let a church use it, and she fixed it up. I know it’s in Georgia, but I don’t remember the name of the town. It’s near Atlanta, though.”
Austin rose to his feet. “We can search for a deed or tax record.”
“She didn’t call because she knows that I kept the truth from her, as well,” Jordin stated. “Bree’s angry with me.”
“Once I get a chance to talk to her, I’ll fix all of this, sis,” he assured her. “I’m not going to let you take the fall for my actions.”
“I was the one who told you to wait before telling her the truth.”
“Neither of us had any idea that Bree and I would get involved. I should’ve told her the truth.”
“What are you going to do now?”
Austin headed to the door. “I’m going to find out where they are and bring them home. I love Bree and I’m going to tell her that I want a life with her and Emery.”
“I hope that we haven’t lost all of Bree’s trust.”
“I’ll do whatever I have to do to get it back,” he vowed. If he’d listened to his common sense, none of this would have happened. Austin drew in a deep breath and let it out slowly. All the common sense in the world wouldn’t change how he’d handled this situation.
He loved Bree. Being with her energized him and gave him hope for a better future. She was the other half of his heart. Giving her up without a fight was out of the question.
* * *
Bree stared at the text she’d sent Jordin and silently debated if she’d done the right thing. She had grown tired of all the phone calls and the messages. Despite her anger with Jordin, she didn’t want her to worry.
Turning the phone off, she slid it back into the pocket of her jeans.
Her heart broke all over again each time she thought of the man she had come to love. When she lost Caleb, Bree never considered she would ever fall in love again.
But Austin was only using her to get to Emery.
She tried to swallow the lump that lingered in her throat. Bree wasn’t sure she could ever forgive him.
If he is truly Emery’s father—he deserves to be a part of the boy’s life.
She thought back to what she’d overheard of Austin’s conversation with Jordin. He hadn’t known about the child until after the adoption. If this was true, then why didn’t he just tell her the truth? Why all the secrecy?
Bree had a lot of questions, but she wasn’t ready to talk to Austin. Her attorney hadn’t called her back. She needed to be prepared legally before she sat down to discuss anything with him, so until then—Bree intended to avoid Austin.
She went to check on Emery.
He lay on top of the covers fast asleep.
She left the door open a crack.
Two steps down the hall, Bree turned back for another look. Emery hadn’t stirred. Fingers crossed that he stayed that way, she went into his room and sat cross-legged on the floor, putting a puzzle back together.
The truth was that she couldn’t stay in Georgia forever. She still had a practice and clients who depended on her. She would have to go back to Charleston.
Or did she?
Bree glanced around the house. With more renovations, she could make it a perfect home for her and Emery.
But what if I lose him?
Emotionally drained and her eyes heavy with fatigue, she made her way to her bedroom.
Completely dressed, Bree lay down on top of the comforter, turning on her side. She was too confused and exhausted to think about the possibility.
Her heart couldn’t handle the pain.
Chapter 16
Austin turned up the radio to drown out the thunder exploding around him. It had been nice weather when he left Charleston; once he crossed the Georgia line, it was pouring down rain. He had never enjoyed driving in bad weather conditions and was anxious to get to his destination.
Bakeries, a couple of inns, restaurants and shops lined the main street of Roseville, Georgia. He had never heard of the small town located thirty miles outside Atlanta. According to the welcome sign at the entrance of Roseville, there were about ten thousand residents.
His windshield wipers fought valiantly in a losing battle to maintain visibility. It was almost 9:30 p.m. The streetlights did very little to help. Austin continued driving, heading toward a rural section of town. The lane was long and straight, and unpaved. His tires would be covered in mud, he knew. He had never been a fan of rain.
Following the directions on his GPS, Austin ended up at an ordinary-looking two-story house with white siding and green shutters, sheltered by rows of trees that looked to be over fifteen or sixteen feet tall. The yard looked to be well-maintained.
She’d told him that she didn’t have any family, so Austin assumed she was the one taking care of her grandmother’s home.
He wasn’t going to disturb her this late. He wanted to make sure Bree and Emery were here.
Her car was in the driveway.
Austin released a sigh of relief. They’re here.
He didn’t park in front of the house because he didn’t want to scare Bree.
Tonight, he would stay at a hotel and return tomorrow, just before noon.
Austin hoped she was willing to hear him out. He didn’t know how she’d found out, but he vowed to make things right between them. He didn’t want to lose her or Emery. He wanted them both.
Jordin called shortly after he checked in to the hotel.
“Please tell me that you found her.”
“She’s here in Roseville,” he said. “I’m going to go see her tomorrow afternoon. I don’t want to go to the house too early. I know Emery usually takes a nap after his lunch. I figure that’s the best time to try and talk to her.”
“I feel awful. I should’ve let you tell her when you’d planned.”
“We were right to wait. She didn’t know me then. If she’s running now—there’s no telling what she would’ve done back then.”
“I’m so glad you found her, Austin.”
“Me, too.”
When their conversation ended a few minutes later, he took a shower.
Austin tried not to think of what lay ahead.
* * *
Leaving the hotel, Austin turned down a side street. Then right one block.
On the corner was an antiques store, the windows filled with colorful bottles, vases and other items. Next door a small café filled up as people poured in to escape the rain and in search of coffee.
Austin found his way back to the house without turning on the GPS. He saw the white picket fence the moment he turned the corner; he hadn’t really noticed it the night before. It was a nice touch, he thought.
As he neared the house, Austin eyed the tall oak trees guarding the house.
Her car was still there.
He’d come by earlier than planned because he wanted to make sure she wasn’t planning to run again.
Austin parked away from the house. He wasn’t ready to face her just yet.
Coward.
He felt terrible over the way Bree found out about Emery. This was not the way Austin wanted it to happen.
* * *
Dreams were often hard to separate from reality, Austin discovered as he was slowly awakened by the alarm clock five hours later.
Before Austin opened her eyes to the new day, he stretched on the firm mattress, remembering the w
ay Bree’s arms felt around him. He missed her laughter. He missed everything about her.
“Bree.” Her name escaped his lips before he could stop it.
The full impact of his situation hit him.
He and Bree might never have a future together. What would this mean for Emery?
* * *
Bree brushed her teeth and ran a brush through her hair before braiding it into a single thick rope that lay against her back. She navigated through the bathroom door, making her way to the dresser underneath a television bolted high on the wall.
She grabbed a pair of jeans, tugged them on and then tucked the ends of her yellow shirt into the waistband. Bree stepped into a pair of flats, intent on getting on with her day.
I need coffee.
In the kitchen Bree set her coffee cup down on the glass-topped table and turned her face to the window. It was still raining.
The dark, gloomy weather echoed her mood.
She closed her eyes as vivid mental images churned through her mind—nights with Austin, dancing, laughing and loving. She remembered the late-night picnic near the moonlit waterfront. Lying in bed, wrapped in his arms, his whispers promising love and other tantalizing delights.
Bree curled in a fetal position, sobbing until no more tears would come. Then she got up and made her way downstairs where she sat down in the den and watched television.
* * *
Opening her eyes, Bree steeled herself for what was to come the next day. Her tear-filled gaze returned to the window, watching as raindrops streamed down the pane.
Her life was different now.
Bree wiped her face with the back of her hand. She didn’t want Emery to come in and see her crying.
After two cups of coffee, she managed breakfast for them.
She woke him up fifteen minutes later.
After they ate, Bree and Emery spent the morning with her reading to him; watching a movie and painting pictures.
When the clock struck twelve, Bree took meat, cheese and condiments out of the fridge and grabbed a loaf of bread from a wooden breadbox on the countertop. “How about a sandwich?”
Emery nodded. “Ham san’wish?”
She smiled. “I think we can do that.”
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