heart.
“But you didn’t have to.” Brady knew his reply was weak as it left his mouth. The venom from Sam’s words seeped through Brady’s veins and sapped away his anger.
Their mother meant the world to them. Their parents had tried for years to have children before finally getting pregnant with Sam. Their father had a heart attack when he was fifty-three. That same year their mother found out she had widespread cancer. If the boys could have, they would have taken her place. But none of them could and it was time to get on with their lives.
“I can’t keep coming back.” Brady took in a deep breath. “Mom’s in every square inch of this house. I keep expecting her to come around the corner, to shout from the bedroom for help, to be here. Every time that door squeaks and slams shut I keep hoping to see Dad coming in from work. You have to stay. But I don’t have to.”
Sam turned and braced his hands against the sink as he stared out the window.
“Please don’t ask me to.” Brady tried to sound confident, but the words were a shaky whisper.
Sam stared out the window for so long Brady lost track of time. Sam’s shoulders sagged from the weight he carried and Brady had helped put it there. Away from Tawnee Valley, Brady could pretend that everything was fine, but here…it hurt to breathe.
Sam finally pushed away from the counter and turned to face him. Brady braced himself to defend his decision. Sam wouldn’t understand how hard this was on him. The opportunity was too good to pass up.
“I won’t ask you to stay.” Sam lifted his gaze to meet Brady’s. He didn’t raise his voice, but Brady knew he meant every word. “I won’t ask you to come home. Not now or ever.”
“I wouldn’t expect you to.” Brady knew this was goodbye. He’d hoped to be leaving on better terms, but knowing Sam, how else could he leave?
“I’ll tell Luke.” Sam picked up the dishes and took them to the sink.
The conversation was over and so was their relationship. “I’ll send what money I can.”
The dishes crashed into the sink. Brady winced as the cup he’d given his father cracked.
Sam’s words were stilted as he bit out, “I don’t need your money.”
Brady nodded, but he would send some, anyway. “Bye, Sam.”
Chapter One
Eight years later
“Amber! You need to get out to the bus stop now!” Maggie Brown flipped over another paper on the desk. More bills. They just kept piling up.
“I’m going.” Amber bounced into the dining room with her backpack strapped tightly to her shoulders, her dark hair swinging from side to side. Her blue eyes were serious, even as she paused next to Maggie’s chair for a quick hug.
“You don’t have to wait with me.” Amber skipped her way out the front door, calling over her shoulder, “I’ll be fine by myself.”
Maggie rose and followed her. “I like to wait with you.”
Amber swung around in a circle, so carefree and full of life. Maggie could barely breathe with the weight on her chest. It had been only a few months since her mother succumbed to cancer. Amber had been their blessing during the hard times. She’d given Maggie and her mother the chance to focus on life instead of death.
“You all right, Mommy?” Amber had stopped her twirling and walked over to take Maggie’s hand. Through the bad times, they had each other.
“Yeah, baby. I’m good.”
The squeal of the bus’s brakes announced its arrival.
“Time to go.” Maggie squeezed Amber’s hand and dropped it.
“Love you.” Amber flung her arms around Maggie’s waist. Before Maggie could return the hug, Amber took off for the school bus.
“Love you,” Maggie shouted as the doors folded shut. She wrapped her arms around her waist against the chill of the early autumn breeze that swept the first fallen leaves across the sidewalk. The leaves continued past her neighbor’s house. The air felt light and free, but Maggie’s insides kept tying themselves into knots.
As the bus pulled away, Maggie noticed a truck across the street in front of the Andersons’ house. Not unusual given the teenage kids. It seemed as if a different vehicle was parked there every day. Shrugging off a nagging feeling, she turned to go inside.
Her mom’s house needed work. The old Victorian had seen better days, and the wraparound porch needed a fresh coat of paint. But painting would have to wait. Other bills needed to be paid this month.
“Maggie!”
She froze. She’d recognize that voice anywhere.
Spinning around, she saw Sam Ward jogging over from the old white truck. His familiar black hair, blue eyes and strong build marked him as one the Ward brothers. Brady had always seemed more approachable than his stern older brother, though.
Sam stopped in front of her with a grim look on his face. “I’m glad I caught you.”
“I was just leaving,” she said coldly.
“I saw you at the store with Amber the other day. She’s growing up fast.” His smile had an edge of worry to it.
Even though everyone in town speculated which Ward brother had done the deed, Maggie had never told anyone except her mom and her best friend.
Luke was always the first guess. They were the same age. It lined up perfectly with their graduation. A few thought it was Sam. Sam didn’t talk to her or Amber unless to say a brusque hi if they passed in a store. Not one person in town laid the blame on Brady. He was their golden child, football hero, the most likely to succeed; and he had. He’d gone off to England without a backward glance. She hadn’t expected any long goodbyes. And when she’d sent Brady a letter with the fact she was pregnant, Sam had started dropping off money to help. Sam had never said anything, just handed her the envelope or left it with her mother. Brady hadn’t even written a note.
As embarrassed as Maggie had been, she’d been grateful for the financial help. But the fact that the Wards, who had lost so much family, didn’t want Amber to be a part of their lives left a sour taste in Maggie’s mouth.
As far as she knew, Sam hadn’t spent any time with Amber. He never stuck around long enough for conversation. Maybe Brady shared the pictures that she sent once a year by mail to the Ward farm like everything else she had to share with Brady. Never any response, but the money always came. Never a note or any request to see his child. Just money, as though that was all Amber needed from her father.
“We go to the same store every week, Sam.” She emphasized his name as if he had a few screws loose. “What’s this all about? I have to get ready for work.”
“I heard about your mom.” Sam rubbed the back of his neck. His nervousness was starting to make her worry. What if something had happened to Brady?
