She’d been furious with him, heck, with all the Boudreaus, for not allowing her to confront Evan. While mentally she knew everything had worked out for the best, and they were right to keep her away, she still would have liked putting a bullet between Evan’s eyes. On the bright side, he was back in custody, in solitary confinement, and he’d face enough charges to keep him there for the rest of his natural life. Couldn’t happen to a better guy.
“How’s she doing?” Brody leaned against the doorjamb, a smile touching his lips. His tender expression as he watched Jamie snuggle deeper into the blankets was filled with the love he felt for her little girl. He’d displayed it in so many ways, not the least of which was today’s actions. There weren’t many men who’d risk everything to rescue her child. But then again, there weren’t many men like the Boudreau men.
“She’s doing amazingly well, all things considered.” Beth tucked the covers around Jamie tighter. She couldn’t seem to stop touching her, making sure she was really here, and the nightmare was finally over.
“Move,” she heard from the doorway, as Tessa shouldered her way past Brody. “Sis, you need to take a break. I’ll sit with Jamie. Go get something to eat. Take a walk. She’ll be here when you get back, I promise.” Tessa made a shooing motion as she spoke. She grabbed Beth’s hand and tugged her up, before taking her place on the bed.
“Are you sure?”
“I won’t let her out of my sight. I’m going to sit right here until you come back.” Tessa scooted up the bed until her back rested against the headboard. “Go, Jamie’s fine.”
Beth looked at Brody, who’d stood silently during her exchange with her sister. Without a word, he held out his hand, palm up. Without hesitating, she slid hers into his, feeling the warmth of his touch. Together, they walked down the stairs, and she stopped at the bottom, and closed her eyes.
“What’s wrong?”
Opening her eyes, she smiled at Brody. “Nothing. For the first time in a long time, everything is right. Evan can’t hurt me or Jamie ever again. I’m…free.”
“Beth, honey, can I fix you something to eat?” Ms. Patti’s voice sounded from the kitchen, causing Beth to smile. She couldn’t help but think about something her mother used to say. A true Southern woman fixes everything with food.
“No thanks, Ms. Patti. I think I’m gonna take a walk, clear my head.”
“Alright, but be careful, it’s dark out there.”
“I’m going with her, Momma. She’ll be fine.” Brody gave her hand a squeeze when she tried to tug hers loose, and led her to the front door. Once on the front porch, she took a deep breath, feeling a sense of peace flood through her. She hadn’t realized the effect Evan had on her life, even when he wasn’t a daily part of it. Though they’d divorced after he went to prison, she’d never really believed he was truly out of her life for good.
“What’s that smile for?”
“I realized I’m free. Free from Evan and his hold over my life. I guess I never truly let go of the specter he’d cast over me from the day we met. I feel like a giant weight has been lifted, and he can’t touch me or Jamie ever again.”
Releasing her hand, he cupped her face, tilting it up until she met his gaze. “I’m glad. You deserve every happiness life has to offer. I wish…”
“What?”
“I wish I’d met you before Evan. Before any of this happened. That I could have saved you from everything he’s put you through. Seeing you smile—I can’t explain how it makes me feel to know you’re happy. I want to see you smile every day for the rest of your life.”
“Brody, I—”
He pressed a fingertip against her lips. “Shh…let me finish. We’re friends, Beth. I’ve felt a connection with you from the moment we met. Like an invisible thread, connecting us, pulling me closer and closer. It wasn’t like anything I’ve ever felt before, and I’ll be honest, I fought against that pull because you weren’t ready for anything more than friendship.”
“I know.” Her heartbeat stuttered inside her chest. He’d used the F word—friends. Was friendship all he wanted from her, all he could offer? The thought of losing Brody, of him not being part of her life, was breaking her heart. But if friendship was all he offered, she’d take it, because she couldn’t imagine a day going by without talking to Brody. Not seeing him, knowing he’d be there for her—for Jamie—the thought was untenable.
“It didn’t work. I can’t walk away from this, from us. Beth, I love you. I think I’ve been in love with you from the beginning, but I held back because life had already thrown so many obstacles in your path, I didn’t want to add one more if you didn’t feel the same. Everything changed though, when your ex escaped. The thought of him laying a finger on you? I’m not running from my feelings anymore. I love you. I want to spend the rest of my life with you and Jamie, sharing everything. I can’t promise there won’t be bad times ahead, but I want to be there for the good, the bad, and everything in between.”
“Brody, I love you, too! You’re right, there’s been something between us from the start. When Tessa introduced us, I felt something. It’s hard to put into words, because it felt real and overwhelming and inevitable and I wasn’t ready. Too much ugliness
