Page 35 (1/2)

Grant forced his voice to cons that his world and all his bright, shining plans for his future were falling apart "I understand I’ll call Mad for you He left the service two days beforedrunk and laid by now Maybe he’s bored and ready to work again"

"Madison Parker?" asked David

"You reuy, but he got the job done, right?"

"Every single time" In fact, he was probably a bettermachine He would have found a way to keep everyone here safe and still make it to Denver by sunset

"Can I trust him?" asked David

"With Noelle’s and your son’s life"

"Okay Call hiive him a shot"

He ended the call and tried not to pay attention to the searing pain of loss ripping hi side by side with David and Caleb, and his evenings hanging out with his almost-nephew, crumbled The bitter taste of loss coated his ht throw up

It had been so long since he’d dared to drea this dreae than any ht back where he’d started, with nothing in his future but the bleak knowledge that nohe worked, he would never truly belong

He’d always be the one on the outside looking in, wishing for so he could never have

The hot tear hitting the back of his hand surprised hi to start now

Grant shoved away his regret at losing his job No sense in throwing a fit over so that was already a done deal David had a faet in the way of so like that, no matter what it cost him His happiness was expendable

He scrolled through his contacts until he found Mad’s nureed to help and was out of his hotel roohway With luck, he’d hit Denver by sundown Knowing Mad, he’d work though the night and keep working for the next ten days straight if that’s what it took to help David

Soa part of David’s business--part of his family He’d have to find his future elsewhere, which was one bleak fucking prospect

It made him wish more than ever that he could be the kind of man who could find it with Isabelle Too bad he cared about her too

Wyatt was pissed Isabelle walked into her school like nothing had happened He’d seen the wreck on the news He’d seen her car How the hell had she walked away fros

Wyatt’s ti out He’d ditched his irlfriend’s couch, but sooner or later, the cops would track hiet out, but not without his son

Maybe the plan to get Isabelle out of the picture was flawed, anyway Who knehat those nosy social service fucks would do even if she was gone? Chances were they ht find another Isabelle to put Dale with and he’d be stuck finding hiain

What Wyatt needed to do was convince Dale to leave with hi to do that? Dale had been brainwashed and wasn’t likely to trust hi Dale to come peacefully

Isabelle was an obvious choice, but she had that goon living with her now No as Wyatt going toabout the way he erous He’d learned to spot men like that in prison and keep his distance He wasn’t about to fuck things up by getting stupid now

So if he couldn’t use Isabelle, who could he use? That blond piece of fluff Dale drove to school this ether Maybe there was so on between the with them He hadn’t had a piece of ass that fine in years He was due

A plan started forhed at how siirl If Dale cared about her, he’d co without a fuss If not, then Wyatt still had hi to fuck It was a win–win situation, just the kind he liked

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

The visit to the funeral home to plan Everett’s service was harder than Isabelle had expected Thank God Grant was there to hold her hand and help her get through it

The coroner still hadn’t released his body yet, and they had no way of knowing how long itShe needed this to be over--to know Everett was resting in peace and that she’d done everything she could to give him the kind of respect and love a real family would have

Grant hit the drive-thru at a burger joint, but Isabelle wasn’t sure she could eat right now She was too upset Too heartsick over realizing that she’d really never see Everett again--never see hi at her, never hear hi et you through this," said Grant in a steady, confident voice

Isabelle wondered if he’d ever been unsure of anything in his life If so, she’d never seen it He was rock solid, and she couldn’t i to deal with all of this without hirieve for hiht that was

"I’ht now, you know?"