books and
cupboards that held toys. Above that, on the wall, were pictures of Cole—with his
mom, his grandma, on a pony, playing with Max.
Tension ate through his muscles, and a low throb started in his head. He had no idea
how to act. Or how to feel.
Max suddenly ran to the door, his long tail smacking into the wall from his enthusiasm.
Adam turned, trying to steel himself. He was going to meet the kid and assess the
situation. Then form a strategy on how to handle this.
The door opened and Megan walked in, carrying their son. His gaze locked on them,
and in that moment, he froze as he never had on the battlefield.
Cole had dark hair cut short enough to almost tame the familiar wave. His face broke
out in a huge smile as he leaned over Meg’s arm and yelled, “Max!”
Meg bent down, releasing the boy, who threw his arms around the dog’s neck. Curious,
Ellie edged forward. Finally she leaned forward and sniffed.
Cole looked up and squealed in new excitement. “Doggie!” He lunged at Ellie.
The dog raced behind Adam, leaning her whole body against the back of his legs. Little
Cole toddled after the dog, screeching in joy. A powerful longing welled up from Adam’s
chest and tightened his throat. How was it possible that he hadn’t even known the
boy existed before today, and yet feel a strong connection? One that was both amazing
and so damned painful at the same time?
Megan scooped up Cole before he reached Ellie. “Honey, the dog’s name is Ellie and
she’s scared. Be gentle.” She looked up at him. “Adam?”
He gritted his teeth, desperately trying to drive back the tidal wave of hot agony.
Except for the eyes, which were all Megan, Cole looked hauntingly like the pictures
in the box.
Like Brady.
Familiar guilt rode him, a constant reminder of what he had done to his family. Destroyed
it by allowing the heart of their family, Brady, to die. How could he trust himself
to care for a son? It felt as if the entire house was closing in on him, pressing
down from all sides and cutting off his air.
Cole giggled suddenly.
Adam looked down to see Ellie had edged up and licked the boy’s calf, exposed by his
shorts.
Christ, he wanted to run, to escape, but he couldn’t, not until he finished the job
in Raven’s Cove, and not until he made sure Cole and his mother were safe. Then he’d
have to figure out how he fit into Cole’s life.
Summoning his will, he pulled himself together. “Hi, Cole.”
The boy stared at him with open curiosity.
Damn, his light blue eyes really were like Meg’s, except that Cole’s were ringed in
darker lashes.
“Would you like to pet Ellie?”
The boy nodded, twisting and throwing his whole body over Meg’s arm.
Meg easily balanced him, obviously prepared for the movement. She sank down on the
sofa, setting Cole on his feet and keeping hold of his hand.
Following her lead, Adam crouched down and put his arm around Ellie just in case.
She was still healing, and they couldn’t be sure of her reaction. The dog leaned against
his side. He looked down at the sweet Lab’s big brown eyes and stroked her head. “Good
girl, Ellie.”
She smacked him in the back with her tail.
“Cole, go ahead.”
His son met his gaze and Adam felt something foreign kick in his chest.
With his mom’s guidance, the boy carefully lifted his hand and held it near the dog
for her to smell. When Ellie lifted her head and sniffed his hand, the boy giggled,
then plopped down on his butt.
Ellie went down to her belly, and army-crawled until she put her head in the boy’s
lap.
Adam was riveted to the scene. Cole put his entire body into petting Ellie, and the
dog reveled in the attention. Meg stayed close, while Max seemed unconcerned, stretching
out beside Cole and sighing. The four of them looked so right.
His son had barely noticed Adam. It made his throat ache in a way that surprised him.
He stayed crouched there,
cupboards that held toys. Above that, on the wall, were pictures of Cole—with his
mom, his grandma, on a pony, playing with Max.
Tension ate through his muscles, and a low throb started in his head. He had no idea
how to act. Or how to feel.
Max suddenly ran to the door, his long tail smacking into the wall from his enthusiasm.
Adam turned, trying to steel himself. He was going to meet the kid and assess the
situation. Then form a strategy on how to handle this.
The door opened and Megan walked in, carrying their son. His gaze locked on them,
and in that moment, he froze as he never had on the battlefield.
Cole had dark hair cut short enough to almost tame the familiar wave. His face broke
out in a huge smile as he leaned over Meg’s arm and yelled, “Max!”
Meg bent down, releasing the boy, who threw his arms around the dog’s neck. Curious,
Ellie edged forward. Finally she leaned forward and sniffed.
Cole looked up and squealed in new excitement. “Doggie!” He lunged at Ellie.
The dog raced behind Adam, leaning her whole body against the back of his legs. Little
Cole toddled after the dog, screeching in joy. A powerful longing welled up from Adam’s
chest and tightened his throat. How was it possible that he hadn’t even known the
boy existed before today, and yet feel a strong connection? One that was both amazing
and so damned painful at the same time?
Megan scooped up Cole before he reached Ellie. “Honey, the dog’s name is Ellie and
she’s scared. Be gentle.” She looked up at him. “Adam?”
He gritted his teeth, desperately trying to drive back the tidal wave of hot agony.
Except for the eyes, which were all Megan, Cole looked hauntingly like the pictures
in the box.
Like Brady.
Familiar guilt rode him, a constant reminder of what he had done to his family. Destroyed
it by allowing the heart of their family, Brady, to die. How could he trust himself
to care for a son? It felt as if the entire house was closing in on him, pressing
down from all sides and cutting off his air.
Cole giggled suddenly.
Adam looked down to see Ellie had edged up and licked the boy’s calf, exposed by his
shorts.
Christ, he wanted to run, to escape, but he couldn’t, not until he finished the job
in Raven’s Cove, and not until he made sure Cole and his mother were safe. Then he’d
have to figure out how he fit into Cole’s life.
Summoning his will, he pulled himself together. “Hi, Cole.”
The boy stared at him with open curiosity.
Damn, his light blue eyes really were like Meg’s, except that Cole’s were ringed in
darker lashes.
“Would you like to pet Ellie?”
The boy nodded, twisting and throwing his whole body over Meg’s arm.
Meg easily balanced him, obviously prepared for the movement. She sank down on the
sofa, setting Cole on his feet and keeping hold of his hand.
Following her lead, Adam crouched down and put his arm around Ellie just in case.
She was still healing, and they couldn’t be sure of her reaction. The dog leaned against
his side. He looked down at the sweet Lab’s big brown eyes and stroked her head. “Good
girl, Ellie.”
She smacked him in the back with her tail.
“Cole, go ahead.”
His son met his gaze and Adam felt something foreign kick in his chest.
With his mom’s guidance, the boy carefully lifted his hand and held it near the dog
for her to smell. When Ellie lifted her head and sniffed his hand, the boy giggled,
then plopped down on his butt.
Ellie went down to her belly, and army-crawled until she put her head in the boy’s
lap.
Adam was riveted to the scene. Cole put his entire body into petting Ellie, and the
dog reveled in the attention. Meg stayed close, while Max seemed unconcerned, stretching
out beside Cole and sighing. The four of them looked so right.
His son had barely noticed Adam. It made his throat ache in a way that surprised him.
He stayed crouched there,
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