Mistletoe Reunion Threat. Virginia Vaughan
Чтение книги онлайн.
Читать онлайн книгу Mistletoe Reunion Threat - Virginia Vaughan страница 9
Название: Mistletoe Reunion Threat
Автор: Virginia Vaughan
Издательство: HarperCollins
Жанр: Короткие любовные романы
Серия: Mills & Boon Love Inspired Suspense
isbn: 9781474065023
isbn:
The connection she’d shared with Garrett could never be topped. She’d done a disservice to Stephen by marrying him when she couldn’t forget Garrett, but she’d done what she’d thought was best for her baby at the time. She’d given him the father who wanted him and could provide a good life for him. And she had loved Stephen and been hurt when he’d left her, although that pain had been nothing like she’d felt when Garrett walked away.
Indignation bristled through her at that reminder. She would never allow him to hurt Jacob. She may need him, even be grateful to him, for helping her find Jacob, but once her son was home safely, Garrett Lewis could not be a part of their lives.
* * *
Garrett scanned the living room, looking at photos that were all around. A large Christmas tree that looked flawlessly decorated stood in the corner. Not an ornament was out of place. It looked too picture-perfect for a house with a four-year-old and he doubted Stephen Morris had done the job himself. His gaze landed on the mantel and pictures depicting happier times with Stephen, Ashlynn and Jacob—a trip to Niagara Falls, a photo in front of the Eiffel Tower, Jacob’s second birthday party, complete with cake and candles and Billie the Bear, a franchise he recognized as a local favorite for kids.
He turned away from the photos. They were painful to look at. That should have been him with Ashlynn and only his foolishness had prevented it. Letting her go had been one of his greatest mistakes, but at the same time he knew it had been for the best. He hadn’t been seriously injured in the ambush that took the lives of many of his friends, but it had shattered his life in ways he was still discovering.
Only Colton had escaped physically unscathed, although Garrett knew he’d carried emotional wounds deep inside him until he’d met Laura Jackson recently and found a reason to believe in life again. Garrett missed the times he and Colton had spent working together after leaving the rangers, just the two of them on privately funded search-and-rescue missions. After Colton had hung up his gear and retired to ranch life, the solitude had quickly turned to loneliness for Garrett.
That was when his friend and former Ranger buddy Josh Adams had heard about the opening at the local police agency and all his ranger friends had encouraged him to take the job. Garrett was glad he’d finally relented. He enjoyed the camaraderie with others and enjoyed putting his skills in action in a way that didn’t always have to put his life in danger. Only a few days ago, he’d convinced himself he was content with his life now, but seeing Ashlynn, hearing her voice and having her need him, had sent him once again into a tailspin. And having evidence of her perfect life before him in high-quality photos didn’t make it any easier. Ashlynn might now be single, but he’d done too much to ever be worthy of a woman like her.
“Are you him?” Stephen asked from the doorway, causing Garrett to startle. “Are you the one who broke her heart?”
Heat rose in his face as he realized Stephen Morris had just managed to sneak up on him, all because he’d had Ashlynn on his mind.
“She never got over it,” Stephen continued. “I tried to make it work between us. I thought she would learn to love me the way I loved her, but that never happened. I just wish she could have—”
Suddenly, a shot rang out. Garrett ducked, reaching for his gun as he watched the bullet burst through the glass in the window and slam into Stephen’s chest. The force of it knocked Stephen from his feet, tossing him backward. He landed on the edge of the sofa then slid to the floor, the life draining from him in a matter of moments.
Конец ознакомительного фрагмента.
Текст предоставлен ООО «ЛитРес».
Прочитайте эту книгу целиком, купив полную легальную версию на ЛитРес.
Безопасно оплатить книгу можно банковской картой Visa, MasterCard, Maestro, со счета мобильного телефона, с платежного терминала, в салоне МТС или Связной, через PayPal, WebMoney, Яндекс.Деньги, QIWI Кошелек, бонусными картами или другим удобным Вам способом.