Page 52

Beau sat in his car halfway up the drive on the Pebblebrook ranch. There were kids playing in the front yard of Colt’s house. Kids. His brothers had married and had kids.

Glancing in the rearview mirror, Beau swallowed the lump of fear, remorse.

What was he doing back here? What the hell did he expect to accomplish? His brothers would give him hell, and he deserved nothing less.

His father had had a stroke a week ago, but Beau hadn’t been able to get away. He’d called the hospital every single day asking for updates. He’d also asked for his calls to be kept from his family.

Beau was dealing with some issues that couldn’t be ignored or put aside. Not even his money could get him out of this.

Squeals of laughter came through his open windows. He watched as his brothers interacted with their wives or girlfriends…whatever the status was. He saw four children and wondered just how much had changed since he’d been gone.

He wasn’t naive. Beau knew his family wouldn’t exactly welcome him with open arms, but he had nowhere else to go. Oh, he had a flat in London and a cottage in Versailles, but he couldn’t go to either of those places.

No matter where he’d been in his life, no matter what he’d been doing, he couldn’t deny that Pebblebrook was home. And now more than ever, he needed to be here.

Beau put the car in Drive and started easing toward the entry just as he heard a cry from the infant in the back seat. His heart clenched.

Yeah, now more than ever he needed his family, his home.

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