Page 34 of Endlessly Yours (The Wilder Brothers #10)
It was easy to pack up your life when you didn’t bring much with you. I had been gone from Ashford Creek for too long, and it was time to head back. Not only to the brewery but to the town that pretended they wanted nothing to do with me while clamoring for me to return.
My lip curled, thinking about what I needed to do as soon as I got home.
“Hey, you heading out?” a familiar voice asked and I turned to see Brooks standing in the doorway of my small room at the Wilder Inn, and I nodded tightly.
The man sure had leaned into his southern boy persona. Complete with boots, worn jeans, and a ball cap that he had taken off when he had come inside and tucked in his back pocket.
I wasn’t sure if Brooks and I would ever be friends, but I liked the man. That was probably why I needled him as much as I did.
Hell, if I was honest, he reminded me of a little bit of Bodhi and a whole lot more of Rune.
I ran my hand over my chest, thinking about Rune. No, thinking about Rune and Atlas would only lead to me having a shitty trip home.
Especially when thinking about the two of them always led me to think about her.
Because my two best friends might be just as growly as Brooks sometimes was, but they wouldn’t stop at kicking my ass for thinking about exactly what kept crossing my mind. And why I had even jokingly pursued Rory to begin with.
“I have work to do, plus I have to help my brother with some shit.”
Brooks nodded. “That’s always the way. So, do all of you Ashfords live up in your town now? It’s a little weird that your name is the same as the town. Just saying.”
I snorted at that. “It’s not what you think.
We’re not the high and mighty Ashfords. One of our ancestors helped settle the town, and I’m pretty sure the lore is that they lost it on a drinking bet with shots, and that’s why we got the name.
But no, no one hears the mayor or some shit like that.
The Ashfords aren’t from the good side of our small town.
Not that there’s enough of town to have sides. ”
“Well, you may be an asshole, but I like Briar. So there’s that.”
I threw my head back and laughed. “Yeah, Briar is the good one of us. Well, and Teagan,” I said, speaking of my other sister. “But Teagan is a lot like your sister-in-law, Ava. And can kick all our asses.”
“That is the truth. She was nice when I met her.”
“Yes, you’re just meeting all the Ashfords now,” said Brooks.
“I don’t know… a few of you seem a little reclusive.”
I snorted, because the guy didn’t even know the half of it.
“Anyway, I’ll be out of your hair soon. Thanks for putting up with me.”
“Thanks for making sure I didn’t have to kick your ass,” Brooks teased.
“We both know it wouldn’t have ended in your favor if you had tried,” I said casually, doing my best not to look down at my hands.
My father’s hands.
Even though I did my best to put a sense of teasing in my voice, I wasn’t sure Brooks heard it. Instead, he gave me a nod and headed back to do whatever he was planning with this new life of his.
I liked Brooks. I hated the fact that he had lost his first wife. It was hell to lose someone close to you that you loved. I ran my hand over my chest. And the thing was, I wasn’t even thinking about my brother. Malcolm had been gone for a couple of years now. Gone too soon, my baby brother.
No, there was the reason we were the way we were.
And it was about time that I figured out exactly what to do about it.
Because I wasn’t going back to my small town just to get to work. And to pull Bodhi out of whatever the hell he was in now.
No, because I needed to find a woman. And not in a way that would make Brooks laugh. And not in a way that would make Brooks grin.
I needed to find a ghost.
Because if I didn’t, then the truth we had all been ignoring for far too long would finally come to the surface.
Because Ashford Creek had its secrets.
Like the two women who’d disappeared from our family’s lives.
The woman my dad might’ve killed.
And the woman I was pretty sure he did.
Our mother.
Thank you for loving the Wilder Brothers as much as I do!