Page 41 of Unexpected Danger (Mountain Justice #2)

Brodie recalled that Detective Rivas had interviewed Jasmine and hadn’t been impressed, but there was nothing criminal to pin on her.

He thought of all of those who had rejected Londyn in her life.

Her mom, in a way, when she put her desire to marry and divorce in rapid succession above her children.

Her dad, who left when Londyn was little and never looked back.

Her brother, who had estranged himself from his family.

And now Jasmine. No wonder she was standoffish and afraid when it came to permanent relationships. “I’m sorry about Jasmine.”

“Thank you. I should have wised up sooner when I realized she’d told Dustin other things I’d told her in confidence.”

“As far as Dustin goes, while I’m no psychiatrist, I do suspect some narcissistic and sociopathic tendencies.”

An owl hooted, a coyote howled, and the porch light flickered before continuing its shiny glow.

He and Londyn had always been able to enjoy each other’s company, even when no words were spoken.

Tonight was no exception. As a matter of fact, dancing with her at Jimmy’s brought back a slew of memories of how close they’d been.

Of how he’d eagerly wanted to take the next step in their relationship.

And how she’d wanted just the opposite.

With effort, Brodie shoved the thoughts aside. If friendship was all Londyn desired, he’d do his best to acquiesce.

“Do you remember when your dad would take us to the range?” asked Londyn, interrupting Brodie’s thoughts.

“He was so patient, teaching us everything that we would need to know about gun safety. He would set up those empty water bottles and pop cans, and then later that snazzy target we got him for his birthday.”

“I remember like it was yesterday.” Brodie missed his dad every day.

What he wouldn’t give to be able to bounce questions off of him, seek his advice on not only matters of law enforcement, but his godly wisdom regarding the challenges of life.

God had taken Dad home far too soon. “The only consolation—and it’s a big consolation—is that we’ll see him again someday. ”

“I’m sorry I brought him up, but he was just such a remarkable man and a dad not only to his own kids, but to kids like me who needed a father.

“And he loved you like a daughter.”

Brodie detected movement inside the house. A little hand pushed aside the curtain, and a round face pressed against the window.

Brodie was surprised Xander was still up. They should probably get inside so Roarke and Mila could get home. But Brodie found it a struggle to leave Londyn’s company.

She rested her head against the seat. “Brodie, I know I hurt you badly when I left. I know I hurt Aileen, too. I have so many regrets.”

In the dim light, he thought he saw a tear trail down her cheek.

“I don’t understand why you left. All you had to do was say you weren’t interested in marrying me, and we could have gone our separate ways or even continued to date.

But you just said no, and then you took off and moved to an entirely different town.

” So much inside of him needed to know her reasoning for leaving.

He had questions he’d wanted to ask since that day, and now, as the words wanted to surge to the forefront, Brodie knew he should pray first before uttering even one of them.

But the thoughts on his mind formed the words that spilled from his mouth before he could seek the Lord’s wisdom.

“I guess I just don’t understand. I love you, and you didn’t feel the same, which is obvious. All you had to do was say so.”

“And break your heart even more?” Londyn’s abrupt words caught him off guard, but they were true.

If she did love him and did care about him the way he loved and cared about her, she wouldn’t have moved to Rowland.

“I apologize, too, for not staying in touch as well as I should have. I started well with Aileen, and I could have done better with you.”

“I am glad you periodically texted Mom.”

“I love her, and she is more like a mom than my mom ever was.”

Mom had mentioned that she and Londyn had sat down one evening since Londyn’s return and talked at length.

Mom possessed a forgiving heart, so it was no surprise that she and Londyn resolved the issues between them, and Mom had forgiven Londyn’s brash actions.

As for Brodie, it wasn’t so much that he struggled with forgiveness—even though he did—but far more that he struggled with the pain of the realization that he cared for someone who could never return those same feelings.

The garbled thoughts rammed through his mind.

He didn’t know what to say to Londyn or where their future would lead.

Would he be content with always just being friends, or were they even still friends?

After tonight, the way he held her with his arms around her when they danced and the way she’d smiled as he’d spun her around, how they‘d shared pizza and talked as though there was nothing between them, he knew without a doubt he still loved her. Probably now, even more than ever. But he would let her go. With God’s help, he would let her go.

“I hope that you can forgive me, Brodie.” Londyn’s voice wavered. Brodie focused his attention out the front window and across the driveway.

“I do forgive you.”

Search my heart, Lord. I do forgive her, right?

“Thank you.” Her words came in gasps, and he longed to pull her into his arms and comfort her. Tell her all would be all right. But he couldn’t, wouldn’t risk that type of rejection again.

“Can we reestablish our friendship?” she asked.

“Sure.” His voice sounded flat in his own ears. But wisdom dictated that with Dustin Haack on the loose, and how he had come so close to losing Londyn, he shouldn’t waste even a second of time holding a grudge. He cleared his throat. “Did you like living in this city?”

“It was all right, but I’m a small-town girl.

I missed Pronghorn Falls, especially during rush hour traffic.

” She offered a wistful smile. “Here, people know each other, and they talk and smile and they have each other’s backs.

Rowland’s a huge city. Yes, I made friends there, and I liked my job, but it’s not the same atmosphere as Pronghorn Falls. ”

“Do you plan to stay here then?”

“I’ve been praying about it, but I hope so. I feel like this is my home. I reapplied for my former job and hope to hear back from them soon. Once we catch Dustin, I’ll find an apartment.”

“You know Mom will allow you to stay at the ranch for as long as you need.”

“I know, but I never want to take advantage of her generosity.”

“Did you know I was going to ask you that night?” Brodie had been told he was predictable. Had Londyn suspected when he showed up that night and suggested that they go to the park that he was going to ask her something as monumental as marrying him?

“I thought you were acting strangely. But I honestly didn’t think anything about it, and a marriage proposal wasn’t on my radar.” She clasped her hands together. “I had a lot on my mind that night because of what happened with Mom and Lance.”

Brodie hadn’t known anything had happened between her mom and her mom’s most recent boyfriend on that night. Although he did know that Londyn’s mom was now remarried to someone other than Lance.

“Mom decided earlier that day that she no longer wanted to be married to Lance, so she left him for a guy she met at work. Of course, she called me all excited about it.” Londyn sniffled, and Brodie rummaged around in the glove box for a pack of tissues and handed her one.

She dabbed at her nose. “I immediately called Lance and expressed my condolences. He told me that because he and my mom were no longer married, I was no longer welcome in his life either.”

Brodie hadn’t known these details. He’d met Lance a few times and knew he worked at a local construction company, but that was the extent of his dealings with Londyn’s former stepdad.

Brodie suspected Londyn’s mom wouldn’t stay with Lance—the man Londyn was closest to out of all of her mom’s husbands—but he’d had no idea her mom had broken up with him the same day Brodie proposed.

“I’m sorry about Lance. I know he filled the role of father more so than the others. ”

“He did. At first, I thought maybe because he was hurting so badly, he took out that pain on me. I know we’re all guilty of doing similar things.” She glanced at Brodie before returning her attention to her folded hands. “I seem to have a knack for not keeping the important men in my life.

“I’m still in your life, Londyn.”

“I know,” she whispered. “And I’m grateful for that.”

“Londyn…” The pain pinched his chest. But he had to know. “Why did you leave?”

Londyn wiped a tear away with the back of her hand. “Ironically, I hurt you more than I ever could have imagined that night. I will always regret that for as long as I live.” She blinked rapidly even as the tears welled in her eyes. “But honestly, I was so afraid of being just like my mom.

“Your mom? You’re nothing like your mom.” He nearly spat the words.

“What if I had married you and couldn’t maintain our relationship and broke your heart?

” A cry escaped. “I couldn’t have lived with myself if I had hurt you in that way, yet I did hurt you.

” Her shoulders shook. Should he wrap his arms around her?

Comfort her? The mass of conflicting emotions inside him was relentless.

Anger, frustration, hope, and love for her all tied into one.

So he remained on his side of the truck, feeling cold and numb while she cried.

I just—” she extracted a wad of tissues from the pack and dabbed her eyes. “I’m sorry, I’m just a mess.”

“We had a great night tonight at Jimmy’s. We can talk about this later, as I don’t want anything to ruin that.”

“We did have a great time. It was almost as if…”

He waited for her to continue.