Read Online A Bridge Unbroken (A Miller's Creek Novel) by Cathy Bryant - Free Book Online

throbbing ache squeezed Dakota's heart as she took one last look out her old bedroom window at the place which had always been so special to her. The one place that felt safer than all others. Could her heart survive leaving the farm again? She made her way out of the room and descended the stairs. There should be just enough time for a quick trip to the old bridge she and Chance had helped Pawpaw build. She released a heavy breath. Then it would be time to drive to Miller’s Creek for the meeting at Tyler and Tyler Law Firm. Already her meager belongings were packed in her backpack and loaded in the pickup. Just in case.
    Why Andy even wanted her there for the reading of the will was beyond her ability to comprehend. J.C. had been hospitalized shortly after her conversation with him about the farm, leaving no time for him to make necessary changes. Besides, there was no chance he’d choose her over his own grandson anyway. Perhaps he’d left her some little trinket, some memento to remember him by. As if she needed a trinket to remember J.C. Never would she forget him and his kindness toward her.
    Dakota exited the farmhouse and headed through the overgrown pasture toward the old bridge. Of all places, it held the ability to resurrect painful memories and was the one place she'd not yet allowed herself to visit. As she approached, she could almost hear laughter ringing, could almost see a younger and blond-headed version of herself running from Chance in an impromptu game of tag, could almost hear Pawpaw’s forced gruffness as he told them to quit horsing around and get busy.
    The cool autumn breeze caressed her cheek and whispered through the tall browning grass. Dakota halted and closed her eyes, willing the happy memories to continue. It had been so long since she’d felt such joy and peace, and now it was all about to come to an abrupt end.
    Profound sorrow trickled through every ounce of her being as she opened her eyes and resumed her walk. It was for the best that things were turning out the way they were, a fact she’d known since Chance had held her close and mourned his grandfather’s passing. Living in such close proximity to him would never work. It would always be a temptation to let her heart go where she’d sworn to never go again. And worse yet, there was always the chance she would inadvertently reference her life’s greatest heartache, one for which Chance would never forgive her. One she couldn’t even forgive herself.
    The old bridge came into full view. The structure had held up better than expected, though nails, rusty with age, had popped their heads up from the surface of the worn and weathered boards. A sudden desire, swift and unrelenting, washed over her, and she brought a hand to her cheek at the recognition. Part of her had hoped and dreamed of repairing the bridge once more. And an even deeper part of her had wished for Chance to help, as though the bridge had somehow become a metaphor for their fractured relationship. Was she falling in love with him again after such a short time? Or had she ever truly stopped loving him?
    An exasperated groan escaped as she stared at the cloudy sky. Hopefully her current confusion was all bound up in her heartache over losing J.C. A lone tear inched down her cheek. She closed her eyes and sent more tears cascading down her face, too world-weary to even wipe them away.
    When she opened her eyes a few minutes later, she’d at last reached that familiar place of numbness, where nothing mattered. Least of all herself.
    Time to face the inevitable. Dakota retraced her steps to the farmhouse, climbed in her a pickup, and made the familiar trek to Miller's Creek. Fifteen minutes later, she arrived at the posh Tyler & Tyler Law Firm and headed indoors.
    Every limb heavy, she approached the receptionist's desk. "Hi. I'm Dakota Kelly. I'm supposed to meet with Andy Tyler."
    The woman nodded. “Let me tell them you’re here.”
    Dakota waited while the