breath. "Yes. I'd never known them to be sick. I came home from a trip one afternoon, and Mom was sitting on the front steps crying. Before she said a word, I knew what had happened. But she never explained exactly how Dad died. She just sat there crying as though her heart would…" Blain stopped, unable to continue
"How did you find out what happened?"Aftongently urged.
Blaineshrugged "The doctor at the hospital said it was a massive heart attack."
"Is that what you believe?"
Strange question. What else should he believe! "I...I want to believe he died doing what he loved. That it was quick and painless. So, I guess that's as good a way as any to go. But I never got to say goodbye, and that.. .that was hard."
"It's all right, Blain." She looped one arm around his. "I'm sure he knew you loved him."
Taken aback by the sudden contact, Blain gazed at her for a moment before pulling her a bit closer. He wanted to talk all night with her. It seemed so right. "It didn't take long before Mom started to get sick.
The doc said she was suffering from some kind of general organ failure. It didn't make sense, and I wanted her to go see a specialist. But she wouldn't and said...she told me she wanted to be with Dad."
He tried not to let his emotions overcome him.Aftontightly held his hand, and he was grateful for her touch.
"One night, not long after that, I got up to check on her," he continued. "She was taking her last breaths on this earth. I wanted to call for help, but she wouldn't have it. All Mom wanted to do was go to Dad.
And she told me...she said..."
"Tell me,"Aftonsoftly coaxed and held his hand tighter.
"Right before the end, Mom said not to worry. She said that someone would be on my side, would defend me, and that I would understand when it was time. Then she was gone." He pushed back his hair and looked into the distant forest. "I didn't know what she meant, and it didn't seem to matter at the time.
Then, out of nowhere, Hugh showed up a few weeks later. All I had to do was take one look at him and I knew he was Dad's brother. There are a lot of things that didn't make sense, but I was so glad to see him. To know that he was alive and that I had some family left."
"Blain, if it isn't too painful for you to talk about, what did you do with your parents' remains?"
He looked at her and wondered where the hell that question had possibly come from. And why she'd ask it? ButAftonwas as strange as his life seemed to be at the moment. So he said, "I had them cremated.
Their urns are on the mantle in my bedroom. For some reason, I just couldn't bury them. We moved around for most of our lives, so I guess I wanted to find someplace suitable to scatter the ashes. A place they could call home. And Harvest just didn't seem to be home for them."
Aftonnodded in agreement "You'll find that place I know you will."
He turned to look into her blue eyes "I don't know why I'm telling you all this. I guess it's because you're so easy to talk to."
"I want to be a friend, and friends listen to each other and try to help."
For a long moment, he considered her comment. "What if a guy needs more than just friendship? What if he needs and wants some real commitment? What then, Afton?"
She swallowed hard and took a deep breath. "I think a friend is what you need most, .at the moment."
He slowly leaned toward her. "You're right. But sometimes that's awfully hard to do, especially at the moment."
Aftonfelt his lips brush her hair and wanted to fall into his arms. She could feel a strength about him that she hadn't with any other man. He was gentle with his animals and loved the land. But he was warrior-class at the same time. His build, carriage, and the power she sensed within him all said so. And what would happen when he found out about his heritage? Would he want anything at all from her? Or Hugh and Shayla?
She gently pushed him away, though it was one of the hardest things she'd ever had to do. His touch made her insides
"How did you find out what happened?"Aftongently urged.
Blaineshrugged "The doctor at the hospital said it was a massive heart attack."
"Is that what you believe?"
Strange question. What else should he believe! "I...I want to believe he died doing what he loved. That it was quick and painless. So, I guess that's as good a way as any to go. But I never got to say goodbye, and that.. .that was hard."
"It's all right, Blain." She looped one arm around his. "I'm sure he knew you loved him."
Taken aback by the sudden contact, Blain gazed at her for a moment before pulling her a bit closer. He wanted to talk all night with her. It seemed so right. "It didn't take long before Mom started to get sick.
The doc said she was suffering from some kind of general organ failure. It didn't make sense, and I wanted her to go see a specialist. But she wouldn't and said...she told me she wanted to be with Dad."
He tried not to let his emotions overcome him.Aftontightly held his hand, and he was grateful for her touch.
"One night, not long after that, I got up to check on her," he continued. "She was taking her last breaths on this earth. I wanted to call for help, but she wouldn't have it. All Mom wanted to do was go to Dad.
And she told me...she said..."
"Tell me,"Aftonsoftly coaxed and held his hand tighter.
"Right before the end, Mom said not to worry. She said that someone would be on my side, would defend me, and that I would understand when it was time. Then she was gone." He pushed back his hair and looked into the distant forest. "I didn't know what she meant, and it didn't seem to matter at the time.
Then, out of nowhere, Hugh showed up a few weeks later. All I had to do was take one look at him and I knew he was Dad's brother. There are a lot of things that didn't make sense, but I was so glad to see him. To know that he was alive and that I had some family left."
"Blain, if it isn't too painful for you to talk about, what did you do with your parents' remains?"
He looked at her and wondered where the hell that question had possibly come from. And why she'd ask it? ButAftonwas as strange as his life seemed to be at the moment. So he said, "I had them cremated.
Their urns are on the mantle in my bedroom. For some reason, I just couldn't bury them. We moved around for most of our lives, so I guess I wanted to find someplace suitable to scatter the ashes. A place they could call home. And Harvest just didn't seem to be home for them."
Aftonnodded in agreement "You'll find that place I know you will."
He turned to look into her blue eyes "I don't know why I'm telling you all this. I guess it's because you're so easy to talk to."
"I want to be a friend, and friends listen to each other and try to help."
For a long moment, he considered her comment. "What if a guy needs more than just friendship? What if he needs and wants some real commitment? What then, Afton?"
She swallowed hard and took a deep breath. "I think a friend is what you need most, .at the moment."
He slowly leaned toward her. "You're right. But sometimes that's awfully hard to do, especially at the moment."
Aftonfelt his lips brush her hair and wanted to fall into his arms. She could feel a strength about him that she hadn't with any other man. He was gentle with his animals and loved the land. But he was warrior-class at the same time. His build, carriage, and the power she sensed within him all said so. And what would happen when he found out about his heritage? Would he want anything at all from her? Or Hugh and Shayla?
She gently pushed him away, though it was one of the hardest things she'd ever had to do. His touch made her insides
Similar Books
