All Consuming (Brotherhood by Fire #3) -Jaci Burton Page 0,99
a new job. Made all these promises about how he was going to include Oliver in his life, start calling him regularly.”
Her mom nodded. “And he never did.”
“He never did.”
Her mom patted her knee. “I’m sorry. For both of you.”
“I’m sorry for Oliver. I was over Landon a long time ago. Fortunately, Oliver doesn’t even know Landon was here. I keep hoping he’ll change, for Oliver’s sake, but I don’t think that’s ever going to happen.”
“You can’t make someone be something they’re not. And someday Oliver will realize that, honey. You just have to let it go.”
“I know I do. I just hurt for Oliver, for the mistakes I made. That I keep making.” She let out a long sigh. “And then there’s Kal. And me. Mostly me.”
“I thought you two were getting along so well.”
“We were. But there are things I want for myself. To be able to do by myself. I want to be independent. To save money and to buy a house myself. I don’t want to make the same mistake twice.”
“Hannah, Kal is nothing like Landon. He’s responsible. He has a great job. He loves Oliver. He loves you.”
She looked down at her hands. “He told me he loves me.”
“And what did you say?”
“Nothing. That I need some space.”
“So you don’t love him back?”
Tears pricked her eyes. “That’s the thing. I do love him. But I’m afraid. I messed up so badly the first time. And this time it’s not just my heart that’s in the mix. It’s Oliver’s, too.”
“Oh, baby.” Her mother folded her into her arms and held her. “Maybe it’s time to stop running away. Especially from a good man who loves you.”
“I know.”
Hannah had to admit that while it wouldn’t solve her problems, there was nothing better than being held by your mom while you tried to work out in your head how you were going to fix the mess you’d made.
Because she did love Kal. And maybe they weren’t on the same page as far as future planning, but she couldn’t just walk away from him.
She missed him so much her heart felt like it was tearing in two.
There had to be a way back from this. And the only way to do that was to talk to him, to figure things out.
She had to stop running away from things that scared her. And loving Kal scared her more than anything had ever scared her before.
It was time to woman up and face it. Face him. Then maybe together they’d figure out what to do.
If he would even speak to her.
CHAPTER 32
THE ENTIRE TRT STOOD ON THE TOP OF THE HIGH RISE, looking down below at the two construction workers hanging on to the scaffolding that had somehow given way and was now tilted at a forty-five-degree angle.
“At least they’re tied off,” Meg said.
“Which isn’t gonna do them much good if that scaffold collapses and plummets them down forty stories,” Irish said.
“Okay, let’s get ropes and pulleys into action,” Lieutenant Anderson said. “Donovan and Starling, I want the two of you rappelling down for rescue.”
“Yes, sir,” Kal said, immediately climbing into his harness and grabbing the equipment he’d need. Phil and Micah would have the lead on ropes that would hold Kal and Dean. The others would have the ropes and pulleys to bring up the two construction workers.
The top of the high rise was forty-six stories, which meant they’d rappel down six stories. Winds were high, so this wasn’t going to be an easy rescue. It also meant the situation below was precarious. They needed to get a move on before that scaffold became even more unstable. They’d have to work quickly, but safely.
A rescue like this meant that Kal and Dean had to put their trust in the team. Phil had hold of Kal’s rope. As Phil hooked on and checked everything on Kal’s harness, he turned him around.
“I’ve got you,” he said.
Kal nodded and swung over the side, beginning his descent. He kept his focus only on getting down to the stranded workers.
Wind whipped around him, furious and unrelenting. They needed to hurry. He took a quick glance across to see that Dean was struggling, too. The descent seemed to take forever, though he knew only a few minutes had passed before they reached the workers, who were hanging on for dear life.
Scaffolding wasn’t all that steady, either.
“Wind just picked up out of nowhere,” one of the workers said as Kal reached him. “We never would’ve been on