Perfect Risk (Mason Creek #1) - C.A. Harms Page 0,35

this is my invite to you to pop in if you feel the need. I like your surprise visits to my back door, Ms. Michaels." Winking, he walked away leaving me staring after him.

Feelings of excitement, hope, and anticipation filling me from head to toe.

Chapter Nineteen

Wyatt

* * *

"Ma," I hollered through the house, as I stepped in through the doorway. Met with silence I continued my search, looking in each room one by one. "Will?" My brother's truck was outside, but neither of them appeared to be around.

Walking back outside, I started toward the barn.

When I reached the doorway, I paused when I heard the sound of someone crying.

Immediately I felt my chest tighten knowing that it was my mother. Mourning the loss of my father had been something that still lingered heavily in all of us. I'd never met a man like him, and every day I aspired to be half the man he was. Loyal and strong, fought daily for those he loved, and the man had a heart of gold. His goal was the happiness of his family, he worked hard to provide for us and there wasn't a day that went by that each of us didn't know just how much he loved us.

His loss to my mother was like losing half her soul, she was so empty without him. I wanted to heal her, only I couldn't. I wanted to hold her and assure her that everything would be okay, but for her, I'm not sure it ever would be. How do you live after the love of your life passes? I'd never loved like that, not yet. Yes, I cared for Karlie, but I'm not sure I ever truly loved her, not the kind of love my parents shared.

After a few minutes of regaining my strength, I stepped past the barn doors and instantly froze. There in the opening of one of the stalls stood my brother, holding my mother to his chest, his arms wrapped around her so tightly she appeared so small. His own face stained with tears. That was something I'd rarely seen, Will showing emotion.

I knew he hid a lot behind his need to appear strong, but it was a facade.

Will had never really broken, not that I'd seen anyway. He was too busy drinking, partying, and causing shit.

When he noticed me standing there, I saw the way his throat bobbed as he tried to hide his emotions. I wasn't blind, I could see right through my little brother, and in that very moment, I had never been prouder of him. I moved in closer, taking them both against me. “We will make it through anything that comes our way because we’ll do it together."

It was something my father had always said to us.

I could feel both of them shaking in my embrace, and I squeezed them a little harder.

Together we stood there, for how long I'm not sure but I think we all needed it. It was a moment for the man that we all would miss every day of the rest of our lives. A man that had spent his days and nights loving us with no hesitations. A man that was still here with us, and that I knew always would be.

"All we can do is live the life he provided for us. Love those around us the way he loved us, and try our hardest every day to make him proud." That was the motto I'd lived by since the day I said my last words to him.

"I'll watch over them, Dad, I promise I'll protect them."

And even when I wanted to strangle Will, I still followed that promise I'd given my father and I always would.

"Is this okay?" Sadie looked down at herself as if she was second-guessing her outfit.

"It's perfect." I reached out and grabbed her hand giving it a tug as I spun her around making her laugh. She wore a pair of tight-fitting black jeans, boots mid-calf, zipped up the side. A red sweater, and a black coat over it.

Her in red was my new favorite.

The weather had started to cool, winter was coming fast. Thoughts of her and I cozy in front of my fireplace inside flashed in my mind.

"You look perfect," I whispered when she placed her hands on my chest and leaned in closer. Her lips only inches from mine. I could have kissed her right then, but instead, I stepped to the side and began leading her to