Page 7 of Brick's Redemption

I flung the door open as we parked, sliding from the seat to take in the yellow house and its wraparound porch, the tall brick chimney, and the tire swing still hanging from the tree to the left of the house, the opposite side of the garage. Without stepping behind the three-story, farmhouse-style plan, I knew a free-flowing river glittered under the early morning sun. Not a detail had changed since I’d last stood before it, including the second-floor balcony and the rotunda.

I used to read and play with my dolls in that circular room, enjoying all the sunlight that poured through the surrounding windows. My dad found me sleeping often in the sunbeams. He’d laugh and wake me up, scooping me into his arms before he nuzzled his nose to mine.

Tears sprang to my eyes, and I blinked them back, grateful for the memories I was able to share with him before he died. I would cherish them for the rest of my life. And being here, despite all the uncertainty and chaos, still made my heart feel joy.

“You okay, baby?” Brick asked as he slid his fingers around mine.

“Better than okay.” I turned my head and popped a kiss on his cheek, smiling as he pulled me into his embrace.

“We’re gonna figure this all out, Ginny.”

I might have scoffed if I wasn’t standing in my favorite place other than my childhood home. Here, at our vacation house, sheltered by redwoods, almost anything felt possible.

Chapter 3 Ginny

Aweek later—

“You really do make the best pancakes,” I admitted, pouring warm maple syrup over the stack of three piled on my plate. I added a couple of sausage links and two pieces of thick, crispy bacon so they could get covered, too. I loved syrup with eggs and breakfast meat. Weird? Maybe.

I’d done this since I was a little kid and got it from my dad.

“I’ll forgive you for drowning your links and bacon in syrup.” Dagger shook his head. “Sacrilegious.”

Brick laughed. “Hesh used to do the same thing. He probably got her hooked on it.”

Dagger snorted. “Yeah, I remember. Never could take him to Denny’s.”

“Yep. He used to make the waitress warm up his syrup so he could pour it hot over his flapjacks and sausage. Made a big deal about it when anyone gave him a hard time,” Brick replied with a laugh.

“He insisted on making that exact breakfast every Sunday morning.” Except for the last one. My thirteenth birthday.

My father promised to make it up to me, but he never got the chance. An emergency church meeting had been called Saturday afternoon, and when my dad learned about it, he took me on a ride on his Harley, bought me ice cream, and said he’d be gone in the morning, but he wouldn’t miss my birthday party.

It was the last time I ever saw him.

“Ginny?”

I set my fork down, nearly losing my appetite. “I’m okay.”

“Baby, look at me.”

I lifted my gaze, holding back the sudden tears that flooded my lids, threatening to cascade down my face. Brick was almost blurry.

“It’s fine with me if you need to cry. We don’t judge.”

Dagger nodded. “That’s right. A pretty girl doesn’t often have a damn good reason to cry.”

I nearly blinked and sent them on their way. “Isn’t that a line from a movie or a book?”

Dagger waved a hand. “Who fucking knows?” He tapped his temple. “Got a good memory. I’m like an elephant. I never forget.”

Brick slapped his shoulder. “Look at you. All in tune with your feelings and shit.”

Dagger’s expression was priceless. “Fuck. I need to get laid.”

“How is that going to help?” I asked, trying hard not to laugh. The tears disappeared as quickly as they rushed to my eyes.

“Because if I’m going to be sensitive, I at least want my cock to benefit from it.”

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