Page 131 of All the Missing Pieces

Those shadows were back in Colt’s eyes. “She’s worried about you. I think she’ll be better now that I can tell her you’re awake. She wanted to come, but?—”

“No. That’s too much, too quick.”

The tension in Colt’s shoulders eased a fraction. “It’ll help. Knowing you said that.”

Another memory flickered in my mind. The water. Strong arms pulling me toward the surface. The command tobreathe.

My eyes flared. “You pulled me out…”

Those shadows danced in his dark depths, but there was heat in them too. “What choice did I have? You jumped off a fucking cliff.”

My eyes narrowed. “You didn’t have to jump after me.”

Colt’s hand tightened around mine. “Always going to jump after you.”

The tears came a little faster now. “Love you, Law Man.”

“Why do you always have to be the one to say it first?” he asked, exasperation lacing his tone.

My eyes danced. “Because you’re too slow on the draw.”

“I amnotslow on the draw?—”

“They’re bickering,” an older feminine voice called from the hallway. “Bickering is always a good sign. That was always a precursor to a good time.”

“No one needs to hear about our sex life,” Norm muttered.

Celia stepped through the doorway, a picnic basket in hand but scowling at Norm. “Oh, shove it, you stodgy old bear.”

“Both of you shove it. I gotta see my girl,” Sam called, pushing past them and toward my bedside.

“Yourgirl?” Colt asked, glaring at the man old enough to be my grandfather.

“Damn straight, son. Now how are you feeling, Ridley? Do you need me to get the doctor?”

“I brought lunch and dinner,” Celia said, pushing in behind him. “You’ll never get healed up eating this hospital food.”

“Careful,” Norm warned. “Her cooking could kill you.”

“Oh, shut up. You certainly ate it all last night,” Celia shot back. “And it’s from Ezra. He wanted to make sure you were taken care of.”

“Celia might’ve brought the food, but I brought your favorite booze,” a deep voice called from the doorway. Ace stood there, motorcycle vest on, holding up a bottle of Ransom whiskey and Dean following behind him, a grin on his boyish face.

“You’re going to get us all kicked out,” Celia bit out.

They started to argue about whether or not whiskey was a banishable offense, and I couldn’t help turning to Colt, so much warmth spreading through me.

He dipped his head, pressing his lips to our joined fingers. And I knew, after years of searching, I’d found my home.

54

RIDLEY

FOUR MONTHS LATER

I stood barefootat the edge of Constellation Lake, Colt’s lake, the water lapping at my feet, staring out at the horizon as the sun sank lower behind the mountains. It was breathtaking, the beauty of this spot, one that had been so special to Colt all his life and one where I’d found peace too.

A place that had becomeours.

---