Page 43 of A Ranger for Christmas
“Did you?”
“Yeah. This is a big break for him.”
“Your mom and I always said you were the smartest of all three of us.”
Her front door bell rang. “Dad, someone is at the door. I have to go. It’s probably Lucas.”
“Please be careful. Look before you open the door.” She glanced out her front window and saw Bradley standing on the front porch. She groaned. “It’s Bradley.”
“Good. You’re safe.”
“Safe?”
“I called him. I thought you two were long overdue for a conversation.”
Marisa shoved her fingers through her hair as she watched him standing, hands in pockets, on the front step. “What do we have to talk about?”
“Just talk to him, honey.”
She shoved out a breath. “Sure. I’ll talk to him.”
“We’ll see you soon?”
“Yes.” She hung up and moved to the door, snapping it open.
Bradley had the good sense to look embarrassed. “You’re back?”
“I am.”
“Can we talk?”
“Sure.” She allowed Bradley past her threshold into the living room. When she closed the door, she turned and faced him. “What’s this about?”
“I made a mistake. A terrible mistake. I was hoping we could talk and maybe find our way back to each other.”
For a moment she almost laughed, thinking it was April Fools’ Day and not Christmas Eve. “You meant every word you said.”
“I didn’t. I was selfish and hasty.”
Her father must have had some talk with him. The emotion behind her father’s words had touched her heart, but Bradley’s words left her cold. “Is that all?”
“Your office was trashed. You were run off the road. You shouldn’t be alone.”
“I’m fine. I can take care of myself.”
He rattled loose change in his pocket. “This danger you’re in has to do with that Ranger!”
“It does not.”
“How can you say that? All your work was taken. Your office was ransacked.”
“I don’t believe the two are connected.”
“That’s insane. Your office was broken into just after your accident while you were lying in the hospital.”
“Lucas said the place was trashed, but it reminded him of an amateur. If it had been the cartels, they’d have burned the place to the ground.”
He fisted his hands. “Why burn an entire building? They were after your work.”
