Page 58 of Bidding on a Second Chance
“She was on her way to check your house for you, but I bet she’s speeding over here as we speak.”
Bryce shrank back into the shadows. “Are you going to arrest her?”
“No.” Graham laughed, loud and light. He’d needed this talk at least as much as Bryce had. “If I were with her, I’d help her get here as fast as possible.”
“You’d use your lights and sirens?”
“The whole nine yards. Let’s go out there and meet her. Follow me, okay?”
ChapterThirty-Four
“There.” Piper thumped the window of Lucy’s car, and her friend braked. Cody’s call had said Bryce had been hiding under the Eighth Street bridge. Piper had never even realized there was a bridge on Eighth, but flashlights shone from among the trees at the side of the road.
As soon as the car stopped, Piper jumped out and hurried toward the lights. Sure enough, a low bridge supported the road over a small creek. She steadied herself with a hand on the concrete structure as she stepped down the decline. Thankfully, when they’d stopped home, she’d thought to change out of the heels and into her thick-soled shoes so she could search.
She paused partway down to look ahead. In the focus of the lights stood a man with a boy at his side. Bryce, looking as bulky as a snowman under an extra winter coat, held Graham’s hand.
Tears pressed hard as she returned her focus to her balance. By the time she’d descended the slope, she was sniffling. Despite the throb in her foot, she ran and wrapped her arms around Bryce.
She gripped him tight. “Never, never, never, never do that again.”
“I’m sorry.” Her coat muffled his words.
She held him at arm’s distance, and the extra coat that had been around his shoulders dropped to the ground. As Graham replaced it over Bryce, she realized it was his. She offered him a smile that came nowhere close to expressing her gratitude before refocusing on Bryce. “Are you okay?”
Dirt smeared his cheek and neck, but he nodded and passed his hand under his nose. Apparently, she wasn’t the only one overcome by emotion. “Coach Graham found me.”
She pulled Bryce into a second hug but lifted her gaze to Graham. In the glow from the others’ lights, she could see his mussed-up hair, the leaf stuck to his shoulder, the dirt and moisture on the legs of his jeans. As the others passed by to use the sidewalk to return to the school, he stayed motionless, watching the reunion while Teddy wriggled in his arms. What a picture he made, a true hero.
Her hero.
Bryce’s sniffles redirected her.
“Let’s get you warmed up. Come on. Lucy’s here.” She gently nudged Bryce toward the road, then looked back to Graham. Should she take Teddy? Could they possibly have their talk tonight instead of after Christmas? Because going their separate ways sounded like misery. “Thank you.”
The words seemed inadequate.
“You’re welcome.” He motioned her to follow Bryce toward the street, but she couldn’t.
“I thought you’d gone home for the night.”
“I was on my way there when I got the call.”
“You didn’t have to come back.”
“Of course I did.”
“But, after everything …” She bit her lip. She’d pushed Graham away. Repeatedly.
“After everything, you should know I’m not going to stand by when I could be helping.” He stepped closer and motioned again for her to precede him up the incline. “You need to get these two home and warmed up.”
She made her way back to the street, taking care not to trip. Bryce climbed ahead into the warm car. Graham passed him the puppy, and Piper shut them in. They couldn’t leave until she retook her seat, but she couldn’t stand to abandon Graham without saying something about how she was glad he’d been there. Something about how she’d seen God’s faithfulness tonight. How even as one of her worst nightmares seemed to be coming true, He’d provided all the support she could’ve asked for—in part, through Graham. And whatever life had in store, she’d rather face it with Graham than without for as long as God would give them together.
Why did her tongue seem frozen?
Graham looked down the sidewalk, after the others on their way back to the school and their vehicles.
“The auction went well,” she said. “We raised a lot of money for the Rasinskis.”
