The Return of Brody McBride Read Online Free

stoke the fire in her that was cold as last winter’s ashes in the waking hours.
    What did she expect? Her only point of reference—Brody. No one but him made her heart stutter. Not that she had the time or inclination to let another man into her life when she devoted all her time to raising her girls. One round with Brody knocked her out of the ring of love. It took years to get up off the mats, dust herself off, and find a way to let go of her dreams and put the past behind her.
    Yeah, right. You just woke up in bed with a ghost.
    She shivered with an odd sense. Trouble’s on the way.
    O WEN SAT OUTSIDE Rain’s house for a good five minutes before he worked up the nerve to get out of his truck and walk up the driveway to the back door. Without knocking, he walked in and found Rain at the stove flipping pancakes. The smell of coffee hung in the air over the scent of the fresh chopped strawberries on the cutting board.
    “Hey, beautiful.” Owen eased toward Rain.
    Rain turned and smiled. “Hey, yourself.”
    He kissed her on the forehead, reached around her, and stole a pancake from the platter, rolled it, and took a bite, savoring the buttery taste. “Mmmm, good.”
    “Want some coffee?”
    “Definitely. Where are the girls?”
    “Brushing their teeth and hair. They’ll be down in a minute.”
    “Okay.” He paced the kitchen, stopping to take his mug of coffee from Rain and the plate of pancakes she’d made for him before pouring more batter onto the skillet.
    With her back to him, she asked, “What’s wrong?”
    “Why do you think something is wrong?”
    “It’s seven thirty in the morning, and you’re pacing my kitchen like a caged animal.”
    “I have something to tell you, and I’m not sure how you’ll take it. It’s big. It’s about the girls.”
    Rain turned abruptly, spatula held up like a club. “Is Roxy back in town?”
    “Not that I know. It’s something else.”
    She turned back to the pancakes. “Then, just say it. Whatever it is, it can’t be that bad.”
    “Brody’s back,” he spit out, sipped his coffee, and scalded his tongue on the hot brew. She stood rigid with her head down, watching the pancake batter bubble on the pan. “Flip them over, honey.”
    She did, but her shoulders remained stiff, her head down. “Does he know?”
    “No.”
    “Why is he here?”
    “He’s been honorably discharged from the Army.” When that didn’t faze her, he continued. “He came home to find you.”
    She turned and faced him, eyes narrowed. “Does he know I’m here?”
    “He seemed to think you were probably living in San Francisco, or at least California after you attended college.”
    “Which I never did.” Sadness flashed in her eyes. He hated seeing it.
    “He doesn’t know that. After we talked this morning, he realized I know where you are, have for a long time, and figured out you’re either in town or close by.”
    “Do you think he means to stay?”
    “Hard to say. He’s out at the cabin.”
    “That place is a wreck.” She wrinkled her pretty, pert nose.
    “Yep. I think he means to clean it up and live there.”
    “So, there’s no getting around it. He’ll find out.”
    “Looks that way. I’ve bought you a day to tell the girls. He’s promised not to come into town. I told him I’d tell him where you are tomorrow.”
    Rain bit her lip, working her teeth over the rosy flesh. “Do you think he’ll try to take them from me?”
    Her voice went soft, like a child. Tough and strong, she had to be after everything she’d endured. Brody was the cause of this disturbing change.
    “No one can take them from you, honey. You’re a great mother.”
    Footsteps across the floor upstairs, the girls would be down for breakfast soon, so Rain hurried to voice the rest of her concerns. “If he tries to sue me for custody, even partial, will you represent him, or me?”
    Owen frowned, not knowing the right thing to do, or if there was a right or wrong. It seemed the