Truly Madly Deeply Boxed Set Read Online Free Page A

ever be the recipient of the kinder Griffin Stuart. Thankfully, that possibility didn’t exist.
    Though she’d like to pretend this was just another completed case and walk away, she couldn’t turn her back on her sister’s child. She wouldn’t, regardless of the consequences. Being around Alix forced her to face the fact that her ex-husband’s last violent act had assured her of an empty future and no children of her own.
    Over the years following her marriage, she had learned to live in the present without getting mired in the past. Time, circumstance, and Griffin’s careless words brought the past she thought she’d buried into the present. Next time you feel the need to mother, have a kid of your own .
    She opened the car window, hoping the fresh air would clear her head. Today was an atypical August day. Instead of sweltering heat and humidity, the air felt cool, hinting at an early autumn. She normally looked forward to this particular change of seasons. For some, spring meant a time of renewal, but she preferred the fall. For Chelsie, autumn was memory free. At least it had been, until a little girl with dark hair had captured her heart... and the child’s uncle had stomped on it.
    She slammed her hand on the wheel in frustration. Since the day she’d accepted her fate, she’d never succumbed to tears or self-pity, and she cursed Griffin Stuart for forcing her to do so now. After taking a deep breath of fresh air, she felt better. She turned the key in the ignition, but before she drove off, she had to stop and wipe the tears that blurred her vision.
    * * *
    “Thanks for coming.” Griff opened the front door for his friend.
    “No problem.” Ryan walked in, kicked off his shoes, and headed straight for the kitchen, where he opened the refrigerator and grabbed a can of cola.
    “Make yourself at home,” Griff said wryly.
    Ryan grinned. “Already have.”
    Since they were kids, neighbors in a run-down apartment building, Ryan had always reached the fridge first, usually swiping the last can of soda, leaving only tap water for Griff. For Jared, Ryan would make an exception, letting him share the victor’s spoils. Both Griff and Ryan had looked out for the pesky kid they both thought of as a little brother.
    Ryan gave his friend the once over. “You look like hell,” he said between gulps.
    Griff ran his fingers through his disheveled hair. “Feel like it, too.”
    “Did you get her back to sleep?”
    “Yeah.” He followed Ryan back to the living room. “But since it’s the third time, I don’t hold out much hope of her sleeping through the night.” Griff glanced towards the clock on the fireplace mantel.
    A picture of his brother and sister-in-law, taken at Alix’s first birthday, drew his attention, mocking his efforts at parenting. I’m sorry I’m letting you down . He turned his gaze to the clock at the right of the picture.
    Almost midnight. His body ached, whether from lack of sleep or bending over the crib to soothe his niece, he didn’t know. His heart ached, as well, but at least he could attribute that to a direct source. He glanced back at the photo.
    “I shouldn’t be surprised,” Griff said, forcing his thoughts to his present problem. “This night isn’t much different than any other in the past month or so.”
    No sooner would he fall asleep than he’d be awakened by Alix’s piercing cries. The doctor attributed the problem to her strange surroundings and the absence of her parents. Though he assured Griff that in time things would settle down, they hadn’t. They’d gotten worse.
    “Isn’t your live-in help working out?” Ryan asked.
    “Mrs. Baxter offered to help out at night, but then she’d be useless during the day. As it is, I’m sure she’s not catching much sleep just by virtue of proximity. Anyway, Alix needs someone familiar. Right now, that’s me.”
    Ryan flopped onto the sofa, his second cola in hand. “And me. Get out. I can handle things from