Cherished (Masters and Mercenaries #7.5)(54)

He had to find a way to make her believe they could work because his whole soul rejected the idea of walking away from her. He was incapable of doing it. Somehow, this whole short-term affair that was supposed to get her out of his system had turned into something he needed to survive.

His tablet caught his eye. The hotel had Wi-Fi. Bridget’s books were all over the Internet. His sister’s words played through his head.

I was reading her before you started dating her. I love her stuff. She’s funny and she has a lot to say about what a woman deserves. I guess really it’s about what people deserve out of a relationship.

If he wanted to seduce Bridget into staying with him, maybe he should read what she considered romantic. She’d kind of written whole books about what she thought was sexy.

About what she wanted out of a relationship.

He picked up the tablet, downloaded the first book, and started to read.




When his cell trilled, he started. The world had been so quiet for hours, but now he could see the sun was starting to come up. He looked down at the number and his heart clenched a little.

Gatesville. His mom was using her weekly call.

He supposed it was almost noon back in Texas.

He didn’t even think about letting it go. It was kismet. He didn’t believe in a lot of spiritual crap, but he’d figured out a few things during the long night. He’d figured out that the only way to keep Bridget was to freaking love her, and the only way to do that was to let go of all the shit holding him back.

“Will you accept a call…”

“Yes, please.”

There was a click and then his mother’s voice came over the line. “William?”

She sounded surprised but then she probably was. He’d stopped taking her calls a long time ago. “Mother.”

There was a little gasp. “It’s really good to hear your voice.” A sniffling sound came over the line. “Really good. How are you, son?”

“I’m not going to have some long discussion with you, Mother. I’m going to make you an offer and you can take or leave it. I will take your calls as long as you attend AA meetings and make a pledge to go to rehab when you get out. I will pay for the best rehab possible and the girls and I will come and visit you as long as you are sober and stay out of trouble.”

“I’ve been sober for two years, Will.” Her voice cracked. “I’m scared I won’t be when I get out of here. I know you can’t believe me but I want to stay clean.”

He was surprised at the tears that sparked behind his eyes. “Then I’ll help you.”

There was a long pause. “Why? Why would you do that?”

“Because you’re my mother. Because you brought me into this world and I think I’m finally grateful for that. I’m on vacation with my girlfriend, Mom, but I’ll come down and see you when I get back and we’ll talk.”

They hung up a few minutes later, and it felt as though a massive weight had lifted off his shoulders. She might disappoint him again, but he’d done everything he could.

Would Bridget be proud of him?

Would Bridget believe him when he told her what he’d figured out some time in those long hours of the night?

He got to his feet, feeling more alive than he had in forever. A plan quickly formed in his head and he was eager to get started.

He would make her believe.





Chapter Eleven





Bridget sighed as she looked around the brunch gathering. All girls. No boys allowed so not a chance to get a glimpse of Will. Of course that seemed to be the way things were going today. When she’d gotten up he’d been nowhere to be found. He’d left a note that said he’d be back later and that was all.

Had he had a change of heart? She wouldn’t blame him. It would be for the best. She wished he’d stuck around to tell her. He’d taken her to bed. He’d asked her not to give up on him, but somehow the night before had felt like good-bye.

“Hey, grumpy.” Serena slid into the chair beside her. “You look like you’re going to a funeral and not a wedding. Have a Bellini.”

She didn’t feel like drinking. She figured she needed to be sober to go the next round with Will. At some point he would show up. He wouldn’t leave no matter how difficult she’d been. He’d still be kind to her even as he was leaving. “I’ll pass. Sorry about the grumpy. I didn’t sleep well last night.”

Serena grinned. “Did Will keep you up? I have to say, I was nervous about the two of you getting together. He seemed distant and that’s not what you need.”

Maybe he’d seemed that way in the beginning, but from the moment she’d said yes to him, there hadn’t been a lot of space between them. “He isn’t distant. Not most of the time. Most of the time he’s on top of me.”

Serena laughed, her eyes lighting up. “I know. Isn’t that great? You two look good together. Sometimes it takes the right woman to bring a man out of his shell. That man used to be cold. I believe in all the time he’s been at Sanctum he’s said two words to me, and then he starts dating you and he’s always opening doors for me when my guys aren’t around. The poor man carried all my crap up to my room yesterday. Tristan was being a wiggle worm and I couldn’t handle the bag, my purse, and my laptop bag. But no problem. Super Doc to the rescue. Then he came in and took a look at Tristan for me because he was running a slight fever and I was nervous. Apparently Tristan’s starting to teethe. Will told me to let him chew on something cold and he stopped crying. He still remembers his rotation in Peds.”