Broken Love (Broken #4)(24)

Walker walked up to me and put his hand on my chest as Nate said, “Oh hell. Here we go. First comes the brother, then it will be the best friend Jase, and the grand finale … the dad.”

If Nate were a few feet closer, I would have punched him just to shut him up.

Walker’s jaw tensed as he asked, “What did you do to my sister?”

“I didn’t do anything!”

Nate laughed. “Bull shit he didn’t. He told her he loved her! Can you believe that shit?”

Walker’s eyes softened as he searched my face. “You love my sister?”

“No!” I shouted.

Walker pulled his head back in surprise. “I mean, yes! I mean … f*ck I don’t know what I mean! I just blurted it out. I … I don’t know why I said it.” My hands pushed through my hair as I let out a frustrated sigh. “No, I do know why I said it. It’s just … I was so overcome with these stupid emotions and I didn’t want to say it like that.”

Before I knew it, Walker was laughing his ass off. Laughing so much he had tears. Nate and I stood there and stared at him.

“Why is he laughing?” Nate asked in a whispered voice.

With a shrug of my shoulders, I replied, “I have no idea, but I’d much rather him be laughing than looking at me like he wants to kill me.”

Lifting his hand, Walker said, “Wait … oh man. Give me a second.”

“I’m glad you find this funny,” I responded as I made my way to the house.

Walker wiped his tears away as he walked next to me. “Sorry, dude. It’s just the look on your face. It was priceless. You have been bitten by the love bug for sure.”

There was that word again. “I need to talk to Ava. She thinks I didn’t mean to say I loved her, but I did mean to say it. I just didn’t want to say it like that and then when she asked if I meant it I couldn’t say it again! I need to tell her I can say it and mean it.”

After letting out a long dramatic sigh, Walker slowly shook his head. “I should be really concerned that I understood all of that.”

Nate guffawed. “I’m glad you understood it, ‘cause I didn’t.”

“Everyone is waiting up at the house to go for a hike, so unless you want to declare your love for my sister in front of everyone, it will have to wait until after.”

Reed was standing outside the house glaring at me as we walked up.

“Yeah, I think I’ll wait,” I said as I fought the urge to bolt in the opposite direction of where Reed was standing with his arms crossed.

“Just keep walking like you don’t see him,” Walker said as I snapped my head to look at him.

“W-what?”

Nate laughed as he called out. “Hey, Reed! Look who we found … Ryder!”

Reed made his way over to us as Walker said, “Good luck, dude.”

“Wait. Where are you going?” I demanded as Walker nodded toward his father and made a beeline to the door.

Stopping, I grabbed Nate’s arm. “You will never get my truck or condo, you traitor!”

“Ryder, how was your evening?” Reed asked as he stopped in front of me. I was still focused on my brother when he shot me a smirk.

“You’re dead to me,” I whispered before turning to look at Reed.

“Morning, Reed. It was um … it was … nice?”

Tilting his head, his eyes narrowed as he waited for me to change my response.

“It was … um … fun.”

Reed’s mouth dropped open as I held up my hands.

“No, no, that’s not the word I was looking for.”

Ava’s father cleared his throat and stated, “Walk with me, Ryder. I think it’s time you and I got to know each other a little better.”

My eyes widened in horror as I slowly turned and began following Reed toward the barn. Why the barn? Nothing good could come from going to the barn!

Glancing over my shoulder, I shot my good-for-nothing brother a pleading look.

With a smile he called out, “You still keep your spare key under that potted plant, right?”

My hand lifted as I gave him the finger while he threw his head back and cackled.





“SLOW DOWN, AVA! Where is the fire?”

He said he loved me. He said he loved me. Oh. My. God.

“Ava? Where in the hell have you been?” my father said as he stomped down the steps of the porch.

“Not now, Dad,” I replied. Stopping, I turned and faced my father. “And before you think of going off and doing something stupid, don’t. He makes me happy and I … I …” Letting out a sigh, I pointed to him. “Just don’t do what I know you’re going to do!”

Turning away, I pulled on Liza to follow me. “Wow! Were you about to say you loved Ryder?”

The moment we stepped inside the house, I saw Dani. Walking up to her, I took her hand in my other hand and pulled her along with Liza up to the room I was staying in.

“What’s happening? What’s going on?” Dani asked. “Slow down! I’m with child and I can’t move that fast.”

Liza giggled as she replied with, “Not sure, but I think your brother just rocked my sister-in-law’s world.”