Broken Love (Broken #4)(55)

I jumped up. “Thanks again, Dad. I’ll see you in the morning?”

“Sounds good. I’ve got that meeting in town I’d like for you to be there for.”

With a nod, I replied, “Sure. I’ll be there.”

“Good,” was all he said as he glanced over to Ava. “Rest up, sweetheart. Glad to have you home.”

“It’s good to be home,” Ava said with bright eyes.

By the time we got to the stone house, Ava was a basket of nerves. I was tempted to tell her I didn’t want to know anything that came out of Kate’s journal, but my curiosity was getting the better of me.

She sat down on the sofa and wringed her hands together.

“Jesus, Ava. You’re kind of starting to freak me out. Did my sister do something illegal?”

Her eyes snapped up to mine. “What?” Frowning, she said, “No. God no, it’s nothing like that.”

I pulled a seat from the dining room table over and sat down facing her. “Then tell me what it is.”

“Okay well, I wasn’t sure if I should keep this to myself but I can’t. I need to tell you and the only way I know how to do it is to just say it.”

My heart was pounding so hard in my chest it felt like it was going to jump out. “All right.”

“Kate was pregnant when she died.”

I sat there for a few seconds letting her words sink in.

“What did you say?”

She sighed, “Oh gesh, don’t make me say it again, Ryder.”

Staring at her, I felt my chest squeezing tighter, like someone had a damn vise grip on it.

The only thing I could do was stare at her. My sister was pregnant. Oh God. We not only lost her, but we lost her child as well.

“Do you need me to really say it again?”

I shook my head. “No,” I barely spoke.

Scraping my hands down my face, I let out a frustrated sigh. “What in the hell?” Dropping my hands back down, I hit Ava with question after question.

“How far along was she? Why didn’t she tell anyone? Did Jackson know?”

Ava took in a deep breath and slowly let it out. “I don’t think she was that far along, I’m not sure why she hadn’t told y’all yet other than she thought she had time to figure things out first and then tell everyone. Yes, Jackson knew and he had asked her to marry him.”

“What?” I stood up. “She was only a senior in high school! What in the f*ck did she think she was going to do with a baby?”

Ava stood. “Ryder, getting mad about it is not going to make you understand anymore. Your sister was in love with Jackson; they made love in this house more than once and they were going to have a child. The only person who can really answer your questions is Jackson himself.”

I shot my head in her direction as my heart sank. “What? Have you talked to him?”

Her eyes widened in surprise. “No! Of course not.”

I walked back and forth not knowing how I should be feeling. My sister was pregnant. Oh my God. Why did you take them from us?

My throat was burning from the tears I was trying to hold back. I’d never really allowed myself to cry over my sister’s death.

Jumping when I felt Ava’s hand on my arm, I pulled her to me and wrapped her up in my arms. Not being able to hold back my emotions, I let my tears fall as I whispered, “Why did he take them from us, Ava? Why?”





I SAT ON the sofa in the little stone house and stared down at Ryder. He had completely lost it. I’d never seen him so emotional before, and a part of me wondered if I had made a mistake in telling him about Kate’s baby.

Then I realized what was happening. Ryder was finally allowing himself the chance to cry. It was as if the reality of his sister’s death hit him in that moment and he decided to stop pretending Kate had gone away, and accepted the fact that she was gone forever.

My phone buzzed. Picking it up, it was from an unknown number.

Swiping it, I softly said, “Hello?”

“Ms. Moore?”

“Yes, this is Ava Moore.”

“This is Parker, the caretaker of the house in Helena.”

This was strange. Why was he calling me?

“Yes, hello. How are you doing?”

“I’m doing well. Ms. Moore, I know the last time you were at the house we chatted about its history. You had asked me if Kate ever came to the house alone and I couldn’t remember.”

My heart dropped to my stomach. “Yes. I was wondering that. You know she was so intrigued by Lizzy and Robert’s love story as am I.”

Ryder moved about some, but didn’t wake up.

“Yes, she was. Well, I remembered something. I’m not sure why I had forgotten it, maybe because Kate’s death was just a couple days after.”

“What!” I practically screamed.

Parker cleared his throat. “Kate had come to the house. She called and said she was doing a family research paper and would be staying the night in the house. I remember thinking nothing of it. I didn’t normally call Mrs. Montgomery to ask if the kids could stay, because they often did. They are such good kids, you know.”

I tried to keep my voice steady. “Yes I know they are. So, Kate came and stayed at the house. Was she alone?”