Page 40 of Too Broken to Love

Without looking back, he ushered Tessa into the hallway. He slammed the door against Vivian’s shouts and spun Tessa to face him. He caught the battle between fight-or-flight in her eyes a heartbeat before she peered around the corner toward the front door.

“Hey.” He gripped her upper arms and steadied her trembling body. Calming her down settled his racing pulse too. “Don’t get any ideas about leaving. Even with broken ribs, I’ll catch you.”

She lightly grazed her fingers along his side. “I wouldn’t place any bets on that.”

His sharp inhale didn’t come from the lingering pain. “You might be right, but if I lost you, I’d hunt you down.”

She twisted her lips. “And bring me back here to live with Vivian the shrew. No thank you.”

“I’d blame her dramatics on grief, but she always reacts like that when she doesn’t get something she wants. You should have seen…” He waved his hand. “Forget it.”

Why on God’s green, sandy earth had he almost told Tessa about the fit Vivian threw when he’d broken up with Shayla?

Because he liked her. He’d gauged her reaction as Malcolm detailed the contents of Pop’s will. Genuine shock had flashed across her face when she learned she’d been left a fortune.

A fortune worth killing for.

Vivian’s voice rose from the study.

Tessa shot her gaze to the door again.

“It’s okay.” He took her hand and guided her down the hall. “Believe it or not, she loved Pop, and she loves me too in her own way.”

Tessa looked up, fighting tears. “I never meant to cause trouble, and I don’t want to cause any more.”

“Pop is the one causing trouble.” He touched a stain near her collarbone. A shiver cascaded through his body at her soft inhale. “Go upstairs and change into something wine-free and comfortable. Meet me on the terrace in ten minutes and we’ll read whatever’s in that envelope.”

“Okay.” She glanced at his pocket. “Do you know what’s in the box?”

He pulled it out and handed it to her. “Yeah, but you hold onto it for now.”

She handed him the envelope. “I promise not to look inside if you promise not to read this until we’re together.”

“Deal.” He shoved the letter in his pocket. “Dress warm.”

Tessa settled into the teak lounge chair big enough for two and pulled the oversized blanket over her legs.

“Warm enough?”

She jerked her head up. Between learning her entire life was about to change and nerves about reading Sam’s letter, she hadn’t heard Hudson come out.

He crossed the terrace and sat beside her. “Which part do you want to open first?”

“You said you know what’s in the box. I think I do too, so let’s start there.”

“Do it.”

She popped open the velvet lid. “Just as I thought.” Taking his hand, she slipped the man’s ring that matched her own on Hudson’s finger, the perfect fit like a homecoming. “Do you know why these rings were so important to Sam?”

Hudson held up his hand and examined the dime-sized ruby under the glow of the heat lamp. “Pop showed this to me once when I was a teenager and said it would be mine someday. I didn’t press him for more details and he didn’t offer.” He handed her the envelope. “Let’s find out the story.”

She shook her head. “No, you open it. Read it out loud.” Nerves pinged in her belly as he slid his finger under the sealed flap. She couldn’t retreat from whatever waited inside.

Carefully, he pulled out several pages of thick ivory paper.

Dear Hudson and Tessa,

She inhaled as Sam’s bold handwriting unfurled in front of them.