Free Against the Wind, Season 2, Episode 1 (Rising Storm) by Rebecca Zanetti Page B

applies. Maybe she’ll never die.” Kristin tried to joke, but the mere thought of her mother gave her abdominal cramps. “I hope if she ever gets out of that institution that she goes on a cruise or traps some man and doesn’t try to find us. I hope she never finds us.”
    “She won’t.” Bryce’s jaw hardened. “If she comes near either one of us or my family, I don’t know what I’ll do, Kristin.”
    “Me either,” she whispered, suddenly cold.
    Bryce checked on his daughter over his shoulder and then focused back on Kristin. “How are things going for you?”
    She studied her all-American and clean-cut brother. He could never understand what she was doing having an affair with a married man. Not Bryce. Oh, he’d still love her, and he’d try to counsel her, but he’d never understand. “I’m doing well. Work is busy, and I like that.”
    “All right.” He waited so patiently for her to unburden her soul.
    She didn’t want his advice, because she already knew what it would be. The right thing, from somebody looking in from the outside, would be to leave Travis alone to fix his marriage. But that would be wrong for Travis, because there was no fixing something that wasn’t just broken. It was obsolete. “Thank you for the coffee.”
    Bryce sighed and continued drinking. “If you ever want to talk, you know I’m here for you. No judgments.”
    “I know,” she said softly.
    Carol ran up, green frosting all over her mouth. “Hi, Aunt Kristin.”
    Kristin laughed and reached for a napkin, her heart warming. She loved kids. Travis had recently lost his son, and he had two daughters, but he was young enough to have more children. She wanted a baby of her own. “Let me wipe you off, cutie.” She gently cleaned Carol’s adorable face.
    Carol wriggled away and ran back toward her grandmother.
    Kristin’s phone buzzed, and she read a text from Travis. He’d filled all the prescriptions for the day and had left his assistant in charge of the pharmacy. He was waiting for her at her place.
    Hope leaped though her faster than the caffeine. Was he ready to make a commitment? She could feel it coming. Finally.
    She smiled at her brother and stood. “I have to get going. Thanks for the coffee.”
    Bryce stopped her with a hand around her wrist. “You’re better than this, Kristin.”
    She shook her head. “I have to go.” He’d see. Travis would leave his wife, and he and Kristin would be happy together. Really happy.
    Bryce released her. “I tried to be a good role model, since our father wasn’t.”
    Kristin paused. “My decisions are my own, Bryce. You’re a great role model.” She leaned over the table and pressed a kiss to his temple. “Stop worrying.”
    “That’ll never happen,” he said quietly.
    She waved to Carol, Alice, and Marisol as she kept her pace slow and left the bakery. Appearing relaxed, she walked around the corner and then jogged to her car. The drive home was breathless, and finally she ran into her house.
    Travis waited with a bouquet of red roses in his hand.
    She gasped and accepted the stunning blooms. If he’d publicly purchased roses, he was ready. It was time. Finally. “Thank you,” she breathed. “They’re beautiful.”
    “Not nearly as beautiful as you are,” he said, running a finger down her cheek. “I like your hair like that.”
    A glow filled her that she could actually feel. His brown eyes were the first thing she wanted to see every morning and the last thing she wanted to see as she slipped into good dreams. “I can’t believe you bought me roses.”
    “You’d better put them in water,” he said, grinning and looking at ease finally.
    Kristin nodded and hustled into the kitchen to find a vase. She bet Travis hadn’t even thought of buying his wife flowers in years. They didn’t have any romance. “Oh, they’re just so perfect.” Kristin carried the flowers to place in the center of her dining room table. “Thank you.”
    He came up