Page 65 of Murder at Rescue Ridge

Brothers.

The word struck a chord with her. The wordfamilyjoined it. That was Conrad. He was her family, and she wanted him to know exactly how she felt about it. Would he remember what she’d said by the lake?

“Buzz if he needs anything,” the nurse said, standing in front of the door.

“I will,” Nikki promised before opening it and walking inside the dark room.

“Hi,” came the deep, throaty voice that sent goosebumps up and down her arms. Her stomach dropped like she was freefalling, except this time, she wasn’t afraid. She wanted to walk toward the feeling instead of run away.

“Hi,” she said as she walked around the bed and perched on the edge next to him.

His hand immediately reached for hers. More of that warmth spread through her at his lightest touch.

“You look good,” she said for lack of anything better coming to mind. Funny, she’d rehearsed what she would say to him in this moment dozens of times in the hallway. Now? All she could manage wasYou look good.

A slow smile spread across his perfectly straight, white teeth.

For a long moment, no one spoke. Like they didn’t need words only time to be together in silence.

And then she mustered the courage to repeat what she’d say at the lake, “Conrad, I—”

“Before you say anything…” he murmured, cutting her off. “Can I tell you something that’s been on my mind almost since the day I met you?”

She tensed, steeling herself for a rejection. Then, nodded.

“You are the most intelligent, caring, and beautiful person I’ve ever met in my life,” he began.

She exhaled a slow breath as relief washed over her. Was it too soon to feel that? Would a goodbye soon follow?

“But?” she asked.

He shot a confused look. “You’re always expecting it, aren’t you?”

Okay, now it was coming.

“Everyone leaves you, don’t they?” he continued.

“Yes,” she said, fighting back the very real tears threatening. She was a faucet today. The truth was that losing Conrad would shatter her. She’d opened her heart to him and was now keenly aware of just how vulnerable she was. She might as well have handed him a knife and told him to gut her.

Beau’s words wound back through her thoughts.Have you seen the way he looks at you?

“Nikki, I’ll never walk away from you,” Conrad said. “Not willingly.”

Did she hear those words right?

“Over the past few days, I’ve come to realize how special you are,” he said. “How much you mean to me, and how much I can’t envision my life without you in it.” He pushed up to sitting and winced.

“You’re in pain,” she said.

“This is nothing like what would happen if I lost you.”

Nikki sat there for a long moment, trying to absorb those words. “Do you really mean that, Conrad?”

“Yes,” he said. “I do. But don’t take my word for it.” He locked gazes and held on like a visible caress. “I’m in love with you, Nikki. You are my family now. If I lost you, I’d be half a person. And believe me when I say I didn’t even realize I’d been walking around a half-person all my life. I’ve never wanted or needed anyone before. So, this is new to me. But even I realize how special it is. How special you are.”

Tears broke free. He thumbed them away.

“What I’m clumsily trying to say is that I love you, Nikki Guidry. And I hope you’ll do me the great honor of marrying me.”

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