Hold on to Me Read Online Free PDF Page B

front of her. The two had a special relationship, one he didn’t want tainted by any of this.
    The door closed softly behind Julia, and Ryan drew back from Katie, looking down into her soft green eyes. “I’ll go check on Mitch.”
    “I should go with you.”
    He brushed his thumb across her silky cheek. “I can guarantee he won’t like that.”
    “But—”
    “I know a thing or two about how a guy’s feeling when he’s just lost everything, babe.” When her eyes darkened, he added softly, “Trust me on this. He’s not going to want to talk to you or anyone else. I’ve been where he’s at.”
    “Oh, Ryan.”
    She moved back into him, wrapped her arms around his waist, and pressed her face against his chest. And as he held her tight, her heat seeping in to warm him from the outside in, he remembered all those years after he thought she’d died, when he’d wanted to die himself just to get rid of the pain. The only thing that had saved him was Julia. Mitch had no one.
    He pressed his lips against her temple and told himself this was different. And Mitch was a thousand times stronger than Ryan had ever been. “Whatever happened, he’ll be okay,” he whispered, more for his own peace of mind than for hers. “If I survived losing you, he can survive this.”
    She leaned back and looked up, but her expression said she wasn’t so sure.
    Mitch had a gentle heart. Though he acted like he didn’t give a shit about most things, they both knew it wasn’t true.
    Ryan tucked a lock of curly hair behind his wife’s ear and kissed her lips. Lips he once thought he’d never taste again. Lips he was thankful for every single day. “Wait up for me?”
    “Always.” Her hand slid down his arm as he moved away, clasping his fingers when they reached hers, then finally letting go.
    God, he loved that woman. More every day. So much more than when he’d married her the first time. Pulling the keys from his pocket, he crossed the yard toward his car in the drive and thanked God all over again that she’d come back to him.
    Mitch’s house was dark when Ryan pulled onto his street thirty minutes later. A wave of foreboding washed over him as he killed the engine.
    The front door opened, and Mitch stepped out, a bag slung over his shoulder, keys in his hands. He took one look at Ryan’s Mercedes and scowled.
    Shit . That was not a good sign.
    Ryan parked at the curb, popped the door, and climbed out of the car. Mitch was already at the back of his dusty Land Rover parked in the drive, throwing a bag in the back when Ryan reached him. “I don’t need a babysitter, Harrison.”
    Yep, definitely didn’t want to talk. Ryan tucked his hands into his pockets. “Going somewhere?”
    Mitch tossed his winter coat into the back, then slamming the back shut. “British Columbia.”
    “I thought they didn’t need you at the job site just yet?”
    Mitch huffed, a humorless sound. “They needed me three weeks ago. I just kept putting it off.”
    Because of Simone. The unsaid words hung between them. Dammit, if Mitch was running, things were worse than Ryan had suspected. “Mitch—”
    “Don’t.” Mitch raked a hand through his already wild hair. “I’m not in the mood. And no, I don’t want to fucking talk about it.”
    Oh yeah. Definitely worse.
    Mitch drew a deep breath. “Look, I don’t know how long I’ll be gone, but if you’d have someone check on the house now and then, I’d appreciate it.”
    “Sure. You know that’s no problem.”
    Mitch looked at him. Seemed to want to say something else, but turned and headed for the driver’s side of his vehicle instead.
    Ryan moved around the side of the car as Mitch pulled the door open. And though he knew he shouldn’t push, he couldn’t help himself. Because Mitch had been there for him all those years after he’d lost his wife. If it hadn’t been for Mitch’s pushing, Ryan wouldn’t be where he was now. “Are you gonna be okay?”
    “Me?” Mitch stood