Persuading Spring: A Sexy New Zealand Romance (The Four Seasons Book 4) Read Online Free PDF

Or
Callie?”
    “No. I just want to be on my own for a
while.”
    She heard him blow out a breath. “All
right,” he said. “But you’re safe? You’re okay?”
    “I’m safe.”
    He sighed. “Yeah.”
    She wasn’t okay, and he knew that.
    “Mal’s a fucking idiot, Birdie. You’re
better off without him.”
    Deep down, she knew that, but it was too
soon for her heart to accept it. Her eyes welled with tears. She pushed the
phone into Aaron’s hand, went into the bathroom, and shut the door.
     

Chapter Four
    Aaron stared at the phone in his hand. She
hadn’t pressed anything, so whomever she’d been talking to was still there.
    He hovered his thumb over the red button.
This was none of his business. How had he gotten himself involved? He’d only
meant to be a good Samaritan, but that didn’t mean he needed to become
entangled in something that was nothing to do with him.
    Then he sighed. Who was he kidding? When
had he ever been able to look in the other direction when someone needed help?
    He held the phone up to his ear. “Hello?”
    “Who is this?” A guy’s voice, defensive,
angry.
    “Hi. My name’s Aaron. This is my phone,” he
said, somewhat wryly. “I just wanted to let you know that Bridget’s with me,
and she’s okay, just a bit upset, which is understandable, from what I gather.”
    “Why is she with you? Where are you?”
    “I found her on the quay. She was soaked
through and freezing, and I was worried about her. I’m staying in a hotel not
far away, so I persuaded her to come back with me.” He realized how that must
sound to this guy who was—what? Not old enough to be her father. Brother? “I’m
staying here with my seven-year-old son,” he said, thinking it made him sound
more trustworthy. “I’m a vet,” he added, as he always did, because people
seemed to like vets.
    “I want her to come home,” the guy said.
“Tell me which hotel you’re in.”
    “Can’t do that. Sorry. Look, I’m talking to
you because I know you’re worried about her, and I wanted to reassure you that
she’s okay. I appreciate that you must be out of your mind with worry, and I’m
not keeping her location a secret out of anything other than respect for her
wishes—I hope you can believe that.”
    “I’ll try,” the guy said.
    “What’s your name?” Aaron asked.
    “Everyone calls me Hitch. It’s our surname—Hitchcock.”
    “Right. Look, Hitch, I don’t want to ask
Bridget because I don’t want to upset her, but I presume her husband-to-be
didn’t turn up today?”
    “Yeah. Fucking bastard. He did have the
cheek to come around here an hour ago, though. Wanted to apologize.” Hitch gave
a derisive snort.
    “Jesus.” Aaron would have echoed Hitch’s
curse if Mateo hadn’t been in the room. “What did you say to him?”
    “Didn’t get a chance to say much. A mate of
mine floored him.”
    “Good to hear.”
    “Yeah. My only regret is that I didn’t get
to do it myself.”
    “What did he say?”
    “The idiot cried like a baby. Said he’d
thought he wasn’t ready, but that he still loves her and still wants to marry
her.” Hitch hesitated. “Don’t tell her that.”
    “I won’t. Not that I think it will matter.”
    “Yeah, well, it wouldn’t be the first time
they’ve broken up and gotten back together. He’s got some kind of hold over
her. I’ve never understood it. He’s never treated her very well, and she’s
always gone back for more.”
    “Being jilted isn’t something she’s likely
to forgive in a rush though, right?”
    “Maybe.”
    Aaron could hear the uncertainty and
frustration in Hitch’s voice. Her brother obviously hadn’t experienced that
sort of relationship for himself. Aaron thought about Nita—about their long
love/hate relationship, about how many times he’d tried to make it work, even
though most men would have walked away years ago. Yes, he understood how
Bridget would be feeling. She’d be wishing her fiancé was dead at the