“Could be.” Bridger shrugged. “But to what end? He’s never been on the FBI’s radar before this week. Why would he do all of this if he wasn’t dying?” He folded his arms across his chest. “I’m sure he went to the best brain surgeons in the world before he gave up. Research that avenue and you might have some answers.”
They all nodded.
The questions and philosophizing continued. Bridger answered, but his mind was in the next room, with Avalyn. Was she really going to ditch him for a month? That sounded harder to survive than Ramsey’s crazy challenges.
ChapterTwenty-One
Avalyn was at a one-room clinic on the island of Cape Verde, Africa, helping administer immunizations to children. She didn’t have medical training, but it wasn’t really necessary to fill out paperwork, put Band-Aids on, and give the children hugs and lollipops. Her nurses were very competent.
She’d stayed busy the past few weeks and only let herself think about Bridger and how much she missed him late at night as she lounged in a cot by herself. Sleeping in his arms had been heaven. Often she remembered Ramsey’s words about Bridger saying she was out of his league. That was ridiculous; Bridger was everything she’d ever wanted.
When she’d finished with the questioning with the FBI, she’d gone home with her family. Bridger had honored her wishes and hadn’t contacted her. That had surprised her and hurt, which was silly, because he was honoring her wishes. She’d traveled to four continents and eight different countries the past few weeks, visiting and working with the children and arranging for the huge increases in funding with her clinics around the world, getting teams in place to start expansion with Ramsey’s money. As he’d promised, over four hundred million dollars showed up as an anonymous donation.
“Would you look at that?” Callie, a bubbly blonde nurse, whistled. “I guess only you can imagine Bridger Hawk smiling at you like that.”
Avalyn’s eyes darted to the television screen. Sure enough, there was her dream man. He was grinning at the morning talk show host, and they were highlighting the new program he’d started to host extreme sports competitions and donate all the proceeds to the anti-trafficking battle. She’d read about this last week, and she was proud of him. It was a fitting cause, considering what they’d gone through being captured. It seemed he’d found his purpose without her.
She’d scoured the internet as she lay in her cot by herself at night, but she hadn’t found any new pictures of him with any women. Only lots of stories about his new competitions and how charitably minded he was. Of course it had only been three weeks. Surely the women would break through into his arms soon. Would he really find her in one more week? He’d said he’d give her a month. She wasn’t sure she wanted it any longer. She simply wanted him.
She looked at his smile on the TV screen. Yes, she could imagine it. She’d been the blessed recipient of it many times, yet never enough. And now she’d pushed him away. Why she’d thought a month was a good idea when she was coming off of a highly emotional and horrifying experience was beyond her.
“Yeah, she can imagine it,” a deep male voice said behind her.
Avalyn whirled and dropped the Band-Aid and the lollipop in her hands. Bridger stood there in all his irresistible beauty, grinning at her from the doorway of the clinic.
“She’s the only one I want to smile for,” Bridger continued. He strode slowly toward them, his smile turning into a smoldering look that gave Avalyn heart palpitations.
“Oh my, I think I’m going to pass out and he’s not even looking at me,” Callie muttered.
Avalyn smiled, but it disappeared as Bridger drew closer. She stood and backed into the counter. He kept coming. When he was less than a foot away, he stopped and his eyes slowly traveled over her. “I’ve missed you, Ava Baby,” he murmured.
Avalyn swallowed and managed to squeak out, “What are you doing here?”
“Let’s go outside and give them a minute,” she heard Callie say to the children and the other nurses. Bless her. Avalyn wanted much more than a minute alone with Bridger.
Bridger lifted his hand and tenderly traced it along her jaw. “The thing is, I listened to what you said.”
She arched an eyebrow, her jaw tingling from his warm fingers. “You did?”
“Yeah. You had some valid points about me needing to prove that I was fully committed to you. But the part about us being apart for a month?” He pulled a face. “Yeah, that part was stupid.”
“It was?” She grabbed on to the countertop behind her for support. She agreed with him entirely: the decision had been stupid, and all she wanted was him.
“Very. I made it through three weeks, and I’ve never been so miserable. So the new plan is, I prove to you that I’m fully committed while I follow you around the world and help you with your causes.”
“Bridge,” she whispered.
“Can I follow you around, Ava?”
She couldn’t say no to him. She bobbed her chin. “We could try it.”
He suddenly dropped to one knee and pulled something out of his pocket. “If we’re going to be together, I can think of a way that will be a lot more fun.”
Avalyn put a hand to her heart, but she couldn’t stop it from racing out of control.
Bridger flipped the box open, revealing an exquisite diamond solitaire set in a gold band. “I love you, Avalyn Shaman. I’ve loved you my entire life. Will you marry me and let me follow you around the world?”
Avalyn pulled in and pushed out several breaths. She was so in love with him, but she was still scared. “What if you stop loving me?” she whispered.