Promises (New Beginnings Book 2) by Michelle Lynn

on the front porch."
    "You are Elijah Lugo?"
    Elijah nodded.
    "Sign here." The man thrust his tablet forward and Elijah signed.
    "Thanks," Elijah said as the man walked away.
    The box was huge, and Elijah knew exactly what it was. His mother had promised she’d send it and she had.
    "Hey, Elijah!" Jason called from inside. "Can I talk to you for a minute?"
    "Sure."
    They walked outside, the box momentarily forgotten. Jason's face was serious as he stood in silence.
    "Spit it out, Jason," Elijah demanded.
    "Jake stopped by the bar a couple days ago, after he met with Maggie."
    "Okay ..." Elijah kept his voice slow and even.
    "He left this." Jason pulled out an envelope with Maggie's name on it and showed it to Elijah. "He said it's from her father. He tried to give it to her, but she wouldn't take it."
    "Sounds like her." It was all falling into place in Elijah's mind. This is why Maggie was so upset. Her father had thought of her before he died. Elijah knew Maggie's dad. He knew how cruel and manipulative that man was. Suddenly, the contents of the letter scared Elijah. What would they do to Maggie? What could that man possibly have to say to her?"
    "Should I give it to her?" Jason asked.
    "No." Elijah made a split-second decision. "I need you to do something else for her." He paused and looked away, trying to decide it this was the right decision. Maggie would be pissed, but that would fade. He was not going to let her father do any more damage than he already had. "Read it."
    "What?" Jason was dumbfounded. "I don't think she'd be okay with that."
    "She'd forgive you for it. Jason, I think you're the one person she'd forgive for anything. Definitely not me. And we need to know what's in that letter. You barely knew her father, but I did know him. I need to know if it's worth giving it to her."
    "Fine," Jason sighed. "But I don't like this."
    "Me either, but we have to do this for her."
     
    ###
     
    "Maggie, please." Elijah grabbed her arm as she tried to push past him into the apartment. "Talk to me."
    "Let me go, Elijah." Her voice was in the dangerous zone that Elijah knew all too well.
    He had seen her temper explode many times, leaving destruction in its wake. He was the only person that could withstand it. He was the only one that even tried to. When she was in one of these moods, he didn't want to leave her alone to stew. He was like a boomerang that she kept throwing away. He always came back.
    She stomped into the kitchen and opened the fridge. When she pulled out a beer, Elijah raised an eyebrow. Maggie rarely drank. Occasionally she'd have a drink at Jason's bar, but never at home.
    Elijah slipped around her and slid the bottle from her hands before shutting the fridge. She had to act quickly to get her fingers out of the way.
    "What the hell do you think you're doing?" Maggie asked.
    "Saving you, babe." He winked and twisted off the cap of the beer before taking a long drink. He was goading her. It wasn't like her to keep everything inside. Elijah knew she needed to vent and it was better him than someone else.
    "Saving me?" she growled.
    "You don't want to drink."
    "You don't know what I want."
    "Actually, Maggie, I do." He set the bottle on the counter and stepped closer to her. "I know you."
    "You don't know anything." Her voice grew quiet.
    This is it, he thought . She's finally going to talk about it.
    He did know her. He could read every expression, every movement. When her eyes shifted away, he knew she was trying not to cry. Her arms folded across her chest meant she didn't want to be touched. The lines appearing on her forehead meant she was over-thinking something. And the way she stood frozen to the spot, not turning away, meant she needed him.
    "Try me." His voice had lost its mocking, goading edge.
    "Did you know Jake had a kid?" she asked.
    Her voice was so small and vulnerable that all he could do was nod slowly.
    "A little girl," she said. "Ruthy. She's sweet and beautiful. And he's a good dad, I