A Maverick Reborn
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Melissa Senate
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17.9K
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20
HarlequinPrologue
At nearly forty years old, Bobby Stone discovered he had a twin brother he never knew existed. This—a brother, family, connection—was what finally brought Bobby back to Bronco, Montana, today.
But nothing in Bobby’s life had ever been easy and the homecoming was gonna be a doozy.
Because everyone thought Bobby was dead. And had been for over three years now.
He’d let them think that. Back when he thought there was no one who’d care. He’d seen a short article about his presumed death a few days after he’d disappeared. People thought he’d fallen off a cliff while walking in the woods at night, ruminating on all that was wrong in his life. Like his marriage—his shot at thinking he could believe in love—which had ended in divorce. His old backpack, his wedding ring and disturbed brush had been found by the edge of the cliff overlooking a hundred feet into dense brush and the river—and folks figured Bobby Stone was truly gone. He didn’t think anyone had been grieving his loss.
Until just a few days ago.
He’d come across a social media post from a man named Sullivan Grainger. Last summer, Sullivan had come to Bronco, Montana, looking for the twin brother he’d only just found out he had. But when he arrived in Bronco, he discovered his long-lost twin—Bobby Stone—was dead, or presumed dead, anyway, since his body had never been found.
Gone—and forgotten.
That had pissed off Sullivan Grainger, Bobby was surprised—and touched—to learn in the long social media post. The man had decided to force the residents of Bronco to remember his twin—by making folks think they saw a ghost when they saw Sullivan skulking through town at night. By secretly creating strange happenings, including putting up signs with Bobby’s picture that read REMEMBER BOBBY STONE.
Turned out there was one person who did remember Bobby—and fondly. His former friend Sadie Chamberlin, who owned the gift shop in Bronco. Former because Sadie was his ex-wife’s sister, and when his ex had asked Sadie to choose between them during the divorce, of course she’d chosen her sister. She’d had to, and Bobby got it, but it had stung. Sadie had been determined to solve the mystery of the Bobby Stone look-alike and the weird occurrences and had unmasked the culprit—Bobby’s twin, Sullivan Grainger. And then she’d fallen in love with him.
Hell of a story. And now it was time for another. Because Bobby was, right this moment, standing in the shadows on Commercial Street on this cold February night in Bronco. He figured he’d go to Sadie’s shop, Sadie’s Holiday House, and maybe he could approach her first. Sadie had been a good friend, despite everything—and boy, had there been a lot of everything, but he felt like he owned her an explanation.
That he was alive.
For a moment, though, all Bobby could do was look around, take in the sights, the shops and side streets that were so familiar.
He’d come home.
A chill raced up his spine and he shoved his hands into his coat pockets.
When would he finally get to meet his brother? His twin brother. Tonight? Tomorrow? Would Sullivan be furious when he discovered that Bobby wasn’t dead, after all? Would the relationship be over before it even had a chance to begin?
He didn’t know anything. Nothing new.
He kept walking toward Sadie’s Holiday House. And as he neared the store, a man came out. A man who looked just like him, so much so that Bobby stopped dead in his tracks and gasped.
For a moment Bobby was speechless. And choked up. This was Sullivan Grainger. His twin. His reason for coming home. His reason period.
“You don’t know me,” Bobby called to him, not even sure what was coming out of his mouth. “But I think you might be my brother.”
Oh, and by the way, I’m clearly not dead.
Bobby waited as the guy turned. His heart started to pound, blood rushing in his head.
The man stared at him, drew a bit closer and stared some more, all kinds of emotion plain on his face. And then he slowly shook his head with something of a smile and said, “Welcome home, Bobby Stone.”
Relief flooded Bobby to the point that his knees wobbled. Sullivan’s reaction was a surprise. Bobby didn’t detect anger in Sullivan Grainger’s expression or tone. Some shock, yes. But there was mostly curiosity on the man’s face.
The questions would come, he knew. From his twin—from everyone. What happened on the night you disappeared? Where have you been? Why didn’t you tell anyone you were alive?
In three years Bobby had barely thought about any of that. He’d just focused on getting by.
But now he had questions too. About his family. About how newborn twin brothers had gotten separated and why.
Did Sullivan know? If he’d found out about Bobby in the first place, he must have done his research.
All Bobby knew for sure was that his entire life was about to change.
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