Chapter 9
Brycen
“Sweetheart,you’ve nothing to be sorry about,” I told her, capturing her chin with my fingers again, leaning closer to her. “You had every right to be snippy. And I should have known better, coming from a family of women.”
Her pupils dilating at my touch and proximity told me she had more than this morning’s display of temper on her mind. Her eyes scanned her surroundings, avoiding my gaze, which only confirmed my suspicions.
Her “Breakfast,” came out sounding raspy. Jana covered by clearing her throat, then repeating herself. “Would you like some breakfast?”
Smiling, because I was enjoying the fact she seemed as affected by me as I was by her, I said, “Sure. Can I help? I can put something together for us, and you can look after your mom if you’d like. I don’t know if she’s on a plain diet or if she’s eating everything you and Jason are.”
As soon as Jana told her mother I had made breakfast, Eloise decided she had to make an appearance. And that’s when Rex arrived.
“There’s enough there for you too, Rex,” I announced when he walked into the kitchen, visually scanning the space.
As I finished bringing the large breakfast skillet I’d baked over to the table, I turned to find that our latest guest had taken the seat I’d planned on occupying. After a pause that may not have gone unnoticed, what with the humored expression on Eloise’s face, I shrugged my shoulders. I then sat between my coworker and Jana’s mom, serving the eldest lady first, then her daughter, followed by Rex, then myself. This of course was met with mother and daughter sharing some sort of look, followed by their conspiratorial smiles.
Eloise
My heavens, that man could cook, and don’t get me started on the way I’ve seen him looking at my daughter. And those manners! If I were another twenty-five or thirty years younger, I’d be drooling over that handsome beach-bum perfection, and in no absolute hurry to get away from certain—or uncertain—danger as it may be.
As Jana’s mom, however, I can’t help but worry about my youngest child. She and Jason both have sacrificed so much to be able to help me fight this fucking cancer bitch.
If you asked me a year ago if I’d pictured myself today, living as I am now, I can’t say that I would have. If only I could have been stronger, then maybe I’d leave this earth with some semblance of more than simply two amazing kids in this world.
I don’t begrudge my life decisions. I’ve lived plenty, laughed to my heart’s content, and done my fair share of crying—and not all the bad kind. But where I lacked was the wherewithal to pursue my one life’s regret…finding a man to be there for my children, to show them how life could have been enhanced by a good and constant man in their lives.
Jana has that now,I tell myself, but I know it not to be the case. Not yet anyway.
Oh, my little girl is quite the pessimist when it comes to love, and she carries the largest unsavory chip on her shoulder about relationships. It’s not her fault; she’d had her fair share of disappointments in life too. But it was also high time for her to get over herself and her long list of reservations that led to her being so standoffish.
“This is delicious, Brycen,” I said, clearing the last bite from my plate.
“Yeah, man, where the hell—” Rex’s eyes bugged out and he looked apologetically to a giggling Jana first, then me. “Sorry, ma’am. What I meant to say is, where did you learn to cook like that?”
“When you come from a large family, most of which are of the female persuasion, learning how to cook kind of comes as a package deal,” Brycen explained, grinning. “Mom used to say, ‘I’ll be damned if I send my one and only son out into the world not knowing how to fend for himself or his family.’” I smiled at the fondness and love lacing his words. “Then again, Dad did most of the cooking at home, so I grew up thinking it was a manly thing to do.”
Jana smiled sweetly. “That’s cute.”
Brycen shrugged a shoulder, a subtle blush spreading over his cheeks. “I have to admit, I don’t cook nearly enough now that I’m on my own. With my work schedule as it is, my drawer of take-out menus is overused and overflowing.”
“Amen,” Rex seconded his colleague’s words, toasting the man with his coffee mug. “Matthews here, is usually the first to mooch someone’s leftovers at the office.”
Brycen gave his coworker a warning glare that had me laughing.
“Well, I think it’s a beautiful memory, Brycen.” I patted the top of his hand, smiling at him. “I’m sure your parents are proud of the man you’ve become. And I can relate mooching food off others. I do it every day now,” I added, throwing him a teasing wink.
The most adorable blush spread from his cheeks to the tips of his ears, giving me the urge to giggle. So I let loose.
Jana
Hearing Mom’s tinkling laugh had me smiling at Brycen. It was a sound I hadn’t heard from her in far too long, and I could kiss him for giving me a gift he was unaware of gracing me with.
Truth be told, Jason, Mom, and I have been in the dumps lately because of her most recent test results. Add in the fact I have some deranged murderer first calling, and now, sending me bits and pieces of his victims—at work no less—and it’s been damn hard to find happiness, humor, or even smile as of late.
Sure, Brycen had made life a little brighter and lighter since having met him, but I never expected him to do the same for my family.
Hell, he’d gotten my mother to grace us with her presence around the dining room table for breakfast when normally she would stay in bed, picking at bits and pieces of her food through most of the morning before calling it quits, leaving my brother and me to exchange the stale dish with her lunch tray. Rinse and repeat—every damn day.
I missed the days when Mom would surprise us at our respective homes with some home-cooked concoction she’d discovered either on TV or online. I craved to have her vivaciousness back, the way she would smile like she was always up to something, and her laugh…because she simply truly enjoyed everything, and most of all, everyone around her.
In its place now, she reminisced about the old days, the antics we’d get up to as a family, or even as individuals. She was constantly stuck in the past, reliving memories instead of forging ahead, making new ones.
It was as if she’d given up with the doctor’s latest news.
As Rex helped with settling Mom in her bedroom—after she shooed me away—I went to check on what Brycen was up to in the kitchen. I found him drying his hands, shutting the dishwasher door, no dirty dishes to be seen, and the kitchen was spotless.
Before I knew it, I’d walked straight up to the man and planted my lips against his cheek as soon as he’d turned, reveling in the surprised yet soft expression that covered his face.
“What was that for?” His voice had dropped a few octaves.
“Thank you,” I answered shyly.
“Had to eat, right?” he explained.
“Yeah, but you didn’t have to?—”
Brycen’s finger over my lips halted my words. “Don’t mention it. I just thought your mom and you could use a good home-cooked meal. If some good cooking helps get your mother out of that room of hers, enjoying company, and smiling, then I’m happy. If I’m being honest, you look exhausted, so I did it mostly for?—”
Grasping his hand lightly, I pulled it away, then leaned forward, shutting him up with my lips.
It was a small press, but I hoped it conveyed how appreciative I truly was. He’d managed things Jason and I hadn’t been able to in too long.
Pulling away, I couldn’t help but feel the erratic puffs of Brycen’s breath over my mouth, and I wanted nothing more than to explore his sweetness, but I craved his arms more. In hopes I wouldn’t have to explain that last kiss, I simply allowed myself the luxury of hugging a now mute Brycen around the waist. After a fraction of a second, his arms surrounded me tightly, his scruffy cheek buffing the top of my head.
When was the last time I’d been able to simply relax in someone’s arms, feeling safe and sheltered, and unafraid of being hurt?
Barring family? Never.