Chapter 8
Never before had Pixie realized she was such an impatient person. Every minute or two, she glanced toward the living room and that large canvas portfolio that Brogan had carried in and deposited in the foyer.
Though he tried to hide it, he was tense. Whatever he had to tell her, it couldn’t be that bad. Could it?
“That was the best fried chicken I’ve ever had.”
Pixie was pleased with how well the dinner had turned out, even though the day had been so wild. “I’m still a fairly new cook, but I’m learning.”
“Marlow is teaching you?”
“Ha! She doesn’t cook. Honestly, Marlow can do anything she sets her mind to—and yes, that’s hero worship.
Wait until you meet her, and then you’ll see.
But mostly it’s Cort who’s been teaching me, as well as Gloria and Bobbi.
They’re siblings, and they crack me up, especially when they start bickering with their brother, Wade.
They’re all older now, but still carry on like they’re kids. ”
“I was never around any siblings. Do they … What did you call it? Bicker?”
She grinned as she dried the last dish Brogan handed to her. “I wasn’t around siblings, either, but Gloria, Bobbi, and Wade swear they went at each other daily. Wade claims it was mostly the girls ganging up on him.”
Brogan smiled. “Might have been fun, don’t you think?”
“What?” He gave all his attention to arranging the dishrag over the middle of the sink. “Having a brother or sister.”
“Maybe. I have Marlow now, and she’s like a big sister. As an adult woman, I think it’s pretty awesome to have someone that close.”
“Imagine if you’d grown up with her.” His pale gaze settled on her. “Don’t you think it would have been … less lonely?”
Pixie put the dish into the cabinet. “I can’t have any more children.” There, she’d said it—even though it hurt. She felt Brogan freeze beside her. “I told you, when I had Andy, there were complications. Well, they led to a hysterectomy.”
“I didn’t know that.”
She shook her head. “It’s fine. I’ve accepted it.” For the most part. Crossing her arms and looking up at him, she stated, “Any man hoping to have a kid of his own should steer clear of me.”
The intensity of his gaze ramped up, and then his mouth softened.
He reached her in one big step, but only to take her wrists and bring her arms down to her sides.
“Don’t be defensive, Pixie. Men will want to be with you because you’re beautiful, not because you’re a baby maker—even though you did make a damn perfect kid. ”
They both glanced toward Andy. He was on his stomach showing toys to Shayna again and jabbering away. She’d rolled to her back and was busy playing with her toes.
“He really is perfect,” she agreed. “Even with his silly hair that won’t lie down.”
Brogan grinned. “Cowlicks, I think they’re called. Shayna has one at her crown that makes her hair swirl in that spot.”
“Dylan had one,” she said, before she thought better of it. “He hated it and paid a fortune at salons to have his hair styled in a way so it wouldn’t show.”
“You’re joking.”
“Every time he passed a mirror, he checked it.”
Stepping away and again rubbing the back of his neck, a sure sign of frustration, Brogan asked, “How’s your schedule looking?”
“What do you mean?”
“Now, the rest of the evening. I know you have your bedtime routine.”
“If you want to talk, this is a good time. The kitchen is done, the kids are playing.” And she was desperate to know what was so important, what he thought might piss her off.
“You want to sit on the couch? We can keep the kids in sight that way.”
“Sure.” Anxious, Pixie led the way. Brogan got the portfolio and dug out several packets of paper, which he set on the coffee table.
“That’s a lot of documents.”
He picked up one. “This is the guardianship paperwork. Or rather a copy of it. I left all the original paperwork with Connie’s friend Erin. It’s at her law office, under lock and key.”
“Because you knew Ruthie would be a problem?”
“I didn’t have a doubt.” He gave Pixie time to scan the document before exchanging it with another. “That’s the life insurance policy.”
She whistled. “That’s a lot of money.”
“Connie wanted to make sure Shayna would have the care she needed. It’s why Ruth is dogging me. She wants Shayna, but not because she loves her as a grandmother should. It’s because the guardian gets a payout.”
Anger rushed through her bloodstream. “It’s made out to the baby’s guardian. And that’s you.”
He nodded. “And if not me, Erin was next in line. Nowhere is Ruth listed. Connie makes it clear in her instructions that Ruth and Brian should have nothing.”
“But convincing Ruthie of that won’t be easy.”
He held on to a stack of typed notes. “She and Brian moved into Connie’s house shortly after Connie died. They claimed it was to keep from uprooting Shayna, but an infant so young wouldn’t have noticed. Missing her mother, missing love and attention—that was the big issue.”
The reminder sent her gaze back to the baby. Andy was looming over her, dimples in his cheeks as he grinned down at her. “Andy, be very gentle.”
“My baby.”
She tried to smile, but her heart hurt. “Yes, she can be your baby.”
He sat back with a laugh when Shayna flailed her arms.
“It crushes me,” Pixie whispered, losing the battle to keep her emotions in check. “I think of that baby crying all alone …” Her lips trembled. “I don’t know how you can bear it.”
“Sometimes I can’t.” Suddenly, Brogan hugged her, up against him.
Glad of the comfort, Pixie tucked her face to his chest, warm and firm beneath his cotton T-shirt.
She breathed in his scent, but ignored the stirring it caused.
“It’s not my place, really. But I’m so grateful for you.
Too many children don’t get the care they need, but I know Shayna will—because of you. ”
Held so close to Brogan, she couldn’t see his face, but she felt the brief kiss he brushed over her temple. Honestly, she never wanted to move.
“Unfortunately,” he murmured, “I have more to tell you.”
“That’s right. I’m supposed to be po’d, right?”
“Po’d,” he repeated with a grin. “Is that your reminder that I shouldn’t curse?”
“Well, you shouldn’t.”
“I’ll try my best to curb the tendency.” His smile dimmed as he released her and sat back. “Now the hard part.”
It seemed to Pixie that all of it had been hard, Brogan’s entire life, from being an unwanted child, to becoming a Navy SEAL, and now the role of single parent that he’d taken on while having to battle his stepmother. “I’ve yet to see the easy part.”
“Loving Shayna. That’s been easy.”
See? He always had the right answer. How could she be indifferent to him? She couldn’t, and she should probably admit that to herself, because every moment with him made her think of moments that hadn’t yet happened. Tomorrows that weren’t guaranteed. Weeks and months that she wanted.
“I’m sure it has.” Again, Pixie looked at the kids.
Andy was trying to sit a stuffed lamb on Shayna’s belly, but it kept falling off, and each time he’d say, “Oh, oh, oh.” And try again.
Shayna gurgled a laugh, followed by a coo, and that kept Andy trying.
Out of the blue, he leaned down and kissed her.
This time, Andy spoke quietly, saying, “My baby,” in a near whisper.
A giant swell of emotion threatened to consume her. Desperately needing a diversion, she turned to Brogan and confirmed that he’d seen it, too.
“It felt like I was the only one who loved her.” He kept his gaze on the kids. “Erin cares, but she’s a busy lawyer and not real in tune with kids.”
“Plus, she was still grieving over losing Connie. You said they were close.”
Nodding, Brogan drew a strained breath. “I want you to read this.” Again, he tapped the papers. “But first I have to tell you something.”
She covered his hand with her own. “Whatever it is, it’ll be fine.” Pixie believed that with all her heart.
He huffed out a rueful laugh. “Pixie …” His jaw worked, and finally he said, “Andy and Shayna are related.”
Her lungs seized up, making her gasp, and her heart missed a few beats. Pixie didn’t move. “I don’t know what you mean.” She heard the words, but they didn’t make sense. Slowly, she pulled her hand away.
Those stormy gray eyes, now filled with anguish, stared at her.
She got the sense that he was facing this moment just as he’d had to face everything else in life. With resolve and a determination to handle whatever consequences came his way.
“The kids share a father.”
The urge to comfort him was there, but certain truths couldn’t be denied. “Andy’s father is dead.”
He didn’t look away. Didn’t even blink. “Shayna’s too.”
Now her heart raced, so fast that it made her lightheaded. “But …” Math was not her strong suit. “Dylan died last year.”
“Not long after he’d gotten Connie pregnant.”
Dylan had cheated on Marlow with her. Had he also cheated on her with Connie?
Or had their relationship begun after she’d discovered he was married and broke things off?
Either way, she felt more annoyed than hurt.
She’d long ago given up the idea that Dylan had been “hers” in any way.
That particular fantasy had been nothing more than an immature illusion.
Brogan valiantly held her gaze. “I wanted to tell you sooner, Pixie, but—”
“You didn’t!” and that hurt. The realization that Brogan had kept something so important from her proved that she’d done it again. She’d built up absurd expectations, with no basis in reality, about a man. “You never really trusted me, did you?”
He didn’t avoid her anger. Of course he wouldn’t.
Damn it, she didn’t want him to be stoic right now because that robbed her of the opportunity to unleash her annoyance.
Probably a good thing, really, with the kids right there.
“I wanted you to get to know Shayna, and I wanted to get to know you. Everything I found out about you told me that you were a good person, a terrific mother.”