Chapter 16 #2
She shifted around to see him. “I want to know about any jobs you check out, and how your father is doing.”
“Of course.”
Pixie drew a breath. “And I want sex.”
Those steely gray eyes of his smoldered. “Anytime.”
As long as he was so agreeable, she added, “I want sleepovers on the weekend.”
“Sleepovers?”
“Yes. I need a sleeping bag. We’ll camp out right here on the living-room floor.” If he could sleep on the floor, she could, too, especially if it meant being curled up with him. “I’ll leave Andy’s door ajar, and you’ll be able to hear Shayna.”
“And we’ll be together.” He did some tricky SEAL maneuver, and she was suddenly on her back with him over her. “I’ll get your sleeping bag for you.” Brushing his mouth over hers, he said, “I love you, Pixie. Always. Somehow I’m going to make this work.”
July rolled in with a heat wave that could melt the fish in the lake.
It reminded him of summers in northern Africa, but no longer in such a bad way.
The memory of the covert op that went wrong didn’t put his chest in a vise.
It would never be a comfortable memory, definitely not a happy one—but there were happy moments mixed in.
Goofy conversations with his brothers, bad jokes that made the rounds, pranks, and, occasionally, times when they’d truly been able to help innocent people.
Brogan figured it was all about balance. These days, the great memories far outweighed the bad, and he gathered more of them every time he was with Pixie.
They made that perfect little family unit he’d always considered unattainable, at least for him.
Not anymore.
Pixie was a greedy little thing, insisting on every second she could have with him, and God Almighty, he loved it so much.
Loved her so much. The nights when he slept alone at the lake house grew fewer and further between.
They’d fallen into such a natural rhythm together, it was honestly easier to stay at the cottage and sleep on the floor.
Pixie considered it an adventure, but that’s because she usually slept more on him than beside him.
He’d interviewed for several jobs, but there was one in particular that excited him. It was consulting for a security firm behind the scenes as an intelligence analyst. Best of all, he could usually work from home.
The money was decent, the benefits—added to his VA benefits and disability pay—would be more than enough, so he’d accepted.
That was another new experience: discussing decisions with someone who got excited for him. Pixie had been thrilled with his plans, and she’d promised that she could help out with Shayna on the days he needed to be away, just as he now helped with Andy when she put in extra hours.
Today he let Andy play in a kiddie pool in the yard while he dipped in Shayna’s toes. She happily kicked and squealed each time her feet touched the chilly water, and that kept Andy laughing.
He’d covered both kids in sunscreen and used a large beach umbrella to shade them. It was still broiling hot.
When his phone buzzed, he put Shayna on the big quilt in the shade and then sat in the lawn chair facing the pool so he could keep an eye on both of them.
He checked the screen and answered. “Hey, Erin.”
“Sorry to call, Brogan.”
Her tone told him it wouldn’t be great news. “Is it Brian?” His father hadn’t done much recovering. One complication after another, with an already-overtaxed system, had worked against him.
“I’m sorry, but he passed away.”
“When?”
“A few hours ago.”
Just then, Andy splashed toward Shayna. “Sorry, Erin, hang on one sec.” He set aside the phone and went to explain to Andy. “We gotta be easy, bud, remember? I’ll bring Shayna over to get her toes wet again as soon as I finish my call, okay?”
“My baby.”
He grinned despite himself. “Your baby sister doesn’t want water to hit her face, okay? It might make her cry.”
Immediately concerned, Andy turned to look at her. “No, no, no,” he said in a soft voice, shaking his finger at her.
Brogan kissed his head. “You are such a stellar big brother.” He offered his fist. With a grin, Andy brought up his own small fist to tap it.
Returning to the phone, he said to Erin, “Sorry. I’m watching the kids.”
“You’re … okay?”
“I am.” He was better than okay. “I’m sorry for Brian, but he was literally a stranger to me.” He thought to ask, “How’s Ruth taking it? Any idea?”
“That’s the other reason I’m calling. She’s gone. Took off. It’s been two weeks since anyone has seen or heard from her. The state will be burying your father, it seems.”
Damn. Ruth couldn’t even stick around for the funeral? “She hasn’t seen Brian at all?”
“The hospital had been trying to reach her, but her phone number was reassigned. She’s gone, Brogan.
I checked, but she’s taken all of her stuff from the house.
” Cautiously, she suggested, “Since you gave me power of attorney, I’d like to change the locks to make sure she doesn’t pop back up, then hire a crew to clean the house so we can put it on the market. You okay with that?”
Just then, Pixie pulled into the driveway. Seeing her, Andy quickly stepped out of the pool, ready for a mad dash toward the driveway. “Sorry,” Brogan said again to Erin as he dropped the phone to catch Andy before he got too far.
Shayna had wiggled enough that she was almost in the grass, so Brogan grabbed her, too, and then greeted Pixie with wiggling kids in his arms. Not a bad thing at all. In fact, these days he felt like the luckiest man alive.
“Hey,” Pixie said, already out of her car and hurrying to lend him a hand. Her shirt stuck to her chest and wisps of her hair clung to her temples.
“You look wilted, babe. Everything okay?”
“The air-conditioning in the shop died. There aren’t enough fans in Bramble to make a difference.
” She took Shayna from him. “Great idea on the pool, but Andy’s soaked, so he’s all yours.
” After saying that, she leaned forward to give her son a hug and a kiss, then went on tiptoe to kiss Brogan, too.
“Mmm, you smell good. I’m melting and you look delicious. ”
Yes, this. The kids, the yard, the fresh air—the woman he loved kissing him when she got home. Or when he got home.
Honestly, life couldn’t get any better.
“I’ve got Erin on a call. Mind taking over for just a minute?”
She set aside her purse. “Of course not.”
He put Andy back in the pool, then reminded him, “No splashing Mam, okay? She isn’t in her swimsuit.”
With an impish expression, Andy immediately splashed anyway. “Legs only, Andy! Legs only,” Pixie said while laughing; then she added, “Actually, that feels amazing.”
He returned to the phone. “Sorry again, Erin. You know how it is with little ones.”
“No,” she said, stretching out the word. “Actually, I don’t, but after hearing all that, I want to.”
“You’d love it,” he assured her. “They’re amazing.
Have I told you that Shayna is sitting up on her own now?
She’s even trying to crawl.” Two months had made a huge difference in her development.
Now she needed an actual baby bed, even when “camping out” with Pixie and Andy.
“I’m anxious to see what she’ll do next, and at the same time I don’t want her to change.
” The thought of her walking, possibly getting into mischief, scared him.
He laughed at himself. “Pixie told me that she’s always felt the same about Andy. ”
“Crawling,” Erin said in disbelief, and then with determination, she asked, “Do you think I could visit?” She rushed on, saying, “The last time I saw Shayna, she was basically still a newborn. It took me a little while to get over losing Connie. I was so used to seeing her here at the office, to shopping with her and sharing stories about my dates—especially the disappointing ones. My family is great, but Connie was like a sister, a best friend, and a confidant rolled into one.”
“I know,” Brogan said softly. “Connie included you in a lot of her notes. She loved you, too.” He realized he’d not only let down Connie, he’d been unfair to Erin. “I’m sorry that on top of grieving, you had to catch me up to speed, and then handle all the legalities, too.”
“No, that was my pleasure. Besides, I’m a person who always needs something to do.
If I hadn’t become obsessed with tracking you down and gaining your cooperation …
I don’t know, Brogan. I might have just fallen apart.
” She huffed out a sad laugh. “I know Shayna has changed a lot, and I’m intrigued by the idea of her brother. ”
Another amazing role model for Shayna? Count me in.
“A visit would be great. Pixie would love to meet you in person, and I guarantee the kids are worth the trip.” His lease on the lake house would be up after Labor Day weekend, but he hoped to have a permanent residence worked out by then.
Regardless, he’d always make room for Erin in Shayna’s life.
“You’re welcome to the area anytime. Unfortunately, neither house has a lot of room for overnight guests, and I don’t know if I’ll be settled in a new place by then. ”
With a smile in her voice, she said, “I’d be happy to get a room nearby.”
“Butler, the mayor, owns an inn. I can hook you up.”
“Listen to you, friends with the mayor.”
Brogan cracked a grin. “It’s not like that.
This town is so small I could jog from one end to the other without getting winded.
Everyone knows everyone.” He wasn’t an official part of Bramble, but he was accepted, even liked.
Before Pixie, he wouldn’t have welcomed such friendship. Now he relished it.
Hopefully, it’d work in his favor when he put forth his plans.
“Butler had a really outdated security system on the place. The building is old, and it’s only busy on the weekends, so he hadn’t bothered with it in years. I helped him update everything so it wouldn’t cost him too much. He’s been calling me ‘son’ ever since.”
Erin snickered. “I take it that’s an honor?”
“From Butler? Yes.”