Chapter 10
GOOD SPORT
“Happy birthday,” Alana said the next day at her parents’ house in Boston when her brother, Kirk, walked in.
She’d gotten up and taken the first ferry over so she could celebrate her brother’s birthday with him but had been relaxing with her parents prior.
It’d taken some getting used to, having to travel back and forth and planning it more than just coming over for a weekend or returning home like in the past.
She’d spent a lot of weekends on the island with Jonathan and hoped that moving there wouldn’t bring up any terrible memories.
They could never relax as she wanted when they were there. Always going to the casino or out to eat. Trying to be around any Bond family members so Jonathan could act like a big shot that he wasn’t.
So many times she was embarrassed over his behavior that led to fights.
She’d stopped going to the island a few years ago, telling him that her parents or her brother might be in the house.
He never wanted to visit if that was the case, and though she hated lying, it was just a white lie in her mind to prevent discord.
“Thanks,” Kirk said. “I told Mom we didn’t have to do anything. I’m sure the ferry ride was a little rough today.”
“Not bad,” she said. “It’s been windier. I’m sure going back will be worse.”
“We’ll eat early so you can get on the two o’clock ferry,” her mother said, walking into the living room and wiping her hands on a towel. “I’ll have dinner ready by noon and cake after.”
She could get to the ferry in forty minutes from her parents’ house as long as traffic wasn’t horrible. Her parents were on the outside of the city some. She’d be home by three and could relax the rest of the day before work started tomorrow.
Before she saw Brennan again.
She couldn’t remember the last time she had so much fun with a man.
Sure, Becca was the one calling the shots, but he’d been such a good sport about it all.
How many men would get down on the floor and play dolls with their daughter, create dances, paint their nails, or apply makeup?
Not a lot that she knew of.
Her father always played with her, but never to the extent Brennan had.
Was he embarrassed about it? Yep, and he had no reason to be.
If it was possible for him to be any more attractive to her, it happened the moment he tossed a pink boa around his neck and swung one end with exaggerated flair, mirroring his daughter’s ridiculous dance moves without a hint of embarrassment.
“It’s fine,” she said. “Anything I can do to help? I hate sitting in here while you do it all.”
“You’re good,” her mother said. “You had a busy day yesterday.”
“What?”
No one knew what she did last night. She hadn’t said a word.
“The fire department and toy drive. I saw the picture online this morning.”
“Me too,” Kirk said. “I should have figured that was what you did in your free time.”
She pulled her phone out. “I didn’t know the picture was out already.”
After searching quickly, she found it. A picture of Becca on her toes handing over the toy, her hair lifted as if she was jumping, Brennan behind his daughter with a big smile on his face.
She put two fingers on her phone screen and zoomed in on Brennan’s face.
“I saw it before you got here,” her father said. “I showed your mom. Looks like there were a lot of donations.”
She put her phone away. She didn’t want to be caught staring at a man’s face.
His smile. The thoughts of his laughter while they prepared tacos together in the kitchen and Becca’s messy face while she was eating them.
She’d lost track of the games they played, the pictures they’d colored, and the dance moves. After dinner they had popcorn and watched a movie, then she left at seven.
Her plan had been to leave after dinner, but Becca was loath to let her go.
Pretty sad to think it was one of the best nights she’d had out in years.
With a three-year-old and her sexy father. Before Becca woke, she enjoyed talking with Brennan, but they barely touched on anything beyond her humiliating past relationship.
Why did she admit that? She didn’t have to go into so much detail, but there was a comfort level with him she couldn’t explain.
“There was,” she said. “Half of it was there prior that the fire department had collected. Next Saturday is another drive and then the following week they will get it all ready to hand out.”
“I’m sure you’ll be right in the middle of it,” her mother said. “What else have you been doing other than working in the food pantry one night a week?”
“I picked up clothing for the shelter earlier in the week when they called. You know I served Thanksgiving dinners this year too.”
“We missed you for that last weekend.”
“Sorry. When I saw the weather wouldn’t be that great, I didn’t want to get stuck and it was only the four of us.”
“You could have gone to Aunt Sophia’s for the day. You would have enjoyed playing with the kids.”
She thought of it, but then heard they needed volunteers to help serve those in the community that might not be able to afford a holiday dinner.
She’d finished by three and could have stopped over, but was too exhausted.
“I enjoyed helping this year.”
“Not to be a dick or anything,” Kirk said, “but are you going to hide behind being a do-gooder forever?”
“Just because it’s your birthday doesn’t give you the right to insult me.”
“I’m not,” Kirk said. “I’m waiting for you to get pissed off at you know who.”
“There is no reason to get pissed off. I went through my anger. It’s in the past.” She looked at her father sitting in his recliner staring at Kirk. “What?”
“You always do this,” her father said. “You don’t want anyone mad at you or to get anyone in trouble. What Jonathan did to you was inexcusable.”
“Dad’s pissed you didn’t let him take care of it,” Kirk said. “Me, I don’t give a crap about who gets mad at me.”
Her jaw dropped. It was the look in her brother’s eyes. “What did you do?”
“Had some words with him.”
Her brother always wanted to protect her, but she didn’t need it. “What did you say?”
“It doesn’t matter,” Kirk said. “I didn’t want him to think he could just go about his life as if he didn’t jerk you around for years.”
“Whatever your brother said couldn’t have been that bad because it didn’t get back to me,” her father said. “And you know it would have.”
“He can go live his life with his new girlfriend.”
“He’s not with her anymore,” her mother said.
“Oh. I did not know that.”
“Because you don’t ask or look,” Kirk said.
“I have no reason to. He’s gone from my mind.” She snapped her fingers. “I’m moving on.”
“By volunteering to serve food, and gather toys and clothes? What’s next, sitting with the elderly and playing cards?”
“That’s enough, Kirk,” her mother said. “Alana deals with things her way.”
“I do. If I’m happy, that is all anyone should care about.”
“But are you really?” her mother asked. “Not just with work. We know you are there. Even with all the extra you’re doing in the community. But I want my daughter to get out there and live her life. To try again.”
“I’m trying. I really am.”
She still wished on stars, blew on dandelion fluff and threw salt over her shoulder hoping for love.
She believed in second chances. To have the family of her own like the one she grew up in, she couldn’t give up finding that man.
She’d only taken a break in the last year.
But spending time with Brennan gave her hope.
“Does that mean you’re interested in someone?” her mother asked.
She looked down and pretended to tie her sneaker. “It’s complicated.”
“What does that mean?” her father asked.
“I honestly don’t know. Can we drop it? I’m not giving up. Be happy with that. I’ll move at my pace when the time is right.”
“Good enough for me,” her father said. “No more talk about it now.”
“Thanks, Dad,” she said, moving over to give him a kiss on the cheek.
He put his arm around her shoulder and pulled her in for a half hug. “What’s that for? I don’t know the last time you did this. It reminds me of when you were ten. I miss those days.”
Maybe being around Brennan and Becca had her missing those days too.