“He’s in the dog house,” Wyatt muttered, trying to conceal his grin with his hand.
Layla coming to his defense made Brandon feel uncomfortable, given his role in the dissolution of her youthful romance with Nick. Did Layla have any idea that he’d been against Nick riding off into the sunset with her back in the day? It would be just like Nick to try to spare him any of the blame and not tell his wife.
Maybe he should buy her a puppy to make up for everything. Who didn’t like puppies?
“I’m going to go check on Rose and her son,” Brandon said, desperate to get as far away from Layla as possible. As if he didn’t feel guilty enough about the past, she was now sticking up for him against his brothers. If nothing else it proved what a wonderful woman she was to defend him. Nick was a blessed man to have a wife like Layla. Again, he felt a little hitch in his heart
Brandon walked toward the front of the bakery, standing off to the side to watch the kids as they stuffed their faces with treats. Brandon easily spotted AJ. He was a good looking kid who looked a lot like his Mama with his wide-set brown eyes and delicate features. The kid seemed to be having the time of his life, from what Brandon could see.
A loud crashing sound reverberated throughout the room as the front door of the bakery opened with a bang. “Ho Ho Ho!” a voice cried out as a jolly Santa Claus, decked out in red and white, came barreling through the door carrying a big sack of presents. The response from the kids was deafening as screams of joy and shouts of surprise went up in the bakery. Santa had barely stepped over the threshold before he was surrounded by the children. Everyone began to stream in from the back room in order to see what had raised such a ruckus.
As soon as he spotted Rose, Brandon waved her over to his side so she could get a good view of AJ, who was staring at Santa with a look of disbelief stamped on his face. All the kids were jumping up and down and shouting their Christmas wish lists at Santa.
He turned toward Rose, immediately noticing the tears shining in her eyes. “Are you okay?” he asked in a low voice, not wanting to draw any attention to her. He didn’t want her to become self-conscious.
She nodded. “I’m fine, Brandon. I just get emotional seeing life through AJ’s eyes. He’s over the moon right now. And I couldn’t be happier.”
“There’s something about Christmas that seems to touch everyone’s soul, isn’t there? I think it’s the one time of the year we all see life through a child’s eye.”
Brandon swung his gaze toward Santa, recognizing immediately the hazel eyes that looked out over the crowd past the tiny, round glasses. Every year the brothers took turns playing Santa Claus. This year it was Blue’s turn. One by one the children stood in line in order to tell him what they wanted most for Christmas, followed by Santa handing them a wrapped gift. Dolls, an X box, a bicycle, a pair of skates, a puppy. Brandon thought he’d heard it all until it was AJ’s turn to talk to jolly old Saint Nick.
“So, son. What’s your name?” Santa asked in a jovial tone.
“AJ. My real name is Anthony James, but everyone calls me AJ,” he explained.
“Great name. How old are you?”
“I’m six years old,” he said in a bold voice, seeming to stand up even taller as he announced his age.
“So, AJ, what’s at the top of your Christmas list this year?” Santa asked.
AJ shifted from one foot to the other, then cast a quick look in his mother’s direction. “Well, I want some Legos and a skate board…but there’s something I really want that might not fit under the Christmas tree.”
Santa let out a hearty chuckle. “That’s not a problem, AJ. Tell me about it.”
AJ let out a deep breath. “Here goes. More than anything, Santa, I want a daddy of my own for Christmas.”
**
A daddy of his own for Christmas? At first Rose thought she hadn’t heard her son correctly. But then a round of sighs and murmurs rose up in the bakery. Everyone was gazing at AJ as if butter wouldn’t melt in his mouth. “Isn’t he darling?” she heard someone whisper. “Oh, poor thing wants a father,” she heard another woman say. Although she ached for her son wanting something as normal as blue skies, she couldn’t help but feel put on the spot. She raised her hand to her throat as embarrassment slid through her. As hard as she’d tried to give her son everything he needed in this world to be happy, clearly she’d failed. There was a big hole inside of him that was aching to be filled up.
She watched through a haze of tears as Santa patted him on the back and said in a cheery voice, “Keep on believing, AJ. And praying. Dreams come true all the time.”
“Thanks, Santa,” AJ said as he accepted the brightly colored package Santa handed him. He ran back to the crowd of kids and began ripping the gift open as another child stepped up to talk with Santa.
“Guess I won’t be getting mother of the year any time soon,” she said in a low voice only meant for Brandon’s ears.
“Don’t feel badly,” Brandon said, turning towards her with an encouraging pat on the shoulder. “He’s just a kid. At that age they spit out everything they’re thinking.”
She looked over at Brandon, who met her gaze with a slight smile. “I know. I just feel like I’ve disappointed him.”
Brandon frowned, his dark brows knitted together. “Did you tell his father to stay out of his life?”
“No, of course not,” she bristled. “Never.” Matter of fact, for many years she’d prayed for him to be a presence in their son’s life. She’d cried herself to sleep for so many nights after Davis walked out on her, mere days before AJ took his first breath. But once she’d brought her son home from the hospital she’d vowed to cry no more tears for a man who wasn’t even man enough to see his child come into the world.
“Did he ever try to do anything over the years for AJ?” he pressed.
“Nothing. Not a single thing,” she said fiercely. Not a diaper. Not a birthday present. Nothing.”
“Then you’re not the one who has disappointed him,” Brandon said emphatically. “You’ve been both Mom and Dad for him for six years. Be proud of that, Rose.” He shrugged. “It’s very normal for AJ to want a father. When I was a kid and my birth parents broke up, every night when I went to bed I would pray to have my daddy come back.”
“He must have been a great Dad.” She could hear the wistful tone in her voice. She’d never had a father herself, so on every level she understood her son’s desire to have one even though it made her feel inadequate.
With a rueful expression, Brandon said, “No, actually he wasn’t. Neither of my parents were capable of being a parent. My childhood was a train wreck. That’s why I ended up in foster care, then adopted by the Donahues.” He took a shaky breath before continuing. “My point is, kids are always seeking acknowledgement of their existence. Perhaps AJ is looking to understand the bigger picture.”
“The bigger picture? What do you mean?”
“I don’t want to overstep, but have you ever had an honest talk to him about his father?” Brandon asked, his expression wary.
She bit her lip. All these years she’d been putting it off, telling herself that AJ was too young to be burdened down by his father’s failings. And now she had a six year old on her hands who was bursting with a desire to have a father in his life. She should have seen this coming from miles and miles away.
“Not exactly,” she admitted. “He’s asked about him, but I never had the heart to tell him that he chose not to be a part of his life. It would have crushed him.”
Brandon narrowed his gaze. “Well, with all due respect, you’re going to have to be honest with him. Maybe not today or tomorrow, but very soon.’
Rose knew that Brandon was right. AJ was pressing her all the time about his family tree and wanting to know if he looked like his dad or if he had other siblings. As a growing boy, it was only natural that he expressed curiosity about the connections in his life. Hadn’t she done it herself as a young girl?
“Heavy stuff,
” Brandon said with a sigh. “For what it’s worth, I think you’re doing an amazing job raising your son.”
Gratitude swelled inside her chest. It was a rare occasion when she received praise for the life she’d painstakingly built for AJ. There had been countless sacrifices along the way. Although she never expected pats on the back, it was always nice to know someone recognized her hard work as a single mother.
“Thanks, Brandon. That means a lot,” she said as their eyes met and held. She sucked in a slow breath as something pulsed in the air between them. Suddenly, it felt as if no one else in the large, bustling bakery even existed. Everything stilled and hushed around them.
“Mommy! Mommy! Look what Santa brought me.” AJ’s excited cry busted up the intimate moment. He was holding up a skateboard in his hands and barreling toward her. “Isn’t it cool?”
“It’s awesome!” she said, feeling grateful that AJ was having such a nice time at the party. She reached for his shoulders and gently turned him in Brandon’ direction. “AJ, do you remember my boss, Mr. Donahue?”
AJ craned his neck to look up at Brandon. He squinted at him. Ever so slightly, he nodded his head. Brandon got down on his haunches, making himself eye level with AJ.
“Hi, AJ. How ya doing? That’s an amazing skateboard you’ve got there.”
“It’s exactly the one I wanted,” he said, excitement oozing from his voice.
“Santa always comes through, doesn’t he?” Brandon asked, a smile gracing his rugged features.
“Not always,” AJ said, lips turning downward. She knew instinctively that AJ was thinking about the request he’d made from Santa and realizing it might not come to pass. Her insides did flip flops at the sight of him. Like most parents, she wanted to give her son the world wrapped up with a big, fancy bow.
Brandon darted a quick glance in her direction. He had a look of quiet desperation in his eyes. He was trying so hard to connect with AJ, yet he didn’t seem to know how to proceed. She nodded her head at him, trying to encourage him to forge ahead. Clearly, Brandon didn’t know too much about little kids and their moods.
Brandon turned back toward AJ. “Hey, I almost forgot. Do you like the Bay State Bombers?”
AJ’s expression turned on a dime. His eyes brightened and his lips curved upwards into a perfect smile. “I love them! They’re my favorite team!”
“Mine too. My brother Wyatt is on the team.”
AJ’s jaw dropped. “Wyatt? Wyatt Donahue. He’s your brother?” AJ asked, his tone full of awe.
“Yep. He’s my brother.” He pointed to his face. “Can’t you see the resemblance?”
AJ shook his head, clearly confused by Brandon’s statement. “You don’t look at all alike. He’s blonde and you have black hair. And he has white skin and you have brown skin. I look more like you than he does.”
Rose had to smile at the innocence radiating from her son. At six years old he was only reporting on what his eyes told him. He wasn’t making any judgments or harboring any biases. It was a beautiful thing as far as she was concerned.
Brandon threw back his head and roared with laughter. “You’re right, AJ. Wyatt and I are brothers. We were both adopted though, so we don’t come from the same birth families. Do you understand?”
“That’s so cool!” AJ said, his eyes flashing with enthusiasm.
“Yeah, it is pretty cool. There are seven brothers in all, each of us adopted into the Donahue clan.” He reached into his pocket and pulled out an envelope. He held it up for AJ to see. The words Bay State Bombers was stamped on the front. “I wanted to bring you a gift today, so I went out on a limb, figuring you might be a sports fan. These are tickets to one of their first games in Boston. Seats right near the dugout.”
“For me?” AJ squeaked.
“Just for you and three other people who might want to go with you. The game is not until spring, but it includes some VIP passes so you can meet the players afterward.”
“Oh, my gosh! Thank you, Mr. Donahue.” His voice was filled with wonder.
“AJ, can you do me a favor?” Brandon asked. “When you call me Mr. Donahue it makes me feel really old. I’d like it if you called me Brandon.”
AJ looked over at her, searching her face for permission. She nodded at her son, letting him know it was okay.
“Thanks, Brandon. Wait till I tell everyone!” he squealed. He took the envelope from Brandon and ran off in the direction of the other kids.
Rose shook her head with disbelief. Brandon had pulled out the big guns and managed to impress and delight her son. “Wow. You really didn’t have to go to such lengths to make AJ happy. You went way above and beyond. I hope you didn’t feel pressured by my comments the other day. This party in itself was enough to make him ecstatic.”
Brandon frowned at her. “Pressured? Absolutely not. Getting VIP tickets from Wyatt is pretty easy. And it was my pleasure, as well as his, to make it happen.” He shook his head and let out a laugh. “Did you see that look on his face? He was acting like it was Christmas, Fourth of July and Easter all rolled up in one.”
She blinked away tears. “I know. I love those moments, when it seems as if he couldn’t be happier. Thanks for making that happen for him.”
He rocked back on heels as an over-sized grin popped up on his face. “You’re very welcome. It’s funny though. Making him grin like that…I feel like I’m the one who got the big prize, not AJ.”
Brandon’s sweet words washed over her like a gentle summer breeze. At the moment mere words escaped her. She’d felt more joy at the Donahue’s holiday party than she’d ever imagined. And AJ was on cloud nine. Her crazy little idea about a family Christmas was coming together perfectly. She owed a debt of gratitude to Brandon, one she wasn’t sure she could ever repay.
With a wink in her direction Brandon asked, “So, what do you think he’s going to say when he realizes Wyatt is standing right over there at the treats table?”
“I think he might have just made that discovery,” she said, pointing at AJ, who was standing at the treats table staring at Wyatt with eyes that threatened to pop out of his head. Rose began to chuckle at the sight of him. Knowing AJ, he’d be talking about the events of today for weeks to come. Before she knew it, Brandon had joined in on the laughter. She didn’t know how she’d gotten to this light hearted place with her boss when only a week ago they’d barely had a conversation that didn’t revolve around his corporation.
Never in a million years had she ever dreamed they’d share a moment like this. She couldn’t help but wonder if Brandon was as blown away as she was.
“Sometimes when you least expect it, you have a connection with someone that comes straight out of the clear blue skies.” Sarah Dalton Donahue
Chapter Five
Once the place was emptied out, Brandon headed back to the kitchen for cleanup duty. He had to admit, the events of today had surprised him. Making the bargain with Rose had been strategic on his part. And a tad selfish, if he was being honest. Rose Maddock was an invaluable employee and he’d been desperate to keep her on staff at his corporation. Although he’d agree to Rose’s deal, he hadn’t expected to enjoy himself so much with her pint-sized son. Watching AJ’s face light up when he was talking to Santa left him feeling inspired and invigorated. His reaction to the baseball tickets had been priceless.
Seeing life through a child’s eyes was magical, he thought. Especially during the holidays. He spent so much of his time in boardrooms and on planes traveling all around the world that he often missed out on the little things that made the world go round. AJ reminded him of the part of himself that he’d left behind in childhood. The wide-eyed innocence. The unbridled enthusiasm. The yearning for things that were way out of his grasp. Revisiting it made him realize how much he missed those days of being a child and encouraged by his adoptive parents to reach for the stars.
As soon as he stepped into the kitchen, his father pulled him aside. One look at his face told Brandon everything he
needed to know. Pops was worried about him. He could tell by the throbbing vein in the middle of his forehead.
“How issss going?” Although his father’s speech had improved since the stroke, it still wasn’t perfect. With time and patience, Brandon knew all the pieces of the puzzle would fall back into place. He prayed on it every night.
“Great. I’m doing well. It was a fun day,” he said.
“Mom told me about T-T-T—” He screwed up his face in frustration.
“Thalia?” Brandon asked, half expecting the mentioning of her name to cause some sort of physical reaction inside him. Instead, all he felt was a big blank. Nothing. Just a sense of relief.
“She was not for you,” Alec said in a firm voice. “User.”
He put his hand on his father’s shoulder. “I know. I had to find out the hard way, Pops. And don’t you worry about me. My heart is intact. I never loved her.”
“I want y-you to love s-s-someone.” His father’s eyes appeared sad.
“Me too, Pops. Got anyone in mind?” he cracked, trying to lighten the mood. He didn’t want his father to worry about him. Not with everything he was going through with his recovery and Mom’s illness. He was a big boy.
“Rose is lovely,” he said with a grin. “I like her. S-She has heart. I can tell.”
Heart. It was a good word to associate with Rose. “Yes, she is extremely lovely,” he acknowledged. “But she works for me. I don’t mix business with my personal life. You know that.”
“H-Hogwash!” Alec spit out. “Life is s-short. If s-she’s the girl for you…go for it.”
“Hold up. I didn’t say she was the girl for me. She’s beautiful and kind and a fantastic mother. She’s also hard working and intelligent. Do you know she’s the only employee who actually—”
Brandon stopped talking mid-sentence. His father was staring at him with a semi smirk on his face. “Why are you looking at me like that?”
Alec leaned in toward him. “Because it s-sounds like you like her…you really truly like her.”
As his father walked away humming an upbeat tune, Brandon was left scratching his head. What was his father talking about? He’d only seen them together for a short period of time this afternoon. And there had been nothing romantic brewing between them. Had there? The kiss had been put firmly in the past, never to be repeated again. He wasn’t about to admit to his family that he’d kissed Rose. If he did, they’d never stop trying to match them up. And although he liked Rose, it would be too messy to start something romantic with her.
If Only In My Dreams (Seven Brides Seven Brothers Book 5) Page 6