“Take care, young man with your temper. You’ve been with four foster families. In each home you were destructive and violent. That is not a good path to be walking down.”
“I don’t care,” Mac snarled. “I hated them all. All I want is Callie.”
“Callie? Your sister?”
“Yes,” he said in a muffled voice. Sometimes all he wanted to do was cry. He had lost Callie the day they had been rescued from their home. And nobody would tell him where she was or how she was doing. Didn’t they know it was killing him? It was his job to protect her from harm. It always had been. But how could he protect her when he didn’t even know where she was or how to find her?
“Mac. I know you’ve had a tough time of it. Between the abuse you suffered at home and being moved around from foster home to foster home—it’s no small wonder you’re angry and defiant and lashing out at everyone.”
“You don’t know. Nobody knows. Except Callie.”
“So, Callie was a friend to you during all the bad times. She must have been a lifeline during unbearable times of sadness and stress.”
“My best friend,” he spit out. “My little sister.”
Mrs. Worther sighed. “Mac. I’m confused about your sister. Where would she be?”
“I don’t know!” Mac cried. “I haven’t seen her since the day we called for help. She was taken in a separate car and I haven’t seen her…not even once.”
She flipped through some papers. Then she swung her gaze toward him. “You’ve been in a lot of trouble these past six months.”
“Yeah, so,” Mac mumbled. He crossed his arms across his chest and stuck his lip out.
“I know it must have been a shock to hear about your mother and step-father,” Mrs. Worther said in a low voice. “Finding out that they died—.”
“You mean that my stepfather killed my mother and then himself?” Mac interrupted. He bowed his head down. A long time ago, well before Frank had entered their lives, his mother had been a good Mom. Sweet. Loving. But that had all changed when Frank had entered the picture. He had been abusive and cruel. And she had allowed him to do whatever he wanted to her children. And he had always known that one day Frank would do something terrible.
“I’m sorry, Mac. That’s a terrible thing for you to have to try and understand.” Mrs. Worther’s eyes looked misty.
Mac hated when people cried, especially girls. It made him uncomfortable. And he hated feeling as if there was nothing he could do to stem the tide of tears.
Mrs. Worther splayed her hands on the table. “Here’s the deal. There’s a family. A very special, loving family who might be an excellent fit for you. They live in Cape Cod and they have other boys they have taken in from the system. Problem is, I’m not sure you’re a good fit for them.”
“Why not?”
“Because of what this file says. Anger issues. Fights. Sullen behavior. Mistrustful.”
Mac crossed his arms over his chest. What could he say? It was the truth.
“Maggie and Alec Donahue are the best of the best. Trust me, Mac. If you’re going to a foster home, this is the one you want to be in. They are loving, warm, decent and kind. And they live right near the beach in Cape Cod where you can smell the ocean, fly kites on the beach and go crabbing any day of the week in summertime.” She lowered her tone. “And guess what? They really love children. They have a house full of boys.”
Was Mrs. Worther telling the truth? If she was, this Donahue family sounded amazing. Almost too good to be true. But wasn’t that what he needed? Perhaps this Donahue family could help him find out what had happened to Callie?
“If you promise to put your best foot forward, I’ll make the call and you’ll be sent to live with the Donahues. But you have to make a solemn vow, Mac. With so many other children in the house I just can’t allow for disruptions or foul tempers.” Mrs. Worther peered down at him from behind her glasses.
“I promise to try my best,” Mac vowed. “That’s all anyone can ever do.”
Mrs. Worther chuckled. “That’s right, Mac. That’s all one can ever do. I hope you find nothing but bliss with your new family.”
His new family. The words sounded odd to his ears. He was going to Cape Cod to live with the Donahue family. And he would have foster brothers according to Mrs. Worther. The best part was that his new foster family might be able to help him find Callie. If they were as good and honest as Mrs. Worther said they would want to reunite him with his sister.
Bliss! He wasn’t looking for that. His heart was set on coming face to face with his little sister, the only person he truly loved in this entire world. Until that time he would just be counting the days until they were together again.
“You never know when wonderful is going to come your way. That’s the beauty of falling in love. It sneaks up on you. Then, before you know it, you’re a goner.”
Ryder Donahue
Chapter One
Nothing in the world kicked off summer better than a Donahue family barbecue. Ever since he could remember it had been a Donahue family tradition. Mac inhaled deeply, allowing the scent of succulent ribs to assault his senses. He had to hand it to his brother Brandon. Even though he was a self-made millionaire many times over, he could roll up his sleeves any day of the week and throw down at the grill. There was so much food here today. Chicken. Corn on the cob. Baked beans. Watermelon. His mother’s amazing potato salad. Mac rubbed his stomach as he realized that his eyes had been much bigger than his stomach. As a man who loved to eat, he knew he had indulged way too much. Going back for the third helping hadn’t been wise. His stomach was practically groaning with all the food he’d shoveled down.
“Good huh?” Brandon asked with a nod of his head as he came to sit down next to him at the large picnic table.
“It was amazing,” Mac said. “Fall off the bone amazing.”
Brandon’s wife, Rose, winked at Mac. “You know that I married him for his cooking, right?”
Mac laughed even though he knew Rose had fallen head over heels in love with Brandon and that they had married for love and love alone. Rose Maddock had been Brandon’s long-standing secretary when business had suddenly turned to pleasure after his brother had relocated his company to their hometown of Breeze Point, Cape Cod. Thankfully, after his father’s stroke, all of his brothers who hadn’t been living locally had moved back home in order to support Alec Donahue’s recovery. So now they all resided in their Cape Cod hometown—Blue, Ryder, Remy, Nick, Wyatt, Brandon. And himself.
He’d never expressed his feelings on the subject, but having the whole family back together again meant the world to him. It was the closest to whole he had ever been in his entire life. There was only one thing that might make his soul complete. Callie. He needed to get closure on something that had plagued him for almost two decades. What had happened to his birth sister?
Where was Callie? And how on earth was he going to track down someone that the world had tried to convince him didn’t exist? Ever since he had been separated from his sister, he’d been told she was a figment of his imagination. It wasn’t his adoptive parents’ fault. All the files from the foster care agency had indicated he was an only child. All records pertaining to Callie Monahan had been extinguished from the foster care agency. And now, his attempts to locate Mrs. Worther at the agency in Boston had turned up dead ends. She might have been able to help him get some answers, but with a phone number in New Hampshire that had been disconnected, he worried that he might never find her.
All of a sudden Mac felt crowded in. There were too many people in the backyard. And way too much noise. He felt like grabbing a pair of headphones from his truck and putting them on. There was no way in the world he would ever do it though. His family would never let him live it down. His mother might even march right over to him and snatch them off his head. The image played out in his head, causing him to laugh out loud. Despite her ongoing struggle with vascular dementia, Maggie Donahue was a force of nature.
Mac Donahue liked peace and quiet. Conversely, he hated mayhem and madness. And he avoided it like the plague. That tended to be somewhat of a problem when you were one of seven brothers. It tended to be awkward when you were part of the large, bustling Donahue clan. There was so much noise and laughter and interaction. There was always a buzz of activity. He was the only one who ever seemed to want peace and quiet. They actually enjoyed their pandemonium. They seemed to thrive on it. He’d managed to deal with it over the years because he loved his family more than life itself. Without them, he wouldn’t be alive today. If it came down to it, he would take a bullet for each and every one of them. But he wished they would be a little bit quieter.
Some days his desire to go inward was stronger than others. Today was that sort of day. Perhaps it was because there were guests here today. Friends of the family. All he wanted was a quiet place to think.
He let out a relieved sigh as he let himself in through the screened in porch door that led from outside to his parents’ kitchen. Phew. A moment of quiet amidst the storm. Escaping from the backyard party had required more finesse than he’d ever imagined. Brandon’s son, AJ, had been trailing after him all afternoon, and although he was an amazing kid, Mac wanted to be alone. So he could think straight. So he could figure out how he was going to proceed with tracking down Mrs. Worther, the guardian angel at the foster care agency who had placed all the Donahue boys with their adoptive parents.
The creak of the porch door opening caused him to heave a different kind of sigh. A quick glance confirmed that his older brother, Blue, had entered the kitchen with his newborn baby, Faith. Mac couldn’t even be annoyed. Not really. Baby Faith was just about the most adorable thing he’d ever seen in his life. She fascinated him with her daintiness and innocence.
“So, Mac, I wanted to talk to you about something.” Blue was cradling Faith against his chest. She was making little mewling sounds that were increasing in intensity. They were not happy noises.
Mac narrowed his gaze at his older brother. Blue was getting to be a bit predictable. He’d been trying to set him up on dates for the last few months. He’d gone on a few and they’d all been duds. A few minutes ago he’d seen Blue and Sarah in the backyard with their heads together. No doubt they had been plotting and planning his romantic future.
Did they really think he minded being the only single Donahue brother? The thought made him want to laugh out loud. He was way more comfortable flying solo than he could ever be if he was joined at the hip with a girlfriend.
Blue began wildly bouncing Faith in his arms.
“You’re doing it wrong. Give her to me,” Mac ordered.
“I got it,” Blue said stubbornly.
“Watch and learn,” Mac said as he gently scooped up Faith into his arms and began to rock from side to side. She immediately quieted down. Blue shook his head in disbelief.
“How are you so good at that?”
Mac shrugged. “I’m the baby whisperer,” he teased, earning a grin from his brother.
“So, no pressure, but there’s someone we want you to take out.” Blue’s tone was casual. His hands were jammed in his front pockets.
“I don’t want to be set up.” Not again! He wanted to say. Why did all of his brothers try to set him up with their single female acquaintances? Did he reek of desperation?
“Hey, I hear you. Blind dates are awkward. But Sarah and I were thinking that you might change your mind if it’s actually someone you know.”
Mac raised an eyebrow at his brother. “Who is she?”
“Delilah. Sarah’s sister.”
“No,” Mac said in a curt voice that brooked no argument.
Blue frowned. Mac could spot the look of annoyance on his face from a mile away. “Why not? She’s beautiful. Smart. Sweet.”
“And your sister-in-law. That’s way too close for comfort.”
“Don’t be so intractable!” Blue seethed. “Delilah is amazing.”
“She’s such a lovely girl,” Maggie trilled. “Just like Sarah.”
Mac whirled around to find his mother standing in the doorway leading to the hallway, a thrilled grin lighting up her face. “The two of you would look so nice together. Just think of the babies.”
He let out a groan. “Mom, come on. Not you too!”
Maggie crossed her hands in front of her. “We just want to see you settled.”
“How many ways can I say this? I do not want to go out on a date with Delilah Dalton. Not now. Not tomorrow. Not ever.”
Another sound caused him to whirl in the direction of the screened-in porch door. His sister-in-law, Sarah, stood there with her sister, Delilah, their hands loaded with dirty plates and serving bowls. Judging by the looks on their faces, they’d both overheard him.
Sarah frowned at him, her pretty features appearing harsh as she glared at him. He wasn’t sure if he was imagining it or not, but he almost thought he spotted tears shimmering in Delilah’s eyes. He watched as Delilah placed the dishes in the sink and made a fast path out of the house. Sarah placed her dishes on the kitchen table with a bang.
His sister-in-law took a step toward him and jabbed him in his chest with her finger. “Nice, Mac. Really really nice.” She took off after her sister.
Blue shook his head at him. “Thanks, Mac, for creating the most awkward situation ever,” he said in a low voice.
It made him feel awful to think that he might have really hurt Delilah’s feelings. She seemed like a warm, down to earth person. He’d just gotten so irritated with his brother for trying to play matchmaker. Now that he was the only single Donahue, everyone in the family acted as if they couldn’t rest until he found his other half. And not a single one of them ever asked his opinion on the matter. If they had he would have told them that he didn’t believe in happily ever after. Not for himself anyway.
His mother walked over and patted him on the shoulder. “Mac, no one thinks you meant to hurt Delilah’s feelings, but you have to make things right with her.” Maggie scrunched up her face. “After all, that’s Sarah’s sister. She’s family.”
Family. He let out a sigh. He was living in a Donahue world where family ties meant everything. Without a doubt he knew his mother was right. Sarah was his sister-in law and he loved her very much. He cared deeply about what she thought of him. Sooner, rather than later, he needed to apologize to Delilah.
**
Delilah Dalton threw her keys down on the kitchen counter and heaved a tremendous sigh of relief. She was happy to be home in her small, bungalow style home. She hadn’t stopped for a moment in her quest to get as far away from the Donahue household as possible. Being embarrassed by Mac Donahue wasn’t even that surprising if she was being honest with herself. Humiliating yes. Surprising no. She was used to humiliation. She had known, or suspected for a while now, that her sister, Sarah, and brother-in-law, Blue, were trying to play matchmaker between her and Mac. It made sense. After all, Mac was the last of the single Donahues of Breeze Point, Cape Cod. The last of the good guys, she thought cynically. And, much to her chagrin, she was painfully single.
Most women in town acted as if the Donahue men were God’s gift to women. And due to Mac’s strong, silent vibe, there were many ladies who wanted to tear down his impenetrable wall. They acted like he was a big prize at the fair. Something they wanted to conquer.
He was good looking, she had to admit. Tall and rugged with a broad, muscular body that gave him the look of someone who might be a professional bodyguard, football player or a TSA guard. She could easily imagine him doing all of those things. With his gray eyes, brown hair and chiseled features, he was nice to look at. But his quiet nature threw her off a little bit. He seemed slightly anti-social, which didn’t fit the Donahue mold. There was something hiding behind those eyes of his that spoke of secrets.
A few times Sarah had hinted of Mac
’s sad past, but she hadn’t elaborated on the subject. Delilah knew better than to put her sister on the spot and ask probing questions. Now that she was part of the Donahue clan, Sarah was fiercely protective of all of them. Delilah understood. Her sister’s relationship with Blue was precious and sacred. They were wildly, madly in love. And they had worked hard for the life they had built for themselves. The path of their road to romance hadn’t been smooth.
Secretly, she craved the idea of being in love with someone. And to have that someone love her back would be amazing. No one—except maybe Sarah—knew how badly she craved a happily ever after. But as far as romantic possibilities were concerned, she was a big, fat failure. For some reason, she had the worst luck with men. Dumped. Cheated on. Lied to. One ex-boyfriend had even stolen her credit card information and charged thousands of dollars in her name. That had been the final straw. Facing him in a courtroom had been the last humiliation she was going to allow herself to go through in the pursuit of love. If God wanted her to be with a loving, honest man he would have steered her in the right direction. He would have pointed her toward someone who would uplift her, not tear her down. She wanted to be a mother and a wife. She yearned to care for a family and a husband. Why had God created these feelings inside her if she was never destined to love or be loved?
Hot tears splashed onto her cheeks. She let out a tortured groan. Loneliness ate at her every day of her life. Most times it came out of nowhere and seized her by the throat. And it wasn’t as if she didn’t have a full life filled with family, friends and her faith. Not to mention a very satisfying career in social services. But with everyone pairing up around her—Layla and Nick, Sarah and Blue—she was more convinced than ever that her destiny was to be alone.
And that knowledge felt like a kick in the gut. It burned. Her soul ached. She was tired of hoping and praying and waiting. When would it be her turn to find love? Was she destined to walk through this world alone?
When A Man Loves A Woman (Seven Brides Seven Brothers Book 7) Page 2