Her Very Own Family

by Gina Wilkins

  She had had every intention of visiting Kelly that evening. She’d expected to do so alone. “Surely you don’t want to go back to the hospital again this evening. For you, it must be like going back to the office after dinner.”

  He shrugged. “I practically live there, anyway. Besides, I have another patient I’d like to look in on this evening. A twelve-year-old boy whose arm was crushed in a farming accident yesterday. He isn’t doing very well. There’s a strong chance he’ll lose the arm.”

  “The poor boy. I hope you can save his arm.”

  “I’m doing my best,” Joe replied a bit grimly. “So, since I’m going to the hospital, anyway, and since you and I both have to eat, we might as well go together, don’t you think?”

  There were probably several reasons she should decline. Brynn simply couldn’t think of any at the moment. “I’ll need to change.”

  Joe nodded. “Take your time. I haven’t had a chance to sit down all day. I’ll just sit in here and catch up on the news while you change.”

  Proving he’d been in the guest house before, he crossed the living room, opened a cabinet door built into the bookcase unit that made up one wall and revealed the television stored inside. Brynn hadn’t known about that set herself, until she’d discovered it by accident only a short while earlier.

  It gave her a funny feeling to see Joe making himself so comfortable in her new home. Maybe because it felt a little too right to have him here.

  She turned and headed for the bedroom she’d chosen as her own, telling herself she would use the time while she changed to remind herself how foolish it was for her to start fantasizing about things that were never meant to be.

  Not being in the mood to share Brynn with a couple dozen family members, Joe didn’t even consider taking her to Vittorio’s. He chose, instead, a nice, anonymous chain restaurant where he knew he could get a fairly decent steak.

  He watched across the small, candlelit table as Brynn placed her order for grilled chicken. The smile she gave the young waiter made the kid’s Adam’s apple bob in his skinny throat.

  Funny thing was, Brynn seemed to have no idea just how attractive she was. Maybe it was because she’d had so many other things on her mind during the few days he’d known her—but he didn’t think so. She simply seemed to have no concept of what big, crystal-blue eyes, a delicately boned, heart-shaped face and a soft, vulnerable mouth could do to a man.

  He looked quickly down at the salad that had just been served to him and jabbed his fork into a carrot with more force than strictly necessary. “So you had plenty of help with your move?” he asked, reluctantly remembering how she’d looked perched so cheerfully on Shane Walker’s shoulders.

  Brynn chuckled. “Plenty. Your father barked orders, Tony argued with him about the best way to do everything, Shane and Jason roughhoused, while Jared quietly loaded all the boxes onto his truck.”

  Joe grinned. “I could have described that scene without even being there.”

  As though suddenly concerned that he might have misread her comments as criticisms, Brynn spoke quickly. “Actually, they were all a great deal of help. I appreciated everything they did for me.”

  “They’re a great bunch. Exhausting at times, but well-intentioned.”

  “They’re wonderful. I still can’t get over how lucky Kelly and I are that you and Michael were nearby when we had our accident.”

  Joe stuffed his mouth with salad to avoid having to come up with an answer to that.

  Brynn’s expression turned pensive, as it usually did when she spoke of the accident. “Joe... is there any chance Kelly could lose her leg?”

  She must be thinking about the boy he’d mentioned earlier. “We talked about this a little, Brynn, remember? There’s little chance that she could lose the leg. We’ve been treating her very aggressively against the infections that could cause that. As I’ve mentioned, I’m more concerned now with making sure her leg won’t be significantly shortened. If she continues to do as well as she has so far, I’ll take her back into surgery next week.”

  Expecting another question about Kelly, he was a bit surprised when Brynn took the conversation into a slightly different direction.

  “Have you always wanted to be a doctor?”

  “Not until my junior year of high school. Before that, I always assumed I’d go into law, like Mom and Michael, or follow Dad and Tony into the police academy.”

  “What made you change your mind?”

  “I broke my arm riding a friend’s motorcycle. Falling off a friend’s motorcycle, to be more precise. It was a pretty bad break, and it required an orthopedic surgeon’s care. By the time the bones had set, I knew I’d found what I wanted to do. I considered specializing in sports medicine for a while, but I really like the challenge and variety of what I do now.”

  “You must have worked very hard to get where you are. Surgery requires a lot of education, doesn’t it?”

  “Seems like I’ve been in school most of my life,” he admitted ruefully. “I’ve only been in practice on my own for a couple of years.”

  “It must have been difficult to remain so dedicated for such a long time.”

  He shrugged. “There was nothing else I wanted to do.”

  He was trying to think of something else to say, when a musically feminine voice spoke his name.

  “Joe D’Alessandro. Goodness, it seems like forever since I’ve seen you. Where’ve you been hiding yourself, hmm?”

  Joe looked up to find an attractive, auburn-haired woman standing beside his table, a touch of reproach in the polished smile she gave him. He almost squirmed, remembering that he’d promised to call her after their last date but never had. It wasn’t like him to be so ill-mannered. He didn’t suppose it would make her feel better if he admitted that she hadn’t even crossed his mind since the last time he’d seen her.

  “I’ve been busy,” he said, instead, knowing the lame excuse was little better than the truth. “Um, Brynn Larkin, this is Aubrey Carpenter. Dr. Aubrey Carpenter,” he added, remembering that such distinctions were important to Aubrey.

  Which was one of the reasons he hadn’t called her, most likely.

  Brynn murmured a response.

  Aubrey said something in return, then turned dismissively away from Brynn and back to Joe. “Call me?”

  “I, uh, I’ll probably be seeing you around,” he said instead.

  Her eyes darkened, but Aubrey’s chin stayed high. “Yes, of course. Goodbye, Joe.”

  She walked gracefully away, leaving him feeling somewhat below a slug on the natural food chain. Which really wasn’t fair, considering that he hadn’t been the one who’d tried to turn a couple of innocuous dinner dates into something a lot more meaningful.

  He glanced across the table again. Brynn was concentrating studiously on her dinner, her expression hidden from him. Joe cleared his throat and stabbed his fork into his steak.

  The visit with Kelly was short but pleasant. While Joe was gone, checking on his other patients, Brynn sat beside Kelly’s bed, making her laugh with anecdotes about the move and her enthusiastic helpers.

  “I can’t wait to meet them all,” Kelly murmured. “And to see your new place.”

  “Our new place,” Brynn corrected her. “Michelle and Tony said you’re welcome to stay there with me as long as you need to. There are two bedrooms, and plenty of room for the two of us. I start work tomorrow, and I’ll be busy during the days, but I’m off evenings and weekends unless Michelle and Tony need me to watch the children while they go out.”

  “So, basically, you’re an on-call nanny.”

  “Basically, yes,” Brynn agreed with a smile. “And I think it’s going to work out beautifully.”

  “I’m glad. Did I understand that you had dinner with Joe before coming here tonight?”

  Brynn tried to answer in the same light, casual tone with which she’d spoken of the others she’d spent time with that day. “Yes, we stopped by a restaurant on the way.
He was hungry.”

  “You’ve been spending a lot of time with him, haven’t you?”

  “No more than any of the others,” Brynn answered a bit too quickly. “He’s—they’ve all been very kind.”

  “Mmm. Seems like I’ve been picking up some vibes between the two of you. You suppose it’s the medication?”

  Frowning at her friend’s teasing, Brynn spoke firmly. “Either that or a seriously overactive imagination. There’s nothing going on between me and your doctor, Kelly.”

  “Maybe there could be, if you’d make a little effort for a change.”

  “Don’t be ridiculous.”

  Kelly hadn’t seen Aubrey Carpenter, Brynn thought glumly. Dr. Aubrey Carpenter, she corrected herself. Beautiful, sophisticated, glamorous, highly educated Dr. Aubrey Carpenter, who obviously had a history with Joe, unsatisfying as it had obviously been on her part. As far as Brynn was concerned, it couldn’t have been more clear how far out of Joe’s league she was, at least when it came to dating.

  Not that their quick dinner together had even resembled a date, she assured herself flatly.

  Kelly shifted in the bed, then grimaced.

  “Are you all right?”

  “Chill out, Brynn, I’m fine. Just really tired of this bed. I’d like to be starting my new life in Dallas, too—and lying in a hospital bed isn’t what I had in mind.”

  Brynn started to speak, but Kelly stopped her with a sigh and a shake of her head.

  “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to complain.”

  “God knows you have a right to,” Brynn assured her, her voice tremulous. “You say whatever you want to me, Kelly, okay? You don’t have to be strong and cheerful all the time. You can complain or curse or groan or whine with me, and I’ll never think less of you. Capisce?”

  Kelly’s frown turned to a giggle. “ ‘Capisce?’ Could be you’ve been hanging around Italians too long, Brynn.”

  “Could be,” Brynn answered, pleased that she’d drawn a smile from her friend. Even as she tried to return it, she couldn’t help wondering if there was a grain of truth in Kelly’s words.

  Joe insisted on walking Brynn to her door, even though she pointed out that the guest house was located on the D’Alessandros’ very secure estate. She wondered if he expected her to invite him in. And what, if anything, he expected after that.

  She turned to him at the door. “Thank you for dinner.”

  He nodded, making no move to step toward the threshold. “You’ll be comfortable here tonight?”

  “Yes, very. Tony showed me where all the security alarms are. I have no doubt that I’ll be safe here.”

  “If you need anything...”

  “There are any number of people I can call,” she assured him. “Your mother made a list of telephone numbers for me...everyone in your family and Michelle’s, I think.”

  “Is my number on the list?”

  “Yes.”

  “Good. Don’t hesitate to use it.”

  She couldn’t imagine why she would need to call Joe, but she nodded anyway. “Thank you.”

  “You’re probably tired. You should go on in and get some rest. I’ll talk to you later.”

  She nodded. “Good night, Joe.”

  As if by impulse, he reached out to touch her cheek with his fingertips. “Good night, Brynn. Sleep well.”

  And then he turned on one heel and walked away.

  Brynn closed herself inside her new home and stood for a moment in the living room, adjusting to the strangeness of her surroundings. And then she realized that she had her hand on her cheek, just over the spot where Joe had touched her. That fleeting touch had felt almost as intimate as a kiss, and had shaken her more than she wanted to admit.

  She couldn’t help wondering what it would have been like if Joe had kissed her.

  Chapter Seven

  The Friday-morning meeting with Michelle was conducted in a professional manner that Brynn appreciated. There was no hint of charity; Michelle was the one who needed assistance, and Brynn was in a position to fill that need. They were employer and new employee, polite, friendly but aware of each other’s boundaries. Brynn left that meeting even more reassured that she’d made the right decision, and she believed Michelle felt the same way. All in all, it was a very productive session.

  Brynn spent the weekend settling into her new quarters and getting acquainted with her charges. Officially, her job wouldn’t begin until Monday, but she wanted the children to be completely comfortable with her by the time she became responsible for their safety and behavior during her shifts.

  They spent Saturday afternoon playing in the beautiful backyard, which had been transformed into a children’s paradise. A big wooden jungle gym held swings, a slide, gymnastic rings, an airplane-shaped glider and a lookout tower with small round windows and a fireman’s pole. There was also a sandbox, a picnic table and a shaded lawn swing that seemed perfectly suited for a peaceful interlude with a good book.

  By the end of the afternoon, Brynn had gotten to know the children well enough to realize that they were very different individuals. Nine-year-old Jason was the quiet one, bright and introspective, even tempered and easygoing, but with a slightly mischievous sense of humor that Brynn found enchanting. Six-year-old Carly was the instigator, impulsive, inventive, stubborn and a bit temperamental, but irresistible when she turned on that D’Alessandro charm. Little Katie was a four-year-old heartbreaker, loving, demonstrative, curious, happy. Her musical giggle was so contagious that Brynn spent much of the afternoon laughing—something she hadn’t done enough lately.

  It was a thoroughly delightful day.

  Tony found them late that afternoon all snuggled together on the lawn swing. Jason and Carly sat on either side of Brynn, who held Katie in her lap while reading aloud from a book of animal stories.

  “This looks cozy.”

  Carly glanced up from the pictures in the book when her father spoke. “Hi, Daddy. Brynn’s reading to us. Sorry, there’s no room for you on the swing.”

  “That’s okay. I hear you’ve been out here all afternoon. Been having a good time?”

  Carly nodded enthusiastically. “We’ve been telling Brynn all about us.”

  Brynn smiled. “Nothing too personal,” she assured her employer. “I’ve been hearing about school and friends and soccer games and dance lessons.”

  Tony chuckled. “Your ears are probably tired. I’m sure you’re ready for a break. Go wash up, guys, we’re going to Paul and Teresa’s house for dinner.”

  “But I want to hear the end of the story,” Katie protested.

  Brynn carefully placed a bookmark between the pages. “We’ll finish it later,” she promised. “I won’t forget where we left off.”

  Jason climbed off the swing, then turned back to Brynn. “Are you coming with us tonight?”

  Michelle had invited Brynn to join them at Tony’s cousin’s house for dinner, but Brynn had politely declined. Now was the time to make it clear that she had a life of her own after working hours. Or, at least, she hoped to make a life of her own, eventually. “No, Jason. I have other plans for the evening.”

  “What are you going to do?” Katie wanted to know.

  “That,” her father said, lifting the child onto his hip, “is none of our business. Brynn, you’ll let us know if you need anything?”

  “Of course. Have a nice time, everyone. I’ll see you later, okay?”

  “’Bye, Brynn.”

  “’Bye, Carly.”

  “’Bye, Brynn. Don’t lose the book.”

  “I won’t lose the book, Katie.”

  Jason lingered a moment after his father headed toward the house with the girls. “You’re sure you’ll be okay by yourself?”

  Both touched and exasperated by his concern—another protective D’Alessandro male, she couldn’t help thinking—Brynn put his hand on his shoulder. “I’ll be fine, Jason. I’m a grown-up, remember?”

  He nodded. “Okay. Well...have fun.”<
br />
  “Thank you.” She couldn’t help smiling as she watched him hurry after his family. And then she walked toward the guest house, where she planned to shower and change for her own plans for the evening—a nice, long visit with Kelly at the hospital.

  It was probably because Joe wanted to see Brynn so badly that he carefully avoided her for several days. He needed to distance himself from her, decide what it was about her that kept her in his mind.

  By Wednesday, he still hadn’t pinned down the reason. He only knew he hadn’t stopped thinking about her for more than an hour or so at a time since he’d left her on her doorstep last Thursday evening.

  As he drove through the open gates of his brother’s home Wednesday evening, he told himself his reason for being there was simply to visit his family and make sure all was going well with Brynn as the new nanny. After all, he felt some measure of responsibility for her being there. He was the one who’d asked his friends and family to watch out for her during those first traumatic hours after the accident.

  Bull. He was here because he wanted to see Brynn, he acknowledged grimly as he parked in front of the main house. Even if it was only to find out whether nearly a week’s absence had changed anything about the unsettling way he’d always reacted to her.

  Though he was tempted to head straight for the guest house, something made him climb the steps to the main house, instead. Cowardice, most likely, he thought as he jabbed a finger at the doorbell.

  Michelle opened the door. “Hi, Joe,” she said, accustomed to her husband’s family’s drop-by visits.

  He kissed her cheek. “You’re looking good. How are you feeling?”

  “Almost back to normal. It feels so good to see my feet again.” Her smile was a bit rueful as she patted her shrinking stomach. “You look tired. Rough day?”

  He’d had to watch a twelve-year-old boy deal with the loss of an arm. There was nothing Joe hated worse than admitting defeat. “Long day,” he summed it up. “Is Tony home?”

  “He’s in the den. Come on in.”