Page 57 of The Forbidden Sitter
“Don’t be rough on him, Brianna.” Brooke gave her a pleading look as she pulled Braiden up to straighten up his clothes. “Please. I am beggingyou.”
“Rough?” Briannacackled.
It made me laugh too. “She’s harmless, Brooke. No need to worry about her,” I joked. “And that laugh tells me a bucket of water is all it would take to melt heranger.”
Brianna held her arm out in gesture to the door. “Shall we join the zoo that is our family,guys?”
Brooke nodded. “Yes, I have Braiden all fixed up. Ready to deal with themasses.”
With one step forward, my arm was taken, looped around Brianna’s, and off we were going. Brooke followed behind us, carrying myson.
I caught the sadness that flowed over Brooke’s face and quickly fixed the situation. “Oh, let me carry, Braiden.” I untangled my arm then turned to take Braiden out of Brooke’s arms. Kissing his cheek, I went on, “I might not get to hold my boy much these next couple days with so many who are wanting his attention. Let me have it while Ican.”
Brooke beamed with my actions as Brianna headed on out and down the stairs. Brooke’s smile was all I needed. I stopped at the top of the stairs before heading down to join herfamily.
Brooke stopped just behind me. “You okay,Gannon?”
I turned around to look at her. “Your eyes are darker blue, making them much prettier. Your nose has light freckles that dust the top of it that I love to brush my lips over. Her body doesn’t hold a candle to yours. Nobody’s could. And most of all, she isn’t you, Brooke.” I spoke just a bit above a whisper, as her family was really loud. “And I love you, baby. Justyou.”
She blushed. “I love youtoo.”
Chapter35
Brooke
Thanksgivingmorning was crazy as Mom, her sister, and her sister-in-law fought over every dang recipe for the afternoon meal. With all the chaos, Gannon was quick to make an offer no one refused. “How about I head out to grab a bunch of sausage and egg biscuits and some other stuff for breakfast?” He had to shout over the barking dogs, the television Uncle Bob had to listen to way too loud, and the bickering women in thekitchen.
We were in the living room, but somehow their bickering made it all the way out tous.
Hell, yas answered Gannon’s question, and before I knew it, he and Brad were headed out the door. And there I was, left with Braiden and kind of feeling a little leftout.
I wanted to go withGannon.
Brianna seemingly floated out of nowhere to my side. “Hey, baby sister. While they’re gathering sustenance, you and I can start putting together the tables on the back deck. Give Dad thebaby.”
The last thing I wanted to do was hand off Braiden. “No. I’ll take him with me. Grab a highchair out of the basement. I think mine is still downthere.”
“Are you nuts?” She shook her head and held out her arms for Braiden. He went right into them. Then she went to Dad, who was sitting in a comfy recliner. “Can you entertain the cutest kid in the world for a moment while Brooke and I put together the tables in the back so we can eat when the food getshere?”
“I sure can,” Dad said as he held out his hands. “You wanna watch the Thanksgiving parade with Papa, big boy?” By the way Braiden did a nose dive into his arms, I assumed he did want to dothat.
Brianna smiled at me as she looped her arm through mine and out we went to fix up the tables on the deck. The morning was still cool, so she lit the outdoor heaters on the deck and things began to become more comfortable rightaway.
“It’s so pretty out here.” I looked out over the sprawling vines of the winery that laid out behind our home. Living in Napa Valley, with its dizzying array of gorgeous landscapes, was like living in paradise. When you added in the temperate climate, you really had a little slice of Eden right there in your ownbackyard.
“Hey!” Brianna’s shout took me out of my little break before actually working. “Wanna wake up andhelp?”
We got to work setting up tables that we kept in a closet off the side of the deck made especially for these big occasions. Once we had the last table done and the last folding chair in place, we took seats. “Man, that’s a heck of a lot of work.” I stretched my legs out and looked up to stretch my neck too. And then a tall, handsome man walked into my view, looking down atme.
“Whatcha doing?” Gannon asked as he placed two handfuls of brown paper bags on the table next tome.
I regained my composure. “Taking a break after putting all this together. Dad hasBraiden.”
“Cool.” He jerked his head at the car that my brother had pulled all the way to the back. “Brad parked back here. I think he wants his Lambo to be this Thanksgiving’scenterpiece.”
Brianna got up to go get more bags out of the car. “Can you say showoff?”
We both laughed, and I caught him looking off, watching my sister walk away. I looked down. Maybe he was just playing me. Maybe he was still the man he’d always been. Maybe he hadn’t changed atall.
