Page 118 of Family Bonds: Alana & Brennan
But he didn’t want to assume anything and just like Alana came over with cupcakes a month ago to ease the situation, he’d like to think he was having Becca do the same.
“Do you know Alana?” the woman asked.
“She’s my girlfriend,” he said. Probably louder than he meant to, but his daughter was yelling Alana’s name as she dashed over.
Alana lifted her head, a big smile on her face, and squatted down with her arms open.
He followed along right behind Becca.
“Isn’t this a pleasant surprise?” she said. “What are you doing here?”
“Daddy and I brought food.”
“I told you I was picking it up,” he said. He was looking at the guy that had helped Alana.
“But you didn’t say you were dropping it off today. I’m glad you did. Tim, this is Brennan and his daughter, Becca.”
“Nice to meet you,” he said, shaking the guy’s hand. She hadn’t added they were in a relationship though. “I’m Alana’s boyfriend.”
Tim laughed. “Good to know. Gus is my husband, he’s over there.” Tim waved his hand for the other man to come over and they were introduced to each other.
Brennan felt like an idiot when Tim smirked at him. As if he was caught with jealousy choking him.
Alana squinted her eyes. She’d caught on also.
Too damn bad. He didn’t think it was a horrible thing to let people know they were in a relationship.
She was the one that put it out there a month ago she was telling everyone.
He was just piggybacking on it.
And maybe Becca making the comment about Alana moving in with them triggered this. That he was struggling to open up with his feelings, but his daughter was falling now too and there was this worry they’d both get hurt when he saw her talking with Tim.
Alana moved aside with Becca so they could talk.
“What was that about?”
“What?” he asked.
“Throwing it out there you’re my boyfriend in that tone?”
He frowned. “What tone was that?”
“The one that said Tim should back off even though his husband is a few feet away?”
“I don’t see the big deal in letting people know we are in a relationship,” he said, angling his chin. “You did at work a month ago. It’s not a secret. Or is it one to you?”
She took a deep breath. “Hardly that and you know it. Do you not trust me?”
The last thing he wanted to do was to have this conversation with her in public or with his daughter around, but he started this mess and maybe should have waited until he had a shovel in his hand to dig himself out of it.
“Of course I trust you.”
“Your actions say otherwise,” she said, then turned her attention to Becca.
“Daddy and I are going to build a snowman when we get home.”
“You are?” she said. “I loved doing that as a child.”
