Page 5 of Family Bonds: Alana & Brennan
“I don’t remember.” Whenever his father was brought up, his chest constricted with loneliness. What he’d missed out on growing up.
What he desperately craved as an adult to make sure his daughter got.
“I’m sorry you don’t. Maybe I should have tried harder to talk about those memories.”
He didn’t want his mother to have any regrets. “You did a great job balancing it. I learned from the best.”
“You did,” his mother said. “Just like I’m hoping I learned from your poker lessons and don’t lose my shirt with the women tonight. Some of them are sneaky.”
“I can’t wait to hear all about it.” He looked at his watch. It was two and he was supposed to meet Celia at six. “I better call my date and let her know.”
“Good luck.”
He put his phone down and was scrolling through for Celia’s number when he heard a knock at the door.
“Hi, Alana.”
“Hey,” she said. “Sorry if I was eavesdropping some, but I was getting water and you were talking a little loud. Did you have your sitter fall through on you tonight?”
“I did,” he said.
He liked Alana. She was quiet, but not the timid kind—more the focused, no-nonsense type. She kept her head down, got thejob done without fuss, then moved on to whatever came next. If he had to sum her up in one word, it’d be efficient.
Always up front when asked something but considerate of others when answering.
When she wasn’t consumed by her work, they talked, had a few laughs, exchanged multiple smiles, and shared a bit of personal information.
His palms got a little sweaty, he smiled more when he saw her, and even tried to crack some off-track dad jokes to get her to laugh with him.
Her brown hair had a slight wave to it, her face clear and bright. Natural.
What he liked in a woman and nothing that Celia was going to be showing him tonight.
Alana had been a tough nut to crack beyond their working relationship and since she was related to Karen and Kelsey Raymond, he wasn’t about to bring out a hammer to break her open for a closer look. No matter how much he’d like to.
She saw him as a coworker, he was sure, and since he wasn’t positive of her relationship status, it was for the best.
“I could watch your daughter for you if you want,” Alana said.
“I can’t ask you to do that,” he said. Not how he thought this conversation would go.
She shrugged. “I love kids. I really do. My cousins have a lot of them and I’m always volunteering to babysit when they want a break. It’s not like I’ve got a lot going on tonight. But if you think it’d be awkward, that is fine.”
“Not awkward,” he said. Well, it sort of was.
Here was the woman he wouldn’t mind getting to know a touch more and she’d be watching his daughter while he was on a date with someone he had no interest in other than trying to be a nice guy.
Nice guys seemed to finish last in his life.
“Then I can do it. It’d be fun. I haven’t gotten my fix lately. Becca is three, right? It’s such a great age. And you’ve said she loves to color and read, and Disney movies.”
Jesus. He hadn’t thought he mentioned his daughter that much at work. Just the occasional offhand comment here and there. Yet Alana had remembered. Stuff even Becca’s own mother didn’t know.
“She loves them all.”
“Pizza too,” Alana said. “Only cheese.” Guess he talked about his daughter a lot. “I can grab one on the way. No pressure though. I only met her that once and she might be uncomfortable around me.”
His mother had dropped Becca off to him at work a few weeks ago on her way to an appointment.
