Page 83 of Family Bonds: Alana & Brennan
“I’d like you to,” he said.
“I’ve never been like that before. The need and the desire to do what I did and then what I feel when we were together. I don’t know if it’s the daily teasing and seeing you here or the anticipation over the fact that it’d been so long for me. Maybe even the nervousness of you being the first after Jonathan.”
He closed one eye at her. “I don’t know if I like being compared.”
She’d put her foot in her mouth. “I’m not doing that. Don’t think it. I’m just spewing words out like an open fire hydrant.”
“I understand what you’re saying,” he said. “I like to think I’ve got a healthy sex life when I’m in a relationship, but they’ve been few and far between. I’ve always worried about Becca and what role she plays in it.”
“Have you introduced Becca to any woman you’ve dated?” She wasn’t sure why that just occurred to her.
“I have not,” he said.
“Oh.” She wasn’t sure how she was supposed to reply to that. Guess she shouldn’t be so hurt then, considering her extensive time with Becca.
He laughed. “You should see your shocked face. You’ve been different from the start. I’m not sure I can put my finger on any of it other than it’s working out perfectly in my mind. We’ll figure out how to explain our relationship to my daughter at some point, but I want you in her life. I want her to know you’re there as more than her friend, but I don’t know how to go about it either. Maybe we can figure it out together.”
“Awww,” she said, knowing she had some sappy expression on her face. “I want to be in both of your lives.”
“Good. My mother would like to meet you too, but no timeline on it. She’s in the area where your parents aren’t.”
“I’m starting to hear noises so people are coming in,” she said, looking at the clock in her office. It was seven thirty. It was probably Kelsey since it was loud enough. She knew her cousin, and Kelsey would be banging things around to let them know they weren’t alone.
He stood up. “We can finish this later. I’m sorry I won’t be around much this week.”
“Don’t worry about it,” she said. “You had plans before I came into your life and now my parents are here.”
“I’ll call you tonight so we can talk about those holiday plans. I have nothing going on tomorrow, it’s just the two of us. Christmas Day is with my mother.”
“I’ll let you know what I’m doing,” she said. Her brother was coming tomorrow and she didn’t know if she could sneak out or not to visit with Brennan and Becca, but she was going to damn well try.
25
SOMEONE SPECIAL TO HIM
“Alana,” Becca yelled and charged his girlfriend at the door the next morning.
After troubled thoughts and frantic conversations, Brennan asked Alana to come over before Becca’s nap on Christmas Eve day.
He desperately wanted to tell his daughter that Alana was more than her friend, that she was someone special to him also.
But how do you say that to a three-year-old who was more focused on a chubby, white bearded man bearing gifts that was going to arrive in their house with no chimney access?
He was creative. Santa had magical powers and could walk through walls where a chimney should be.
Becca bought that and he was going with it.
“Hi, Becca,” Alana said, putting a bag down and lifting his daughter.
He saw a few gifts in there and was thrilled he’d done the same thing for Alana. One from him and one from Becca.
Not that he knew whether there was anything in that bag of loot for him, but he didn’t care.
“Santa is coming later. I’ve got to be good for just one more day.”
His jaw hit the floor. “Not just one more day. All year long. It’s cumulative.”
Becca’s little blue eyes crinkled at the sides. Probably not the best word to use. “What does that mean?” his daughter asked.
