Branndon Jr. (11 page)
Authors: Vanessa Devereaux
Chapter Thirteen
Susanne
knew she shouldn’t take it out on her new patient just because she missed
Branndon, but she was the most demanding and irritating lady Susanne had ever
come across. She’d become more errand-runner and housecleaner than nurse, and
this wasn’t what she intended to be.
Susanne
got up from her knees after washing the kitchen floor by hand. The client had
insisted that she not use a mop.
Maddie
had told her that they had a special after-school project this afternoon and
she’d drop April off so there was no need to collect her at the school bus. That
gave Susanne some time to try and find a new client.
****
“Brannon,”
said April, running toward him.
Maddie
had been a genius in coming up with the idea for him being able to get April on
her own without Susanne even knowing he was back in town.
“Hi,
sweet thing.’
He
sat her down as Maddie cleared away the games from the morning’s kindergarten.
“I
have to ask you something,” said Branndon.
“What?”
“I
need you to help me surprise your mom.”
“Like
birthday surprise?”
“Exactly,”
said Branndon. “I need you to ask her if you can go to the Candy Emporium?”
“I
go there if I’m good,” said April.
“And
I bet you have been. Do you think you can remember to ask her when she picks
you up?”
April
nodded.
“But
don’t tell her you’ve seen me, okay?”
April
shook her head.
“Are
we coming to live with you again?”
“I
hope so, sweet thing, I hope so.”
****
Susanne
pulled into the parking lot of the Candy Emporium. She didn’t like April eating
too much candy, but she’d pleaded her case so well, what mother could say no to
that cute little face looking up at her? Maddie had swung things in her favor
by saying April had been especially good all week. She grabbed her daughter’s
hand and went inside the store.
“I
want some of those,” said April pointing to the gummy bears.
“Could
we get the small size bag?” Susanne asked the store owner.
“Sure
thing, and I have a special order for you to pick up, too.”
“For
me?” asked Susanne.
“Yes,
a gentleman left it here.”
He
passed her a cellophane bag with what looked like candy rings. They would be the
last thing she’d eat, and the store owner must have her mixed up with someone
else. She was about to hand the bag back when she saw a real diamond ring
nestled in there, bearing a tag with her name. The bell sounded over the door
and next thing she knew Branndon was walking through it.
“It’s
your surprise, Mommy,” said April, tugging on her arm.
Branndon
took off his cowboy hat and went down on his knee in front of Susanne.
“In
that bag you’ll find my mother’s ring and I’d like to ask if you’d be my wife,
and if April would be my little girl.”
“Do
I get a pony?” she asked.
Branndon
and Susanne both burst out laughing at the same time.
“You
sure do,” said Branndon. “And what do you say, beautiful lady?”
She
pulled him up and kissed him. “Are you serious? I mean you really want a ready-
made family?”
“I
do,” said Branndon.
“What
about when you’re on the rodeo circuit?”
“I
rode in my last one two nights ago. I’m a rancher now and you’d be a rancher’s
wife.”
“I
like the sound of that,” said Susanne.
“That
a yes?”
“That
is most definitely a yes.”
“Let’s
get that ring out, put it on your finger, and then I can tell everyone I’m the
happiest man in the world,” said Branndon.
Chapter Fourteen
Jackson
couldn’t believe that his big brother was finally going to settle down. He
slapped him on the back as he, Jackson and Brody headed out of the bar where
they’d been for a drink to celebrate.
“Two
weddings coming up,” said Jackson. “Dad’s going to be over the moon.”
“You’re
next,” said Branndon.
“Never
in a million years. You hear that?”
“Hear
what?” asked Brody.
“Like
a whimpering sound,” said Jackson.
The
three men stopped walking and Jackson listened again.
“Shit,
it sounds like it’s coming from my truck,” he said.
“The
door’s not shut all the way,” said Brody. “You forgot to lock it, or someone
broken in there?”
“Fuck,”
said Jackson, running over to it. He knew he didn’t have much to steal from it,
just his spare cowboy hat and boots, but the thought of someone getting into
his vehicle made him madder than hell.
As
he got closer, the whimpering turned into crying. It was a baby. He opened the
door to see it sitting on the passenger seat in a baby carrier.
“Who
would dump a baby like this?” he asked when Branndon and Brody arrived by his
side.
“Some
sick, cruel person,” said Brody. “Cute little thing,” said Brody, lifting out
the carrier. “Judging by the clothing, it’s a boy.”
“Hey,
there’s a piece of paper pushed down the side by his jacket,” said Branndon,
pulling it out.
“I
think we should call the police or children’s services or whoever you call,”
said Jackson.
Branndon
pulled out the paper. “Hey big brother, either the baby has the same name as
you, or this is addressed to you,” he said, handing it to Jackson.
Jackson
took it and opened it up.
“It
can’t be…” He leaned against this truck.
“What’s wrong?” asked Brody.
“It
says he’s my son,” said Jackson.
“Congratulations,
pa,” said Branndon. “Wow is dad going to be over the moon or what. His first
grandchild at last.”
“This
can’t be true,” said Jackson. “How did this happen?”
“When
a man and woman love one another…”
Jackson
punched Branndon on the upper arm. “This is not funny and I couldn’t have
fathered this child because I wear a rubber every time.”
“They’re
not one hundred percent foolproof,” said Brody. “And the little guy does look a
lot like you.”
“Any
idea who his mother might be?” asked Branndon.
Jackson
looked at the baby screaming his head off. What was he, three months old? He
thought back a year ago trying to remember if he’d been seeing anyone. Nope,
last person he’d dated regularly at been two years ago, since then he’d just had
some quick relationships and just one very sexually-intense one-night stand
twelve months ago.
“Fuck,
he can’t be…”
“What?”
asked Branndon.
“I
just realized who the mother of this baby is.”
“Anyone
we know?” asked Branndon.
“Yeah,
Tori Monroe.”
“As
in one of the Monroes who hate us like the Hatfields hated the McCoys?” asked
Branndon.
Oh yeah, those
Monroes.
“Shit
Jackson, you’re a dead man,” said Branndon.
The
End
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Other Books by Vanessa Devereaux:
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