Starting Over (Treading Water Trilogy) (22 page)

“Is it okay to say there’s nothing I’d rather do than sit at home with that particular sick child?”

“It’s okay,” she said, smiling as she reached up to kiss him.

“What do you feel like eating?”

“Whatever you want. Surprise me.”

He kissed her. “I’ll be right back.”

Brandon called his sister’s house from the truck.

“Maloney residence,” Josh answered.

“Hey, Josh, it’s Uncle Brandon. How’s your head?”

“I’ve got a cool bruise. It’s all purple and yellow. Mike’s got a hard head.”

Brandon laughed. “Sounds like you ended up worse off than her. I could hardly see hers today.”

“Can she come play again sometime? She’s cool.”

“Sure, buddy.” Brandon was ridiculously pleased by his nephew’s approval of Mike. “We’ll do it again soon. Is your dad around?”

“Hang on, I’ll get him.”

Brandon chuckled when Josh yelled for his father right into the phone. He also heard Tommy’s quiet reprimand of the boy’s phone manners before picking up.

“Hey, Brand, what’s up? How’s it going in Siberia?”
Brandon laughed. “Very funny. I’ll be back busting balls in the yard soon enough.”

“Good. Maybe you can do something about Colin while you’re at it. He’s been in a hell of a mood lately.”

“So I’ve heard. I told my dad I’d talk to him, but I’m not sure how much good it’ll do. Listen, the reason I called is I’m wondering where I can get one of those backyard playground thingies. A good one.”

“We got ours down at Foster’s. Is your dad putting one in at the building?”

“No, I’m doing it on my own.”

Tommy released a dry chuckle. “
Ya
ever put one together before?”

“No, but how hard can it be?”

This time Tommy laughed out loud. “Building a house is easier. I can help you after work on Saturday afternoon if you want. I’ll mention it to Col and Dec, too. You’ll need all of us.”

“No way.”

“I’m not kidding. Do you know how much they cost?”

“I’m almost afraid to ask.”

“About three grand for a good one.”

“
Get the hell outta here!
”

Tommy howled.

“You’re enjoying this, aren’t you?”

“Oh, yeah. I’ll be over on Saturday, and I’ll bring a load of the mulch you’ll need for padding underneath it. Just make sure you have plenty of beer.” Tommy paused when he realized what he’d said. “Jesus, Brandon, I’m sorry. I wasn’t thinking.”

“Don’t be sorry. Of course I’ll have beer for you guys if you’re helping me out.”

“You don’t have to. We don’t need it.”

“Don’t sweat it, Tom.”

“Well, your sister is dancing around trying to get my attention. I’m getting the feeling she wants to talk to you.”

Brandon got to listen to the wrestling match for the phone between his sister and her husband.

“Sheesh,” Erin said when she finally succeeded in getting the phone away from Tommy. “What a pain in the
ass
he is.”

“You love him.”

“Whatever. So I talked to Valerie today. She said you can come by any afternoon between two and four when her daughter naps. I left you a message with her number.”

“Thanks, Erin.”

“Did you ask Daphne about Easter?”

“Not yet, but I will. So Mike has the stomach bug.”

“Oh, no! I hope she didn’t get it from one of my kids.”

“No sign of it there?”

“Nope. Let’s hope it stays that way with Easter this weekend. Is the playground for Mike?”

“Yeah.”

“That’s really nice of you, Brandon.”

“She’s a nice kid. I’ll talk to you soon.”

Next he tried to call Colin but got voice mail at home and on his cell phone, so he left his brother another message. On an impulse, Brandon made a U-turn and went to the office, hoping to find Colin still at work.

He drove through the gates of O’Malley & Sons for the first time in nearly three months. Since it was after seven, the yard was deserted, and the trucks were silent after a long day. But in the upstairs office, Brandon saw a light burning. He pulled in next to Colin’s company truck and went upstairs, passing his own dark office on the way to what used to be their father’s office, where he found Colin bent over the computer.

“Hey,” Brandon said, startling Colin. “Burning the midnight oil?”
“Hardly. Just trying to figure out Da’s inventory system. I’m beginning to think it makes sense only to him.”

Brandon sat down in the chair next to the desk. “How’s everything else going?”

“Crazy busy. You know how this time of year is. The minute the ground thaws, we’re going full tilt.”

“How are
you
doing?”

“Fine, I guess. A few transition issues here and there, but nothing I can’t handle.”

“I’ve left you a couple of messages.”

Colin ran a hand through his hair, his every gesture filled with weariness that was not like him. “I know. I’m sorry. I haven’t had time to call anyone.”

“What’s wrong, Colin?”

“Nothing. Like I said, I’m just really busy.”

“You’re sure that’s all it is?”

“Yeah, well…”

“What? Tell me.”

“There’s this girl,” Colin said tentatively.

“Ah-
ha
! I knew there was something going on. What’s the deal?”

“No deal. That’s the problem. I really like her, but she’s not interested in pursuing it, even though we have a really good time together.”

“Why isn’t she interested?”

“That’s the bitch of it. I don’t know, but I know she likes me, too.” Colin sighed. “This is so high school, isn’t it?”

Brandon laughed. “Nah, it’s just proof that it doesn’t get any easier even when you’re old goats like us. Is this the one you were in a big rush to get home to see when we went to Vermont?”

“Yeah. I can’t stop thinking about her, you know? It’s driving me crazy that she won’t even give it a chance.”

Brandon thought about that for a minute. “Is there some way you could see her without pressuring her? Just make it so your path crosses hers?”

“I suppose I could do that. I’ll think about it.”

“Good.” Brandon got up to leave. “In the meantime, maybe you could sweeten up around here. I’ve heard a few grumbles about the new boss’s foul mood.”

Colin looked stunned. “For real?”

“Yep.”

“Shit. Thanks for cueing me in. How’re you? Everything going okay?”

“Better than okay, but I can’t get into it now. I’m organizing a work party at the apartments on Saturday afternoon. Can you make it?”

“Sure. What’s the job?”

“Oh, you’ll see,” Brandon said with a smile and a wave as he left Colin’s office.

Chapter 20, Day 71

Brandon returned to Daphne’s apartment with Chinese food. When he found her rocking Mike in the living room, he stashed the food in the kitchen.

“What happened?” he whispered, running a hand over Mike’s damp hair.

“Sick all over the place,” Daphne whispered. “Poor thing. She was so upset about making a mess. I just got her out of the tub.”

“What can I do?”

“Want to take over here so I can deal with her bed?”

“I can do the bed if you’d rather stay with her.”

“That’s okay.” Daphne got up slowly and transferred Mike into Brandon’s arms.

She whimpered when Brandon sat down with her.

“It’s okay, baby,” he said, brushing his lips over her hair.

“Sick,” Mike whispered.

He held her close to him as he rocked her. “I know. I hate that bad bug.”

Her giggle turned into a grimace. “Don’t go.”

“I’m not going anywhere.”

“Love you, Brandon.”

He was powerless against the tears that filled his eyes. “Love you, too, squirt. We’ve got to hurry up and get you better before the Easter bunny comes.”

She nodded and was back to sleep a minute later.

He could feel the heat of her fever through his shirt.

“Okay,” Daphne said when she returned. “I changed the bed and threw the sheets in the wash. Want to put her back to bed?”

“Do I have to?”

She smiled as she rested a hand on Mike’s forehead to check her fever. “She’s completely and utterly in love with you. You realize that, don’t you?”

“She’d better be, because the feeling is completely and utterly mutual.”

Daphne bent to kiss his cheek. “Let’s put her to bed so you can eat.”

Brandon rocked Mike for another minute before he got up to carry her to bed. Her room held the faint odor of vomit, and again he felt sorry for Mike as he settled her into bed. “Where’s Brandon the Bear?”

“In the washer,” Daphne said.

Brandon winced. “Poor guy. Took one for the team, huh?”

She chuckled. “Big time.”

They got Mike settled and went back to the living room. “Are you okay?” he asked, massaging her shoulders.

“
Oh
, that feels good.”

He turned her around and gave her back the full treatment while dropping soft kisses on her neck. “Hungry?”

“I don’t know if I could eat after cleaning that up. You go ahead. I’ll just have a glass of wine.”

“Don’t,” he whispered against her neck.

She turned to him, perplexed. “Why?”

He hadn’t planned on getting into this tonight, but he knew he needed to tell her sooner rather than later. “All I’ve thought about today is kissing you again, but if you drink the wine, I can’t.”

“Why?”

He kept his arms looped around her as he gazed into her golden eyes. “Because I’m an alcoholic, and I want to taste you, not alcohol.” His heart stopped while he waited for her to say something.

She worked herself free of his embrace. “How long have you been sober?”

“Seventy-one days.”

She blinked. “That’s not even three months.”

He put his hands on her shoulders. “Daphne, please, listen to me. I’m sober, and I’m going to stay sober. I swear to God, nothing could make me go back to living the way I was—if for no other reason than I adore you and Mike. I’d never do anything to hurt either of you.”

She ran her fingers through her hair. “I don’t know what to say. I’ve let my daughter become so attached to you. I can’t risk her.”

“I love her. You know I do. Don’t take her away from me because of mistakes I’ve made in the past. I’m not the same person I was then. Everything’s different now.”

“Can you tell me you’ll never drink again? Can you promise me that?”

Brandon shifted from one foot to the other. “No. I can’t make that promise. I’m doing the best I can every day to keep my side of the street clean. That’s the best I can do—that’s the best any of us can do.”

Daphne blinked back tears. “I don’t know what to say. My job is to protect Mike.”

“Do you honestly think you’ll ever have to protect her from me?” he asked, feeling as if his very life was on the line.

Daphne studied him for a long time. “No.”

“Then give me a chance. That’s all I’m asking for.”

She rested her head against his chest. “I want to hear more about it.”

“And I’ll tell you—anything you want to know, but not tonight, okay?” He hugged her to him, feeling weak with relief. At least she hadn’t kicked him out of their lives. “All you need to know right now is I won’t let you down, and I won’t let Mike down, either. That much I
can
promise you.”

She looked up at him, and he wiped the tears off her face before he leaned in for a kiss that turned hot when she clung to him.

“I’m so afraid, Brandon,” she whispered. “Mike isn’t the only one who loves you.”

His heart lurched. “No?”

She shook her head. “You’ve been so good to her, to both of us. I can’t remember what we ever did before we had you in our lives.”

He held her gaze for a long moment before he lifted her off her feet to kiss her again. He wanted to tell her he loved her, too. But he’d never said those words to a woman, and after waiting thirty-eight years for this—for her—it wasn’t something he wanted to just blurt out. No, he needed to do this right.

“I want you so much,” she whispered. “It’s all I think about.”

“Me, too,” he said against her ear, sending a shiver through her. “But not with Mike sick in the next room. The first time will be just for us.”

“When? How?”

“Leave that to me, okay?”

She nodded. “Aren’t you hungry?”

“Not for food.”

Her laughter filled the room. “Put me down and go eat.”

“Do I have to?” he asked for the second time that night.