This was why he’d never get a woman.
But his daughter’s giggles told him he was doing something right.
10
GOOD SPORT
“Happy birthday,” Alana said the next day at her parents’ house in Boston when her brother, Kirk, walked in.
She’d gotten up and taken the first ferry over so she could celebrate her brother’s birthday with him but had been relaxing with her parents prior.
It’d taken some getting used to, having to travel back and forth and planning it more than just coming over for a weekend or returning home like in the past.
She’d spent a lot of weekends on the island with Jonathan and hoped that moving there wouldn’t bring up any terrible memories.
They could never relax as she wanted when they were there. Always going to the casino or out to eat. Trying to be around any Bond family members so Jonathan could act like a big shot that he wasn’t.
So many times she was embarrassed over his behavior that led to fights.
She’d stopped going to the island a few years ago, telling him that her parents or her brother might be in the house.
He never wanted to visit if that was the case, and though she hated lying, it was just a white lie in her mind to prevent discord.
“Thanks,” Kirk said. “I told Mom we didn’t have to do anything. I’m sure the ferry ride was a little rough today.”
“Not bad,” she said. “It’s been windier. I’m sure going back will be worse.”
“We’ll eat early so you can get on the two o’clock ferry,” her mother said, walking into the living room and wiping her hands on a towel. “I’ll have dinner ready by noon and cake after.”
She could get to the ferry in forty minutes from her parents’ house as long as traffic wasn’t horrible. Her parents were on the outside of the city some. She’d be home by three and could relax the rest of the day before work started tomorrow.
Before she saw Brennan again.
She couldn’t remember the last time she had so much fun with a man.
Sure, Becca was the one calling the shots, but he’d been such a good sport about it all.
How many men would get down on the floor and play dolls with their daughter, create dances, paint their nails, or apply makeup?
Not a lot that she knew of.
Her father always played with her, but never to the extent Brennan had.
Was he embarrassed about it? Yep, and he had no reason to be.
If it was possible for him to be any more attractive to her, it happened the moment he tossed a pink boa around his neck and swung one end with exaggerated flair, mirroring his daughter’s ridiculous dance moves without a hint of embarrassment.
“It’s fine,” she said. “Anything I can do to help? I hate sitting in here while you do it all.”
“You’re good,” her mother said. “You had a busy day yesterday.”
“What?”
No one knew what she did last night. She hadn’t said a word.
“The fire department and toy drive. I saw the picture online this morning.”
“Me too,” Kirk said. “I should have figured that was what you did in your free time.”
