an English story with princes and princesses. He had looked anxiously at Maggie—for approval or strength, she wasn’t sure—but she’d smiled softly and nodded. He must have found what he needed as he started a tale of jousting.
This was everything she’d always hoped for in a reunion with her father, but she knew it wouldn’t have been the same. Her father had left her. He’d known about her from the beginning and one day got sick of being someone’s daddy. Maybe Brady would get sick of it, too, and she’d be left with a broken-hearted daughter. Maybe it was better to not tell Amber who he was. Let her think he was some stranger from Maggie’s past who happened into their lives.
“Are you doing okay?” Penny asked from the doorway.
“Yeah.” Maggie swiped at a strand of hair. “It’s weird, right? Brady being here? With her?”
Maggie couldn’t help the anxiety cascading through her system. She didn’t know whether to be happy or sad or worried that Amber had finally met her father.
“You didn’t tell me what happened in New York.” Penny grabbed a towel and began to dry the dishes.
“There isn’t anything to tell. He worked. I waited.” Except that one night when we almost wound up in his bed. Her knees went a little loose thinking about his lips on her neck.
“I don’t believe you, but I’ll let it go.” Penny took the next dish. “Is he staying here?”
“No, he’s staying with Sam.” Maggie glanced over her shoulder toward the living room where she could hear Amber laughing. “This is good.”
“I sure hope so. Do you want me to stick around?” Penny made comically shifty eyes toward the door. She’d been at Maggie’s house for a few days and probably had plans.
“No, we’ll be fine. It’s almost Amber’s bedtime. Brady has to get out to the farm.”
“Good, because I have a hot date.” Penny grinned and slipped on her jacket.
“I don’t think that your DVR counts as a date.”
“You haven’t seen Supernatural. Call me later.” Penny kissed Maggie on the cheek. “If he does anything wrong, you tell me and I’ll take care of him.”
“I’m sure you will.” Maggie dried her hands. She could handle Brady in Tawnee Valley.
After Penny left, Maggie finished cleaning before walking toward the voices in her living room. She leaned against the doorjamb, suddenly exhausted.
“Dragons roamed the streets, but Lady Jane was more than a match for them.” Brady’s voice had taken on a slight accent as he told the English story.
They sat facing each other, lost in their own little world. The same dark hair, the same blue eyes, the same slope of their noses. It would take a fool to realize they weren’t father and daughter. Amber leaned forward, straining to listen to every word that came out of Brady’s mouth.
Maggie remembered that feeling all too well. Even though he barely knew her in high school, she’d had the biggest crush on him. She’d spent hours doodling her name with his on her folders. It had been a silly, girlish crush.
When he’d left for college, she’d finally let herself believe it wasn’t going to happen. He wasn’t going to one day see her as anything more than a classmate of his brother’s. She’d moved on to Josh. They were together until the end of high school, but it became clear they were going in separate directions and were better friends than lovers. And graduation…a hot summer night spent tangled in Brady’s sheets, sheltered by his arms. No expectations. No regrets.
“There are no dragons in England nowadays. But the roads aren’t much better.” Brady looked up and caught her watching them. His eyes sparkled with happiness. Her heart stuttered. What she wouldn’t have given back then to have him look at her like this.
She held her breath. Surely he could hear the rapid beat of her heart from over there.
“Mommy, Brady says that the English call rain boots wellies. Isn’t that funny?” Amber’s blue eyes were filled with wonder and joy.
Watching the two of them together, Maggie didn’t regret bringing Brady into her home. Whether or not she’d regret it in two weeks, she had no way of knowing. After all, Brady hadn’t come clean about being Amber’s father. She needed to ask him about that. “It’s about time for bed. Why don’t you thank Brady for the stories and go shower?”
“Thank you,” Amber said dutifully. “Are you coming back?”
“Of course. I’ll be here for a couple of weeks.” Brady kept his attention focused on Amber.
Maggie exhaled. She’d known he was going to stay, but maybe he didn’t want to be with them every day. She couldn’t expect him to, especially with work, but it had been part of their bargain that she give him a chance. Well, that couldn’t happen if he wasn’t around.
“You should stay with us. You could use Nana’s room. Mommy cleaned it real nice and changed it into a guest bedroom. My nana went to heaven. She won’t mind.” Amber’s expressions changed rapidly during her speech. She hadn’t learned how to hide her emotions. With everything she’d been through, Maggie was grateful Amber hadn’t grown up too fast.
Brady’s mouth dropped open as if he wasn’t sure what to say. “I’m going to stay with my brother for now.”
“Okay.” Amber raced over and hugged him around the waist. His hands went out to the side and he gave Maggie a look that said, “What do I do?” Before he could do anything, it was over.
Maggie smiled and got her own tackle hug before Amber raced upstairs, yelling over her shoulder, “I’ll see you tomorrow, Brady.”
Brady sank into the chair and rubbed his face.
“How are you holding up?” Maggie stayed where she was in the doorway. Afraid that if she got too much closer she’d want to touch him, and touching him might lead to things best not explored. Her fingers tingled. She knew exactly how tight his muscles were. As well-defined as his younger self.
“Tired.” Brady laced his fingers together and hung his head. “This is going to be exhausting.”
“She’s usually not this wound up.” Maggie stepped toward him, wanting to reassure him without scaring him off.
“It’s not Amber.” He lifted his gaze to hers.
For a moment she thought he was going to say it was her. That she was making him exhausted.
“It’s this town.” She let out a sigh of relief.
He pushed himself to his feet and stalked over to the window. “I’d forgotten how soul crushing it is. It wasn’t just my parents’ deaths that made me want to run, but people like Penny. Everyone thought they were involved in everyone else’s business.”
Maggie bristled. “It’s a community. We care for each other. Penny is protective of Amber and there isn’t anything wrong with that. She was there for us.”
“It’s good to have someone look out for you,
