toward her father had never ebbed. She could see it in his eyes and hear it in his voice. It was simple, really. Her father had made a decision that had cost Liam O’Rourke his restaurant, his wife and his sobriety. But in defense of her father, he’d made a business decision. Rumors Liam had spread about her dad afterward had damaged her dad’s reputation. It had been an ugly situation for both families.
Brenna realized no one understood her father as she and her mother did. She knew details about his childhood her parents had never wanted her to know. She’d been about twelve when she’d overheard a conversation about how her dad’s own father had physically abused him. Maybe that’s one of the reasons her dad had always tried to give her the best life possible … had showered her with every advantage he could manage.
When the gray-haired housekeeper who had been handling household details for the past twenty-five years opened the door and saw Brenna, she burst into a grin. “Miss Brenna! How wonderful to see you. And who’s this you’re holding?”
Then Miriam caught sight of Riley just a step behind her. Her mouth rounded in a huge O as she recognized him.
“Are my parents home?” Since it was early, she was hoping her father hadn’t left for the department store yet, or her mother for errands.
“Your parents are having breakfast. Are they expecting you?” Miriam again gave Riley a look up and down as if surprised by the idea they might be. The McDougalls didn’t associate with the O’Rourkes.
“Actually, this is a surprise,” Brenna responded with high energy. “We’re just going to go right in. You don’t have to announce us.”
Before Miriam could object, Brenna glanced over her shoulder at Riley for the go-ahead, passed the housekeeper, strolled through the beautiful marble-floored foyer and into the dining room where her father had a paper propped in front of his face. Her mother was sipping a cup of coffee catty-corner from him at the mahogany dining room table.
Brenna’s mother looked up when she heard footsteps, but her father kept his eyes on his newspaper. Her mother’s green eyes, so like Brenna’s own, rounded in astonishment. She was a tall, slim woman with ash-blond hair that she kept perfectly maintained. Her makeup was always impeccable, too, but now her astonishment caused wrinkles on her forehead and around her eyes as she quickly pushed back her chair and hurried around the table.
“Oh my gosh, Brenna. Why didn’t you tell us you were coming? And who’s this little one?” Then she looked up at Riley. “And why is he here?”
Brenna transferred Derek to Riley to give her mother a hug. Her father folded his paper, laid it on the table and glanced up. His gaze first targeted Riley … then the baby … then Brenna. He slowly and stiffly stood, assessing the situation.
“You always call before you come,” he said gruffly. “You’ve never brought a baby before and you certainly never brought him. What’s going on, Brenna?”
A chill went up Brenna’s spine at the disapproval in her father’s voice. She felt her cheeks flush and she wanted to grab for Derek again. But she knew her son was better off in Riley’s arms. It made a point. It made a statement—one that her father obviously understood even before she explained.
“I didn’t call first because I wasn’t sure exactly when I could get away. I also wanted to tell you my news in person, not over the phone.” She reached for Derek again and Riley transferred the baby back to her. When she brushed her finger along his cheek, she was filled with that overwhelming love that had to spill over.
Her eyes met Riley’s and she almost shook from the charge that ran through her body. They had intimate knowledge of each other and that was potent. Then she turned to face her parents.
“Mom and Dad, this is your grandson, Derek. Riley is his father.”
Her mother gasped. Her father seemed to freeze before her eyes. His battle with hair loss had been going on for years. He was shorter than Riley, about five-ten, but he was husky and Brenna had always felt safe when he hugged her. She’d always felt safe because he could protect her. She’d always felt safe because he would give his life for her and she knew it.
Mainly, Riley didn’t know the story behind that because they’d tried to not discuss their parents.
“Oh my,” her mother said weakly, as if it were all too much for her. But then she rallied. “Why don’t we go into the living room and talk. Unless you’d like some breakfast? Miriam could make you scrambled eggs, toast, pancakes, anything you’d like.” She couldn’t seem to take her gaze from Derek.
Her father was still frozen, but his face was turning red.
“We ate before we came,” Brenna responded to keep the conversation going. “Derek had us up early, so we went with his schedule.”
Afraid her father might have a coronary, she watched him closely. He blew out a draft of air and his color receded a bit. His voice was steely when he said, “I can’t believe you didn’t tell us you were pregnant. And to bring him here. You know how we feel about him and his family. You’re flaunting it in our face. What were you thinking?”
Brenna’s throat grew thick as she saw the disappointment and betrayal on her father’s face.
Her dad picked up steam and his voice grew louder. “Babies change your life. This one’s surely going to change yours. How do you expect to keep the hours you do, the nonstop schedule, the traveling for the custom appointments? Are you going to tell me this was planned, Brenna? Did you and …” He stopped a moment, “Did you and O’Rourke want this to happen? Out of anybody in the whole world you could have chosen to have a baby with, I don’t understand why you chose him.”
This meeting would set the tone for everything that would happen from now on between her, Riley and her parents. And Derek would be in the thick of it. She had to stand her ground and somehow convince her parents that she knew what was best for their grandson or there would be constant bickering and arguing and her dad would try to cut Riley out of Derek’s life.
When Riley took a step closer to her as if to support her effort, she bumped her elbow against his for the contact. “Dad, isn’t it time you put any hard feelings you have to rest? What happened years ago shouldn’t still keep affecting us now. Can’t we move on?”
“What do you want to move on to, Brenna? O’Rourke?” Her father snorted as if that idea was beneath them all. He shook his head. “Why didn’t you tell us about your pregnancy at Christmas when we came to New York?”
Just why hadn’t she? “Riley didn’t know yet. I didn’t think it was right that you knew if he didn’t. I also needed time to get used to the idea of being pregnant, to figure out how it fit in with my career, to decide whether I wanted to move back to Miners Bluff.”
At that bit of news Riley gave her a sharp glance.
She quickly went on. “I decided I don’t want to move back here. My life is in New York now—my business, my friends, everything. That’s where I want to raise Derek. I knew you’d want to convince me to come back. I suspected Riley would, too. I had to be able to withstand the pressure and know exactly what I wanted. So I waited.”
Her father wasn’t pleased with that explanation. His scowl cut even deeper. “So exactly why are you here, Brenna? To tell us you had a baby and you’re going back to New York?”
