скачать книгу бесплатно
Sasha bobbed her head up and down. “Me, too.”
Alex didn’t realize he was tense until he started to relax. Whatever Dani’s intentions, she was doing okay with the kids. Unlike his ex-wife, who had never known how to deal with them. At least she’d left. Having Fiona at the table would have added a whole new level of awkward.
As he watched his siblings, he was reminded that the world wasn’t always kind. In some ways, Ian had it the easiest. Everyone knew there was a problem the second they saw him. He was either accepted or rejected in an instant. But for kids like Trisha or Sasha, who was HIV positive, things could be more tricky.
He watched as Bailey studied Dani. His sister seemed enchanted by their guest. He shouldn’t be surprised. Bailey was nearly fifteen—she was growing up.
Oliver pulled an action figure out of his pocket and showed it to Dani. She bent over the plastic toy and listened to his slow explanation of the figure’s powers. She glanced at Katherine, who signed with Trisha.
What did she think of all this? Was it what she expected? She was either genuine or putting on a hell of a show. He couldn’t decide which.
His father’s study door opened and Mark walked into the room. The other kids immediately rushed over to him and began battling for his attention. He gave Alex and Katherine an absent smile, then looked at Dani. For a moment, he seemed to forget who she was. Then he smiled.
“You’re here, Dani.”
Katherine rose. “Why don’t we all go in to dinner? Alex, will you escort our guest?”
“Of course.”
He moved next to Dani and offered his arm.
“That formal?” she asked quietly. “Or is this your way of making sure I don’t go exploring?”
She had plenty of spirit, he thought. She wasn’t afraid of him. As she stared up at him, he noticed her eyes were hazel, with long lashes. She smiled easily and she had the kind of mouth that made a man—
He mentally came to a stop. What the hell was he thinking? That she was attractive? Sexy? That he liked her?
Not possible, he told himself. She was the enemy, even if she didn’t mean to be. She was nothing but trouble and he wasn’t getting involved with her. He wasn’t getting involved with anyone. What was that old saying? Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. He wasn’t about to be fooled again.
AFTER DINNER, Mark led Dani into his study. She went willingly. While she’d enjoyed the meal and the lively conversation, it had been impossible for her to keep the children straight. She’d also been aware of Alex’s unfriendly attention and Katherine’s subtle study. She was emotionally exhausted by the energy of the family and doing her best not to screw up.
“What did you think?” Mark asked, after he settled into a black leather chair she suspected was his favorite, and she’d picked a place on the sofa opposite.
“You have a wonderful family.”
“They’re loud,” he said cheerfully. “Katherine is brilliant with them. Adopting was her idea, you know. I wouldn’t have thought of it. At first I wasn’t sure. I didn’t think I could love someone else’s child as much as I could love my own. But I was wrong. They’re all special to me.”
“I could tell.” He’d interacted with all the children. They obviously adored him.
“Katherine insists on being involved in every aspect of their lives. We have Yvette, who helps out, but that’s only so Katherine can pursue her charity work. If she didn’t have that, she would be handling everything on her own. I travel a lot, back and forth to D.C. She’s practically a single parent, but she never complains. It’s just who she is.”
As Dani had been impressed by Katherine, she agreed with the praise. But despite the words, she couldn’t figure out what Mark really thought about anything.
She was being crazy, she told herself. Obviously Mark adored his wife and family. Who wouldn’t? Yet she had no sense of emotion coming from him.
She reminded herself she didn’t know the man. That until that morning, they’d never met. Maybe she could give him a break.
“I, ah, took the DNA test,” she said. “The results should only take a couple of days.”
“Good. I already know the outcome, but being sure is a good idea.”
She nodded, feeling awkward. How could he be sure? And if he was, shouldn’t the moment be more…something? She told herself not every situation could be scripted, like a TV sitcom, yet something felt missing.
“I want us to get to know each other,” Mark said. “Why don’t you come by the office for lunch? It will be more quiet than here.”
“I’d like that,” Dani said.
He probably felt as weird about all this as she did. Lunch was a great idea. After a few low-key meetings, she was sure they would start to connect. All this strangeness would fade and they would understand each other. They would be family.
ALEX PICKED UP his car keys. Dani had left a few minutes ago, so he could go home now. He’d been unwilling to leave before her, as if without him watching over her something bad would happen.
“You’re frowning,” Ian said as he rolled up. “You were frowning all during dinner.”
“I’m cautious.”
“I like her. She thinks I’m funny.”
“She was being polite.”
Ian grinned. Most people wouldn’t know what the twisted expression meant, but Alex saw the humor Ian’s uncooperative muscles tried to hide.
“You don’t want anyone to know, but I think you like her, too,” Ian said.
“I don’t have any feelings about her.” Which was almost true.
“She’s pretty.”
Alex shook his head. “You’re seventeen. You think every female is pretty.”
“They’re my hormones and I can use them if I want to.” His grin faded. “Seriously. You should lay off her. She was cool.”
Dani had reacted well to Ian, Alex thought. He would guess her past was the reason.
An afternoon on the Internet had turned up a lot of information on Danielle Buchanan, the youngest of the four Buchanan siblings. In college, her fiancé had been injured playing football. Despite the fact that he was a paraplegic and confined to a wheelchair, Dani had stayed with him through his intensive therapy and then had married him. She knew what it was like to live with someone who didn’t fit in.
“I don’t trust her,” Alex said.
“Because she’s Dad’s real kid?”
Alex stared at his brother. “Why would you say that?”
Ian rolled his eyes. “I’m stealthy, remember? I heard Mom and Dad talking earlier. I know who she is.”
There was worry and fear in his voice. Alex dropped to a crouch and took Ian’s twisted hand in his own. “We don’t know for sure yet. The DNA tests will take a couple of days. But even if she is Dad’s daughter, you’re still his son. This is your family and you’re not getting away from us.”
“She’s normal.”
“All the more reason not to like her.”
Ian grinned again. “I saw you looking at her during dinner. You thought she was hot.”
Alex straightened. “She’s okay.”
“You need to get laid.”
“I’m not having this conversation with my seventeen-year-old brother.”
“You don’t have my good looks and charm,” Ian told him. “But you could still go for it. Unless I get there first. We’re adopted. It’s not like she’s a biological sister. Think she’d want to go to prom with me?”
“She’s too old for you.”
“You know what they say about older women.”
Alex squeezed Ian’s shoulder. “Go torture someone else. I’ll see you in a couple of days.”
“So you’re going for it with her? Because if you’re not, I want to know.”
“Say good-night, Ian.”
“Good night, Ian.”
Chapter Four
DANI PULLED UP in front of Gloria’s house. Climbing out of her car, she stared at the elegant, three-story building that had been constructed nearly a hundred years ago.
When she’d been little, the house had terrified her. As a teenager, it had represented a way of life she couldn’t understand. In her early twenties, she’d seen the structure as something to be conquered. Later, it was like her grandmother—unapproachable and solitary. Now it was just Gloria’s house. Not good, not bad, just a place where someone lived. Someone who wasn’t the person she’d first imagined.
She’d both loved and hated Gloria for so long, it was hard to let go of either feeling. She’d resented the other woman’s harshness in declaring that Dani wasn’t a real Buchanan. But in the past few weeks, Gloria had apologized several times for what she’d done. She’d claimed to have changed and from Dani’s perspective, she actually had.
Oddly, Dani found herself missing Gloria as her grandmother. Not the meanness or the impossible standards, but the connection. Gloria had been a part of her world since her birth and now they weren’t related at all. Perhaps the smartest decision would be to walk away but Dani couldn’t bring herself to let go.
She climbed the steps to the front door and rang the bell. Reid, the middle of her three brothers, opened it and grinned at her.
“We’re not interested, but thanks for coming by.”
She pushed past him before he could close the door. “Very funny.”
“Hey, kid.” Reid wrapped an arm around her. “How are you doing?”
“Good. Dealing with a lot of stuff.”
Reid led her into the living room, where Cal, her oldest brother, and Walker, her youngest, waited. Both men greeted her. Cal handed her a latte from The Daily Grind, which he owned, then hugged her.
“Gloria will be out in a minute,” Walker said as he pulled Dani close. “How are you holding up?”
She looked at her three brothers, the men who had been there for her any time she’d needed them and a lot of times when she hadn’t. “I’m okay. I feel weird—sort of disconnected from my life.”
They settled on the sofas in the huge living room. Dani ignored the city view in favor of her brothers.
“I met Mark Canfield yesterday,” she said.
“And?” Walker asked.
“And, I don’t know. He was very open to the possibility of me being his daughter. He admitted to the affair with Mom and said he never knew why she broke things off. He was nice and friendly…”
“But?” Cal prompted.
“I don’t know. I didn’t feel any connection. I guess I had this fantasy that we’d run into each other’s arms and instantly bond. I’m still trying to deal.” She sipped her coffee. “Adding to the excitement is Alex Canfield, his oldest son. Alex sees himself as the protector of all things Canfield and me as a threat to his family in general and his father’s presidential campaign in particular.”
“Want Walker to take care of him?” Reid asked cheerfully. “He will. I’m guessing there won’t even be a stain where Alex once stood. It will be like he never existed at all.”
“I’m not sure we need to go that far,” Dani said, remembering how Alex had annoyed her, but also how she’d kind of liked him. She respected his loyalty to his family, even if it drove her crazy.
“I went over to the house last night,” she continued. “I met the whole clan. There are eight kids—okay, one of them was at college, and Katherine, Mark’s wife. She’s incredible. Beautiful and patient and all the kids have issues, but that doesn’t matter. She’s like a saint. I think I want to be her when I grow up.”
“That all sounds good,” Cal said. “So what’s the problem?”
“I don’t know. I keep feeling like I’m living someone else’s life. That none of this is about me. I wanted to know who my father was, but I never expected this. Why can’t he just be a plumber or sales executive? Why did he have to be a senator?”
Reid glared at her. “You’re not going to choose them over us. Just so you’re clear. You’re one of us and we’re not letting you go.”
She smiled. “I know. You’ll always be my big brothers, which is both good and bad.”
“You’re damn lucky to have us,” Cal reminded her.
“Of course I am, and you reminding me over and over really helps.” She looked at Walker. “I just want to know where I belong.”
“Why not here?” he asked.
“Because there’s more. I don’t have your history. Not anymore.”
She could see he wanted to disagree. They all did. While she appreciated how much they loved her, she wasn’t sure they could understand what it had been like to find out she wasn’t really a Buchanan. That her father was someone she’d never known.
“Just don’t get any big ideas about turning your back on us,” Reid muttered.
“I won’t,” she promised. “So that’s my life. New father, new siblings and I’m loving my job at Bella Roma. What about with you three?”
Walker cleared his throat. “I’m hiring on permanently. Taking over the company.” He looked at Dani. “I know it’s what you wanted, but you said you’d changed your mind.”
It was so like him to worry about her, she thought happily, feeling the love and support from all three of them. “I never wanted the company,” she corrected. “I wanted to run one of the restaurants. Now I have something close to that. Sure it’s not Buchanan’s or The Waterfront, but it’s still good. I’m glad you’re part of the business, and a little surprised that Gloria would be so willing to leave you in charge.”
“She’s getting older,” Walker said. “She knows she can’t handle it all now.”
“I’m not that old.”
The strong voice came from the woman standing in the doorway. Dani looked at Gloria Buchanan, well dressed as always, as straight-backed as ever, barely leaning on the cane she now used to get around.
“I can handle it if I want to,” Gloria continued. “I simply choose not to.”
