Page 48 of Dear Mr. Brody

“Hey… I saw that,” I warned and laughed when Makayla stuck their tongue out at me as well.

Rachel was right. Pride House was a home. A home where family was found and made. A home where there was acceptance and love and safety. It was a privilege to work here, a privilege to be in these kids’ lives, and as I watched Makayla walk down the hall, I understood why Rachel was afraid of this big change headed our way. This wasn’t just a job for her. This was her home. Her family, and it was mine too. This new guy, he had big shoes to fill.

Donovan

“Anne… Don’t get too far ahead,” I called out as she disappeared into a large crowd of people. Swearing under my breath, I took off at a jog after her. A glimpse of her dark head of hair had me sucking in a deep breath of relief, but it wasn’t until I heard my brother’s low chuckle that I realized how panicked I’d gotten.

“You’re worse than Mom,” he said, popping a piece of caramel corn into his mouth.

“You’re not funny,” I said as Anne came into full view.

I slowed my pace, relaxing and let her jump onto the bench by one of the river exhibits. Her fingers tapped fast and furious against the glass to get an otter’s attention as it swam by.

“See… look, she’s fine.” Owen’s blasé tone pissed me off. “She’s right there. It’s not like she’s two anymore, Vannie. Anne is capable of walking a few feet ahead of you without coming to any great peril.”

“Don’t call me Vannie.” I ignored his smirk and walked ahead of him, making a beeline for my daughter. “Hey, little monster, what did I say to you about a hundred times already today?” A mom with her two kids smiled at me, a knowing glint in her eyes. I kneeled to Anne’s level. “This place is big, you could get lost, or worse… Just stick close, okay?”

“Yeah, okay.” Her gray eyes widened as my brother approached. “Can I have some popcorn, Uncle Owen?”

“Sure thing, kid.” He grinned and handed her his half-eaten bag. “I’m stuffed.”

“Thanks!”

She wasted no time shoveling her face with the sticky treat, and as much as I wanted to throttle my brother for being a condescending prick sometimes, his love for my daughter softened my anger.

“Are you going to pay for her cavities to get filled?” I asked, half joking, half serious.

“I can afford it.” Owen’s mop of brown hair fell over his forehead, and he swept it to the side with his fingers. “Why so prickly?”

“I’m not prickly, I’m a parent.” I swatted his hand away as he tried to press his finger into my cheek. “Until you have kids of your own, don’t give me shit.”

“Ouch.” His playful smile fell, and he turned away toward the glass. “Something’s up, you being oversensitive proves my point.”

“Because you know me so well.”

“I do.”

“Says the guy who’s never around.”

Owen’s gaze swung back in my direction, assessing me with his shrewd, all-knowing goddamn eyes. I could say what I wanted about him not being around, and as much as I hated it, he did know me better than most people.

“You know how busy I am,” he said. “I have a lot going on.”

“You and me both,” I muttered, and the weight of his stare became almost unbearable.

Anne jumped down from the bench and crouched lower to the ground. “I think that’s a baby… aww, how cute.”

She glanced over her shoulder, and I gave her a tight smile. “So cute, honey.”

“What do you have going on? Is it Lanie?” he asked in a whisper.

I shook my head, wanting to tell him about my plans for tomorrow, and dreading his judgment at the same time. The group of people surrounding us dispersed, and I exhaled, bracing for the inevitable. I couldn’t not tell him. He’d never let up if I didn’t.

“I’m meeting someone I met on a dating app tomorrow night,” I said and winced when he punched me in the shoulder.

“Yeah?” His smile was infectious. “Look at you, little brother… getting back on the horse. What’s her name?”

“Michael,” I said, keeping my eyes fixed on the glass in front of us.

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