Page 13 of Unexpected Danger
“You’re the fifteenth person who’s asked me that this week.”
“Well, it is the thing to ask when you’re about to be a dad, right?” Brodie was happy for Roarke, but secretly, he’d always hoped someday he’d marry and be a dad himself. Londyn’s face flitted through his mind.
The waitress came and took their orders and brought them each their tall cups of pop. Brodie guzzled it down within seconds.
“Any word lately from Londyn?” Roarke asked that question each week at their dinners, and each week it was the same answer.
“Just those couple of times and not recently.”
“At least she stays in touch with Mom.”
“Somewhat. Seems she’s enjoying her life in the city.” He wanted Londyn to be happy. To live a full life. He only wished that life included him.
The entire Brenneman family cared about Londyn. They had been her surrogate family, and Mom asked about her often as well. Londyn had been a part of their lives for so long that when she had left, she had not only hurt Brodie, but also Mom. Even Xander asked about her on occasion. The thought of Londyn and the heartbreak she caused remained lodged in Brodie’s chest.
“I was going to tell you about someone I thought you should date in case you haven’t already considered her.”
Brodie narrowed his eyes at his brother. “Who?”
“Diana asked about you when I went into the courthouse to renew the tags for my truck.”
“Yeah, come to think of it, you told me that last time you visited the courthouse.”
“Okay, well, just wanted you to keep your options open. She seems like a nice person.”
“I appreciate you trying to be a matchmaker, but I’m not interested.”
“Not interested because you’re not interested, or not interested because you’re not over Londyn?”
Brodie didn’t even have to contemplate that question. He’d probably never be over Londyn. He dated a couple of times after she left, but it never transpired into anything. Because how could it? His heart belonged to the woman who rejected his marriage proposal. She was the one who filled his thoughts. Who he kept a picture of on his bedside table. Who meant more to him than she would ever know.
“All right, well, I won’t pester you about it.”
“Is that a promise?”
A suspicious smirk crossed Roarke’s face. “Although maybe I should because you were so annoying about Mila.”
“Hey, it turned out well, right?”
“You’re right. It did work out. I wouldn’t have wanted to miss out on her for anything. Maybe it could work out with you and Diana.”
“Yeah…not likely.” Not when Brodie couldn’t get over Londyn. That wouldn’t be fair to Diana, no matter how nice she was.
They talked about the upcoming men’s breakfast at church that was held each month, and this time it was Brodie and Roarke’s turn to make the breakfast.
“Have you decided what we’re going to be serving up for the guys on Saturday?”
Brodie was glad for the change in topic. “Something easy and hopefully palatable.”
“How about one of those pancake mixes? We could probably make that and be somewhat successful. You were always good at frying bacon.”
Brodie ate a fry. “Yeah, I could probably fry up some bacon again, but if there are going to be twenty guys, I am going to have to fry up more than a few pieces because they’re going to want more than one slice each.”
Roarke chuckled. “Probably so. They eat like you do.”
“I was thinking more like you eating the entire pack of bacon.” Brodie steepled his fingers “I say we go ahead and make the pancake mix and see if we can borrow Mom’s huge griddle. If we provide enough syrup, the guys won’t pay attention to how bad the food tastes.”
“I’m really not one to be able to make food even if it only necessitates adding water.”
