Page 19 of Christmas at Pine Ridge Inn
She knew about his parents already thanks to Sarah, but she was surprised he’d said it. Maybe, like her, it was nice to find someone else who understood.
“You lost your parents at the same time? I’m sorry.”
He turned from the tree and walked toward the fire, so she followed.
“Both my parents were killed in a car accident just before my junior year of high school.” He said it matter-of-factly, but Lila could hear the old pain underneath the composed exterior.
“That must have been devastating.” It had been bad enough when Lila had lost her parents so close together. She couldn’t imagine losing them at the exact same time.
“It was. One day I had a normal family and plans for college, and the next day it was all gone.” Brady was quiet for a long moment as he poked at the logs on the fire. “Tom and Carol were my parents’ best friends. When they found out I didn’t want to move to Florida to live with my uncle when I was so close to graduation, they didn’t hesitate to take me in.”
“That’s incredible. What amazing people.” Lila wasn’t at all surprised to learn they’d done something so selfless. They certainly seemed like the type of people who always took care of others.
Brady nodded. “The cabin I’m in used to just be storage, but they let me move in after my parents passed so I’d feel like I had my own space.”
“Most people wouldn’t trust a teenager on their own like that. I guess that means you didn’t have a curfew?” she joked. “My mom still waited up for me to come in when I was home visiting, even into my thirties.”
“No.” He smiled as he sat on the hearth. “No curfew. Between school and work, I was too busy to get into much trouble anyway.” He studied her face.
“Sounds like you had to grow up fast.”
Brady shrugged. “Maybe, but it’s what I needed at the time. Tom taught me everything about running this place, and Carol made sure I didn’t lose myself in my grief. She’d find projects for me when I was struggling or just sit with me when she could sense I didn’t want to be alone.”
Lila felt her chest tighten with recognition. “You’re lucky to have found people who cared that much.”
Brady went on to describe all the things the Brennans had done to keep his family alive for him. Carol cooked his favorite—pot roast—for his birthday every year, just like his mother had. Tom learned how to fly fish because it had been Brady’s pastime with his father.
“Can I make an observation?”
“I don’t recall you having any problem speaking your mind before, so why stop now?” he teased her, his lips curling into a smile at the corners.
She huffed out a small laugh at his ribbing before her tone turned serious. “It sounds like the Brennans stepped in whereyour parents left off, but in a way that was comforting without being overbearing. But did you ever feel like you were replacing your real family?” She knew the question was more about the mixed feelings she had over her current endeavor to find her birth mother than it was about him, but she was genuinely curious how he’d handled it all.
“No.” His answer was immediate and firm. “My parents will always be my parents. But I learned that family isn’t just about blood—it’s about the people who choose to walk alongside you in life. Tom and Carol didn’t try to replace my parents. They just made room for me in their family.”
Is that how she would be received by her birth mother? With open arms? If it was Carol, it seemed like a fair bet. Maybe that’s why she was beginning to hope it was true.
But what if it wasn’t Carol? Would her birth mother be married? Would she have other children now? And how would they react to Lila’s appearance in their lives?
Even worse, what if there was no family? No mother to find. What if she was gone now and Lila had waited too long?
Her mind swirling and eyes stinging with tears, Lila suddenly couldn’t sit still any longer. “I should probably get some sleep,” she said as she stood.
“Good night, Lila,” Brady said, his voice gentle and low. “For what it’s worth, I think you came to the right place this year.”
She could only nod in reply as she turned so he wouldn’t see the tears threatening to spill over. As she climbed the stairs to her room, her mind churned with all the unanswered questions. The biggest one of all: Was she really ready to discover all the truths?
Back in her room, Lila sat on the edge of the bed and pulled out her phone, scrolling to Jenna’s number. Her finger hovered over her friend’s name. Jenna would be busy with family in town. She pressed call before she could second-guess herself anymore. She had to talk to someone.
“Please tell me you’re not hiding in your room eating room service,” Jenna teased as she answered.
“I’m not hiding in my room eating room service,” Lila said, settling back against her pillows. Just hearing Jenna’s voice calmed her nerves. “Though I am kind of hungry, because I was too distracted at dinner to eat.”
“Distracted by what? And please tell me it involves some handsome lumberjack you met in the woods.”
“That sounds more like the beginning of a slasher film than a love story,” Lila joked as her mood lightened. “I’m not out here wandering the woods alone hoping to run into some random man.”
“Shame,” Jenna said. “That whole rugged, outdoorsman thing is really hot. Trust me.” Jenna’s husband was a firefighter who spent his weekends hiking, kayaking, or otherwise communing with nature. And she was right; he was hot. You know, as much as your best friend’s husband could be.
