If Only In My Dreams (Seven Brides Seven Brothers Book 5) Page 4

  “Did I ever tell you about my family?” A slow, easy grin began to take over his face.

  Hmm. She wasn’t sure why he was smiling, particularly since she was falling apart. Although she knew one thing for certain. A man as gorgeous as Brandon Donahue should give a warning before he flashed those pearly whites. It made him even more impressive, if that was even possible.

  “N-No. You never did. I know your father was gravely ill a few months ago. I remember the meeting when you announced to the entire staff that the company was relocating to Cape Cod because of it.”

  He nodded his head. “Yes. Thankfully my dad is holding his own, although we have other challenges to contend with at the moment. I have six brothers, some of whom you’ve probably fielded calls from over the years. Two wonderful parents. Two sisters-in-law and two almost sisters-in-law. I have a great, big, bustling Donahue family.” His grin got even wider, so much so that it was threatening to dominate the landscape of his face.

  “I need you, Rose.” The way he said it gave her goose bumps. Such sincerity. Intensity. “You’ve been my executive secretary for five years. I don’t want anyone else. You know the company inside and out. You know what I like and what I don’t like. You know what calls to handle and which ones to pass through. And you know many confidential things about my company that I know you’ll take to the grave. Bottom line…you’re irreplaceable. Let me make your son’s dream come true. In exchange, you promise to stay with the company. It’s a win-win for both of us.”

  Rose frowned. “A-are you serious?”

  Brandon stared her down. “You’ve known me for five years. What do you think?”

  A fragile hope began to build up inside her. Was Brandon really going to allow AJ to spend time with his large, bustling family for the holidays? And even though she’d been the one to put it out there in the first place, was it a smart idea? After all, she was the one who was always agonizing about keeping things professional.

  He held out his hand. “Let’s shake on it.”

  Hmm. Did it make sense to agree to Brandon’s deal? Was she being a hypocrite? She’d been all up in arms about quitting her job and now she was actually considering spending more time in Brandon’s company. No, she wasn’t being two faced. This was about her son. All rules were set aside when it came to his well-being. And it wasn’t as if she’d ever really wanted to quit her job. Even though she’d long considered her boss to be rather gruff in his demeanor, she’d begun to see a softening in the last few months. And he’d always treated her kindly and paid her very well. Not many executive secretaries made her type of salary.

  By shaking on this deal she’d be subjecting herself to spending more time with her boss. Outside of the office. She wasn’t sure that was such a good idea. And there was no point in ignoring the elephant in the room. She was attracted to Brandon. And after last night, there was a distinct possibility he was attracted to her as well, although he might have just been on the rebound after breaking up with Thalia the terrible.

  Knowing this was all about AJ, she stuck her hand out and firmly shook Brandon’s hand. A strange sensation filled her as their skin touched. An electric current seemed to pass between them. Why hadn’t she ever noticed how insanely handsome he was? Humph! Maybe she had noticed when he’d first hired her. She remembered being shocked when she’d first laid eyes on him. Tall, dark and handsome times ten! Over the years she’d learned to suppress any natural attraction she might have toward him. She’d vowed never again to repeat the mistakes of the past. Not with Brandon Donahue or with any other man. “It’s a deal,” she said in a forceful voice. “But there won’t be any more kisses.”

  The corners of Brandon’s mouth twitched. He seemed to be trying really hard not to laugh. He

  nodded at her, his expression shuttered. “No more kisses, Rose. I’ll remember to keep my lips to myself.”

  Although she knew he was attempting to be light-hearted with her, it felt a little strange. Up till

  this point he’d always been rather official and stern. Maybe coming back to his hometown and his roots had transformed him. Perhaps he was turning over a new leaf. Or perhaps she’d been judging him based solely on their office interaction. That wasn’t fair.

  She knew what it felt like to be judged. When she’d gotten pregnant with AJ so many so-called friends and parishioners had turned their backs on her for being a single mother. Suddenly, her name was on everyone’s lips. They’d said cruel things about her and insinuated she didn’t have any morals. They’d even questioned her faith. It hurt to have been the subject of gossip and innuendo. It had hurt terribly to be judged.

  She felt a twinge of disappointment spear through her at the thought of never feeling Brandon’s tender touch again. If she was being honest with herself, one of the main reasons she’d tried to resign from the job she adored was because the kiss had frightened her. It had reached a part deep down inside of her that had been neglected for years. And that thought made her feel very afraid of repeating the mistakes of the past.

  “All I want is a happy home. It doesn’t have to be perfect. They just have to want me.” An eight year old Rose.

  Chapter Three

  Ever since he’d arrived at the office this morning Brandon had experienced the strangest feeling that Rose had something to say to him. She kept darting glances in his direction every time he walked past her office. And she had a look on her face—the type of look people had when they needed to get something off their chest.

  It had been approximately one week since he’d brokered a deal with his secretary about staying in his employ in exchange for ensuring that her son had a family Christmas in all its glory. He hated to admit it, but the idea had seemed a lot more tangible in his head than in reality. How could he pull this off seamlessly and bring joy to a six old year boy who was virtually a stranger to him? Sure, he had gobs of money to buy AJ the best presents the world had to offer, but the kid wanted something a lot more wholesome and sentimental. He wanted a feeling. Brandon knew how it felt to yearn for something so badly it made your stomach ache. As a kid he’d prayed for a normal family, one who would accept him and love him fiercely.

  God had been very good to him by placing Maggie and Alec Donahue straight in his path. And along with a set of devoted parents he’d been given six brothers, all of whom had helped bring him back to life after losing Lionel. Maybe just maybe this was his chance to pay it forward.

  A slight knock on his office door drew his attention to the sight of Rose standing beside his partially open door. “Mr. Donahue—” she began.

  “Brandon. Please call me Brandon. After five years I don’t think I can stomach another Mr. Donahue.”

  She bobbed her head in agreement. “Brandon. I was wondering if we might talk about Christmas plans. It’s getting down to the wire.”

  He furrowed his brow. “Christmas plans?”

  She frowned at him. Her lips turned up in disapproval. “You haven’t forgotten about AJ…and the family Christmas?”

  He let out a deep breath. “No, of course I haven’t forgotten.”

  He hadn’t forgotten his promise. Truthfully, he hadn’t given it as much thought as he should have, considering she’d held up her end of the bargain. She was still in his employ and that felt very comforting to him. Losing Rose would have been like losing his right arm. The very thought of it caused a shiver to run through him. He pushed away the strong feelings rising up inside him. He didn’t want to examine why he felt so strongly about the subject. It made him feel uncomfortable and not in control.

  He cleared his throat, his mind racing over the possibilities to present to Rose. He’d been so tied up with this Hong Kong deal, he hadn’t given it much thought or attention. It wasn’t that he didn’t care about it. But, as usual, his corporation kept him occupied.

  His mother’s voice crashed over him, reminding him of his single-minded focus on his corporation. “You need to live a little and step away from your business. You can
’t take it with you. When you’re at the end of your life, son, do you really think God cares about how many business deals you made? There’s so much more out there.”

  Rose narrowed her eyes at him. “You haven’t changed your mind, have you?” she asked, drawing his attention away from his thoughts. Her lips trembled. She ran a shaky hand through her shoulder-length hair. Hmm. She was wearing it down so it loosely framed her delicate face. The high bun was gone for the moment. It made her look younger and less prim.

  “Absolutely not. I’m a man of my word,” he said as an idea popped into his brain. The whole situation was a bit unconventional. Desperation led to strange partnerships. Who would have thought he’d be partnering up with his secretary in “Operation Family Christmas”? It was a little late to second guess it now, he realized. Rose would never forgive him if he didn’t follow through.

  An idea flashed into his mind like lightning across a dark sky. “How about Saturday at two o’clock. Are you guys busy?”

  “AJ has karate in the morning, but we don’t have anything going on in the afternoon.”

  “My family is having a cupcake and cookie decorating party at Sweet Treats. It’s a holiday themed event. We host it every year. Everyone’s being encouraged to wear their ugliest Christmas sweater.”

  Rose’s lips turned upward into one of the most dazzling smiles he’d ever seen. Whoa. She was stunning. Especially when she smiled like this. It was strange how he really hadn’t ever focused on her looks before. Perhaps because he knew she was the old fashioned, quiet type who seemed to want to blend in with the woodwork. And because she worked for BD Holdings, he hadn’t wanted to ever objectify her.

  In recent weeks she’d ditched the glasses and bun in favor of wearing her hair in a sleek, loose style. He suspected she was wearing contact lenses too. With her flawless mahogany skin, cocoa brown eyes and shapely figure, she really was a good looking woman. If she would only ditch the skirts that hung well past her knees. It wasn’t really any of his business, but those skirts hadn’t been in style for quite some time.

  The sound of Rose’s wholehearted laughter drew him out of his thoughts. He couldn’t think of a single time when he’d seen her so jovial. Perhaps she was happy now since she would be able to give AJ the type of Christmas he wanted. Imagine the poor kid wanting nothing more than to spend time with an actual family. That knowledge burrowed inside him, making him feel humbled.

  “I hate to admit it, but I think I have a few of those stuffed in the back of my closet,” Rose said with a grin.

  “Don’t we all,” Brandon laughed. “My mother must have purchased half a dozen of those sweaters for me over the years.”

  “I’ve been in Sweet Treats a few times,” Rose acknowledged. “My son loves the black and white cookies and the cannolis.”

  “And what about you? Do you have a sweet tooth, Rose?” He leaned forward on his desk. The way her face lit up when she talked about her son was magical. She was glowing.

  “I’ll admit I love sweets. The whoopie pies are amazing,” Rose said.

  “There’ll be lots of whoopie pies on Saturday. I think Santa might be stopping by also. It’s usually a lot of fun, Rose. I think AJ will like it.”

  “We’ll be there,” she said with a nod and a satisfied smile.

  As Rose turned on her heel and walked out of his office, he felt a trickle of anxiety race through him. He’d committed himself to making a little boy happy during the holidays. Yikes! What did he know about kids anyway? Six year old boys were tricky, he imagined. He felt a sudden pang as Lionel’s face flashed into his mind. He’d been roughly the same age as Rose’s son when he died. Although he thought of him all the time, it had been a while since he really reflected on his brother’s passing. There was something in his brain that tried to shut off whenever those devastating memories crashed over him. How he’d ever made it through those awful days, weeks and months after Lionel’s death he couldn’t even fathom.

  Even though he had six amazing brothers, there was still a piece of him that wasn’t complete. Perhaps it was tied up in guilt and endless questions about his own role in his brother’s death. What would Lionel be doing today if he’d lived to adulthood? Would he be married with kids? Or a pro football player? A doctor saving lives? It was such a poignant question. Even though he couldn’t stop himself from imagining what might have been, there was no point in doing so. His brother’s life had been snuffed out way before his time.

  All he could do to honor him would be to live the best life possible, which he’d been trying to do for the past two decades. And perhaps making sure Rose’s son had a memorable holiday would be the best way of honoring a beloved brother who’d adored the Christmas season.

  **

  “You did what?” Her new friend, Delilah Dalton, screeched. Her pretty face held a stunned expression.

  If the subject matter hadn’t been so serious, Rose would have laughed out loud at Delilah’s dramatic delivery. It was one of the things she loved most about her. It complimented her quiet reserve nicely. “I know. It was an impulsive, immature thing to do,” she admitted. “To tell you the truth, I didn’t really think it over before I presented him with the resignation letter. I was just so upset with myself for—”

  “For kissing Brandon?” Delilah asked in a raised voice.

  “Shh. I don’t want my son to hear that. Little pitchers have big ears.”

  “For kissing Brandon?” Delilah asked in a soft whisper.

  Rose waved her hand at her friend. “Stop saying that! And yes, I was all prepared to quit, which in retrospect was fairly ridiculous considering I have a mortgage, a child and a car payment. And although we have some savings, I still need to put food on the table. BD Holdings pays me quite nicely.”

  “Not to mention you really enjoy working at BD Holdings.” She smirked at Rose. “Who wouldn’t enjoy being in the presence of such a gorgeous man as Brandon Donahue?”

  “It’s not like that,” Rose protested. “Up until the other night things were completely professional. For five long years.”

  “Come on, Rose. Admitting you find him attractive isn’t a sin. And sharing a kiss with him just shows you’re human. Both of you.”

  Rose bowed her head. “Delilah. You know about my past. About AJ’s father. I don’t want to ever be in that position again. Kissing men who are way above me in both power and financial standing isn’t wise.”

  Delilah locked gazes with her. She stared at her intensely as if she was trying to figure something out. “What’s not wise? To put your heart out there?”

  “It’s not just that. When I fell in love with Davis and got pregnant, I never expected him to abandon me. I thought he felt the same way about me as I did about him. But he was from this very wealthy political family. He viewed me…and our son…as a liability. Serves me right for getting involved with someone who had gobs of money and connections. He always thought I was beneath him.”

  Delilah’s face crinkled up with disapproval. “Shame on him. The shame is on him though, not you Rose. And not any other man. You can’t carry that around with you for the rest of your life.”

  She let out a pent up sigh. “I know what you’re saying is true, Delilah. But it’s hard sometimes to believe in something that I’ve never had before.” Love. True, enduring love. When she closed her eyes at night when the day was done, she uttered fervent prayers to find the love of a lifetime. As much as she adored her son, it wasn’t the same as a husband or a partner. But she’d been praying for things ever since she’d been a little girl. Those prayers had never been answered, with the exception of being given the gift of motherhood. AJ truly was her pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.

  Delilah shook her head mournfully. “You’re preaching to the choir.” Her voice softened. “I know what it’s like to watch everyone around you pair up and find love. I want it so badly sometimes it just hurts."

  "I’m sorry,” Rose said, reaching across the table and squeezing her fr
iend’s hand. “Come to Sweet Treat’s party today. If you’re there with us it’s bound to be a lot more fun.”

  Delilah shook her head. “I can’t, sweetie. I’m helping the folks out today. Sarah already invited me.”

  “I keep forgetting your sister is married to Brandon’s brother, Blue,” Rose murmured, trying to remember all the connections amongst the Donahue brothers. It was a little confusing, considering there were so many of them.

  “Yep. My sister is a Donahue,” Delilah said with a grin. “Those two are head over heels in love and I’m going to be an Auntie in a few months. God has been good to them. And my friend Layla is married to Nick Donahue, the youngest of the brothers. They own a lovely restaurant here in town called The Cove.” Delilah shook her head, her striking red hair swinging alongside the sides of her face.

  “Are they the most eligible men in town or something?” Rose asked. For months now, all she’d heard about all over town was the seven gorgeous Donahue brothers. Back in Boston, Brandon had been hailed as the most eligible bachelor in town, so she wasn’t surprised by all the gushing over him. But she hadn’t expected all of the brothers to be raved about as if they were rock stars.

  “All seven of them are very much beloved by everyone in town. Only four are left on the market though,” Delilah explained, a sheepish expression etched on her face. “It doesn’t hurt that they’re all extremely easy on the eyes.”

  Rose sighed. “I better go get ready and look for an ugly Christmas sweater for myself and AJ.”

  “Let me do your makeup!” Delilah cried out. “Nothing over the top. Just some nice accents to make your beautiful features pop.”

  “I don’t know,” Rose hedged. “It’s a casual holiday event. I don’t want to look like I’m trying too hard.” God forbid someone thought she was trying to land one of the Donahue brothers! She imagined in a small town like Breeze Point, women were lining up for the single brothers.