When A Man Loves A Woman (Seven Brides Seven Brothers Book 7) Read online

Mac caught Parker up to speed on the information Delilah had uncovered in his research. He handed over the envelope to him.

  Once they were inside Mac’s house, Parker didn’t waste any time before he opened up the manila envelope. His let out a whistle as he surveyed the picture. He swung his gaze toward Mac. “This is one mind-blowing photo. You were so little,” Parker said, his voice clogged with emotion. “Way too little to be put through hell on earth.” There as an underlying anger in Parker’s tone.

  Mac put his hand on his shoulder. “I know,” he said with a sigh. “It’s tough for me to look at this picture also. There are so many memories that come rushing to the surface when I see myself in this image. But I know that I need to keep my eyes on the prize and focus on the goal. Locating Callie.”

  “I agree,” Parker said. “What do we know about the photographer?”

  “His name is Dirk Grazio. He’s a photographer from Western Massachusetts. He was on staff at the Farmington Gazette and did some freelance stuff according to Delilah’s notes.”

  “I’d like to track him down if he’s still in the area. He might have a whole bunch of these pictures. Wouldn’t that be something?”

  “It would, Parker. In the meantime, take a look at the other photo in the envelope.”

  Parker dug inside the envelope and pulled the second picture. He peered at the old photo. His gaze swung up and he met Mac’s. He pointed a finger at the photo of Mac in the ambulance with a small girl looking on. “Is that Callie?”

  “It is. I actually remember that night. I can recall this exact moment in time and what she said to me right before one of the adults took her by the hand and led her away.” Mac stared off into the distance. If he closed his eyes he could almost feel Callie’s fingers skimming against the back of his hand as she tried to hold on to him.

  “Mac. Please. Let me come. I don’t want to be away from you!”

  “Just go with the nice lady, Callie. Don’t worry. I’ll find you later.”

  Remembering that terrible night brought back the agony of his foolish words. He had promised to find her, yet he’d been powerless to do so. He had foolishly thought that once they left home that the danger posed to both of them would be over. The desperate look in Callie’s eyes haunted him. Had a part of her known in that moment that she would never see him again? In the end had he failed to protect her?

  Parker’s deep voice brought him back to the present. “So that’s where this investigation is going to take me. Back to the Farmington area. I’m going to track this guy down and see if he has any other pictures from that night. If he does and we hit the jackpot it might really move this thing along. There have been so many advances in forensic imaging that if we have a decent shot of her face we can really create some wonderful age-progressed images.”

  Age-progressed images were all the rage. It was amazing what tools were used by law enforcement to track down missing and exploited children. He felt fortunate that his search for Callie would benefit from these advances in technology.

  “What about Mrs. Worther? Any leads?” Mac asked.

  “I just got a call earlier from a buddy in law enforcement. There’s a B. Worther in New Hampshire and a J. Beatrice Worther in Rhode Island. Roughly same age. Retired. I’m going to check both of them out.”

  Mac rubbed his hands together. Today had been a day full of leads. This investigation was really starting to gain steam.

  “Between that news and the photos from Delilah,” Mac said with a satisfied grin, “I’m starting to become really hopeful.”

  “I knew I liked Delilah,” Parker said. “It was smart of her to go through the microfiche records.”

  Mac frowned. It shouldn’t bother him that Parker was expressing admiration for Delilah. But it annoyed him. A lot. He felt a tight knot forming in his stomach.

  Parker narrowed his gaze. “What’s with that look? Oh, I get it. You like her, don’t you?”

  He wasn’t going to pretend that he didn’t have feelings for Delilah. What was the point? “Yeah, I’m interested.”

  Parker clapped him on the back. “That’s awesome, Mac.”

  Mac quirked his mouth. “It’s not like we’re getting married or anything,” Mac drawled.

  “Not yet anyway, right?” Parker teased. “Have you asked her out yet?”

  He shook his head. “No, although I’m dying to spend some time with her without talking shop.”

  “Go for it, cuz. It would be nice to see you with someone.” Parker began rummaging around in his fridge, then pulled out an ice cold root beer.

  “Right back ‘atcha.”

  “I always have someone,” Parker said with a confident tilt of his head.

  “Several someones,” Mac teased. Parker had been known to have a certain flirtatious nature and enjoyed playing the field.

  “Someday you’re going to meet a woman who is going to turn your whole world upside down,” Mac said. “And I hope I have a bird’s eye view as it all plays out.”

  Parker winced. “That already happened once. Can’t say as I look forward to it happening again.”

  “Hey, sorry about that. I didn’t mean to bring you down,” Mac apologized.

  “No worries,” Parker said, jutting his chin up. “That was a lifetime ago.”

  Mac had seen the glint of pain in Parker’s eyes and he felt awful for dredging up a painful topic. Five years ago Parker had been blindsided when his girlfriend, Ariel, had left him for another man. Parker had been devastated. Ever since then he had treated relationships like the plague. He wasn’t fooling Mac though. Despite his cavalier attitude, Mac knew Ariel’s betrayal still gave him a great deal of pain.

  Even if it was a lifetime ago, Parker wasn’t over it. All of a sudden something clicked in his brain. He didn’t want to waste another moment circling around Delilah without taking a step forward with her. What kind of man allowed an opportunity of a lifetime to pass him by? He didn’t want to be that kind of man.

  “You know what, Parker? I gotta go.”

  Parker threw his hands in the air. “Hey! Where are you going? I thought we were going to hang out?”

  “Give Remy or Nick a call. I have to take care of something.” He tossed the words over his shoulder.

  Before Parker could say another word, Mac had grabbed his keys and beat a fast path out the door. As he walked down his pebbled walkway he paused for a moment to pluck a bunch of wild flowers from his front yard. He brushed off the dirt from the roots and tied the bunch with a long piece of grass. After he jumped into his truck he gently placed the bouquet on the seat next to him. As he started the engine and took off down the road, excitement roared through him.

  He was going to throw caution to the wind and act on pure desire and impulse. He was going to ask Delilah Dalton out on a date. And he prayed with all his might that her answer would be yes.

  **

  Delilah turned the volume button way up on the radio that sat by her kitchen sink. She had just finished washing a sink full of dishes after an afternoon of baking zucchini bread and blackberry cobbler. Once Mac had left she had felt the need to occupy herself with something other than his handsome face. She let out a giggle as one of her favorite songs came on. The beat was fast and up tempo. She waved her arms around and shook her hips. Even though she’d never been the best dancer, she considered herself a pro in the privacy of her own home.

  A noise from the front of the house caused her to turn down the volume on the radio. Cocking her head to the side, she listened for any further sounds. There it was again. The peal of her doorbell. With a quick turn of the knob, Delilah turned off the radio and padded down the hall. She moved to the window and discreetly looked outside to see who was out there.

  Mac’s red truck was parked in her driveway. Had he forgotten something during his earlier visit? She looked down at her shirt. It was filthy from her cooking session. Ugh. Oh well. This would be the ultimate test of her appeal. If Mac was able to deal with her, warts and all, he
might just be the something wonderful she needed in her life. Delilah opened the door and greeted Mac with a friendly smile. It was impossible to deny the pleasurable feeling that rose up inside her at the sight of Mac Donahue.

  “Mac!” She greeted him in a breathless voice. “I didn’t expect to see you so soon. What’s up?”

  “I’m not very good at this.”

  “This?” she asked, confused by his statement. “Do you want to come in?” She motioned him inside. He shook his head and didn’t budge an inch.

  Confusion swirled around her. “Is something wrong?”

  “I came here to ask you out. On a date,” he blurted out.

  “You did?” she asked. Her voice sounded incredulous to her own ears.

  He pushed the bouquet of flowers toward her. “Would you like to go out with me? Maybe catch dinner and a movie or we could have a picnic on the beach. I’m not a big person for crowds.” He shifted from one foot to the other. A frown settled over his face. “Of course you might not want to go out with me, which is perfectly fine. I mean…I’ll be totally honest, it wouldn’t be perfectly fine because I’d be really disappointed, but I would understand. So…yes or no. Do you want to go out with me?”

  Joy blossomed inside her like a beautiful flower. Mac was asking her out! She felt like dancing in celebration. A little voice warned her to keep it cool. She was a little tired of wearing her heart on her sleeve when it came to relationships. “I’d love to go out with you,” she said, watching as the expression on his face turned into one of pure happiness.

  He flashed her a beautiful smile. “Phew,” he said, swiping his palm across his forehead. “I was on pins and needles for a few seconds there.”

  Delilah loved his flirtatious side. Had he really been worried about her answer? His comment endeared him to her. Clearly he had no idea of his massive appeal to women. His humble nature worked in his favor. She was so tired of men with over inflated egos and bad attitudes. Mac came across as a wonderful human being, which was all the more amazing due to his tortured past.

  “Where would you like to go? I aim to please.” His tone was humorous.

  “Why don’t you decide and surprise me? I’m good with something lively, or if you prefer, a more relaxed and quiet setting.”

  Mac tapped his chin. “I’ll think of something. How does Wednesday at seven o’clock sound?”

  Delilah nodded. She’d never admit it to him, but she’d been hoping their date would be for tomorrow night. How in the world was she going to make it through the next three days without the anticipation killing her?

  “It sounds wonderful. I’m looking forward to it.”

  “I’ll pick you up at seven. Take it easy, Delilah.” Mac turned around and began walking away from her. She took a moment to admire his broad shoulders and athletic build. He really was eye catching. A perfect blend of rugged and handsome.

  Just as he made it halfway down her walkway, Mac turned back toward her. “Hey. On the way over here I asked God to grant me favor with you. Do you think that was wrong of me?” he asked.

  Zing. There went her heart. A man who talked to God about her hadn’t even been on the list of things she’d wanted in a man. She hadn’t even thought of it. But now, with Mac’s confession, she realized it should have been one of her top priorities. Although she hadn’t always been very connected to her spiritual side, in the last few years her relationship with God had strengthened. She had been at rock bottom when all her romantic relationships had crashed and burned. Her self-esteem had plummeted, and each and every day she had questioned her worthiness.

  Why did it seem as if men always treated her poorly?

  Why didn’t men seem to respect her?

  Why did she always determine her worth through a man’s eyes?

  Those questions had rolled around and around in her head until she’d thought she might go crazy. At that point she had surrendered all her doubts and fears to God. And He had been right there by her side, through some of the darkest days of her life. He was always there and she would always need Him for guidance and wisdom. As a result, hearing Mac pose this question caused goosebumps to pop up on her arms. It seemed as if there were signs everywhere pointing toward Mac Donahue being someone with whom she might share a future. So far this was the biggest sign of all. He’d talked to God about her. That knowledge settled squarely in the center of her heart.

  “No,” she answered, “It wasn’t wrong of you. God hears all our prayers, no matter how great or small.”

  “I like that answer, Delilah.” He turned around and walked the last few steps to the curb. Mac stepped up into his truck and revved the engine. Before he took off he nodded his head at her and smiled.

  Once Mac’s truck was out of sight Delilah spread her arms wide, threw her head back and enjoyed the feel of the sun beating down on her. She twirled around, feeling as delighted as a child in a candy store. The flowers in her garden looked glorious. Pink roses. Tulips. But none were as beautiful as the ones she held in her hand. The ones bestowed on her by Mac. Suddenly, everything was coming up roses. And she knew that it had everything to do with a certain tall, handsome Donahue—the last man in Breeze Point that she would every have expected to date.

  But such was life. It was full of surprises and unexpected connections and moments of pure whimsy and jubilation. Just when she had almost given up on finding someone, Mac had quietly entered her world. She didn’t know what she had done to deserve such a blessing, but she was grateful to God for bestowing it on her nonetheless.

  Weeping may last through the night, but joy cometh in the morning.

  “Being a Donahue means everything to me. Without Mom and Dad and this family I have no idea who or what I would be. And I’m glad I’ll never know.”

  Blue Donahue

  Chapter Five

  By the time Wednesday night rolled around, Delilah had been anticipating her date with Mac for what seemed like forever. He had called her last night and told her to wear something casual and comfortable. That was the easy part! She was dying to know what Mac had in store for her. Although the curiosity had been killing her, she hadn’t asked him any questions about their date over the phone. At seven o’clock on the dot Mac showed up at her door, looking very ruggedly handsome in a pair of khaki pants and a forest green shirt. As she sat in the passenger side of his truck all of her first-date jitters seemed to evaporate. They made small talk which flowed seamlessly without any awkward pauses or breaks. As they drove past Breezy Beach, Delilah couldn’t help but think about the other day and Betty breaking down on her. She didn’t think she would ever forget Mac coming to her rescue at the perfect time.

  She let out a little sigh that earned her a quick look from Mac.

  “Are you okay?” he asked. “Would you like me to turn the air down? I always keep it cool in here.”

  She smiled at him, admiring his strong features in profile as she focused on the road. “No, I’m fine. I have my sweater.” She’d worn her favorite pair of leggings, accompanied by a red shirt and a white button down sweater. Her new white sandals with the gold starfish in the center jazzed the outfit up a little. Although Mac had said casual, she had still wanted to look pretty for their first date.

  Just past the main entrance to the beach, Mac pulled into the lot and drove as close as he could to the beach itself. He parked the car and turned it off then hopped out so he could open up Delilah’s door for her. As he reached for her hand and helped her down she asked in a teasing voice, “Is this our final destination?”

  “Possibly,” he teased back, taking her hand and leading her toward the wooden stairs that led up to a little bluff on the stretch of Breezy Beach. It was one of her favorite little spots in Breeze Point. When you stood at the top you could see the wide expanse of beach, endless miles of ocean and Breezy Harbor. If you turned around in the opposite direction you could see The Cove Restaurant sitting up high on the cliff.

  Once they reached the top, Delilah sucked in a sh
ocked breath. A beautiful table for two had been set up complete with elegant China, linen napkins and two wine goblets. A white lantern surrounded by hydrangeas graced the table. A waiter dressed all in white stood a few feet away beside a cart containing covered dishes. Two bottles of wine sat on the cart.

  “How did you do this?” she asked. She could hear the awe in her own voice.

  Mac grinned. He put a finger to his lips. “Shh. It’s a secret.” He took her by the elbow and led her to the table. The waiter stepped forward and pulled out her chair with a flourish. Delilah looked over and admired the stunning vista. It was as if they had a bird’s eye view of the most jaw dropping view in town. Mac sat across from her, watching her for her reaction.

  “T-This is unreal,” she sputtered. “Thank you.”

  “Don’t thank me. I had an ulterior motive. I like quiet, so this seemed like the perfect place to enjoy each other’s company without loud noise or interruptions.” Mac’s expression was sheepish.

  “It’s perfect,” she gushed, her gaze straying towards the miles of ocean stretched out before them. She cast a quick glance at Mac. He was looking out across the water with a look of contentment etched on his face.

  “There’s nothing more peaceful and perfect than nature in all its glory,” Mac said. “This will all be here long after we’ve left this world. It’s timeless.”

  “I often think that same thing,” she said. Mac swung his gaze in her direction and their eyes locked. Just then the waiter stepped forward and placed pear salads down in front of them. They ate in companionable silence. As the main course was brought—glazed salmon in a citrus sauce, savory rice pilaf and kale—Delilah and Mac dug in. They had their choice of red and white wines to complement their meal. Although Delilah didn’t think she would be able to eat another bite, she couldn’t resist sampling from the elaborate dessert platter. She enjoyed a mini key lime pie and shared a chocolate mousse tart with Mac. Throughout their meal, soft music streamed in through small speakers.