If Only In My Dreams (Seven Brides Seven Brothers Book 5) Read online

  Brandon caught her eye and made a crazy face at all the hubbub surrounding the tree. Donahues and more Donahues were moving to and fro, zigzagging and intersecting as everyone tried to hang ornaments at the same time. AJ was in the thick of it, totally enjoying himself as he helped trim the Donahue tree. She surged forward as a spot opened up and placed the angel smack dab in the middle of the tree, right in front where everyone could appreciate her beauty.

  In quick fashion, all the ornaments were placed on the limbs, filling out every branch on the gorgeous, full pine tree. Everyone stood around to admire it. Alec and Maggie stood front and center with their arms encircled around each other. There were tears flowing from Maggie’s eyes as she said, “I never want to forget this. Please Lord. Don’t ever let me forget moments like this.” Alec was comforting her while Brandon quickly moved to her side and squeezed her hand tightly.

  It was clear to Rose that due to her diagnosis she was praying to hold on to the memories of a lifetime. She bit her lip as the emotion of the moment threatened to reduce her to tears.

  A loud, bass voice suddenly rang out in the stillness. “Silent Night. Holy Night.” Mac began the song, but everyone joined in, creating a stunning rendition of the song. At the end Maggie clapped and wiped away her tears. Remy moved towards her and hugged her, whispering reassurances as he cradled her.

  “The star,” AJ cried out. “We can’t forget the star.”

  “Hey, you’re right, AJ,” Ryder said, patting him on the back. “It’s not a Donahue Christmas tree without the star.”

  “Good eye, AJ,” Alec said with a huge grin, patting him on the back.

  Maggie turned toward AJ, her eyes still moist with emotion. “The star belonged to my parents. We would all take turns putting it on the tree. We called it God’s shining star.”

  Brandon reached for the star and handed it to AJ. He then lifted him up high in the air so that he was on eye level with the top of the tree. AJ stretched out his hands really wide and placed the shiny gold star on top of the tree. When Brandon placed him back down on the ground, Rose’s eyes moistened at the sight of AJ slipping his hand into Brandon’s much larger hand.

  “Hey, is anyone else hungry? Because I’m starving,” Remy announced, resulting in a groundswell of laughter.

  “You’re always hungry,” Gabrielle said. “You’re going to eat us out of house and home when we get married.”

  Remy swooped down and placed a kiss on Gabrielle’s lips. “It won’t be much longer, sweetheart. You’re going to be my Christmas bride. Prettier than an angel.”

  How romantic, Rose thought. Married at Christmas. There was so much love in this room it seemed as if it hummed and pulsed in the air around her. Being in the presence of such a strong, devoted family made her feel grateful. And humbled.

  Dear Lord. Thank you for this amazing day. Thank you for blessings both great and small. Please watch over the Donahue family, especially Alec and Maggie. They’ve been through a lot of trials this year and they need you to keep them in the palm of your hand. And please watch over Brandon. He’s been so very good for AJ and myself. Amen.

  As they filed into the dining room, Rose found herself taking one last, lingering look at the gorgeous tree they’d trimmed. Before she knew it she was the only person left in the living room. As she walked out of the room, Brandon suddenly appeared in the doorway, causing her to stop short. He was smirking at her. His deep brown eyes were full of mischief.

  “What?” She touched her nose. “Do I have glitter on my face or something?”

  “Nope. Not a smidgeon,” he said, a hint of satisfaction in his tone. He looked up at a spot above her head. “You’re standing under the mistletoe.”

  She looked up and saw the lovely sprig of holly dangling from the entryway. Brandon was right. She was standing directly under the mistletoe. A feeling of confusion swept over her. Where had it come from? She wondered. She was almost one hundred percent certain it hadn’t been hanging here earlier. Or perhaps one of the Donahue brothers had mischievously placed it there, perhaps to catch their own sweetheart by surprise.

  “Hmm,” Brandon said, carefully eyeing the mistletoe. “I know that I promised not to kiss you again, Rose, but Donahue family tradition is at stake.”

  His teasing tone made her want to laugh. As if the fate of the Donahue family hung in the balance based on whether or not they kissed under the mistletoe.

  “Tradition, huh?” she asked. Her heart was suddenly all fluttery and she felt her palms getting moist. Kissing Brandon again under these circumstances wasn’t unappealing. She could step away or move past him, but in her heart of hearts she didn’t want to miss this kiss under the mistletoe. Something told her it would be unforgettable.

  She tilted her head to the side and studied him for a moment. “I’m a guest in your family home. I wouldn’t dare buck tradition,” she said, her hear thumping as he took a step closer toward her. A sigh of anticipation slid past her lips. Brandon Donahue was about to kiss her again, but this time she was yearning for it.

  He lowered his head and placed a warm, tender kiss on her lips. She rose up on her tippy toes and kissed him back…softly, tenderly, reverently. Even though she could hear all the chatter from the dining room down the hall, nothing else mattered but this special moment with Brandon. The last time she’d shared a kiss with Brandon in his office they’d experienced no real connection prior to the kiss. This one was very different. It felt like coming home to a safe, warm place.

  When the kiss ended, Rose opened her eyes to find Brandon gazing at her, his lips curving upwards in a beautiful smile. His eyes were warm and welcoming. They flashed with a hint of merriment.

  “Hopefully this time you’re not going to head for the hills,” he said playfully.

  She ducked her head down as a wave of embarrassment passed through her. Perhaps she’d carried on a little too much after the first kiss they’d shared. She’d been full of outrage and self-recrimination. My how things had changed.

  She cleared her throat. “No, I’m not running off this time. For starters, I’m famished. And the smell of that food in the other room is heavenly.”

  Suddenly AJ appeared in the doorway. He was looking at them with a hint of suspicion in his eyes. “Hey, Mom. Brandon. Come on. Everybody’s waiting for you two.”

  “We’re coming,” Rose and Brandon said in unison. They followed behind an exuberant AJ as he led the way towards the dining room and the feast that awaited them. A feeling of contentment settled inside her as Alec patted the seat next to him at the table and invited her to sit down. AJ made sure he was planted right next to Brandon at the other end of the table. As they held hands and Ryder prayed over their meal, she felt a strong sense of belonging. As much as AJ had wanted a special holiday season shared with a big, loving family, it was filling up a piece of herself she hadn’t even realized was empty. Being with the Donahue family was food for her soul.

  “My brother Brandon taught me that nothing is out of my grasp. Even though I have a learning disability, he showed me to reach for the stars.” Nick Donahue

  Chapter Eight

  When Rose arrived at BD Holdings the next morning promptly at nine o’clock, she felt anticipation building inside her at the thought of seeing Brandon. It was a little nerve-racking envisioning seeing him again after the events of last night. The romantic kiss they’d shared under the mistletoe had occupied her thoughts ever since.

  As she entered her office a bouquet of yellow roses sat perched on her desk in a stunning crystal vase. She let out a gasp as it sunk in that the roses were for her. When was the last time anyone had sent her flowers? And roses, no less. Her favorites!

  “Aren’t you lucky?” a voice came from behind her. It was Mae, the company’s receptionist. With her bright orange hair and animated expressions, she was one of the liveliest people in the office. “Whoever he is, he has good taste,” Mae exclaimed, giving her a thumbs up.

  She smiled at her co-worker. �
�They are lovely, aren’t they?”

  Mae gave her an enthusiastic thumbs up before walking back down the hall.

  Once she was alone again Rose reached for the card and flipped it open. Hope you enjoyed the mistletoe. There was no signature, although she knew the flowers had come from Brandon. It was a good move not putting his name on the card. The staff at BD Holdings would be in a frenzy if they knew something was brewing between her and the boss. It would be disastrous if they were the topic of office gossip. She’d worked way too hard these past five years to allow office gossip to ruin her professional reputation.

  What was going on between them anyway? A kiss or two didn’t make a relationship. Were they friends? What would she say if he ever asked her on a date?

  She slapped her hand to her head. She was letting her thoughts get ahead of her. A man like Brandon dated supermodels, not single mothers who were on his payroll. And just because a kiss meant something to her, it didn’t mean Brandon felt the same way. Other than AJ’s father she hadn’t shared kisses with many men. Brandon was a sought after bachelor. Something told her he’d kissed his fair share of women.

  Rose bent down and took a whiff of the roses. They emitted a lovely aroma. Who knew Brandon Donahue had such a romantic side? Her thoughts wandered to Thalia. Was it truly over between Brandon and the supermodel? If it wasn’t, she couldn’t pretend that it wouldn’t sting a little bit. She let out a sigh. Things had been a whole lot more simple before she’d begun to think of Brandon as way more than a boss.

  Her intercom buzzed. Brandon’s voice came over the intercom. “Rose, could you please come into my office?”

  Rose quickly made her way towards Brandon’s office, her heart fluttering in a way she’d never before experienced at work. She took a deep breath before knocking gently on his office door, then entering. Her heart slammed against her chest at the sight of him sitting at his desk like a king on a throne.

  “Good Morning, Brandon,” she said, trying desperately to keep her voice on an even keel. No matter what had transpired between them, she still worked for him as his executive secretary. She still had to be professional.

  “Morning, Rose,” he said, barely glancing at her before he buried his nose in his files. “I need you to prepare the Yung contracts ASAP. If these aren’t signed by Thursday the whole deal could fall through. And if the whole deal falls through,” he muttered, “that would be a colossal failure for this corporation.” He held out the file to her, his face appearing grim and no-nonsense. He was in a gruff mood. Although she’d seen him like this many times before, it confused her since yesterday he’d been so warm and fuzzy.

  As she reached for the file Brandon’s fingers grazed against hers, creating a tingling feeling in her fingertips. “Thank you, Rose,” Brandon said in a tone that made her feel as if she was being dismissed. She turned on her heel and moved away from Brandon’s desk, trying to stifle a feeling of disappointment. She’d been silly to think things had changed between them because of a few kisses and time spent in the bosom of his family.

  “Rose.” Brandon called out to her, causing her to turn back toward him. “I hope you like yellow roses,” he said, a slight smile curving his lips upward.

  She couldn’t help but grin at him. “I do. Very much so. Thank you, Brandon. It was a lovely surprise for a Monday morning.”

  Gripping the file, Rose headed back down the hall toward her office. Even though Brandon had been business-like in his demeanor, she understood his motivation. He was preoccupied by the Yung deal. It wasn’t personal. It was business. The side of him she’d gotten a glimpse of in recent days had poked through his stiff demeanor when he’d asked about the flowers. Although she felt a bit foolish about it, a feeling of euphoria raced through her. It was a feeling she hadn’t felt since years ago when she’d been falling in love with AJ’s father.

  **

  Brandon stood up from his desk and stretched his long frame. He rotated his neck and shrugged his shoulders several times to work out the kinks. Sitting at a desk all day was hard on the body. It was the only thing he didn’t enjoy about his profession. He’d rather be outside hiking or flying over a volcano in a helicopter in Hawaii. In less than two hours he needed to be at the airport, making his way to New York City to meet with Samuel Yung at his corporate offices in midtown Manhattan. It might be the only way to salvage this deal.

  If he had his way, he’d much rather stay here in Breeze Point. Hanging out with AJ was restoring a part of him he’d put away on a shelf years ago when he went to college and business school. Because he’d been a straight A student, a Presidential scholar and a Merit scholar, he’d pushed himself to be the best in his class at Harvard. Eyes on the prize had always been his motto. Being the CEO of BD Holdings had been a dream come true, but he’d achieved that goal through hard work and fortitude. In the process, he’d missed out on a lot of things over the years.

  Fun times. Being silly. Kicking up his heels. Light-hearted moments. Of course he’d enjoyed those things with his family, but a part of him yearned for something more intimate. A woman who might crash into his life and turn it all around. Someone who could make him forget all about his single-minded focus on his company. Someone who had the ability to make him laugh and grin and live in the moment. Someone who didn’t care about all the millions in his bank balance.

  Rose. Thoughts of her had invaded his senses all morning long. For a man known for his focus, it was somewhat fascinating that his attention had been diverted by a five foot six, demure beauty. He kept thinking of excuses to walk past her office and poke his head in. Each and every time he stopped himself, not wanting to look like a fool. He couldn’t remember ever feeling this way. Impulsive. Antsy. He felt as if he might jump out of his skin.

  Kissing Rose under the mistletoe hadn’t come about by accident. With Wyatt’s help, he’d strategically placed the mistletoe right in the entryway, a place he knew Rose would walk past. He stroked his chin as the memory of that moment flashed before his eyes. Kissing her had been a leap of faith considering her outraged reaction to their first kiss. He’d been pleasantly surprised this time by her response. And even more pleased by the way the kiss had made him feel.

  On impulse he began to walk down the hall towards Rose’s office. With a slight knock on her office door he stepped inside and closed the door behind him, watching as she conducted a business phone call. As always, she was polished and professional. She served the BD Holdings brand very well. Had he ever told her so? If he hadn’t, from this point forward he would make a point of doing so.

  As soon as she hung up the phone, he blurted out, “I’m leaving for New York right away. I need to do whatever it takes to salvage this deal before it slips through my fingers.” He ran a hand over his face. “I have the feeling that another company is courting Yung.”

  Rose blinked at him. He knew he didn’t usually talk to his secretary about the ins and outs of his deals and acquisitions. “Is there something you need me to do? Hotel? Car service?”

  “If you could have my driver come and get me in ten minutes that would be great.” He snapped his fingers. “Oh and I’ll need a hotel reservation for two nights.”

  Rose smiled. “Would you like me to call the Carlyle? I know how you enjoy staying there.”

  The Carlyle. It was his favorite hotel in New York. Rose always anticipated his ever need. It was an uncanny ability she possessed. Was there anything Rose couldn’t handle? Nothing she couldn’t fix in the blink of an eye? “The Carlyle will be great. I love taking a run in Central Park if I have time.”

  “New York City is on my bucket list. One of these days we’re going to drive to the Big Apple and go to a Nets game, take the ferry to Ellis Island, see the Rockettes kick up their heels and go skating at Rockefeller Center.” Rose’s eyes twinkled and her cheeks flushed as she talked about having a New York City adventure with AJ.

  He wanted to make it happen for her. For them. A deluxe, no expense spared trip to the Big App
le. As soon as the idea popped into his brain he rejected it. Rose would never accept it. He knew it instinctively. Rose was a very proud woman who wouldn’t feel comfortable taking such a gift, despite how badly he wanted to give it to her.

  “Rose. I’ll be back on Wednesday, which gives you two days to find a sitter for AJ.”

  Rose’s eyes widened. “I need a sitter for AJ?” she asked, her voice riddled with confusion. She looked rather adorable, which was serving as a slight distraction to the matter at hand.

  “I’m taking you out to dinner on Wednesday night. Not a business dinner. Not as your boss. As someone who can’t stop thinking about you. And it’s not just about the kiss last night. It’s more than that.” She opened her mouth to speak and he cut her off. “I know what you’re going to say. That you don’t think it’s a good idea that you go out on a date with your boss. And I get it. You live your life by a set of rules. So do I. For most of my life I’ve followed a strict set of rules that were necessary in order to get me where I am today. But the thing is, Rose…I like being with you. And I don’t feel that way very often, so even though it may complicate our working relationship, I also think there’s a shot that we could have something good here. And no matter what, I promise not to ever let things get complicated as far as our professional relationship goes.”

  Rose just stared at him. She didn’t move a muscle. “Rose,” he prompted. “Did you hear what I said?”

  She nodded. “It seemed like you wanted me to listen and not talk. That’s why I didn’t say anything. I’m listening.”

  “Good point,” he said sheepishly. “Obviously if you’re dead set against going out with me, now would probably be pretty much the time for saying so.” Rose continued to stare at him without saying a word.