His Last-Chance Christmas Family

by Michelle Major

  At this point, he couldn’t bring himself to care. He was too busy wishing he’d had a do-over on last night. One where he would have insisted on staying or making sure Francesca was stable. He would never have guessed the young mom would do something like this, but now he felt like he’d failed everyone involved, especially Brynn.

  He hated that she had to deal with Daniel’s baby with another woman on top of everything else she’d been through.

  Climbing out of the truck, he noticed the curtains in the front window of the house across the street flutter. Karen Remington lived there, and the retired nurse was one of Starlight’s biggest gossips.

  Nick sighed. He hadn’t planned to settle in his hometown, but he’d grown accustomed to it and his role in Starlight. In truth, he couldn’t imagine living anywhere else. He loved the community and the sense of purpose it gave him to lead the town as police chief.

  But sometimes a little anonymity wouldn’t be the worst thing he could imagine.

  Brynn opened the door as he approached, the baby cradled in her arms. The sight of her hit him like a swift punch to the gut, knocking the wind out of him. Brynn looked so damn beautiful standing in the doorway, her hair tucked behind her ears like she used to wear it back in high school. She wore a shapeless T-shirt and loose pajama pants, and somehow the casual intimacy of the outfit only added to the emotions assailing him.

  “You look tired,” he blurted out, then wanted to kick himself for once again saying the wrong thing to her.

  “And panicked and overwhelmed,” she added with an eye roll. “Excuse me for not making myself pretty for you, Chief. I was busy taking care of this little one.”

  “I didn’t mean it like that.” He shut the front door behind him as he followed her into the house. “You don’t need to do anything to make yourself pretty, Brynn. You’re already beautiful.”

  That was better, right?

  Maybe not, based on the look she threw him over her shoulder. “Do you have any leads on Francesca?” she asked.

  “Not yet. I’ve called the sheriff’s department and state highway patrol. I haven’t reached out to social services yet, but if she doesn’t resurface soon, I’ll need to alert them.”

  “What will happen to Remi?”

  He watched as Brynn took a mug from the cabinet and poured coffee into it. How was she able to function so adeptly while holding the baby in her other arm and the chaos swirling around them? Was this some inherent gift mothers had?

  “Thanks.” He took the steaming mug she handed to him. “Foster care unless they can find a member of her family to take the baby. First they’ll have to track down her records.”

  “I don’t even know her last name.” Brynn chewed on her lower lip. “There are so many things about last night I’d do differently if I had the chance.”

  “You can’t change the past,” he said after taking a long drink of coffee.

  Her sky blue gaze darted to his, and the air grew charged between them.

  “Trust me, I get it,” she said quietly.

  “Hi, Nick.”

  Nick turned as Tyler entered the kitchen and immediately walked to his mother’s side.

  “Hey, Ty. How are you doing with all this?”

  “I fed her this morning and got her to burp.” The boy tickled the baby’s tiny foot. “She spit up on me, but it wasn’t too gross.”

  Brynn smiled at her son in a way that made Nick’s chest ache.

  “That’s impressive,” he told the kid. “I’m not sure I’d want someone puking on me.”

  “Mommy said I used to spit up a ton. Way more than Remi. But I don’t remember on account of I was little then.”

  “But you’re a big help now.” Brynn trailed a finger along her son’s cheek.

  “Did you find Remi’s mommy?” Tyler turned toward Nick, his gaze serious.

  “Not yet, but we’re working on it.”

  “She can stay with us until her mom comes back.” Tyler glanced up at his mom. “Right?”

  “Of course, she’s welcome here,” Brynn answered without hesitation. “But she might have family or someone who’s better suited to take care of her, sweetie.”

  “She likes me.” Tyler’s feathery brows furrowed. “And I like her. I didn’t even know I liked babies but turns out I do. Colby Myers has a baby brother, but he cries all the time. Remi doesn’t cry much.”

  “Not so far,” Brynn agreed, sounding as unsettled as Nick felt.

  The baby didn’t look anywhere close to tears. She blew a few spit bubbles, then reached for Tyler.

  “See, Mommy. She likes me.”

  “Because you’re the best. Let’s put her on the floor in the family room and you can play with her for a few more minutes before you head off to school. I think I have some of your old baby stuff in the basement that we can use for her while she’s here.”

  “Cool,” Tyler said and led the way from the kitchen around the corner to the family room.

  Nick grabbed a fleece blanket from the back of the sofa and spread it on the floor. Brynn knelt down next to him and placed the baby on the soft fabric.

  Remi seemed thrilled to have more room to stretch and wiggle. She kicked her legs and babbled when Tyler joined her on the blanket, making faces and grinning.

  “She likes me a lot,” the boy announced, clearly reveling in the baby’s adoration.

  “Who can blame her?” Nick asked, as he straightened.

  Brynn crossed her arms over her chest as she watched the two children, a wistful smile playing at the corner of her mouth. A few years back Daniel had complained to a group of guys about Brynn wanting another baby. It had been at the bar after a softball game, and Nick had wanted to punch his supposed friend for the way Daniel insinuated that Brynn and Tyler were already too much of an inconvenience without adding another kid into the mix.

  Brynn had always been a natural caregiver, sweet and nurturing when other kids—kids like Nick—were totally focused on themselves.

  There was so much Brynn had compromised on when she’d married Daniel, and Nick still blamed himself for the turn of events that led to their quickie wedding.

  He massaged a hand across the back of his neck, trying to rub away the irritation that pricked at his skin.

  Brynn seemed to force her gaze away from Tyler and Remi to give Nick a weak smile. “Could you help me bring up a couple bins from the basement?”

  “Sure.” He followed her out of the room and down into the cramped, unfinished space. “I’ll call and check in with the station to see if she’s gotten word from anyone after we get the stuff upstairs.”

  “I went through most of Daniel’s things a month after the funeral. I don’t remember any mention of a Francesca to help figure out her last name, but I can check his emails again.” She sighed. “He was pretty good at covering his tracks, or maybe I was willfully ignorant to how unhappy he truly was with me.”

  Anger coursed through Nick, so hot and bright he was shocked it didn’t light up the house’s lower level. A few colorful rugs covered the floor and the cement block walls had been painted a cheery yellow. The washer and dryer were positioned on one wall with bins and storage shelves taking up most of the space on the other. Leave it to Brynn to make even a dreary basement look inviting. “Daniel’s behavior wasn’t your fault.”

  Her shoulders stiffened. “There’s a baby upstairs whose presence in my house—in the world—would refute that statement. My late husband was adamant he didn’t want other children. Apparently, the caveat was he didn’t want children with me.”

  “You don’t know the details of his relationship with Francesca or what he thought about her pregnancy.”

  She exhaled a sharp laugh. “Thank heaven for small favors.”

  “I need to call child protective services, Brynn. Probably sooner than later for your emotional w
ell-being.”

  She’d moved to the back corner of the basement, where gray plastic bins were stacked five high. “What does that mean?” she asked, standing on tiptoes to reach for the top container.

  He moved behind her, once again wondering how a person who appeared so small and physically fragile could in reality be such an emotional powerhouse. His arms brushed her shoulders and the warm smell of vanilla drifted around him. Brynn’s scent. How was it possible she still smelled the same as she had back in high school?

  Okay, Nick wasn’t an idiot. He understood how fragrance worked. His mom had been using the same brand of lotion since his childhood, and he’d always associate Olay with her. But this was somehow different, as if the scent were a part of her essence. Silly musing for a grown man.

  Brynn shifted slightly, and Nick realized he’d gone still while he tried to untangle the reason her scent affected him on such a primal level. Although they didn’t touch, his body cocooned hers in the quiet of the basement, the only sound their breathing and the hum of the furnace in the far corner.

  “If you grab the top box,” she said after a long moment, “I can get the one I need.”

  He lifted the container and moved away to set it down, filling his lungs with normal air. Damn if he didn’t want to bury his face in the crook of her neck and stay there for as long as she’d let him.

  “What did you mean about my well-being?” she asked again, as she handed him a heavy bin, twin spots of color flaming on her cheeks.

  “We both know what that baby represents,” he said, smacked back into reality once more. “You can’t want her here.”

  At Brynn’s shocked gasp, guilt assailed him. But he had to say the words. They both needed to deal with the truth of the situation.

  “She’s an innocent child without a mother at the moment.” Brynn shook her head. “None of this is her responsibility. And she’s Tyler’s half sister. She’s welcome here as long as needed.”

  “Are you going to tell him?”

  She chewed on her bottom lip. “Yes. No. Once we have more clarity about what happens next.”

  They walked back to the stairs, and Nick stopped before climbing. He placed the bin on the bottom step and turned to face Brynn. She held another container, one labeled unisex clothes, as if she’d been anticipating what might come next. He took that tub from her and put it on the cement floor.

  “What do you want to happen?” He used one finger to tip her chin toward him when she looked away. “Tell me, Brynn, and I swear I’ll do everything in my power to make it come to pass. Anything.”

  There was a second of vulnerability that flashed in her gaze, like she might truly let him in to help. As if he might finally get a chance to make up for some of the mistakes he’d made in the past. He’d do anything for that chance.

  Then she blinked and her gaze shuttered. She elbowed him out of the way and hefted the bin he’d left on the step into her arms. “I want what’s best for Tyler and for the baby. It’s all that matters.”

  Chapter Five

  Three hours later, Brynn walked into her office at the Dennison Mill with an infant seat hooked on her arm. She’d been working full-time at the shopping area and community gathering place for only a couple of months but already felt a deep commitment to the project’s success.

  She’d grown up with Josh and Parker Johnson, the two brothers who’d bought and redeveloped the former lumber mill and turned it into a mixed-use space.

  Brynn’s unplanned pregnancy and subsequent wedding had derailed her plans to go to college like so many of her high school classmates. Daniel had gotten a job working for a local insurance agency while he went to school part-time. Brynn had stayed home with the baby, many hours on her own, and done her best to pick up odd jobs around town. Anything to feel like she was contributing.

  She’d thought that would make Daniel happy. For the past decade, she’d worked her butt off to make her marriage a happy one, mostly for Tyler’s sake. Still, she wouldn’t deny she’d wanted more from her life and her relationship with her husband.

  More than he could give apparently.

  As much as she’d loved the kids and the staff at the school, it hadn’t felt like enough. Certainly not enough to support herself and her son as a single mom.

  She wanted something for herself.

  Something more.

  The job at the mill checked all the boxes, and she’d already planned a makers’ market craft fair, a holiday wish list shopping event and a series of concerts by local performers. This holiday season was going to be the most successful she could make it. Josh, who was her primary boss now that construction was mainly complete, seemed to be satisfied with whatever she planned. Brynn wanted more than satisfied. She wanted to prove she could make the mill—and herself—successful.

  A lot of her work could be done at home, but she liked to be on-site in order to talk to shop owners and customers. Little Remi stared up at her as she contentedly sucked on her pacifier. Did the baby realize her life had been turned upside down?

  Of course not, but Brynn couldn’t stop her eyes from pricking with tears every time she looked at the child. What was going to happen to her?

  Nick had called a friend at the department of child welfare before leaving her house this morning. He’d convinced the social worker to drag her feet in processing the case, giving them at least the rest of the day to track down Francesca.

  There had been no new leads on the missing mom, and Brynn wondered how hard to push to find her. As much as she hated to admit it, Brynn understood Francesca’s need to flee. Being a new mother was overwhelming in the best circumstances, but to feel alone and scared could only magnify the anxiety. If Francesca hadn’t wanted the baby in the first place, would she truly be able to give Remi the love and devotion she needed?

  Brynn set the carrier beside the chair, then sat down at her desk and powered up her computer, forcing herself to put aside thoughts of the uncertain future. She was only going to stay at the office for a few hours, if Remi cooperated, and needed to get as much done as she could.

  She logged on to her work email and her gaze immediately snagged on a message that was time-stamped an hour earlier. The subject line read Remi.

  Heart hammering in her chest, she clicked on the message. It was from Francesca, as she expected. The note explained Daniel’s death had left a gaping hole in her heart and she couldn’t imagine raising his baby on her own. She wrote that she needed time to gather her emotions, but in her current state of mind, she believed it would be better for Remi to be raised by people who could truly devote themselves to her.

  Brynn forwarded the message to Nick’s work email account and then pulled out her phone and texted him to let him know she’d sent it and that Francesca specifically asked for privacy to make a final decision in her own time.

  Tyler’s sister had been orphaned by her mother.

  It wasn’t a shock. Brynn had known deep in her heart Francesca wasn’t going to come back and claim her baby. But she hadn’t wanted to believe it, refused to consider what this meant going forward. Before she could truly process the ramifications of the inevitable truth of the situation, there was a knock on her office door.

  She glanced up to find Mara Johnson waving from the doorway. Mara’s hazel eyes widened, and her smile disappeared.

  “What’s wrong?” she asked, as she let herself into Brynn’s office and closed the door behind her. “Has something else happened? Did they find Francesca?”

  “I read an email she sent early this morning.” Brynn swiped at her cheeks even as she glanced at the little girl. “She’s adamant about giving up the baby. I don’t think it’s postpartum depression. The email... She sounds resolute but sad and asks for time to contemplate the future. How can she feel resolved around something like this, Mara?”

  “I don’t know, hon.” Mara came forward
and gave Brynn a tight hug. “I can’t imagine it, but know we’re all here to help you and Tyler with whatever you need.”

  “Oh, lord,” Brynn said with a laugh. “I must be a bigger mess than I thought if you’re hugging me.”

  Mara stepped back. “I hug people. I’m warm and caring. A regular Mother Teresa.” One corner of her mouth twitched because they both knew that, although Mara had a huge heart, her outer layer was as prickly as a porcupine. “Okay, the truth is you look like hell. Desperate times and all that.”

  “I appreciate the hug.” Brynn gestured to the baby. “Look at her. She’s so innocent and now so alone. I don’t even know how to process any of this, and I’ve become quite the expert on handling untenable situations.”

  Remi was currently occupied with the toys that hung from the handle of her infant carrier. She swatted at a colorful butterfly, totally unaware of her circumstances.

  It broke Brynn’s heart.

  “She’s not alone. She has you.” Mara handed Brynn the brown bag she held. “I’m guessing you haven’t eaten this morning. I brought blueberry muffins. You need food.”

  “Thanks.” Brynn opened the bag and inhaled the delicious scent of Mara’s freshly baked treats. The other woman might have a tough exterior, but she put heaps of love into every homemade goody she baked for Main Street Perk’s two locations—both popular coffee shops owned by her aunt Nanci and Dennison Mill.

  Mara had come to Starlight almost two years ago, emotionally scarred from her divorce but determined to make a new life for herself and her five-year-old daughter, Evie.

  It probably seemed strange to some of the locals that Brynn’s two best friends in town were Mara and Kaitlin Carmody, both women who were newer to Starlight. Being the girl who got pregnant in high school had changed more than Brynn’s own life. It shifted how people in town saw her and treated her. Mara and Kaitlin didn’t judge her for what had happened a decade earlier, and she need to create relationships with people based on the person she was now instead of who they wanted or expected her to be.