Tad

by Harmony Raines

  No songs, his bear instructed. That would not be a good welcome for Max and Josephine. In fact, it would make Milly cry and all the birds fly away.

  Whose side are you on? Tad asked his bear as he carried a blinking Milly out into the daylight.

  I’m being honest and saving you from yourself and complete embarrassment, his bear replied, almost giddy with joy as Josephine’s car appeared at the head of the driveway and drew closer.

  Tad kissed Milly’s cheek as she squirmed in his arms. She was such a loving child. And everyone who met her loved her right back.

  “Can you see Mommy and Daddy?” Tad asked as the car came to a halt.

  “Mama. Dadda.” Milly swiveled her head around to stare directly at Tad.

  “Yeah, here they are.” Tad stepped forward as the car doors opened at the same time and Max and Josephine got out.

  “Oh, wow, she has grown!” Josephine held her arms out wide and Milly leaned forward, squealing in delight as she went to her.

  “Mama!” Milly gurgled and chuckled in delight as Tad relinquished his hold on his adopted daughter.

  “It’s good to see you both.” Tad hugged Max before giving Josephine an awkward cuddle while Milly wriggled and danced in her arms.

  “It’s good to see you, Tad. How are you?” Josephine looked down at his hands. “You’ve managed to find the time to work, even with the extra babysitting duties.”

  Tad held up his hands. His fingernails were full of the clay he’d been working, which was also embedded in his cuticles and the fine lines of his skin. He was going to need to scrub them clean before he took Heather on their first date. “I met my mate.”

  The words tumbled out of his mouth and were met with silence from Max and Josephine. Only Milly seemed to have a voice as she chuckled and babbled happily while twirling Josephine’s hair around her small fingers.

  “And we thought we would have all the stories to tell,” Max said as he finally stepped forward and dragged Tad into his arms. “That is the most incredible news. Who is she?”

  “Let’s go inside. I need coffee.” Tad stumbled past them and headed for the house. His legs didn’t feel like his own and his head swam with thoughts of Heather. He didn’t have much to tell his brother and Josephine. His conversation with Heather had been mostly about his work and the craft barn opening. Yet, it was as if he knew her on some deep level. He knew who she was even though he had no idea where she lived, or her favorite color or whether she liked broccoli.

  “I’ll make it.” Josephine handed Milly to Max as she entered the kitchen. “Here, you have missed Milly just as much as I have and I’m sure she has missed you.”

  Max sent a grateful look toward his mate as he hugged Milly tightly. “I have missed you.”

  “So who is she?” Josephine asked, her eyes bright with curiosity as she filled the coffee pot. “I want all the details about your mate.”

  “I don’t know. Not really.” He waved his finger at the kitchen door. “We only met about an hour ago. She’s opening the Bear Creek Craft Barn on Saturday and she asked me to do the opening ceremony, or whatever it’s called.”

  He ran a ragged hand through his hair. It had happened so fast. Wham, the mating bond had hit him like a sledgehammer.

  “It’s okay, it will pass.” Max’s kind words jerked him out of his daydream.

  “Will it?” Tad asked. “Because right now it feels as if I’ve been hit by a freight train.” He placed his hand over his heart that thudded faster every time he thought of Heather. Her face swam in front of his eyes once more. The curve of her lips as they broke into a smile. How he wanted to kiss her. To hold her curvaceous body in his arms and run his fingers through her hair.

  “Here.” Josephine thrust a large mug of hot coffee into his hand. “This should help.”

  Tad reached his hand out and placed it on the back of a kitchen chair and pulled it away from the table. Slumping down into it, he placed his coffee on the table and rested his head in his hands. “She’s incredible. It’s all incredible.” He raised his eyes and looked at Max. “I had no idea.”

  “Is this what you looked like when you first met me?” Josephine asked, her eyes twinkling with amusement.

  “Pretty much. I didn’t think I would make it to the door. But then Jake offered to open the door and flirt with you a little and that got me moving.” He grinned sheepishly. “The rush of jealousy was intense.”

  “I had no idea,” Josephine told him. “I mean, I knew you were acting weird, but I never realized you would feel such jealousy. Not toward Jake.”

  “It was unreasonable. Completely unreasonable,” Max replied.

  “And you’re not just saying that because he’s just gotten home?” Josephine asked, leaning forward to look out of the kitchen window as Jake’s sleek black car slid down the driveway and came to a halt outside the house.

  “Not at all.” Max winked at Tad. “Does he know?”

  Tad shook his head. “You guys are the first people I’ve told.”

  “That includes your mate?” Josephine’s brow creased. “You at least know her name, right?”

  “Of course, I’m not that stupid.” Tad glanced out of the window. Jake was getting out of the car and jogging toward the house. How would his elder brother take the news that he was now the only remaining Harrison bachelor brother?

  “So what is her name?” Josephine asked.

  “Whose name?” Jake asked as he entered the kitchen and immediately hugged his sister-in-law.

  They all looked at each other as if they shared a guilty secret. Neither of them knew how Jake would take the news.

  “What happened?” Jake asked as he kissed Josephine’s cheek. “It’s good to have you back.”

  “It’s good to be home,” Josephine said in return but kept her eyes lowered. The tension in the room increased as Jake searched each of their faces for answers.

  “I met my mate.” Tad raised his eyes to Jake’s, before dragging them away as a look of pain sliced across his features before he masked them once more.

  Stepping forward, Jake grabbed his brother and pulled him into a brotherly hug. “That is incredible news.” His choked voice filled with raw emotion broke Tad’s heart. He wanted to apologize, even though he had nothing to apologize for. “Such great news.”

  Jake released his brother and stepped away, turning his attention to the fresh pot of coffee as he rubbed a hand over his face before pouring himself a cup.

  “Tad was just about to tell us her name,” Max said as he pulled out a chair and sat down across the table from Tad and balanced Milly on his knee.

  “Her name, yes, who is she?” Jake asked. “I think we’ve met every woman in town so she must be new, or a tourist?” He leaned back against the counter with his coffee cup in hand as he fought to avoid the pity in Josephine’s eyes.

  “I’m sure you will meet your mate, too,” Josephine told him gently.

  “Hey, I’m okay,” Jake insisted. “You know all I’ve ever wanted was for you all to be happy. I’m big enough and tough enough to look after myself. And I’ve been doing some thinking.”

  Max opened his mouth to give a clever retort, but one sharp glance from Josephine silenced him.

  “About what?” Tad recognized the look on his brother’s face. Whatever thinking he’d been doing, it was serious.

  “About the living arrangements now that you two have mates.” Jake looked at his two brothers for a moment. “We have enough land here to build two new houses. I don’t mind if I move into one of the new houses if one of you wants to stay in this house.”

  “So we all stay together but have our separate space.” Max nodded his head as he thought it over. “And Milly?”

  “She gets a room in each house.” Jake ran his hand through his hair and gave a short laugh. “I don’t have all the answers.”

  “We’ll figure it out.” Josephine went to Jake and hugged him. “Thank you.”

  “You are welcome.” Jake w
rapped his arms around Josephine and hugged her right back. “Now this mate of yours, Tad.”

  “Heather, her name is Heather,” Tad said quickly.

  “Heather, that’s a pretty name.” Josephine took one last glance at Jake before she turned her full attention on Tad.

  “She is opening the Bear Creek Craft Barn,” Tad continued. “She needed someone short notice to open it on Saturday and someone suggested me.”

  “And you said yes?” Max asked. “I thought you avoided those kinds of things?”

  “I do.” Tad held up his hands in surrender. “But what was I supposed to do?”

  “Understood. But the most important thing is what did you agree to do?” Jake asked. “You aren’t exactly good at speaking in public.”

  A cold sweat covered Tad’s face. “I didn’t think it through. I just knew I couldn’t say no.” He stood up abruptly. “I’m going to make a fool of myself in front of the whole town.”

  “Why?” Josephine asked. “All you have to do is welcome people to the craft barn and cut a piece of tape. How hard is that?”

  Jake and Max caught each other’s eye and snickered.

  “You’ve never heard the tale about Tad’s science presentation?” Jake asked. He cast a sideways glance at Max. “How could you not have told Josephine about Tad’s speech?”

  “Because he’s a good brother who doesn’t go out of his way to embarrass me,” Tad retorted.

  “Where’s the fun in that?” Jake gave a wicked grin.

  “Do we really want to open the box of most embarrassing moments and let them out?” Max warned his brother.

  “Why not?” Tad asked. “We could tell Josephine about the time Jake thought Tonya Davis was his mate, but really he just had the stomach flu.”

  “Okay, I see your point.” Jake held up his hands as if to stop the flow of words from his brothers’ mouths.

  “So many family secrets.” Josephine came closer. “I’m part of this family now, aren’t I? Surely I should know everything.”

  “Ah, but it has to be a trade,” Jake said, his eyes flashing with humor. “If we tell you our secrets, you have to tell us yours.”

  Josephine’s cheeks flushed pink. “I think I’ll pass.” She grinned. “And just get my mate to tell me everything later.”

  “Not fair!” Max exclaimed. “You have a hold over me.”

  Tad watched the exchange between his brothers and Josephine and warmth spread through his body. He had a mate, their family was about to expand even more, and he looked forward to the humor…and the heartbreak being part of a family involved.

  Chapter Six – Heather

  “We’re home!” Heather placed her car keys in the bowl by the front door of their new house, hidden away in a leafy suburb of Bear Creek.

  “In the kitchen!” her mom called back.

  Heather inhaled deeply. She loved that this was her house. Okay, so it was partly her mom’s, too, since Lillian had sold her own house and put part of the money toward a house they could share. But it wasn’t Andy’s house. Not one single brick belonged to the man who had tried to control her life since they were married.

  “Not one single brick,” she murmured as she took off her coat and hung it up on the old wooden coat stand that stood in the hallway. It was the same coat stand that had stood in the hallway of her childhood home. A wave of nostalgia swept over Heather and she closed her eyes and recalled a memory of her father coming home from work each day and hanging his hat on the coat stand before shrugging off his coat.

  She could have picked the memory from any working day throughout her childhood, it would have been a mirror image. He would come home, hang up his hat and coat, and she would run downstairs from her bedroom and launch herself into his arms.

  “What did you mean, not one single brick?” Bella asked as she tugged on Heather’s sleeve and looked up at her with big wide eyes that sparkled as if filled with tiny stars.

  “Nothing, I was just talking to myself.”

  “That’s the first sign of craziness,” Zack told her as he dumped his school backpack next to the coat stand. After his ice cream treat, he looked more like his normal happy-go-lucky self.

  “We’re all crazy in this family!” Lillian called from the kitchen.

  “Your grandma’s not wrong there.” Heather entered the kitchen and poured herself a cup of coffee. “What can I do to help?”

  Lillian had an array of ingredients out on the countertop, but there seemed no clear indication of what she was going to cook. Or bake. Like her abstract art, Lillian liked to cook in the flow, which roughly translated to I’ll throw everything in one pot and see what it comes out like.

  Zack and Bella looked at their grandma warily. They might be young, but they were old enough to know what tasted good and what didn’t. With Lillian, it could go either way.

  “Maybe you could put on a pot of boiling water for the pasta.” Lillian glanced along the line of ingredients thoughtfully. “Oh, I don’t have the pasta out yet.”

  “I’ll get it.” Bella hurried to the cupboard and stood on tiptoe to reach the pasta, which she hurriedly brought back to her mom.

  “Thanks, Bella.” She smiled down at her daughter, who nodded at the mustard powder on the counter before screwing up her face. “Listen, Mom. Why don’t I cook while you pour us both a glass of wine and you can fill me in on what happened while I was gone from the craft barn.”

  Lillian looked up thoughtfully. “Are you sure? I don’t mind cooking.”

  “No, it’s fine. You get the wine. I think we both deserve a glass.” As Lillian moved toward the fridge, Bella grabbed the mustard powder and took it to the cupboard, where she hid it at the back, under the watchful gaze of her brother.

  “Oh, and how did things go with the artists?” Lillian asked as she opened a bottle of sauvignon blanc and poured two large glasses. Handing one to Heather, she then sat down wearily at the kitchen table and shoved off her shoes.

  “It went well. Tad Harrison has agreed to open the craft barn and teach a master class.” Heather chopped tomatoes while the pan of water came to the boil. She enjoyed cooking, when she was married to Andy the kitchen had been one of the few places she could escape to. Andy enjoyed eating and criticizing her food, but he hated being in the kitchen.

  “Wow, that was quick work. After you left, Edgar told me Tad Harrison seldom does any kind of events. His work sells before he’s even finished it. Sight unseen.” Lillian took a large gulp of wine. “Edgar offered to open the craft barn himself if you were really stuck.”

  Heather paused her chopping and looked over her shoulder at Lillian. “That was kind of him. But Tad said he would do it.” Her mom looked vaguely disappointed. “And I have some other news.”

  After meeting Zack and Bella from school, she’d completely forgotten the other famous person who had promised to come along to the opening.

  “You’ve won the lottery?” Lillian asked hopefully. “I always did fancy a cruise around the world.”

  “No. But the next best thing.” She turned around and dried her hands on a towel. “I met a famous movie star today. Carter Eden.”

  “And he swept you off your feet and asked you to marry him?” Lillian said wickedly, thoughts of first-class trips to exotic filming locations popping into her head.

  “No,” Heather frowned. Marriage was the last thing on her mind. But her mind had other ideas and an image of Thaddeus Harrison standing at an altar wreathed in roses, waiting for her to walk down the aisle to him slipped into her head. “I’m done with marriage.”

  “Pity.” Lillian swept her dyed blonde hair back off her shoulder and took another mouthful of wine. “You could do with a good man in your life.”

  “I can manage quite well on my own,” Heather retorted, eyeing the children who were seated around the table playing on their handheld games’ consoles. It was a thing Andy would never have allowed, but this wasn’t his house and Heather and the children had made an agreement tha
t they could play on their games before dinner as long as they did something productive after dinner.

  “You can manage, honey. I can see that. But life isn’t about just managing. Life is about living and loving.” Lillian’s voice caught in her throat.

  “I am living. And I love you and the children very much.” Her look silenced Lillian who looked away for a moment and sniffed loudly.

  “So what is your news about Carter Eden? Isn’t he the guy who was in Space Monkeys?” Lillian asked when she had regained control over her emotions.

  “Oh, I love Space Monkeys!” Zack exclaimed, proving Heather’s suspicions that the children were half-listening to her conversation with Lillian.

  “He is. And he’s also said he’ll come along to the opening, sign some autographs and tell all his Twitter followers about it.” Heather paused and took a breath, her eyes bright with triumph.

  Lillian bounced out of her seat and came around the table to hug Heather. “I’m so proud of you, Heather. I know I don’t tell you enough. But I truly am. I know how tough…”

  “Mom.” Heather placed her hand on Lillian’s wrist and nodded toward the children. “I know. And thank you. For everything. It was a big thing for you to sell the house.”

  “Ah, it was full of memories. But it was time to make new ones. I loved your father with all my heart, but he wouldn’t have wanted me to pine away for him.” She took a step back from Heather, reached for her glass of wine and drank it down. “Which is why I have accepted Edgar’s offer of dinner and dancing.”

  “You’re going on a date?” Heather’s hands trembled but she clasped them together to hide it from her mom. She might have encouraged Edgar to ask her mom, but now that it was happening it seemed strange for Lillian to go on a date.

  “I am.” Uncertainty flickered in Lillian’s eyes.

  “I think that is a great idea.” Heather reached for her own glass of wine, while Lillian refilled hers. “To new beginnings, Mom.”