She let out a sigh as she turned off the television and gathered up her popcorn bowl and glass of lemonade. Did Mac like old movies? Was he a fan of popcorn? Something told he might be a fan of action movies. She didn’t care what movie they might watch together in the future. As long as they were together, Delilah wouldn’t mind.
The ringing of her cell phone cut through her reverie. Mac’s number flashed on her screen. She quickly picked up the phone, not wanting to miss the call.
“Hey there, Mac. How are you?” she said, trying desperately to ignore the thrumming of her heart.
“Hi Delilah. I’m doing pretty well. I just wanted to call to say I’m headed to New Hampshire in the morning with my brothers.”
“I’m so excited for you. Please keep me posted with any news.”
“I will,” he agreed.
A moment of silence stretched out between them.
“I missed seeing you today,” Mac admitted.
“Me too,” she said, feeling relieved that Mac had said the words she’d been thinking.
“When I get back from New Hampshire I’d like to take you out again.”
She raised a hand to her flushed cheeks. “I’d like that too, Mac. Only this time I’d like to plan things, if that works for you.”
Mac chuckled over the line. “Who wouldn’t love that?”
Delilah joined in with him and they laughed in unison.
“Wishing you safe travels, Mac.”
“See you soon, Delilah,” he said in a tender voice that felt like a caress. After ending the call Delilah pressed the phone against her chest and closed her eyes. She wouldn’t be seeing Mac again for a few days at the very least. The very thought of it bummed her out. On the positive side, Mac’s sweet phone call had lifted her spirits and reinforced all her good vibes about him. Moment by moment he was showing her that he might just be a keeper.
“Love and be loved. At the end of the day that’s what it’s all about. What I’ve discovered is that it’s a good blueprint for life.”
Wyatt Donahue
Chapter Six
Wide, green fields stretched out for miles across the New England countryside. Mountains loomed in the distance. The sky was a corn flower blue, dotted with puffy clouds that resembled cotton balls. The sun, although brilliant, wasn’t oppressive. It was a balmy spring day, perfect for taking a road trip with the Donahue boys.
This trip with his brothers was a surefire way of keeping his mind off Delilah, Mac thought as they crossed the state line into New Hampshire. The seven of them had split up in two SUVs to make the trip. Four in one car. Three in another. Ryder was driving the SUV Mac was a passenger in. Because of his long legs he could always justify his seat in the front passenger side.
A few hours into the trip—right around lunchtime—they stopped at a diner called Happy’s Place. After filling up their bellies they continued on the road to Hanover. According to Mac’s calculations, they should be arriving at Mrs. Worther’s place in just under an hour. He tried to think of all the questions he had for Mrs. Worther, but his head was all a jumble. Although he knew it was a long shot that she might have some information to share about Callie, he still felt something pulling him toward reconnecting with Mrs. Worther. It was the oddest sensation, one he couldn’t quite put his finger on.
When they pulled up outside 44 Olive Street, Mac looked out the window on the passenger side. The residence was a large, white Victorian that looked as if it had seen better days. The paint was badly peeling on the house. The purple shutters were faded and cracked. The walkway had broken bricks. Tall weeds had taken possession of the lawn.
“This is where Mrs. Worther ended up?” Wyatt asked in a surprised voice. “The place looks…kind of abandoned.”
“After a lifetime of service I can’t imagine it came to this,” Ryder said with a shake of his head. “What a shame!”
“Parker said she’s living here, so I’m going to go ring the bell,” Mac said.
“Want some company?” Ryder asked as he unbuckled his seatbelt.
“I think that I should go first and introduce myself. It might be intimidating if seven men show up at her door,” Mac said. He knew that the sight of all seven Donahue brothers was a sight to behold for most people. It was best that he approach her solo at first.
“I think you showing up at her door is intimating enough,” Brandon laughed.
Mac hauled himself out of the car and stretched his legs. He cast a quick glance around the neighborhood. None of the other residences were in poor shape. With a ragged sigh he walked up the steps to her front door, then cast a look over his shoulder. All of his brothers had gotten out of the two SUVs and were leaning against the cars. He let out a chuckle. They looked like something out of an old western. Gun slingers who were waiting for a showdown. It was a good thing they hadn’t all followed him to the door. Poor Mrs. Worther might have had a heart attack at the sight of all of them.
Mac turned back around to face the door. For the first time he noticed a foreclosure notice posted on the white, peeling door. The sight of it caused his stomach to clench up. Mac rang the bell as his mind swirled with thoughts about the state of affairs with Mrs. Worther. Had she fallen on such hard times that she was being forcibly ejected from her home?
“Who is it?” A voice called out from inside. “What do you want?”
“Mrs. Worther,” he called out. “My name is Mac. Mac Donahue. Twenty years ago you placed me with my adoptive family, the Donahues. Maggie and Alec Donahue adopted seven children because of you.”
There was silence for a few moments followed by the loud clicking noise of a lock turning. The door slowly opened. An older woman—perhaps in her seventies—stood in the doorway. She had a full head of white hair and she wore horn-rimmed glasses.
“Mac? Mac Donahue?” she asked with wide eyes.
“Yes, Mrs. Worther. Do you remember me?”
The door opened wide. Her eyes sparkled with something that resembled awareness…and joy. “Of course I do. You were one of the ones who will be forever imprinted on my heart strings.”
Goosebumps popped up on Mac’s arms. That voice! He remembered Mrs. Worther’s voice, as well as the smile that was now gracing her face. Although she had wrinkles surrounding her mouth and eyes and her hair was now the color of a cotton ball, Mac still remembered his guardian angel.
“May I come in?” he asked in a tentative voice.
“Not until you give me a hug, Mac.” She flung her arms wide and he stepped forward straight into her welcoming arms. As he hugged Mrs. Worther he noticed her frailty. Was she sick? Not eating enough? Or had age just caught up to her? As she released him, Mrs. Worther ushered him into her home. Mac walked inside. He was immediately taken by the beautiful furniture and decorative elements of her home. As a man who used his hands to create one-of-a-kind, unique pieces, he fully appreciated Mrs. Worther’s eye for home decorating and her obvious desire to create an amazing ambiance in her home.
“They can take my home but they can’t take the things that make a house a home,” Mrs. Worther quipped.
“I saw the notice. I’m so sorry,” Mac said.
She waved a hand in the air. “Don’t be sorry. I’ll be fine,” she assured him. “Take a seat so we can catch up. What brings you here?”
Mac sank down on to the eggplant colored velvet couch. “First, let me apologize for showing up at your door without notice.”
She waved her hand at him as she settled down beside him. “Are you kidding me? This is the most exciting thing that has happened to me in ages. I’m very proud of you. Woodworking is a fine profession. You were always so creative. What you endured in your young life was horrific, yet with your heart and soul and grit you turned it all around when you became a part of the Donahue family. It never fails to astound me.” ”
Mac tried to hide his surprise. Clearly, Mrs. Worther had been keeping tabs on him over the years. “Thanks for saying so,” he said. “I consider myself ble
ssed to be working in a profession I really love. Not everyone can say that. And everything I’ve achieved leads straight back to you. You made all the difference in my life.”
“That means the world to me to hear that. I forget sometimes that I had a helping hand in changing lives.” She grinned at him. “I loved my profession too. It always brought me so much joy to help children like yourself find their happy endings.”
Mac nodded at her. “Speaking of happy endings, I really should answer the question about what brought me here.” He took a deep breath. “Twenty years ago when I was placed in the foster care system I was separated from my sister. I haven’t seen her since. And I desperately want to locate her.” He ran a hand over his face. He knew his story sounded hard to believe. It would mean so much to him if Mrs. Worther believed him. “Something happened to her. She was never placed in foster care. There’s no record of her. I believe my adoptive parents might have inquired about my sister after they adopted me.”
Mrs. Worther nodded her head. “It was a long time ago, but I remember it because Maggie and Alec traveled up to Boston from Breeze Point to talk to me about it.” She narrowed her gaze. “You were having a lot of problems at the time if I remember correctly. Fighting. Acting up. Nightmares. I was very sorry that I couldn’t help them.”
Mac felt disappointment slice through him. “So there’s nothing you can tell me about my sister?”
“I’m sorry to disappoint you. Whatever may have happened to her must have occurred between the time you went to the hospital and the time you entered the foster care system.” She heaved a sigh that made her small frame shudder. “I feel terribly about not being able to help.”
Mac reached out and grasped her hand. “No need to feel badly about it. I’m trying to cover all the angles. No worries. I will find my sister.”
Mrs. Worther held up her hand. “Wait. There is something. It may not mean anything,” she said in an apologetic tone. “Several months after you left to live with the Donahue family, we got a phone call about you.”
Mac frowned. “About me?”
“Yes,” Mrs. Worther said. “It was odd to say the least. The person on the phone was a woman. At first we thought it might be your mother, but we later found out that she was deceased at the time of the phone call, so it couldn’t have been her.”
“What did she say?”
“The woman on the phone wanted to know where you were placed and if there was any genetic defects or abnormalities in your family. She actually used the word lineage which I found strange. When we told her we couldn’t divulge any such information, she ended the call. We considered it a prank of some sort since nothing ever came of it.”
Mac knew instinctively it hadn’t been a prank. He had just seen the news article about himself from the Farmington Gazette. His first name had never been mentioned, only the names of his mother and Frank. He had been referenced as a minor. Clearly, whomever had made the phone call knew him or had knowledge of him. Adrenaline coursed through his veins at the thought that the phone call could have been a connection to his sister.
“Anything else you noticed?” Mac was sitting on the edge of his seat, eager to find out anything that might provide a clue or two.
“She had a twang to her voice. A southern accent, I believe. It threw me because it was so sweet and refined. Yet there was a desperation in her voice.” She shuddered. “It raised a red flag, although we never passed it on to your parents because we knew she had no leads on where you’d ended up. We didn’t want to worry anyone unnecessarily.”
A woman with a southern accent who had been trying to find him and obtain information about his genetic history. Odd to say the least. But it served as a huge clue moving forward. Someone had tried to make an inquiry about him.
“How are your brothers? I remember each and every one with such fondness,” Mrs. Worther said.
Mac smiled. “They’re all doing very well. Matter of fact, they’re all here. Outside.”
Mrs. Worther’s eyes bulged. Her mouth hung open. “N-No! Not really. Are you pulling my leg?
“I would never do that to you, Mrs. Worther. You mean too much to me…to all of us, to ever play a trick on you like that.”
Mac watched as tears pooled in her eyes. She reached out and held onto the arm of the couch, then gingerly raised herself to a standing position. Within seconds she had made her way over to the front window. She pulled back the lace curtain and peeked out. She let out a loud sigh.
Mrs. Worther turned back toward him and said, “I think that’s the most stunning sight I’ve ever seen in my life. Please, Mac. Bring them inside.”
Mac got up and walked toward the front door. He let out a whistle and made a motion with his hand. His brothers began walking toward the house. Mac walked back inside and stood to the side, knowing each of his brothers would want to greet their old friend.
All six of his brothers trickled into the house. Mac steered them toward the living room. The scene unfolding before his very eyes was emotional and staggering. Remy was first in line. He walked up to Mrs. Worther and stood before her as she lovingly ran her eyes over him.
“Remy. I would recognize you anywhere,” she cried out, tears running down her face. “You broke my heart sitting in that hospital bed after your parents died in the car accident.”
“You’re as beautiful as ever,” Remy drawled. He took Mrs. Worther’s hand and raised it to his lips then kissed it. “And you got me through that terrible moment as no one else ever could have.”
“I’ve followed your career,” she said, pointing her finger at a painting of a jazz musician playing his saxophone in New Orleans hanging on the wall. “I even bought one of your paintings years ago before your fame skyrocketed.” Mac knew the painting had looked familiar. He hadn’t recognized it as one of Remy’s works.
Mrs. Worther let out a giggle. “Not sure I could afford one of your paintings now.”
Remy pressed a hand against his heart. “I’m honored. And humbled.” He stepped aside, allowing Blue to step forward. Blue wrapped Mrs. Worther up in a bear hug. She wrapped her hands around him. Once he released her, she said, “Oh Blue, you haven’t changed one bit. It’s those hazel eyes. The first time I laid eyes on you I knew you possessed the wisdom of the ages. You were so hopeful about your prospects. How I wanted you to soar like an eagle. And you have.” She reached up and ran her hand alongside Blue’s cheek.
“Thank you,” Blue said. “For giving me my forever family.”
“You are so welcome,” Mrs. Worther said. “I have a scrapbook with some of your newspaper clippings inside. You’re a brilliant journalist, Blue. A keen observer of life in all its complexities.”
One by one the brothers took turns greeting the woman who had made their lives with Alec and Maggie possible. Mrs. Worther remembered each of their stories and the tragedies that had placed them in the foster care system. It was evident that she had kept her eye on them well after they had been adopted. She had never give up her post as their guardian angel.
Wyatt walked up and placed a kiss on Mrs. Worther’s cheek. “Seeing you is like seeing a rainbow in the sky.”
“Oh, Wyatt. Always the charmer. I always knew you were going to be a shimmering star. There was something about you that let me know you were going to shine. And oh how you have shined.”
Wyatt winked at her. “Well, I did tell you that I wanted to smash all kinds of baseball records. I’m still working at it. I won’t rest until my name is in the record books. Hall of Fame even.”
Nick, Brandon and Ryder all came forward individually. Each time Mrs. Worther brought forth a special memory that she had stored in her heart over the last two decades. It was astounding to Mac that despite time and age and circumstances, she still remembered with such vivid detail.
Mrs. Worther looked around at all of them. She swiped at her eyes with her fingers. “You don’t know how happy you’ve made me. Things have been a little rough lately. I lost all of my savings
through a Ponzi scheme.” She shook her head. “I’m not feeling sorry for myself though. Life is what you make it. I’m making lemonade instead of sucking on lemons.”
“That’s the spirit,” Brandon said. “Although I’d like to wring the person’s neck who stole your savings. That’s a tough blow.”
“Life is full of tough stuff,” she said matter-of-factly. “You boys know that more than most.”
“How can we help you?” Tears gathered in Mac’s eyes. “You saved us in every way possible that a person can save another human being. We owe you everything.”
“I don’t want a thing from you boys.” She wagged a finger at him. “The only thing I want is for us to sit down for a meal together. How about we have dinner here at six o’clock. I’m cooking. How does that sound?”
“That sounds great,” Ryder said as he pulled Mrs. Worther in for a parting hug. “It will give us time to check in to the hotel. We’re staying overnight at Hanover House.”
Hanover House was a well-known bed and breakfast in the area that had been able to accommodate them with seven rooms. They basically would have the whole bed and breakfast to themselves which was convenient.
“We’ll see you at six sharp,” Remy said, pausing to place a kiss on her temple.
“I’ll be waiting for you boys…with bells on,” she said with a smile that lit up her face. “How often does a woman get to have seven handsome men all to herself?”
Once all seven brothers were outside, they exchanged looks filled with hidden meaning. Having grown up together they were able to communicate without saying a word. Mac knew they were all on the same page without even speaking a word.
When A Man Loves A Woman (Seven Brides Seven Brothers Book 7) Page 10
