Her Very Own Family

by Gina Wilkins

  “You said you wanted to talk to me about the accident?”

  “Yeah. You’ve done very well this evening, considering everything, but you’re going to be sore as he...er, heck, tomorrow. You took a hard jolt when that truck hit your car. Your seat belt slammed you back against your seat—exactly as it’s designed to do—your head hit the window, your neck and spine were jarred. You’re going to feel like someone beat you with a stick.”

  Her precarious emotions under control, Brynn glanced at him with a wry smile. “Don’t sugarcoat it, Doctor. Give it to me straight.”

  He smiled at her quip but continued to speak seriously. “Take the pill I gave you. It will help you relax, help you sleep. A hot bath wouldn’t be a bad idea, either, but don’t stay in it too long. It’ll sap whatever strength you have left.”

  She nodded and turned the doorknob, opening the door an inch or so. “Thank you, Doctor.”

  “ ‘Joe,’ ” he said, the reminder sounding just a bit irritable. “I’m not on the time clock. Just making suggestions.”

  She couldn’t help smiling again. “You must have gotten that trait from your father.”

  He winced, then chuckled. “Yeah, I probably did. Anyway, if you have any problems other than the ones I’ve described... sudden headache or dizziness... anything at all...you let my parents know, all right? I live about twenty minutes away, but I can be here in less if you need me.”

  “I’ll be fine. Thank you, Joe. I don’t know how I’ll repay you for all you’ve done.”

  He touched her arm and smiled. “I told you, I’m not on the time clock now. The insurance companies will take care of everything else.”

  She wasn’t sure whether her sudden light-headedness was a result of her exhaustion, his touch or his smile. Maybe a combination. Whatever the cause, it was time for her to put some space between herself and this attractive doctor, at least until she had cleared her head and pulled all her natural defenses back into place. She was confident that a good night’s sleep would help her with both.

  “Good night,” she said, pushing the door open and stepping quickly away from his hand. “Thank you again.”

  She had the door closed behind her before he could reply.

  Surprisingly enough, Brynn didn’t lie awake, tossing and turning and fretting about Kelly’s injuries or worrying about their future or trying to get used to her strange surroundings. She was unconscious almost as soon as her head hit the pillow, and her sleep was deep, dreamless. The only time she roused during the night was when a soft hand touched her forehead.

  Blinking her eyes against the dim glow of a night-light, Brynn peered up into the smiling face of Carla D’Alessandro.

  “I hope I didn’t frighten you,” Carla said softly. “I just wanted to make sure you’re all right. Despite Joe’s reassurances, that bruise on your head made me worry about a concussion.”

  “I’m fine,” Brynn croaked, her voice still hoarse from sleep. “But thank you for being concerned.”

  “I raised three accident-prone sons,” Carla explained. “I became so accustomed to getting up in the night and holding up fingers for them to count that the habit just seemed to stick with me.”

  Brynn thought of all the nights she’d lain in bed as a child, wishing she had the kind of mother who would tuck her in and check on her. “Your sons are very fortunate,” she murmured.

  “I’ve always thought it was the other way around. Good night, Brynn.”

  “G’night, Mrs. D’Alessandro.”

  “ ‘Carla.’ ” With that gentle reminder, the older woman slipped out of the room. Brynn went back to sleep with a wistful smile playing on her lips.

  “She’s pretty.”

  Joe twisted the key in the lock of his front door and tried to concentrate on his brother’s words. Michael was visiting from Austin in honor of his new nephew’s arrival and had already planned to bunk at Joe’s place for the night. They’d been on their way here when they’d seen the wreck that had so radically changed their plans for the evening.

  “What did you say, Mike?”

  “Brynn Larkin. I said she’s very attractive.”

  Joe pushed open the door. “Oh? Yes, I suppose so.”

  “As if you didn’t notice.” Michael openly scoffed at Joe’s attempt at nonchalance. “You nearly swallowed your tongue every time she smiled.”

  “Give me a break. She’s at least ten years younger than I am. And she’s my patient.”

  “Brynn’s not your patient. Her friend is. I saw the way you watched Brynn during dinner.”

  All his life, Joe had been the butt of teasing from his elder brothers. All his life, he’d been trying to learn not to let their teasing get to him. He still hadn’t quite learned the trick.

  “I wasn’t looking at her in any particular way, other than to make sure she was okay. I’m really not in the mood for this, Mike.”

  “Okay, fine. I just couldn’t help noticing, that’s all.”

  “And I can’t help noticing that you’re nuts. I’m going to bed. You know where everything is, right? Don’t need me to tuck you into the guest bed?”

  Michael answered with a mild Italian obscenity. But his attention didn’t stray long from his original subject. “Did you notice her eyes?”

  “Michael...”

  “No, seriously. They were such a light blue. Crystal, almost. They reminded me of someone. Can’t think who just now.”

  “You think about that. I’ve got to get some sleep.”

  Joe crawled into bed half an hour later, so tired his hair ached. But as he pulled the sheets around him, he found himself thinking of Brynn Larkin. She really was pretty. And her eyes were familiar.

  Who...?

  He fell asleep before he could decide exactly who Brynn’s light-blue eyes reminded him of.

  Chapter Three

  Even before Brynn looked at the clock Sunday morning, she knew she’d slept later than she had intended. She gasped when she saw the time. Ten o’clock! She hadn’t slept this late in years. Just what had been in that pill Joe had given her last night?

  She tossed off the covers and shoved herself upright, then gasped again when every abused muscle in her body protested the abrupt movement. Joe had said the pill would ease the soreness she would feel this morning. How much worse could it have been if she hadn’t taken it?

  Moving very carefully, she stood and shuffled into the bathroom. She couldn’t help thinking of Precious, her foster mother’s old, arthritic pug. The dog had lived to be nearly eighteen and had always reminded Brynn and Kelly of a crotchety old lady. Now Brynn understood a bit better why poor old Precious had been such a grouch.

  A hot shower helped a bit. Conscious of passing time, Brynn didn’t linger long under the soothing spray. She grimaced when she caught a glimpse of her reflection as she stepped carefully out of the shower. Her skin was blotched with purple bruises, and her complexion looked sallow even through the mirror fog. It was just as well, she thought with a rueful smile, that no one else was around to see her just then. Not that there was anyone in particular she wanted to see her naked, even at her best, she thought with a blush, pushing a mental image of an attractive, dark-eyed doctor out of her mind. Where had that thought come from, anyway?

  She dressed as quickly as she could in a long-sleeved, navy-and-white knit pullover and pleated navy slacks, an outfit she selected for comfort and because it had survived a night in a suitcase without accumulating too many wrinkles. She blew her hair into her usual smooth bob, tried to add some color to her face with makeup, then decided she was as ready as she was going to be to face her hosts.

  She found Vinnie settled into a big leather chair in the den, the Sunday paper spread around him. He looked up over his reading glasses with a smile. “Buongiorno , Brynn. How are you feeling?”

  “Fine, thank you,” she fibbed with a smile in return. “I can’t believe I slept so late.”

  “Joe said you needed your rest.”

  Joe s
aid. Apparently, that was all the explanation required. It couldn’t have been more obvious that the D’Alessandros had a great deal of pride and confidence in the doctor in their family.

  “Brynn, good morning.” Carla entered the room wiping her hands on a dish towel. “Did you sleep well?”

  “Very well, thank you.”

  “I just talked to Joe. He’s on his way over to join us for brunch.”

  “Has he checked on Kelly this morning?”

  Carla nodded. “As a matter of fact, he called from the hospital. He said he’d spent some time with her this morning and she’s doing very well, considering what she went through yesterday. He can give you more specific information when he gets here, which should be any minute now.”

  Brynn felt a kick of nerves in her stomach at the thought of Joe’s imminent arrival. She told herself she was only anxious to hear about Kelly. “Is Michael coming for brunch, as well?”

  Carla shook her head. “Michael had to leave early this morning to go back to Austin, to his wife and little girl. He has a big case coming up tomorrow, and he needed a bit more time to prepare. He only made a short visit to welcome the new baby. He stopped by here on his way to the airport to tell you goodbye, but you were still sleeping and we didn’t want to disturb you.”

  “I’m sorry I missed him. He was very kind to me yesterday.”

  “We’ve raised all our boys to help those in need,” Vinnie announced with gruff pride. “They take after their parents.”

  Carla rolled her eyes. “Forgive my husband’s immodesty,” she murmured. “Humility has never been one of his virtues.”

  Vinnie waved a hand to dismiss his wife’s mild criticism. “Like their parents,” he continued firmly, “they’ve all chosen professions that offer service to others. Joe’s a doctor, of course. Michael followed his mother into the legal profession—did we mention that Carla’s a judge?”

  “No, you didn’t.” Impressed—and now a bit intimidated—Brynn glanced at Carla.

  Carla smiled. “I’m thinking of retiring next year, when I turn seventy.”

  Seventy? Brynn had underestimated Carla’s age by a minimum of five years.

  “And Tony’s a private investigator,” Vinnie continued, his chest puffing out a tiny bit more.

  “Joe told me that you are a former private investigator.”

  Vinnie nodded. “Retired. Tony followed his old man’s éinto the police academy, then into his own business. He’s got a big investigation and security agency here in Dallas. Very successful. Highly respected.”

  “And my husband will brag about his sons all day, if we let him,” Carla cut in. “Which we won’t.”

  Brynn only smiled, thinking it was nice that Vinnie was so proud of his family. She couldn’t help acknowledging that this was exactly the type of family she’d fantasized about belonging to as a child. She wondered if Tony, Michael and Joe truly understood how lucky they were.

  As if in response to her thoughts, Joe strolled through the door at that moment. Brynn caught her breath at the sight of him. She’d almost forgotten how very attractive this man was, with his thick dark hair that showed an endearing tendency to curl at the ends, his gleaming dark eyes, his sexy smile and loose-limbed walk that was almost a swagger.

  She told herself that it was okay to appreciate his masculine assets as long as she didn’t start weaving any fantasies about the smiles he gave her—the same smiles he gave all women, she suspected.

  It was a good thing that she’d reminded herself not to take him too seriously. Had she not, she might have been a bit flattered by the way he walked immediately to stand close in front of her, searching her face with warm, intense eyes, and with apparently sincere concern in his voice when he asked, “How are you? Did you rest well?”

  “Yes, I’m fine. How’s Kelly?”

  “She’s doing very well,” he assured her. “She’s in some pain, but that’s to be expected. I promised her I’d take you to her as soon as you’ve had a chance to eat. Oh, and she sent you a message. ‘T.W.R.’?”

  Brynn smiled at his slightly puzzled expression. “Thank you. I understand.”

  Joe nodded. “Then I must have delivered it correctly.”

  “Did you see the baby this morning?” Carla asked Joe.

  He glanced away from Brynn long enough to smile at his mother. “He’s doing great. As is his mother. Michelle was nagging to go home when I saw her right after they served her breakfast.”

  Carla clucked in disapproval. “She’s only been in the hospital twenty-four hours. She shouldn’t be in such a rush, especially since this one had to be a difficult C-section delivery. It wouldn’t hurt her to take another night to rest and recuperate.”

  “I, er, mentioned something like that to her. She said she’s thirty-seven years old and the mother of four children, and that she’s perfectly capable of taking care of herself at home. I’m not so sure her doctor agrees, though. He wants to keep her another night, if he can convince her to cooperate.”

  With a sigh, Carla shook her head. “That Michelle. So stubborn.”

  Joe chuckled. “She fits right into this family.”

  Brynn crossed her arms and tucked her hands into her elbows, a habit she’d developed in childhood when she felt awkward or left out—a condition that usually hit her whenever others talked about their families. Whether because she was unusually perceptive or just trying to be a gracious hostess, Carla brought the conversation to an end then, ushering Brynn and the others into the dining room for the delectable brunch she had prepared.

  Brynn was rather surprised at the comfortable, yet simple, life-style the elder D’Alessandros seemed to live. She would have thought a judge would live in more luxurious circumstances.

  Not that she’d ever met a judge. But Carla D’Alessandro just didn’t fit Brynn’s mental image of the word.

  With an effort, she reined in her impatience to see her injured friend—as well as her vague sense of guilt that she was about to have a lovely brunch with a very . nice family while Kelly was lying in a hospital room.

  Vinnie seemed to sense where Brynn’s thoughts centered during the meal. “How long have you and Kelly known each other, Brynn?”

  “Almost twelve years. Since I was fourteen and she was almost eleven. I’d been living in a foster home since my mother... died a year earlier, and Kelly moved in when her mother became too ill to take care of her. Kelly’s mother died a couple of years later. Neither of us had any other relatives, but we were fortunate to be able to remain in the same foster home until we both graduated from high school. From the beginning, Kelly was like my little sister. We’ve been together ever since.”

  Again, she’d found herself answering with more detail than had been absolutely necessary, but this family was so easy to talk to. They seemed so interested in what she had to say.

  “Was it a good foster home?” Vinnie wanted to know.

  Brynn nodded matter-of-factly. “Mrs. Fendel was strict but well-intentioned. And after Kelly arrived, it wasn’t so lonely.”

  Joe reached for his coffee cup, calling Brynn’s attention to him. She found him watching her over the rim, the expression in his eyes hard to read.

  She cleared her throat and looked quickly away.

  “We know several people who were raised in the foster home environment,” Carla commented, apparently unaware of the sudden tension between Brynn and Joe—or was Brynn the only one who felt it? “For some, it was a positive experience, for others it wasn’t.”

  Brynn shrugged lightly, trying without success to ignore the all-too-intriguing man across the table from her. “For me, it was positive, I suppose. I had a safe, comfortable home to grow up in, and I met Kelly. I went into the foster home having no family at all, and I left with a sister.”

  “You were the first one she asked about when I saw her this morning,” Joe said. “She didn’t ask about her own injuries until she’d made sure that you were all right.”

  Brynn had t
o look down at her plate for a moment before she was certain her voice was steady when she answered. “As I said, it’s been just the two of us for a long time. When you only have one person to call family, you worry about... about losing that person, and being left with...”

  No one.

  Brynn couldn’t say the words. She was still so sharply aware of how closely she had come to losing her dearest friend that she couldn’t even talk about it yet.

  Carla’s hand covered Brynn’s on the table. “Kelly will be fine, Brynn. You haven’t lost her.”

  Brynn tried to smile. She looked at Joe, making no effort to hide her gratitude. “I know. Thanks to your sons.”

  She was rather surprised when Joe suddenly frowned and changed the subject. “Have you heard from Tia Luisa since the new baby arrived?”

  Vinnie chuckled. “She called yesterday. My aunt,” he added for Brynn’s benefit. “Ninety-four years old and she can run circles around any of us. She’s the terror of the family. She wanted to know when we’re bringing the baby to see her. I told her he isn’t even out of the hospital yet, but she said that was no excuse.”

  “And I suppose she’s annoyed that Tony and Michelle didn’t name the baby Leonardo?” Joe asked with a wry grin.

  Again, Vinnie made sure Brynn was included in the joke. “Tia Luisa’s father...my grandfather... was named Leonardo. I’m the eldest grandson, and she thinks one of my grandchildren should be named after their great-grandfather. Actually, she’s still annoyed because I didn’t name any of my sons Leonardo. And, since Michael has only the one daughter and Joe hasn’t yet done his duty to marry and produce more D’Alessandro heirs, it was up to Tony to give in to her demands.”

  Joe’s grin deepened. “Tony’s too stubborn to give in. He says he’ll darned well name his kids whatever he likes. And he doesn’t like the name Leonardo. If he wasn’t Tia Luisa’s favorite, she probably wouldn’t be speaking to him-now.”