She recognized it in him because that need was so strong in her own life. Even with her loving family and crazy friends like Allie and Rick, an emptiness lingered in her that Haven realized only someone special could fill.
Since Brody had no plans to stay in the area, he couldn’t be that person. However, for the time being, she decided it wouldn’t hurt to pretend he might be.
“Tell me about your brother’s kids. You said they were a handful.” Brody wondered how much trouble two little boys could make.
“They are more than a handful. Be forewarned, they can plow a wide path of destruction before you even realize they’ve moved,” Haven said, making Brody chuckle.
“They sound like my kind of kids. How old are they?”
“Mason is six and Jed is almost five,” Haven explained, taking an exit and following a road out toward what appeared to be nowhere. “Don’t let their sweet smiles and freckles fool you, though. They should be approached like you would a pack of bloodthirsty hyenas.”
Brody laughed and shook his head. “You’re hilarious, you know that?”
“No, I don’t. I’m just telling you how things are.” Haven slowed the car as they turned onto a gravel road. She cast a glance at Brody and he caught her eye. “I want you to have fun today, so please don’t take anything anyone says to heart and please, please don’t believe the stories my brothers may tell about me. None of them are true and I’m not Dad’s favorite.”
Brody was still laughing when she pulled up in front of a large farmhouse with a landscaped yard and two big dogs lounging on the front porch.
“Wow! You grew up here?” Brody looked around as he got out. He opened the door to the backseat and picked up Haven’s box of food.
“Yeah. Mom and Dad built the house when I was about seven. Our old house is where Wes and Tammy live. It’s down the road that way.” She pointed toward a spot in the distance Brody could barely see.
“You sure they won’t mind me intruding on your family time?”
“Not at all, especially if you talk football with my dad. It’s his favorite sport and he spends as much time during football season as possible watching games.”
“Sounds like a man after my own heart.” Painfully aware of the gaping chasm in their backgrounds, Brody couldn’t help but compare the scroungy little house where he grew up to Haven’s All-American childhood.
Haven sensed his hesitation to go inside the house and meet her family. Not willing to let him escape, she looped her arm around his and tugged him down the front walk. The dogs raised their heads to see who approached, bounding off the steps and barking out a friendly greeting.
“Down boys. Down!” Haven commanded the two chocolate labs that approached and bumped into her, wanting attention.
“Who have we got here?” Brody shifted the box so he had a free hand. He held his fingers down for one of the dogs to sniff, rubbed its head and scratched behind its ears.
“Don’t laugh, but you’re making friends with Minion and the one over here is Gru. You know, from the movie Despicable Me ?” Haven smiled while Brody reached over to pet the other dog.
“Let me guess, your nephews helped pick the names.” Brody gave each dog another pat on the head.
“Is it that obvious?” She offered him a cheeky grin. “Let’s go in before they slobber us to death.”
Haven led the way up the steps and was just about to open the door when it swung inward and a woman who looked like an older version of Allie folded her into a hug.
“Sweetie, we were hoping you’d get here soon. Tom and Hale both came for lunch and Wes and Tammy will be here for dinner.” Rachel Haggarty pulled Haven inside then stood with round eyes, staring at the man on her front step. “Please, come in. I’m Rachel, Haven’s mother.”
“It’s very nice to meet you, Mrs. Haggarty,” Brody said, trying to remember every lesson in manners his mother ever taught
Since Brody had no plans to stay in the area, he couldn’t be that person. However, for the time being, she decided it wouldn’t hurt to pretend he might be.
“Tell me about your brother’s kids. You said they were a handful.” Brody wondered how much trouble two little boys could make.
“They are more than a handful. Be forewarned, they can plow a wide path of destruction before you even realize they’ve moved,” Haven said, making Brody chuckle.
“They sound like my kind of kids. How old are they?”
“Mason is six and Jed is almost five,” Haven explained, taking an exit and following a road out toward what appeared to be nowhere. “Don’t let their sweet smiles and freckles fool you, though. They should be approached like you would a pack of bloodthirsty hyenas.”
Brody laughed and shook his head. “You’re hilarious, you know that?”
“No, I don’t. I’m just telling you how things are.” Haven slowed the car as they turned onto a gravel road. She cast a glance at Brody and he caught her eye. “I want you to have fun today, so please don’t take anything anyone says to heart and please, please don’t believe the stories my brothers may tell about me. None of them are true and I’m not Dad’s favorite.”
Brody was still laughing when she pulled up in front of a large farmhouse with a landscaped yard and two big dogs lounging on the front porch.
“Wow! You grew up here?” Brody looked around as he got out. He opened the door to the backseat and picked up Haven’s box of food.
“Yeah. Mom and Dad built the house when I was about seven. Our old house is where Wes and Tammy live. It’s down the road that way.” She pointed toward a spot in the distance Brody could barely see.
“You sure they won’t mind me intruding on your family time?”
“Not at all, especially if you talk football with my dad. It’s his favorite sport and he spends as much time during football season as possible watching games.”
“Sounds like a man after my own heart.” Painfully aware of the gaping chasm in their backgrounds, Brody couldn’t help but compare the scroungy little house where he grew up to Haven’s All-American childhood.
Haven sensed his hesitation to go inside the house and meet her family. Not willing to let him escape, she looped her arm around his and tugged him down the front walk. The dogs raised their heads to see who approached, bounding off the steps and barking out a friendly greeting.
“Down boys. Down!” Haven commanded the two chocolate labs that approached and bumped into her, wanting attention.
“Who have we got here?” Brody shifted the box so he had a free hand. He held his fingers down for one of the dogs to sniff, rubbed its head and scratched behind its ears.
“Don’t laugh, but you’re making friends with Minion and the one over here is Gru. You know, from the movie Despicable Me ?” Haven smiled while Brody reached over to pet the other dog.
“Let me guess, your nephews helped pick the names.” Brody gave each dog another pat on the head.
“Is it that obvious?” She offered him a cheeky grin. “Let’s go in before they slobber us to death.”
Haven led the way up the steps and was just about to open the door when it swung inward and a woman who looked like an older version of Allie folded her into a hug.
“Sweetie, we were hoping you’d get here soon. Tom and Hale both came for lunch and Wes and Tammy will be here for dinner.” Rachel Haggarty pulled Haven inside then stood with round eyes, staring at the man on her front step. “Please, come in. I’m Rachel, Haven’s mother.”
“It’s very nice to meet you, Mrs. Haggarty,” Brody said, trying to remember every lesson in manners his mother ever taught
Similar Books
