Bachelor Father (11 page)

“Yes, tall, dark, and handsome,” Molly
answered, picturing Brett decked out in a black formal tux watching
her walk down a church aisle, his luminescent brown eyes shining
with the same gleam as when he’d given her his mother’s ring. Molly
shook the thought from her head. Mrs. Potter's excitement about the
wedding must be contagious.

“And, as I started to tell you, his
two-year-old nephew will be living with us. Brett’s sister and
brother-in-law were killed in an accident last month.”

“A baby, too!” Helen fairly shrieked with
glee. “Won’t your mother be beside herself getting a handsome
son-in-law and a baby grandson all at once?”

Mother surely would be beside herself, but not
as Mrs. Potter thought. Mother hated to admit she was old enough to
have a daughter Molly’s age, let alone be a grandmother. Perish the
thought.

Helen chatted on, “I keep hoping Alicia will
have a little announcement for me soon. I wouldn’t mind being a
grandmother, you know.”

Molly laughed again. “I know, and you’ll be a
terrific grandma. Give Alicia and Brad my best the next time you
see them.”

“I will, and you give that fiancé of yours a
big congratulatory hug and kiss from me.”

Molly hung up the phone, the momentary
excitement of discussing wedding plans fleeing with the clunk of
the receiver. She’d better get to work on those case studies she’d
brought home. Crossing in the living room to get her satchel, she
stopped and popped a CD in the player. Maybe some music would help
fill the emptiness that suddenly overtook her.

Chapter Seven

“You may kiss the bride.”

Brett watched as Molly’s eyes first widened in
surprise, then darkened to a deep jade. It appeared his little
bride might be a tad miffed. She’d asked him specifically not to
include the kiss in their ceremony, but he’d never actually
agreed.

He figured adjusting to having a woman living
at his house—especially a woman he barely knew—could be difficult.
So, he might as well take whatever fun came along. And over their
two-week engagement, Brett had been thinking that kissing Molly
could be whole a lot of fun.

He pulled Molly gently to him and lowered his
lips to hers. She stiffened in his arms. He hesitated.

“Do it,” she hissed, puckering her lips for a
quick peck.

Stifling an urge to laugh at her pinched look,
Brett touched her lips with his. He softly kissed away the sour
pucker. No, sour was the wrong adjective. Brett detected nothing in
the least sour about Molly’s reluctant response. He deepened the
kiss and Molly relaxed against him.

“Me, too. Me, too.” Jake wedged himself
between Brett and Molly. “Me kiss Boo.”

Brett released Molly, giving himself a moment
to regain his equilibrium before attending to Jake’s demands. From
the bemused expression on Molly’s face, it looked like she could
use some time to regroup, too.

“Up.” Jake lifted his chubby little
arms.

Brett gave him a benevolent smile. In the
little paisley vest and corduroy pants Tina had bought for him, the
tike looked pretty spiffy—for a two-and-a-half-year-old.

“Here you go, Bud. Kisses for the beautiful
bride.” Brett hoisted Jake up.

Jake planted a big wet kiss on Molly’s cheek
and announced, “Marry Boo.”

A look Brett couldn’t quite interpret passed
over Molly’s face before she smiled at Jake and said, “Well, yes, I
guess we are all married now.”

Brett put his other arm around her shoulder,
turning her to face the church.

The minister completed the ceremony. “I now
present to you Mr. and Mrs. Brett Cahill—and family.”

The small crowd clapped, with Jake joining in
so enthusiastically, Brett had to put the child down between him
and Molly to avoid being clapped in the face.

Tina stepped from Brett’s left to retrieve
Jake, but first gave Brett a congratulatory hug Molly found rather
too enthusiastic. They were in church, after all, she thought
before remembering the display she and Brett had just put on for
the group. After finally, releasing Brett, Tina gave Molly a
perfunctory hug and well wishes before hustling Jake back to the
pew to sit with Amy.

Charles Brown was next to offer
congratulations. Falling into his role as surrogate big brother,
Charles shook Brett’s hand, admonishing, “You take good care of
her.”

Brett squeezed Molly to his side. “I don’t
think that should be too difficult.”

Charles gave Brett a pointed look before
turning to Molly. “Girl, you look sweet.”

“You don’t dress up badly yourself,” she
said.

While Charles preened over the compliment,
Molly looked past him to his wife Linda, who had joined them at the
altar. Linda just rolled her eyes.

“What can I say?” she asked good-naturedly.
“You know, he’s impossibly vain.”

“Now, Linda, you do have to admit he’s the
handsomest maid of honor you’ve ever seen.”

 “
That’s
person
of honor,”
Charles protested. “Tina and are best person and person of
honor.”

Molly hugged Charles. “You
certainly are a person of honor.” But she wouldn’t exactly call
Tina a
best
person.

Charles kissed her on the forehead. As he
stepped back, Molly peeked at Brett to catch his reaction to
Charles affection. Nothing. Brett was smiling at Jake’s antics with
the pew kneeler. Hurt nipped at her heart, a lesser version of the
hurt she’d felt when her mother had married the Judge and made it
quite clear what Molly’s position was in the scheme of
things.

She closed her eyes for a few seconds. What
was she thinking? Of course, Brett’s focus was on Jake. That’s what
this whole marriage was about—taking care of Jake.

When she opened her eyes, she noticed a
slightly plump, middle-aged woman in one of the back pews. The
guest rose hesitantly, a warm smile spreading across her
face.

She came!
Molly grabbed Brett’s hand and pulled him to the back of the
church. “Come on, there’s someone I want you to meet.”

Molly threw her arms around the impeccably
dressed woman, almost knocking her off balance. “What a surprise.
I’m so happy you came.”

The woman untangled herself from Molly’s
embrace. “I couldn’t miss your wedding,” she said, wiping a tear
from Molly’s cheek.

Molly sniffled. “Brett, I’d like you to meet
someone very special. This is—”

“Your mother,” Brett finished. He extended his
hand. “I’m pleased to meet you.”

“No,” Molly said quietly.

“I’m not pleased to meet her?” he
teased, his eyes alight with amusement. Why? She’s not going to be
one of
those
mother-in-laws, is she?” He winked at the woman.

“No. She’s not my mother.” Another tear
trekked down Molly’s cheek. She swiped it away. It didn’t matter
that her mother didn’t come. The ceremony was all a charade anyway.
This is . . .” Molly’s voice broke.

“Helen Potter.” The woman wrapped one arm
around Molly’s waist and clasped Brett’s still-extended hand in her
other. “Molly’s very special to me. I think of her as my other
daughter.”

Brett’s brow creased and his eyes narrowed.
Molly could almost hear him thinking, trying to place Mrs. Potter
and her relationship to Molly. He looked at her, his expression
demanding a clue, any clue.

She really should help him out. But,
considering the kiss stunt he’d pulled on her . . . The memory
flashed vividly through her mind and body. No, better not consider
his kiss. Her emotions were stretched to the limit already.
Tomorrow, it wouldn’t mean anything at all.

Brett shifted nervously, took Mrs. Potter’s
hand, and cleared his throat.

Helen gave Molly
the look
, the one the
housekeeper had always used to warn Molly that she’d gone far
enough.

Molly got the message. Helen was right. Taking
pleasure in Brett discomfort wasn’t very nice, but it was kind of
fun to see him caught off guard.

“Honey,” Molly said sweetly. “You remember I
told you about Helen. She’s been with my family for years.” Molly
didn’t want to say Helen was their housekeeper because to her Helen
was much more. “She made my Pooh-bear pillow for me.” The words
were out before Molly could stop them.

Brett’s lips silently formed the words,
“Pooh-bear?”

Molly bit her tongue. Her Pooh-bear pillow.
How juvenile sounding. No way could he understand what that silly
little pillow meant. From what she’d gathered, Brett had suffered
no lack of love as a child. A glance at him beside her in his
Armani suit, a lock of his dark hair artfully falling across his
forehead, made her doubt he lacked it as an adult
either.

Helen’s gaze was on Brett, too, and the look
on Helen’s face told Molly she’d caught the exchange. Great. Helen
had always been able to read Molly like a learn-to-read book. Molly
would have to think fast to field Helen suspicions about the
marriage. Maybe she’d be better off simply explaining, but Molly
didn’t want to ruin Helen’s day. Helen wanted to believe Molly
happily wed. Besides, if The Judge or Scott became suspicious of
the motives for the wedding, they might find a way to prevent Molly
from getting her trust money and buying the condo.

“Of course, Helen,” Brett said sensing Molly’s
discomfort. Molly’s told me all about you. My mind blanked for a
second. You know, the wedding and all.”

“Oh, I know. My husband was so nervous on our
wedding day that he forgot and went to his family’s church, instead
of mine. By the time he arrived for the ceremony, people were
thinking he’d changed his mind.”

Molly released the breath she’d been holding.
Helen had bought Brett’s explanation. She could kiss him for that.
A tingle ran up her spine. Molly hadn’t known relief could be so
exhilarating.

“Come here.” Helen opened her arms to Brett.
“Let me welcome you to the family.”

He bent down allowing Helen to give him a big
hug.

She released him. “It’s not often I get hugs
from handsome young men anymore.”

Brett shoved his hands in his jacket pocket
and shuffled his feet.

“Unca, Unca,” Jake called, racing up the
aisle.

Molly smiled. Jake never moved slowly. “Now,”
she said, “here’s another handsome guy who probably has a hug for
you.”

“Who’s dat?” Jake asked. He pointed at
Helen.

Helen bent to his level. “I’m Grandma
Helen.”

“Ga’ma?” Jake tested the new word.

“Yep.” Brett nodded. “Grandma
Helen.”

Jake went readily to Helen, and she picked him
up. “My, what a big boy you are. Do you have a kiss for Grandma
Helen?”

“Jake big boy.” He beamed and planted a wet
kiss on Helen’s cheek.

Molly cringed at the exchange. Her
professional training told her they were all setting Jake up for
confusion when the marriage ended, but her heart swelled at how
easily Brett and Helen shared their love.

“All ready?” Brett asked, casually placing his
arm around her shoulders. Everyone else had slipped by and gone to
their cars.

“Um, hmmm.” Molly turned to Helen. “Why don’t
you—”

“Join us for lunch,” Brett said. “We’re all
meeting at the Dutch Inn for a little celebration.” He squeezed
Molly’s shoulder.

Celebration. What celebration? Brett was
taking a little too much liberty with her life. First that kiss,
now a wedding celebration. She’d made it abundantly clear to him
she wanted no fuss. Sure, Brett wasn’t used to answering to anyone
but neither was she. They needed to set some ground rules and fast
if this relationship was going to last the weekend, let alone the
three months or more it could take for Brett’s adoption application
to be approved. Molly slipped out from under Brett’s
arm.

“I’d love to,” Helen answered. “I have a
rental car. Should I follow you?”

“You can ride with us,” Molly said linking her
arm in Helen’s. “We’ll bring you back afterwards. You’ll stay the
night with us?”

“Sugar, I’m sorry. Much as I’d like to stay, I
have to catch a 9 p.m. plane back to Baltimore. With the Judge and
your mother out of town, I really couldn’t leave the house for more
than the day.”

“Of course,” Molly said, unable to keep a
tinge of sarcasm out of her voice.

“Besides,” Helen continued, “you don’t want
company on your wedding night.”

Molly felt a blush creeping up her
face. She hadn’t really thought of tonight as her wedding night.
She sneaked a furtive look at Brett. If his stupid grin was any
indication, the thought
had
crossed his mind. It was their wedding night, but
it wasn’t their
wedding
night. A shiver ran up her spine. Drafty old
church.

“Well,” Molly said, “at least we have the
afternoon.” She looped her arm through Helen’s and walked with the
older woman to Brett’s Wrangler, leaving Brett to follow with
Jake.