“She’s Tessa’s sister. Tessa, the woman who’s engaged to Rafe. The woman who’s soon going to be my sister-in-law.”
“And?”
“What do you mean ‘and’? Beth is going to be part of this family through her sister. What happens if things don’t work out between us? I can’t do that to Rafe or Tessa. Tessa and Beth are sisters, close ones. I don’t want to cause a problem, do anything that might drive a wedge between them, or worse between Beth and Rafe.”
Douglas studied him with an intensity Brody felt all the way to his bones, his stare not judgmental or condemning, but tinged with compassion and understanding. A tiny glimmer of hope started growing deep inside.
“I think you’re looking at this all wrong, son. Rafe and Tessa love each other and they’re deliriously happy. They’re getting married soon, and your wanting to date Tessa’s sister isn’t going to stop their nuptials. The only person who might have a problem with you dating Beth is—Beth. She’s been through the wringer over this whole episode with her ex-husband. It can’t have been easy having her life thrown into turmoil.”
“I know. Thinking about what she’s been through is another reason I’ve kept my distance.”
Douglas leaned back against the stall, once again relaxed and at ease. “Beth strikes me as a strong woman. Independent and sensible. She has to be, raising her daughter on her own.”
Brody smiled thinking about Beth’s little girl. “She’s doing an amazing job with Jamie.”
“You’ll get no argument from me. She’s a precious mite. Plus Jamie loves you, so that’s not an issue.”
Brody ran his hand along his jawline, scratching at the stubble. He’d grabbed a shower before falling into bed, but hadn’t bothered to shave. Another thing he had to take care of before heading back into town.
“I don’t want to make a mistake. It’d be different if I only had to worry about me getting hurt. But there are too many people whose lives could be affected if I screw things up.”
“Son, take a seat. I’m gonna tell you something I haven’t talked about since I was about your age.”
Brody slid down to sit on the barn’s floor, and leaned back against the wall. The look on his father’s face, the seriousness reflected in his expression, told Brody more than words whatever his dad wanted to talk about wasn’t something he shared lightly.
“You know I was in the Army.”
“The Rangers. Momma’s got your medals in that shadowbox above the mantle in the parlor.”
“I was stationed overseas a year after I enlisted. This was before I met your momma. Anyway, I came back to the States on leave, and decided to spend some time with my brother.”
“Which one?”
“Etienne—your Uncle Gator. He’d moved to New Orleans by then. Left the military, and was doing some contract work.”
At his father’s pause, Brody nodded. He’d heard stories about his uncle’s extracurricular activities after he came back from Vietnam, though there were some folks who said he’d started working behind the scenes while still enlisted and serving in ’Nam. It was all very hush-hush, and nobody had ever been able to prove exactly what Gator Boudreau did or didn’t do. He’d simply disappear for days or weeks at a time, and then show back up to his wife and family.
“I was a brash youngster back then. I worked hard and I played hard. I also made one of the biggest mistakes of my life. I was twenty years old, and raring to have as much fun as I could cram into a few weeks’ leave. I spent days with your uncle out in the bayou, fishing and drinking. Then one day, he simply wasn’t there. Left me a note, said he’d try and get back before I had to ship out back to Germany, and that was it.”
Brody watched his father pick up the bridle he’d been repairing earlier, and start smoothing over the leather, as if he needed something in his hands to anchor him. It didn’t seem like a nervous action; it was more like it comforted him to have something substantial in his hands.
“I headed into New Orleans, determined to spend what time I had left with a pretty girl and all the excitement I could dig up in the city. That’s where I met Elizabeth.”
Brody started at the name. He recognized the name, though he’d never been fortunate enough to meet the woman in person. The knot in the pit of his stomach grew, because he had a feeling he knew where his father’s story was heading.
“Dad—”
“Elizabeth was everything I was looking for. Beautiful, compassionate, headstrong. Ready to have fun in the French Quarter. We both knew we wouldn’t have a lot of time together. I was upfront from the start I had to head back to Germany. She had plans to start college classes at the beginning of the semester. The time I spent with Elizabeth became the highlight of my trip, and I found myself falling for her. Head over heels. I thought she felt the same, and I think she did—until she laid eyes on Gator.”
Well, crap.
“I never stood a chance. It wasn’t anybody’s fault. Gator didn’t come back to New Orleans thinking he was going to meet the girl of his dreams. Elizabeth didn’t set out to hurt me, either. I won’t say it didn’t sting my heart, but I think it was more a slap to my pride. I found the girl first; I should have won her heart. But sometimes it’s not meant to be. Elizabeth and Gator? They were meant to be. Their attraction was palpable, so strong you could almost see their hearts beating as one. I know it sounds all girly and romantic and stuff, but doesn’t change the fact it happened. I could have let it drive a wedge between me and my brother. Instead, I got to see a man I admire more than anyone find the happiness he deserved, with a woman who
