“Ask your dad. If he says it’s okay, I’ll pack a lunch and pick you up about eleven—” Before she finished the sentence, Amber streaked away across the patio searching for Dwayne.
“That’s one excited little girl.” Bradley put his hand on her shoulder. “What did you do, promise her the moon?”
“Hi, Dad. Almost as good. I invited her to come with me and Skip to the dog park tomorrow.” She leaned into him and dropped her head on his shoulder. “Happy Birthday.”
“Thank you. This is a great party. Did you happen to notice your mother when she greeted Irene and John?”
Marla snorted. “What did you drug her with?”
Brad squeezed her in a one-armed hug. “She’ll always be a mystery to me. Looks like she decided to drop the grudge. Maybe she got bored maintaining it.” He shook his head and fixed his gaze on his wife. “Look at her. She is more beautiful every year.”
“Dad, if I could find a man like you I’d get married tomorrow. You’re perfect.”
“Don’t put me on a pedestal, sweetheart. Take a look around here. There are two strapping, eligible bachelors here tonight. Looks like Charlene isn’t wasting any time. Donovan Dempsey won’t know what hit him.” He chuckled and kissed her cheek. “I’m going to circulate. Have fun tonight, that’s an order.”
Unexpectedly awash with sadness, Marla watched her dad join John, Irene, and Silvia. The men exchanged handshakes and drifted off, leaving the women chatting and laughing like best friends. Why the sadness? Her life was going great. She had a great job, her condo renovation investment promised to be profitable, and she’d have the funds to buy more Spring Grove real estate. What more could she want?
Hunger began to drive people to the buffet, and Marla smiled while handing over plates. “Eat up. Charlene and the boys ordered enough food for an invading army.”
Rick Sandoval, a Cal Tech schoolmate of Harry and Barry, played Mexican music on his classical guitar on the far corner of the patio. His rich baritone voice filled the coming darkness with romantic love songs beneath the winking lights strung under the awning.
Her heart squeezed in spite of the festive atmosphere and the happy laughter of the large crowd.
What’s wrong with me?
Dwayne watched Marla from the corner of his eye, wondering why she had such a dejected look on her face. The party couldn’t be better. All the planning she and her sister had done seemed to be going off without a hitch.
Her wild strawberry blonde hair reflected the twinkling lights on the patio, seeming to sparkle as strands drifted in the breeze. He’d agreed to let Amber go on the picnic in the dog park tomorrow. Now he wondered if that was such a good idea. He should talk to Marla about it first, and make sure it was her idea and not Amber’s.
She probably had better things to do than babysit his kid on a Sunday afternoon. Wasn’t that the day women set aside to pamper themselves with facials and manicures? Hand-wash their filmy lingerie, take long bubble baths in candlelight, and listen to romantic music?
Jeez, Dwayne, get a grip. You’re talking yourself into a sexual fantasy over the woman.
Charlene’s laughter distracted him, and he drifted toward her and Donovan. Dylan got there just ahead of him. “What are you two laughing about?”
Donovan gestured to his brothers. “Come over here. Char and I were just remembering that fiasco during the homecoming football game in your senior year.”
Dylan rolled his eyes. “Look, I threw the ball right at Dwayne. It’s not my fault he was showboating and tripped over his own big feet, and then landed right on top of Grace at the sidelines.”
“Right at me, my foot! I had to jump a yard off the ground to reach the damn thing.” He grinned and winked. “It was kind of nice to be on top of Grace in the grass for a few seconds though. Sorry I never got another chance.”
Dylan gave him a light punch on the shoulder. “No, and you never will, brother.” His head jerked back. “Oh, my god! Is that Francine?” He nodded to the side of the yard by the gate.
Dwayne’s heart nearly stopped when he spun around. Francine, the woman he never expected to see again, was making her way toward several kids playing tag. Amber was among them. Heart racing now, he fast-walked to intercept her.
“What the hell are you doing here?” he demanded.
“I came to see my kid.” Her nostrils flared with defiance as she came to a stop. “I have a right to see her. Which one is she?”
“You have no rights where she’s concerned.” He grabbed her arm and turned her in the direction of the gate, ignoring her angry struggles. When he reached the gate, he threw it open and pulled her outside. “You gave up any rights you had when you walked out on us. She was two weeks old. Just two weeks! That fact hardly earns you a mother-of-the-year-award. Get away from here.” His face inches from hers, he added, “Now!”
“You get your hands off me.” She yanked her arm from his grip and took a step back. “She’s my kid and I want to see her.”
“Over my dead body, Francine. Now get the hell away from here.”
When she glanced over his shoulder, he turned to see his brothers take up positions on either side of him.
“Well, well, well. A wall of Dempsey’s against little old me.” She glared at them. “I’ll be back Dwayne, and next time I’ll have the cops with me. She’s my kid.”
“Good luck with that,” he shouted at her retreating back.
She whipped around and sneered. “You’re not her father, asshole.”
Pain and anger ripped through him. He lunged for her. His brothers held him back.
“What the hell is she talking about?” Donovan mumbled.
“Is she nuts? Where did that come from?” Dylan asked.
Dwayne flexed his fists, jammed his hands in his pockets, and took a couple of
