The Heart's Game (The Kelly Brothers, Book 4) Read online

  Chapter Nine

  “Whoa! Look out!” Dan jumped between Jenny and the rambunctious Lab that galloped toward the tennis ball that had landed behind them. Visions of Jenny being knocked to the ground and trampled filled his mind. Every fiber of his being screamed that he had to protect her and his baby from the eighty-pound dog that was on a collision course with them. He grabbed her hand and spun her out of the way just as the dog raced past them, leaving splatters of mud in his wake.

  Once the danger had passed, anger replaced his panic. How dare the dog’s owner throw the ball in their direction? Couldn’t he see that Jenny was pregnant?

  He shook the mud from his hands and turned to glare at the dog’s owner, only to see a man and young boy jogging toward them.

  “Sorry about that,” the man said. “Caden got a little too excited and didn’t look where he was throwing.”

  Dan opened his mouth to lecture the man on keeping a closer eye on his son and dog, but Jenny’s laughter silenced him.

  “It’s okay,” she said, smiling as though the boy had thrown flowers at her instead of the ball. “Part of the danger of coming too close to the dog park.”

  Dan wrapped his arm around her waist, holding her close and reassuring himself she was uninjured. When he realized he’d made a big deal out of nothing, his anger ebbed, and he forced a weak smile on his lips. “Hopefully he’ll be more careful in the future.”

  “No question about that.” The man ruffled his son’s hair before grabbing the ball from the Lab’s mouth and hurling it into an empty patch of grass. The dog bolted for it, followed by the father and son.

  He watched them go, and a strange urge tugged at his heart. In a few years, that could be him, playing at the dog park with his child. Would he be as laid back as that father? Or would he be like he was now, cautious and fearful?

  “Are you all right?” Jenny asked, jerking him from his thoughts.

  “I was just worried about you and the baby.”

  She placed a kiss on his cheek. “I’m not made of glass, you know?”

  “No, but you are pregnant.” And even if she wasn’t, he’d probably feel the same way. Jenny was so small, so delicate in his arms that he worried he’d crush her if he held her too tightly. And yet, even during their roughest sex, she never showed any sign of breaking. “Sorry, just being overprotective.”

  “It’s sweet.” She gave him another quick peck and looped her arm though his, indicating she was ready to resume their walk.

  The last few days had been cold and rainy, much more like the weather he’d expected to find when he moved to Seattle. But the weak November sun had finally made appearance through the thick gray clouds, and Jenny jumped at the chance to get out of her condo and take a walk in Marymoor Park. Their path took them along the leash-free dog park, where dozens of pups played in the wet grass with their owners. Memories of the carefree days during his childhood filled his mind as they strolled along.

  “Maybe I should get a dog,” he mused.

  Jenny stopped and turned to him. “What brought that on?”

  “I was just thinking back. My brothers and I always had a dog to play with growing up. It’s one of the happiest things I can remember.”

  “Are you saying your childhood wasn’t happy?”

  He furrowed his brows as he tried to figure out why she’d asked that. “I grew up in the middle of six brothers. It was always loud and crazy, and the dog seemed to fit in with all that.”

  “I didn’t ask about the dog, Dan. I was asking about you.”

  He stared at his hands, opening and closing them into fists, trying to decide if he should reveal that part of his past with her. “I didn’t have a typical childhood.”

  “With six brothers, I can only imagine.” She tried to sound light-hearted, but her dark eyes held hints of worry.

  “Don’t look at me that way, Jenny. There was nothing traumatic.” He started walking again, his nerves rattled by how well she was beginning to read him. “What I was trying to say is that I skipped several grades in school and sometimes I wonder if I missed out on some of the typical childhood experiences. I didn’t go to my senior prom because I wasn’t old enough to drive. I was sixteen when I graduated from high school and nineteen when I graduated from college. I wasn’t even old enough to drink when I started med school. I grew up feeling kind of isolated because of that, but I always had my brothers, my gaming buddies, and my dog.”

  She nodded and stared straight ahead, but the softness around her eyes and the way she pursed her lips told him she understood what he’d gone through growing up far better than any of the bimbos he’d dated over the years. She’d mentioned that she was shy and awkward, but she was also brilliant. He’d stopped by her office several times in the last month and seen the robots she was working on. They were breathtakingly advanced, and yet beautifully harmonious, much like the woman at his side.

  “So why don’t you have a dog now?” she asked.

  “I’ve been too busy. Med school and residency don’t allow you to give a dog the attention it deserves.”

  “But you’re done with those things now.”

  “Hence the reason why I was musing about getting another one.” He pointed to a frisky husky that leapt in the air to snag a Frisbee. “I probably shouldn’t get one like that. It wouldn’t like being cooped up in the apartment all day.”

  She shook her head and grinned. “And somehow, I don’t see you as the Chihuahua type.”

  He shuddered at the thought of a little yappy dog. “Absolutely not. Maybe something calm and lazy, like a basset hound.”

  “I hear they can be noisy when you’re not at home.”

  “Ah, I didn’t think about that.” He continued for a few more steps before saying, “Maybe I should get a Great Pyrenees like my mom’s dog.”

  “What kind of breed is that?”

  “Big, white, furry. Playful, but protective. Gentle, but big enough to make people think twice about breaking into your house.” He chuckled as he thought about all the trouble Jasper had given his mom.

  “Sounds like a great dog. I’d love to see one in person.”

  “Maybe you can.” He reached into his pocket and squeezed his lucky die, relieved to have finally found a moment to bring up meeting his family without sounding too obvious. “What are you doing for Thanksgiving?”

  “Probably sitting at home, watching the Macy’s parade on TV while scouring the ads for Black Friday specials.”

  “You’re not celebrating with your family?” he asked, the tension between his shoulder blades easing. He’d been so worried he’d have to convince her to come with him, but it looked like it would be a slam dunk.

  Jenny shook her head with a grin. “My mom tried to cook a traditional Thanksgiving dinner about twenty years ago, but the turkey was so tough, you’d think she’d cooked it using a flesh to stone spell. Besides, Jason will be doing Thanksgiving with his in-laws, so we’ll probably just end up going to the casino for the buffet.”

  “Then maybe you can join my family for Thanksgiving up at my brother’s place in Vancouver.”

  Jenny halted, her breath quickening. “Are you sure we’re ready for that? Meeting the family? I mean, we’ve only officially been dating for a month and—”

  He silenced her with a kiss. “You’re cute when you’re panicked.”

  “I have reason to panic.” She squeezed his hand, her fingers icy against his palm. “What if your family doesn’t like me?”

  “I can’t think of any reason why they wouldn’t.” Lord knows, he was crazy about her. She was smart, pretty, funny, sexy, and yet still a geek at heart like him.

  “I’m not the most outgoing person, and I’m a bit of a geek.”

  He rubbed her fingers between his palms to warm them. “So am I.”

  “I’m Vietnamese.”

  “They won’t have a problem with that.”

  “I’m pregnant.” She leveled her gaze with him as she said it, letting hi
m know that was the one thing that worried her the most.

  It was also the one thing that worried him. Only Adam knew she was pregnant. He hadn’t told anyone else. Hell, as far as he knew, not even Paul knew she was pregnant, and he was both her boss and their mutual friend. But the baby was the one thing that drove him to take this step so quickly. He wanted her to meet his family before the baby was born, to know what kind of family their child would be a part of. Even if things didn’t work out between Jenny and him, he was determined to be a permanent fixture in his child’s life.

  He laced his fingers through hers and closed the space between them. “I won’t lie to you, Jenny. It might make things awkward at first, but once they get to know you, I’m positive they’ll adore you as much as I do.”

  “Taking me home to meet your mother and brothers is a big deal. Are you sure you’re ready to take that step with me?”

  He wanted nothing more than to erase the worry that filled her dark brown eyes, but he could see why it was there. Part of him shared that worry. The last girl he’d taken home to meet his mother was Cait, and that was only after they’d been dating for two years. But with Jenny, it was different. Yes, they’d only known each other for four months, but he felt a closeness to her that he’d never experienced with any other woman. It was like Jenny knew his soul, possibly because her soul was cut from the same material as his.

  He cupped her cheeks in his hands and pressed his nose to hers. “I couldn’t be more sure.”

  Her lips twitched, hesitant at first before blooming into a full smile.

  “Besides, it won’t be the whole family. Just my mom, two of my brothers, and my sister-in-law. We can save the crazy, full family get-together for another time.”

  “Thank you.” She closed her eyes and rested her head on his shoulder.

  He wrapped his arms around her and held her close, fully aware of how quickly he was falling in love with her.

  Chapter Ten

  Jenny smoothed the wrinkles out of the high-waisted trench coat that thankfully concealed her growing bump and stared out the window at the Vancouver skyline. The frantic fluttering of her heart vibrated through her entire body. Her fingers trembled. And in the back of her mind, a little voice kept asking, What if they hate me?

  Dan reached over and squeezed her hand, his eyes never leaving the road while he drove. “Relax, Jenny. You have nothing to worry about. It’s just Thanksgiving dinner.”

  Easy for him to say. He wasn’t the one who’d be faced with answering the awkward questions about the baby. She was twenty-one weeks today and far past the point where she could hide it under her normal clothes. On Monday, she was planning on biting the bullet and telling Paul when she put in her request for two weeks of maternity leave, but that would be a breeze compared to the prospect of explaining her pregnancy to her boyfriend’s family, especially considering it was another man’s child.

  A tiny kick to her gut reminded her she still hadn’t explained the surrogacy to Dan yet. Of course, he hadn’t asked her about it, either. It seemed like he’d just accepted she was already pregnant when they met and seemed content with it. Instead, he focused more on her than the baby. The last two months had been just like any other typical dating couple’s. He took her out to dinner. He curled up on the couch next to her on the weekends to glom entire seasons of The Next Generation or the Lord of the Rings trilogy. He took his time making love to her every night and then holding her in his arms afterward. It was almost as though he was ignoring the fact she was pregnant and moving forward as he would with any other woman.

  Except now he was taking her to meet his mother. According to Paul, the last time Dan had done that was back in college. And that relationship hadn’t ended well.

  She threaded her fingers through Dan’s and let their calm strength ease the sickening swirling in her stomach. It was just his mom and two of his brothers. It was just a holiday dinner and an overnight stay. They’d be leaving the next day, so it was nothing to worry about.

  Easier said than done.

  A light drizzle fell over Vancouver, blurring the Canadian waterfront from view as they drove west through the city to a well-to-do residential neighborhood, finally turning into the driveway of a large brick home. The chill in the late November air mingled with her fear and sent a shiver coursing down her spine.

  Dan turned to her, worry etched in the lines of his forehead. “Stay inside until I can bring the umbrella around. I want you to stay dry.”

  The garage door opened, and Dan grabbed her suitcase. “Right on time,” he said with a grin.

  Jenny offered a quick prayer to whatever god was listening that this first introduction would be smoother than the one time he’d met her family.

  She studied the man coming toward them. He was bigger than Dan, maybe three or four inches taller with broad shoulders and well-muscled arms. His hair was as black as hers, and his eyes were more gray than blue. But when he smiled, she could see the family resemblance. The brothers hugged before coming toward her door.

  Dan opened it and helped her out. “Jenny, this is my brother Ben.”

  She tried to keep her voice from shaking as she said, “Nice to meet you, Ben.”

  “Same here. I was a little surprised when Dan told me he was bringing his girlfriend, but I’m glad you decided to come.” He shook her hand. “Sorry the visit has to be so short, but I have to play in Ottawa tomorrow.”

  “It’s fine. I’m on call this weekend anyway.” Dan glanced back at her. “Ben plays for the Whales.”

  He said it like she was supposed to know what he meant. “The Whales?”

  Ben laughed, but without any hint of mocking. “I take it you’re not a hockey fan?”

  She shook her head, wishing she was smaller than she already felt in his presence.

  His eyes crinkled in amusement. “I suppose Hailey can give you a quick intro to hockey, then. After all, she’s the better player of the two of us.”

  “Still a bit sore over Sochi, eh?” Dan gave his brother a playful shove.

  Ben shook his head. “She may have taken home the gold medal, but I got the only gold that counts.” He held up his left hand so the light reflected off his wedding band.

  The evident love Ben had for his wife chased away the nervous chill that surrounded Jenny, and her lips rose into a smile. So far, she liked his family. Hopefully, the rest would be as friendly and welcoming as Ben.

  “I’ll get your things,” Ben offered. “Mom’s anxious to see you.”

  Jenny wasn’t sure if he meant her or Dan, but it didn’t matter once he took her hand. They’d go into the house together.

  A low, deep bark greeted them when he opened the door, followed by the galloping thump of paws on hardwood floors. Just like that day in the park three weeks ago, Dan jumped in front of her, shielding her from the approaching dog with his body.

  “Jasper, come back here,” a woman called from the other room, but that didn’t stop the mass of white fur coming toward them.

  The dog jumped up in his hind legs, his paws landing on Dan’s chest with enough force to make him stumble back a step, and began licking Dan’s face.

  He laughed and scratched the dog behind his ears. “Good to see you, too, Jasper.”

  Jasper sniffed the air and turned his soulful dark eyes on her. He jumped down and wove around Dan.

  Jenny’s muscles tensed, bracing for the same greeting from the massive dog, but instead, he merely sat at her feet, licked her hand, and leaned his head against her stomach.

  Jenny ran her hands through the dog’s soft fur and smiled. If this was the breed of dog Dan was thinking about getting, she was all for it.

  “I’ve never seen him do that before,” the same feminine voice that had called him a minute ago said. A woman with a sleek gray bob stood on the opposite side of the living room and crossed her arms. “Usually Jasper’s so excited to see someone, the goofball knocks them down.”

  “Maybe he knows to be gentle w
ith Jenny.” Dan crossed the room and gave the woman a kiss on the cheek. “How are you, Mom?”

  “Good as I can be with all of my boys gone,” she replied with a heavy note of guilt.

  Jenny hid her grin as she started unbuttoning her coat. It seemed her mom wasn’t the only one skilled at the guilt trip.

  “It’s only been four months since I left Chicago.” Dan rolled his eyes and held out his hand to Jenny. “Mom, I’d like you to meet my girlfriend, Jenny.”

  She took a deep breath and hoped she’d make a good first impression. “It’s very nice to meet you, Mrs. Kelly.”

  “The pleasure is all mine.” Her warm smile mirrored her sons’, and she took Jenny’s hand in both of hers, pulling her into a hug.

  But the second her bump collided with Mrs. Kelly’s stomach, the atmosphere changed. Dan’s mother stiffened and pulled away, her hand falling to the obvious bulge hiding under Jenny’s dress. Her eyes widened, then narrowed at Dan in accusation.

  Jenny’s skin grew warm, the flush in her cheeks matching the color she saw creeping into Dan’s. She backed away from his mother and moved to his side. It wasn’t the first time she’d been the elephant in the room, but the silence grew more nerve-wracking with each passing second.

  A tall, blond woman entered the foyer and did a quick survey of the scene before moving between Mrs. Kelly and her and Dan. “Hi, I’m Hailey, Ben’s wife. Why don’t I take you upstairs so you can freshen up a bit?”

  Hailey took the suitcase Ben had just brought in, looped her arm through Jenny’s, and dragged her up the stairs before anyone could stop her. It wasn’t until they’d reached the landing that she slowed down. “Sorry about that. I figured you needed a little rescuing.”

  Judging from the muffled conversation coming from below, she’d gotten out just in time. It sounded like Dan was getting the third degree from his mother. “If anyone should be apologizing, it’s me. I didn’t mean to cause any trouble.”

  “Don’t worry about it.” Hailey shrugged and continued down the hallway. “I’ve been in your position before.”