Her hand releases me, and I stand, adjusting myself as I look out the window. “It’s Dr. Mackle.”
“He’s here?”
“I shot him a text and asked if we can get together to talk about your pops, and he said mornin’ works best. He didn’t mention it would bethismornin’. Or that he was five minutes away.”
She slips off the ring and hands it back to me. I feel a little hurt until she says, “Your family should know before a man I’ve never met before. And I need to get a little more presentable. Only you get to see the goods.”
Slipping the ring back into the box, I know she’s right. I shove it into my pocket and open the front door. “Dr. Mackle. Thanks for stoppin’ by.”
“I hope this isn’t too early,” he says and steps inside. “I have to get to the clinic at nine.”
I take his jacket, and he neatly takes off his boots. Bending down, I grab Brynlee’s boots she dropped and move them out of the way. “Not at all. Brynlee will be out in just a minute. I can make some coffee.”
Brynlee walks out wearing the same outfit as last night, and it doesn’t show one wrinkle. No matter what, she always looks like she managed to step out of a magazine. Whether it be a fashion magazine or a nudie one, she never fails to impress. I don’t know what her secret is, but I know I have the rest of my life to learn.
“Dr. Mackle?” Brynlee asks as I step into the kitchen to get the coffee going. “It’s great to meet you.”
“Brynlee Carmichael, you are just as pretty as Joey always said you were. I have to admit, you have been the talk of the town, but no one did you justice. You look so much like your mama.”
I walk back in, curious how he’s never seen her before. “You haven’t seen her around town?”
“I don’t get out much. Somethin’ I thank your father for, Brynlee, is gettin’ me sober,” he says, and I stare at him, shocked.
“You had a problem?” I ask, hoping I don’t offend him.
Nodding, he sighs and looks at his hands. “It wasn’t until I saw how out of control his life got that I realized my own spiral. It wasn’t as bad as his, but if I’d kept goin’, I would have lost everythin’. My attempts over the last twenty years weren’t successful. Not until I had my last drink the day of his funeral. I knew I didn’t want to end up the same way.”
“Why don’t I help you with the coffee?” Brynlee offers, giving me a small smile.
She’s clearly overwhelmed, and I hold out my hand to her. “We’ll be right back. Please, make yourself comfortable.”
In the kitchen, I wrap my arms around her, and she clings to me. Nothing needs to be said, and we just stand there as we wait for the pot to finish.
“Cream and sugar?” she asks when the machine beeps.
“I’ll get it. Can you grab the mugs from the cabinet to the right of the sink?”
I take in the view of her reaching, her dress lifting just below her beautiful backside, and I wink when she turns around having felt my eyes on her. “Mr. Dillon, are you trying to sneak a peek?”
“What can I say? I love the view.”
This makes her smile and physically relax a little. “Thank you for doing this with me. I don’t know why I’m so nervous.”
“I’m here for you, baby. Always and forever.”
“I love you,” she whispers and sets the mugs on the tray I grabbed.
I laugh and set the rest of what we need on it. “Mom gave this to me as a housewarmin’ present, and I haven’t used it before now.”
“It’s perfect for serving breakfast in bed,” she says and takes the tray before I can stop her.
With nothing left to do, I follow her and clear off the coffee table. She sets it down, and we all take coffee and add in cream or sugar. In Brynlee’s case, she uses both, and I realize I’ve never seen her drink coffee. She’d make it and put it in my mug to take to work in the mornings.
“Dr. Mackle—”
“John, please,” he says. “We’re talkin’ about your father who was my best friend. I think we can be a little informal.”
She smiles, and I wrap my arm around her shoulders as her hands grip the mug. “John, Mama never told me Daddy had a drinking problem. Was that the reason they split up?”
