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“Addie is my partner at the Blue Bayou,” Caleb explained. “I told her the Donahue home is always open for dinner guests.”
Jude nodded. It was evident that Jude had already been apprised of the situation regarding her partnership with Caleb. “It’s a pleasure to have you here, Addie. And since you work with Caleb, you’re not a guest. You’re a friend.”
She shouldn’t be surprised by Mr. Donahue’s warmth, but she wasn’t used to folks being so welcoming and kind right off the bat. “Thank you. Something smells downright delicious,” she said. “I don’t mind admitting my mouth is watering.”
“Come on in the kitchen and you can get a preview of dinner. Penelope is in there stirring some pots,” Jude said, waving them toward the hallway.
Caleb ushered her in front of him. She didn’t know why she felt nervous. Perhaps because a mother was the heart of the home. She wanted Penelope Donahue to like her. It was silly, since it wasn’t as if she was here to meet the parents or gain their approval for a romantic relationship with their son. But, she couldn’t deny the butterflies soaring in her stomach.
Walking into the Donahue kitchen filled her with a wide array of sensations. The room was light and airy with whites and greys and a big bay window allowing the sun to stream in. The white stove looked vintage. It had to be the biggest stove Addie had ever seen.
As Penelope turned away from the stove to greet them, Caleb quickly swallowed the distance between him and his mother. He threw his arms around her and embraced her for all she was worth. Mrs. Donahue let out a surprised sound then began patting her son on the back.
Addie could feel the love between them flowing like a river. What would it feel like she imagined to feel so loved and accepted? She darted a quick glance at Jude. He was looking at his son and Penelope as if they’d hung the moon. Addie knew she was in the presence of massive love. It warmed her insides.
Penelope said, “Caleb. I’m so glad you could make it. I know you had an event at the bistro today.”
Caleb let go of his mother. “It went really well. And as a bonus, everything wrapped up nicely so we could come to dinner.” He turned toward Addie. “Mom, this is my partner, Addie Fontaine.”
Penelope wiped her hands on her apron and reached out to take Addie’s hands in her own. Addie felt warmth flow through her at Penelope’s touch. Penelope Donahue was a radiant beauty. Her striking features reminded Addie of a movie star from yesteryear. There was something about her features that were timeless.
“Addie, it’s wonderful to meet yo
u. I’m so glad you came along with Caleb. Welcome to the crazy Donahue home.” The sound of her tinkling laughter filled the kitchen.
Addie laughed along with her. “It’s so nice of you to have me here.” She peeked over at the stove. “Something smells so good.”
“I’m making meatballs,” Penelope explained. “I grew up in a big Italian family where my grandmother made meatballs at least twice a week. She passed the recipe down to me and I can’t stop myself from making them at least once a week.”
Caleb rubbed his stomach. “They’re my favorite. No one makes meatballs like my mom.”
“Why don’t you guys go join the others in the living room?” Jude suggested. He nudged Addie in the side. “Don’t try to remember everyone’s name all at once. The little guy is Logan. He’s pretty much the star of the family these days.”
“I imagine so,” Addie said with a giggle.
So far, Addie was seriously in love with Caleb’s family. His mother was beautiful and graceful. Her husband, Jude, was funny and charming. He reminded her a little bit of Caleb—they seemed to share the same personality, although she sensed his closeness to his mother. Caleb seemed very protective of her. It was yet another example of Caleb’s character.
“Let me introduce you to some of the others,” Caleb said, leading her toward the hallway. Addie’s nervousness had dissipated, erased by the graciousness of Caleb’s parents.
The vibe at the Donahue house was joyful and upbeat. She couldn’t count the number of times another member of the family came crashing through the front door. It was really difficult to keep all the names straight. His older brother, Parker, was a good looking, strapping guy with a head of dark hair and a killer smile. He had recently been married to his beautiful wife, Cadence, who was holding a sweet toddler in her arms who looked just like his father. She figured this was the infamous Logan.
Daniel. Nash. Shayla. Jason.
The Donahue siblings were welcoming and boisterous. She lost count but she was pretty sure there were two missing, although she had no clue what their names were. Shayla was clearly the Donahue princess. She was very sweet, but Addie had the impression she enjoyed being the apple of her brothers’ eyes. She imagined it would be difficult to be the man who wanted Shayla to be his bride. That man, whoever he was, would need to get past seven Donahue brothers and Jude. She felt a sudden urge to watch it all unfold, which was ridiculous. She wasn’t even close to being a member of their inner circle.
Two more brothers joined them just as they were sitting down at the dining room table. Micah and Heath. Micah looked strangely familiar to Addie. It suddenly clicked. If she wasn’t mistaken she’d seen him in a few magazine ads and on her favorite soap opera. Caleb’s other brother Heath seemed incredibly distant. He didn’t really seem to register her appearance at their family dinner. And he barely mumbled a hello to Addie. The lines surrounding Caleb’s mouth were grim as he studied his brother. He looked upset. Addie didn’t want Caleb to be angry at Heath on her account. In her humble opinion, Heath didn’t look well. He didn’t seem happy and there were dark shadows underneath his blue eyes. Although he was attractive, like all the other members of the Donahue family, he looked haggard, as if he hadn’t slept for days.
After joining hands and praying over the food, they dug in to the elaborate meal Penelope and Jude had so lovingly prepared. Addie was a bit mystified as she observed Caleb’s parents. They treated each other with dignity and respect. The love between them was palpable.
Yet Caleb had told her their marriage was in trouble. They were separated!
Addie’s own parents had been full of bitterness and recrimination during their divorce and in the aftermath. Seeing Caleb’s parents acting so warmly toward one another filled her with a feeling of confusion. How was it possible that they could be so loving toward each other when their marriage was falling apart?
**
After dinner, Caleb found himself down on the carpet in the living room playing with Logan. His nephew loved building blocks. Addie was getting along with Logan like a house on fire. Caleb sat and watched as Addie helped Logan make a tower, which he promptly knocked down. The sound of Logan’s tinkling laughter filled the room almost to overflowing. Parker and Cadence grinned at the playfulness between Addie and their son. Caleb couldn’t help but admire what his brother had found in Cadence. Despite all the odds stacked against them, Cadence and Parker had found their way back to each other. They had worked through all their past issues and forged a beautiful second act. God had blessed them with Logan and a future filled with endless possibilities.
It must be nice to know you had found the other half of your soul.
