Adored (Seven Brides Seven Brothers Pelican Bay Book 2) Read online

  As Caleb joined the table and began heaping food on to his plate, conversation flew freely. Sometimes when they got together there were so many people talking at the same time it was hard to focus. But, being part of the Donahue family meant you were used to it. It was par for the course when they had these get togethers.

  Everyone was enjoying the food and heaping compliments upon Jason. Caleb watched as Cadence cut up a hotdog for Logan into tiny pieces. She had such a loving way with his nephew. He felt a pang of envy. He couldn’t wait to be father. Even though it seemed so far off in the future, he prayed about it all the time. He wanted to give his future children all the things his adoptive family had given him.

  Suddenly, a memory flashed into his head. He was little. No more than five years old. It was Christmas Eve and he was at the beach. He’d dashed in the water. There was a woman with him holding his hand tightly and reminding him that she didn’t know how to swim. “But I know how to swim. I’ll save you, Mama.” Goosebumps popped up on his arm. Every time the flash of memories flared up, he stuffed it down. But this time he saw a beautiful brown skinned woman clutching his hand and screaming as the water rose to her knees. And he was screaming with laughter.

  “You okay?” Parker’s voice rang in his ear. He was leaning toward him with a look of worry etched on his face.

  “I’m fine,” he said, shaking off the flood of memories threatening to choke him. He didn’t know what was going on with him, but lately the memories were coming fast and furiously, threatening to choke him. For so long he had managed to outrun them. Now they were catching up to him.

  “Something strange happened earlier,” Nash announced.

  Focus on Nash, he told himself. Don’t get dragged down by the memories.

  “I had to go over to the house to pick something up, and while I was there Mom received a floral delivery.” Nash wagged his eyebrows. “Two dozen red roses from Ballard’s Floral Shop.”

  “Who was it from?” Cadence asked. She had posed the question they were all dying to ask.

  Nash shrugged. “Mom began acting all coy and bashful. It came with a note. She turned every shade of red when I began asking her about it.”

  “It must’ve been from dad,” Parker said in a gruff voice. “Nothing else makes sense.”

  “You never know,” Shayla said. “She might have a secret admirer.”

  “I don’t like that,” Micah said. His features were creased with anger. “She’s a married woman. That’s not cool.”

  “Take it easy,” Rafferty cautioned. “Sounds like you’re getting way ahead of yourself.”

  “Maybe it’s someone who knows that they’re separated and they want to lift her spirits,” Daniel said, sounding pragmatic as always.

  Jason scoffed. “Red roses don’t say uplifting. They say romance. Red hot romance.”

  Shayla playfully threw a few marshmallows at Jason. He retaliated by flicking her with water. This was their regular behavior. They drove each other crazy but were also as thick as thieves. Caleb couldn’t help but wonder how Micah would react if he knew Shayla’s feelings for Rafferty.

  “Our mother is not having a red hot romance,” Caleb said in a fierce tone. “Come one, now. That’s disrespectful.”

  Jason scowled at him. “I was talking about red roses, not Mom. Take it easy, Caleb.”

  “We’re just trying to figure it out,” Micah said.

  It was way too early to speculate on these matters, Caleb thought. His parents had just announced this separation.

  “Let’s change the subject,” Parker said in a firm voice. “It’s too soon to talk about this stuff.”

  As the oldest, Parker had an authority none of the Donahue siblings could ignore. Everyone tended to listen to him and follow his directives.

  Caleb let out the deep breath he’d been holding. He didn’t want to think about his parents’ separation or the possibility that one day down the road they might be dating other people. It would be a harsh reality to face.

  “So, Heath. How’s Bella?” Micah asked. “Nobody’s seen her for a few weeks.”

  Caleb let out a groan. Heath’s mood was already all over the place. Pushing the Bella button wasn’t going to go over well, Caleb predicted. For a moment, all Heath did was glare at Micah. Then, like a keg of dynamite, he exploded.

  He pounded his fist on the glass table. “I don’t want to talk about Bella!” he shouted. “Don’t you get it? We’re not together anymore.” He took a swig of his soda, then slammed his cup down on the table and jumped up, storming off in the direction of the beach.

  “Wait up, Heath,” Micah said, standing up to go after him.

  “Hey. Let me go talk to him,” Caleb offered. Taking his beer with him, Caleb followed after his brother down the beach. He had to walk briskly to catch up with him. Ever since they’d been kids, Heath had been fast. It had led him to four years of track and a scholarship to Boston College.

  “Heath! Wait up!” he called out.

  Heath kept walking without even pausing. Caleb caught up to Heath and grabbed him by the arm to get his attention. The moment he made contact Heath whirled around and raised his fists to him. He let out an animal-like cry. Pain flashed in his eyes. Shock roared through Caleb. Never in their lives had either one raised a hand to the other. Even in their childhood roughhousing sessions, they hadn’t crossed any lines.

  Caleb reached out and grabbed Heath’s hands, effectively blocking his blows. Caleb began repeating his brother’s name over and over again as he held him. He had a strong sense that his brother was out of it. Caleb didn’t even recognize the person standing before him.

  “Heath. Stop! Cut it out,” he said in a sharp voice.

  Heath went still. His eyes looked glazed over. He began breathing deeply in and out.

  “Caleb? I-I thought I was back there. I’m sorry. Did I hurt you?” he asked in a wounded voice.

  “No, you didn’t hurt me, bro. But you’re not acting right. You’re not yourself!” Caleb was shaking. His brother’s behavior had taken him completely by surprise.

  Heath’s entire body sagged. It seemed as if all the will had gone out of him. He sank down onto the sand and cradled his head in his hands. He let out a plaintive cry that pierced Caleb’s heart. Although he’d been worried about his brother—along with his entire family—what he was witnessing at the moment was chilling.

  Caleb sat down on the sand next to his brother and placed his arm around him. “Talk to me. What’s going on with you?”

  “I can’t forget,” he said in a raised voice. “Everyone just expects me to be the man I was before I went over there, but I’m not.” He swung his eyes up to meet Caleb’s gaze. “Do you have any idea of the things I witnessed? When I close my eyes at night I see those images. And they’re still there when I’m wide awake.”

  “Can you tell me about it?” Caleb asked. Although he knew his brother had seen death up close and personal, Heath had never told him the details.

  Heath’s eyes were haunted. “I was right there when the bomb went off. When Vinny was killed. I saw it all. There was nothing left of him, Caleb. Nothing but body parts blown into bits.”

  Caleb shuddered. Vinny Perretti had been a close military buddy of Heath’s. His best buddy. Caleb remember when Vinny had come to spend Christmas with the Donahue brood a few years ago. He had been funny and outgoing, a perfect partner in crime for Heath. What had happened to Vinny had been heartbreaking. Heath had never told them that he’d witnessed his friend’s grisly death. It all made sense now.

  No wonder he had shadows under his eyes. No wonder he couldn’t acclimate to life in Pelican Bay. No wonder he was in an unbearable amount of pain.

  Heath began to tell in excruciating detail the events of Vinny’s death. Caleb sat and listened without asking a single question. The details were gritty and shocking and sad. For now, his brother just needed to vent. When he finished, Caleb knew he had to ask him a pressing question.

  “Have
you talked to anyone about this? A professional?”

  “No,” Heath muttered. “There’s nothing anybody can do to fix me. I’m broken. That’s why I ended things with Bella. She deserves a whole man. Not someone who can’t even hold her in his arms without breaking down. Not someone who cries out in the middle of the night with sweat dripping from his body.”

  “You need help, Heath. There are people out there who can counsel you and guide you through this.”

  Heath began fiercely shaking his head. “I don’t want to rip myself open to talk about this. Do you know how hard it was for me to tell you just now? And you’re my brother.”

  “What can I do to help you? You know the entire family wants to be there for you. Everyone is worried.”

  “I don’t know,” Heath muttered. “I really don’t know.”

  “Hey! Heath! Caleb!” Shayla’s voice called out to them. “We need you inside. It’s dessert time.” Caleb turned around to see Shayla standing about ten feet away beckoning them back toward the house.

  Heath jumped to his feet. He brushed off his cargo pants. Before Caleb could stop him, Heath made a fast path back toward the house. Caleb would have liked to talk some more and get his brother to commit to some therapy sessions. The moment had passed, but Heath’s issues remained unchanged.

  Caleb let out a deep breath as he reached the patio. Heath was sitting at the table, appearing as if nothing had ever happened. Caleb was stumped about his brother’s behavior. He knew it had something to do with his service overseas. And he wasn’t an expert, but he had a hunch Heath was suffering from some sort of depression and post-traumatic stress disorder. There had to be a way of helping his brother get his life back in order. He intended to do it. He was a Donahue after all. When one member of the family was down, they all stopped what they were doing to pick the person up. Donahue strong!

  “Falling in love with Parker was easy. Getting our happily ever after was a lot harder.”

  Cadence Donahue

  Chapter Six

  “We need to get him some help before things spiral out of control.” Caleb’s features were creased. Tension was evident in the way he was sitting at his desk. One of his hands was raised to his temple while the other was holding the phone up to his ear. He seemed to be in distress.

  Addie didn’t mean to eavesdrop on Caleb’s phone conversation, but his voice carried in the small confines of the back office. He was clearly talking to someone about his brother, Heath. His voice was full of strain and worry. She wondered if she should tiptoe out of the office so he could have some privacy. By the time she’d decided to do so, Caleb was wrapping up his conversation.

  When he disconnected from the call, Caleb looked up at her. “Sorry about that,” he apologized. “I hope it wasn’t awkward to overhear all of that.”

  “No, of course not. I just feel badly for the whole situation.” She wasn’t going to pretend she didn’t know what was going on. Clearly, Caleb was trying to get some assistance for Heath, who was struggling with a host of issues.

  Caleb made a face. “Heath is in trouble, whether he realizes it or not. I think most of my family is in denial about it or hoping it passes.”

  “And you don’t?” she asked, raising her brow.

  “No, I don’t. He’s been to hell and back overseas.” He winced. “What he endured over there was horrific. And he has no way to process it. He’s always turned to his family or Bella, but he’s not doing that.” Caleb winced. “And he broke things off with Bella, which is troubling in itself. I know how much he loves her.”

  “That’s terribly sad, Caleb. Maybe Bella could help you. If she really loves your brother, she’ll want to see him get better.”

  Caleb shook his head. “I’m not sure. Bella is a wonderful woman, but Heath has really put her through the ringer lately. I don’t know how many times a person can keep coming back to try and help someone. Heath may have burned that bridge.”

  Addie could hear the worry laced in Caleb’s voice. She loved his huge heart and his unwavering commitment to the Donahue family. It was awe inspiring. What she wouldn’t give to have Tabitha back. Sometimes it hurt so badly to miss her. When Tabitha had gotten sick, Addie had done everything she could to help Tab get better. She’d been tested as a bone marrow donor. Although she had been a match, the doctors had determined that Addie was too close of a match to be a donor. Addie’s heart had been broken. By then, Tabitha’s condition had taken a turn for the worse and she had been unable to accept a bone marrow donation from a successful match that had turned up on the registry.

  She didn’t blame Caleb for going to any lengths to help Heath. Depression could be a matter of life and death. She knew firsthand how devastating it was to lose a sibling.

  Suddenly, the door to the office opened. Rita, one of the hostesses, was standing in the doorway with wide eyes. With her bright red hair and green eyes, she was a pretty young woman. At the moment she seemed as if she was about to jump out of her skin.

  “We have a visitor,” she said, her voice quivering with nervousness.

  “You look like you’ve seen a ghost,” Caleb said with a frown.

  “What’s wrong, Rita?” Addie asked, hoping nothing bad had happened. Everything had been going smoothly so far.

  “It’s a VIP,” Rita said in a shocked tone. “Addie, it’s your father, Sebastian Fontaine.”

  **

  Caleb watched some of the color bleach out of Addie’s warm brown skin. She bit her lip. Her beautiful eyes were blinking like an owl.

  “Tell him I’ll be right out,” Addie said in a low voice.

  Rita nodded. “Sure thing, Addie.” She turned and left the kitchen, leaving Caleb and Addie by themselves. Caleb turned toward Addie. “What’s going on? You look scared.”

  She ran a trembling hand through her hair and let out a huge sigh. “Let’s just say my father makes me incredibly nervous.”

  “Why?” Caleb asked. “Don’t the two of you get along?”

  Addie bit her lip. “Yes. I guess we get along. We don’t argue if that’s what you’re asking. But I never go against him. He’s not exactly the type of man you can say no to.”

  He nodded. The few times he had met Sebastian Fontaine, Caleb had gotten an intense vibe from the man. But, that wasn’t unusual for men who were rich and powerful like Addie’s father.

  “I understand that,” he said. “Take a deep breath. You look like you’re going to fall apart.”

  “Old habits die hard,” she said, inhaling a deep breath. He watched her breath in and out as if seeking some calm. “I better go see him.”

  “I’d like to say hello to him myself,” Caleb said, following behind Addie. “It’s been a while since I’ve seen him.” It had been well over a year since Caleb had taken out the loan that had linked the Blue Bayou with Sebastian Fontaine. Although at the time it had been a means to an end, he now wished he’d stuck it out on his own. Although he liked Addie, he still wasn’t completely comfortable with the idea of a partnership. After all, he wasn’t quite certain what the future held for his bistro.

  As Caleb walked behind Addie he immediately noticed her posture had changed. Her shoulders were slightly slumped and she was walking with hesitation. He had the feeling it had everything to do with her father’s unexpected appearance at the bistro. As Caleb watched, Sebastian stuck out his hand to Addie. He let out a shocked breath as they shook hands instead of embracing. As a member of the Donahue clan, Caleb was used to touching, hugging and making physical contact with his loved ones.

  “Caleb. Nice to see you again.” Sebastian Fontaine nodded his head in Caleb’s direction. He was an impeccably dressed man. Caleb imagined his suits cost more than he made in a week.

  “What brings you here, Daddy?” Addie asked, shifting from one foot to the other.

  “I’ve been meaning to come by to check on you, Addie. I’ve been hearing great things about the place.” Sebastian wasn’t even looking at Addie. He was way too busy checking
out the place. His dark eyes were filled with curiosity. Caleb had a funny feeling as he gazed at Sebastian. He wasn’t a man who seemed very interested in his daughter, nor had he ever had more than a passing interest in the Blue Bayou. Caleb’s instincts told him Sebastian wanted something. He hoped it was something Addie didn’t mind giving him.

  Addie grinned at her father. “It’s doing really well.” She cast a quick glance in Caleb’s direction. “Not that it wasn’t before I came on board, but we’ve managed to put our heads together and come up with a few new ways of doing things, such as tweaking the hours and hosting special events.”

  “Do you agree with Addie’s assessment, Caleb?” Sebastian asked with a raised brow.

  On Addie’s behalf, Caleb hated the skeptical tone of his voice. Why was he asking him rather than listening to his own daughter?

  “Your daughter is a great addition to the bistro,” Caleb answered in a smooth voice.

  Sebastian nodded. “That’s good to know.”

  Caleb excused himself a few moments later, allowing Addie and Sebastian to have some private time. He hoped he’d imagined the chasm between father and daughter. Addie was the type of person who deserved to be loved wholly and completely. Unconditionally.

  A half hour later, Addie showed up in the kitchen as he was making a list of items they needed to stock up on for the kitchen.

  “Daddy just left,” she announced. “I’m so thrilled he stopped by. His schedule doesn’t lend itself to being spontaneous.”

  “He really wants you to do well, doesn’t he?” Caleb asked.

  “Yes. Success is everything to him,” Addie said in a soft voice. “Sometimes it seems like it’s the only thing that matters to him.”

  “I’m sure you mean more to him than success,” Caleb said. “You’re his daughter.”