“Yes, we are all born the same way,” Bryson said with a chuckle.
“It’s ridiculous to be this nervous. I’ve already met them,” she said, frustrated with herself.
“Just because they are affluent doesn’t mean they’re snobs. Just remember that they want to know you. They’re excited about spending time with you, and they have a lot of love to give. I’ve known the family for a really long time, and I haven’t seen a bad side to any of them,” he assured her.
“So, why is this house so intimidating?”
“It’s pretty much a castle. No, there’s no pretty much about it. The place is a castle, but somehow Katherine has managed to make it warm and inviting, so don’t think of your everyday dungeon kind of castle,” he said with a smile.
“A castle — like a mote and all?”
“No, no mote. But there are high towers,” he said.
“I guess seeing will be believing,” she told him, and sat back as they covered the final mile of their journey.
When they pulled up the private driveway, and she got her first glimpse of the Anderson residence, her mouth dropped open. Bryson’s description hadn’t done the place justice, to put it mildly.
It towered above them all, looking far more suited to a hillside in England than a gentle slope in the state of Washington.
Wow! Just…wow!
The car stopped. When the driver got out, came around and opened Misty’s door, she was so awed that she didn’t even notice Bryson leaving the car. He magically appeared standing next to the driver, waiting for her to accept his hand and step out.
Her legs trembled when she finally managed to stand, and she was grateful that Bryson didn’t let go of her. They’re just people, she continued telling herself.
The huge front door opened and Damien walked outside.
“I would have come for you myself,” he said as he stopped in front of her, “but I wanted to give you a little time on your own. I thought the drive would be relaxing.”
He was far more perceptive than most men she’d known. But all she could manage to say was a rather shy thank-you.
“The entire family wanted to be here, but Katherine threatened them all if they showed up, because we have a lot of family and we didn’t want to overwhelm you. It will just be a small event today. Well, not even an ‘event.’ Just know that you have many family members eager to meet you. If you’re up to it, we can have them all gather tomorrow.”
Misty didn’t want to be rude, but she doubted she was ready for that. It was just too soon. Maybe if she and Damien got to know each other and it looked as if she’d be a part of his life, maybe then she could meet the rest of the clan.
“Can we…maybe…wait a little while?” She prayed he wasn’t going to hate her now for her reluctance to get to know people he obviously loved.
“Yes, of course. I’m sure this is all insanely overwhelming.” Damien’s eyes were kind and understanding.
He shocked her when he stepped forward and pulled her close for a brotherly hug, her second from him. “I know I should hold off and not be too clingy, but I have wanted to know you for so long, and I’m so devastated that I haven’t been able to always be there for you. I just want to be a big brother,” he said, making her eyes sting.
She wanted to believe him so badly. Her arms slowly came up and she hugged him back, something she hadn’t been able to do the night before in the hospital. She fought furiously not to release her emotion. In the hospital she’d still been a little loopy. She was now fully alert, and this was probably the most important hug she’d ever received. She found herself not wanting it to stop.
“Okay, I’ll back off now,” Damien told her, and he released her from his embrace.
“I’m afraid.”
“Of what?” he asked, reaching out a hand and taking hers.
“I’m afraid to love you and lose you. I’ve always known there was a possibility of your being real, but I’ve never been able to hold on to anything, and I’m scared that this is nothing but a dream.”
Would he think she was a fool now? Should she have waited to express her fears?
“If you will allow me to be a part of your life, I’ll never go away,” he vowed. “That’s not the way this family works.”
She couldn’t help but have real hope as she looked into his honest eyes.
But she was unable to break years of self-training. “Can we just take it a day at a time? I’ve found that’s easiest.”
“We will do it however it suits you best, Misty.”
She smiled, with her heart pounding but the tautness of her nerves easing up as she read his expression. If nothing else, he was being sincere. If somehow this didn’t all work out and have a happy ending, it wouldn’t be because he wasn’t trying.
“We have a special person we’d like you to meet today, though,” Sierra said as she stepped outside to join them with a bundle in her arms.
Misty’s eyes widened as she looked at the pink blanket. Her fingers shook as Sierra held the baby out to her.
As if she were taking hold of the most fragile and expensive antique, Misty was trembling as Sierra handed over her child.
“Her name is Samantha and she’s two months today.” Sierra shifted the blanket, and Misty looked down into the most precious little green eyes she’d ever seen.
“Oh, Sierra, she’s perfect,” Misty sighed.
Sierra beamed at Misty as she held her niece. “Yes, she looks so much like her daddy.”
“And she’ll be a knockout, considering there’s a mixture of her mother’s great beauty and her aunt’s,” Damien said with pride.
“Oooh,” Misty gushed.
“Let’s all go inside where it’s just a little warmer,” Damien said while Bryson stood at Misty’s side and, looking down at the pink bundle, ran a finger across her soft little cheek.
“You should take her in case I trip,” Misty said.
“You’ll be fine,” Damien assured her.
Misty didn’t have as much faith in herself as everyone else did, but with Damien and Bryson walking beside her, she figured that if she did begin to trip, one of them would catch her and the baby. She was so focused on the baby in her arms that she didn’t have time to be awed by the Anderson mansion’s massive entrance.
They ended up in a sitting room, where she got to meet Katherine, a beautiful, petite, kind, gracious woman, who made her feel right at home. Joseph was there, of course, and he was just as wonderful as he’d been when she first met him, and in the hospital the night before.
Over the next few hours, Misty got to know more about the people she was related to, and she was finding that keeping her distance wouldn’t to be an easy thing to do.
After only a few hours, she knew that to lose this family would be unbearable. Though she was used to loss, the hits came harder and hurt more as she grew older. Whatever it took, she decided, she would fight for this newfound family — fight for a happy ending for herself.
Chapter Nineteen
Small waves lapped against the shore as the morning fog clung to the sand in an attempt to anchor itself. As it rose slowly in the sky, the sun was doing a decent job of winning the fight against the cold.
As Misty walked along the shoreline, looking down at her feet and making patterns with her toes, she let her mind wander. The night before had been filled with talking, laughter, and more information than she could process.
Her new family was vast — vaster than she would have ever imagined. What she couldn’t understand was why her mother hadn’t taken her to them if she was unable to care for her and Damien.
Wouldn’t the two of them have had a much better life had they grown up where they’d belonged? Maybe her mother had simply been a selfish person. Misty had always had visions of her mother making the ultimate sacrifice for her daughter, doing what was best for Misty, or what she thought was best, by leaving her at the fire station.
Now¸ her reality was shifting. If her mom had really cared, she would have left her with family. It seemed now that her mom had only wanted revenge for her perceived hurts, and unfortunately, Misty had been the one to pay the price for her mother’s sins. She wanted to ask Damien about the woman, since he’d at least had several years with her.
But once she opened that door to the past, it could never be closed again. It was like having a double-sided coin. No matter which way it landed, it would always be the same, and only one person could win. And that wasn’t going to be Misty. She would learn the truth, but then she could never unlearn it. Was that what she really wanted? Wasn’t it better to not have all the answers?
Though she couldn’t find any fault with the company of the Andersons or her brother, she was enjoying the quiet calm of the sea at her feet, the solitude and peacefulness after a boisterous night.
Living in fear most of her life, she’d risen early for as long as she could remember. The last thing she’d wanted was to be caught unawares by some junkie while sleeping in an abandoned building. It was best to get up and keep moving, never let someone get a grasp on your routine, which meant she’d never developed a routine.