Free Brody by Vanessa Devereaux Page A

appointment,” said Brody.
    “You
do that, and tonight everyone’s coming to my house and we’re having the biggest
party I’ve ever thrown,” said Branndon.
    ****
    Brody
had phoned Ted and told him the news. He’d told Brody that he’d be coming to
visit him in a couple of days and would look forward to meeting Branndon, and
also Maddie.
    Brody
had opened up to his dad about her, how vital she was in his life right now.
    “I’m
scared that if I don’t make it, she’ll have to go through another loss.”
    “What
have I always told you? Cross each bridge when you get to it. Now you go to the
party, and meet your half-brothers and have lots of fun.
    Ted
was right. His dad always was right.
    “I’m
nervous all over again,” said Brody as he and Maddie stood on the doorstep of
Branndon’s house.
    “That’s
understandable. It’s not every day you get to meet family you never knew
existed.”
    Maddie
rang the doorbell and soon Betty was standing there with a smile on her face.
    She
reached and drew Brody into her arms. “I’m so happy to have yet another stepson,”
she said.
    “Thank
you,” said Brody as they stepped inside.
    “And
Maddie, you look so beautiful. Remember what I said about Jackson and Branndon Jr.”
    Brody
put a protective arm around Maddie as they followed Betty into the family room.
    “I
invited my nephew Connor and his wife Jennifer. And my niece, Connor’s sister
Katy, and her husband Cash. My sister and brother-in-law will be along
shortly,” said Betty. She took them through to the main family room.
    “Everyone,
this is Brody Williams and his friend, Maddie Thorton,” said Betty.
    “Hi,
it’s great to meet you. I’m Connor,” said a tall, dark-haired man, taking two
strides over to him.
    Brody
and Maddie spent the next few minutes shaking hands.
    “Now,
what would you like to drink?” asked Branndon.
    “Beer
for me,” said Brody.
    “Same
for me,” answered Maddie.
    “A
girl after my own heart,” said Branndon. “Jackson should be here any second,
and Branndon Jr. is feeding the horses and will be here soon. I can’t wait for
you to meet them.”
    Branndon
collected two beers from the bar at the side of the room just as a man with
wide shoulders and hair just like Brody’s walked into the room.
    “There
you are,” said Branndon. “Come meet your brother, Brody. Brody, this is
Jackson.”
    “Brody,
welcome. I couldn’t believe it when Dad told me about the commune and your mom
and getting her pregnant.”
    “Guess
it was a long time ago,” said Brody. He put out his hand to shake it, but
instead Jackson pulled him into his chest and patted him on the back.
    “And
who is this gorgeous lady?” he asked.
    “This
is Maddie Thorton.”
    “Hello,
Maddie,” said Jackson.
    Brody
wasn’t blind. He could see Jackson checking her out from head to toe. “Red is
definitely a great color on you, lovely lady.”
    “It’s
great to meet you too,” said Maddie.
    The
sound of a door slamming sounded throughout the place. A young man who looked
the spitting image of Branndon walked in with his cowboy hat still on and boots
that he should have taken off at the door.
    “What
have I told you about taking those things off before you come in here,” said
Betty.
    “Sorry,
Mama,” he said, tipping his hat to her.
    Branndon
Sr. put his arm around him. “I want you to meet your brother. Brody, meet…I was
going to say my oldest son, but that’s you, so meet son number two, Branndon
Jr.”
    “Son
number two,” said Branndon Jr. “Ouch, Dad, ouch.”
    He
slipped a hand just as big as Brody’s, maybe even bigger, into his and shook it.
His grip was firm, the handshake seemed unnecessarily rough, and he looked
Brody in the eye. He hoped there wouldn’t be any hard feelings between them.
Not that he could blame either one of them for being weary of a stranger
waltzing into their lives, and on top of that, asking their father to consider
being a donor.
    “What
do you