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Authors: Mackenzie Crowne
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height. Only a slight stoop telegraphed his remaining discomfort. He stood stiffly under the girls’ intent regard.
Angel jutted her chin at a belligerent angle. “Are you our big brother?”
His gaze sliced to Gracie, and she was surprised to see the sharp edge of panic eclipsing the pain in his eyes.
Well, isn’t this interesting? Is big, bad Jake Malone afraid of a couple of six year-old girls? Oh, the possibilities….
She twitched with the need to do a giddy, happy dance and settled for the silent celebration ripping through her head. The cranial victory party was short-lived however, once she glanced at the girls. Their tension matched his.
Damn it! As much as she’d enjoy seeing him fall flat on his face, she simply couldn’t let it happen. Ninety days was a long time, and if Jake ultimately failed to win the girls over, she’d do plenty of celebrating when she gained custody. In the meantime, she’d do what she could to make the transition from strangers to strange siblings easier—for the girls. They’d just lost their remaining parent, after all. They were orphans.
The term made her flinch inwardly. Hanna’s brother Timmy might be correct technically, but if she ever got her hands on the big-mouthed brat, she’d strangle him. She tightened her grip on Murphy and held out her free hand. “Come here, girls.”
Suddenly shy, they shuffled off the landing and down the final two steps. As one, they moved close to her side. She wrapped her arm around their shoulders, encompassing both. “Angel, Charlie, this is Jake Malone. Your half brother.”
Charlie tilted her head and studied his face. She spoke in a stage whisper. “He’s really big, and he looks mean.”
“Grownups always look mean when they don’t know what to say,” Angel retorted with surprising insight.
Gracie met Jake’s unsure gaze and lifted a challenging brow. His eyes narrowed marginally when she shrugged and smiled.
Okay, big guy. Ball’s in your court.
He finally looked away and, as if he’d forgotten his encounter with Murphy, his face relaxed. His green eyes cleared and softened as he dropped into a crouch. Eyes level with the twins’, he glanced between them. “You’re right. Sometimes when grownups don’t know what to say, it makes them mad, and being mad can make a person look mean.”
Charlie pressed closer to Angel’s side. “Are you mad at us?”
“Why would I be mad at you?”
“Because sisters are supposed to live with their brother.” She tossed a quizzical glance at Gracie before turning back. “But we didn’t know where you were.”
Angel turned a scowl on her twin. “He could have found us . Even if grownup brothers don’t live with their sisters, he could’ve asked Daddy if he could come visit us.”
Jake opened his mouth then shut it again without speaking. Was he unsure how to explain the estranged relationship between him and Pete? Sympathy tugged at Gracie’s heart—for the twins, not him.
“Oh, baby.” She brushed a hand over Angel’s inky curls. “It’s not Jake’s fault. He didn’t know about the two of you until yesterday.”
“Why not?” Doubting blue eyes burned at her.
What to say? She knew nothing about the conflict between Jake and Pete. Her sigh was long and drawn out. “It’s complicated, girls.”
The flat line of Angel’s lips said she wasn’t satisfied with her answer.
“Jake only found out about you yesterday and here he is. I’d say that means he’s happy about having little sisters.”
She shot a warning glance at Jake. If he said anything to contradict her, she’d….
His eyes widened.
She was no less shocked at her defense of him and quickly turned away. What was she thinking, aiding the enemy? As uncomfortable as he appeared in dealing with the girls, he was bound to screw things up if left to his own devices. A possibility she’d do best to keep in mind.
When she met his gaze again, he lifted one dark brow in silent question. Was he
Angel jutted her chin at a belligerent angle. “Are you our big brother?”
His gaze sliced to Gracie, and she was surprised to see the sharp edge of panic eclipsing the pain in his eyes.
Well, isn’t this interesting? Is big, bad Jake Malone afraid of a couple of six year-old girls? Oh, the possibilities….
She twitched with the need to do a giddy, happy dance and settled for the silent celebration ripping through her head. The cranial victory party was short-lived however, once she glanced at the girls. Their tension matched his.
Damn it! As much as she’d enjoy seeing him fall flat on his face, she simply couldn’t let it happen. Ninety days was a long time, and if Jake ultimately failed to win the girls over, she’d do plenty of celebrating when she gained custody. In the meantime, she’d do what she could to make the transition from strangers to strange siblings easier—for the girls. They’d just lost their remaining parent, after all. They were orphans.
The term made her flinch inwardly. Hanna’s brother Timmy might be correct technically, but if she ever got her hands on the big-mouthed brat, she’d strangle him. She tightened her grip on Murphy and held out her free hand. “Come here, girls.”
Suddenly shy, they shuffled off the landing and down the final two steps. As one, they moved close to her side. She wrapped her arm around their shoulders, encompassing both. “Angel, Charlie, this is Jake Malone. Your half brother.”
Charlie tilted her head and studied his face. She spoke in a stage whisper. “He’s really big, and he looks mean.”
“Grownups always look mean when they don’t know what to say,” Angel retorted with surprising insight.
Gracie met Jake’s unsure gaze and lifted a challenging brow. His eyes narrowed marginally when she shrugged and smiled.
Okay, big guy. Ball’s in your court.
He finally looked away and, as if he’d forgotten his encounter with Murphy, his face relaxed. His green eyes cleared and softened as he dropped into a crouch. Eyes level with the twins’, he glanced between them. “You’re right. Sometimes when grownups don’t know what to say, it makes them mad, and being mad can make a person look mean.”
Charlie pressed closer to Angel’s side. “Are you mad at us?”
“Why would I be mad at you?”
“Because sisters are supposed to live with their brother.” She tossed a quizzical glance at Gracie before turning back. “But we didn’t know where you were.”
Angel turned a scowl on her twin. “He could have found us . Even if grownup brothers don’t live with their sisters, he could’ve asked Daddy if he could come visit us.”
Jake opened his mouth then shut it again without speaking. Was he unsure how to explain the estranged relationship between him and Pete? Sympathy tugged at Gracie’s heart—for the twins, not him.
“Oh, baby.” She brushed a hand over Angel’s inky curls. “It’s not Jake’s fault. He didn’t know about the two of you until yesterday.”
“Why not?” Doubting blue eyes burned at her.
What to say? She knew nothing about the conflict between Jake and Pete. Her sigh was long and drawn out. “It’s complicated, girls.”
The flat line of Angel’s lips said she wasn’t satisfied with her answer.
“Jake only found out about you yesterday and here he is. I’d say that means he’s happy about having little sisters.”
She shot a warning glance at Jake. If he said anything to contradict her, she’d….
His eyes widened.
She was no less shocked at her defense of him and quickly turned away. What was she thinking, aiding the enemy? As uncomfortable as he appeared in dealing with the girls, he was bound to screw things up if left to his own devices. A possibility she’d do best to keep in mind.
When she met his gaze again, he lifted one dark brow in silent question. Was he
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