Ethan looked surprised at Jake’s words, because he’d been after him for months to go see the shrink he knew.
“I’ll do that, McBride, and come pick you up when it’s time.”
“Appreciate it.”
Jake was grateful Ethan didn’t ask why now. He just picked up where he started with Buster and they continued abusing each other while Jake watched his girl.
She was his now, and she deserved him to be whole, deserved that he at least try to make sense of the nightmare that was inside his head. He might or might not be a doctor again, but he needed to at least try, and he needed to do it for both of them.
Her voice was a thing of beauty. One song turned into three, and he never moved, just drank in the sight of her body swaying to the music. By the time she sang the last note, she had the entire crowd in the palm of her hand, sitting right alongside where he’d been since she’d arrived in Howling.
“Goodnight, everyone, and don’t expect a repeat performance next year.”
Everyone applauded as Branna spoke, and then kept clapping until they’d left the stage. People touched her shoulder as she walked. She smiled and spoke a few words, and then she was there in front of him.
“Hey, you.” He was so full of pride he could hardly get the words out.
“Hey, you.” Her smile was real, but some of it was relief, Jake was pretty sure.
“You were amazing.” Wrapping a hand around her neck, he pulled her into him briefly. Inhaling her, he kissed her cheek, then let her go.
“I hate to admit it, Bran, but that was fun. Maybe we could just do a bit of jamming when we get time?”
Branna literally glowed as she turned to Annabelle. “I guess we could use the shed now that Geraldine’s at Jake’s.”
“Will you guys play at a party I’m organizing?”
“I suppose you think that’s funny, rich boy?” Annabelle rounded on Ethan as he spoke.
“What?” He looked confused. “I was serious.”
Jake looked over the heads of the people milling as Branna and Annabelle talked to Ethan—correction, they talked at Ethan… loudly. He saw the tall, dark-haired man walking toward them. People seemed to naturally move to one side as he wove his way through them, and there was something familiar about that face. Dressed in a blue shirt and jeans, he should have fit right in here, but didn’t. He stood out. Even his walk was different. He seemed to glide, long legs moving with ease as he covered the distance, and then it clicked into place. He knew another person who walked like that.
“Branna.”
She turned as he spoke, hearing the urgency in his voice.
“There’s—”
“Hello, Branna.”
He was too late. D.J. O’Donnell had arrived in Howling.
Chapter15
The smile fell from Branna’s face as she looked at her father. Her fingers clenched around Jake’s before she released his hand and took a step backward.
“What are you doing here?” Her words were hoarse.
“I came to see my daughter. I heard you sing. You were amazing.”
He spoke with the same soft burr that she did, and those eyes were Branna’s too, the deep green pools that had sucked Jake in from the first glance he’d taken of her.
“Why would you want to be my father now?”
“Branna, love, let me—”
“You’ll leave here now. I have no need for you.”
