Starting Over (Treading Water Trilogy) Read Free

reached the front door, and Colin took care of two more crises before he went inside.

    “Mum?” He removed his Red Sox ball cap and ran a hand through his too-long strawberry blond hair. Like Declan and Erin, he resembled his mother, but the three of them had their father’s light blue eyes. With their wavy, dark brown hair, Aidan and Brandon favored their father in his younger years but with their mother’s dark green eyes.

    Wearing an apron over a wool sweater and jeans, Colleen O’Malley came from the kitchen to greet her third son. “Hello, love,” she said, planting a kiss on his cheek. Her thick Irish brogue seemed heavier than usual that day. “Have you had lunch? I made your Da some chicken soup, and there’s plenty.”

    “Sounds good, Mum,” Colin said, even though he couldn’t really afford the time. But she’d been so sad over everything with Brandon, including the awful fight he’d had with Aidan, and so worried about her husband that Colin wanted to spend some time with her. “Let me just go up and see Da first. He said he needed to see me right away. I don’t want him fretting about work when he’s supposed to be taking it easy.”

    “Neither do I, but I don’t want you running yourself ragged either, Col.” Her green eyes softened with concern. “I know you must be overwhelmed at work without Da and Brandon.”

    “We’re coping,” he said as he headed for the stairs. He didn’t think she needed to hear that it had been a long time since anyone relied on Brandon at work. “Don’t worry, Mum.” Colin had vague memories of the house before the second and third floors were added on. His father had worked nights, weekends, and holidays for more than two years to expand the former ranch house to fit his growing family.

    Colin knocked on the door to his parents’ bedroom.

    “Come in,” Dennis called in a voice that was already stronger than it had been the day before. He was propped up in bed, resting against a small mountain of pillows. The room was full of the flowers he had received from friends and business associates.

    “Hey, Da. How you feeling today?”

    “Cooped up and coddled,” Dennis grumbled as he ran a hand through his snow-white hair. “Your Mum’s making me nuts.”

    Colin chuckled. “I don’t doubt it.” He reached into the pocket of his green O’Malley & Sons coat, pulled out a Snicker’s bar, and slid it under his father’s pillow. “Don’t tell.”

    “Have I mentioned you’re my favorite kid?” Dennis asked with a big smile.

    Colin snorted. “Yeah, right. I’m your favorite kid at this moment.”

    “Why would you say that? Have I made you feel that way?”

    “What way?” Colin asked, surprised to find sincere concern on his father’s usually jovial face.

    “That you weren’t my favorite. I love you all the same. I hope you know that.”

    “Of course, I do. Even though I’m the one who never went to college. I’m not a doctor like Aidan was or an athlete like Brandon. I can’t sing like Aidan and Dec can, and, of course, Erin gave you five grandchildren. Nope, I’m just good old Colin.”

    “You’re the one I see myself in more than any of the others.”

    Taken aback, Colin said, “You do?”

    Dennis nodded. “From the time you were old enough to walk, all you ever wanted was to come to work with me. You loved everything about the trucks, the yard, the men, the gravel, all of it.”

    “But you were mad I didn’t go to college,” Colin reminded him.

    “I wanted more for you—for all my kids—than I’d had. I wanted you to go to school before you came into the business so you’d have something to fall back on if you ever needed it.”

    “You’ve worked seven days a week for forty years to make sure I’d never need it.”

    “I’m proud of the business, but nothing makes me prouder than having my sons and son-in-law working with me.”

    “You’re awfully sentimental today, Da. What’s gotten into