Close Match

by Jerald, Tracey

  Suddenly, I remember where I am, and my head snaps up mortified.

  My father has tears brimming over while Char is swiping hers away from her cheeks. “I’m sorry.” I flush horribly.

  “For what? For giving us the honor of seeing what you do close up?” Char whispers.

  “I assumed…”

  “Correctly. When you told me how much effort you put in to doing what you do, how hard you work, how often you’d be away to maintain your fitness levels, I decided to do this. I want to get to know you here, not wonder if you’re safe while you’re driving on unfamiliar roads commuting to another city to train.” I open my mouth to protest, to offer to pay for it, but Ev steps forward. “Linnie, I’m a rich man. A wealthy man. I can’t take any of this with me when I go, only the knowledge I made my family happy. We’re adjusting to that, but you’re a part of that now. Please accept this gift as a selfish man who wants to be able to pop in on his daughter—if she permits that?”

  I swallow hard so I can get one simple word out. “Yes.”

  The next thing you know, I’m enveloped in Ev’s arms. It’s the first time since Mom died I feel those places deep inside of me partially fill back up. When Char’s arms wrap around us both, they top off a little more.

  Hours later, I’m helping Char in the kitchen when I finally ask, “Who’s coming over tonight?”

  “Oh, it’s just Monty’s former partner. He’s like another member of the family,” she says breezily.

  “His partner? I didn’t know he was involved with anyone.” I’m not surprised he’s involved with someone. I didn’t realize he was already spoken for when he asked me out. I get lost for a second remembering the look in those dark lashes over those intoxicating eyes as he asked if he could give me a tour of the city.

  Charlotte breaks me out of my reverie. “Not that kind of partner, sweetheart.” At my pronounced confusion, she clarifies, “Remember, when Monty left the military, he went to work for the NCIS? Shaun was his partner there.”

  “That’s right. So, what I know about NCIS is summed up through the very special agent I get to see through reruns of the TV show. But I have to ask if Monty did half of what they do on the show, how did you not know who I was?”

  A slow smile breaks out across Char’s face. “Ev made Monty swear he wouldn’t use his old contacts to look into you. Quite simply, it’s driving him insane.”

  I still. “But it won’t stop them after they meet me tonight,” I whisper.

  Char lays her hand across mine. “Is there a reason it’s so important to keep this under wraps, Linnie? I know if it were up to Ev, he’d be shouting it from the rooftop.”

  “Part of it has to do with Mom. The press has been particularly tenacious trying to figure out what in her past might have caused her to die so young…” I feel the warm pressure from her hand, which helps me to go on. “Also, I wanted the time to get to establish a more solid relationship with all of you before I brought you into the spotlight. Little did I know who my father really was.” My tone is dry.

  “I know. I imagine someone’s going to put it together soon.”

  “Or like they did with my brother-in-law, they’ll make something up. Say someone will write that I’m having some scandalous affair with the very wealthy Everett Parrish. See page 12 for the scoop,” I drawl scathingly

  “Is Simon Houde really that dreamy?” Char’s eyes take on a faraway cast. I burst out laughing.

  “Let me just say that People Magazine doesn’t do him justice.”

  “On behalf of women everywhere, can I say I hate you for getting to kiss him every night?”

  “It isn’t that great.” I quickly tell her about our ongoing battle with cilantro and onion. Soon, Char is doubled over.

  “Your sister must be amazing. Not only to put up with all the noise from the tabloids but to deal with cilantro breath?” Charlotte pulls out some vegetables to chop.

  “Do you have an extra cutting board and a knife?” She smiles and pushes her board and knife over. “How do you want these cut?”

  “For dipping. We’ll munch on those.”

  I begin to chop a head of broccoli up into bite-size florets. “Bris is terrific,” I say, bringing us back to our earlier topic. “She’s due in late January.” I smile at the joyful gasp. “She’s been a bedrock for me. Where I’m emotional, she’s logical. We balance each other out. I don’t want to add any undue burden to her when all of this comes to light.”

  Char frowns as she cuts a carrot into sticks. “I see what you mean.”

  I try to explain. “It’s a relief to have you and Ev know. I feel like this weight has been lifted from me. But I have to be careful about how far that circle expands. Protecting Bris, Simon, and this baby means everything to me.”

  Laying down her knife, Charlotte gathers up her carrots and arranges them artfully around the large platter. “Then we’ll try to keep it in the family. But Shaun will respect Ev by not poking and prodding. I promise you that.”

  Putting my trust in people has never been easy, but without being able to fall back on my mom, I have to rely on something I haven’t used in far too long—my instincts.

  “I appreciate that. Everything you’ve done to welcome me into your home has been so appreciated.” My voice breaks. “When I came to find out more about my birth father, I didn’t expect to get his family too.”

  She quickly rounds the counter and pulls me into her arms. “I’m glad that worked out for all of us.”

  There’s a door slamming in the front hallway followed by the sound of boisterous men. “Oh, I guess he’s here early.” Char pulls away, dabbing at her eyes. Discreetly, I do the same. “We should finish up with this platter. Shaun will be in here shortly scrounging for some food, I’m sure.”

  I give Char’s outfit the once-over; she’s dressed in what I’ll term casual country chic: white linen shorts, leather flats, and a pale pink button-down shirt neatly tucked in with a trim belt around her waist. “Do I need to run up and change?” In complete contrast, I’ve got on camouflage short shorts, a tight black T-shirt, a goodly amount of silver jewelry, with my hair loose down my back. My flip-flops are somewhere under the stool I’m perched on.

  “Sweetheart, if I could pull that outfit off, I’d work it.” She grins at me before sliding a few peppers onto my empty cutting board. Happily, I julienne them before popping one into my mouth.

  “Thanks, I got it at…” Before I can tell Char I scored my outfit online at Old Navy, the kitchen fills with people. I keep chopping—albeit with a grin on my face—as an African American male swoops up Char like she weighs as much as a gallon of milk. He grabs her cheeks and plants a smacking kiss on her lips. I stifle a giggle when she blushes to the roots of her frosted hair. I finish up the peppers on my board and am just about to reach for the zucchini that has been abandoned on Charlotte’s when I hear my name called. Only it’s not the one I’m expecting.

  “Well, holy crap. Evangeline Brogan is in the house. What a surprise!” The man I presume is Monty’s partner has an arm slung around Char and is eyeing me up and down with appreciation. “I’m a huge fan. I’ve caught you the few times you’ve toured at the Kennedy Center.”

  I send a quick look of regret over to Monty, who has just entered the door with a frown at his partner, before finding my flip-flops. With my stage smile in place, I hold out my hand. “Shaun, I presume.”

  “Indeed. Has my reputation preceded me?” He winks.

  “No, just Char’s mouth,” I assure him. We both laugh.

  As we shake, I hear Monty ask Ev, “Will someone explain to me how in the hell you know Ev’s daughter?”

  Twenty-Nine

  Montague

  “This is funny, Monty.”

  “It really isn’t.” I’m beyond annoyed right now.

  “It is.” Shaun’s tickled I had no idea Ev’s daughter is the Evangeline Brogan. I’ve been taking shit from him all night like, “Next time, try Google,” or “Do I contac
t Glynco to see if you really graduated?”

  Asshole.

  I’m irritated at Linnie, Ev, and by the looks of it, my mother, since she clearly knew as well. I don’t get what the big deal is. If anything, it might have alleviated my fears that Ev’s daughter was just out for his money…

  Ah shit. Suddenly I realize why she didn’t blurt out who she was right away. Until the weekend they were in Old Town together, Linnie had no idea that her father and Everett Parrish, the software genius, were one and the same. She’s a celebrity who recently lost a celebrity parent, reported on most major news outlets. The media swirl around her only just quieted down. She was protecting herself the same way I recommended he defend himself. With that, a large part of my frustration dissipates.

  After being introduced to Shaun, Linnie’s been hanging out in the background, helping out, giving my mother a much needed reprieve. I don’t know if that’s to keep herself out of the line of fire, but as I hear my mother’s peal of laughter—something I hear far too rarely as of late—it’s appreciated.

  Promising to return with dessert, Mom and Linnie both scurried off a few moments ago. I’m keeping a close eye on the door, so I walk away from Shaun’s incessant prattling when I notice Mom’s heading down toward us holding a carafe of coffee while Linnie’s carefully balancing a heavy tray of desserts, cups, and accouterments. Mom flaps her hand at me, so I deliberately get in Linnie’s way. “Let me get that for you.” Quickly shifting the heavy tray from her arms to mine, I’ll admit I’m impressed by her strength. “Where do you want this?”

  “Oh, thank you. I guess…wherever your mother wants it?” She searches for where my Mom went, but I figure Mom will set up dessert on the closest table to the firepit where everyone is currently relaxing. I stride off in that direction.

  Linnie’s long legs quickly fall in step.

  After I’ve set the tray down on the table, I turn toward her. She’s ducked her head. “I just wanted Ev to get to know me before I told him who I was.” Curtains of long dark hair hide her face as her hands brace on the tabletop. Reaching down, I pull her hair away. Frustration marks her face. “I just wanted a little time to be me, but then Ev asked me to visit. He got worried I wouldn’t have enough money. I had to tell him who I was. I’m sorry you found out the way you did.” Her eyes—Ev’s eyes in such a beautiful feminine face—lock onto mine. “I truly am.”

  There is no artifice about this woman. I blurt out the first thing that comes to my head. “How on earth are you an actress? You have absolutely no capacity for hiding anything.”

  Her lips tip up, and I feel it like a punch to my gut. The Indian summer air is heavy but somehow light now that there are no more secrets.

  Well, except one, and I’ve been ordered I can’t share it.

  “I don’t hide who I am with family.” She shrugs. “The only secrets I keep are for their own good, not to harm them.”

  With that, I let out a jagged sigh. Maybe Linnie will understand then. Perhaps she won’t hate her father for not telling her right away why he completed that damn genealogy kit.

  Her eyes narrow, but before she can open her mouth, Mom calls over to her. “Linnie, come sit down!”

  If I weren’t standing right in front of her, I’d have missed the flash of humor across her face before she calls back, “Be right there.”

  She slips around me to make her way back over to the group. Before I join them, I turn and rest my hips near the desserts. Ev slips away and joins me.

  “How mad are you?” he asks bluntly.

  “I was until I realized she did it to protect herself. Now, I’m more worried about how she’s going to react when she realizes your still hiding something from her.”

  Ev frowns. We both jerk when we hear Linnie’s musical laughter at something Shaun said—damn, that should have been a clue too. Everything she does has sway and movement. She’s always in motion. Even now by the firelight, her foot is tapping to an internal beat in her head.

  And she’s never looked more beautiful.

  “Give me time. Then I’ll tell her.” Ev sighs. “She just lost one parent. Things are under control. I hate even to give her the idea that one day she might lose another.” He pushes away from the table.

  “Ev,” I say, stopping him. “Miracles can happen.”

  He grips my shoulder tightly. “They already have. Don’t you see? I have your mother, you, and now Linnie.”

  I bow my head as he walks away, unable to come to grips with the emotions coursing through my system.

  * * *

  We’ve decimated dessert. Even Linnie couldn’t resist the novelty of roasting a marshmallow. We all laughed at her when she screamed, “Fire! Fire!” when her first one lit up like a torch though. Doing my duties as the wiser, more experienced marshmallow roaster, I blew it out. And then I ate it directly from the stick.

  She made a disgusted face that caused everyone to howl with laughter. Me? My teeth were stuck together with the sticky goodness.

  Shaun merely shook his head. “You can’t dive headfirst into the heat. You have to let it warm up around the edges. Then when it’s ready to catch on fire, that’s when it’s ready to devour.”

  I muttered to Ev, “Is he talking about roasting marshmallows or…”

  “I don’t want to know, son. I don’t want to know.”

  “Linnie, so is the adjustment out here on the farm tough since you grew up in the city?” Shaun asks her.

  “How do you…” I begin.

  Shaun shoves me in the shoulder. “Dude. Look. Her. Up. Now that you know who she is, will you—for all that’s holy—find out exactly who your new stepsister is?” His voice must carry loud enough because when I turn across the fire pit, Linnie’s eyes are resting on me.

  I shake my head back and forth without losing her gaze. “Nah. I think I’ll let her tell me. I think that’s important to her.” Linnie sends me a smile so bright, it makes the flames jumping in between us look dim.

  And besides, I can’t think of Linnie as my stepsister.

  Now Shaun’s randomly plucking at the guitar he always brings along, and he asks Linnie, “Do you always listen to Broadway music?”

  She counters by asking, “Do you always read crime reports?” knowing he used to be my partner.

  “Not a chance in hell. That’s morbid!”

  She leans back in the chair she’s curled up in with a snicker. “There’s your answer. I listen to all kinds of music because I love all kinds of music.”

  “Classical.” Shaun’s lip curls in a sneer.

  “Of course. I was in the ballet.” My eyebrows shoot to my hairline.

  “Pop,” he counters.

  “Shawn Mendes and OneRepublic.”

  “Rock,” I throw out.

  She sneers, “Rush. Best band ever. I might have sold my soul to play the lead if Neal Peart ever wrote a musical.” Everyone breaks out into laughter.

  “Hip-hop,” Ev asks curiously.

  “I’m a throwback. I dance all the time to ’90s hip-hop. I love me some Blackstreet,” she sighs nostalgically before we all chuckle.

  “How about this?” Can’t claim to have a family from this area and not know this group,” Shaun teases. He strums a few notes.

  Her smile quirks. “Bris and I saw them in concert…oh, like ten or so times since I was in college? My crush on Marc Roberge is ongoing.” Everyone doubles over laughing.

  “You and every other woman who hears him sing,” Ev calls out from where his arms are wrapped around my mom, who’s nodding emphatically.

  Shaun thrums the chords to one of O.A.R.’s most popular songs. He nods over to Linnie, who begins to tap out the beat on her bare thighs. Her voice joins in about their famous song about giving up comfort and ease to create something more. It’s a song that teaches people how to move forward through all kinds of adversity to find a new triumph. Her hips shift back and forth in her chair, her long hair swaying around her as she embraces the fast-paced lyrics.
<
br />   There’s a quiet that descends upon the group. Mom breaks it by saying, “Why aren’t you recording an album of your own?”

  Linnie squirms in her seat. “Well, I kinda just did.”

  My jaw drops. Everyone gapes at her in astonishment. “It really isn’t a big deal. I’ve done cast recordings before,” she hurriedly explains.

  “My daughter just recorded her first record?” Ev confirms slowly.

  “It’s lullabies, Ev. They wanted me to sing some holiday music, and I turned that down. I wanted to do something that meant something special to me. So, I recorded a bunch of lullabies and children’s music. I wouldn’t expect it to hit the top of the charts or anything,” she jokes, embarrassed.

  “What made you decide to do that?” Mom asks.

  “Remember I told you about Bristol?” Mom makes an “Ah” in assent. To the rest of us, Linnie explains, “My sister is having her first baby.”

  I’ve never given much thought to celebrities before. I mean, I’ve seen their images on all the tabloids during the checkout aisles, of course. But I imagine very few of them are like Linnie, who rises out of her chair to begin clearing the mess so my mother can sit within the confines of her father’s arms. “Thanks, sweetheart.”

  Linnie waves her off with a smile.

  “Beautiful and nice? Dude, you might be in some serious trouble with her around. More so than you already were,” Shaun mutters to my left as he randomly picks out some notes on his guitar.

  Maybe it’s her core of humility that trips my heart into an erratic beat when out of the corner of my eye, I watch Linnie head back from inside to plop down into her chair. It can’t be those ridiculous long legs showcased in shorts or her long glossy hair hanging down her back.

  Or a heart I’m beginning to realize is going to be shattered when the news about Ev’s illness hits her.