by Kathryn Shay
“It was subtle and sensational at the same time. Even though I knew Rachel lived through her time in Syria, I was on the edge of my seat when she was over there.”
A bright, big smile came to Dylan’s handsome face. “You read my work?”
“Hmm. Know thine enemy.”
“And look where that got you.” Dylan chuckled. “I get reader mail that complains the boys coming over from Syria was a bit much. Too unrealistic. Little do readers know. They believed the love story, though.”
“Rightfully, so. All you guys are saps.”
“You’ll eat your words someday.”
Kinley sighed. “You have no idea how much I wish that were true.”
Jamie had finished a shift when she noticed the sisters-in-law, all four of them, come into the pub. They took their favorite booth in the corner by the window facing MacDougal Street. They didn’t even acknowledge her. Must be she wasn’t part of the family anymore. Everybody had made up with Kinley but her.
She marched over. “Hi, ladies.”
Sophie smiled sweetly at her. Sometimes you’d never know she was a firefighter. With her strawberry blond hair and freckles, she looked like the girl-next-door. “Hey, Jamie. You done?”
“You’ll be the last.”
“We don’t want to eat. This is our monthly gripe session. Join us?”
Guess Jamie wasn’t ostracized. She slid into the booth. “I won’t talk about Kinley. We’re not getting back together.”
“No one asked you to.” C.J. snorted. “O’Neil men! They can be real assholes. When my sisters’ husbands died, Aidan never left my side. I couldn’t shake him to go grieve by myself.”
“We remember, sweetie. But you could barely stand upright.” This from Brie. “Patrick’s so stubborn. When I was kidnapped, he practically abandoned the kids, he abandoned everything, until he found me when no one else could. Bad parenting there.”
Sophie rolled her eyes. “Liam had the nerve to come to my apartment to console me when my brother was missing after he broke up with me.”
“I know,” Rachel added. “Dylan showered Fathi and Nizar with attention when I brought them home. So much so, he didn’t have time for me, and I almost died!”
Brie said, “So it’s no wonder you won’t have anything to do with Kinley. He’s an idiot. He actually acted as bait to keep every single one of us safe. It could have had disastrous results.”
Moisture formed in Jamie’s eyes.
C.J. spoke. “You won’t get him back acting like a wimp about what he did.”
“If you avoid him,” Sophie advised, “he’ll never make the first move. You were the one who called it quits.”
“Poor Ben, too,” Brie stated. “He cried when Mama made him leave Kinley.”
Jamie sat there. She literally didn’t know what to say.
And, Brie added, “I guess if you don’t want to be our legal sister that’s up to you. Even if we always treated you like one.”
Suddenly Jamie deflated and put her head in her hands. Finally, she dropped them. “You’ve pulled out all the stops, haven’t you?”
“Did it work?” Sophie asked.
The dread and dreariness inside Jamie lifted some. “Sort of.” She sighed. “I know he’s a good man, like the other guys. But I’m afraid he won’t tell me things, like him being bait, and that he’ll make decisions without me.”
“Oh, he will.” Brie took her hand. “You have to be as strong and willful as he is.”
“You’ll be in for some knock-down-drag-out fights,” Rachel said. “That’s for sure.”
C.J. smiled sensuously. “And some great makeup sex.”
On the last of the six-day schedule for the O’Neils to keep Kinley company, Pat arrived with all the brothers. Kinley stood by the intercom as they strode inside. Pat went right to the table and took out poker chips and cards out of a case he’d carried in. “Come on, Kinley, we been coddlin’ you enough.”
“We’re going to play poker?”
Aidan chuckled. “Uh-huh, with specialty chips we had a ball making.”
Rusty at the game anyway, and fearing the specialty chips—God knew what these four were capable of—Kinley crossed to the table. “I haven’t played in years.”
“Too busy taking us down?” Dylan asked, sarcasm dripping from his voice.
It took him a minute to realize he was getting razzed about one of the worst things he’d done. But he couldn’t let them see how that made him feel. “You betcha. What’s the ante?”
“Fifty.”
He got his wallet from a drawer, then threw bills into the pot. Aidan counted out the chips. Stacked them in front of each of them. The chips were actually made of thick cardboard, and instead of denominations, they were imprinted with lettering. “What the fuck are these?”
Pat snorted. “Read them and weep, buddy.”
Kinley laid out all the chips in front of him on the table. He read them but not out loud.
Kinley leads a lonely life.
Kinley marries Blandine.
Jamie marries Brad.
Ben mourns for Kinley.
Kinley grovels.
Jamie gives Kinley a second chance.
Kinley promises the moon.
Baby on the way!
There’s hope!
“What do we play with these chips of doom?”
“Know what a Ouija Board is?” Aidan asked.
“Yeah, a stupid thing that people claim predicts the future.”
“Well, then, this is Ouija Poker.”
Dylan leaned over. The glint in his eye wasn’t comforting. “There’s pro and con outcomes to your behavior in the next few days. Either you go after Jamie or she’s gonna move on, pal.”
“And the game is going to foreshadow this.” Liam made the pronunciation as if it were a regular poker game. “We have a maximum number of chips—two fifty. We play five-card stud with normal cards. When all the chips are played, whichever chips you end up with will be your future.”
“That’s stupid.”
Dylan looked at Pat. “See, I told you he was a sissy.”
“Yeah, I thought he’d man up.”
“To a dumb game?”
Liam said, “Even his vocabulary has deteriorated.”
“You too, Brutus?”
Kinley had never seen that steely expression in Liam’s eyes. “You betcha.” He was mocking Kinley’s earlier remark. “When your future, your happiness, is at stake. Now,” he said, pointing to the cards. “Your deal.”
Befuddled, feeling put upon, he vowed not to crack under their challenge. No one ever called Kinley Moran a sissy.
He dealt five cards. His hand was pretty damn good. Three aces, one five, one ten.
Aidan started. “I bet three Jamie ends up alone.” He tossed the makeshift chips into the pot.
Dylan got right in the swing. “I see the bet with three Kinley marries Blandine.”
Liam wagered three Jamie marries Brad and Pat did, too.
“Kinley?”
They’d all bet against his relationship with Jamie. Suddenly hit by the realization that he’d lose her if he didn’t act, he folded his hand. He did not want to win this pot.
“What’s wrong, Kinley?” Liam asked, steely expression gone. There was only understanding in his eyes.
“I give in. I want her back. But I have no idea how to accomplish that. She was the one who refused to see me. I’d go after her, but how?”
Pat threw his hands up. “Hallelujah! Now let us give you the benefit of our groveling in the past.”
The warm May sun beat down on Jamie as she sat on the stage at her graduation, not feeling the delight she expected to experience when she achieved her goal. And she was afraid she knew why.
She glanced out to the family section. Seeing Ben, who came with the O’Neils, would cheer her up. She scanned the area and her gaze landed on the man holding her son on his lap.
It was Kinley.
Her heart starte
d to race. Though she’d sent him an invitation weeks ago, she didn’t expect him to show up.
Ben sat quietly as Kinley talked to him. And she admitted she wanted that. She wanted Kinley to be his father. She wanted to be his wife.
But she couldn’t trust him.
She thought of all that the O’Neil women had said to her last week. How dependable their guys were. How wonderful their guys were.
Could Kinley be that way, despite that one flaw that could be fatal?
Her name was called to get her diploma before she could form a definitive answer.
Afterward, she met up with Grandma Jean, Ben and the O’Neils. Kinley wasn’t with them.
“Ready for your party?” Patrick asked.
They’d planned a celebration at the pub at five. “Yes, of course.”
“Something wrong, lass?” Pa asked.
“No, nothing. Let’s go.”
She and Ben rode to the pub with Patrick and his parents, while Brie went to pick up their kids. When they arrived at the pub, instead of pulling into the back entrance, Pat swerved to the curb in the front. “What are you doing?” she asked.
“Giving the guest of honor the red-carpet treatment.”
Jamie got out first and held her arms out to Ben.
“Not so fast, buddy.” Pa kept hold of Ben so he couldn’t exit, said, “Go inside,” and closed the door. The car took off.
Confused, she crossed to the front door and pulled it open.
The place was set for a party, but one table in the middle stood out from the rest. It was set for two, with long, skinny white candles, already lit and an open bottle of champagne. But it was the man in the chair facing her who caught her attention.
Kinley stood. Waited.
Slowly she walked toward him. “Hi. What’s all this?”
He started to speak but had to clear his throat. “My way of groveling. Actually, the guys tutored me.”
She laughed at the image, then gestured to the restaurant in general. “On the setting?”
“That, too.” He shrugged, seeming unsure of himself. “They taught me on how to convince you to forgive me. To make a life with you, me and Ben. The details are kind of funny. I’ll tell you later. But in case this doesn’t work I have a lot of other suggestions on how to win you back.”
“I see.”
He circled the table. Cradled her cheeks. “I’m sorry I lied, but I’m not sorry for what I did. I’d do anything to keep you and Ben safe. However, I can promise to talk to you first about any heroic plans I have and not to lie to you again.”
“I can’t take lies.”
“I figured that out.”
He drew her to him and hugged her. The feel of his hard body against hers, the scent of him, thrilled her.
In her ear he whispered, “I love you, Jamie. Marry me. You and Ben and Grandma Jean. Let’s make a life together where we can disagree, but it won’t split us up. Let’s have another baby and raise her together.”
She eased away an inch or two. Looked him in the eyes. And said, “Yes. Let’s do that.”
He picked her up and swirled her around. “Thank God. I’ve been miserable.”
“Me, too.” She sighed. “Why are we here and not your apartment?” she asked. “I want to make love.”
“I’m afraid that’s going to have to wait. The O’Neils are all upstairs in Pa and Mary Kate’s apartment and the rest of the guests are expected shortly.
“Aw, hell.”
“We’ll have our whole lives to consummate our promises, Jamie. And we’re going to spend much of it in bed.”
She nodded. He nodded. They sat down, poured some champagne and toasted to their happiness. Then they waited for their family to come celebrate with them.
Epilogue
* * *
“Who the hell’s idea was it to have Christmas at my house?” Kinley held an armful of wood from the pile on the back porch and deposited it in front of the fieldstone fireplace.
“Mine,” Patrick said. “Fitting, don’t you think? You get to have Christmas morning here with Jamie and the kids, then later with your extended family.” He referred to the huge house Kinley and Jamie bought on Rockaway Beach.
“Yeah, so we can do all the work.”
He pointed to Kinley’s sweater. “You’re all dirty.”
“Shit.” The cashmere was probably ruined. “I’ll change.” He left to go down the hall. Pat followed him. Kinley turned when he got inside. “What’re you doing?”
“Since we’re alone here, I thought I’d take a gander at your expensive wardrobe.”
“Nothing you couldn’t afford, Pat.”
“I know.” He shrugged a shoulder. “But I wouldn’t know what to get.”
“Bullshit. Brie would.” He smiled. “Or I could show you.”
Without asking, Pat went to Kinley’s closet as if it was the most ordinary thing to do. A sudden bout of gratefulness seized Kinley. This was what brothers did, he guessed. From next to Pat, Kinley took out his favorite herringbone sports coat. “Here, try this on.”
Pat slid into it. It looked as good on him as it did on Kinley. Of course, their coloring was almost exactly the same. “The blue in it picks up your eyes.”
“Yeah.”
He angled his chin at the coat. “Go ahead and keep it.”
“You kiddin’ me?”
“Nope.” He held Pat’s gaze. “Brother-to-brother gift.”
Pat turned and took Kinley in a bear hug. He’d finally gotten used to those.
Just then they heard noise in the foyer. “That must be Jamie.” Mary Kate and Pa came up with her in one of Kinley’s cars.
“Yeah. She probably needs help.”
Before they could leave the room, Ben rushed in. “Hi, Daddy.” Kinley scooped him up. “Does the tree have presents for me?”
“Yep. Want to go see?”
“Uh-huh.” He raced out.
Kinley and Pat walked into the oversize living space. And Kinley took in a quick breath. His wife of nineteen months stood in front of the tree, its lights slanting off her hair. Which she’d cut. It was still down her back, but layered and lovely. As she was when she turned. In a sling in front of her nestled two little bundles, his own babies for this Christmas. Kinley’s heart was so full, he almost couldn’t tolerate the onslaught of feeling. He’d gotten a ring on Jamie’s finger right after she graduated, but the babies had been a surprise to them both.
He crossed to her. “Hello, a ghrá.” He kissed her on the mouth. He prolonged it. When he eased back, she rolled her eyes. “Watch it, buddy. Last Christmas, when Santa came, so to speak, we ended up with these two nine months later.”
Kinley gazed down at the babies. “How are my girls?”
“Sleeping like angels now.”
On his knees, Ben rolled his eyes. “They screamed their heads off in the car.”
Kinley gazed down at Portia and Jeannie. “Let me take them.” Expert now in child care, he held both to his chest. And said to Jamie, “Happy?”
“Deliriously. You?”
“Me, too. I have everything I want. Even if most of this wasn’t planned.”
She angled her head at the door. “The rest of them are coming in an hour. I’d been hoping for time alone for…whatever.”
“Not gonna happen today. But hold the thought. We could cuddle on the couch now.”
Two bassinets were off to the left, she helped him lay the twins down in them. Ben was busy shaking each present.
Kinley and Jamie sat close on the teal leather sofa. He slid his arm around her shoulders and she nosed into him.
“Sometimes I can’t believe how things turned out.” Her voice was soft, almost reverent.
He kissed her head. “Me too. You know what this is called, don’t you?”
She shook her head.
“HEA.”
“What does that mean?”
“That we’re going to live happily ever after, love.”
“Hm
m,” she said nuzzling his chest, “I like the sound of that.”
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Author’s Note
* * *
I have to admit, I fell deeply in love with Kinley. For most of the book, I couldn’t explain why. Then, when I finished the manuscript, I decided part of it was because the “O’Neil” in him came out, which turned him into a better man. Also, I felt sorry for him because of what Pa did to him. Can you imagine being abandoned twice by a parent? That would affect your whole world view as an adult. So, in reality, he had reason to seek revenge. Not that I didn’t want to ring his neck a few times. But, truly, I understood him.
That said, I hated what he was doing to my favorite people, the O’Neil siblings. Especially Bailey, who’s the only one he’s nice to for a good part of the book. He even tries to go to Guardian, and although I didn’t show it, I’m sure he did after he married Jamie.
I like Jamie a lot, too. Did you wonder where she got her strength to stand up to Kinley like she did? I think she’d needed to be strong all her life because of the bad hand she was dealt. And it was admirable how she made a good life for herself, Ben and Grandma Jean. She’s certainly a good role model, a trait I try to give all my heroines.
Of course, it was delightful to be in the O’Neils’ company again. Somehow, they always add a lot of humor to each book. Did you laugh at the softball field scene when they trick Kinley? Or when they made up Ouija poker? Another thing I like about them, is when one of them is in trouble, they forget all their grievances and support their brother or sister. I found it gratifying to see them set up a schedule to “babysit” Kinley.
These guys and Bailey are extremely popular with all my readers because of their charisma and good-heartedness. I think we all wish we were from families like this. It was fun to revisit them, especially with such a complicated person as Kinley Moran. I’m glad I give into fan pressure and wrote another O’Neil book. I hope you were too.