by Nora Roberts
“Won’t it? Well, try this. I want a hundred thousand. A hundred thousand, or I’m going to the press. National Enquirer, Hard Copy. Let’s see how fast your lousy books sell once I tell my story.”
“Sales will likely increase twenty percent,” Sybill said mildly. “I won’t be blackmailed, Gloria. You do what you like. And think about this. You’re facing criminal charges in Maryland, and there’s a restraining order against you to keep you away from Seth. The Quinns have evidence. I’ve seen it,” she continued, thinking of the letters Gloria had written. “Further criminal charges for extortion and child abuse may be brought. I’d cut my losses if I were you.”
She hung up on the spew of obscenities and, closing her eyes, lowered her head between her knees. The nausea was a greasy sea in her stomach, the sneaky edge of a migraine was creeping closer. She couldn’t stop the trembling. She’d held it off during the phone call, but she couldn’t stop it now.
She stayed just as she was until she could control her breathing again, until the worst threat of sickness receded. Then she rose, took one of her pills to ward off the migraine and added blusher to her pale cheeks. She gathered her purse, Seth’s gifts, a jacket against the chill, and left.
* * *
THE DAY HAD been endless. How was a guy supposed to sit through hours and hours of school on his birthday? I mean, he was double ones now, and everything. He was going to get pizza and french fries and chocolate cake and ice cream and probably even presents.
He’d never actually had a birthday present before, Seth mused. Not that he could remember, anyway. He’d probably end up with clothes and shit, but it would still be a present.
If anybody ever showed up.
“What’s taking them so long?” Seth demanded, again.
Determined to be patient, Anna continued to slice potatoes for the homemade fries that Seth had requested as part of his birthday menu. “They’ll be along.”
“It’s almost six. How come I had to come home after school instead of going to the boatyard?”
“Because,” Anna said, and left it at that. “Stop poking into everything, will you?” she added as Seth opened the refrigerator, again. Shut it, again. “You’re going to be stuffing your face soon enough.”
“I’m starving.”
“I’m making the fries right now, aren’t I?”
“I thought Grace was going to make them.”
Steely-eyed, Anna stared at him over her shoulder. “Are you suggesting that I can’t make french fries?”
He was bored and restless enough to be pleased that he’d jabbed her ego. “Well, she makes really good ones.”
“Oh.” She turned completely around. “And I don’t.”
“You do okay. Anyway, we’ll have the pizza.” He nearly pulled it off, but snorted out a chuckle.
“Brat.” Anna made a laughing dive at him. He danced away howling.
“That’s the door, that’s the door. I’ll get it!” He raced off, leaving Anna grinning after him.
But the wicked laughter faded from his eyes when he yanked open the door and saw Sybill on the porch. “Oh. Hi.”
Her heart sank, but she fixed on a polite smile. “Happy birthday.”
“Yeah, thanks.” Watching her cautiously, he opened the door.
“I appreciate you inviting me.” At a loss, she held out both shopping bags. “Are you allowed to have your gifts?”
“Sure, I guess.” Then his eyes widened. “All that?”
She nearly sighed. He sounded so much like Phillip had. “It all sort of goes together.”
“Cool. Hey, it’s Grace.” Hampered by the bags, which he held now, he bumped past her onto the porch.
The joy in his voice, the quick, delighted smile on his face was such a marked contrast from the way he’d looked at her, Sybill’s sinking heart cracked.
“Hey, Grace! Hey, Aubrey! I’ll tell Anna you guys are here.”
He darted inside again, leaving Sybill standing by the open door without a clue how to proceed. Grace got out of the car and smiled. “Sounds like he’s excited.”
“Yes, well . . .” She watched Grace set a bag on the hood of the car, followed by a large clear-plastic cake holder. Then she reached in to unstrap a babbling Aubrey from her car seat. “Do you need a hand?”
“Actually, I could use two. Just a minute, baby. If you keep wriggling . . .” She tossed another smile over her shoulder as Sybill walked over. “She’s been wired all day. Seth is Aubrey’s favorite person.”
“Seth! He’s got a birthday. We baked a cake.”
“We sure did.” Grace hauled Aubrey out, then passed her to an astonished Sybill. “Would you mind? She wanted to wear that dress, but the run from here to the house is bound to be a disaster.”
“Oh, well . . .” Sybill found herself staring down into a beaming, angelic face and holding a bouncing little body dressed in party-pink ruffles.
“We’re having a party,” Aubrey told her and put both her hands on Sybill’s cheeks to ensure her full attention. “I’ll have a party next time when I’m three. You can come.”
“Thank you.”
“You smell pretty. I do, too.”
“You certainly do.” Sybill’s initial stiffness couldn’t stand up under that cheerfully charming smile. Phillip’s Jeep pulled in behind Grace’s, and most of the stiffness returned as Cam slid out of the passenger seat and shot her a cool, unmistakably warning look.
Aubrey let out a shriek of greeting. “Hi! Hi!”
“Hi, there, beautiful.” Cam walked over, kissed Aubrey lightly on her comically pursed lips, then aimed those flinty eyes at Sybill. “Hello, Dr. Griffin.”
“Sybill.” Well able to interpret the chilly exchange, Phillip strode over, laid a supporting hand on her shoulder, and leaned in for the kiss Aubrey was offering. “Hi, there, sweetie.”
“I have a new dress.”
“And you look stunning in it.”
In the way of females, Aubrey deserted Sybill without a glance and held out her arms to Phillip. He managed the transfer easily, settling her on his hip. “Been here long?” he asked Sybill.
“No, I just got here.” She watched Cam carry three large cardboard boxes of pizza into the house. “Phillip, I don’t want to cause any—”
“Let’s go inside.” He took her hand, pulling her along. “We’ve got to get this party going, don’t we, Aub?”
“Seth gets presents. They’re secrets.” She whispered it and leaned in close. “What are they?”
“Uh-uh, I’m not telling.” He set her down when they stepped into the house, gave her frilled bottom a friendly pat, and sent her off. She shouted for Seth and scrambled toward the kitchen. “She’ll blab.”
Determined to make it work, Sybill put her smile back in place. “I won’t.”
“Nope. You can just wait for it. I’m going to grab a fast shower before Cam beats me to it and uses all the hot water.” He gave her a quick, absent kiss. “Anna’ll get you a drink,” he added as he headed upstairs.
“Great.” On a huff of breath, Sybill steeled herself to deal with the Quinns alone.
The kitchen was pandemonium. Aubrey was squealing, Seth was talking a mile a minute. Potatoes were frying, with Grace manning the stove since Cam had Anna trapped against the refrigerator with a gleam of pure lust in his eyes.
“You know how I get when I see you in an apron.”
“I know how you get when you see me breathe.” And she hoped it would never change. Nonetheless, she narrowed her eyes at him. “Hands off, Quinn. I’m busy.”
“You’ve been slaving over a hot stove. You really ought to take a shower. With me.”
“I’m not going to—” She spotted the movement out of the corner of her eye. “There you are, Sybill.” In a move that looked very practiced, and very effective to Sybill, Anna sh
ifted and jammed her elbow into her husband’s stomach. “What can I get you to drink?”
“Ah . . . the coffee smells wonderful, thank you.”
“I’ll take a beer.” Cam snagged one out of the fridge. “And go clean up.” He aimed that look at Sybill again, then strode out.
“Seth, stay out of those bags,” Anna ordered as she pulled down a mug. “No gifts yet.” She’d made the decision to keep him from opening Sybill’s gifts until after dinner. She calculated that his aunt would make her excuses and run as quickly as she could manage it after the little ritual was complete.
“Man! Is it my birthday or what?”
“Yes, if you live through it. Why don’t you take Aubrey into the other room? Entertain her for a while. We’ll eat as soon as Ethan gets here.”
“Well, where is he, anyway?” Grumbling, Seth stalked out with Aubrey on his heels and didn’t catch the quick grin Grace and Anna exchanged.
“That goes for you dogs, too.” Anna gave Foolish a nudge with her foot and pointed her finger. With canine sighs, both dogs clipped out of the kitchen.
“Peace.” Anna closed her eyes to absorb it. “Momentary peace.”
“Is there anything I can do to help?”
With a shake of her head, Anna passed over the mug of coffee. “I think we’ve got it under control. Ethan should be here any minute. In the big surprise.” She walked to the window to look out through the gathering dark. “I hope you’ve brought an adolescent appetite,” she added. “Tonight’s menu consists of pepperoni-and-sausage pizza, peanut-oil fries, homemade hot fudge sundaes, and Grace’s killer chocolate cake.”
“We’ll all be in the hospital,” Sybill commented before she thought it through. Even as she winced, Anna was laughing.
“We who are about to die salute you. Uh-oh, there’s Ethan.” She’d lowered her voice to a stage whisper. At the stove, Grace dropped her slotted spoon with a clatter. “Did you burn yourself?”
“No, no.” Chuckling weakly, Grace stepped back. “No, I’m, ah . . . I’m just going to run out and . . . help Ethan.”
“All right but—hmmm,” Anna finished when Grace hurried past her and out the door. “Jumpy,” she muttered, then hit the outside lights. “It’s not quite dark yet, but it will be by the time we finish this.” She salvaged the last of the fries and switched off the stove. “Cam and Phillip better put a fire under it. Oh, God, it’s cute! Can you see?”
Too curious to resist, Sybill joined her at the kitchen window. She saw Grace standing on the dock, caught in the last light of the day, and Ethan just stepping onto it. “It’s a boat,” she murmured. “A little sailboat.”
“A ten-footer. They call it a pram.” Anna’s smile nearly split her face. “The three of them have been building it over at Ethan’s old house—the one he rents out? The tenants let them use the shed over there so Seth wouldn’t know about it.”
“They built it for him?”
“Whenever they could steal an hour. Oh, he’s going to love it. Well, what’s this?”
“What?”
“That,” Anna said and stared hard through the glass. She could see Grace talking, her hands locked together, Ethan staring at her. Then he lowered his head to hers. “I hope there’s not any . . .” She trailed off as Ethan drew Grace close, buried his face in her hair and rocked. And her arms came up around him. “Oh, oh.” Tears flooded Anna’s eyes. “She must be—she’s pregnant! She’s just told him. I know it. Oh, look!” She gripped Sybill’s shoulder when Ethan scooped a laughing Grace up into his arms. “Isn’t that beautiful?”
The two of them were wrapped around each other, making one silhouette in the last light of day. “Yes, yes, it is.”
“Look at me.” Laughing at herself, Anna yanked off a paper towel and blew her nose. “I’m a mess. This is going to get to me, I know it is. I’m going to want one.” She blew again, sighed. “I was so sure I could wait a year or two. I’m never going to be able to wait that long now. Not for that. I can just see Cam when I—” She stopped herself. “Sorry,” she said with a watery laugh.
“It’s all right. It’s lovely that you’re so happy for them. That you’re so happy for yourself. This is really a family occasion, especially now. Anna, I really should go.”
“Don’t be a coward,” Anna said, pointing her finger. “You’re here, and you’re going to have to face this nightmare of indigestion and noise just like the rest of us.”
“I simply think—” All she could do was close her mouth when the door burst open. Ethan was still carrying Grace and the pair of them wore huge smiles.
“Anna, we’re having a baby.” Ethan made the announcement with a catch in his voice.
“What, am I blind?” She brushed Ethan aside to kiss Grace first. “I’ve had my nose to the window. Oh, congratulations!” Then threw her arms around both of them. “I’m so happy.”
“You have to be godmother.” Ethan turned his face to kiss her. “We wouldn’t have gotten this far without you.”
“Oh, that does it.” Anna burst into tears just as Phillip walked in.
“What’s going on? Why’s Anna crying? Jesus, Ethan, what happened to Grace?”
“I’m fine. I’m wonderful. I’m pregnant.”
“No kidding?” He plucked her out of Ethan’s arms to kiss her lavishly.
“What the hell is going on in here?” Cam demanded.
Still holding Grace, Phillip grinned at him. “We’re having a baby.”
“Oh, yeah?” He arched his eyebrow. “How does Ethan feel about the two of you?”
“Ha-ha,” was Phillip’s comment as he set Grace carefully on her feet.
“You feel all right?” Cam asked her.
“I feel terrific.”
“You look terrific.” Cam drew her into his arms, rubbed his chin over her head. And the tenderness with which he did both had Sybill blinking in surprise. “Nice going, bro,” Cam murmured to Ethan.
“Thanks. Can I have my wife back now?”
“I’m nearly done.” Cam held Grace at arm’s length. “If he doesn’t take good care of you and the little Quinn in there, I’ll beat the hell out of him for you.”
“Are we ever going to eat?” Seth demanded, then stopped at the kitchen doorway and stared. “Why’re Anna and Grace crying?” He swept an accusing look around the room, including Sybill in the heat. “What happened?”
“We’re happy.” Grace sniffled and accepted the tissue that Sybill dug out of her purse. “I’m going to have a baby.”
“Really? Wow. Wow. That’s cool. That’s way cool. Does Aub know?”
“No, Ethan and I will tell her, in a little while. But now I’m going to go get her because there’s something you need to see. Outside.”
“Outside.” He started for the door, but Phillip stepped neatly in his path.
“Not yet.”
“What is it? Come on, move. Jeez. Let me see what’s out there.”
“We should blindfold him,” Phillip considered.
“We should gag him,” was Cam’s suggestion.
Ethan took care of matters by hauling Seth over his shoulder. When Grace brought Aubrey in, Ethan winked, shifted the wriggling Seth, and headed out the door.
“You’re not throwing me in again!” Seth’s voice rang with terrified delight and giggles. “Come on, guys, the water’s really cold.”
“Wimp,” Cam sneered when Seth lifted his face from Ethan’s back.
“If you try,” Seth warned, eyes dancing with joy and challenge, “I’m taking at least one of you with me.”
“Yeah, yeah, big talk.” Phillip pushed Seth’s face back down. “Ready?” he asked when everyone was assembled at the edge of the water. “Good. Do it, Ethan.”
“Man, the water’s cold!” Seth began, ready to scream when Ethan dropped him. But he was set on his feet
and he was turned to face the pretty little wooden boat with sky-blue sails that rippled lightly in the evening wind. “What—where did that come from?”
“The sweat of our brows,” Phillip said dryly while Seth gaped at the boat.
“Is it—who’s buying it?”
“It’s not for sale,” Cam said simply.
“It . . . is it . . .” It couldn’t be, he thought, while his heart thumped with nerves and hope and shock. But hope was paramount. In the past year he’d learned to hope. “Is it mine?”
“You’re the only one with a birthday around here,” Cam reminded him. “Don’t you want a closer look?”
“It’s mine?” He whispered it first, with such staggered delight and shock that Sybill felt her eyes sting. “Mine?” He exploded with it as he whirled around. This time the sheer joy on his face closed her throat. “To keep?”
“You’re a good sailor,” Ethan told him quietly. “She’s a tight little boat. She’s steady, but she moves.”
“You built her for me.” His gaze shot from Ethan’s face to Phillip’s to Cam’s. “For me?”
“Nah, we built her for some other brat.” Cam gave him a light swat on the side of the head. “What do you think? Go take a look.”
“Yeah.” His voice quavered as he turned. “Yeah, can I get in her? Can I sit in her?”
“For Christ’s sake, she’s yours, isn’t she?” His voice rough with emotion, Cam grabbed Seth’s hand and hauled him onto the dock.
“I think this is a guy thing,” Anna murmured. “Let’s give them a few minutes to pull themselves together.”
“They love him so much.” Sybill watched another moment as the four males made noises over a little wooden boat. “I don’t think I realized it, really, until just now.”
“He loves them, too.” Grace pressed her cheek to Aubrey’s.
* * *
AND IT WAS more, Sybill thought later as she picked at the meal in the noisy kitchen. It had been that shock on Seth’s face. The utter disbelief that someone loved him, could love him enough to understand his heart’s desire. And understanding, make the effort to give it.