Bad Girl Blues

by Brenda Barrett

  "I'll come with you." They had lost the mood anyway.

  She ended the call. And looked at Nick nervously. "It was a nice evening."

  Nick smiled. "We seem to have a few of those." Then he paused. "Maybe we shouldn't have anymore evenings like this. It's not good for me or you, and it's not going anywhere."

  Because of her background. Brigid quickly read between the lines.

  "Okay." She cleared her throat, hoping that she didn't sound like a strangled cat.

  Chapter Eighteen

  Brigid learned firsthand that job hunting for anything in her field was an uphill battle, especially in the summer. She was happy to be living with Caitlin and Casey again, though. Caitlin insisted that they have morning devotions and she realized that when she did that her days, even though they dragged, a little never seemed to bring the kind of despair and depression that she anticipated.

  Casey invited her to lunch with her and Luca at the Sunrise Medical Associates building and she agreed because she had nothing better to do. On the off chance that she might run into Nick she had dressed in a red blouse with ruffles at the ends of the sleeves. He had said he liked red, hadn't he?

  Brigid walked into the building with Casey and was greeted by Luca at the door. He kissed Casey and then shook her hand formally.

  "Hey Brigid. I was going to talk to you about this on Saturday night, but I never got the chance to and since you were coming here today I got the committee together to introduce you to them."

  Brigid looked at Casey curiously but Casey also looked puzzled. Obviously, she was not privy to the details either.

  "Come on," Luca said. He led them into what looked like a boardroom. There were six other doctors in there. Brigid's heart rate started speeding up fearfully. She had no idea what was going on.

  "Everybody, this is Brigid," Luca said to his colleagues.

  "Brigid, this is the selection committee for the Sunrise Medical Associates Scholarship program. You were suggested by one of the partnering doctors as a potential candidate for a scholarship. We checked your grades. We were quite impressed. And we voted unanimously to give you the scholarship for the next four years of medical school."

  Brigid blinked at Luca and the rest of the doctors.

  Casey pinched her. "Your mouth is open."

  Brigid snapped her mouth shut. She hadn't even realized that she was standing with a stupefied expression on her face.

  "Well, er, thank you," she croaked. "Thank you so much."

  "Of course, there are conditions," Luca said gently. He realized that he had shocked her. "You have to maintain a B average."

  Brigid nodded like a marionette. She didn't stop nodding even when all the doctors around were shaking her hand. They left the room, leaving her with Casey and Luca.

  She couldn't help it; she burst into tears.

  "Oh dear," Casey said, sitting beside her and hugging her.

  "Is something wrong?" Luca asked, concerned.

  "No," Casey said. "She's just happy. She does this when she can't process good news."

  "Because I am not used to it," Brigid murmured, her voice thick.

  "Oh." Luca grinned. "Well, I am happy to be the bearer of this good news then. Meet you guys in the dining room when you are ready."

  "Yes." Casey smiled at him, while Brigid cried on her shoulder. "Thank you so much, Luca. I mean, I didn't even know there was a scholarship program here."

  "Don't thank me too much," Luca said to Casey. "Nick was the one who recommended Brigid."

  He backed out of the room when Brigid started crying in earnest after he said that.

  "Where is he?" Casey asked before Luca could completely leave. "I need to know just in case Brigid wants to thank him personally."

  "Surgery," Luca said. "He is scheduled for surgery for most of the day."

  *****

  Brigid was the very first person to get ready for church on Sabbath morning.

  She had wanted to talk to Nick since Tuesday but he was unavailable for most of the week. Caitlin had suggested that she could find him at church. She had been sailing on cloud nine all week. She couldn't remember a time when she felt so grateful to God for anything.

  He had answered her prayer about med school in the most amazing way and she wanted to thank Nick for his part in it. He had been thinking about her. Brigid felt warm all over. A kernel of hope was budding in her. Surely he wouldn't have suggested her name if he hadn’t thought about her at all.

  Everybody piled into Hazel's car for the church foray. Hazel turned up her radio to Days of Elijah, which they sang at the top of their voices on their way. When Brigid entered the tree-lined church compound, she was greeted warmly.

  "So far so good," she whispered to Caitlin.

  Caitlin chuckled. "And there you were thinking bad things about our church folk."

  They sat in the middle of the church, the four of them side by side.

  "Like old times," Hazel whispered. "Remember back in the day?"

  "At least we are not in the same dress colors," Casey pointed out and chuckled. "And styles. Back then we screamed orphan children from Magnolia House."

  "Where's the Benedict pew?" Brigid whispered to Caitlin during the praise and worship service.

  "Over there, to your right," Caitlin said, "and there is your guy."

  Brigid looked across to see Nick stepping in, his Bible clutched to his chest.

  He passed the bench that Caitlin claimed was the family bench and came to sit almost in front of them.

  Brigid wondered feverishly if it was deliberate, or was she reading too much into the simple gesture?

  He looked really good in his suit too. Hazel and Casey were clearing their throats and making silly sounds and he turned around and smiled at them, giving them a nod. His eyes met Brigid's briefly and then he looked around again.

  "Ooh," Caitlin whispered. "That guy has the hots for you."

  "Shut up!" Brigid said weakly. "And listen to the sermon."

  The minister likened everyday life to being on a reality television show. "We are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses or viewers," he intoned. "They see us living our lives, making decisions for good or evil. God or the devil. Depending on the side that you choose in your everyday decisions, you have one or the other side cheering for you. For the sake of your eternal soul, make your decisions on the side of good. On the side of God."

  There were amens all around.

  What he said had Brigid pondering long after he sat down. Good or Bad. That was the ultimate daily choice, wasn't it?

  She liked to think that her latest decisions had turned out to be good in the end.

  They shook hands at the church door and Caitlin had fun introducing them to her church friends.

  When she introduced Brigid to Marisol Benedict and Judge Eric Benedict, Brigid found herself feeling bashful.

  This was Nick's mother and father. She had met them before at Thomas' party, she realized. At the time she hadn’t really registered who his numerous relatives were but now she remembered Marisol, a short, very fair lady with a catlike curve to her eyes. Thomas clearly resembled her, and Eric Benedict, who was tall and stately—Nick looked more like him.

  They even had the same shaped lips and eyes and everything. Eric was still very handsome in his late fifties. Nick would age well too.

  They exchanged pleasantries in general but Brigid was completely surprised when Marisol invited them home for lunch. Caitlin accepted quickly and pinched Brigid, who had adopted a fixed, dazed smile on her face.

  "I can't believe it," Caitlin was whispering. "We are going to Dr. Marisol and Judge Eric Benedict's house. Do you know how long I have been angling for an invite?"

  "I am sure it was because of Brigid," Hazel grinned when they were all in the car. "Brigid was the draw."

  "Or," Brigid said quickly, "she knows that we have a link with Patricia. Have you thought of that?"

  "Or," Casey interjected, "she just wants to get to know th
e woman that her son loves."

  "Or," Brigid rebutted, "she is just a regular, loving Christian woman who loves to share her food after church and she thinks I am her nephew's girlfriend."

  "Oh." Casey laughed. "There is that angle. Completely forgot about that."

  "I know what really happened," Caitlin said. "Nick told her to invite us. Saw him talking to them after the service. What do you have to say about that, Miss Brigid?"

  Brigid smiled. "Nothing. Do you think he really likes me?

  "Yes!" they all said in unison.

  *****

  The Benedicts lived in an affluent neighborhood in the hills of St. Andrew. Their place was past Magnolia House and in the rural community of Irish town.

  "Wow," Brigid breathed when they parked in the curving driveway of the charming looking house. "This is gorgeous!"

  "And cool!" Caitlin said in relief.

  Brigid turned to Caitlin. "How did you know that this was where they lived?"

  "Are you serious?" Caitlin asked. "This house was featured in Lux Caribbean's January edition. Inside is stunning; they even have a stream at the back of the yard. I would get married here," Caitlin added dreamily.

  "Actually, this was where Luca and Tessa got married," Casey said, looking around. "Remember that these are Luca's former-in-laws."

  "Oh yes," Hazel said, looking around. "I quite forgot about that."

  A car drove up behind them and Nick got out.

  "Hello ladies, come on in." He was careful to avoid looking at her, Brigid noted. And he didn't seem too surprised to see them either, so Caitlin's theory must be true. He had told his mother to invite them.

  He opened the front door, which had carvings of birds on it.

  "Even the front door looks good," Caitlin whispered loudly.

  Nick chuckled. "My uncle did it. Ralph Kellier, Thomas' father." He glanced at Brigid. "He was a master wood crafter. It was a great loss when he died."

  Brigid inhaled raggedly. He still thought she was Thomas' girlfriend. She needed to set him straight about that.

  Nick showed them around the spacious house. Brigid wandered outside to the patio and looked out on the unfettered beauty around.

  She turned her back to Nick and her sisters and inhaled and exhaled steadily to bring some steadiness to her churning heart.

  "Come look at Nick's baby picture," Caitlin squealed. "He was super cute."

  Brigid glanced around. Nick was looking at her quizzically. She walked through to the living room and looked at the portrait that Caitlin was so excited about.

  "Isn't he gorgeous?" Casey asked, grinning. "Like a little gentleman in his suit."

  Brigid looked at the picture and then her breath caught in her throat. In the picture, Nick looked a little bit too much like Sebastian, Hazel's son, for comfort. Couldn’t her sisters see that?

  "Come on, guys," Nick said. "Don't make me blush. I don't know why my mom put that picture there for everybody to see."

  "Because it's cute," Hazel said, smiling. "You look adorable. You were about five here?"

  "Yes." Nick nodded. "About that."

  "The same age as Sebastian," Brigid said stiffly. She threw Nick a glare.

  Nick frowned. "Who is Sebastian?"

  "My son," Hazel said faintly. She took two steps away from the picture and looked at it. Her smile fled. The other two girls had also stopped smiling.

  Nick looked at them quizzically. "What's wrong?"

  "Have you met Hazel before?" Brigid choked out. "Anywhere? Say six years ago? At a party, perhaps?"

  Nick shrugged. "I don't think so. Why?"

  *****

  "There you guys are." Marisol entered the living room from another door. "I had the food in the oven slowly heating up during church; all I have to do is make a salad. Nick, want to do the honors?"

  "Sure." Nick backed away from the girls, a frown on his face. "Brigid, come and help me," he demanded sternly, taking her hand and pulling her toward the kitchen.

  Inside was bright. It had windows all around but Brigid couldn't register that right now. She was feeling numb inside, as if all her dreams had died.

  "What was that about?" Nick asked harshly.

  "Hazel ran away from the home when she was sixteen. She met a guy whom she obviously had a relationship with and got pregnant with his baby. She can't remember that time in her life because she went to a party with her friend Kenzy, shots were fired, and she fell and hit her head. She returned to the home with no memory of the guy or anything."

  Brigid drew in a deep breath. "Sebastian looks like you."

  Nick laughed humorlessly. "Okay then."

  Brigid looked at him with hurt eyes. "Was it you? Were you the guy?"

  "Are you and Thomas still together?" Nick asked abruptly.

  "I can't believe this. It was you." Brigid put her hand to her mouth.

  "I don't want to dignify the question with an answer," Nick hissed. "I would never have a child and not take care of him once I knew he was around. I look like the male members of my family. Besides, I have never met Hazel until today. She's a lovely girl but she is so..." He paused and then leaned on the counter.

  "So what?" Brigid whispered.

  "She is so not you," Nick said softly. "Listen, I know you are an escort and all...and I did say that I don't share..."

  Brigid gasped. "Wait a minute, I am not an escort anymore. I went on five dates with some guys this year; I was paid to be Thomas' girlfriend. I never ever did anything with any of those guys."

  "And Thomas?" Nick asked cautiously. "What about him?"

  "For a little while I considered being with him for real, for the money," Brigid said sheepishly, "but there were my principles and...you."

  "Me?" Nick walked closer to her and cupped her chin. "What about me?"

  "You know...I like you. Well, a little more than like, and you gave me that speech at the beach about feeling strongly toward me, et cetera. And I..."

  Nick kissed her before she finished her statement.

  "Wait!" Brigid pulled away from him before she could get lost in his kiss. "My mother is an ex-prostitute."

  "I know," Nick said, pulling her back in his arms.

  "Won't that be some sort of issue?" Brigid asked breathlessly. "And how do you know these things? I thought I was hiding so many secrets from you."

  "I had a talk with Aunt Pat," Nick said. "It was that talk that kind of convinced me to submit your name to the scholarship committee. That and the fact that I thought if you got help with med school you would leave Thomas."

  "Thank you," Brigid said huskily. "I've been working myself up all week to thank you."

  Nick chuckled, "And I have been working myself up to call you and ask you if you have left my cousin yet."

  "Yup." Brigid nodded. "He threw me out. I had the audacity to tell him that I couldn't go along with the planned arrangement and I sort of confessed that I love you. It made him mad."

  "Love, huh?" Nick curled his fingers through hers. "You know what? I love you too."

  "But I am not suitable," Brigid insisted. "I am an inbreed, remember?"

  "You two have got to speed this up," Marisol said from the doorway. "My baked chicken will dry out before Nick soothes all of your fears, Brigid. So let me hurry this along, shall I?

  "Brigid, you are suitable as long as Nick determines it to be so. The Benedicts are ordinary people, not demi-gods. Not even Jesus had an impeccable bloodline and he had a prostitute or two in there and one or a few in-breeds. Now can I come get my chicken?"

  Brigid spun around and saw that she and Nick had an audience; her sisters and Nick's parents were unashamedly looking on.

  "Welcome to the family," Eric said, nodding. "Now can we eat?"

  "So who is Hazel's son’s father then?" Caitlin asked, puzzled. "It has to be a Benedict."

  "Not me," Eric said raising his hand. "I can honestly say I have never cheated on Marisol."

  Brigid chuckled and turned her face into Nick's s
hirt. "I am officially embarrassed."

  Nick laughed with her and hugged her tightly to him. Embarrassed was not his feeling. Fulfilled. Elated—those were the words that came to mind.

  The End

  Author's Notes

  Dear Reader,

  THANK YOU for reading Bad Girl Blues! If you enjoyed reading it, PLEASE leave a review wherever you bought this ebook.

  You can also check out my BOOK LIST, for other Magnolia Sisters titles. You will find other titles, upcoming books and their release dates on this list as well, so check it out.

  If you have comments or suggestions, I welcome them. You can reach me and receive a reply at brenalbar@gmail.com.

  You can be among the first to hear when I have special prices and new book releases by signing up for my mailing list. It will take you less than 50 seconds to signup. Click here to signup.

  Continue scrolling for an excerpt from Her Mistaken Dream, Book 3 in the Magnolia Sisters Series.

  Thanks again. All the best,

  Brenda

  Keep reading for an excerpt from

  Her Mistaken Dream

  Caitlin's Story

  "Caitlin Denvers! Get in here," Howard Greaves called from the executive offices.

  Caitlin jumped. She had been surfing the Internet—gathering information on Todd Taylor.

  She was now convinced that he could not be her dream guy. She was almost certain that he had murdered his wife. The evidence was stacked against him. Just from her cursory reading she was finding out more unsavory things about the man than she had anticipated.

  "Coming Sir!" She said getting up and grabbing her notepad. She was rarely acknowledged by the top brass since graduating university and getting a full time job at Lux as a junior editor.