by Kristi Gold
Lucy’s expression turned somber. “It’s not for us, my love. I’ve baked a cake to take to the Garzas this evening. The children will be coming in tonight to plan the funeral.”
Kieran didn’t have a clue what his mother was talking about. “Whose funeral, and who are the Garzas?”
“Ignacio Garza’s funeral. He passed away yesterday in his sleep. I volunteer with his wife, Nita, down at the library.”
“From what I know, Ignacio was a good man,” Dermot added. “He could grow a fine garden, he could. Your mother used to bring home a bushel of his tomatoes every summer. I’ll dearly be missin’ his tomatoes.”
“His wife will miss him,” Lucy said. “They were married over fifty years.”
Kevin abruptly pushed back from the table and headed for the kitchen, plate in hand, before disappearing altogether.
Kieran wasn’t surprised. His brother had never cared to converse about death.
Lucy leaned forward, lowered her voice and said, “Don’t you think Kevin looks terribly pale? He’s also acting strangely.”
Kieran didn’t disagree with his mother, but he didn’t want to discuss it, either. “He looks tired, Mom, and that’s all. He probably had an out-of-town trip last week.” And pulled an all-nighter on top of that.
Dermot patted Lucy’s arm. “Leave the boy be, Lucine. You don’t have to mollycoddle him now that he’s a grown man.”
Lucy flipped a hand in dismissal, as if to say she was going to do what she wanted anyway. To Kieran, that meant worrying about his twin to her usual extreme. “Anyway, as I was saying,” she continued. “Nita and Ignacio have been everything to each other. I worry over how she’s going to take losing him, especially at this time of the year.”
“It’s horrible to lose a spouse any time,” Mallory said. “Much less the day before a holiday.”
Kieran recognized they’d entered territory Erica had personally charted. A place she obviously didn’t want to visit, judging from her lowered eyes and lack of participation in the dialogue. But before he could spin the conversation in a different direction to prevent her from enduring more talk of loss, his mother added, “The worst of it is, I don’t know what to say to Nita.”
“I know what you mean,” Mallory said. “When one of the senior partners at the law office lost his wife two years ago, I didn’t have a clue how I should act or what I should say.”
“It’s okay if you don’t say anything at all.”
At the sound of Erica’s voice, all attention turned to her, and Kieran damned himself for not stopping the conversation sooner.
“The most important thing is just being there to listen,” she continued. “Providing that proverbial shoulder to cry on. But sometimes you only want to be alone with your grief and you think you’re being selfish. Maybe everyone else believes that, too. Still, you have to have that alone time to survive.”
No one tried to interrupt as Erica went on, seemingly lost in a reality that Kieran had never experienced. “Those phases of grief, the anger, sadness, it’s all true. But eventually acceptance does happen when one day you look at your child and you realize the memories will always live on in the loved ones who’ve been left behind.”
She paused for a moment, a noticeable dampness in her eyes, before she straightened her shoulders and sighed. “Anyway, before I went off on that, I meant to say that you don’t have to worry about saying the wrong thing. ‘I’m sorry’ and ‘I’m here for you’ both work well.”
For a long stretch of time, no one said a word, including Kieran. Until that moment, he hadn’t understood the magnitude of her pain. He only wanted to hold her, but before he could move, his mother slid into the chair Kevin had vacated and hugged Erica. “Thank you, dear. That was very sound advice. And I’m so sorry if we’ve upset you. We weren’t being considerate of your situation.”
Erica’s smile was soft and sincere. “It’s okay, Lucy. If we can’t share our own experiences with friends, then who can we share them with?”
“You’re a brave lass, Erica,” Dermot said, looking a little misty himself.
“I agree,” Mallory added.
Erica shook her head. “Believe me, I’ve had some cowardly moments. Just ask Kieran how I reacted the first time he told me I had to run five blocks.”
They all shared in a laugh before Kieran said, “She handled it like a trooper. In fact, she’s taken everything I’ve thrown at her with more guts than most of my clients.”
They exchanged a look of understanding, until the sound of a crying baby interrupted the moment.
Mallory pushed back from the table and stood. “That’s Maddie, and that’s my cue to take the girls home. They’re still not feeling all that well, thanks to their colds. Logan’s going to bring Whit home later.”
“I hate to see you go, dear,” Lucy said. “But I do understand.”
Mallory slapped a palm against her forehead. “I forgot to say the guys are waiting for you, Kieran. You’re supposed to take my place.”
“Mallory, would it be too much trouble for you to drop me by my house on your way out?” Erica asked. “It’s only a couple of miles away.”
Mallory smiled. “Not a problem, as long as you have a high tolerance for two fussy toddlers.”
Kieran came to his feet. “I’ll take you home.”
Erica waved him off. “I don’t want to mess up your football game.”
“They can wait.”
She stood. “Really, you should stay and enjoy the rest of the day.”
“It’s no trouble for me to take her, Kieran,” Mallory said. “Then you can go about the business of being macho and preening with the boys.”
Kieran wanted to issue another protest, to argue the point, but when Mallory gave him a “back off” stare, that’s exactly what he did—backed off. “Fine. I’ll walk you out.”
“That’s not necessary.” She gestured toward the back door. “Go play some football. Just don’t put yourself out of commission before we finish my program.”
“I insist on walking you out.” His irritable tone earned him a hard look from his mother.
“Would you like for me to fix you a plate to take home, Erica?” Lucy asked. “You ate so little at lunch.”
Erica shook her head. “As much as I’d love to, I can’t. I’m trying to take pounds off, not put them on.”
“Don’t be thinkin’ you need to lose weight, girlie.” Dermot patted his belly and rose from the chair. “Now me, I could use to shed a few. But first, I think I’ll be havin’ me another piece of pie.”
Dermot doled out a bear hug to Erica, which she accepted without hesitation, before he headed off to his favorite place—the kitchen.
Erica addressed Lucy without looking at Kieran. “Thank you for having me. It’s been wonderful, sharing the holiday with such a great family.”
Lucy drew Erica into an embrace. “It’s been our pleasure, and we expect you to be back soon. And next time, bring your daughter. We’d love to meet her.”
Mallory sent a quick glance Kieran’s direction. “Mom, could you help me with the girls while Kieran tells Erica goodbye? I’ll meet you two at the car.”
Erica left the room in a hurry, pausing only to snatch her purse from the end table while Kieran followed her onto the porch. Once there, she leaned against a column, like she needed it for support. “I had a good time, Kieran. I’m glad I came.”
He braced a hand on the beam, right above her head. “Hope you’re not making a quick exit because you’re too overwhelmed.”
“Not at all. I just need to get home to gear up for tomorrow.”
“Are you sure you don’t want me to take you home? We could kick back and watch a movie. Make some popcorn.” Make out.
“And we’d be all alone, which is why you can’t come home with me. That’s the rule, remember?”
Damn the rules. And damn if she wasn’t right. With Stormy gone, nothing would prevent them from taking advantage of the situation. They’d alr
eady proven they couldn’t rely on their willpower. “You’re right, but if you change your mind, call me. I’ll try to behave myself.”
She smiled. “I’m sure you would, and so would I. I’m also certain the price of gas will drop below a dollar a gallon tomorrow.”
The screen door opened, preventing Kieran from pushing Erica into changing her mind. Probably a good thing, otherwise they might make a huge mistake, although he didn’t view being with her as a mistake. And that was a notion he needed to take out and scrutinize later.
“We’re all ready,” Mallory announced. “Say goodbye to Uncle Kieran.”
Kieran glanced at the door to see Mallory with Lucy braced on one hip and his mother carting Maddie in her arms. He walked over and planted a kiss on Lucy’s cheek, then did the same to Maddie. “You girls don’t give your mom too much trouble on the way home.”
Maddie grabbed a handful of his hair and giggled, and so did the trio of women surrounding him. Once he dislodged his niece before she sculpted him a nice bald spot in his scalp, he gave his mother a quick hug. “I’ll see you a week from Sunday.”
She frowned. “We’re still having lunch at Mallory’s this Sunday.”
“I’m going to take a rain check,” he said. “I’ve got some work to catch up on.” Although he needed a break from the togetherness, he wasn’t lying about his neglected work.
“If you must.” Lucy stepped off the porch with Mallory trailing behind her, but when Erica moved to follow, Kieran took her arm to halt her progress. He leaned over and whispered, “Remember, call me if you change your mind.”
“I admire your persistence, but I’m not going to call you.”
Kieran released his hold on her and watched as she swayed down the walkway to the car. He instantly went back in the house, knowing that if he stayed and took the good long look he’d wanted to take, he’d give himself away. Then he’d have to hear about it from his sister from now until the lights went out on the universe.
Kieran pushed out the back door to find Whit, Aidan and Logan sitting in the lawn chairs set out on the patio, not a female to be found. He grabbed the discarded football from the grass and tossed it up with one hand. “I realize Mallory cut out, but where are the rest of the O’Brien women?”
“Corri’s feeding the baby,” Aidan said.
“Jenna’s lying down,” Logan added. “She says she’s queasy, but I’m not sure why. We ate the same things and I feel fine.”
Kieran pointed at Aidan. “What did I tell you?”
Aidan grinned and high-fived Kieran. “Another O’Brien bun in the oven.”
Logan looked extremely incensed. “You don’t know what the hell you’re talking about!”
“Yeah, right,” Kieran said. “Anyone know where Kevin is?”
“He’s also taking a nap. He must have one helluva hangover.” Logan stood and held out his hands. “Give me the ball.”
Kieran threw it to Logan, nearly knocking him backward, prompting Logan to utter a few choice words that would send their mother for the soap.
Aidan left his chair and sprinted out farther into the yard. “Where’s Erica?”
When Logan threw the ball back to Kieran, he passed it to Aidan. “Mallory took her home. She has to get ready for work tomorrow.”
Aidan stopped midpass to stare at Kieran. “And you didn’t go with her?”
“Let me get this straight,” Logan said. “You have a good-looking, smart, funny redhead at your disposal, the kid’s out of the state, and you’re here, playing catch with your brothers instead of taking part in some afternoon delight with your girlfriend? Something’s definitely wrong with that picture.”
He understood why Logan would consider him a fool for letting Erica leave without him. He’d questioned it himself. But the answer was easy—she’d refused his offer. He damn sure wasn’t going to admit that and opted for the logical reason for not suggesting some “afternoon delight.” “She’s a client, not my girlfriend.”
Aidan chuckled as he passed the ball back to Kieran. “If you look at all your clients the way you look at Erica, I’m surprised you ever get anything accomplished.”
Putting all his strength behind the pass, Kieran shot the ball to Aidan, who dropped it immediately. “Go to hell, Aidan. You don’t know anything about what’s going on with Erica.”
“Yeah, he does,” Logan said. “And so do I. You want her in a bad way. Problem is, she doesn’t want you.”
Problem was, they wanted each other in a real bad way. “Not that it’s any of your business, but we’ve both decided to keep it professional between us. Less complicated that way.”
Aidan kicked the ball aside and rejoined the group. “It’s like I told you before, Kieran. If you want it, go for it, and figure out the rest later. You’ve never turned your back on a challenge, so why start now?”
Erica was definitely a challenge, that much Kieran knew. All his determination to keep things strictly business between them had lost its logic and luster. He’d always preferred walking the straight and narrow, but he’d begun to venture off the path from the moment he’d kissed her. He was tired of overanalyzing their relationship. Tired of going to bed fantasizing about her when all he wanted was the reality. Tired of fighting his feelings for her.
That reality might be within his reach, as soon as he found a way to be alone with her again. First and foremost, he had to convince her to talk to him.
Chapter Nine
“Your birthday’s tomorrow.”
That was the strangest phone greeting Erica had ever received, coming from the sexiest voice she’d ever encountered. “Hello to you, too, Kieran. And if Stormy told you about my birthday, I’m going to have to tape her mouth shut when she gets back.”
“She didn’t say a thing. I found it in your file when I verified your phone number.”
Of course. He practically had her entire life history in that file. “By the way, I wear a size five shoe, in case you want to fill in the only detail you don’t know.”
His laugh was low, persuasive. Sexy. “What do you want for your birthday?”
“I want everyone to forget about it.”
“Sorry. Can’t do that.”
“Seriously, Kieran. You’ve given me more than enough, with the training and the plane ride. Stormy’s softball. The list goes on and on.”
“I’m talking about dinner between friends in a restaurant with cloth napkins.”
He was darned determined to lure her in like a hummingbird to sugar water. “What about my workout?”
“We can vary the routine. I’ll pick you up from the spa tomorrow afternoon and after your workout, we’ll have a light meal. Maybe seafood. Crab and lobster.”
Erica’s stomach began to rumble just thinking about having a platter of cold boiled shrimp. Luckily, she could eat shrimp and still adhere to her diet. “I suppose I could take you up on the offer.”
“Good. Bring extra clothes for dinner.”
“I guess I could shower at the club, right?”
“Or my place.”
As tempting as that sounded, going anywhere near his apartment again wasn’t such a hot proposition—correction—it was a hot proposition. “We’ll figure it out tomorrow.”
“Then it’s a date. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
A date? That was an interesting concept.
She had one more thing to cover before he hung up. “I want to apologize for my behavior at your parents’ today. I didn’t mean to get all weepy on you.”
“Don’t worry about it. My parents fell in love with you the minute you walked into the kitchen and started cooking.”
And she’d fallen in love with them, too. If she wasn’t careful, she could fall in love with their son. The thought stunned her into silence.
“Erica, are you still there?”
“Yes. Sorry. I thought I might sneeze.” Or sink to the floor from shock. “Your family’s wonderful. I now understand where you come by your generosity.”
<
br /> “My mother’s always stressed it’s important to give when you have it to give. And by the way, my dad’s still convinced you’re an Irish princess.”
Happy-go-lucky Dermot. Erica had never met anyone quite like him, and probably never would again. “The next time I’m home, I’ll be sure to inquire over my lineage to see if I can claim any Irish royalty. If not, I’ll make something up.”
Again, Kieran laughed. And again, Erica reveled in the sound of his laughter. “I’ll let you go,” he said. “Unless you’ve decided you want some company tonight.”
“It’s almost midnight.”
“Which means I could officially wish you a happy birthday if I leave now.”
How very tempting to tell him yes, but she wasn’t certain she was ready for the possibilities. “I wasn’t born until 5:42 p.m., so you’d be premature in your wishes. I tend to stretch it out as long as possible.”
“Then I’ll give you my official pronouncement when I see you tomorrow.”
“I’m looking forward to it.” And she was, very much so.
“Any kind of celebration planned at the spa?” he asked.
“Heavens, I hope not.”
“Happy birthday, Erica!”
She should have known something was up when she’d come downstairs to find the salon practically deserted. She should have known she wouldn’t be allowed to slip by one year without facing the customary spa celebration. As predicted, most of her fellow employees were present in the break room, huddled around the table that contained a large fruit plate with a question-mark candle stuck in the center. If they really believed she was going to give up her age, they had another think coming.
Resigned to her fate, Erica hugged each of the stylists and delivered the usual “You shouldn’t have.”
Bette slid an arm around her waist. “We wouldn’t forget, sugar.”
She sincerely wished they had. “The fruit plate’s great, and thanks for not getting me any gifts.”
“Oh, but we did.” Megan pulled out a silver and blue gift bag from beneath the table. “We all chipped in and got you this.”
Erica was afraid to look. Last year she’d been bestowed with a pair of large Christmas-tree earrings that actually lit up. Bette’s idea, of course. She’d only worn them once, for politeness’ sake, because she didn’t care to have her ear lobes illuminated like a billboard.