Amber let out a heavy sigh. “My dad’s health isn’t so great. To be honest, the last couple years haven’t been so great either.”
Patrick heard a door shut and saw a figure shuffling its feet, headed in their direction. He noticed pale brown, shaggy hair. The kid, not quite a teenager, was in need of a haircut. The boy was dressed in slightly baggy jeans and an oversized, fluorescent blue t-shirt. As he reached them, he moved protectively closer to Amber.
“Oh, hey, Dylan. This is Patrick O’Brien. I went to school with him.” Amber’s smile sent an unexpected jolt through Patrick as he extended his hand to Dylan.
“Nice to meet you, Dylan.”
There was a resilient stance to the kid, who stood noticeably shorter than Patrick, but nearly as tall as Amber. She was a small thing herself but curvy in all the right places, and he couldn’t keep himself from noticing.
Dylan gave Patrick a solid handshake, but the gleam in his eyes, which were the same color as Amber’s, were telling. They said a great deal—there was a spark of interest, of irritation and warning, but something frailer. “Nice to meet you as well, Mr. O’Brien.”
The kid had manners, which really impressed Patrick. He looked over at Amber, who as anyone would expect, was beaming with pride.
“Would you mind helping me put on the spare?” Patrick couldn’t stop the words coming from his mouth. He wasn’t sure why he had just invited this kid to help him, but he could tell by the pleased look on Amber’s beautiful face he had made the right call.
Dylan proved to be fairly decent at assisting Patrick with the changing of the tire. The boy wasn’t too familiar with the tools needed, but he seemed eager to help and that was enough for Patrick. The small bit of chit-chat and general getting-to-know-one-another made the task go by quickly. Amber stood by waiting, but more importantly watching. When they were done, she thanked Patrick and hugged Dylan close to her side; he could see that the motherly affection embarrassed Dylan.
Patrick couldn’t explain the deep ache he felt as he watched her get back into the small, blue sedan, giving him a friendly wave as she pulled out carefully and slowly onto the desolate road. No woman had ever caused this kind of reaction, at least not since Beth died. The thought of Beth was sobering as he got into his SUV and started to trail Amber’s car.
***
Amber
“I think he seemed pretty cool, Mom,” said Dylan as he looked out the window. They headed toward town.
Amber looked in her mirror and could see Patrick’s SUV behind them. She couldn’t explain the sudden nervous knots she had felt when she had said goodbye to him. She found herself staring at the gorgeous Mr. Patrick O’Brien as he effortlessly changed the tire and allowed her son to help. So not only was this man beyond good looking, but seeing his patience with Dylan had sparked something inside her, a little, wicked, yearning flame that had been quiet for a very long time. Amber thought she would never feel this way again. Maybe moving back to Birch Valley would prove to be far more interesting than she had originally thought.
Amber pulled into the large parking lot. It was nearing dinner time, and she could see the diner was hopping. The restaurant was one of Birch Valley’s favorite places to eat, so the bustle was no surprise. The small town didn’t have a ton of eateries, and Amber had been spoiled by the ample venues in Portland. In the last couple years, she had relied on dining on take-out quite a bit. She hadn’t felt like cooking, which had been a passion of hers for years. Hopefully being back in the restaurant and being forced to cook would inspire her love for it again.
She looked over at Dylan, a mixture of emotions present on his face. “It’s going to be okay, Dylan,” Amber attempted to reassure him as she patted his leg.
“I just wish we were back home.”
“I know you do, sweetheart, but your grandparents need us right now.”
Dylan huffed and stared back at Amber. “All my friends are back in Portland. This place is so…tiny.”
Amber forced herself to smile. “You’ll make friends here. There’s only a couple weeks left of school, so that will give you time to meet some kids. Trust me, summers are awesome here. There are tons of things to do.” Amber caught herself sounding overly animated, as though she needed to convince herself that Birch Valley was more exciting than it really was. She had been so quick to leave after she graduated from high school, and winding up in Portland had not been part of her plan. But having her husband die hadn’t been part of her plan either. “Let’s go in and let them know we’re here.”
“Okay, Mom.” Dylan gave her a weak smile. He was a good kid, but he’d been through a lot over the last couple years, and it killed her having to take him away from all that he really knew. Portland was home; it was where all his memories had been made, where his friends were, and where his father was buried.
The little bell on the weathered and tattered string still chimed as Amber opened the door. Some things never change. Instantly, she was hit with an array of delicious scents that hung in the air, and her stomach growled. The diner was almost full; there were customers seated along the long counter, the booths were all packed, and only a couple of empty tables remained in the center of the dining area.
“There they are!” A high-pitched squeal of delight came from a short woman, who had the same shade of dark hair as Amber’s.
“Mom.” Amber was pulled into a tight embrace. She inhaled her mother’s light floral perfume, which made her always smell like gardenias.
“Ah, my precious grandson. Oh my, you’re getting so tall.” Dylan was almost past her mother’s height, but that wasn’t saying a whole lot. The women in Amber’s family all had been on the shorter side, and a little plump.
“Is Dad here?” Amber craned her neck to see if her father was back in the kitchen.
“No, he’s at home resting.” Her mother’s eyes, which were a soft brown, turned wet. Amber reached for her and gave her another hug. She could see the exhaustion etched onto her mother’s face, despite the feeble attempt at giving Amber and Dylan a smile of over-exaggerated happiness. “You guys are probably starving. Let me feed you.”
“Well, I can help,” Amber said as they were ushered to an open spot at the counter. Dylan mounted the bar stool excitedly. She knew he was thrilled with the prospect of eating, since that was all he ever did these days. The saying couldn’t ring any truer about boys eating you out of house and home, at least in Amber’s case.
“No, you guys had a long day. That’s quite a drive from Portland. You will be helping me soon enough anyhow.” Her mother winked at her before she turned to grab two glasses for them.
“So, you’re going to cook and stuff here, Mom?” Dylan asked once his grandmother was out of earshot.
“That’s the plan.” Amber had grabbed a laminated menu and started to scan it, knowing full well what was already listed on it. “What do you feel like eating?”
A happy, boyish grin appeared on his face, making him look less like a soon-to-be-teenager. He eagerly looked at the menu. “It all looks good.”
“Well, how about a cheeseburger and fries?” His grandmother suggested as she returned with two glasses filled with water. “Maybe a chocolate shake for dessert?” she offered, and Dylan nodded excitedly.
“Mom, are you sure you don’t want me to help?” Amber felt guilty being waited on as she surveyed the busy diner.
“Hon, trust me, your ol’ ma has everything under control.”
Amber didn’t doubt that for a minute and smiled as she watched her mother head down the counter, coffee pot in hand, to check on a customer. Lynn Herrick had been waiting on these people since they’d bought the diner so many years ago. Amber’s father, Dean Herrick, had turned this failing business around and created it into something of a landmark in town. People were constantly gathered here, the food was great, the service was out of this world, and you were sure to run into someone you knew. Amber remembered growing up in the diner, where she’d helped clear tables an
d wash dishes. She had spent so many hours beside her father by the grill, assisting him with more meals than she could count. All good memories filled her mind, but then they turned ugly as she recalled her sudden desire to leave Birch Valley and her father’s disappointment. Most of her friends had left for college, which wasn’t something her family could afford, though they offered to help with the costs if she truly wanted to go. She didn’t. Amber didn’t quite know what she wanted. She knew only a couple things: that almost all of her friends had left Birch Valley, and that she didn’t want to work at the diner for the rest of her life.
“Here you guys go,” Lynn Herrick announced as she balanced two plates, both of them covered with golden French fries piled high next to enormous and juicy cheeseburgers.
“Thanks,” Dylan and Amber replied in unison, which made them to look at each other and grin.
***
Patrick
He had followed Amber’s car until they had reached Herrick’s diner. He was relieved that the spare tire was working out just fine for now. As he drove the couple of blocks to his childhood home, where his mother had been watching the twins for the day, he couldn’t help but feel out of sorts. The small interaction with Amber and her son had thrown him for an unexpected loop. He had just been looking for a little quiet time—a sliver of solitude just to clear his mind of the all the thoughts that had been pestering him over the last week. Patrick loved going on drives on that old, deserted country road, which was lined with trees and fields that seem to go on forever. It was one of his favorites. Just being alone, away from everyone, seemed to set things right. He found himself wondering when he would see Amber again. He wanted to look into her penetrating eyes, and worse, he wanted to kiss her soft pink, rosebud lips. What had gotten into him?
Lost in his thoughts, Patrick arrived at his parents’ house. He tried to shake away the images of a voluptuous Amber, which were dominating his mind: the way her legs looked in those snug jeans, or her soft, red cotton shirt that clung tightly around her full chest. Patrick had towered over her compact frame, and he couldn’t help but wonder how she would feel next to him…under him even. He swallowed back the unexpected wash of desire. Guilt had found a way to creep in, causing a sudden battle of conflicted emotions.
“Daddy!” Connor shouted. He ran toward Patrick when he entered the house. As he spotted Connor’s blonde hair and blue eyes, he saw Beth, and his guilt cut him a little more deeply.
“Hey, buddy.” Patrick scooped him up and carried him toward the kitchen, in search of Finn and Mary.
“We’re in here,” Mary called out from the dining room. Patrick came in to see Finn and Mary seated at the table. Finn munched on some graham crackers, and seated next to him was Mary sipping tea. “Just finishing up a little snack, aren’t we?” Mary looked over at Finn as a giant, crumb-covered smile appeared on the little boy’s face. Mary turned back to Patrick, who was still carrying Connor, but the little boy was now resting his small head on Patrick’s shoulder. She had a serious look in her eyes that told him that she needed to speak with him later, when the children weren’t around.
“Well, I will go load this guy into the car. Finn, you almost done, buddy?”
“Yes, Daddy.” Finn hopped off his chair and sped toward Patrick.
Mary followed them out to the car and waited patiently as Patrick secured each child in their large booster seats. Closing the door, he turned to her. “What’s up, Mom? Everything okay?”
“Well, son, today was kind of an interesting one. The boys were asking questions about their mother,” Mary said softly. Patrick felt as though he had been punched in the gut. It wasn’t as though he had kept Beth’s death a secret, but the boys hadn’t been able to fully understand or miss something they had never known.
“What happened?” he asked, leaning against his SUV. His gaze searched his mother’s, and there was sadness behind her eyes.
She offered him a tight-lipped smile before speaking. “Well, we had been having a really lovely day, as usual. I noticed that Finn seemed a little down, though, so I asked him if anything was the matter. He asked why he didn’t have a mommy.” Mary’s voice grew weak as emotion started to choke her.
“Oh, Mom,” Patrick said as he took her in his arms.
Pulling back, Mary looked up at him. “It makes sense that they would wonder. Rachel and Maggie had stopped by earlier, and I’m sure the boys are hearing them talk about babies all the time now. I know that Mel is excited and probably talks about it with them.”
“These are the cards we were dealt. There isn’t a whole lot we can do,” Patrick muttered.
“I just feel bad for those little boys. Beth really would’ve enjoyed them, and they are the highlight of my day.” Mary’s eyes were red as she wiped away the tears that streaked her cheeks.
“I’d better get them home. Thanks again, Mom.” He hugged her once more before getting into his car. It bothered him to see his mother hurting, but he was used to the pain; it was with him every day.
Patrick started the engine and headed home. He lived only a few blocks away. When they arrived, he let the boys out of their seats and trudged into his home. Immediately, he was bombarded by how much this house was filled with Beth’s essence. Everything from the decor to where things belonged, he hadn’t changed a thing. Of course, when the boys came home from the NICU, Beth had already set up where all their baby stuff was to go. As they grew older, Patrick figured out where to put things and had tried to organize their lives as closely to how Beth would have wanted it. But the home was still hers—exactly how she had left it. Patrick still had her clothes hanging in the closet, though they no longer held her scent. But he didn’t have the heart to donate or throw them out. How was he ever going to be able to move on? Sneaking thoughts of Amber crept in, and he couldn’t erase the guilt he felt. Patrick remembered the promise he had made, as Beth lay dying. Of course during that moment he would have agreed to anything she had requested, but he just didn’t know how to go about living up to the promise he swore to her.
Chapter Four
Rachel
“It’s okay, baby.” Liam held Rachel as she surfed another wave of pregnancy-induced emotions.
“No, it’s not. I hate the way she acts.”
“It’ll all work out, I promise.” His voice was soothing, his long arms cradling her as they lay in bed. She had just gotten off the phone with her mother, Evelyn Montgomery, who was not very happy with Rachel at the moment.
Rachel looked up at Liam and stared into his gorgeous eyes. Rachel asked, “How do you figure, Liam? She’s so pissed that we won’t push the wedding back.”
“Well, that’s too bad. It’s not her wedding, it’s ours.” Liam planted a kiss on top of her head.
Life during the past couple of weeks had been wild, as if things hadn’t been hectic enough with finding out that she was pregnant, planning a wedding, and wrapping up the end of the school year. But to make matters worse, her mother was hellbent on driving her crazy.
When Liam had proposed to Rachel, he told her to choose the wedding date. She had decided, after careful consideration, that the Fourth of July seemed like the perfect date. Not only would Rachel not look noticeably pregnant, but everyone had promised that the weather would be amazing. Liam was the man who had completely changed her opinion about love, and it seemed fitting for their ceremony to have fireworks bursting brightly over the lake they resided by. She had consulted with Maggie and Mary about the details for her and Liam’s nuptials, and they had had some fantastic ideas. Rachel couldn’t help but feel excited. After plans had been made, she contacted her mother and told her the game plan for the wedding. That’s where the problems started. She could understand some of her mother’s concerns. After all, her parents hadn’t even met Liam yet. But with the wedding quickly approaching, Rachel didn’t want to bicker with her mother.
“What about your dad? What did he say? Does the Fourth work okay for him?” Liam asked as he began featherin
g soft kisses along her brow. “Don’t be so stressed out.”
Rachel sighed. “How can I not be? My mother is trying to make it seem like I’m the one being unreasonable.”
“And your dad?”
Rachel rolled her eyes. Did she dare go there? Saying that her father was pretty upset with her was a complete understatement. He had not been thrilled when Rachel left Newport Beach to accept a position as principal at a school in the rural community of Birch Valley, sight unseen. When he learned that she had wound up pregnant, he had been livid, and they were barely speaking. She called and asked if he could come up to walk her down the aisle, and he’d said he would need to check his schedule. As a plastic surgeon for some of the most elite people in southern California, Robert Montgomery had always placed his family low on his list of priorities, which was partially why her parents were no longer married.
“He’s going to get back to me on if he can make it up.”
“Get back to you?” She could hear Liam’s tone turn angry, and he looked at her with shock. “So you mean to tell me he needs to see if he can pencil in his only daughter’s wedding? Oh, geez.”
“Are you all that surprised after everything I have told you about my family?” Rachel faced Liam again.
He cupped her face delicately, his mouth meeting hers as he kissed her softly. “It just makes me a little sad, that’s all,” he said after releasing her lips.
This was why she was marrying Liam; love and tenderness came easily to him. He never hesitated to show her affection, to comfort her, and she didn’t understand how she had gotten so lucky.
***
Liam
He hated seeing Rachel upset. He felt a responsibility for her, and Liam wanted to do everything in his power to protect her, even if that meant protecting her from her family. He knew that the circumstances weren’t ideal. He tried to imagine how upset Rachel’s family must feel, but she was still their daughter. Liam just wanted to hold her, to cradle her in his arms for the remainder of the day.
Patrick's Promise (Cloverleaf #3) Page 4