Legends Lake

by JoAnn Ross

  Zoe shrugged. Not sullenly, but uncaringly. Which was, Alec thought, a huge difference. “Jamie’s a good kid. He won’t get in any trouble. Besides, Mrs. Monohan said he’d been looking at it every time he’s come into the shop for weeks.”

  “That’s another thing that bothers me. If Kate had wanted him to have it, why didn’t she buy it for him?”

  Another shrug. “She already bought him the night vision spy goggles. Maybe she figured that was enough. With all his relatives, he’s probably going to get a huge haul anyway.”

  “That’s possible.” Alec decided that just in case, he was going to ask Kate about the gift before taking it to the party.

  “Thank you for the sweater set.”

  “It looks great on you.” The hot pink color clashed a bit with her hair, but since the color seemed to be fading, Alec hoped it would eventually wash out.

  “Better than my other clothes?”

  It was his turn to shrug. “At your age you should be allowed to wear whatever you want. Within reason.”

  Zoe put her feet, clad in zebra striped, platform soled sneakers up on the dashboard. Alec figured he’d made real progress when he was no longer bothered by the blue and red butterfly tattoo on her ankle. “Jamie really likes you a lot.”

  “I like him.”

  “I think he misses having a dad.”

  “I suppose there are times when he does,” Alec said mildly.

  “I’ll bet, when he blows out his birthday candles tomorrow, he wishes that you could be his dad.”

  Alec didn’t quite know how to answer that one.

  “I know Kate’s married,” she said, while he was still fumbling around for a safe response. “But if she wasn’t, do you think you’d marry her?”

  “Hypothetical questions are hard to answer,” he hedged.

  “Okay. Try this one. Do you love her?”

  He shot her a dry look. “How old are you, anyway?”

  “Older than my years,” she shot back. “Leaving a kid to fend mostly for herself tends to make her grow up fast.”

  “Yeah, I suppose it does.” Alec certainly had.

  “So?”

  “So how about it’s not really any of your business.”

  Her eyes narrowed. “You do, don’t you?”

  “Zoe, I love you. Lots. I think you’re beautiful, inside and out, and sharp as a tack. But I think this is where I point out that you’re a bit nosy.”

  “Don’t you think it’d be cool if Kate was part of our family?”

  Alec’s irritation was soothed by the fact that she actually considered the two of them a family. “That’s not as easy as it sounds.”

  “I know she’s not going to be able to be divorced for a long time. But couldn’t she if she moved to America?”

  Alec wasn’t about to admit the idea had flashed through his mind on more than one occasion. “I don’t know the law, sweetheart.”

  “Even if you couldn’t get married right away, you could live together. Everyone does these days.”

  “Kate isn’t everyone. And Castlelough might be a little more conservative than what we’re used to.”

  “So, she could move to Kentucky,” she said again.

  “No.” He’d thought about this, as well. “Her roots are here, Zoe. It’s where her family is. It’s where she belongs.”

  “If I loved a man, I’d want to be with him.”

  The conversation was definitely getting too sticky. “And a lucky man he’ll be to have won your heart,” he said.

  “I still think you could work it out,” she muttered. She reached behind her into the backseat, retrieved the kelly green-and-white striped shopping bag and began digging through it. “I know there’s a box of candy in here somewhere … Hey, I didn’t buy this.”

  He didn’t have to glance over to know what she was talking about. “I did.”

  “You bought nail polish?”

  “It’s not mine. It happens to be for Kate.”

  “Kate doesn’t even wear nail polish. Why would she ask you to pick up a bottle of Scandalous Scarlet high gloss?”

  Alec thought about lying, then realized he’d undoubtedly get caught as soon as they got back to the stud and Zoe opened her big teenage mouth. “It was just an impulse, okay? I noticed she’s started wearing clear polish lately, so I just thought … perhaps … Hell, it seemed like a good idea at the time.” He wasn’t about to mention his hot dream the morning after the foal had been born in which her nails had been exactly the color of the red in the bottle he’d just bought.

  “Wow,” Zoe breathed.

  “Wow what?”

  “You really do love her, don’t you?”

  His fingers tightened on the steering wheel as he shot her a look. “Where did you come up with an idea like that?”

  “You bought her nail polish.”

  And was beginning to regret it. “So?”

  “When a man buys a woman something that personal, it’s a sure sign he’s in love,” she said blithely, with all the wisdom of her fifteen years.

  “It’s not all that personal.” He’d bought the stuff in the pharmacy department, for Chrisssakes, where it was across the aisle from the cold remedies and arthritis rubs. How personal could that be?

  “Don’t worry, Pop.” She shot him a saucy look that reminded him that this woman-child was growing up at warp speed. “I won’t say a thing.” As if to emphasize the promise, she crossed her fingers—tipped in lemon yellow today—over her heart.

  He lifted a brow. “Did you just call me Pop?”

  She shrugged and popped a Cadbury chocolate into her mouth. “Daddy’s for little kids.”

  “Well, since you’re so mature these days, you should realize that adults can have relationships that don’t necessarily involve love.”

  “Sure. Sex. But that’s not what you’ve got going with Kate.”

  He knew he was going to regret not just cutting this ridiculous conversation off right now, but had to ask. “How would you know that?”

  “Because she’s not that kind of woman. She may be getting a divorce, but anyone can tell she’s definitely into forever-afters.”

  Despite having had no personal experience with long-term marital relationships in her own life, somehow, Zoe had managed to hit it dead on. He reached over and snagged a piece of chocolate from the cardboard box. “How did you get so wise?”

  “I’m a woman. We’re born knowing these things.”

  He was wise enough not to laugh at that lofty pronouncement. As they continued home in companionable silence, Alec allowed himself a little fantasy of painting Kate’s toes Scandalous Scarlet.

  27

  NORA GALLAGHER came out the kitchen door as soon as Alec pulled into the driveway. Her expression was as sober as it had been the day she’d come over to fetch the kids after Kate had collapsed.

  The premonition squeezed his gut like an icy fist. He was out of the car in a flash. “What’s wrong? Where’s Kate?”

  “She’s down at the beach with Jamie.”

  “Then she’s all right?”

  “Yes. Now.” She briefly closed her eyes and shook her head.

  “Dammit, what do you mean, now? What the hell’s happened?”

  “I’m sorry.” There were seeds of worry in her moss green eyes as she looked up at him. “Cadel was here.”

  “Her husband? Here?” He looked around as if expecting to see the guy who’d caused Kate so much pain standing behind him.

  “He’s gone now. Sergeant O’Neill came and arrested him, but they’ve taken him to hospital … Damn.” She shook her head again. “I’m telling this badly.”

  Alec felt the same way he had watching Legends Lake galloping toward Kate. His blood froze. But this time a white hot rage flashed beneath the ice. He rubbed the heel of his hand against his rib cage, reminding the air to keep going in and out.

  “Why don’t you just start at the beginning.” He suddenly remembered they weren’t alone. “Zoe, go into
the house.”

  “I want to hear what happened, too.” Her face settled into frustratingly familiar stubborn lines. “You’re not the only one who loves her, you know.”

  Nora was looking at him hard and deep. Alec might have been uncomfortable at being so thoroughly analyzed were he not so concerned for Kate. “You were saying?” Knowing this woman was not only Kate’s sister-in-law, but dearest friend, he managed to keep his tone civil when what he wanted to do was to grab her arms and shake the words from her.

  “Apparently Cadel came here while Kate and Brigid were at my house, doing some last minute planning for Jamie’s party,” Nora began again.

  Alec managed—with effort—not to interrupt her halting recital of events, so far as she knew them, but when she got to the part about Cadel attacking Kate, temper streaked through him.

  “That’s all I know,” she finished up apologetically.

  “So he didn’t—” He shot a careful glance toward Zoe, who’d gone pale as glass.

  “I know the word,” she said, with a touch of teenage disdain he was actually grateful to hear. “He didn’t rape her, did he?” she asked Nora.

  “No, thank God. And, I believe, Jamie had a great deal to do with that. It seems he attacked Cadel, just before … well, in time.”

  “Christ.” Alec scraped both hands down his face. As bad as the things he’d survived when he’d been Jamie O’Sullivan’s age, none of them came close to being forced to rescue your mother from being raped by your father. “Where is he now?”

  “Jamie? I told you, he’s—”

  “No. O’Sullivan.” He’d kill him, Alec decided. Slowly. Deliberately. So the bastard would know the same terror she must have felt. Not just this afternoon, but for all the years she’d been trapped in a marriage made in hell.

  Nora looked at him carefully, reminding him of the way he used to study his father, trying to judge the level of violence simmering beneath the surface. But it wasn’t the same, Alec assured himself.

  “They took him to hospital. In Galway.”

  “Which one?” His voice was low and uneven.

  “I wouldn’t be knowing that.” There was a tremor in her voice that told him he was frightening her. Which, dammit, was the last thing he wanted to do.

  “That’s okay,” he said with a mildness that cost him. “It’s not important.”

  Castlelough was a small village. The kind of place where gossip was the coin of the realm. He’d go to the pub, buy a few rounds of pints to get folks talking and find out for himself where they’d taken Cadel O’Sullivan. Then he’d go there. And make certain the bastard never bothered Kate or her children again.

  At the moment, however, Alec was torn between going down to the beach or trying to remain sane while waiting for Kate here, allowing her to deal with her son in her own way, when he saw the relief flood into Nora’s expressive eyes and turned to see the pair approaching the house.

  Even from here he could see the bruises on her face. They were already turning as dark as his thoughts. He felt a light pressure on his arm, glanced down and saw Nora’s hand resting on his sleeve.

  “I can handle it,” he said between his teeth. “My way.”

  “And isn’t that what worries me,” she murmured back. “I’ve been through this, Mr. MacKenna. With my own husband, who, if he were here, would tell you that he understands your feelings. But I can tell you that the last thing that Kate would want would be for you to destroy your life for the likes of Cadel O’Sullivan.”

  “I’ll try to keep that in mind.” Neither was looking at the other. Both their attention—and Zoe’s—was directed on mother and son.

  “I dearly hope you will.”

  Alec wanted to run to her. To pull her into his arms and hold her tight and assure her that he’d never let anything happen to her again. But uncertain what the kid’s reaction would be to see another man’s hands on his mother so soon after what had to have been a nightmare, he forced himself to stay where he was.

  “Hey,” he greeted them as if it were only another day. As if Kate wasn’t looking as if she’d just gone ten rounds with Mike Tyson.

  She managed a faint smile but her eyes were still shadowed. Jamie looked a bit better than his mother. Shaken, but Alec decided the anger lingering in his eyes was only natural. It was also something he could identify with.

  “Hello,” she said, her voice subdued. She wouldn’t look at him. Not straight on, anyway.

  “You’re back,” Jamie said.

  “With gifts for tomorrow’s gala celebration.”

  “Thank you.” His voice was as flat as his mother’s eyes.

  “Jamie,” Nora said with forced cheer. “I’m so glad you’re home. Brigid has been after me to make my famous chocolate chip biscuits, but she told me that we couldn’t begin until you got back because your job is to grease the pans. And lick the spoon.”

  “There’s nothing better than chocolate chip cookie dough,” Zoe said with feigned brightness, earning Alec’s lifetime gratitude.

  He scuffed the toe of his sneaker in the pea gravel of the driveway. “Ma doesn’t like us to have snacks so close to supper.”

  “Oh, I’m sure we could be making an exception in this case. Since it is, after all, your glorious birthday eve,” Nora assured him. “Couldn’t we, Kate?”

  “Aye.” Her voice was choked. Almost as if it were still being cut off by those dark purple fingerprints framing either side of her throat.

  Jamie didn’t immediately respond. Just kept pushing that gravel around without looking at any of them.

  “I never told you about my trip to the lake,” Zoe coaxed into the heavy silence. “I think I may have caught a glimpse of the Lady.”

  He didn’t respond. But he did lift his gaze at that.

  “I’m not sure. But I did see a sort of green shimmer.”

  “Really?”

  “Yeah. I can tell you all about it while the cookies are baking.”

  He considered that for a moment. “Okay.” They were on the step when he turned to Kate. “Ma? Are you coming?”

  “If you don’t mind, Jamie, I’d like to talk to your mom for just a bit. About Legends Lake,” Alec lied.

  He’d half expected Jamie to protest, but when the small freckled face cleared, Alec realized that he’d not been wanting his mother to stay with him for his sake, but for hers. Obviously he still felt a responsibility to protect her.

  “Okay,” he repeated.

  Alec caught Zoe’s arm just before she went in the door. “Thanks.”

  “Hey, I like chocolate chip cookies.”

  Despite the seriousness of the situation, he grinned at that because he was so damn proud of her. “I owe you one. Big time.”

  “I’ll remind you of that when I bring you the permission slip to get my nose pierced.” He knew his knee-jerk horror about that showed on his face when she flashed a quick grin of her own. “Chill, Pop. I was just kidding.” With that she went into the kitchen, closing the door behind her, leaving Alec and Kate alone.

  Because it was difficult to speak with his emotions tangled like a ball of poisonous snakes, Alec merely held out his arms.

  Without hesitation, Kate walked into them, welcoming the way he held her tight, her cheek on his shoulder, his against her hair. She felt some of the tension ease out of her as her body adjusted to his. Not as it had those times they’d made love, but in a different way. Oddly, a more intimate way.

  Sex, as marvelous as it had been, was easily had. Hadn’t more than one eligible man—and a few married ones—in the village let her know that they were more than willing to help her out in that department since her separation. She’d turned them all down, of course, having believed more honesty occurred in the breeding barn than ever in bed. Alec had changed her mind about that. As he had changed so many other things. It felt good to be able to lean on him, to rely on someone other than herself for a change.

  “How are you?” he murmured against her hair. “Rea
lly?”

  “Better now.” Now that she was with him, surrounded by his strong arms.

  “Want to talk about it?”

  “Aye.” She sighed and closed her eyes and held on a little tighter, as if borrowing a bit of his courage.

  She’d never been one to talk about Cadel. Not even to Nora, who’d certainly tried to breach the stone wall of family secrecy enough times over the years. But she’d learned from therapy that bottling things up inside her could be more harmful than the things she was trying to ignore. Besides, while Kate wasn’t exactly certain what was happening between herself and the MacKenna, she did know that to not tell him about the reasons behind her marriage would be to hide some important part of herself from him, the last secret that explained so much of the woman she once was. And, more important, the woman she’d worked so hard to become.

  Neither of them spoke as they returned, hand in hand, to the beach. There was no need. Kate couldn’t remember the last time she’d been so comfortable sharing silence with a man.

  They sat on the same rock she’d been sitting on the lovely day she’d watched her daughter dance and her son fly his kite. The day she’d danced with Alec. The day he’d kissed her and stolen not only her breath, but her reawakened heart.

  The breeze, tinged with salt and seaweed, ruffled her hair and cleared her mind. The surf washed onto the sand, then retreated, leaving behind scattered shells and sparkling sea foam. Other than a fishing boat chugging along on the horizon, they could have been the only two people in the world.

  He went to put his arm around her shoulder, then paused.

  “Don’t,” she said quietly.

  “Don’t touch you?”

  “Don’t not. I like you to touch me.”

  He blew out a breath. “Well,” he said, as he drew her a little closer. “I guess I’ll just have to do a lot more of it.” He brushed some wind tangled hair from her face. “I like it when you touch me, too.”

  “I enjoy it as well. Touching you.”

  They shared a smile. “It’s getting warmer.”

  “Aye.” She could smell the sweet scent of spring wildflowers about to be born.