by Kathryn Shay
Shaking his head, he cupped her cheek. It was damp. “That is horrible. You must have been paralyzed.”
“No, actually I wasn’t.” She explained the steps she’d taken, who she called.
“You were shocked and upset and you still got the right information to the right people.”
“I guess.” She checked her watch. “I’m not even sure how long it’s been, but I should call Rafe.”
“It couldn’t hurt.”
She clicked into her phone and put it on speaker, so he heard, “Hayley.”
“Do you know anything, Rafe?”
“We got to the hospital as soon as we could after Megan called us, but Seth was already in the ER treatment area. A doctor did let us know Seth was going into surgery.” Her cousin’s voice was strained with worry.
“I was hoping for better news.”
“Sorry. Meg said you listened to the whole thing, honey.”
“It was awful, Rafe.”
“I bet. I’ll let you know when I hear anything more.”
“Are you kidding? I’m on my way out there.”
“You’re coming to Hidden Cove alone? You gotta be upset. Maybe traumatized.”
“I’m not alone.”
“Is Finn with you?”
“No, he’s out of town, but coming back in tonight. I’ll leave him a message. I’m with my friend, Paul.”
“Then I’ll see you soon.”
When she clicked off, she turned bruised eyes on Paul. “I don’t feel any better.”
“You shouldn’t, not until we see how the surgery goes.”
She grasped his hand. “Thanks for being here.”
“Wouldn’t want to be anywhere else, sweetheart.”
* * *
He walked into the emergency room at Hidden Cove Memorial Hospital wearing non-descript jeans, a navy t-shirt and hoodie, with a ball cap on his head. Glasses perched on his nose. One hid his trademark dark hair, with a bit of gray in it now. The specs he didn’t need. He still hadn’t decided if he’d let his presence be known. He’d wait till Hayley and Finn arrived to decide. He also didn’t know what the family had heard yet, but since he couldn’t ask them, he dropped down into a vinyl chair about thirty feet away and reviewed what he already knew.
Seth was in surgery.
A client’s husband had stabbed him.
Fifteen minutes later, Hayley walked into the waiting room. His heartbeat escalated as he stared at his little sister in the flesh. She was with Paul Covington. He knew she’d been seeing him. They both crossed to the Casella clan.
Rafe, the titular head of the family, hugged her. Said something in her ear. Gideon, the next to oldest, took his turn. His gruff policeman cousin had a soft side, the reports he’d gotten told him. Alessia, who’d become a beauty, was next. She and Hayley held on extra tight.
Though he wondered where Finn was, at least Hayley had her cousins and her aunt, Carmella. She seemed to be stoic now, like he remembered she was when Bridget insulted or slighted her all those years ago. Carmella was with a young woman who seemed familiar. Maybe a friend of Seth’s?
He focused in again on Hayley. She was incredibly upset. He could help with that.
It was time, he guessed.
Standing, he crossed to his relatives. They all turned to see who the stranger was. He took off his hat and glasses and said, “Hi, everybody.” He focused on Hayley. “I came for you, honey.”
Shock made her face white. “Ronan?”
“It’s me, baby. Come here?”
He held out his arms and she threw herself at him. And he hugged her tight for the first time in twenty years.
* * *
Ronan, her long lost brother, sat with Hayley apart from the others. Paul had stayed back from the family but knew all about Ronan because Hayley had told him what happened, that he’d abandoned her twenty years ago.
Just like you did. It was a dagger in the heart to him to have that in common with him. But Paul was here for Hayley now, so he dismissed the comparison.
She looked stunned, but happy to see her brother. Deciding to be happy for her, he sat back in his chair and pulled out his phone. He’d call Finn to make sure he got Hayley’s message.
Someone dropped down next to him. “How’s it going, Covington?”
He wasn’t surprised that the family knew of his relationship with their cousin. “I’m, um, I’m concerned for you all.”
The big guy sat staring ahead, his arms crossed over his chest. He was still wearing his uniform. “I’m Gideon.”
“The second oldest, I know.”
“I’m also a cop.”
“I could tell.”
“That’s how I know who you are. I wanna tell you I’m watching you with Hayley.”
“Good to know.” He glanced over to where she sat with Ronan. “She’s a wreck.”
“I’m glad Ronan came. He could always make things better for her and Finn.”
“I’m glad, then, too.”
While he had the chance, he studied Hayley’s cousin. Gideon had a world-weary look to him. His light-blond hair was peppered with gray with incredibly light brows. But by his bearing, he could tell this man was tough.
“How are you holding up, Gideon?”
“I feel like hell I wasn’t there when she called.”
“She got him help, though.”
“Yeah, our little cousin has a will of steel.”
“Tell me about it.”
Gideon laughed. “I don’t have to. I saw you go up against her in court.”
* * *
“I can’t believe you’re here, Ronan.” Hayley hugged him again, awkward though it was sitting down this time. Her emotions were bouncing all over the place. Down so low over Seth she thought she’d never climb out of them. Then reaching heights of joy when her oldest brother appeared today.
“I am here, Red.” He brushed his hand down her hair. “Though you’re more auburn now.” He frowned.
“What?”
“You must have been beating the men off with a stick all these years.”
“How did you know about Seth?”
“I’ve kept track of you and Finn.” He gestured to the group. “And them.”
“How? There are privacy laws, you know.”
“I, um, get alerts.”
“What kind of alerts?”
He glanced over her shoulder. “Look, Hayley. A doctor came out.”
Abandoning the topic for now, she stood and they both hurried over to the rest of the family. She held Ronan’s hand because she was afraid he’d disappear in a puff of smoke. “I have some news about Mr. Casella. Is his wife here?”
“He’s not married. We’re his brothers and sisters.” Rafe fudged the truth a bit. “And this is his mother.”
Julianne Ford held Carmella’s hand. Huh. What would Seth think of his long-lost girlfriend showing up?
“I’m the surgeon, Dr. Joe Manson. Your brother or son is stable now.”
“But he was stabbed.” This from Ali, who held Rafe’s hand.
“Let me explain. Abdominal injuries are classified by the organ that is damaged and how the injury occurred. They can be blunt or penetrating.
“Most concerning is when the object enters the abdominal cavity. Gunshots usually cause significant damage. However, stab wounds that don’t hit organs cause less damage. That’s what happened to Mr. Casella. He had internal bleeding, but we stopped that with surgery to the blood vessels. An artery was nicked but reparable.” He smiled. “Quite frankly, it’s a miracle that the stomach, spleen, and liver weren’t affected.”
Hayley wilted and leaned against Ronan.
“So, the prognosis is?” Gideon asked.
“Excellent. He’ll make a full recovery if he follows orders and lets someone take care of him.”
“I’ll take care of him,” Carmella said.
“I’ll help,” Julianne put in. “I’m off now for the summer.”
“We’ll all help.�
� Rafe’s tone was reassuring. Safe. “If he lets us.”
“He will,” Carmella insisted.
When the doctor left, Hayley caught something in the corner of her eye. Finn had come into the surgical waiting room. About five feet away, he slowed, then rushed forward.
Lifted his arm.
And slugged Ronan in the jaw. Ronan stumbled backward, then went down. Finn lunged for him.
Carmella screamed.
Rafe jumped between the two of them.
Gideon said, “I didn’t know our Finn had it in him.”
Finn still had his arms up, boxer style.
And Ronan rolled to his feet. Turning, he kissed Hayley on the forehead and walked away. She wanted to run after him, convince him to stay, but Finn was visibly upset. And her duty was to the man who’d been there for her, day after day, year after year. He deserved her attention.
Not the man who abandoned her.
* * *
“Well, that was a shit show.” Hayley threw her purse and coat on the chair, then flopped down onto the bed, on her back, arms out. She looked absolutely bedraggled with her hair down and messy, her lipstick bitten off.
Standing before her, Paul cocked his head. “Finn seems so mild-mannered.” They’d already talked about Seth and his recovery.
“Ronan was his champion. Whenever kids picked on him for being a bookworm, Ronan was there to punch back, sometimes literally. Sometimes with his quick wit. I think maybe Finn took Ronan’s disappearance from our lives harder than I did, though he never would talk about him after he left.”
Dropping down next to her, stretching out, Paul crooked his elbow and put his head in his hand. She was so precious he wanted to take away her pain. “By the looks of you two together, he was your champion, too.”
“You should have seen how he went after my mother whenever she got on us.”
“What about your father?”
“Dad talked to him, and Ronan told him if he didn’t stand up to her, he—Ronan—would.”
“Gutsy move.”
“Still, Ronan was close to Dad.” She seemed far away. “The same week he passed away, Ronan’s ex-girlfriend died, and Ronan said he had to get out of Hidden Cove. We never heard from him again.”
Because he could tell she was getting sad again, he reached out and brushed back her hair. “That’s good news about Seth.”
“Yeah. I’m glad Aunt Carmella and Rafe stayed the night with him.”
“He’ll be sore for a long time.”
“Can you imagine, somebody walked right into Legal Aid and went after him?”
“Aren’t there any security precautions in place?”
“Some, but they’re not enough. He complained to the bosses but they never put in an alarm. They will, now, though.”
“Too late for Seth.”
“I need a shower.” She frowned as she glanced down at his body. “I have clothes here, but you don’t. Hold on a sec.” Bolting up, she walked out of the room.
Paul laid back on the bed as she’d been and stared up at her ceiling, where a fan whirred. God, he had to have another chance with this woman. He had to. The thought of losing her was untenable.
She came back bearing an armful of clothes and tossed them on the bed. Shirts, pants, shorts, a bathing suit, some pajama bottoms. “Help yourself.”
He rolled to a sitting position then stood. “Did you disturb Finn? He said he was going straight to bed.”
“I didn’t want to do that. Those are Ronan’s clothes. I guess he doesn’t have a whole lot of interest in coming back into the fold.”
“I was thinking, Hayley. He must be close by. He got to the hospital fast, almost as fast as we did.”
A startled look. “What are you saying?”
“Maybe he’s living in New York.”
Her face flushed. Not with sorrow, this time. But with anger. “Fuck him, then. If he’s been that close.”
He stared at her.
“Sorry. I know your situation—”
“No, don’t apologize. I’ve been back in the area and I didn’t contact my family for a year. Comparing me to Ronan is accurate.”
She stood before him, watching him carefully. “Why did you come to my apartment tonight?”
“I decided I wasn’t going to let you go without a fight. Some things happened, good things, which I’ll tell you later. But they gave me the courage to come after you.”
She smiled.
“There’s one thing I want to say now.” He brushed his knuckles down her cheek “I love you, Hayley.”
Her eyes widened, then crinkled up at the corners. “I love you, too.” She didn’t even hesitate to say it back.
He was shocked at her admission.
Even more so, when she started undressing.
“Are you going to take a shower?”
“No. Later. Now, I think the talking should end on that lovely thought.” Wearing only a pink skirt and black bra, she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him.
He picked her up and whispered in her ear, “I’ll take it from here.”
* * *
Two weeks later
“Is it straight?” Dressed in jeans and a T-shirt, Paul stood on the ladder after nailing in the sign over their new space on the edge of the commercial district in Brooklyn. They’d been lucky to get the spot, as someone canceled their lease.
“Yep, you nailed it.”
“Ha ha.”
Hayley smiled at her fiancé. He was light-hearted these days. It was hard to believe that it had only been two weeks since Seth’s injuries. He was recovering just fine. Right after the incident, and their confessions of love, she and Paul both gave notice in their respective jobs.
Paul joined her on the grass, sliding his arm around her waist. It felt wonderful to be outted. “Think we’re going to make it?”
“I know we are. Covington, Casella and Covitz will be a real success.”
“I wish it could say Covitz and Casella.” He sounded sad.
“It will, someday. But we gotta attract bigshot clients to establish our practice. And you’ve got the reputation now to do it.”
She knew Paul didn’t like exploiting his heroic actions of that one night, but he was willing to endure it until they could build up enough paying clientele so they could afford the rent and their salaries. She’d invested some of her own money in the startup and he wanted to contribute. Best of all, Hayley was going to get to do the pro bono work she’d always wanted.
A car drove up and a woman with thick dark hair down her back and blue eyes got out of the little Chevy Trax. “Hey guys, I like the sign.”
“Thanks, Zofia,” Paul said.
She kissed his cheek. “You didn’t have to give me top billing.” Zofia had not changed her name from Covitz after she married.
They’d both been shocked when his younger sister, a top-notch paralegal in Brooklyn’s law world, asked to be part of their new endeavor. She offered money, too, for part of the rent.
“I came to tell you I gave notice at my firm.”
“Were they unhappy about you leaving?”
“That wasn’t what stuck in their craw.” Zofia rolled her eyes. “They don’t like that you two moved here and will give them competition.”
She and Paul grinned at each other.
“What can I do today?” she asked them. “Jan’s picking up the kids so I have a lot of time.”
“We’d be happy to have help.” This from Hayley. “We had the space cleaned, and some furniture has already come in. Want to help us set up?”
“I’d love to.”
She linked both their arms as the three of them walked toward the front of the building. “What a lucky girl I am to have my big brother, and his lovely fiancé in my life.”
Paul grinned over at Hayley and said, “I think I’m the lucky one.”
“No, I am,” Hayley retorted.
Paul teased, “You still gotta have the last word.”
“I do. And don’t expect it to change any time soon.”
Hayley looked up at the sunny sky, feeling the gods had smiled down on her. And for that she was grateful.
Epilogue
* * *
The sunset was beautiful on the deck of Paul and Hayley’s condo. It turned pink and red as it settled in the west. She was entranced at the sight.
From behind her, someone said, “Thank you for hosting this, dear.”
Hayley turned.
Paul’s mother gestured to the people on the deck. All of her children and their spouses sat on the outdoor furniture close together. “I cannot believe this has finally happened.” Her eyes moistened. Paul had said his mom was tough, but the prodigal son returning had turned her to mush.
Hayley squeezed her arm. “I’m so happy you all found some peace.”
“Not all.” She shook her head. “My Filip is more stubborn than the rest of us.”
“Paul believes he’ll come around. Meanwhile, you have five of your children here.”
“Yes, I need to be grateful for that.” She searched Hayley’s face. “I can see with my own eyes that my Paul is in love. Are you, Hayley?”
“I am. Very much so.”
“That is all you need.”
Hayley hesitated. “We don’t know each other, Mrs. Covitz, so I was hoping we could have lunch, just you and me.”
“Please, call me Nadia. And yes, I would like very much to have lunch.”
The youngest, Lena, called out, “Matka, come over here and listen to Paul’s story.”
His mother squeezed Hayley’s arm and left.
Paul took great joy in this family gathering, despite the fact that Pa refused to attend. He still got a twinge of regret when he thought about his estranged father, but Hayley wouldn’t let him go down that road.