Maggie’s tongue unconsciously peeked out and licked along her upper lips. Reese’s peanut butter cups were her greatest weakness, and he knew it, the shameless devil. He must really feel bad, she thought, trying to ignore the heavenly scent of milk chocolate mixed with peanut butter.
Without waiting for her to answer, he extracted another and unwrapped it, placing it on the table and nudging it toward her while looking at her through half-lidded, cautious eyes, as if he wasn’t really looking at her at all. After a moment or two of indecision – pride vs. desire – desire won out and she snapped it up, giving him a defiant look.
Kieran smiled, and she felt the impact all the way down into her toes. God help her if her son inherited this quality, too. She’d be beating the girls off with a stick in a few years.
* * *
“Mick says everything’s good,” he said conversationally, pulling out another peanut butter cup for himself.
“I told you everything was fine,” she snapped, but there was no bite in her tone, and he knew he was in her good graces again. He’d take an ‘I told you so’ over bad news any day.
“Yes, you did,” he agreed. The next piece went to her. “But you know Mick, how he worries.” He didn’t mention that she had been worried, too. The sheer amount of baked goods she’d made attested to that. Lacie’s mom had taken one look at the massive treat-filled box and promptly forecasted a record in sales at her church’s bake sale the next day.
“Yeah,” she said, softly. “Thanks, Kier.”
Before he knew what hit him, Maggie wrapped her arms around him – at least as far as she could – in a hug, even going as far as to place a chaste kiss on his cheek. “I’ll repay the favor one of these days,” she promised, her eyes twinkling mischievously.
Kieran thought that sounded ominously like a warning, and the unease in his chest flared momentarily.
Before he had a chance to dwell on it, Shane walked in and spotted them. He gave Maggie a quick kiss on the cheek and nodded to Kieran.
After passing along Lacie’s thanks for all of the baked goods to Maggie, he turned to Kieran. “Hey. Did you get a chance to check out that property?” he asked, swiping a Reese’s and grabbing some milk from the fridge. Kieran filled him in on what he had found. Shane listened to Kieran’s detailed description on the state of the place. Maggie sat up, listening intently.
“I agree it is not an optimal situation,” Shane said, frowning slightly, “but she was very specific, Kier.”
“But why?” he asked, rubbing at his chest again. “I’m telling you, Shane, the place is not fit for human habitation in its current state.”
“Maybe it’s a question of money,” Maggie suggested quietly, causing both men to look at her. “Well, it just makes sense, doesn’t it?” she asked. Her eyes dropped to Kieran’s hand and he abruptly stopped rubbing his chest. He turned to Shane, meeting his eyes, knowing she’d hit the nail on the head.
Kieran scowled at him. “Are you kidding me?”
Shane shook his head. “No. Maggie’s right.”
“Since when is money more important than people, Shane?” Kieran asked angrily. “Shit. It’s not like we need the money. If she’s that hard up, give her something else at a reduced rate or something.”
Shane shot him a scathing look. “Don’t you think I tried? You know better, Kieran. I offered at least three other places in town. She refused. It was the cottage or nothing. She wouldn’t have even qualified for that if I hadn’t personally co-signed the mortgage application.”
That was unexpected. “Why would you do that?”
Shane averted his eyes. “I don’t know. Just a feeling.”
Kieran felt a little better knowing that his brother didn’t feel right about this either, but there was definitely something else at play here. He couldn’t put his finger on it, but he felt it. He looked at Maggie, saw the colors swirling hypnotically in her green eyes. Then turned his gaze to Shane, and knew that he, too, felt it.
“You want her in Pine Ridge,” he guessed, knowing even as he spoke the words that they were true. He felt like a moron. Of course Shane wouldn’t allow something like this to happen unless there was a damn good reason for it. “Why?”
Shane exchanged a glance with Maggie, then shrugged. “I don’t know. But when her offer came in, I couldn’t put it down, no matter how much I wanted to.”
Kieran knew better than to push. He trusted Shane’s instincts implicitly. Like Kieran, he had a huge knight complex.
“Alright,” he nodded slowly. “I don’t like it, but if you say there’s something there...”
“There is,” Shane confirmed, but offered no more.
“We’ll keep a close eye on this one, though, yeah?”
Shane smiled. “I was hoping you’d say that. Maybe we can head up there tomorrow, work a little magic before she arrives?”
Kieran nodded and agreed, feeling considerably better. He already had a mental list of things started as he began to plan a trip to the local home improvement store.
Maggie smiled enigmatically, plucking another Reese’s from the table. “It will all work out. Like I said, Kieran, you just have to have faith.”
Kieran reached over and patted Shane’s back as his brother was suddenly thrown into a violent coughing fit. Shane pinned accusatory blue eyes on Maggie. She met his gaze head on, her own green eyes swirling madly and a completely unapologetic grin on her face.
“I think I’d like to go, too,” Maggie announced brightly, but Kieran was already shaking his head.
“No way, Mags. Mick’ll have my ass if I get you anywhere near that place in your current condition.” She looked so crestfallen that he quickly added, “But maybe once we get it cleaned up a bit and a little less hazardous...”
* * *
“No electricity, Mom,” Matt reported, methodically flipping switches in each of the rooms as they made their first pass through the cottage. A brief flashlight inspection of the fuse box showed that everything – while dusty and covered in cobwebs - looked fine, and that the electricity probably just hadn’t been turned on yet.
“Guess we arrived a little earlier than expected,” she mused. “I can call tomorrow. In the meantime, looks like our first night will be candlelight and a cold dinner. You up for that?”
“Heck, yeah.” He grinned so wide her heart swelled. Her son had the ability to do that to her.
“But first I think we need to do the important stuff.” His expression became guarded, no doubt thinking she was going to make him work. “I think we need to establish which bedroom is yours and which one is mine.”
They took their time touring the small cottage. It didn’t take long. The downstairs consisted of two large rooms – kitchen and a living space – as well as a full bathroom. The upstairs had two bedrooms, both with breathtaking views of the mountains and another full bath shared between them.
All the while, Faith was mentally designing the redecoration. The only exception was Matt’s room. He had complete autonomy over his own space – within reason, of course.
Tomorrow she would begin sketching the images already forming in her head and compiling a list. They’d prioritize together and squeeze what they could out of their budget. Both had agreed before the move that the first order of business would be to purchase beds, or at the very least, mattresses.
Since they were both very hungry, they decided to postpone unloading and cleaning for a later time. Instead, they chose to spread out a blanket on the back patio and eat the sandwiches they’d picked up in town – oddly called ‘hoagies’ around Pine Ridge – outside under the ever-darkening dusk. The air was cooler than they were used to, but still quite pleasant. Cleaner. Less humid. It was quiet here. Their property was outlined in trees, affording them privacy.
“This is great, Mom,” Matt said, wolfing down his sandwich with the hunger of a growing boy. Faith gave him half of hers and popped open Cokes for both of them.
“Yeah, it is, isn’t it?”<
br />
“We’re going to be okay.”
“Yeah,” she said, warmth blooming within her as a welcome peace settled around them. “We are.”
Chapter Three
The sounds of birdsong and tires on the gravel drive woke Faith the next morning. It took a few moments to shake off the sense of disorientation. Matt was next to her on the floor, snuggled in his sleeping bag. Sunlight filtered through dirty windows; the slightest movement seemed to rouse a cloud of dust motes, but not even that could dampen Faith’s sense of joy.
For the first time, they had a place that was completely theirs. They were home.
Faith rose quietly and padded to the window out of habit, but there was little, if anything, capable of rousing a thirteen year old boy short of a nuclear bomb. She would let him sleep a while longer. There would be plenty to do today.
She was pleasantly surprised to see an electric company truck parked alongside the transformer near the entrance to the property. The uniformed worker fiddled around for only a few minutes before driving off. Flipping the nearest light switch, Faith gave a silent fist pump as the porch light glowed through the layers of accumulated dust and bug carcasses and confirmed that the electricity was now officially on.
After a short trip to the bathroom – she was definitely going to hit that first thing so she could take a bath later in the old-fashioned claw-foot tub – Faith managed to dig out her coffee maker. She was enjoying her first cup of coffee on the porch when Matt found her.
Coffee in hand, his overlong chestnut hair sticking out at impossible angles, he sat down beside her, his long legs extending well past the two steps and onto the walkway. Most kids his age didn’t drink coffee, but Matt had developed a taste for it early on. Faith didn’t have a problem with it. Matt was a good kid, and it certainly wasn’t affecting his growth. He was already pushing five-foot-nine with size ten-and-a-half foot pads.
“Sleep well?” Faith asked with a smile.
“Yeah. Except for the snout full of dust, I’m golden,” he grinned. She knew he was every bit as happy to be here as she was. “What’s the plan for today?”
It was a morning ritual they observed every day – a five minute meeting where they shared what was on tap, a connection that kept them feeling in touch and on the same page.
“Cleaning for me,” she said, sounding much more pleased with the prospect than one would expect. “Bathroom first, then kitchen, I think. The beds are supposed to be delivered sometime today, too, so no more snouts full of dust tonight.”
Matt nodded, his soft gray eyes, so like hers, looking thoughtful. “Mind if I start on the outside stuff?” he asked. “I found an old push mower in the shed last night and some clippers. I can siphon some gas out of the car; it should only need a gallon or so.”
“I think that’s a wonderful idea,” Faith said brightly. “At some point we’ll have to go into town and pick up some supplies, but I think we have enough packaged stuff for a decent breakfast. Besides,” she added, “I’m really anxious to get started. How about you?”
“Yeah,” he grinned. “It’ll be nice to cut our own grass for a change.” Matt often picked up odd jobs around whatever neighborhood they were in to earn a little extra cash. He was already pretty skilled at general handyman work.
* * *
“Is that the kid you hired?” Kieran asked as he pulled the big pickup into the driveway and spotted the unfamiliar teen.
“No,” answered Shane.
“He doesn’t look familiar,” Lacie added. She’d convinced Shane to let her tag along and help with some general cleaning and tidying while he and Kieran took care of the heavy work and repairs. It hadn’t been a hard thing to do. The last couple of weeks had been especially hard on her, and Lacie welcomed the opportunity to keep busy. It allowed her to work through things, she said, and Shane was more than willing to agree to anything that kept her by his side. After nearly losing her to a family-friend-turned-psycho, he was feeling extremely overprotective and hard-pressed to deny her anything.
As soon as he spotted them, the teen looked up from the ancient mower and stood tall, his posture wary but not aggressive. “Can I help you?” he called out as the two much larger men approached.
With the observation skills of the Ops men they were, they took in everything about the boy in a matter of seconds. Tall, lean, the kid was going to be big by the time he finished growing; it was something they understood all too well. Rich brown hair extended beyond the rag he’d tied around his head to keep the sweat at bay; gray eyes half shuttered, displayed both curiosity and caution. The kid’s stance was relatively casual, holding a confidence rarely seen in one so young.
Kieran liked him immediately.
“Shane Callaghan,” said Shane, extending his hand. “My fiancé, Lacie. My brother, Kieran. You the new owner?”
The boy puffed his chest out proudly as he accepted Shane’s hand with a surprisingly firm grip, then Kieran’s, and gave a respectful nod to Lacie. “Yeah. Matt O’Connell.”
Kieran suppressed a knowing smile. It was a long time since he’d been at that awkward phase when he wasn’t really a kid anymore yet not quite a man, but some things a man never forgot. “We thought we’d ready the place up for you, but it looks like you arrived earlier than expected.”
Matt gave a slight nod. “Got here last night.”
“You stayed here?” Kieran asked, remembering the state the house had been in yesterday afternoon.
“Yeah.” There was no mistaking the pride in the kid’s voice. He didn’t seem bothered at all.
“Well, since we’re here, would you like a little help?”
Matt considered them, then his eyes wandered over the truck. The back of the pickup was loaded with equipment and supplies. “S’okay with me,” he shrugged nonchalantly. “But you better check with my mom.”
Matt pulled another rag from his back pocket and wiped the sweat from his face and neck. It was still pretty early in the day to work up a sweat like that. Kieran wondered how long the kid had already been at it.
“Come on. She’s inside.”
The strong scents of bleach and wood soap assaulted them as they neared the house. A battery operated radio played from the back of the house, and a woman’s voice could clearly be heard singing along, slightly off-key but with lots of heart.
They found her in the kitchen. Her knees were on the floor, the upper half of her body swallowed up by the double-doored cabinet beneath the sink. The lower half of her body, along with her very attractive rear end, moved in rhythm to the song as she scrubbed and sang. Lacie put her hand over her mouth to stifle the giggle, but the men had better control and somehow managed to keep their smiles from extending past a few twitches at the corners.
“Mom,” Matt called, looking a little embarrassed. She didn’t hear him. “Mom!” he called louder, startling her. There was no mistaking the loud crack as she jumped, knocking her head on the underside of the sink basin. Everyone winced in sympathy.
“What?” Faith asked, extracting herself from beneath the sink, rubbing at the spot on the back of her head. She didn’t seem nearly as angry as she might have been under the circumstances.
“Sorry,” Matt mumbled. “We’ve got company.”
* * *
Already? She thought. She’d hoped that her new neighbors might be a bit less intrusive than those in their old neighborhood. Faith sat on the floor, needing a moment to let the brightly colored lights currently flashing in front of her eyes to fade. They just didn’t make sinks like that anymore, she thought wryly.
The first thing she saw was a pair of size fourteen steel-toed leather work boots. Her gaze moved up muscular, denim clad legs. And up, past lean male hips and a ripped, massive torso encased in a cotton T. And up, to beautifully sculpted male features, jet black hair, and luminous blue eyes.
Faith gulped. If this is the kind of stuff she saw by hitting her head, she’d definitely have to do it more often.
Full male
lips quirked in amusement.
“Mom,” Matt said, breaking into her obvious hallucination, “this is Shane Callaghan and his brother, Kieran, and his fiancé, Lacie.”
Faith shook the cobwebs from her head, turning to face the other man. He had the same black hair and blue eyes, but wasn’t quite as large as the first one. “Shane Callaghan. We spoke on the phone. The seller, right?” Three male hands reached out to assist her, but it was Matt’s she chose for a hand up.
“That’s me,” Shane said with a friendly smile.
“Hi.” Faith returned Shane’s smile with one of her own. Tugging off the heavy duty rubber gloves, she took the hand he offered, then Lacie’s, then Kieran’s. “I’m Faith.”
* * *
Kieran Callaghan prided himself on the complete and total control he had over his mind and body. But the moment Faith put her hand in his, he could scarcely recall his own name.
Part of it had to do with the sudden rush of sparks and tingles that radiated outward from the point of contact, making him feel as if he had just grabbed an electric fence. For as unexpected as it was, it was not unpleasant; rather, it felt as though some hidden, heretofore unused part of him had just jolted to life. The growing unease that had been accumulating in his chest, getting heavier and heavier over the past couple of days, simply ... vanished.
Well, damn.
In addition to the strange physical response, Kieran was caught mentally unprepared as well, for the image of the single mother he had been envisioning was about as far removed from this woman as he could get. He had been expecting an older woman, late thirties maybe – an opinion that had been enforced after encountering Matt. But Faith was not old, not by any stretch of the imagination. Unless she had discovered the secret of perpetual youth, she was no older than him. Younger, by the looks of it. She was small, sexy, and quite possibly the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen.
Damn didn’t even come close to covering it.
“You’ve already met my son, Matt, I see.” Kieran felt like he was in the Twilight Zone. There was no way in hell she was the single mother of the teen currently towering protectively over her shoulder. He blinked at her words, and was dimly aware of Shane clearing his throat and Faith attempting to reclaim her hand.
Having Faith: Callaghan Brothers, Book 7 Page 3