Dogwood Hill

by Sherryl Woods

  “I need to think a minute,” Thomas said, making his way to a bench and sinking down on it as if he’d suddenly aged.

  Aidan followed, unsure of what to do next. He sat down, too, and waited.

  “You have to be wrong,” Thomas said eventually.

  Aidan had expected the shock, but not the denial. “You think I’d lie about something like this?”

  “I’m not saying you’re lying,” Thomas said quickly. “Not at all. I think perhaps you jammed a few pieces of a puzzle together to make them fit and came to the wrong conclusion.”

  “Are you saying you never slept with my mom?” Aidan asked bluntly. “That it’s not possible for you to be my father? Because if you are, I think maybe you’re the liar.”

  Thomas’s face flushed. “Let’s go back and start over before we both say things we’re likely to regret. What makes you think I’m your father? You said your mother never once mentioned me, that she only talked about your father in general terms. Is that right?”

  Aidan nodded. “She told me how idealistic he was, how committed he was to the cause that mattered to him, all things I think we can agree describe you perfectly.”

  “We knew other idealistic people during that time in our lives,” Thomas suggested, sounding more desperate than defensive. “College kids become passionate about a lot of things.”

  Aidan knew he held the one piece of information that would end the argument. It was safely locked away back in his apartment. “But their names aren’t on my birth certificate,” he said quietly.

  This time the color drained out of Thomas’s face. “You have a copy of that?”

  “I have the original. My mom had it hidden away, but I found it last summer when I was cleaning out her apartment after she died. She obviously didn’t put your name on there to trap you into paying child support since she never even mentioned my existence to you.” He frowned. “Or did she? Did she tell you she was pregnant? Did you turn your back on her?”

  “Of course not,” Thomas said with what appeared to be genuine indignation. “That’s not the kind of man I am. I take responsibility for my actions. I may have made mistakes in my life, but I never run from things.”

  “Now,” Aidan agreed readily enough. He’d seen enough to accept that Thomas O’Brien today was an honorable man. “But back then?”

  “I did the same back then,” Thomas said. “If Anna had told me she was pregnant, I’d never have let her walk away.”

  This time it was Aidan who was startled. “She broke up with you?”

  “She did. She said she didn’t want to hold me back from the things I was meant to do and that a serious relationship at that stage of our lives would do that. I didn’t want her to go back to New York, but I couldn’t argue with her, either. We were too blasted young. And she seemed excited about finishing up her college degree in New York.”

  “She never finished her degree,” Aidan revealed. “She didn’t have the time or money for it, not with a baby on the way. My grandparents helped out. We lived with them until I was two, but their apartment was too crowded and I was too noisy and disruptive. Plus, if you knew my mom so well, you know how independent she was. She worked two jobs sometimes, until she finally found one in the city with an organization that gave grants to environmental protection projects.”

  Thomas regarded him with what seemed to be real regret. “I’m so sorry it was so difficult for her, and for you. If I’d known about what was going on, I’d have found a way to make things easier.”

  His expression filled with sorrow. “I wish I had known, Aidan. I really do. Her decision to leave came out of the blue. I thought we were happy as we were. I suppose I should have asked more questions. I’m sorry now that I didn’t.”

  “But at the time you were relieved when she was gone, weren’t you?” Aidan said, his words sounding more like an accusation than a question. And maybe he’d meant them to be just that, one of the many accusations he’d wanted to direct at this man who’d allowed him to grow up without a father.

  “I was confused,” Thomas replied slowly, as if giving his response real thought. “I was unhappy. But looking back, maybe I was a little relieved. She was right about the intensity of what we shared. We were in love, or thought we were. That kind of youthful passion can be a distraction and I didn’t want to lose focus.”

  He finally looked in Aidan’s direction, studying him as if searching for proof that they shared DNA. “I can’t believe she would have kept a son from me, not the Anna I knew.”

  “Not even to keep you from losing focus?” Aidan asked, his tone mocking as he echoed Thomas’s words.

  “Look, son—”

  “Don’t call me that,” Aidan said sharply. “You haven’t earned the right.”

  “But isn’t that the point?” Thomas asked. “If you are my son, we have to figure out where we go from here, how to build on that truth.”

  “If?” Aidan said, his anger stirring. “Are we back to calling me a liar? Or my mom?”

  “I’m just saying that the situation is complicated,” Thomas replied, his tone surprisingly calm. “Neither of us knows why your mother did what she did. If she never told you my name, maybe that’s because she only wanted me to be your father, but couldn’t be certain.”

  Aidan was on his feet. “Are you suggesting that my mother, the woman you claim to have loved, that you claim loved you, was cheating on you?” he asked, outraged by the suggestion. “That she put your name on my birth certificate to what? Trap you into paying support for a child who wasn’t yours? Odd, then, that she never bothered to tell you about me or to go to court to ask for anything.”

  Thomas looked shocked by the angry words Aidan was hurling at him. “Of course not. She wasn’t that kind of woman. But maybe, for your peace of mind and mine, we should be sure about this before we go broadcasting the news to everyone else.”

  “You want a DNA test?” Aidan said, his voice empty of emotion. “Sure, whatever. I suppose I even get why you’d doubt me, though I can tell you here and now that I don’t want or expect anything from you. I’m not here to make any claims on you or your family.”

  “It’s not about doubting you,” Thomas insisted. “But this was what, twenty-eight years ago, right? It’s too important to leave something this huge to chance.”

  “And then? When the test proves what I already know, what will you do about it? It’s not as if I need a father at this stage of my life. And you obviously don’t need another son.”

  Thomas’s expression softened for just a minute. “But I would very much like to know the one I had with Anna, if that’s how this turns out. For whatever reasons she thought she had, your mother denied me that chance. I’m not condemning her for that, but I’m not the one who created this situation, Aidan. Based on what you said, you’ve known since last summer about me. Give me some time to catch up. Then together we can figure out what happens next.”

  The request was too blasted reasonable and Aidan was in no mood to be reasonable. He sighed, knowing Thomas was right. “And until we know, nothing changes. No one knows,” he agreed.

  “To be honest, when I saw your mother’s name, I told Connie that I knew your mother a long time ago, but this?” He shook his head. “I won’t mention that you’re my son until we have the test results. Not a word to anyone else, either.” He regarded Aidan intently. “You’ll do the same?”

  “Of course. Liz suspects there’s some connection, but she has no idea what it might be. She certainly doesn’t suspect this. I’m sure of that.”

  “Would you mind if we went to Johns Hopkins for the tests?” Thomas asked. “We could probably have the samples taken right here, but even as discreet as I know the doctor and his staff to be, word can get around.”

  Aidan nodded. He didn’t want to risk any leaks, either, not until they had the pr
oof that his claim was valid and had decided how they—both of them together—wanted to handle it. Maybe it could remain their secret, but he couldn’t envision the likelihood of that in Chesapeake Shores, where private business seemed to be fair game, especially among O’Briens.

  A thought suddenly occurred to him. “What does Mick know? I imagine he’s the one who showed you the résumé with my mother’s name on it.”

  “I acknowledged to him that I knew your mother, but that’s all. The possibility that you were my son hadn’t even crossed my mind then,” Thomas said, then smiled. “I can see why Mick knowing would worry you. He’ll be determined that we forge a bond whether it’s what we want or not. That’s his way. My mother, Nell, she’ll feel the same way. If there’s any doubt in your mind, she’ll welcome you as another grandson. I’m the one who’ll be answering her questions and listening to her lectures for days on end.”

  “Something to look forward to, then,” Aidan said, amused by the image of Nell scolding this grown man for his past mistakes.

  “Then we’ll move forward with the tests. I’ll make the arrangements,” Thomas said. “Tomorrow, if possible. There’s no reason to drag this out and leave us both wondering. I imagine you’re exhausted enough by keeping this inside.”

  “You’ll be wondering,” Aidan told him. “I already know, but yes, it will be a relief to end the secrecy.”

  A faint smile tugged at Thomas’s lips. “You have the O’Brien stubborn streak, that’s for sure. I guess we’ll see if that’s only coincidence.”

  Aidan could have reassured him on that point, but Thomas clearly didn’t want to leave something this momentous to chance. After spending time with his happy family, Aidan could understand why.

  * * *

  Liz sat in her usual booth at Sally’s stirring sugar into her coffee, her mind wandering.

  “I’m pretty sure that sugar dissolved at least five minutes ago,” Bree commented, watching her.

  Liz’s head snapped up. “What?”

  Bree gestured toward the coffee. “It’s probably cold by now. Do you want Sally to warm it up?”

  Liz sighed and pushed it away. “I don’t really want coffee.”

  “Seems to me what you could really use is a stiff drink.”

  Liz blinked at that. “Excuse me? At eight-thirty in the morning?”

  “You’re upset about something,” Bree said. “Of course, it probably is a little early to start in on martinis.”

  “I’ve never had a martini in my life. Nor do I rely on alcohol to solve my problems,” she said indignantly.

  “There,” Bree said with satisfaction. “Taking me to task put some color back into your cheeks. So what’s going on, Liz? Everything okay with you and Aidan?”

  “There is no me and Aidan,” she said, the response automatic.

  “I know that’s what you keep telling yourself,” Bree said mildly. “You may even believe it, but the rest of us aren’t so easily convinced. Maybe it would help if I told you that you seem to have him twisted into knots, too.”

  “Hardly likely,” Liz said, dismissing the possibility. “Aidan has too much going on right now to be worrying about me. There’s a lot of pressure for him to get the high school team to perform well this year.”

  “And to hear Henry tell it, they’re going to be awesome,” Bree said, chuckling. “I swear that kid could do PR for the Baltimore Ravens. He knows football and his enthusiasm is contagious, especially with his friend Hector taking over as quarterback.”

  Liz finally allowed herself a chuckle. “I’ve heard him go on and on when I’ve run into him in the bookstore. I imagine there’s a lot of football talk around the Sunday dinner table these days.”

  “Especially since he’s brought Hector along with him a couple of times. I think the poor kid is a little overwhelmed by O’Brien exuberance, but last week he actually spoke up and argued with my dad. I’m not sure who was more stunned, Mick or Hector.” She grinned. “The rest of us actually gave Hector a little cheer. You should have seen Dad’s face.”

  “I can imagine,” Liz said, laughing for what seemed like the first time in days.

  “Now, back to Aidan,” Bree said, quickly killing Liz’s improving mood.

  “Do we have to?” she begged.

  “Just answer one question for me and then I swear I’ll drop it, at least for this morning,” Bree said.

  “If that’s the best deal I can hope for, go ahead.”

  “Is your ambivalence about getting involved with Aidan because you really, honest-to-goodness don’t want a relationship with anyone, because you’re not even remotely attracted to Aidan specifically or is it because of something the rest of us don’t know about him, something that worries you?”

  Liz saw the trap. Any answer she gave was going to bring on a full-court press for more answers than she was prepared to give. She couldn’t explain why she didn’t want to risk her heart again. She could hardly say she wasn’t attracted to Aidan, because she was, way more than she wanted to be, in fact. She’d come to appreciate all of his good qualities, his caring side, his character.

  But there were still the things she didn’t know. And if she brought up these vague suspicions about Aidan having some sort of past connection to Thomas, well, who knew what sort of hornet’s nest that might stir up? And if she were wrong about it, she’d have caused trouble for no reason.

  “I’m waiting,” Bree said.

  “Maybe it’s all of the above, or none of the above,” Liz said, hoping to be just confusing enough that Bree would conclude she really didn’t know her own mind and would give up in frustration.

  Unfortunately that didn’t allow for the fact that Bree was an O’Brien. Vague replies only provoked more questions. Several more tripped off her tongue, before Liz held up her hand.

  “Enough!” she commanded. “I can’t do this. My mind’s spinning. And I need a clear head if I’m going to get anything done at work today. Plus my mom called last night and announced that she and my sisters are arriving this afternoon.”

  “You don’t sound excited about that,” Bree noted, studying her closely.

  “I asked them to come,” Liz said, then sighed. “But I’d been hoping for a little more notice, like maybe a year.”

  Bree laughed. “I get to see my family just about every day. Sometimes I’d be content with just twenty-four hours’ notice before some of them poke their noses into my business. Yours will be gone again in a few days. Mine never leaves. Try to remember that when they’re driving you crazy.”

  “I’ll do my best,” Liz said.

  “I’ve got a new play opening at the theater tomorrow night. Bring them. I’ll leave tickets at the box office.”

  Liz’s eyes lit up. “What a great idea! Two hours of blissful silence.” She grinned. “From them, not the people on stage.”

  “Good save,” Bree said. “If there’s anything else I can do to help out, let me know.”

  “You have more than enough on your plate with a new production opening. The tickets are plenty. I owe you for making the suggestion and holding four seats. I know you’re usually sold out these days.”

  “I always have seats for friends and family,” Bree said. “I like to stack the deck with a friendly audience, especially on opening night. Now I’d better run. We have a dress rehearsal and a last costume fitting this morning. One of the kids in the show has been growing like a weed. Unfortunately, she’s mine.”

  “Emily Rose is in this?”

  Bree nodded, her eyes shining with maternal pride. “She’s even singing a song. I’ve created a little diva, I’m afraid.”

  “I can’t wait to see her. I promise to clap wildly.”

  “All I could ask,” Bree said, leaning down to kiss her cheek. “That, and that you reconsider opening your heart jus
t a tiny bit to let Aidan in.”

  Liz sighed. “How did I know you weren’t done with that?”

  “Because I’m me,” Bree said readily.

  Liz watched her go, then looked around for Sally. “Could I have a large cup of coffee to go?” Something told her she was going to need all that caffeine and probably a lot more before the day was out.

  15

  Aidan had made the trip to Baltimore for the DNA test. Now the only thing left to do was to wait for the results. He desperately wanted to see Liz. He wanted to share all of this with her and get her take on it, but he’d promised to keep silent. On top of that, he recognized that she wasn’t exactly open to taking on his secrets, not when she was so clearly struggling with her own. That was a hurdle they’d have to face later, at least if he wanted to pursue his growing feelings for her. He hadn’t had any experience at falling in love, but what he was feeling for Liz, even without much encouragement from her, seemed like the real thing to him. He wasn’t prepared to give up on seeing where it led.

  Right now, though, he hoped maybe the sight of her might prove distracting, that it might quiet his nerves or spur a different sort of restlessness entirely. Maybe she’d even agree to go out for a quick dinner or at least a drink, anything to keep his mind off that blasted test that could change everything. With results days away, he needed a distraction, and basketball with O’Brien men clearly wasn’t the best choice. There would be too many chances for him to blurt out something he’d regret.

  He put off dropping into Liz’s shop by settling onto a bench by the bay and calling Frankie. Frankie was always good at providing a couple of stories to keep Aidan’s mind off whatever was troubling him. What he hadn’t considered, though, was just how well his old friend could read him.

  “Hey, I’ve given you some of my best stuff,” Frankie complained. “What do I get in return? Not so much as a chuckle. What’s going on down there? You thinking you made a mistake? You know management here would take you on in a heartbeat.”