by Gamet, Amy
“It was really the plates that got you pulled over, Meghan O’Connor,” he laughed. “We don't like out-of-towners speeding down Main Street. If I’d known it was you, I’d have looked the other way.”
He took off his glasses, revealing twinkling blue eyes that went with his handsome smile, the slight bend in his nose marring an otherwise perfect face.
“Ricky Powell,” she said, taking in his badge and uniform. “You're the sheriff?”
He nodded. “You back for good?”
“Looks like.” She was surprised to find that time had softened her reaction to Ricky. He wasn’t a bad guy. He had only tried to help her, after all.
“Where's that pretty little girl of yours, Fiona?”
Someone had been paying attention.
“Connecticut. I'm on my way to get her.”
“Listen,” he said, bracing his weight on the car door and leaning closer, “would you like to grab a bite to eat when you get back? See a movie or something?”
Liam’s kiss flashed in her mind, followed by his look of disgust.
He hates me.
“Sure. Why not.”
Ricky raised his eyebrows and gave her a hundred watt smile. “Great. Give me a call at the station when you get back in town.”
“I will.”
What did I just do?
She had no interest in dating Ricky Powell, she was just reeling from her run-in with Liam. When she got back into town, she would have to set Ricky straight.
He patted the side of her car, and she put it in drive. “Bye,” she said.
“See you soon, Meghan O’Connor.” he said with a wink.
~~~
Liam was pacing back and forth in his expansive kitchen, his father perched on a barstool, watching him.
“Relax. You'll be fine,” said Chip. At sixty, he had pale skin and ruddy cheeks from years of heavy drinking. His hair was white and thin on top, his belly fuller now that he nourished his body with food instead of liquor.
“The last time I saw her, she was seven,” said Liam. “She's going to be sixteen in March.” He stopped pacing and braced his arms on the granite counter across from his dad. “I used to tickle her until she was screaming like crazy. I don't think that's going to work anymore.”
“I don't think so.” Chip dragged a carrot through a tub of veggie dip. “She's probably into boys and makeup. Loud music. That sort of thing.” He shrugged. “Think of what you were like at that age.”
Liam flashed to himself at sixteen, an image of naked Meghan appearing in his memory. He wanted to stuff his father's mouth full of carrots to keep him from saying anything else.
“Thanks for that, Dad.”
“You’re welcome,” he said with a smirk.
Liam resumed his pacing, trying to see his home through his daughter's eyes. Would Fiona like it? The three story colonial was virtually falling down when he bought it. He had renovated it himself, bringing the old home back to its former glory and adding modern touches.
Looking around it now, he admitted he had done all of it with Fiona and Meghan in mind, from the purple bedroom at the top of the stairs to the sunroom off the master suite.
Son of a bitch.
The ring of the doorbell made his hands break out in a sweat.
“I'm going to stay here so you two can get reacquainted,” said Chip, gesturing with a stalk of celery.
“Thanks, Dad.”
Liam was a wreck of excitement and jangled emotions. He had lost a little girl, and she was being returned to him a young woman, a changeling. What would he say to her? Could he give her a hug? He opened the door with a trembling hand.
Fiona stood alone, Meghan nowhere in sight.
“Daddy?”
She was up to his shoulder, with beautiful red hair like her aunt Becky, her mother's green eyes, and his very own smile. She used it now to light up his world.
He felt his eyes begin to burn as his arms reached out to pull her in for a tight hug. “Oh God, Fiona. I missed you so much.”
She was shaking in his arms, her laughter mixing with sobs as she clutched at him.
Liam lifted his head to the heavens in gratitude, opening his eyes into the sun. His smile hadn't stretched this wide since the day his daughter disappeared from his life.
His gaze dropped to the car in the driveway, Meghan sitting behind the wheel.
Meghan.
Giving them time.
He waved to her, begrudgingly signaling her to come inside. He relaxed his grip on Fiona, letting his arm fall naturally around her shoulder. “Your grandfather’s in the kitchen. He can’t wait to see you.”
Fiona bit her lip. “I don't remember him.”
“You've never met him, sweetie. His name’s Chip.”
“Can I call him grandpa if I want to?”
“I bet he’d love that.”
“Hi, Meghan,” he said as she stepped onto the porch. He held out his hand. “Truce?”
The look of relief on her face was obvious. “Truce.”
He held the door for her. “Let's go inside.”
~~~
“Lindsay was upset. To be honest with you, I didn’t care too much about anyone back then, so long as I had a drink in my hand,” said Chip. He was sitting with Meghan in the kitchen, while Liam and Fiona looked at photo albums on the dining room table.
Meghan was surprised Chip brought up his drinking. “You seem better now.”
“As better as an alcoholic can ever be. If Liam hadn’t picked me up and dried me out at rehab, I’d be shit-faced someplace right now, instead of eating veggies and dip with a beautiful young woman.” He winked at her, and Meghan was surprised to find him charming.
“It is some pretty good broccoli.”
“Sweetheart, you should try the peppers,” he laughed.
“So, Liam did that? Got you into rehab?”
Chip nodded. “Though, you have to wonder why he came back here at all, with the sheriff looking for him and all.”
“I’ve wondered that myself.”
He picked up a piece of broccoli, breaking tiny florets off the larger piece and dropping them on his paper plate like a little forest. “Liam doesn't give up, Meghan. He's thickheaded. He didn't give up on me, and I don't think he ever gave up on you.”
“Are you kidding? He hates my guts,” she said, talking quietly so Liam wouldn’t hear her now.
“Let's just say, he doesn't hate you as much as I'd hate you, if you'd done to me what you did to him.”
Liam walked into the kitchen, a smile on his lips and Fiona on his heels. “Who wants to go out for pizza?” he asked.
“Sounds good to me,” said Chip.
Meghan looked at her watch. “We can't. I have plans,” she said, watching as Liam and Fiona's smiles fell in unison. On an impulse, she added, “You know what? You guys go without me.”
“Are you sure?” asked Liam.
She nodded. “I'm sure. Just have her back at Becky’s by ten.”
“I can do that.” He looked at his daughter. “Do you still like veggie supreme?”
Her eyes widened. “Heck, yeah!”
He turned back to Meghan. “We're going to Little Joe's. Let me give you my cell number.”
She was enjoying the two of them, the love they so easily shared. “Have fun, you three.”
~~~
The waitress was young and busty, with a white button-down shirt and black pants that were painted onto her thighs. “Can I get you guys another round?” she asked, batting her eyes at Ricky.
“Oh, I think I’m all set,” said Meghan, giving the waitress her best check please look. The restaurant Ricky had chosen was more of a bar than anything, and it smelled like stale beer and cigarettes. She had tried to cancel her date when she got back in town, but Ricky wasn’t taking no for an answer.
“I’ll have another draft, there, darlin’,” he said, handing the girl his glass. He was oblivious to Meghan’s desire to leave, but he’d been oblivious
to her in general all evening.
“So there I was, the best sharpshooter in the whole academy, trading lead with this instructor who just went completely ape shit, off his rocker, crazy.” He sniffed like a coke addict. “The papers were all over it for weeks, interviewing me for the TV news and all.”
“Wow,” she said, deadpan. “That’s awesome.” She looked down at her watch, resting against her green cashmere sweater. It was just after ten o’clock. This was quickly turning into one of the longest nights of her life.
Meghan had just decided to make her excuses when she saw Liam walk through the front door of the restaurant, his eyes scanning the crowd.
Uh, oh.
His eyes connected with hers and he started toward the table. She could tell the instant he recognized her dinner date, and she cringed inwardly at what could only end in a confrontation.
“This was your plan for the evening?” he asked when he reached their table.
“Yes,” said Meghan. “I ran into Ricky the other day. Well, actually, he pulled me over. Ricky, you remember Liam.”
Ricky looked up from his beer, a smirk on his face. “Of course. His parole officer and I go way back.”
Meghan's head snapped toward Ricky. “That was rude.”
“It's also the truth,” he said, sipping his drink. “Next time you check in with Raymond, you tell him Ricky says hi, okay, sport?”
“Ricky likes to pull women over to get dates.” He turned to Meghan. “I've got ten bucks says you weren't even speeding. Am I right?”
She pursed her lips. “It doesn't matter. What do you want, Liam?”
“I wanted to talk to you about our daughter, but I guess you're otherwise engaged.” He turned to leave.
“That's not fair.”
“Do you really want to talk to me about fairness, Meghan?”
Ricky pushed his chair back and stood. “I think you should leave, Wheaton. Ain't nobody wants you here, anyway.”
“Is he right, Meghan? Do you want me to go and leave you alone with this asshole?”
“Who you callin’ asshole, you white trash punk?” Ricky puffed out his chest, posturing for Liam, who didn't move. Meghan recognized the look on his face and knew it was about to get ugly in here.
“Tell you what,” she said. “I've had about enough of both of you at the moment, and I'm going to go. Ricky, thank you for dinner.”
At that, she grabbed her purse and headed for the door. She made it to the parking lot before Liam caught up to her.
“Wait, Meghan, I'm sorry.”
She stopped and turned around.
“You can spend time with whoever you want. I was just surprised you picked that particular idiot, is all.”
“Why did you come here tonight, Liam?”
He ran his hands through his hair. “Honestly? I was on such a high from talking to Fiona. Spending time with her. She's an incredible person, Meghan.” He shrugged his shoulders. “I wanted to talk to the other person in this world who thinks Fiona is as incredible as I do.”
All annoyance dissipated. “She is pretty special, isn't she?”
He stepped closer. “Oh, she's awesome. Funny, and so smart. Beautiful, like her mother.”
Meghan was suddenly shy, uncomfortable. “She has your dimples,” she said, which was true. They were one of his greatest features, and her eyes dropped to them as she spoke.
His expression changed, and she felt an answering excitement in her abdomen.
“My truck's over there. Walk with me,” said Liam.
She nodded, letting him lead the way.
“My dad and my brothers and sisters and I went to get HLA tested this morning.”
She stopped walking. “You did?”
“There was never any question I would do it, Meghan.” He reached out and took her hand, walking once again. “The technician said it will be a day or so before we get the results.”
“Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.”
Liam was parked in the far corner of the lot, away from the bustle and the lights of the restaurant. Meghan’s pulse hammered in her veins as he stopped next to a white truck and slipped his arms around her like he had every right. He turned her around, pinning her between his body and the hard metal, and took her mouth in a not-so-gentle kiss.
She welcomed his lips on hers, loving the way he pushed his body against her. From his first touch she was a puddle of need, aching to be touched, savored, loved by her lover once again.
Her nagging voice in her mind told her to push him away, having worked for so long to keep her love for this man at a distance.
He’s already a part of Fiona’s life. Why can’t I have him, too?
It felt so good to admit to herself how much she wanted him, how much she missed him. It was thrilling to be molded to his body, his skilled hands leaving her skin tingling in their wake.
Meghan let herself go, kissing Liam back with all her might.
He was lost in her, the scent of her skin, the taste of her mouth. She was responding to him just like he remembered, and he was on fire. “Come home with me,” he said between kisses, his mouth trailing a path down the side of her neck, his mind filled with images of the two of them making love.
She was twisting against him, making him crazy with need. “Yes.” She pulled back, seeing his beautiful face covered in shadows. “I have my car. I'll follow you.”
“Drive fast,” he said, hanging on to her hand until she was too far away to reach.
Her car was an icebox, the defroster blowing cold air onto her heated skin. Meghan trembled with anticipation. It had been so long since she'd been with any man, she felt as nervous as she had been the first time, riding her bike to the old mill for their rendezvous.
They got to his house and he opened her car door, pulling her body to his and staring into her eyes. He led her in through the garage, and she froze at the sight of the old red and gold gas can sitting by the snow blower.
She had to know the truth. “Liam, did you start those fires?” She couldn’t imagine it, but the evidence was there. He’d been convicted for the crime by a jury of his peers.
“No,” he said, looking deep into her eyes. “How on earth could you believe I would do such a thing, Meggie?”
“Ricky came to see me at the apartment, the day Fiona and I left,” she said, not wanting to break the mood but needing to talk at the same time.
“Ricky was in our home?”
She nodded. “He said he followed you there from Largo. He told me about the fires, and he showed me a videotape of…” she hesitated, “…a man wearing your 49ers jacket and hat, setting fire to the Super Duper. If you weren't in Largo, how did he find us?”
He shook his head. “I was in Largo, Meghan.” He ran his hand through his hair. “And I got pulled over by none other than Sheriff Ricky Powell, who got a good look at my 49ers attire. It's freezing out here. Come inside.”
They stood next to the kitchen island, Liam dropping his keys on the stone countertop and holding her hands in his. “You were so sad. Do you remember that?”
She nodded, biting her lip.
“I could hear you crying when you thought I was asleep. It tore me up inside every Christmas, but that last year was the worst. And it was all my fault. You couldn't go home because of me. You gave up everyone who mattered to you.”
“Not everyone. I had you and Fiona.”
“But you lost your parents and sister.” He rubbed his forehead with his palm. “I was trying to fix it.”
“How?”
“I knew who set the fires. I just had to find a way to prove it so we could go home again.”
Meghan’s eyes were wide. “Who set the fires?”
“Your hot date from this evening.”
“Ricky set the fires?” she was incredulous. “How do you know?”
“My father saw him. Ricky actually had a conversation with him while he was pouring gasoline on the porch of my parents’ home.”
“Oh, he was home all right. He had third degree burns over both his legs. Ask him, and he’ll show you the scars from the skin grafts.”
“Why didn’t Chip say something?”
“He did. He told everyone who would listen, which wasn’t a whole lot of people. And none of them believed him, anyway. He and Ricky still go at it a couple of times a year, throwing punches and accusations. Only now, since Ricky’s the sheriff, Dad ends up getting arrested.”
“I can’t believe it.”
Liam hooked a lock of her hair behind her ear. “I just wanted you to be happy again.”
“You made me happy, Liam.”
“No, I made you leave your family. It was all my fault.”
She put her hands on either side of his face, staring into his eyes so he might hear her. “None of it was your fault.” She kissed his lips. “None of it at all.” She kissed him again, then rested her forehead against his. “Why did you come back to Largo, Liam? You had to know what might happen.”
He grabbed her wrists and brought their joined hands between them. “When I realized you were gone, I was a wreck. I didn’t understand why you’d left me, taken Fiona with you.”
Meghan’s heart squeezed with remorse.
“I stayed there for a year, hoping you would come back. I filed missing persons reports on you and Fiona. I got fired from my job. I couldn’t function. Then the next Christmas, I remembered the gift I’d been trying to get for you. I wanted Ricky to go down for the fires, so you would be free to go home to Largo. I figured I could still give you that.”
Tears ran unchecked down her face. “But instead, you went to jail.”
“Yes.”
“I’m so sorry, Liam.”
“I’m not. I still want Ricky to pay for what he did, but you’re free now, Meghan. You’ve got your family back. That’s all I ever wanted.”
“For me? You did that for me?”
He nodded. “Merry Christmas.”
“That’s the greatest gift anyone could ever give me.”
“I did it because I love you. I still love you, after everything, Meggie.”
Liam had sacrificed himself so that she might find happiness again. Meghan was overwhelmed with this man, and the lengths that he’d gone to for her. What had she done in return? Abandoned him, lost faith in him. “How can you ever forgive me for what I did to you?”