“Almost lunchtime,” his mom called to them. “Your uncle Fin needs to get to the pub, don’t forget.”
“After lunch,” Fin said. “One more game of Marco Polo?” Rose smiled and looked to Katie, who nodded. Fin shut his eyes and called “Marco” while Katie and Rose giggled, trying to evade him, calling back “Polo.” As they went toward the steps, Rose bounded out, laughing as she ran toward the kitchen door, where his mom had just gone in.
“Rose!” Katie called as Fin grabbed her from behind.
“You’re it,” he said, his hand on her exposed midriff. Heat liquefied him.
“Game’s over,” Katie said. Her voice caught on the last syllable.
“Doesn’t have to be,” Fin whispered in her ear as he pulled her into him. She was soft and warm. The water lapped onto them as he traced his other hand down her thigh. She leaned into him. The promise of her made him lightheaded. “You’re different. I only want you.”
Katie tensed and shoved away. “Where’d you get that line? Is there a cheaters’ club for men? I’ve heard it before,” Katie said as she strode from the pool. Fin’s wet footsteps sloshed, following her, as she took a towel from the chair. He grabbed her arm. She faced him. Her eyes sparked. His anger fought with disappointment and hurt. She couldn’t feel what he did or she wouldn’t keep bridling so easily. Her hands would stay on him as his did on her, even as he told himself to remove them. Hearing Rose and his mom, he dropped her arm, stepped back, and took a towel. Katie swallowed, hurriedly chaffing herself with the towel.
“I’m sorry, Rose,” she said. “I forgot I need to help Grandma Mavis. Grandpa Pat has a doctor’s appointment.”
Fin knew she lied. Mavis took Pat to the doctor this morning and they were going to have lunch at the pub so Pat could check in. Fin clenched his hands around his towel and studied his chair. He rubbed himself with the towel until his skin reddened.
“Aww,” Rose said.
“Maybe Aunt Katie can join us for dinner?” his mom said. “If you wouldn’t mind, Katie, I was hoping you’d drive us to the pub for family night. Maureen’s busy today making plans for the new shop, so Rose is with me. I’d love it if the three of us could have dinner there. Rose and Fergus told me all you’ve done.”
“I don’t know…” Katie said.
“Please,” Rose said, holding her hand.
Great, now she’d be there tonight too. Why couldn’t she stay out of his sight?
“What time should I pick you up?” she said.
She and his mom made the arrangements and Katie got dressed. Fin settled into a chair at the table with Rose.
“’Bye,” Katie called, but Fin didn’t look at her.
“Uncle Fin?” Rose said in a quiet voice.
“What?” Fin said. His hand tapped on the armrest. Rose blinked, her chin quivered.
“Rose,” his mom said. “Will you be my helper and check on Maggie? She probably needs help with those trays.”
“Yes, Grandma,” she said with a small smile.
Fin shifted in his seat and rubbed his hand across his mouth.
“I know you’re still upset with your father, perhaps all of us, but please try around Rose.”
“Sorry,” Fin whispered. He hadn’t meant to snap at Rose.
“Would you like to talk?”
Fin shook his head and forced a grin. “All’s well, Mam.” He was miserable.
That evening, Fin greeted his mom, Rose, and Katie and showed them to a booth near the bar. Katie smiled as she studied the crowded room, but not at him. He edged across the room to check on Remi and Denise, who had also come in for family night. Katie’s ideas were working and Fin had to admit he wished he’d thought of them himself.
“And how are my three favorite ladies,” Fin asked when he brought Rose her dessert. Katie clenched her jaw. She seemed to hate it when he was charming.
“Who’s that lady you were sitting with, Uncle Fin?” Rose said. Katie smiled broadly but he didn’t find Rose’s irritated tone funny.
“That’s a friend of mine, Remi, and her daughter Denise. Maybe you’d like to meet them? Denise is five, like you.”
“Why didn’t you sit with us?” Rose asked. Katie stifled a laugh.
“I’m working, sweetheart.”
“Maybe if Uncle Fin brought Denise and Remi over, he could spare a few minutes?” Katie said with a smile. Fin shot her the Dunbar look before smiling too. He’d like to take her over his knee and spank her. He immediately regretted letting that image enter his mind. He forced his eyes to his mother.
“Okay, Mom?” he asked.
“I always like to meet your friends, dear.” She smiled serenely.
Katie smiled when Remi, Denise, and Fin, after brief introductions, squeezed into their booth. Bile rose in his throat. Denise and Rose admired each other’s “Cinderella” socks while his mom and Remi talked about how good Fin was with Rose and Denise as he looked on. He smiled in what he hoped was a smug way, wanting to get a reaction out of Katie. Her face grew redder by the second but she sat unmoving.
“I’ve got to get back to work,” Fin said, rising.
“We can’t have you disappointing the ladies,” Katie said. “I could take over for you.”
“That’s all right,” he said.
“Would you?” Remi said. “Denise and Rose are having such a good time, Fin, why not?”
Katie glanced at his mom, who raised her eyebrows before smiling. “We’re okay, if that’s what you want, Katie.”
“Where’re you going?” Rose said as Katie moved to get out.
“Uncle Fin will stay. I’m going to work for him.”
“Why can’t you both stay?” Rose asked. If Maureen had been there, she would have told her to mind her tone.
“We’re busy, my girl.” Katie kissed Rose on the cheek before shifting her to slide out of the booth. She strode away, her hips swaying. Fin smoothed the fabric of the booth with his finger. She glanced back at him, her body rigid, a scowl on her face. Where had the smiling, laughing Katie gone? Maybe that Katie didn’t exist.
Chapter Fifteen
Katie spent the next hour playing hostess, waiting tables, and barely taking a breath. Fin seemed relaxed enough when she had a moment to glance at him. He sat with his arm across the back of the booth, almost touching Remi. Each time she saw that, Katie’s thoughts started to spin, but she was so busy, the wheel stopped every time. As she bussed a table, a hand touched her shoulder.
“You’re really good here,” Fin said. He stood close behind her. Not as near as he had been earlier, but too close for Katie.
“Save your compliments for someone who wants them,” she said in a quiet voice. “I’ve had my fill of you and your kind.”
Fin removed his hand and stepped aside as Katie rushed into the kitchen, where Mike got ready to leave and Manny washed dishes. As she took off her apron, Fin appeared next to her.
“What the hell is your problem?” he asked in a fierce whisper. Katie stared at him, his Dunbar look in full force. She burst out laughing. Fin apparently found nothing funny.
“Ask yourself that. I’m carefree, you see.” Katie smiled and handed Fin the apron. “’Bye Mike,” she said to him as he turned to her from where he hung up his apron. She blew him a kiss.
“You’re a heartbreaker, yet,” Mike said with a chuckle. “We miss you.”
Katie waved at him and walked out before she broke down. She missed them and the pub too. She didn’t look at Fin and he didn’t follow. Rose ran to Katie and hugged her when she approached. Mary gathered their things. Katie’s head ached again, but she forced a smile.
“Have a good time?” Katie asked.
“We missed you,” Rose said.
“Me too,” Katie said as they walked out.
When Katie trudged in the side door at home after dropping Mary and Rose off, she sighed. Her dad sat alone in the family room, aimlessly flipping through the channels.
“That you, Mavis?” he said.<
br />
“No, it’s me,” Katie answered, putting her purse down and walking over. “Did you need something?”
“Nothing from you,” he said.
“Where’s Mom?” Katie ground her teeth, trying to control her temper.
“At a meeting over at Mrs. Knight’s. She should be home any minute.”
“I’ll go up if you don’t need me.”
“You do that. I don’t need a daughter who turns my employees against me. Never thought to fire Mike, but…” he stopped.
Katie drew in a breath. Surely he didn’t mean it. He was only trying to get a rise out of her.
“You do what you need to do, Dad.”
“Don’t care about anyone but yourself, do you, girl?”
Katie noticed the TV, stopped on a rerun of “I Love Lucy.” She blinked and glanced at her father, who sat with his arms crossed. In the grey light, she couldn’t see much, but she knew his expression well enough. She wished she could laugh at him as she had Fin earlier, but she couldn’t. If she laughed, she would cry too.
“That’s right, I’m a heartless bitch. Maureen and I are quite a pair.” Katie walked away, her head high. Her dad struggled to get up from the couch. A crutch crashed to the floor and he swore.
“Don’t bring your sister into this. Get back here, girl! I’m not through!”
“I am. Goodnight.” Katie strode out and into the hall. Her father shouted as her mom came in and tried to calm him. Katie went upstairs. She padded into her room and locked the door.
Katie spent time the next morning listening for her parent’s comings and goings so she wouldn’t run into either of them in the hall. As Katie sat in her room, her mom knocked on the door.
“Katie, aren’t you coming down for breakfast?”
“I’ll get something later.” Katie didn’t hear anything, but she could see her mom sigh and walk downstairs shaking her head as if she watched her. She thought about calling Aunt Aleen. She sometimes stayed there when her dad got mad at her. Knowing Mr. Dunbar lived there now stopped Katie from asking. She couldn’t picture him in her aunt’s two-bedroom cottage. He would envelop the space. There wouldn’t be room for anyone else.
Though she hadn’t heard from Fergus about the job, he said it might take a few days to finalize plans, she started going through all her things as a preliminary to packing. She was so organized there wasn’t really anything to do except look at her clothes, trying to decide if her favorite blue sweater needed to be thrown out or if her two suits would be enough. Then she pulled out the box with her favorite childhood toys: two “My Friend” dolls, a well-worn brown teddy bear, a white blanket, and a child’s tea set in a wicker basket. Rose might like to play with the tea set. She examined the pot, pink roses on the sides, and the tiny cups, but she felt an ache.
Closing her eyes, she drew in a quick breath as she saw the flash of a baby girl in a white christening gown, a shock of black hair on her tiny head, light eyes peering at her, her tiny self nestled in Katie’s arms. Katie could almost feel the warmth of her, and the closeness of the man next to her. She didn’t see him, but she knew in that split second he was there, his arm around her as he gazed at the sweet baby, their baby. Katie stood, knocking the tea set to the ground.
“Oh!” she said, picking up the cups and pot, unharmed, and placing them carefully back into their spots in the basket. Her hands shook a little as she put everything back in the box. “You’re going crazy, Dillon,” she whispered to herself with a laugh.
It means nothing, she told herself as she walked downstairs, yet Katie couldn’t help remembering that her two previous flashes had already happened. Maybe Maureen would be having another baby, one with her grandpa James’s dark hair and grandma Mary’s eyes, and Katie would be the godmother. Yes, that would explain it nicely, except the pit in Katie’s stomach disagreed.
When she got downstairs, her dad sat reading the paper in the living room as she passed by, but he didn’t look up. She made herself breakfast. Katie wondered where her mom was, but wasn’t curious enough to approach her dad. After she ate, she cleaned up and called Fergus to ask why she hadn’t heard anything from him about her new job.
“Don’t worry,” Fergus said after they’d exchanged pleasantries. “Everything will work out. As I said before, the business is in flux, but we’ll have something soon.”
“If anyone but you said that, I’d be suspicious.”
Fergus chuckled. “You know I won’t let you down.”
“I know. Maureen and Rose well?”
“Yes, we’re all fine, thanks. Looking forward to seeing you Sunday.”
“Sunday?”
“Didn’t anyone invite you?”
“For what?” Katie twisted the phone cord around her fingers.
“We’re all supposed to have lunch at my mom’s. I guess she and Rose forgot to ask you last night.”
“Maybe I’m not invited.”
“Of course you are. Be there at noon and bring your swimsuit.”
“Will Fin be there?” She untangled the cord and gripped the phone.
“Doubt it. My dad and Aleen are coming.”
“Oh. See you then, thanks.”
“No problem,” Fergus said. They said goodbye and hung up. Katie frowned. Even though it was Fergus, she was still leery. Crossing her arms across her chest to keep from biting her nails, Katie walked into the living room.
“Excuse me,” she said to her dad, who was hidden behind the Chronicle. “Did you know we’re all invited to Mary’s for lunch on Sunday? That was Fergus on the phone.”
“Yes,” he said, turning a page. “We’re not going.”
“Why?”
“Aleen and James will be there. I won’t support this nonsense. He made his choice.”
“And that’s that? Maybe if you hadn’t lied when he came to get Aunt Aleen in New York before he married Mary, he and--”
“Miss Know It All. You know nothing.” He glared at her as he lowered the paper. Katie met his eyes. He put up the paper. The doorbell rang so Katie went out to see who it was. Katie wanted to slam the door in his face, but he walked in as if nothing had happened, saying hello and going into the living room. Now her dad set down the paper.
“Michael,” he said. “Glad you could stop by.”
“Wanted to see how you’re recovering.” Michael shook her dad’s hand. “Mavis here?”
“No, she went to the library with a neighbor. Won’t you sit down? Would you like something to drink?” Her father was all smiles for Michael.
“No, thanks.”
“Michael’s leaving next week,” her dad said. “Couldn’t get a refund on your honeymoon tickets.” Katie nodded as both men studied her. “He suggested maybe you’ve been nervous about a big wedding. If you wanted to elope, your mother and I won’t mind.”
“Is that what he told you?” Katie smirked.
“It’s a nice day,” her dad said. “Why don’t you two go out on the back swing and talk?”
Michael stood and said goodbye to her dad before following Katie. She led him out the front door. There was no way she would sit on the back patio swing with Michael. The spot was too special to her. It was where she finally believed the man in her visions was Fin. Even though her dreams of Fin were all shoved back into her childhood fantasies box, she wouldn’t muddle it up with Michael.
“We can talk here,” she said, motioning to the chairs on the front porch as she shut the door behind them.
“Our last conversation here didn’t go well. Fin hiding somewhere?”
“I don’t need Fin to tell you I won’t take you back and you need to leave.”
“Katie, give us another chance. What difference does it make who I’ve dated? Do I ask about your old boyfriends?”
“Maureen is my sister. If you can’t see the difference--”
“And Fergus is your brother in law.”
“So? I never dated Fergus.”
“But you wanted to.”
�
�No, who told you that?” Katie studied him. “Maureen? It doesn’t matter. This whole thing makes me sick. You need to leave.”
“I don’t make you sick,” he said, pulling her into his arms. Katie sighed and closed her eyes. Her body went weak. She felt the man of her visions holding her, felt him kiss her. But it was Michael. It couldn’t be Michael.
“No,” Katie said as he held her, whispering in her ear. “You need to leave.” She tugged his arm and turned to walk him to his car. Fin leaned against the door of his truck with the Dunbar look, murderous.
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