“I don’t think anyone can ever imagine going through something like that. Yeah, you can plan for any eventuality, but until you wake up to that nightmare, it’s impossible to understand the emptiness.”
Darcy just nodded in agreement.
“It’s like a line in my life. An actual line that is slashed across my soul. It delineated everything that came afterwards. I reference everything either to before my parents died or after my parents died. I think back on that day in particular and remember what I had for breakfast that morning. What I was wearing. The last song that was on the radio before I parked my car to meet my parents. I can’t eat Frosted Mini-Wheats anymore. I can’t even stomach the smell of them. I burned the pair of jeans and the shirt I had on. How was I ever going to be able to put them on again and not think about it? And to this day, every time REM comes on the radio, I turn the station. It doesn’t even matter what song it is, I just hear his voice and I’m back at that federal building again.”
Quinn sighed. It had been a long night. But when she’d woken up this morning, she was unusually peaceful. Her mother wouldn’t have wanted her to wallow away just because it was her birthday.
She’d dreamed about her. And in Quinn’s dream, her mom was happy. Between Ewan’s comfort and her dream, something had mended her heart a little bit.
“My grandma is the most important person in my life,” Darcy said softly. “I can’t imagine how I’d manage if something would happen to her.”
Quinn smiled faintly at her friend. Darcy wasn’t forthcoming with information about her family or past. Quinn didn’t push her or ask her pointed questions, but she tried to encourage her friend to talk to her if she wanted to.
“That’s why you need to make every moment count. Don’t set yourself up for any regrets.”
“Yeah. Life’s too short, right?”
“Exactly.” She smiled. “Which is why you need to grow a pair and let Sean know you’re crazy about him.”
Darcy gurgled into her tea and came away coughing.
“Fuck no. I’ve changed my mind. I’m cutting that dream loose,” she said as she wiped tea from her chin.
“What? You can’t just say it’s over. You can’t turn off love like a light switch.”
“Whoa, there, amiga. Who said anything about love?”
Quinn gave Darcy a look that hopefully said you’re delusional.
“Okay, how about this?” Darcy started. “I’ll probably always have a thing for Sean. He’s been pulling on my heartstrings longer than I’ve been wearing a bra. But my feelings are changing. And I want someone to feel that way about me. And if it’s not gonna be Sean, then it’s gonna have to be someone else. I deserve that, right?”
Quinn nodded at her friend. Everything she said was completely true. But the pained look in Darcy’s eyes told Quinn that her friend wasn’t buying her own brand of advice. Before she could tell her that, there was a sharp knock at the door.
“Yoo-hoo! Anyone home?”
Quinn turned to see a middle-aged woman standing on the porch on the other side of the screen door. She wore a blue-and-white-polka-dot sundress that fell just below her knees with dark Mary Jane shoes. Her light hair hung to her chin in ribbons of curls. She was quite striking for an older woman.
“Oh, dear Lord,” Darcy murmured.
Quinn furrowed her brow in confusion as Darcy’s cheeks turned a faint pink. Quinn got up and walked to the door.
“Hello. Are you looking for Maura Hughes?”
“No, actually. I was hoping to speak with you,” she replied with a pleasant smile of straight white teeth.
Quinn opened the door and invited the woman inside.
“You must be Quinn.” She grasped her hand in both of hers. “I drive by this house every day on my way to work, and I can’t help but marvel over the beautiful job you’ve done on your aunt’s backyard. It’s stunning! What a lovely retreat you’ve made for her.”
“Thank you, ma’am.”
“Now, I hope I’m not being too forward, but I have been thinking about doing something in my own back garden, but I just don’t know where to even begin! Since you're so talented, do you think you might be able to stop over to my house and have a look around? Maybe you could give me some ideas for a way to spruce it up.”
The woman looked so hopeful chewing on her bottom lip Quinn almost laughed.
She must have mistaken Quinn’s lack of response as a negative answer. “Oh, please? Maybe you can stop by tonight and stay for dinner, dear. I’d be happy to set an extra plate for you.”
The woman seemed harmless enough. And it wasn’t like she had anything else to do. Ewan had said he had dinner plans at his aunt’s this evening, so she wouldn’t see him until later anyways. Stopping over to have a look at a backyard couldn’t hurt.
“I’d be happy to take a look at your garden.”
“Oh, wonderful! I don’t live far from you. Here’s my address.” She handed Quinn a piece of flower-covered stationary. “Shall we say around seven this evening?”
“That sounds fine.”
“Lovely. I’m making a roast. I hope that’s okay.”
“That’s fine, thanks.”
“See you tonight, Quinn,” she said, giving a little wave as she turned to go, but then stopping suddenly. “Darcy! I didn’t even see you sitting over there. How are you, dear?”
Darcy smiled shyly at the woman. “Fine, Mrs. McKenna. Nice to see you.”
Quinn looked at her friend and then back to the light-haired woman standing in the doorway.
Mrs. McKenna?
“It’s always a pleasure to see you. You are looking prettier than ever. Did you cut your hair since I saw you last?”
Darcy shook her head and smiled.
“Well, you look lovely nonetheless.”
Mrs. McKenna looked back and noticed Quinn’s confused expression.
The woman blushed and covered her mouth. “Heavens me! I apologize for not introducing myself. I’m so absentminded these days. My name’s Katherine McKenna. I’m Sean’s mother. And Ewan’s aunt.”
Chapter 19
Ewan noticed the familiar black Honda in his aunt and uncle’s driveway as soon as he turned in. There was no way that Maura Hughes would be here paying a visit, which meant that Quinn was around.
Fuck.
Not that he wasn’t happy to see her, but Quinn being in the same room with his aunt? It was a recipe for an embarrassing disaster of epic proportions.
He found his uncle alone in the kitchen, pouring himself two fingers of scotch.
“Hey there, my boy. How are ya?”
Ewan pulled down a tall glass for water. “Good. You?”
“Oh, just fine,” he said, taking a sip of his drink. “Your aunt’s pulled over your pretty little friend for dinner tonight.” His uncle was looking out the back window to where Quinn’s familiar figure was kneeling next to a row of pink flowers. His aunt, covered with her kitchen apron, stood next to Quinn with her arms folded over her chest, nodding away like a woodpecker.
Quinn’s long green dress was sleeveless, exposing her freckled shoulders. Her light brown hair, which looked even lighter with the sun shining on it, was swept up in a knot at the back of her head. She was facing away from them, and the light cotton fabric of her dress clung to her shapely behind as she leaned over the flowers. One look at her ass was a blaring reminder of how long it had been since he’d been with her.
“Kate’s got it in her head to redo the back garden. She asked your gal for help. Bribed her with food just to get her over here.” The two men watched as the women moved farther away in the yard.
“She’s not my gal, Uncle.”
Connor let out a harsh laugh. “Stop playing the fool, son. There isn’t anything wrong with admitting what’s so clear to everyone else.”
Everyone else needed to mind their own bloody business.
“What’s for dinner?” Ewan asked, changing the subject.
“Roast beef.�
��
“Again?”
“Afraid so. But because of our guest we get to eat it on the fancy plates.”
Sure enough, her aunt had pulled out the plates she saved for special occasions. There was even a vase full of flowers in the middle of the table.
Jesus.
Putting his glass in the sink, he headed out into the back garden. He watched as Quinn hiked her skirt up to mid-thigh as she straddled another flower bed. This time, the sun was positioned perfectly so he could see the darkened silhouette of her lean legs and hips underneath her skirt.
Goddamn it. Weren’t women supposed to wear some sort of skirt underneath their skirts to prevent this very thing?
Ewan looked back at the kitchen window and narrowed his eyes at his uncle, who barked out a laugh at Ewan’s murderous expression. Quinn was standing normally again, and she’d moved—thank God—into a shaded portion of the yard. Ewan shoved his hands in the front pockets of his jeans.
“Ewan!” his aunt said, finally realizing he was halfway across the yard. “You snuck up on us!”
Quinn smiled at him as he approached. She looked so calm and peaceful. Some people were just meant to be outdoors, and she was one of them.
“Hey, Aunt Katherine.” He kissed his aunt on the cheek like he always did when he greeted her. “Hey, Quinn.”
There was a soft pink blush creeping across her cheeks that was lovely. Especially since the last time he’d seen her she’d had puffy red eyes and a tear-streaked face.
“Quinn has agreed to help me with my back garden. Isn’t that wonderful?”
“Yeah. And I hear you’ve offered to pay her in roast beef.”
“Of course not! I will pay her a proper fee, for sure. Quinn, dear, we can discuss that later if that’s okay. I wanted you to have a look at the garden so you can come up with one of your brilliant ideas. But goodness, it must be time to eat by now. Come on, kids, let’s head into the house.” She hurried off toward the back door, leaving the two of them alone.
“I hope you don’t mind I’m here. Your aunt stopped by the house this afternoon, and she asked if I’d come over.”
Ewan shook his head. It wasn’t that he minded she was there. It was the inevitable clusterfuck he saw coming once they all stepped inside that he was worried about. He’d never had a woman over for dinner before. And technically, since he hadn’t invited Quinn, his record still stood. Knowing that he wouldn’t invite Quinn over himself, his aunt had taken it upon herself to get the ball rolling. No wonder she’d sounded so desperate this afternoon when she’d called to remind him about dinner.
“How’s your day been?” he asked.
She smiled and nodded. “It’s been good.”
With it being her mother’s birthday, he knew it was probably tough for her, but she seemed to be holding up okay. As they stared at each other for a moment and he searched her face, he could tell she was telling the truth. The warmth that had been missing the night before was back in her eyes. She looked happy.
A soft tendril of hair fell down from the messy knot on the top of her head. His gaze followed as it snaked down around the bare skin of her collarbone. Without thinking, Ewan reached out and hooked it back behind her ear. He didn’t miss Quinn’s quick inhale as his fingertips wound their way along her chin. He stepped closer to her and could smell the sweet lavender scent that always seemed to linger on Quinn’s skin. He didn’t dare kiss her or allow his body to make contact with hers or else they’d be on their way to his truck for a quick trip back to his apartment rather than going inside to eat the dinner his aunt had made. He’d just have to make sure there was plenty of time for fun later.
“If we make it through dinner unscathed, wanna get out of Ballagh tonight? Go get into some trouble?”
Quinn’s eyes were slightly dazed and locked on his lips.
“What kind of trouble?” she whispered.
“The kind that involves you and me and no clothes.”
Quinn swallowed and raised her eyes to his.
“Think your aunt would mind terribly if we skipped dinner?”
He grinned. “Unfortunately, yes, she would. And just a word of warning…my aunt’s roast…” Ewan shook his head and winced.
Quinn laughed when she caught his meaning. “Gotcha. Thanks for the heads-up.”
He nodded his head toward the back door. “Come on.”
Let’s get this over with.
###
“Is there anything I can help with?” Quinn asked as they entered the kitchen, where Ewan’s aunt was pulling a stone pot out of the oven.
“Not a thing, dear. Why don’t you wash up and go have a seat in the family room while Ewan gets you something to drink.”
She smiled at Ewan as he rolled his eyes. Quinn washed her hands at the kitchen sink before joining Connor McKenna in the family room. The house, on the whole, was larger than most of the homes in the area. It was a two-story stucco with a chimney stack on either side of the house. The entire property was surrounded by high hedges and giant oak trees. It was obvious that Connor and Katherine McKenna did well for themselves. Who would have thought a village pub and a few restaurants would pull in so much money?
Connor shifted uncomfortably in his small upholstered chair.
“Bloody chairs are completely useless if you ask me. Ten minutes sitting here and I’ll need a chiropractor to help me walk again.”
He obviously didn’t spend a lot of time in this room. In fact, it didn’t look like anyone did. The formal furniture was arranged in a U-shape with the focal point being the massive stone fireplace. There was a beautifully woven rug under the dark-wooded chairs, and the emerald-green drapes that dressed the windows were thick velvet. Ornate lamps sat atop the side tables, and a glass-topped coffee table sat in the middle of the room. There was not one speck of dust to be seen.
Ewan’s uncle still shifted in the seat across from Quinn, looking about ready to rip the dainty arms off the chair.
“I think Kate meant for you to have a look at those. No other explanation for why she hauled them down from the attic.” Ewan’s uncle pointed to the photo albums sitting on the coffee table. Quinn smiled, picking up the book on top.
The very first picture was of a lovely looking family standing in front of a Christmas tree. From the small handwritten caption, the photo was taken about twenty years ago.
Connor had more hair on his head, but his jovial smile was still the same. The Katherine in the photo looked just like the woman in the kitchen fixing dinner, except for her hair being a tad bit darker. Two children stood in between them, both with light blond hair. Sean’s grin was just as ornery as it was now. And from the uncanny resemblance, the little girl standing beside him had to be his sister.
“Is this your daughter?”
“Yes, that’s our Megan. She lives in Chicago with her husband. She’s two years older than Sean.”
The little girl was an exact replica of her mother. Standing with her hands clasped in front of her, she didn’t have a hair out of place. She had a pleasant look about her. Judging from how she looked in the photo, Quinn knew she must have turned into a beautiful woman.
The final member of the family was a tall dark-haired boy standing to the left of his uncle. The boy’s dark blue eyes gazed at the camera, and the familiar expressionless face made Quinn’s heart clench. Although his uncle’s arm was slung tightly around his shoulders, Ewan seemed to be separate from the group. His arms hung at his sides, his chin was slightly tilted up, and his slim body carried what could only be described as teenage awkwardness.
Even though his face was that of a boy, it was hauntingly mesmerizing. Although Ewan could hide it better as an adult, she knew he still carried around the same sadness this little boy couldn’t keep out of his eyes.
Quinn gently moved her finger along the side of Ewan’s teenage face, wanting to hug him.
“Here’s your wine.”
Quinn looked up to see Ewan standing beside her, extendi
ng a glass toward her. His brow was furrowed like he knew what she’d been thinking and it bothered him.
“Thanks.” He’d remembered she preferred Merlot. She scooted over to the side for him to sit next to her, but he shoved his hands in his pockets instead.
“I’d prefer to stand. I don’t want to mess up Aunt Katherine’s new furniture.”
“Damn waste of good money is what it is,” his uncle grumbled.
“I heard that!” Katherine yelled from the kitchen.
Connor McKenna flinched and Quinn smiled. She continued to flip through the pages of the photo album, coming across many pictures of Ewan. There were a number of him and Sean, mud covering every inch of their legs, holding rugby balls. There were some family vacation shots, one of which was taken at a beach somewhere. Sean and Ewan were in swim trunks, Megan in a one-piece bathing suit.
There was a picture of a grumpy Ewan standing next to his beaming uncle on his high school graduation day. Ewan’s dark hair was a lot longer than what it was now. His long bangs had almost covered his eyes. His face had filled out from the little boy she’d seen on the first page. He was insanely handsome, even at that age. With his diploma in hand, his dark, striking features were evident, not to mention what looked like a bruise above his left cheekbone.
Just as Quinn turned the page and saw a picture of Ewan standing behind the bar at the pub, his aunt came into the room.
“Alrighty, dinner is ready. Oh, Quinn, you found some old photo albums!” She clasped her hands in front of her, delighted.
“Yeah, imagine that,” Ewan muttered.
His uncle tried to hide his laugh by clearing his throat. Katherine pushed her way past Ewan and sat next to Quinn, commandeering the album.
“I just love this picture,” she said, flipping back to one of the beach photos. Sean and Ewan stood in waves about knee high. Sean, looking to be seven, had a look of terror on his face while Ewan had a hold on his cousin’s upper arm, dragging him out of the water. “Sean had just been stung by a jellyfish. Ewan came to his rescue and pulled him out of the water. We aren’t sure if the look on Sean’s face was because he’d just gotten stung or from Ewan’s continued attempts to convince him that the only way to make the sting go away was if Sean let him pee on his leg!”
The Best Part of Me Page 20