New York Engagement

by Maida Malby

  She took her cell phone from her bag. Shit. Battery is dying already? Krista had left the data roaming on since they left the hotel. It had been constantly looking for networks. Ugh. Her cell phone bill would be astronomical. Good thing she didn’t have to pay rent on her best friend Maddie’s condo, or else she’d be sacrificing one indulgence next month. Probably a new pair of shoes.

  Krista went still. She didn’t need more shoes. She just got new ones. Krista set her bag to the side, leaned back, and lifted her feet. Her Jimmy Choo-boots-clad feet. Two-freaking-thousand dollars. Blake had paid one hundred thousand pesos for a pair of over-the-knee boots. Holy extravagance, Batman.

  “Those are gorgeous.”

  Krista dropped her feet with a thud. Face red, she lifted her gaze to the owner of the melodic voice that had paid her the compliment.

  Talk about gorgeous. Tight black curls, flawless dark skin, high cheekbones, and gleaming toothpaste-commercial teeth showing between red lips, stretched wide in a friendly smile, comprised a stunning face. If that didn’t stop traffic, the long-lashed blue eyes certainly would.

  Krista must not have responded fast enough, because the glorious being in front of her stopped smiling and made a move to step away.

  “Oh, thank you. I’m sorry. I was struck speechless. You’re so ... beautiful.” The woman looked like Vanessa Williams, only darker.

  For some reason, Miss America took that as an invitation to take a seat beside Krista. “So are you.” She crossed her legs, showing off the same boots in pale pink instead of Krista’s black. “Samesies.”

  Delighted with the beautiful stranger’s playfulness, Krista mirrored the pose with the opposite leg and said, “Twinning!”

  They both laughed in shared camaraderie known to women all over the world, no matter where they came from.

  “Hi, I’m Krista,” she said, holding out her hand.

  The other woman shook it enthusiastically. “I’m—”

  “Summer, what are you doing here?”

  “Aidan? Aidan Ryan? Oh, my gosh! It’s great to see you.” Summer rushed to enfold him in a hug.

  While Summer exuded warmth and excitement upon seeing an old friend, Aidan held himself stiff in her embrace. He stepped back to extricate himself from her arms. Frosty blue-gray eyes met confused baby blues.

  “Darling, really? Are you still mad at me? It’s been what? Nineteen years?” She reached up to touch Aidan’s face. Unlike Krista, Summer needed every bit of the boots’ four-inch heels to give her height. Even wearing them, she stood a head shorter than the military officer.

  “I was a child. A spoiled, bratty, selfish infant who had abandonment issues. I wanted to hurt you before you could leave me. I’m sorry. Please forgive me.”

  Krista leaned forward in her seat, enthralled by the drama unfolding before her. She didn’t know what Summer had done to Aidan nearly two decades ago, but if she were him, Krista would forgive her based on that apology alone. The intensity in the other woman’s voice and the plea in her eyes convinced Krista of her sincerity.

  It must have registered with Aidan as well because he grasped the hand touching his face and lowered it. “Fine, you’re forgiven.”

  Summer squealed happily and threw her arms around him once more. “Thank you, handsome. Come, let’s sit beside my new friend and I’ll tell you.” She held onto Aidan’s arm and tugged him towards Krista.

  Aidan caught Krista’s gaze and lifted a brow in inquiry. She stood and lifted her shoulders in a shrug, unsure what he’d asked her. She couldn’t read brow language well, unless the brows were raised by Blake or Maddie.

  Maddie! She’d forgotten Maddie, her best friend who had a crush on Aidan. She should have been angrier at this stunning woman’s touchy-feely ways with her friend’s object of admiration, but oddly she wasn’t. Summer was too charming. And married, if the rings adorning her left hand were any indication.

  “Aidan, this beautiful—and goodness, quite tall—young lady is Krista.”

  “I know.” Aidan’s voice barely concealed his laughter.

  “You know? How did you know?” Summer turned back to Aidan in surprise.

  “Krista is my brother’s girlfriend.”

  “Which brother?” Summer faced Krista, the red tone of her skin becoming more pronounced.

  “The middle one. I’m dating Blake.”

  “Blake. Oh dear, I guess I should apologize to him too, huh?” Summer plopped herself down on the chair and buried her face in her hands with a dramatic groan.

  Krista remained standing. She needed to stretch her legs and give her butt a rest from the rigid plastic.

  Aidan returned to his favorite spot against the wall. “If you feel you have to.”

  Summer looked up. “I want to. Where is he, anyway? Oh my God! Is he why you’re in the hospital? Is he sick? Has he been in an accident?” Summer threw the rapid-fire questions to both Krista and Aidan, her gaze swinging wildly between them.

  Why she felt she had to reassure the other woman of Blake’s good health, Krista didn’t know, but she stooped down and patted Summer on the shoulder. “He’s fine. He just went to get coffee.” She straightened, sensing Blake’s presence nearby. “In fact, here he is now.”

  CHAPTER SEVEN - Broadway

  Blake came to a halt at the sight of Krista, Aidan, and another woman who looked vaguely familiar. His breath caught when she looked up and, with tears in her eyes, asked the others a string of questions. Only one woman in his acquaintance had brilliant-blue eyes that contrasted vividly against dark skin—Summer Maguire, Aidan’s ex-girlfriend, Blake’s first lover.

  What the hell is she doing here? And why is Krista so chummy with her? With his eyes on his girlfriend, Blake approached the group. He stopped in front of Krista and kissed her on the lips, wanting to put on a united front.

  He passed the coffee tray to Krista and faced the blast from his and Aidan’s past. “Hello, Summer. Long time no see.”

  “Blake Ryan. All grown up.” She held out both arms to him. “Can I get a hug?”

  The look he threw his brother’s way was met with an indifferent shrug. Asshole was having a laugh at his expense.

  “Uh, sure,” he said, standing still while the tiny beauty attempted to wrap her arms around him without success. She finally quit trying and just patted his sides.

  “So, Blake. Uhm ... Can we please sit? I’m getting a crick in my neck looking up at all of you giants.”

  Blake allowed Summer to pull him down, and he took a seat beside her. He accepted his coffee from Krista, who had sat down to eat her breakfast the moment he handed it to her. She’s starving. A twinge of guilt pierced him. He’d been doing a piss-poor job of taking care of her in his hometown.

  “I’m sorry,” Summer blurted out beside him, bringing his attention back to her.

  “For what?” As soon as he said it, he knew. Before he could stop her, Summer was already babbling out her apologies.

  “For using you to get back at Aidan. For seducing you when you were so young.”

  Fuuuuck!

  Krista stared at them, slack-jawed, her sandwich perched on her lap, half-eaten. “You two were lovers?” she choked out. She glanced between Summer and Aidan with dawning horror, putting two and two together and arriving at the right answer.

  Blake winced. He realized how sordid it all seemed—two brothers, one girl—especially to someone who had held onto her virginity until the age of thirty.

  Summer practically pushed Blake to the floor in her rush to get to Krista. “Oh, babe. It wasn’t their fault. Especially Blake. I was to blame,” she explained to his astonished girlfriend. “Aidan wouldn’t do what I wanted, so I used his brother to get back at him. I sneaked into Blake’s bedroom and made sure Aidan would find us together.”

  Blake felt his face turn crimson. “Summer, it’s okay. Apology accepted. No need to get into details.”

  Summer waved an imperious hand and continued her story. “I didn’t plan on anythin
g to happen, but, well ... one thing led to another and ...”

  “And?” Krista urged.

  “And nothing. That’s enough, Summer. This is neither the time nor the place to rehash ancient personal history.” Aidan’s steely command brooked no argument.

  Chastened, Summer slapped a hand over her mouth. Krista moved one seat away, separating herself physically from the three Americans.

  Blake scanned the hallway for unusual interest in their odd little group but found others preoccupied with their own business. The bunch of partygoers to his right were sprawled on the floor, playing cards. Nurses and hospital staff went about their work, oblivious to their drama on this side of the waiting room.

  Whew. God bless indifferent New Yorkers. He didn’t care to be featured on YouTube with a salacious version of something that hormonal teenagers went through every day, all over America. Possibly not in the Philippines, where the Catholics practiced their faith zealously, but it was perfectly normal in the US. He hoped Krista understood that.

  Blake snuck a glance at her. She sat hunched on the chair with her chin resting on a closed right fist, elbow braced on knee, teeth biting down on her bottom lip.

  Just as he thought of going to her, Krista dropped her arm to her lap and straightened her spine. She glanced at him before raising her gaze to Aidan. “What did you find out about the blood donation?”

  “The hospital has stored blood for emergencies. If they run out, they’ll call the Red Cross. But, if there are family members present, willing to give blood, they will accept the donation, even outside office hours. The operative word is ‘family.’ We consider Uncle Jack family, but we’re not actually related. We’ll have to wait until the blood bank opens at eight. I apologize for not telling you sooner.”

  Krista’s mouth turned down in disappointment. “Thanks for checking.”

  “Uncle Jack? Jack O’Connor? From the pub? He’s why you’re all here?” Summer piped up.

  Blake had forgotten that Summer’s father was Irish, too. The Ryan O’Connor Pub and Restaurant was a favorite haunt among their parents’ generation. Along with her beauty, their shared heritage had made her attractive to Aidan and him when they were younger. “Yes. He was stabbed outside the pub in a thwarted robbery earlier this morning.”

  “Wait. My partner operated on a stabbing victim a few hours ago,” Summer announced. “That’s why I’m here. To drag Sam home.” She turned to Krista. “I was about to do that when I saw you and got distracted. Maybe a surgeon will be able to facilitate the process for you. I’ll have Sam paged now. Be right back.” Without waiting for a response, she got to her feet and took off for the nurse’s station.

  No one spoke. They all watched Summer’s disappearing form. When she was out of sight, Krista finally turned around to face the brothers. She huffed out a rueful breath. “Well.”

  “Yeah, our Summer is a force of nature.” Aidan sat beside Blake and dropped a bombshell in a quiet voice. “I never slept with her.”

  The fuck? Blake squinted at his brother. Aidan never lied. He would keep his mouth shut rather than say something untrue. “You guys were together all through high school. You were always kissing and touching in public.”

  “All for show. We were each other’s cover. I wanted to concentrate on my studies, graduate early. I didn’t need the distraction of girls to derail my plans. She needed me to keep the boys away from her.”

  “Are you saying that night was her first time, too?”

  “Maybe. Possibly. I didn’t want to be her experiment, so she turned to you.”

  “That’s messed up, Aidan. I didn’t know what I was doing. I could have hurt her.”

  “She could have hurt you. Why do you think I split from her?”

  “Because you’re an ass?” Blake teased.

  “True. But also, because you had a crush on her. And she would have only broken your heart.”

  “How did you know that, Oh Wise One? You have superpowers I don’t know about?”

  “That’s how,” Aidan replied, inclining his head to the left.

  To Summer returning to them with her arm around the waist of a white-coated doctor.

  Both men got to their feet to meet the newcomer. Krista was slower to rise. Blake briefly saw her gape at the pair before composing her features.

  “Guys! I didn’t have to page her. She was already coming out. This is Dr. Samantha Vasquez, my wife. Sam, meet the lovely Krista. Aaand, the Ryan brothers, Aidan and Blake,” Summer said, introducing them with a flourish.

  With twinkling eyes, Dr. Vasquez shook their proffered hands. “The Ryan brothers from high school?” she teased her wife.

  “Yes. All is forgiven and forgotten. We’re all fine.” She waved her hands in the air, dismissing the topic. “Krista here needs your help. Tell her, babe.”

  “I want to donate blood to Jack O’Connor. I was informed we have the same type.”

  “Are you related to the patient?”

  Krista reached for Blake’s hand. “Uhm, there’s a slim possibility.”

  The doctor stared at Krista without speaking for a few seconds. Krista’s grip on her boyfriend’s hand tightened while they waited for Sam’s decision.

  “All right. I’ll get a nurse to assist you. The process may take a couple of hours. We need to screen you for HIV, hep B, etcetera. Follow me.”

  “I’m going with you,” Blake asserted.

  “I’ll stay here. Make sure Tita Belen has company,” Aidan said.

  Blake nodded to his girlfriend, wordlessly telling her to go ahead.

  “Don’t mention to Tita Belen that Krista is donating blood for Uncle Jack,” he told his brother.

  “Okay. If I’m not here when you’re finished, I’ll see you at the pub.”

  “Yup. All hands on deck tonight. Bye.”

  CHAPTER EIGHT - The Big Apple

  Krista pressed the fingers of her right hand against the dressing the phlebotomist had put over the inside of her elbow. She waited for him to leave so she could talk to Blake. They were told to stay there for thirty minutes. She decided it would be a good use of their time to clear the air.

  Blake must have read her thoughts. “Sweetheart, I’m sorry for snapping at you when you asked for Aidan’s help earlier.” He laced his fingers through hers. “I wanted to be the one doing things for you, not my brother. It frustrates me when he can deliver where I can’t.”

  Krista’s eyes softened. Being the eldest child herself, she’d felt an affinity for Aidan. She knew right away that he’d get things done. Not because she thought Blake couldn’t accomplish the same, but because Aidan had the more arrogant aura. Where Blake used charm, Aidan used intimidation. Blake’s way suited the Filipinos, Aidan’s wouldn’t. The military officer fitted Singapore, his current base, perfectly.

  “Hon, you don’t have to provide for me every time. Let others share in the giving. Let me give to you sometimes. I might not have as much money, but I can give you my time and my heart.” She raised their joined hands to her lips and kissed his knuckles.

  “And I appreciate that, love.” Blake dropped a kiss on her lips. “If I’m out of sorts, it’s because of Uncle Jack being stabbed and because of New York.” He took a deep breath. “Do you know the saying ‘you can never go home again’ and what it means?” Blake waited for Krista’s nod before he continued. “Don’t get me wrong. I love New York. It’s the greatest city in the world. I was born here. I grew up here. I’m proud to be able to call it my hometown.”

  Blake’s fingers closed firmly over Krista’s.

  “But in New York, I’m always my parents’ child, first. I’m always the second Ryan son. I’m always Aidan’s younger brother. My accomplishments are nothing to those who know me here.”

  Blake’s shoulders slumped, and a bitter smile shaped his lips.

  “Increased your company’s profit by five hundred percent, you say? That’s nothing. Aidan almost died in Afghanistan when an IED exploded beside his truck. Patrick
won the Ryder Cup for the US team. Ronan saved a child’s life by rescuing her from druggie parents. Craig won a James Beard Award and two Michelin stars. Darcy has two master’s degrees and is a PhD candidate. All at the ripe old age of twenty-four.”

  Krista’s throat clogged from holding back her tears. She didn’t want Blake to think she pitied him. No wonder he loved it in the Philippines. There, he was celebrated, respected, admired. In her country, her boyfriend was supremely confident; he managed everything and everybody around him.

  She swallowed past the lump in her throat. “Honey, you’re the best man I know. You provide a livelihood to thousands of Filipinos. Those profits you mentioned ensure the company will continue to stay in my country for a long time, helping the economy.”

  Krista’s voice kept getting firmer as she extolled Blake’s virtues. “I love you, and I’m proud of you. I’m sure your parents are, too.”

  Blake caressed her cheek. “I don’t know what I did to deserve you, but I’m thankful I have you in my life.” He planted a soft kiss on her lips. “I’m sorry for getting maudlin and making everything about me. Summer must have rubbed off some of her drama queen tendencies on me when she gave me a hug.”

  Krista spluttered a laugh. “Oh my God. I’ve never met anybody like her in my life.”

  Blake grimaced. “Yeah, she’s a character, all right. She made a big show of blaming Aidan for driving her to my bed. She didn’t want him to join the air force and leave her. I don’t know how arranging for Aidan to find her with me would have stopped him. I can’t pretend to understand how her brain works, so I won’t even try.”

  Amusement still curling Krista’s lips, she asked, “She popped your cherry?”

  “Aargh! Yes. She might have just wanted to pretend we were in bed together, but she was naked. I was young and horny. I didn’t even know how to put on a condom. I had enough presence of mind to pull out and spill on my bedsheets when I came. I don’t remember a lot about that day, but I know it only took five minutes.”