He’d fucked things up with Sandy now, and for what? A roll in the hay with a woman who broke his heart once before, and left him so broken that it took him six years to move on. Not only had he probably lost the chance for a future with Sandy he’d probably ruined his friendship with her too. Now, what was he going to do?
Chapter 2
Sandy Churchill lay in her bed and wondered why she was disappointed that Ian hadn’t shown up for their date. Did she really expect it to happen? Sure, he’d asked her out and deemed it their first date, but something deep down told her it wasn’t going to happen. Men like Ian O’Connor had girlfriends that didn’t keep secrets, and she’d spent the last four years pining after the sexy doctor. Her friends constantly told her Ian was interested, but it was hard to believe it.
She’d gotten to the point where she could be in the same room with him and talk without her tripping over her words. Over the last few months, they’d texted each other for hours and even flirted, but nothing ever went beyond that. At least not until the other night when he’d said he wanted to take her on a date. She was so excited she jumped up from her chair and almost knocked one of her laptops to the floor.
The previous day she’d spent the whole day picking out the perfect outfit with the help of her sister Kim and best friend, Stephanie. She’d told Ian she wasn’t wearing a dress, but Stephanie had hounded her to wear the tight black dress that Kim had brought for her. She had to admit it looked good on her, and it made her feel powerful and sexy. He said he didn’t mind that she didn’t want to dress up but she was going to surprise him and blow his mind.
“Guess he wasn’t as okay as he said.” She wiped away a tear that had slipped from her burning eyes. What the hell was wrong with her? She didn’t cry over a man, and she certainly wasn’t going to stay in bed and be all depressed over one. Yet, here she was still curled up in the middle of her bed hugging her pillow.
The light from the rising sun began to move across the floor letting her know it was time to get her pathetic ass out of bed and do some work. As a computer analyst for Newfoundland Security Services she got to work from home most of the time, but as a freelance analyst for various police departments in the province, she’d also spend some time working outside of her home. Now the most difficult part of her job was working for someone that happened to be Ian’s brother.
Keith was a great boss, and even though most people found him intimidating, she knew the real Keith. He was calm, quiet, and yes, he could be overly serious, but he had a dry sense of humor which he didn’t let a lot of people see. There was also sadness in his eyes, but she knew why it was there. For some reason, he hadn’t made his family aware of the heartache he’d been through all those years ago. It was heartache for her as well but for different reasons.
She sat on the side of the bed and gazed over the ocean. Her bedroom was her favorite room in the house. Not only was it the biggest, but it had the best view. It was the main reason she’d divided it into her bedroom and home office. She had an incredible view of the Atlantic Ocean no matter where she sat in the room. During late spring and early summer, she’d spend hours watching the whales jumping or enjoy the majestic icebergs that would appear almost every year. They were beautiful, but they certainly put a chill in the air.
The worst thing was, it made it easy to be depressed and work without ever leaving her bedroom. She even kept a mini fridge stocked with drinks and snacks for those days she didn’t have time to eat or when she just felt like locking herself away. That was the way she felt, she didn’t want to leave the safety of her room.
The first thing she did was check her personal email out of habit. There was an email from her father, and once again it was the only way Stewart Michaels knew how to communicate with any of his kids. Her sister Kim and brother Brad received weekly emails from the man as well, and it was basically the same email addressed to each of them. Even though Kim, Brad, and Sandy had the same father, they had different mothers. Apparently, in his younger years, Stew was a bit of a womanizer and considering he had three children with three different women in less than two years it wouldn’t surprise her if there were more siblings they didn’t even know.
Sure, he was trying, which was more than he did when her mother was alive. Evelyn Churchill worked two jobs to make sure her daughter had everything she needed. When Sandy was eight, the school told her mother Sandy should be in a school for gifted kids. There was a school in Ontario, but it was expensive, and her mom couldn’t pay for it. It ripped her mother apart to contact Stew, but she did to see if he’d be willing to help. The response she got was a letter telling her to take him to court.
Her mother never contacted him again and worked herself into an early grave trying to ensure Sandy got the education she needed. Individual teachers were hired and by the time Sandy was fourteen she’d completed the high school curriculum and started university through correspondence. It was lonely, and she didn’t have a lot of friends, but she had her mom, and that was all she thought she ever needed.
Sandy had completed her masters in computer science by the time she was twenty-one, and although she loved working with computers, she also wanted to help people. She’d entered the police academy and graduated at the top of her class. When her superiors found out her background, she was recruited to be an analyst for the department. Then she was offered freelance work from other government departments.
When her mother passed away, she went a little wild and moved to Yellowknife. It was when she met Keith, and her life changed.
Sandy spent most of the morning researching some potential clients for Keith. She’d just completed a search as she sat back in her chair and stretched her arms over her head. The shrill ringing of her cell phone startled her making her almost tip over in her chair. Once she steadied herself, she pushed over next to her bed and snatched the phone off her nightstand.
Fuck!
Ian’s picture flashed on the screen. She wanted to answer it and give him a piece of her mind, but she knew the minute she heard his voice she’d melt. She held the phone against her chest until it stopped ringing. She closed her eyes to ease the burning of the tears and swallowed the lump forming in her throat. She took a couple of deep breaths to compose herself. Then her phone beeped telling her a text had just come in. It was from Ian.
Sandy, I’m so fucking sorry about last night. I know there’s nothing I can say that will make standing you up alright but I fucked up, and I want to make it up to you. Please call me or text me. The only excuse I have is I’m a stupid ass who needs to learn how to say no. I’ll be waiting to hear from you.
What was she going to do? The voice in her head was telling her to forget about him because he was way out of her league, but her heart was telling her to text him. She tossed her phone on the bed and headed to the ensuite off of her room. Maybe after a hot shower, she’d be able to work out her confusion.
The hot water running over her tense muscles felt like heaven, and she almost didn’t want to get out from under the spray. She finally turned off the water as it started to cool and opened the shower door. As she grabbed the towel from the rack, she caught a glimpse of herself in the full-length mirror on the back of the bathroom door.
Her hand smoothed across her lower abdomen and the tattoo that covered it from one hip to the other. Three large black butterflies with two roses next to each one. It wasn’t only a tribute to three people she loved and lost, but it covered physical scars and emotional ones as well. She turned around and saw the three small butterflies on her lower back that also covered physical scars. Very few people knew about those scars.
She walked out of her bathroom to the sound of her phone ringing again. She wasn’t sure if it was Ian, or if she should ignore his call again. Her curiosity got the best of her. She flopped on the bed, and the picture on the screen made her heart hurt. It wasn’t him.
“Hey, Steph.” Stephanie was one of her best friends, and as luck would have it, she was also marr
ied to one of Ian’s older brothers, John. No matter what she just couldn’t get out of the circle of the O’Connor family.
“Are you okay?” Stephanie sounded panicked.
“I’m fine. Why?” Sandy tapped the speaker on her phone while she got dressed.
“Ian’s been trying to get in touch with you, and he called me to see if I’d heard from you.” Her friend was checking up on the pathetic woman who’d been stood up.
“I’ve been working, and I just got out of the shower.” It wasn’t a lie because she had been working but she’d just been ignoring his calls and texts.
“He said you were probably pissed at him.” Stephanie sighed. “What did he do?”
“It’s nothing Steph. Something came up last night, and he had to cancel.” She wasn’t admitting he stood her up.
“And let me guess, the arse didn’t call and tell you.” By the tone of Stephanie’s voice, Ian was probably going to be getting an angry call from his sister-in-law.
“It’s fine Steph. Let’s just leave it at that.” Sandy pulled her still damp hair into a messy bun on top of her head. “Listen, I don’t mean to cut you off, but I’ve got some more work to get done, and you’re supposed to be enjoying your vacation. Aren’t you in Hawaii right now?” Stephanie and John had been trying to have a baby and weren’t having any luck. The doctors had told them that stress could make getting pregnant difficult sometimes. That was when they planned a three-week vacation to Hawaii to relax. She couldn’t believe Ian would call them while they were on holidays.
“Yes, and John is in the shower that’s why I called. I also wanted to thank you for calling the police when you saw Marina’s door open last night.” Stephanie’s sister Marina lived in the house next door, and when Sandy arrived home last night, she’d noticed Marina’s front door open, and Marina’s car wasn’t in the driveway. It turned out that someone had broken in and destroyed everything. Luckily James, another of the O’Connor brothers, had given her a place to stay while the police looked into the crime.
“I’m glad she didn’t come home to face that alone,” Sandy admitted.
“Me too. Well, I’m going to run but if you need to talk, call Marina or me. I’m sure she could use a distraction now.” Stephanie said.
“Don’t worry about me. You go get pregnant.” Sandy chuckled.
“I’m trying, damn it.” Stephanie laughed. “Love you. I’ll talk to you soon.”
“Love you too.” Sandy ended the call and sighed.
The only thing that was going to make her feel better was immersing herself in work, and that wasn’t going to be a problem because she’d received several requests for freelance research, plus her work with Keith. She’d also been asked by the local division of the Newfoundland Police Department if she’d be willing to work in the field a couple of nights if they were short staffed. Since the local unit just dealt mostly with the small town of Hopedale, she didn’t see it being a problem, and it would be good to get out working in the field again. Since everyone had discovered her aptitude for computers, she spent most of her time behind a desk. She’d give Kurt a call and let him know it would be a go.
Kurt O’Connor was the superintendent of the Hopedale unit of Newfoundland Police Department. He was also Ian’s Uncle, and he wasn’t the only O’Connor to work with the department. Ian’s two older brothers John and James were police officers as well as his youngest brother Aaron. There were seven brothers in all. Mike and Nick were both lawyers. It seemed like the town of Hopedale was overrun with O’Connors, but the truth was she liked the whole bunch of them.
So even though she’d probably end up running into Ian from time to time, the thought of leaving the small town never entered her mind. She’d miss it terribly, and no matter how painful it might be to run into him she couldn’t see herself living anywhere else. Besides, before she knew it, the pain would lessen because her heart felt ripped from her chest. Time always cured a broken heart. Right?
Chapter 3
Eighteen months later….
Thank fuck the twelve-hour shift was almost over with only three more hours to go. Ian loved being a doctor, but on nights like this, throwing in the towel and joining his father’s private practice full time was looking better and better. It would be dull, though because he craved the rush of the emergency department, but if he heard one more person ask if his diagnosis was correct, he’d probably have to punch someone.
“Another day in a lousy life.” Ian yanked open the door of his jeep and pulled his tired body inside. He dropped his head back against the rest, closed his eyes and growled. “What the fuck is wrong with me?” Even as he mumbled the question, he knew the answer. Hangover. Too much drinking at Aaron’s birthday party the previous night and of course knowing the issue and fixing it were two different things. “Why the hell didn’t I listen to Sandy?”
He smiled as he said her name because they’d finally got back where they were before he fucked up everything. Since he’d bought the house next door to her from his sister-in-law, he and Sandy spent warm evenings on his back deck talking and enjoying each other’s company or on colder nights in her sunroom at the back of her house.
She’d declined the invite to the party because she was working, even though Keith was her boss and told her to go. She didn’t. She did catch him as he was leaving and told him not to drink too much.
“Ian O’Connor, don’t you let those younger brothers of yours get you plastered.” She called out from her front door as he was heading out to Aaron’s car. “You know those three are nothing but trouble.” She shook her finger at him, and her beautiful mouth turned up into a smile.
“Hey now! That’s not nice.” Aaron shouted back at her and gave her the pout that got him into more women’s panties than Ian could count. “I thought you loved me, sexy.” Aaron continued.
“A.J. when are you gonna learn that little pout only works on girls with big boobs and no brains?” Sandy chuckled, and Ian rolled his eyes when Aaron slapped his hand over his chest and grunted as if he she punched him.
“Sandy, baby, that really hurt,” Aaron called back to her.
Ian’s jaw clenched. It shouldn’t bother him Aaron flirted with Sandy because it was like a sickness with the asshole. Most of the time it meant nothing.
Ian wanted to ask her out again, but the fear of screwing up again kept him from asking. He hated himself for standing her up but mostly for being so stupid. He hadn’t told Sandy what happened, but he had a feeling she knew.
The timer on his watch buzzed letting him know his fifteen-minute break was over. Not that doctors ever got full breaks, but when the emergency room slowed down, it was the best time to take a breather. As he was shoving his phone back into his pocket, it began to play the song ‘Bad to the Bone.’ It was the ring tone he set for Aaron. He didn’t need his brother’s annoying teasing over how drunk Ian had gotten at the party. So drunk, their oldest brother, John had to carry Ian into the house practically. His finger hovered over the ignore button, but if he did that Aaron would keep calling until he answered.
“I’m not in the fucking mood for your shit A.J. so….”
“Ian, thank God you answered. I needed to give you a heads up.” Aaron sounded panicked, and that wasn’t like him at all.
“Heads up on what? What’s wrong?” Ian sat straight up in the seat.
“Don’t panic, but we were on duty tonight, and well to make a long story short the suspect tried to take off but….”
“For fuck sake, A. J. spit it out.” Ian’s heart pounded because, including Aaron, four of his brothers were police officers. John and James were inspectors, Aaron was a sergeant and Nick had just graduated from the academy. Then there was his Uncle Kurt who was the superintendent.
Ian, Sandy was struck by the guy’s car, and the ambulance has her on the way to the emerg,” Aaron explained. It was as if someone punched him straight in the gut. “Bro, I know how you feel about her, so I wanted to warn you before the ambulance
just showed up with her.”
“What the hell was she doing out there?” Ian snapped as he jumped out of his jeep and jogged toward the emergency doors. “She’s supposed to be behind a desk not out chasing fucking assholes. She’s the computer guru.”
“She’s also a cop, Ian and she fills in from time to time,” Aaron said. “Look, bro, I know you’re working, and you’re not supposed to give out info but come on this is Sandy. She’s like part of the family. Anyway, we’re on the way back to the station to put out an All Points for the dick head, and then we’re heading to the hospital. Just keep us up to date.” Ian grunted a response and ended the call.
He was halfway across the parking lot when he heard the ambulance coming around to the entrance. His legs felt like jelly as he ran toward the door. He wanted to know just how bad this one was. He made it to the door just as they paramedics were jumping out.
“What have you got?” Ian tried to sound like he always did but his hands were shaking.
“Sandy Churchill, thirty-year-old police officer. Hit and run. Unconscious and non-responsive. Pupils are dilating, but she’s not responding to any painful stimulant.” Ian didn’t want to hear any more. They pulled the gurney out of the back, and he saw her face. Blood was smeared across her forehead, her right eye was swollen shut, and there was dried blood around her nose and mouth. He gasped and stepped back from the gurney.
“Dr. O’Connor, are you okay?” Ian turned at the sound of the voice. One of the nurses stood behind him as Sandy was wheeled in through the doors.
“Fine. Get this woman to triage.” Ian snapped, but as he was about to follow his stomach lurched and he ran for the garbage can next to the entrance. He heaved up everything in his stomach, and he knew why he was sick. It had nothing to do with the hangover, but it probably wasn’t helping. This happened every time someone he cared about was hurt or worse. It happened when his grandfather passed, when John almost died in a car accident, when James’ first wife lost her battle with cancer, and when Colleen left. Seeing Sandy in such bad shape was all he needed for it to happen again.
Dangerous Secrets (O'Connor Brothers Book 3) Page 2