Trevor (A MacLaughlin Family Novella)

by Shannan, Krystal

  TREVOR

  A MacLaughlin Family Novella

  By

  Krystal Shannan

  Waking Sarah, Vegas Mates Book 3

  Copyright © 2013 Krystal Shannan

  All rights reserved.

  This book is a work of fiction and any resemblance to persons –living or dead –or places, events, or locales is purely accidental. The characters are reproductions of the author’s imagination and used fictitiously. This book contains content that is not suitable for readers 17 and under.

  Cover design by Krystal Shannan

  All rights reserved.

  Please be aware that this book cannot be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without written permission from the author, Krystal Shannan, at krystalshannan@yahoo.com, or within the sharing guidelines at a legitimate library or bookseller. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author’s rights. Purchase only authorized editions.

  WARNING: The unauthorized reproduction, sharing, or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. Criminal copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain, is investigated by the FBI (http://www.fbi.gov/ipr/) and is punishable by up to five years in a federal prison and a fine of $250,000.

  Dedication

  To my dear sweet husband who kept telling me I needed to finish this story

  1

  The sound of a woman screaming in agony was not what Trevor MacLaughlin expected to hear on a quiet Tuesday morning at the office.

  His chair hit the wall with a heavy thud. He raced to the lobby. Karen Ramsey, his best friend’s wife, was hunched over her desk, her face twisted in pain. She wasn’t due for two weeks. Apparently the baby was calling an audible.

  What the hell am I supposed to do now?

  He ran to Karen’s side. She grabbed his hand, squeezing it hard enough to cut off his circulation and pop a few joints.

  “Karen?”

  She sucked in a few more breaths and wheezed, gradually releasing her death-grip on his hand. He flexed it, popping his knuckles back into alignment. Damn, she was strong.

  “I thought they were just Braxton Hicks last night, bu—”

  He winced. Her fingers clamped down hard and another wail filled the small office.

  The growling scream tapered off and she glanced up, meeting his gaze. “I guess I was wrong,” she finished, so matter-of-factly, like she hadn't just been screaming bloody murder.

  “Braxton what?” he asked without thinking.

  “Oh don’t worry, just get my bag out of the coat closet. I need a ride to the hospital.”

  He stared. His brain hadn’t quite caught up with the situation. He’d known Karen for years and she never complained about anything. All the MacLaughlin brothers had watched over her during the pregnancy. Logan, her husband, had been deployed when she was twelve weeks along.

  They’d brought her food everyday. Drove her to and from work and coddled her in every way they could devise. They discovered early, if they kept her fed and pampered she purred like a kitten 24/7. Even their mom and sister teased them about doting on her too much. But in their eyes, Karen was just an extension of the family and she’d kept MacLaughlin Corp. running smoothly for the past six years.

  “Trevor! Now!”

  Her snarl snapped him out of his daze.

  “Unless you’d rather deliver this baby yourself?”

  “No, ma’am.” He moved swiftly to the closet, retrieved her overnight bag, and was back at her side in seconds.

  He walked her slowly out to his big dually pick-up, parked in the front lot, lifted her up, and placed her gently into the passenger seat. After clipping her seatbelt into place, he hurried around the truck and climbed in next to her.

  They weren’t far from the hospital. Ten minutes and three contractions later, he whisked her through the sliding emergency room door.

  “Call my mother before you come into the delivery room,” she hollered as the nurses wheeled her down the hallway.

  “Into the…Karen,” he gulped. “I don’t know if—”

  “You call my mom, Trevor MacLaughlin and get your ass in here with me until she arrives. I’m not doing this alone!”

  Another contraction hit and he cringed at her howl of pain. He turned and headed toward the waiting area to call her mom.

  “Son of a philandering toad bastard’s mo—” The hallway doors swung shut, cutting off her rant.

  He shook his head and smiled. Her curses were legendary in the office. They usually ended up being funnier than they ever were mean.

  He swiped the screen on his phone and looked up her mother’s number. No way was he going in that delivery room. Logan would kill him.

  The phone rang on the other end of the line and a soft voice spoke.

  “Trevor?”

  “Mrs. DeGault, your daughter is in labor and asking me to go in with her to the delivery. Which I’m not ve—”

  “You just park it in the lobby, young man. I’ll be there in five, I was already halfway to the office.”

  Thank the Lord!

  <><><>

  Lorelei Ward curled into the armchair of her daddy’s office and smiled. He was busy scrawling notes on a pad of paper, paying no heed to her sitting with her tablet watching him. She pulled the colorful afghan wrapped around her shoulders tighter. Winter had come to Texas early this year and everyone had already dug out their sweatshirts and blankets. Though she’d laughed to see several pair of flip-flops still inhabiting space on the floor next to the back door of her parent’s house. Her daddy hated shoes as much as she did.

  “What are your plans, hon? I heard you talking to your mother. You know we are leaving for our cruise tomorrow.” He paused from his work, and looked up to meet her gaze. Soft brown eyes twinkled with curiosity. One of his silver eyebrows arched questioningly.

  “I didn’t really have any, and yes, I know you are leaving. But, Lizzy MacLaughlin called this morning and her brothers need some help in the office last minute. Karen Ramsey went into labor two weeks early and had a little baby girl yesterday.”

  “So you’re going to help in an office?” The other eyebrow rose.

  Lorelei giggled. “I’m capable of a lot of things. I’ll have you know, my desk is completely clutter-free at the moment.”

  “I don’t doubt you are capable, sweetheart. I just worry Karen will hunt you down after-the-fact for destroying any semblance of order.”

  A chuckle shook through her body. “It will be fine. Lizzy said she’d help too. When she has time between assignments.” She had no intention of telling her father the whole thing was a set up. Lizzy was trying to help her get Trevor to notice her.

  He hadn’t when she was younger, but maybe now that she was grown things would be different. He and his brothers had always been nice to her, like the brothers she never had.

  Lorelei had always wished for siblings, but her parents were never blessed with more children. Complications with her birth left both her parents wary to even try for another child. She craved what Lizzy had with her brothers, and spent as much time at the MacLaughlin house as humanly possible growing up. Soaking in the sibling adventures.

  The boys hadn’t disappointed.

  All three had accepted her into the house like their own sister and doted over her just like they did Lizzy. But that was how the MacLaughlin’s were. If you were friends with them you were part of the family.

  The only problem was, she’d fallen in love with one of the boys and never said a word. Only Lizzy knew how she felt about Trevor and she’d sworn her to secrecy years ago.

  Well, all b
ets are off now.

  <><><>

  His sister was trying to torture him. That was the only explanation. Why else on earth would she have called Lorelei Ward to fill in at the office for Karen? He’d told Lizzy he could manage the office himself until they found a temporary replacement. It was the week before Christmas. They weren’t busy.

  She didn’t listen. Even his mother had added her two cents, saying it would be nice to have Lorelei around again. She’d just graduated and moved back to town last week.

  That was the problem. It would be nice.

  Too nice.

  He’d been in love with her in high school, but tried to stay as far away as possible. She was his little sister’s best friend. He’d have never forgiven himself if something happened between them and ruined the girl’s relationship.

  He leaned back in his chair and put his feet up on the corner of his desk. Images of a young Lorelei flashed through his mind. Her sweet smile and infectious laughter had always brightened his day. Even though she and her sister made it their mission to try and annoy him constantly. Secretly, he’d enjoyed the attention.

  He wondered how she’d changed. She hadn’t been to a MacLaughlin get-together since she and Lizzy both left for college. At least not one he’d been present at.

  Would she still have the same glistening brunette curls that hung halfway down her back like a silken waterfall? Would her cute little smattering of freckles still show? Or would she cover them with makeup?

  Then there were those luscious curves she’d developed in high school. Damn! He still had it bad. She’d been beautiful then. He couldn’t imagine what a gorgeous woman she’d turned into.

  Trevor shook his head. There was no way she was still single. No need to get worked up over a woman he couldn’t have anyway. She was still his little sister’s best friend.

  Lorelei Ward was off limits.

  2

  An electronic bell sounded. The lobby of MacLaughlin Corp. was empty of people. A desk sat across the room from the entrance with a computer monitor on one end and a phone at the other. Several four-drawer file cabinets stood behind the desk.

  The rest of the space was sparsely decorated. Light hardwood flowed through the entire office. A few landscape prints hung on the walls. One lonely ficus tree stood in the far left corner. Two plain wooden chairs were to her left, sitting next to the window.

  “Gosh, this place needs some color,” she muttered under her breath.

  A door opened to her right and she held her breath.

  It was him— Trevor MacLaughlin. Even more gorgeous than she remembered. It’d been at least four years since she’d seen him last. The tall, lanky, twenty-something guy with a compassionate heart who loved his family had matured into a drop-dead handsome man. Muscles bulged beneath the sleeves of his fitted dress shirt. His shoulders were much wider than she remembered. And his eyes. They were as blue as a summer sky in Texas.

  His eyes hadn’t changed.

  Except, they were staring at her in a way she didn’t remember. A way she’d wished he would’ve stared at her years ago. Like she was a delicious treat he couldn’t wait to unwrap and eat.

  Crap! Heat rose in her cheeks. She knew they must be as red as a ripe tomato. So much for keeping her emotions under control. Her heart was racing. The unnerving silence had to be broken before the unruly organ jumped completely out of her chest and flopped about embarrassingly on the floor in front of him.

  “Good morning,” she croaked, willing her voice to form words.

  He unfroze and a smile spread across his face, showing off the adorable dimples she remembered. “Lorelei, it’s so good to see you.”

  In mere moments he was in front of her with his hand outstretched.

  A handshake? That was it. All I’m getting is a handshake! She’d hoped for so much more.

  When Lizzy called and told her Trevor needed help in the office because Karen had gone into labor early, she’d been thrilled with Lizzy’s plan of having her fill in. Maybe things had changed. Maybe she had a chance with him now. Maybe now that she wasn’t just his kid sister’s best friend, he’d pay attention to her.

  She slipped her hand into his and shivered as his fingers closed.

  “It’s good to see you, too. I’m so glad Lizzy called me.”

  “It’s so nice of you to come help, Lorelei. But, I feel terrible. It’s the holidays. We aren’t that busy and you should be spending time with your parents.”

  Her heart sank. He was already trying to get rid of her. In high school she thought he was always just busy, but even then she’d noticed he made an effort to avoid being near her, unlike his brothers who were normally glued to her side.

  Why?

  Why was the one man she desperately wanted to please so offended by her presence? Why had he looked at her like he did when she walked in and now was telling her she didn’t need to be here?

  “So you don’t want me to stay?” She kept her voice low and steady, trying to keep the tremble of disappointment from sneaking in.

  “It’s not that. I told Lizzy I could handle the office. But she never listens. She’ll be here in a few hours, so until then please make yourself at home at Karen’s desk.” He gestured toward the desk in the lobby. “There’s just not much for you to do right now. Karen was filing contracts for me as I closed them out for the year. She handles field calls too, but you won’t really be able to do that…”

  “I can figure it out. I’m a quick learner.” She pulled her hand from his, regretting the loss of his touch. For a moment she thought she saw hint of disappointment in his, but it was probably just her unconscious mind trying to make her feel better.

  Fate hadn’t changed its mind. Trevor MacLaughlin still had no interest in her at all.

  Well fine.

  She walked past him and set her purse on the desk. The phone rang and she reached for it, answering before he could take it from her.

  “MacLaughlin Corp., Lorelei speaking. How can I help you?”

  “Lorelei Ward! Is that you?” The deep male voice on the other end of the line sounded familiar, but she couldn’t put her finger on it.

  “Yes, that’s me,” she answered slowly.

  “It’s Caiden. You remember me, right? Lizzy’s oldest brother.”

  She smiled. “Yes, of course. How are you?”

  “Jealous that my brother has you in the office all to himself.”

  Her cheeks warmed again. Why on earth would Caiden be jealous? Did he…Was he? No. That was ridiculous. “No reason to be jealous. He pretty much said he didn’t need me here.” She flashed a glance at Trevor. His eyebrows shot up and he frowned, but he said nothing.

  “Really.” Caiden’s voice held an air of disbelief. “Well, sweet Lorelei, it’s his loss. Would you put my dunce of a brother on the phone, please?”

  “Of course,” she answered, and then held out the portable handset to the silent MacLaughlin.

  Trevor took the phone and disappeared back into his office, shutting the door softly behind him.

  <><><>

  “Jackass. What are you trying to do?” Trevor growled through the phone to his brother.

  “Me?” his brother exclaimed. “You have the girl you’ve been in love with since high school in the office right now and you tell her you don’t want her there!”

  “I can’t. What if it didn’t work out? I can’t do that to Lizzy.”

  “We aren’t kids anymore, Trevor. You’ll regret never taking a chance with her. Fate is giving you another shot and you are trampling it like an angry steer in a flower garden.”

  “What do you want, Caiden?” Trevor sighed and sank into his comfortable desk chair. His brother was right. What the hell was he doing?

  “I called to tell you, the Colorado Springs contract is finished. I’ll be hopping a flight back to town this afternoon. If you don’t ask her out before I get back, I will.”

  “The hell you will!” he snarled.

  “Just giving you
a heads up, brother. That charming little woman belongs in the MacLaughlin family one way or another. If she’s back in town and you don’t want her, she’s fair game.”

  Trevor clicked the END CALL button and set the handset on his desk.

  Damn it to hell. He wanted her.

  When she’d walked in all curls and curves, he’d wanted to bend her back and kiss her hard. He’d wanted to run his hands through her beautiful hair and tell her how he’d been waiting for her to come back to Fort Worth. How she belonged at his side. That he'd missed her smile and laugh in the family house when she and Lizzy both left for college the same year.

  But all of those feelings meant nothing if she didn’t return them. And after the performance in the lobby moments ago, her feelings toward him were probably bordering close to arctic levels.

  The phone rang again and he answered it before she could. A half hour later he set the handset back on the desk and cursed his luck. So much for the holidays. A mudslide in California devastated a community and several large commercial buildings. He'd be lucky to get back before New Years, much less Christmas.

  Caiden and Harvey have both been in the field for over a month. It's my turn to take the next project. But, I'll be damned if I let either of them walk in and steal Lorelei from me.

  They usually sent one of their admins to take care of paperwork on site and organization, but maybe... He opened his office door and peered out. Lorelei was sitting at the desk scribbling on a pad of paper, completely in her zone.

  She didn't even look up when he walked up behind her and looked down over her shoulder to read what she was writing. Vampires take the princess to the dark castle... What the hell? He frowned. What was she doing?

  "Vampires and a princess?"

  "Popcorn balls!" She squealed and jumped up from her chair, sending a canister of pens and pencils flying along with her pad of paper. He sidestepped, narrowly missing being railed by the back of her chair.