by Mimi Barbour
He grinned into the rear-view mirror as if someone sat in the back seat. The guy was looney-tunes.
Leaning back, he relaxed and asked, "Where does Mom live?"
"A couple of streets over, on Mayfair. She's in the big white house on the corner, lots of windows, black shutters, and ironwork around the window boxes."
"Are you sure I can't take you to the hospital first? I'm worried there might be internal damage. You seem pretty stiff and sore, and I saw you wince when you lifted your arm." He was worried; she heard it in his voice. Good! Silly bugger deserved to worry. He could have killed someone today.
"Just get me home," she growled. "My mother's a nurse, a regular Florence Nightingale, and she'll like nothing better than to have one of her daughters to fuss over.
"You have sisters?"
"Two. You?"
"Only child."
"Figures!"
"Look lady, I'm trying to be a good guy here—to make up for earlier. Can't you meet me just a little bit of the way? I'm not even asking for half. Tell me your name at least. Unless you want me to keep calling you Crabby?"
"It's better than Honey. That's the house. Her car's in the driveway, so she's home. Just let me out here."
He ignored her and drove into the yard. "I'll help you."
"No. I can make it on my own." Sadie was glad she'd jogged in her new yoga pants and short stretch top to match. If she'd worn sweats like she did sometimes, there'd be underarm and chest stains and she'd have been mortified. She hated being at a disadvantage, even over something so stupid. Plus her mother would have commented and no doubt embarrassed her, which she often did without even realizing.
To Sadie's dismay, when she tried to move nothing worked. She'd stiffened like cold gravy. Using her hands, she lifted her right leg to angle it out of the car, and at the same time, she twisted her body, wanting to slide out. Except if she tried to stand, she'd fall flat on her face. And wouldn't that be cute. A guy who'd be perfect for the main part on The Bachelor, one of her mom's favorite shows, the one Sadie thought pathetic, would watch her make a complete fool of herself.
“I want to help you, I said. Don’t move.”
Like she could! Asshole moves like a trained soldier, she thought, watching his fluid movements as he walked around to her side of the vehicle.
Ignoring her curt refusal, her knight stood with her door opened. He waited and watched, his hand lifting then stopping in mid-air as if he wasn't sure what to do.
"Oh for heaven's sake. Help me, you idiot. Can't you see I've stiffened up?"
"Sadie! What's happened?" Her beautiful flighty mother waddled towards the car, moving surprisingly fast for a woman her size. "What have you done to yourself this time?" Worry mixed with annoyance rang in her booming voice.
Sadie winced and then felt guilty for her feelings. She'd fought all her life to make the enormous love she had for her mother override her embarrassment at the way her mother looked, her big body, loud voice, and boisterous personality.
Red hair, obviously helped from a good dye job, backcombed and moussed to stick out every which way, seemed to send out sparks as she leaned over and stared into Sadie's eyes. The woman had magic at her disposal—the magic a mother had, which gave her a deep understanding of just what was going on in her daughter's head.
"You're hurt."
"A little."
She gently smacked Sadie's head. "Don't lie to your mother. What happened?"
For some strange reason Liam seemed to take umbrage at seeing her getting "what for" from her mom. Huffy with attitude, he intervened. "She ran in front of my car to save a little boy, and… Well, I hit her."
"With the car?"
Sadie shook her head at her mother's dumb question. "Yes, Mom, with the car. But the child's fine."
"I'm glad. But you're not. You need to come into the house so I can check you out. And don't argue." She held up her hand in front of Sadie, effectively stopping her from uttering any opposition, which she had no intention of doing. A tweak of conscience reminded her of the particulars in their relationship. For instance, since she always argued, the poor woman was just playing by the rules.
"I'll carry her." Liam stepped around the large woman and bent with his arms reaching. "I wanted to take her to the hospital but she refused."
"Of course she did. One tough chick, my girl. Just like her jackass-stubborn father, and I mean that in the best way, God bless his soul and keep him smiling."
Sadie felt herself being lifted as if she weighed nothing. She'd instinctively tried to lighten his load by making her body as small as possible.
This is torture, she thought, feeling his hands in places they didn't belong. Being held this close to a man who smells like one of those just-for-men colognes, I feel like one of those heroines in the movies. Teach him right if he hurts his back. The thought popped in and made her stomach tighten.
Every morning, she stood in front of her mirrored closets and angled every which way to see the body she'd yearned for all her life. But it was as if the chubby girl she'd worked so hard to get rid of still hovered inside.
Realistically, she knew it wasn't so. She knew that all her running and yoga classes had given her a slim and healthy form. Her eyes confirmed it each time she gazed in a mirror, or into every store window, or, truth be told, any reflective surface, actually.
Swinging above the ground, securely cuddled, Sadie came back to earth. While her mother bustled along, nattering to Sadie's cheerful carrier, she kept her arms crossed and glared at the both of them.
Trust her mom to take a shining to this Liam guy. Knowing the woman had eyes like a hawk, no doubt she’d registered the make and model of the convertible down to the total package price, inventoried his clothes and knew what designer names, if any, were on the labels, and could draw a police composite of his features.
From his overly long wavy hair and eyebrows that formed the perfect shape to hood his wickedly dangerous smiling eyes to the upward curving lips that smiled too sarcastically, sure as hell her sharp-eyed parent had catalogued it all.
Sadie wished she'd never run into him. Hold it! He'd run into her. She smirked at her own silliness. Still, if she had her druthers, they'd never have met. Seeing how palsy-walsy her dear, nosy mom was behaving, he'd undoubtedly be invited to dinner to see if one of her sisters could pick up a husband. Why did this have to happen to her?
A picture of the little Pedro drifted into her mind. Black curls rioting around his baby face, while his chubby little legs pumped hard, trying to catch up with his toy. How could she have stood by to watch the little angel battered, maybe killed?
That the fool driving had such quick reflexes was a giant plus. A bonus she hadn’t counted on because there had been no time. One second she was going to cut across the street, and the next she had the kid in her arms while flying through the air.
If he'd hit them dead on—okay not the best wording—they'd have been toast. But he'd swerved and reduced the impact, saved them from serious injuries. Well he wouldn't get any commendations from her. The whack-job had still been driving too fast.
Her rioting thoughts ramped up her dreadful headache, and she knew from the frown her mother shot in her direction that she probably looked mean. But she didn’t give a rat’s ass. Today had been her day to play, and now she’d be stuck here for who knew how long.
She stared her mother down for a few seconds and then felt her satisfaction waver and completely fade when her mom winked and blew her a kiss. Darn woman never failed to penetrate guards no one else could.
"Just put her here in the living room on the sofa." Liam lowered her gently and stayed bent over to push her mop away from her forehead.
"There's a bruise here. You hit your head?"
"Pedro and I bumped, that's all." She wrenched away from him too quickly and couldn't stop the cry of pain.
He straightened and turned to Sadie's mom.
"Is she always so disagreeable?"
"
Yep! That's my girl!" Her mom's sideways smirk, nod, and snort didn't make her feel any better. "On the other hand, you'll never meet anyone with a bigger, more loving heart."
"Beatrice!" Sadie's glare and icy tone constituted a warning most wouldn't ignore.
"Sadie girl, you call me that again, and I'll call you-know-who and tell him you didn't mean to be rude, and you'd really like him to bring his dog back."
"Sorry, Mom." Sadie smiled, knowing it was nothing but a sick imitation, but her mother seemed to accept it and nodded. After all, she did deserve the rebuke.
She knew how much her mother hated her full name. But she also knew her dear bratty mom understood that if Bubba Jones ever came within ten feet of her again, she'd take a chop-saw to the numbskull. Imagine, feeding a Shiatsu chicken bones every day and then blaming the poor dog's condition on her running the animal too hard. Cheap bastard still hadn't repaid her for the vet bills after Sadie had realized the dog suffered and had taken her in. Aggrr. Just thinking about him had her visualizing chains and a horsewhip.
"By the way, as you've probably figured, I'm Sadie's unfortunate mother, Bea Bertolli. Years ago, I worked as a nurse. I'm sure she told you that so you'd bring her here rather than a hospital."
"She insisted." Liam actually sounded hard done by.
Hey, what am I? Invisible? They spoke about her like she wasn't even in the room. Irritation joined the other sensations she suffered, like anger, discomfort, and frustration. And that made her feel even more like ripping the heads off the carnations arranged in front of her on the coffee table.
"Look, Liam, I'd like to give her the once over to make sure she's just bruised, so if you wouldn't mind zipping into the kitchen and getting yourself a cold drink, it won't take too long."
"Mom, I'm sure Mr. O’Brien—"
"Call me Liam." He shook her mother's hand and turned on the charm, grinning as if she were a groupie and he a football star.
Sadie could feel her pissed-off-ed-ness rise to a whole new level. "I'm sure Mr. O’Brien has things to do." So she spoke a bit too loud. She flipped her hair out of her eyes and glared her challenge. "You should be on your way." This time she lowered the volume.
"Nonsense!" Bea took charge.
Liam started out by shaking his head up and down at her words and ended up shaking it back and forth in her mom's direction. If he was trying to be funny, she didn't appreciate his sense of fun as much as her mom, who laughed and patted his arm, then pushed him in the direction of the kitchen.
"Go through this door and down the hall. Make yourself at home by the pool. You'll see the patio from in there. I'm thinking this girl will need a nice hot tub soak, and it would help for you to carry her there.”
"No problem," said Liam. “I'll wait for your call.”
Sadie watched his butt action as he strode from the room and couldn't stop the grin when she heard a huge sigh she knew her mother intended for her to hear.
"You're incorrigible." Her lips had turned upward of their own accord, even though she'd tried to maintain a straight face. But it was impossible around Bea, who she adored…of course that was only when she wasn't rolling her eyes and shaking her head at her naughty parent’s shenanigans.
"Come to my bedroom and you can change into a swimsuit in there. I'll help support you, unless you'd like me to call your young man?"
"Stop it. You're not funny."
"Tsk, tsk. Baby, you're grumpy for a reason, so I'll forgive you. Even as a child, when you suffered you were a pain in the ass. Nurse’s advice…I'm going to get you some Tylenol, then a long hot soak and a good massage, and you'll feel ten times better. "
A dozen or so agonizing steps later, clinging to her mom's arm, Sadie carefully lowered her butt onto the bed. Her mother undressed her and gasped when she saw the swelling black and blue forming from her hip, along her back, and—the worst area—her shoulder.
Bea’s tender ministrations while searching for broken bones was done quickly and efficiently. From a doctor’s bag, she produced a stethoscope and examined Sadie's blood pressure. Then she felt around the lump on her forehead and searched her skull for others. An examination of her eyes and a check of her blood pressure had her sighing with relief. Once satisfied that Sadie's injuries involved only superficial damage, she seemed to settle down.
"I'll get you a suit, honey." She kissed Sadie's head wound very gently and left the room, returning in a few seconds. For such a large woman, she moved fast when she had good reason. Sadie recognized the garment as soon her mother appeared with it in her hands. And the daring glare she saw from the other woman had her biting her lip and shutting her mouth.
Black, cut low in front, backless to her waist with see-through netting across her chest, it wasn't a style she'd normally be caught dead wearing. But her mother loved to shop for her girls and, rather than cause hurt feelings, Sadie had worn it a few times when only the family, which consisted of her two younger, unmarried sisters and her mother, were home.
Carefully and with help, she slid on the bathing suit, each movement awkward and painful, like there were hot fingers inside her body squeezing all the muscles, wrenching and twisting.
“Oh, no, you don't!” Before Bea could move to open the door, Sadie grabbed her arm. "Give me a robe. I'm not going anywhere like this."
Bea twirled and reached for the muumuu she loved wearing. She’d left it draped over her chair, and it was in easy reach. A silky green shapeless tent that surprisingly fit any size and draped the body wearing it. Before Sadie could refuse, Bea had lifted it over her head and arranged it to fall gracefully to the floor. Since Bea stood a few inches taller, it reached Sadie’s ankles and floated around her as she stubbornly lurched towards the door.
Chapter Six
Liam grabbed a cola from the refrigerator and surveyed his surroundings. The kitchen was a mixture of very modern versus old country. The gigantic wooden table in the middle of the room held a huge grinning ceramic pig painted in a variety of brilliant colors and wearing an endearingly goofy expression. There were fresh green herbs that looked like parsley planted in its open back.
In the actual cooking area, the appliances were chrome and huge with a center island that any cook would envy. A bay window full of colorful ceramic pots of basil, mint, and chives caught his attention, and he instantly thought how his father would love this bright, sunny room.
Liam wandered over to the French windows at the other end of the room, and the paradise outside had him reaching for the handle. As soon as he stepped out the door, a medium-sized hound glanced up with one blood-shot eye as it lay, spread-eagled, in front of a fancy doghouse. It started to bark but gave up half-way through so it just sounded like an exclamation.
His first reaction was to leave the mutt alone, but the dog’s expression of friendliness overrode it. He bent over to pet the lazy canine. "Hey tiger, I'm a friend." Speaking low in a soothing tone did the trick. The dumb mutt sat up crookedly on its haunches, back legs comically spread, and panted—the tail wagging from side to side like a mechanical rope. Liam could have sworn the critter grinned, its half-hidden eyes twinkling like a human’s.
Ruffling folds of fur with an extra caress for the pendulous silky ears, Liam made a lifelong friend. He stood, intending to move farther into the garden paradise. As if it needed to impress, the young dog stood up and wiggled from side to side. "What have you got to be so happy about?"
A barking growl answered his question, and he laughed. Damn dog was almost human. Liam spotted a ball, picked it up, and threw. A splash followed, and he realized he'd lobbed it into the pool. Without hesitation the dog loped and leapt, a huge splash the result.
"I see you've found Susie's weakness. Never knew a dog that loved to swim like mine. She's been a water baby since a puppy, probably a good thing, since she has a tendency to be a bit odoriferous and bathing her is a nightmare." Bea talked as she guided Sadie toward the far end of the path.
Liam watched the two women make their wa
y through the garden. One moved fluidly, her weight not a hindrance at all. The other limped, winced, and muttered.
Sadie unknowingly stopped in a spot where the sun framed her from behind. Her body, outlined seductively through the gauzy material of the dress the wind molded around every luscious curve, would fuel any hot-blooded man's fantasy.
Gorgeous, a crowning glory of gold—a nebula of curls flittered around her head and caught his mesmerized gaze. He wished he had the right to approach her and smooth them back as he stole a kiss.
What the hell am I thinking? He started the lecture that normally worked to stop his interest in any female from getting out of control. And this time he had help.
“Bless my soul. For a bloke who can't sleep, or work, or even relate to his own father…”
Liam knew that voice. He turned a complete circle and, sure enough, there was his imaginary friend, or whatever he was, leaning against the wall of a small ivy-covered hut, tapping his toe and looking annoyed.
“I don’t know how to be friends with girls.”
“Rubbish! You treat them the same way you do the guys on your team, with respect.”
"Liam." Bea snagged his attention. With a warning note ringing in her loud voice, she nodded her head in Sadie's direction. "As much as my bratty daughter will try to refuse your help, she needs to get into the hot tub sometime soon."
Both turned to see Sadie stagger towards the steps, stop and cling to the railing, and moan involuntarily. Face white, jaw clenched, the muscles in her well-formed arms bulging, she strained to hold herself upright. Just in time, Liam reached her as she started to weave. Whipping her into his arms became a battle of wills as she stiffened and pushed herself away from his chest.
"Would you stop manhandling me? I just wanted to sit for a minute."
"You mean you were going to land on your ass, maybe hurt yourself worse."
Bea reached them and, with a not-so-tender pat against her daughter's cheek, settled the issue.
"If you don't behave and let Liam help you, I'll get him to take you to emergency, and I'll sign your mulish butt in there myself. You know I can’t take the heat in that tub, so I can't go in with you, but if Liam doesn't mind, I'll sit with you while he checks out the change room for a pair of trunks, and then he can babysit you—"