by K. C. Crowne
Milly filled up my glass and passed it to me. “You know, you really should find yourself a nice girl one day, Liam.”
“Are you available, Milly?”
She cackled. “I gave up men ages ago. But for someone like you…” She pretended to consider. “Hell? Who am I kidding? I wouldn’t be able to keep up with someone like you. My third ex-husband was a redhead, you know? Just like you. And he was trouble. Learned my lesson after that one.”
I gave her a cheeky grin. “Well, if you’re not interested, guess I’ll be spending the rest of my life alone.”
Milly leaned over the counter, whispering, “Take a gander at the woman sitting at the booth near the door. I’d reckon she’s the prettiest woman in all of Liberty. She might change your mind.”
I rolled my eyes but turned to see who Milly was pointing at. After all, this was Liberty. I grew up here. I practically knew everyone in the town, and most certainly knew everyone who stepped foot in the bar.
My eyes fell on her, and I froze.
The first thing I noticed about her was her hair - a rich, chocolate brown that fell over her shoulders in voluminous waves, like a hairstyle you’d see on the cover of those women’s magazines at the checkout counter. She ran a hand through all of that thick hair, pushing it away from her face in one, gentle movement, and all I wanted to do was to touch it, to see if it was as soft as it looked.
And then I saw her face.
Her eyes scanned the room, and from the distance and the darkness, I couldn’t make out the color, but I didn’t need to. They were beautiful even from this distance. Large eyes framed by dark lashes turned toward me, and I took that as an invitation.
I pushed away from the bar but felt a hand on my shoulder. I glanced back to find Milly grinning at me. “Don’t make a fool of yourself, Liam. We both know you’ve had a lot to drink tonight, and I’d hate to kick you out for harassing one of the customers.”
“I’ll be nice.” I crossed my heart as I said, “I promise.”
“You better be, boy. Now go get ‘em, tiger.”
I put one foot in front of the other and tried not to stagger. Milly was right, I’d had a lot to drink, but I did my best to pretend to be sober.
The woman’s eyes widened as I walked closer, so I offered a smile and slipped into the booth beside her.
“Well, hello there, beautiful.”
Now that I was closer, I could see what she was wearing - a black sheath dress that hugged some delicious curves. I was practically salivating at just the sight of her.
The booth was open at both ends, and the woman slipped out the other side as quickly as I had slipped in. She grabbed a black clutch from the table.
“This was a mistake,” she muttered to herself.
“What was a mistake, lassy?”
“Coming here. Thinking this was a good idea,” she said, her tone clipped as she dug around in her bag. She headed for the door, and I slipped from the booth and followed her.
“But you’ve met me, so it’s not a complete mistake,” I said, grinning at her.
She rolled her eyes and pushed past me. “Guys like you are exactly why coming here was just that.”
I took that as my cue, stopping in place. “Well, nice meeting you too, sunshine,” I called out after her. I grumbled to myself as I made my way back to my friends, who had all watched as I struck out with the beautiful dream girl.
Ezra shook his head as I approached. “You really think that was gonna work, huh? As drunk as you are?”
“Hey, now,” I defended, taking my place at the table. “We all know that alcohol improves my flirtation skills. Maybe it’s not the same for you, Ezra, but it’s true for me.”
Clark chuckled. “Keep telling yourself that, Liam.”
“Whatever, lads. You’re just jealous.”
“Jealous that you got shot down by that woman?” Declan added.
I rolled my eyes and took a large swig of beer. “Nah, that I can nab any lady I want, when I want.”
“Except that one,” Mike added.
I shrugged. “I wasn’t trying that hard.”
“Unbelievable,” Clark muttered, shaking his head. “Anyway, while you were getting rejected, Mike was telling us about how Sabrina is making him get rid of the Camaro.”
“She’s not making me,” Mike interjected. “It’s just, well, we don’t have room in the garage for a car we never drive. I can’t fit the entire family in it, so it’s just sitting there, and we both think it’s time to pass it along to someone who might actually get some use out of it.”
I raised my hand. “I volunteer as tribute.”
It was a joke, but it also wasn’t. As a teen, I’d coveted that car with every ounce of my being. Mike was a couple years older than us, and the few times I was allowed to ride in that car were practically orgasmic. But the rest of guys felt the same way about the Cammy, as we liked to call her.
“Do you think Mike’s just gonna hand over his baby?” Clark asked incredulously. “And if he does, I stake my claim.”
Mike chuckled and ran a hand over his beard. “I know, I know, all you guys have fond memories of the car, and that’s what makes this so hard.”
“Wait, you’re gonna give Cammy away? Not sell her?” Ezra asked.
Mike shrugged. “I’d rather it go to one of you guys as a gift than to profit off her. My father gave her to me, and I want to make sure she stays in the family.”
We weren’t officially family. If anything, that would leave Clark, but the two of them weren’t exactly close. They were stepbrothers, with his dad marrying Mike’s mom, but there was always a rivalry between them, and I could see it in Clark’s eyes now - he was going to get his brother’s car.
But not without a fight, because I wanted that baby as much as he did. If not more. Growing up poor, I’d always dreamed of the day I could own a car like that. I could pay for one outright, but the idea of having that one - a car that held so many special memories for me - became my one and only obsession.
“So, what are you gonna do?” Declan asked.
“I figured that since this isn’t exactly a family car, I’d give it to the guy less likely to settle down anytime soon. That way it’ll get the most use.”
“We all know who that is,” Clark said with a smirk.
“Yeah. Me,” I said.
He frowned. “No, look at you. You’re constantly chasing after women every single time we go out. I give you a week.”
“Pfft. Hooking up and settling down are two different things, bro. I hate to tell you. I have no intention of settling down, ever.”
“My bet is on Liam,” Mike added.
“Yeah, see?” Clark’s gaze narrowed on me, so I returned the smirk from earlier. “I mean, had that hot lass talked to me, I might be a goner, but since she didn’t…” I shrugged in an overexaggerated manner.
Mike continued with a laugh. “Because if anyone can turn away a woman looking for something serious, it’s him. I mean, did you just see him five minutes ago?”
My smirk fell. “Hey, now. I wasn’t at my best. If I wanted to find a sweet little lady to settle down with, I could.”
“When are you ever at your best when it comes to women?” Ezra asked, laughing loudly.
“Ladies love me.”
“They love to sleep with you, you mean.”
“Isn’t that the same thing?”
Ezra rolled his eyes and changed the subject. “Well, I’m in. After the shitshow with my ex, I don’t see myself dating for a long, long time.”
“I’m in, too,” Declan added.
The group tried to hold back the laughter and you could feel the tension in the room. But I burst first. “Sure, Declan. I give you a week before you’re in love with some beautiful woman you met on one of your hikes or something.”
Declan shot me a crooked grin. “Maybe I’ll surprise all of you.”
Declan was the hopeless romantic of the group. He tried to deny it, he tried to act tough
, but we all knew that deep down, he wanted a family and two-point-five kids and a white picket fence. He’d written poetry about it in high school, which he tried to hide, but he was never very good at hiding anything. Just like he wouldn’t be very good at staying single for too much longer.
Nah, Declan would be the first man down. That was an easy call.
I sat back and went around my group of friends. After Declan, it had to be Ezra. He might be bitter from his last breakup but being in a serious relationship suited him. He wasn’t into playing the field anymore. He’d be the second one with a long-term girlfriend, I was sure of it.
After that, however, Clark and me were the only ones left. Clark stared back at me as if he had the same thought. It would come down to the two of us for the win.
He was handsome enough that he could have almost any woman he wanted, but like Ezra, he didn’t play the field. Unlike Ezra, he also didn’t date, period. I couldn’t recall the last time he’d been in a serious relationship, to be honest. And the same could be said about me. I’d never done serious. I didn’t want to be tied down. And Clark had the same fears as I did.
“So, it’s on then?” Clark asked from across the table. “Because we both know it’s between you and me.”
“It’s on, brother.” I took another large swig of my beer.
I loved a competition. And the prize? Well, I couldn’t wait to be sitting in that baby, driving down the mountain roads. Even if it meant dying alone, at least I’d be dying with that beautiful Camaro in my garage.
My phone buzzed in my pocket, and I dug it out. An unfamiliar number popped up on the screen. “Be right back,” I said, waving the phone in the air.
I stepped away and headed for the door, the music too loud to hear myself think, much less hear a phone conversation. I answered as I pulled the door opened. “Hello, Liam McDowell speaking.”
“Mr. McDowell, this is Candace Peters. I’m with Salt Lake City Social Services. Do you have a minute?”
I leaned against my truck in the parking lot, confused why someone from Social Services would call me. “Sure, go ahead.”
“Mr. McDowell, I’m not sure if you’re aware, but your brother, Shane, was arrested earlier this evening along with his girlfriend, Lisa.”
I ran a hand across my beard, smoothing it into place. “No, can’t say I heard anything about that. My brother and I don’t talk. Not that I’m surprised. He tends to find trouble wherever he goes.”
The fact that he was still in Utah was a surprise to me. Last I’d heard from him, five years prior or so, he’d moved to Chicago with a girl named Becky.
“Yes, I’m afraid he’s in a lot of trouble now. Lisa and Shane are being charged with robbing a convenience store that led to the death of the manager working that evening.”
My heart stopped. Dammit, Shane. It was one thing to get caught stealing. It was another to kill a person.
“I’m so, so sorry to hear that, Ms. Peters. My brother and I, we haven’t spoken in years though, so I’m not sure how I can be of any help. I don’t plan on bailing him out or anything.”
“I understand. He told us you two didn’t talk much, but said you were the best person to call about his daughters.”
“His daughters?” Shane had kids? Talk about one hell of a bad decision, considering the guy couldn’t even take care of himself most of the time.
“Yes, Mr. McDowell. He has two daughters, Abigail and Emma. Abigail is two years old, and Emma is nine months.”
I let out a low whistle, shaking my head. Those poor girls, I thought. They’re gonna end up in the system because my brother was too stupid and too selfish to be a father. I knew that he didn’t have the best role model. Neither of us had; just a drunk da who couldn’t handle our ma’s death and forced us to leave our home in Ireland to come to the States when I was in high school. At least I had the sense not to damn any children to the kind of shitty upbringing Shane and I had.
“What’s gonna happen to the girls?” I asked.
“Well, since you’re next of kin - and the only family they have left - I’m calling to ask if you’d be open to taking them in. There’s a process for adoption and—”
“No, no way. Nope. I can’t take those girls,” I said, pushing away from the truck. I was still drunk off my ass, but I had the common sense to know a bad idea when I heard it.
“Alright, Mr. McDowell, I understand. Right now, they’re in a group home until we can find placement for them.”
The words “group home” flashed in my mind, bringing back memories that I had tried to push far, far away. A time when my da was thrown in jail for a bar fight after climbing into a bottle to deal with his grief. Shane and I had been put in a group home with about a half dozen other kids around our age. I closed my eyes and could still smell the sickly-sweet lavender. From the outside, everything had looked perfect. Social workers would come often, and the foster parents would smile and dote upon us kids. But we were nothing but a check to them. As soon as the social worker left, old Frank would be his mean self, telling us to get back to our rooms. We weren’t allowed outside the room except at dinner time. It was only for two months until my dad got out of jail, but two months had been long enough.
I knew that not all homes were the same, and my brother and I just had crap luck in life. But the thought of any child going through what we did… I couldn’t bear it.
“Wait,” I said, my eyes popping open. “How long would they have to stay with me? I mean, if you were to find them a family willing to adopt?”
“It just depends, honestly,” Ms. Peters said. “I can’t make any promises, but I can say that they are young enough that I don’t think they would have a problem getting adopted.”
I couldn’t believe the next words out of my mouth. I would have blamed it on the liquor, but by that point, I felt as sober as ever.
“I’ll do it. Just temporarily,” I qualified. “Just tell me what I need to do.”
Chapter 2
Alex
“And what did the volcano say to the island?” I asked, turning the page of the book. I looked at the small group of toddlers, children, and parents who joined me, all of them familiar faces.
The oldest kid in the group read out the answer from the page before I could. “I lava you!” He rolled on his back, laughing as if it was the funniest joke he’d ever heard.
“Yes, Timothy! Very good!”
I remembered a time when Timothy was still in diapers. His mother would bring him to these reading groups to listen and socialize with the other kids. Watching him grow into a little boy that loved reading brought me so much joy.
I closed the book and glanced at my two boys, who grinned back at me and giggled when they saw me looking their way. I made a silly face, and Jacob’s rumbly laughter filled the room. Ah, yes, there really was no greater happiness than a child’s laughter, and I was lucky to be surrounded by it every day, and not just when I was at work.
My best friend, Rachel, held Lucas in her lap with Jacob sitting beside them.
As soon as I finished with the group, I rushed over to my boys and best friend. I grabbed Jacob in my arms and hugged him tightly as he giggled. I kissed his adorable cheeks as his hands tangled in my hair. His toothy grin nearly made my heart explode with love. But I couldn’t forget his brother, oh no. I traded Rachel and greeted Lucas the same way as he playfully batted at my face and laughed until his face turned red.
“Want me to stick around while you finish up?” Rachel asked.
“I just need to grab my stuff and we can go home.”
“I was thinking - maybe we should grab something at the diner tonight. My treat.”
I side-eyed her. “I can pay for myself and the boys, but sure, if you’d like to grab some food out tonight, I’m okay with that.”
“Awesome. Because after the test I had this week, I’m in no mood to cook, and I’d hate to eat out alone.”
I grabbed my bag and waved at my coworker at the front
desk as Rachel and I left the library. I had Lucas while she carried Jacob.
“I don’t know what I’d do without you, Rach,” I said as I finished buckling a squirrely Lucas into his seat. “I don’t think I could wrangle these two boys alone.”
“I get as much out of our arrangement as you do, Alex,” she said with a smile on her face.
She popped into the driver’s seat of her car and I got in on the other side.
Our arrangement was mutually beneficial, of course. She got a free place to stay, I got someone to help me raise the twins, and we both loved the boys more than life itself. Rachel was a lot like me – we’d always loved kids, so it made sense that I was a children’s librarian, and she was finishing school to become an elementary school teacher.
Two peas in a pod, which is probably why we’d been friends since I moved to Liberty a few years earlier.
We pulled up outside the diner, and Rachel took Jacob as I got Lucas. We sat down at the table, and she grabbed two highchairs while I stayed put with the boys. I really didn’t know what I’d do without her.
After the boys were in the chairs, she slipped into the booth across from me with a grin on her face.
“What’s that look about?” I asked as I perused the menu.
“Oh, nothing. I’m just thinking how nice it is to see you out of the house,” she said. “You only seem to leave for work and errands, but we need to get you out more.”
“I’m fine,” I laughed. “After last night, I think I got my fill of leaving the house.”
Her face fell. “That bad, huh?”
I groaned and playfully rolled my eyes. “The worst. I don’t know how I ever let you talk me into trying Tinder. The guy never showed up, by the way.”