Chapter 4
Katie thought of ways to approach Ian Finnegan, but the idea of sharing her sister’s infatuation kept her away. Avoidance shifted to determination the next day when Norah hopped out of the car and ran to the front porch, where Katie was snapping green beans.
“I asked Ian if he wanted to go to Renova and try out the new pizza place.”
No denying the excitement in her sister’s voice, or the dread seeping through Katie. “Please do not tell me you asked him out.”
“Guys like a strong woman.”
Oh, no. This was worse than horrible. “What did he say?”
A long sigh. “He said he was really busy right now.” Pause and a firm “But that just means he has to find the time…which he will.” Another sigh. “I love his voice.” She fingered the heart necklace around her neck. “He could make the dictionary sound like a love letter.”
“Norah. He’s too old for you.” Too experienced. Panic burst through Katie as she pictured him using that voice to convince her sister to do just about anything.
“He’s twenty-one. I’m almost seventeen.” A shake of her dark head, a huff. “What’s the big deal?”
Oh, how Katie wished their mother were still alive.
She’d know what to do, what to say, and exactly how to say it.
Norah had gotten her way for too many years, and the stubborn streak she possessed made it impossible to stop her.
But going after a college guy who no doubt was used to getting his own way?
The guy wasn’t going to settle for talk and a pizza.
And that was not going to happen.
“You’re still in high school, and besides, he’s a city boy with lots of money.”
“So? I thought you didn’t judge people.”
“I’m not judging him.” But of course, she was, especially after their encounter. If Norah knew about that, she might have a different opinion of Ian Finnegan. Or more likely, she’d be even more interested in meeting him. “What happened to Kevin?”
An eye roll, a shrug. “He’s so…ordinary.
I told him we needed a break, but the truth is, he’s just not that exciting.
He’s not even playing football this year.
What am I supposed to do with that? I’m head cheerleader, and now because of some silly knee surgery, he’s done?
” Another eye roll. “We’ll lose our shot for Homecoming King and Queen. ”
“Norah! He tore his ACL.”
A slump of her shoulders. “Yeah, he did, and I visited him after surgery, brought him your soup and homemade cookies, but how long am I supposed to just sit there, like I’m on the sidelines of my life?”
“Can’t you see what a difficult decision this must have been for him to quit football and start a new path that might not include his teammates?”
Tsk, tsk. “He’s really smart. He’ll get a scholarship to some fancy school to study animals so he can become a vet. That’s like a hundred years of school.”
“Not really.” Her sister’s lack of compassion made her try again. “I think Kevin could really use your patience right now.”
“It’s not about patience. I’m just not into him anymore.” Her voice dipped, spilled emotion. “I’ve got to concentrate on figuring out where Ian’s going to be. I’ve been watching him…”
“You’re stalking him?”
Her sister laughed as though Katie was past ridiculous.
“Of course not. Information gathering is what it’s called now.
You see someone you’re interested in, you gather details, even small ones, because they matter, too.
Then you create a timeline and wait for the right moment to make your move.
” A slow smile spread across her face, making Katie wonder how many times she’d used this ploy before.
“And then?”
“And then you approach the guy, make it look like it’s totally coincidental, and you’re looking so good he can’t help but notice.”
Norah was beautiful; there was no doubt about it.
The full lips, the hazel eyes like their father’s, the dark, wavy hair that fell midway down her back…
the slender build… the long legs. The clothing that hugged every curve.
The perfect makeup and accessories. No sweat stains or grimy jeans, no dirt on her hands.
Nothing but model perfection that gave her a natural, alluring presence, even though it took hours to achieve.
“Stay away from him. He’s too old for you and no doubt too experienced, and there’s no–”
“You don’t know anything about him. Why don’t you just stop and work on your own life and let me work on mine?” Another huff, an exasperated, “If I weren’t heading to the Grand Canyon with the Knights, I’d get him to Renova before the end of the week.”
Thankfully, Norah was leaving with Sam and Leslie Knight and their twin seven-year-old daughters and wouldn’t be back for three weeks. Then she was off to cheerleading camp and then…maybe Katie could find somewhere else to send her until Ian Finnegan left town.
“I’ve still got two days here, so… I think I’ll see how it goes.” She ignored Katie’s warnings, gave her a wink. “At the very least, I’ll get his phone number so we can chat while I’m gone, and I’ll see him when I get back. Just watch me.”
Katie finished snapping a colander of green beans and grabbed two quarts of minestrone soup for Jack and Dolly.
She’d use the soup as an excuse to see Ian Finnegan.
Did the guy know Norah was still in high school?
Probably not, and that’s exactly why Katie had to see him and convince him to stay away from her little sister.
Forty minutes later, she dropped off the soup, spent a few minutes chatting with Dolly before she casually asked about Ian. The smile that spread across Dolly’s face indicated she thought the inquiry had to do with attraction. Better the woman believe Katie was interested in him than Norah.
“He’s in Jack’s garage, fiddling with an old lawnmower that hasn’t started in five years.
Why my husband insists on keeping pieces of things that don’t serve a purpose anymore is beyond my comprehension.
” A shrug, followed by a soft sigh. “He might come across as hard and unbending, but the man just does not give up on anything. When Ian heard about the lawnmower, he wanted to take a look. He’s been out there almost two hours.
I took his lunch to him so he could keep working.
The boy said figuring things out, relaxed him.
” A gentle laugh followed by “Said machines were a lot easier to understand than people.”
Interesting. He’d probably said that because he had so many women falling over him that he didn’t have to work at a relationship or understand how people felt or why.
Still, she shouldn’t judge him. Her job was to make sure he understood Norah wasn’t available, and to apologize for whatever her sister may have said to indicate she was.
Katie headed out the back door and toward the old garage that Uncle Jack called his “sanctuary”.
The low hum of a base reached her first, followed by singing.
Really bad singing. She would not have thought him capable of doing anything poorly, but he killed Aerosmith’s “Sweet Emotion”, and not in a good way.
She stood at the entrance of the garage, spotted him seated on an old stool, back to her, dark head bent over the lawnmower Dolly had told her about…
parts spread out on the workbench. He wore an old T-shirt rimmed with sweat stains, and when he turned to grab a cloth, he saw her.
His mouth clamped shut, and a dull red crept over his tanned face.
Katie moved into the garage, offered a smile and a wave.
He didn’t return the smile. She watched as he wiped a smudge from his jeans—not designer ones, but faded, grease-stained denim, worn at the thighs and knees. The throat clearing came next, as he reached for his phone and flipped off the music. “Did you need something?”
Those blue eyes pierced her, the voice dripping annoyance.
“Actually, I’d like a word with you, but…
” Those eyes shifted from blue to ice. The jaw clenched, unclenched, but he remained silent.
“I think we didn’t get off to a good start the other day, and I’d like to apologize for that.
” She worked up a smile, held it in place. “You caught me at a bad time.”
A raised brow. “You came all this way to tell me that?” When she hesitated, he shook his head, turned back to the lawnmower.
“Okay, I came to apologize.” That got his attention. She moved so she could see his face, waited for him to say something, but no, he just picked up a wrench and started fiddling with the carburetor. “I came to apologize for my sister.”
He paused, shot her a look. “Your sister?”
Katie bit her bottom lip, dreading the next words. “Her name is Norah. She invited you to go for pizza in Renova?” The stare grew more intense, the brackets around his mouth deeper. “I’m sorry she bothered you, but I want to make sure that you understand…”
The lips flipped to a scowl. “Understand what? She’s a kid. What is she…fifteen? What kind of person do you think I am? I was just being nice, but she would not stop.” A loud sigh as he turned back to the mower.
Why couldn’t her sister be shy and introverted, and not show her emotions? Why couldn’t she be more like someone Katie could understand and relate to…? “She’s sixteen, but she thinks she’s twenty-six.”
He laughed at that comment. “Right. Still a kid.”
“Exactly, but she doesn’t think she is.” Katie took a breath, let the truth fall out. “She thinks she’s an adult who knows how to attract a guy who’s older than she is. Someone with more experience. Someone who…”