Chapter 5
CHAPTER FIVE
K ieran admired Harry Armstrong’s confidence as he switched on the engine and backed out of a space in front of the Buffalo. Seemed like they were way too close to the lorry parked next to them.
He braced for the screech of metal on metal, but it never came. They cleared the spot and rolled down Main Street without hitting anything.
Sitting in the back seat was slightly less disorienting than being behind the wheel. But he still couldn’t get used to looking to his right and seeing the edge of the road. It was too close. They’d veer off into a ditch any second.
Sara had taken the middle seat next to him and Lani sat by the left-side door. Tucked in thigh-to-thigh with Sara gave him ideas he shouldn’t be having, but it was either focus on her lovely profile or the unsettling landscape whizzing by on the wrong side of the vehicle. He looked at Sara.
Extracting her mobile from the handbag on her lap, she called Desiree to announce they were bringing someone back with them and hoping she’d be available to meet him.
He could only hear her end of the call and was surprised at the wee amount of detail she gave Desiree — only that he’d just arrived in town and desperately needed this meeting. Sara didn’t even mention he was from Ireland.
Tucking her phone away, she glanced at him. “She’s looking forward to it.”
“The mystery man?”
“That’s on purpose. If you want her attention, give her a puzzle to solve.”
Vanessa laughed. “Isn’t that the truth.”
“But you didn’t even tell her my name.”
“Kieran isn’t a name you hear all the time. Pair it up with Haggerty and she’d ask if you’re Irish, and then if you’re from Ireland, and then?—”
“Before you know what hit you, she’s wormed out the whole story,” Vanessa said. “We’ve all learned that about Desiree. She’s curious and she’s persistent. Since this isn’t a conversation to have over the phone, Sara was smart to limit the info.”
“We’re lucky she’s not on deadline,” Lani said.
“Only because she burned the midnight oil before we arrived,” Harry said. “She told me it was down to the wire, but fortunately the characters cooperated and helped her write the ending.”
“Desiree’s a writer?”
“Bingo. Remember when I asked if you were here to see M.R. Morrison, the author?”
“I do.”
“That’s Desiree’s pen name. Until recently, readers believed she was a man. She took that name because when she published her first book thirty-five years ago, all the popular Western writers were men. Her publisher thought nobody would buy a woman’s Western stories.”
“That’s why she loves old Western films and TV shows? Because she writes about the West?”
“It’s more the other way around,” Harry said. “She was into those shows as a kid and had the urge to write stories like that. She’s built a successful career out of it, too.”
“While raising ten children?”
“That’s where Buck and Marybeth come in.” Sara got out her mobile. “Let me show you some pictures I took at Dallas’s wedding last February. This is Marybeth. She was Angie’s matron of honor.”
He gazed at the seventy-something lady who’d fastened her gray braids into a crown and decorated it with flowers. Joy shone in her eyes and in her wide smile. Made his chest hurt. Granny hadn’t worn an expression like that in years. “Nice.”
“And here are the McLintock brothers all lined up waiting for the wedding to start. That’s our brother Dallas and next to him is Trent, our other brother, who was his best man.”
“’Tis a massive group, there. Nine of ’em. Bet nobody messes with those fellas.”
“They’re completely harmless.”
“I wouldn’t put it that way,” Harry said. “They aren’t likely to start something, but Marsh is into kickboxing and all of them are in excellent shape. If they need to defend themselves or a loved one, they won’t hesitate.”
“I can’t picture Rance duking it out with someone, though,” Sara said. “First he’d try to relieve the tension with a joke.”
“He might, at that. He’s a character.”
Lani snorted. “That’s one way to put it.”
“Which one is Rance?”
“This one.” Sara pointed to the next to the last in the lineup. “He and Lucky, the one at the end, are the same age, the two youngest boys. Rance is Desiree’s biological son and Lucky was adopted. I haven’t heard the story behind that. Mom, have you?”
“I haven’t. When I heard they were the same age, I assumed they were fraternal twins since they don’t look alike. Then somebody told me Lucky’s adopted, but that’s all I know.”
“Oh, well. Not important right now. Here’s one of Desiree and her husband Andy, although at the time they weren’t married yet.”
“Then he’s not the father of that lot?”
“No, he?—”
“Ah, their father died, then.” He studied the handsome copper-haired woman in the photograph.
The fella was looking at her like she was the last biscuit on the plate, while she smiled at the person taking the picture — who would be Sara. He saw confidence in her eyes and strength in her posture. “I’ll wager she doesn’t put up with plonkers.”
Vanessa chuckled. “I can guess what a plonker is and you’re right. She doesn’t put up with them. When she’s in the room, there’s no doubt who’s in charge.”
Sara leaned toward the front seat. “Mom, should we tell him about the fathers?”
“ Sar- a.” Lani sighed. “You can’t say something like that and not tell him.”
He rose to her defense. “Yes, she can. If it’s best not to tell me, then don’t worry about it, Sara.”
She glanced back at him. “It’s just that you’re under the impression there was only one father.”
“And I know better, now. You said fathers, which tells me she had more than one husband, not counting the current one. Now the ten children make more sense.”
“She didn’t have any husbands. Not until Andy.”
“None? Then how did she?—”
“Let me handle this.” Vanessa twisted around in her seat so she could make eye contact with him. “Desiree loved the idea of kids but had issues with marriage. She chose men who weren’t keen on tying the knot and would give her custody of the child they conceived together.”
That set him back. “Nine different fellas?”
“Seven. She has a set of twins and one of the men fathered two boys about a year apart.”
“And they all disappeared once they’d done the deed?”
“Only one cut off contact. Two passed away. The other four have kept in touch with their kids and last I heard, three of them have moved back to Wagon Train so they can be closer to the family now that grandchildren are being born.”
“That….” He shook his head. “I’ve never heard of anything so….”
“Hard to imagine?”
He nodded. “Makes my head explode.”
“And here’s the kicker. Despite her non-traditional lifestyle, she’s a pillar of the community, admired by everyone. The McLintocks are the most respected family in Wagon Train.”
“Amazing.”
“Even more incredible, her bestselling books were essential to her pulling it off, but until a couple of weeks ago, only her immediate family and a small group of female friends knew that she’s M.R. Morrison.”
“Why unmask herself now?”
“I think you should ask her. I might not get it right. Everything I just told you is fact. Her reasons for going public with her writing identity… those are hers to tell.”
“I feel like I’m about to meet a legend.”
“That’s not far off, son,” Harry said.
His gaze locked with Sara’s. “What did you get me into?”
“Nothing you can’t handle, cowboy.”
He liked the way she was looking at him. Liked it a lot. If they were in County Kildare, he’d know what that look meant.
But he was a stranger in a strange land. Before he made a fool of himself, he needed to find out what was going on with her.
Was she the type who enjoyed stirring up a fella but never intended to follow through on the invitation she’d issued? He didn’t believe it. She’d been nothing but kind to him. Her wish to help him find out about his mum was sincere.
But if she wanted the sort of thing from him that her eyes were communicating, had she thought it through? After this week they’d likely never see each other again.
That truth was only the beginning of the mess they could make of this. Then came the logistics of the situation. She was staying out here within arm’s reach of her relations.
He had privacy to offer in the form of his hotel room, but she had no transportation unless she used the family rental. He couldn’t picture her asking to borrow that vehicle so she could spend the night with him at the hotel.
Even if she was sassy enough to ask, her family would likely remind her that this was a dead-end situation. And they would be right.
But what if she didn’t care about that? What if she was all for living in the moment and capturing joy wherever she found it? If that was the case, where did he stand on the matter?
He didn’t know. Such a circumstance had never presented itself. Living in one spot all his life, he’d never been in the position of wanting a woman he’d never see again. He saw his ex-girlfriends all the bleedin’ time.
Lani leaned forward so she could see past Sara. “Don’t forget about your sandwich.”
“Oh, right.” He picked up the bag he’d set between his feet to keep it from tipping.
“I’ll get you some water from the back.” Sara unlatched her belt and scooted around so she could kneel on the seat and reach in the back. Moments later she handed him a chilled bottle.
He decided against saying thank you, ma’am and settled for just thanks. After this meeting with Desiree, however it went, he and Sara would have a talk.