Chapter 10
CHAPTER TEN
I n the silence that fell after Desiree left the room, Sara had a pretty good idea what her mom and Lani were focused on. She did her best not to squirm as they glanced at her.
She took a stab at conversation. “Good thing Lucky’s here at least, and not in Apple Grove.”
“Very good,” Andy said.
Lani didn’t comment. Any second now she’d ask a question about the walk. She had to be dying to know what the eff had prompted Kieran to break into song.
“Speaking of Apple Grove.” Her dad looked across at Andy. “I have a taste for some of that pale ale Lucky brought back. Think we could head for the kitchen and round up some drinks and snacks for this crew?” He pushed up from the couch.
“Great idea, Harry.” Andy left his chair. “Shoulda thought of it myself.”
“I could go for that.” Buck got up, too. “Want some, Marybeth?”
“Sure. Thanks.”
“Vanessa?” Her dad quirked an eyebrow at her mom.
“Sounds good.”
His gaze shifted to his daughters. “Girls?”
“I’m in.” Sara looked at Kieran. ”I doubt they have any Guinness.”
“We don’t,” Andy said. “But I think we can find you something that’ll work.”
“I’ll bet you can.” He left his chair. “I’ll go see what they’ve got and bring your ale while I’m at it. What can I get you, Lani?”
“Same. Thanks, Kieran.”
Once they’d all left for the kitchen, Marybeth chuckled. “How nice of them to leave us alone for some girl talk.”
“Harry could feel it coming,” her mom said. “After living in a house with three women, he has a keen sense of when I’d like him to vacate the premises.” She smiled as male laughter erupted from the kitchen. “Besides, it’s a treat for him to commune with the guys.”
“We need to talk fast, though.” Lani zeroed in on Sara. “C’mon, girl, give. When a man spontaneously bursts into song in the middle of a sunny afternoon, there’s gotta be a reason.”
“Irishmen don’t necessarily need a reason.” Marybeth got a faraway look in her eyes. “They just love to sing.”
Sara turned to her. “Sounds like you had a fabulous time that summer. Did you stay in one part or?—”
“Nice try, Sara.” Lani pinned her with a look. “But we can talk about Marybeth’s trip while the men are in the room, whereas?—”
“Not if you want to hear the good stuff,” Marybeth said. “But you’re right. Now’s not the time. Sara, you’re up.”
“He kissed me. And I kissed him back. End of story.”
Marybeth smiled. “Looks like the beginning of one to me.”
“Me, too,” Lani said. “The beginning of a doomed love affair. But there’s still time to save yourself, sis. I’ll admit he’s damned attractive. It’s no mystery to me why you want to jump his bones, but?—”
“It’s not only that. He needs a friend.”
“He does.” Her mom nodded. “I found it touching that he wants you there when he meets Lucky.”
“I agree it’s touching, Mom.” Lani was clearly intent on making her case. “But he’ll have that meeting in the next few hours. Mission accomplished. After that, she can back away so she won’t be miserable when they each go their separate ways in a week.”
Her mom’s gaze was tender as she turned in her direction. “It’s not a bad idea, Sara. He’ll be bonding with his brother, with all the McLintocks. He’ll be surrounded by a family he never knew he had.”
“If I wanted to pull away, that would be the perfect time. The thing is, I don’t want to.”
“Because he’s beautiful, sweetie.” Marybeth reached over from the couch and squeezed her knee. “We all understand that.”
“We just don’t want you to get hurt,” her mom said. “Or Kieran, either. I like him. If he didn’t live in Ireland, I’d be dancing a jig over this situation.”
“Would he consider living in the US?” Lani glanced at Sara. “If that’s a possibility….”
“Not as long as his granny’s alive. She’s firmly planted in their little village and he’d never leave her.” She took a breath. “I hear what you’re saying and I know you’re both looking out for me. So is he. This afternoon he admitted that getting involved and risking our hearts is foolish.”
“There, see?” Lani smiled. “He gets it.”
“He also said they’re ours to risk.”
Marybeth sighed. “Spoken like a true Irishman. They’re so passion?—”
“Fair warning, ladies,” her father called out. “If you’re saying anything you don’t want us to hear, better lock it down. The men are on the move.”
Her mom flashed her a grin. “He’s lovin’ this.”
“Lucky’s on his way!” Desiree sailed out of the bedroom, cheeks flushed.
“He is?” Andy set a tray loaded with frosty bottles on the large coffee table. “He’s already adjusted to the news?”
“Hell, no. He was shocked to his toes. Dropped the phone. He says the screen’s cracked but it still works. He was in the storeroom with the door closed, so at least the customers didn’t see him in berserker mode.”
Andy frowned. “Is he safe to drive?”
“If he’s not, Oksana will insist on driving them here. At one point he said he’d need time to wrap his head around it. But after we talked and talked and talked some more, he said he’d close up early and come home. And he’s bringing Rance.”
“ What ?” Andy’s eyes widened. “Why?”
“It’s the right thing to do,” Marybeth said. “I’ve been thinking about Rance this whole time. He and Lucky grew up as twins. This’ll rock his world, too.”
“Sure, but?—”
“I agree with Marybeth,” Desiree’s breathless delivery betrayed her agitation. “Rance is about an hour into his shift at the Buffalo. He rode in with Clint so Lucky and Oksana are stopping by there to pick him up. Somehow they’ll convince Clint to give him time off without saying why.”
Sara glanced at Kieran, who looked like he might be having a panic attack of his own. He’d hooked two bottles of pale ale between the fingers of one hand, a precarious setup since he was freaking out. In his other hand, he white-knuckled a can of beer. He’d already put a dent in it.
“Lani,” she said in a low voice. “Take those bottles from him.”
“Got it.”
He glanced down as Lani slipped the bottles away. “Thanks.”
“Thank you for bringing them.” She spoke to him in her big sister voice.
Sara wrapped both hands around his closed fist and the dented beer can. “I doubt you could actually crush it, but you could make a mess.”
“Huh?” He looked at the beer can as if he’d never seen it before. “Oh.” Loosening his grip, he examined the dent. “Yeah, that’s not good. Don’t know what I was thinking.”
“Want me to take it?”
He nodded. “Might choke on it.”
“He’ll be as nervous as you are,” Desiree said.
“I’m not nervous.”
“It’s okay to be?—”
“I’m terrified. What am I going to say? What if we have no bleedin’ idea how to talk to each other and we just sit there in silence?”
“You won’t.” Desiree met his gaze. “I promise.”
“How do you know?”
“Rance. No one sits in awkward silence when he’s around.”
That brought a rueful laugh from Lani. “That’s for sure. Sometimes you just want to—” She caught herself and shrugged. “He’ll keep things going.”
“He will.” Desiree’s tense shoulders dropped slightly. “Lucky’s instincts were on target.” She accepted the frosty bottle Andy handed her. “Thanks, my love.” Taking a sip, she looked around the room. “Now we need to consider the venue.”
“If it’ll be this room, it’s my opinion we should all clear out except for Sara.” Andy checked Desiree’s reaction.
“Yeah, they don’t need a cast of thousands hanging around.”
“We can move the party to Rowdy Roost,” her dad said. “That’s easy enough.”
“Or…” Desiree looked at Kieran. “You could have your meetup in there.”
“In where? What’s Rowdy Roost?”
“A game room.”
“A game room on steroids.” Sara’s anxiety level lowered a bit. “I think that’s brilliant. If they run out of things to say they can play darts.”
“Darts?” A spark of interest chased some of the worry from Kieran’s eyes.
Marybeth clapped a hand to her forehead. “I can’t believe I didn’t think of that.” She gazed up at him. “I assume you play.”
A faint smile lifted the corners of his mouth. “I’ve been known to, yeah.”
“Translated, he’s amazing at it. Watch out for sandbagging.”
“Hey, Sara.” Desiree motioned to her. “Let’s take Kieran to Rowdy Roost and see if he thinks it’ll work.”
“I think he’ll like it.”
“If it has a dart board, that’s a good start.” He glanced toward the dog bed where Sam lay, head up and ears pricked. “Sam looks like he’d like to come along.”
“By all means. Okay, Sam.” Desiree patted her thigh. “You’re invited, too.” She glanced up at Kieran. “He’s taken a shine to you.”
“The feeling’s mutual. Looks like he knows where he’s going.”
“Sam likes Rowdy Roost. Reminds him of all the parties there, which are his favorites. He’ll be a good icebreaker for this meeting.” Desiree followed the collie through the dining room.
“Dogs are good for that.” Kieran waited for Sara to start after Desiree and then he fell in step beside her. His hand brushed hers and he linked their pinky fingers.
Cute. She glanced over and smiled.
“I know this first day will be kinda tough for you and Lucky,” Desiree said, “but in the end, what a gift you’ll be to each other.”
“I’ve thought of that. This has already been the most important day of my life. And it’s not even over.” He looked over at her .
She caught her breath. Maybe he was only thinking of her role in getting him to Desiree. But the warmth in his gaze sent a far more intimate message.