4. Chapter Four
MATT
Despite the early morning hour, Kieran was waiting when Matt stepped out of baggage claim. The guy was impossible to miss, a giant among regular-sized humans. His black hair was just starting to show strands of silver, but his blue eyes were as bright and alert as ever.
Kieran’s smile was wide as he pulled him in for a manly hug. Though not related by blood, he was the closest thing to a father Matt had ever had, coming into his life when Matt was fourteen and he and his mother had moved to the tiny little town of Pine Ridge, Pennsylvania. Kieran and his six older brothers were the strong male role models Matt hadn’t known he needed.
“How was the trip?” Kieran asked, releasing him.
“Uneventful.”
“Best kind. You had a long layover in Atlanta, yeah?”
Matt thought about Blessing and the people he’d killed time with. All military, all at their own crossroads. “Wasn’t so bad. I hung out in the USO. Had some interesting conversations.”
Kieran smiled knowingly. “Blessing’s still there then?”
That surprised him. “You know her?”
“Oh, yeah. Did she hit you with the woo-woo and say something cryptic?”
Matt nodded. “She reminded me a lot of Aunt Maggie, but without the baked goods.”
Matt made a mental note to make sure he visited Maggie. Her bear claws were legendary.
Kieran laughed. “Yeah, good call. I won’t ask what Blessing told you, but I’d take it to heart if I were you.”
That was exactly what Kate had said.
“I need to make sense of it first.”
Kieran slapped a heavy hand on his shoulder. “You will. Of that, I have no doubt. Come on. Let’s get you home. I hope you’re hungry. Your mom has been cooking all your favorites.”
His stomach rumbled. The snacks he’d had earlier had long since burned up, and a tiny bag of peanuts only went so far. “Can’t wait.”
They walked out of the airport. Fresh snow was on the ground, and the bite of frigid March air hit Matt in the face. He exhaled, enjoying the visible puff. It’d been a while since he’d been anywhere cold. He’d missed it.
“Where’s the Porsche?” Matt asked when Kieran led him to an impressive but unfamiliar Range Rover.
“In the garage,” Kieran replied. “Your mother hid the keys. Something about icy roads.”
Matt laughed. As if something as mundane as a little ice on the road would be an issue for a Callaghan.
Kieran grinned wryly, as if he knew what Matt was thinking. “She worries, you know? And I’ve learned to pick my battles.”
The drive to Pine Ridge was relatively silent. Kieran seemed to understand that Matt needed time to adjust to this little slice of normal.
Of course he does, Matt thought. Having been a SEAL, Kieran had been through this coming-home thing many times himself.
Matt sucked in a breath as they made their way over the final crest and got that first glimpse of the valley below. The sight hit him solidly in the chest, then wrapped around him like a warm blanket.
“Never gets old,” Kieran said quietly.
No, it never did. The longer he was away, the bigger the impact was.
A strong sense of déjà vu hit him, just like it had every other time he came home. He could remember when, years earlier, he and his mother had made the trek from Georgia to Pennsylvania. He’d barely been a teenager then. It was the two of them against the world, intent on making a fresh start with nothing but a clunky, old Ford, a few boxes in the trunk, and the clothes on their backs.
Start over they had. New place, new jobs, new friends, new family. Within twenty-four hours of their arrival, they’d met Shane, Lacie, and Kieran, and nothing had been the same since.
The secluded mountain valley looked much the same as it had then. A deep basin, wrapped in acres of dark green woodlands coated in frost. Ribbons of rivers and streams gleaming brightly under the clear sky. Roads pocked with potholes big enough to make leaving the Porsche in the garage a wise choice, with or without icy roadways.
In contrast, the ramshackle cottage they’d bought for cheap all those years ago looked a lot different now. It had been completely renovated over the years with several additions to accommodate their growing family. At first, it had been just Matt and his mom. Then Kieran moved in. Matt’s sister Kassidy came along shortly after, followed a few years later by the triplets—Brady, Bridgett, and Brianna. And then a final surprise addition in his youngest brother, Finn. Now in her mid-forties, his mother swore there would be no more surprises, but she’d said that after the tris too.
Kieran pulled into the once-gravel driveway, now covered in smooth black asphalt and cleared of snow. Matt took another deep breath and appreciated the moment. The place might have changed over the years, but that feeling in his chest was exactly the same.
He was home.
Maybe for the last time.
“Go on,” Kieran said, stopping in front of the house. “I’ll park the Rover and be inside in a moment. Don’t worry about the duffel. You’re going to need both hands.”
Matt exited the vehicle and took a moment to stretch. A few weeks in the hospital, two days of travel, and limited movement had left him stiff. He was looking forward to hitting the gym, maybe doing some sparring with Kieran. Even though Kieran was a decade and a half older and Matt had learned a lot in the last several years, he wasn’t sure he could best the guy.
The back of his neck prickled with the familiar sensation of being in someone’s sights. He wasn’t particularly worried. This was Pine Ridge, not La Ceiba.
It made even more sense when he remembered the elderly neighbor who lived next door. Elsa Campbell didn’t miss much. The old woman prided herself on knowing everything about everyone. Fashioned herself as something of a matchmaker too, he recalled with a smile. Every summer, her backyard barbecues always included eligible singles from in and around the neighborhood. No doubt she would paint a target on his back this year.
Matt rolled his shoulders and surreptitiously glanced over that way, catching a face peering out at him. Female. Dark hair. Glasses. Young. Definitely not Mrs. Campbell.
The moment their eyes met, the figure glided away from the window and into the shadows.
Before he could think too much about that, the front door before him flew open, commanding his attention. A beautiful young woman with long black hair and bright blue eyes dashed out. She looked a lot like his sister Kassidy, but that couldn’t possibly be her. The last time he’d seen her, she’d been stick-thin with braces and glasses. The woman racing his way was nothing like that. His protective big-brother senses flared to life. It was going to be an interesting summer, but between him and Kieran, they’d be able to keep the young wolves at bay.
Kass leaped off the porch and threw herself at him. “Matty!”
He grinned and accepted the impact. For such a delicate-looking thing, she was solid. Clearly, she’d been spending a lot of time at BodyWorks with her dad. Knowing Kieran’s passion for martial arts, Kass was probably as well versed in self-defense as Matt was. Good thing too. She needed to be able to handle herself.
“Squirt,” he said affectionately.
“Beast.” She tugged at his long hair and flicked his earrings. “Nice. You almost look cool.”
“And you still look like trouble.”
He dropped her but kept one arm around her. His little sister was practically grown-up, as old now as he’d been when she was born. Those fifteen years felt more like a hundred sometimes—and not just because of the age difference. Their formative years had been comprised of vastly different life experiences. Kass had never had to worry about having enough money for food, clothes, or a roof over her head like he and his mom had.
The urge to look over at Mrs. Campbell’s house again was strong, but he refrained. He’d find out what the deal was soon enough, though the thought of Mrs. Campbell not being around anymore was a sad one. She was a sweet lady and a staple of the community, even if she was a busybody.
The moment they entered the house, he was surrounded by warmth and the delicious scents of his mother’s cooking. He barely had time to appreciate any of it before the next wave of welcome hit.
“Is he here?” called one of the triplets from the top of the steps. Then, “He is! He’s here!”
A series of whoops and pounding feet later, three more bodies launched onto him, as Brady, Bridgett, and Brianna joined forces and tried to take him down to the ground. Laughing, Matt went with it, which allowed his youngest brother, Finn, to climb onto the pile in victory.
Through it all, he managed to turn his head and see his mother in the doorway to the kitchen, a smile on her face and tears in her eyes. Kieran appeared behind her and put his arm around her shoulders, ever her rock.
“All right, you guys. Let your brother up so he can say hello to Mom,” Kieran commanded, amusement in his voice.
With playful pushes and a few poorly placed knees, they ceased their attack and retreated.
Faith waited patiently for him to stand and cross the room. When he leaned down and hugged her, he felt the familiar power in her embrace that had nothing to do with physical strength and everything to do with a mother’s love.
“I’m so glad you’re home,” she whispered.
“Me too, Mom. Me too.”