Chapter 10 #2
It was Caitie who started the “Mommy and Nick, sitting in the tree, k- i- s- s- i- n- g” chant, and Maggie quickly tried to pull out of his arms.
“So much for your ability to keep anything secret,” she hissed. “I can’t marry you. You’re too… too… ”
“Too what?” he insisted, refusing to let her go.
A hundred answers raced through her mind. Too strong… too dominant… too smart… too sexy… too principled… too bossy… and your eyes are too blue; they steal my will, and your body is too hot, and it makes my mouth water. And besides that, your hands are huge and hard, and I know you’ll spank me. Ugh!
“To everything,” she sputtered, still trying to get free of him. Nick gathered her close.
For a moment Maggie sighed and rested her head over his heart, listening to its gentle rhythm; her own heart was fluttering like a bird.
See, see, she thought as the rest of the chant reached her ears—“first comes love, then comes marriage, then comes… ”—he makes me forget everything but him. Good grief, I’m so screwed.
Once Nick released her, Maggie flew over the sloping lawn and raced up the steps. Her light ruffled skirt revealed more than it hid as she advanced on the girls amid screams of glee.
“What was that?” she mock growled as her hands began to tickle them mercilessly, moving from one to another around the table. “Were you singing about me?”
“No, Aunt Maggie,” their squeals dissolved into hysterical laughter.
By now, Nick had reached the porch, and Caitie raced to him, throwing her arms around his neck as he scooped her up.
“Make her stop, Nicky,” she gasped, still laughing.
The tickling stopped, and two little girls shyly peeked up at him from under their hats.
“Lily, Rose, this is Nick, a friend of mine,” Maggie made the introductions. “Nick, these are my nieces, Lily and Rose.
“We’re twins,” both girls said in unison and then giggled.
Nick studied the girls. Identical faces complete with a smattering of freckles. Amethyst eyes stared back, and auburn curls spilled down onto their shoulders.
“It’s very nice to meet you,” Nick replied bending down to shake each tiny hand. “How old are you?”
“They is six,” Caitie supplied wiggling to get down. “Do you wanna come to our tea party?”
“Maybe a little later,” Maggie answered as she held the screen door open for Nick. “They are two of Colleen and Noah’s children. The two boys out there with Jason are Patrick and Molly’s. Speak of the devil,” she continued as they stepped into the foyer.
Patrick O’Malley was easily as tall as Rory, but not nearly as broad.
With dark red hair and sparkling green eyes, he had the look of an overgrown leprechaun.
Being the second son had its advantages, and he hadn’t inherited what Maggie and her sisters referred to as the “large and in charge gene”.
While not many people would like to see him pissed off, it didn’t happen very often.
Patrick had an easygoing personality and a wicked sense of humor. He was the peacemaker in the family and was usually the go-to guy. Currently, he had two eight-year-old boys, one dangling like a sack of potatoes under each arm.
“Nick, how are you? Nice to see you, buddy. I’d shake your hand if I could, but I’ve sort of got my arms full. This little monster is Devlin,” he said, giving the boy a lift and acting like he was going to drop him on his head. “Say hello to Nick, Dev.”
“Hey, Nick,” Devlin squealed, pretending to struggle to get away but clearly loving every minute of it.
“You know Todd,” Patrick continued giving the other boy the same treatment.
“Dev belongs to Colleen, and believe me she deserves him,” he laughed.
“I’m taking these two hooligans with me down to the pub.
Ma’s afraid she’ll run out of drinks and says she’d rather shop at the pub seeing how it’s free. ”
Maggie laughed. Patrick and Molly were the owners of The Rose and Thistle, an Irish pub they inherited from Molly’s grandparents.
Although the pub was open on Sunday, neither Molly nor Patrick worked.
They learned long ago that not showing up for Sunday dinner was breaking the eleventh commandment as far as Maeve was concerned.
“Well, I’m off,” Patrick said. “I’ll see you two in a bit. Better get out of here before Ma thinks of anything else she needs.”
No sooner had the words left his mouth, than a stunningly beautiful woman glided into the room.
Tall and willowy, she seemed to float on air as she joined the group.
Her blonde hair hung to her waist, and her crystal blue eyes were mesmerizing.
The white skirt she wore was mid-calf with a fluttering hem that looked like a thousand lace handkerchiefs.
Her gauzy top was the exact blue of her eyes and a wide belt cinched her waist. Barefoot, a tinkling bracelet of tiny bells surrounded her ankle.
“Hi, I’m Molly,” she smiled, reaching out to shake his hand.
“You must be Nick. Nice to meet you,” she continued, her head slightly cocked to one side as if she were listening to something.
For a second, a faraway look entered her eyes that left Nick totally disconcerted.
Finally, she gave a quick nod and released his hand.
Nick was speechless. The minute her hand touched his he felt as though she could see inside his soul. Even after she’d released him he was unable to form a clear thought. Molly scooted behind Patrick, slid her arms around his waist and slipped something deep into his front pocket.
“Ma wants you to stop and pick up more whipping cream for the shortcake,” she breathed into his ear, gently pretending to pat the money into place.
Patrick groaned and took a deep breath.
“You’re going to pay for that, baby,” he moaned, struggling to get his heart to slow down. “Later, when my hands are free, you’re in big trouble.”
“God, I hope so,” Molly replied with a determined gleam in her eyes before she turned and floated out of the room.
Maggie and Patrick looked at Nick’s stunned expression and burst out laughing.
“What the hell just happened here?” Nick asked, still staring at the spot where Molly had stood.
“Don’t worry about it, buddy,” Patrick replied with a big grin. “Everybody responds like that when they first meet her. Hell, I couldn’t form a complete sentence for a week,” he laughed.
Putting the boys down, he flexed his arms and sent them out to the truck with a promise to be right out.
“Molly’s a seer,” Patrick explained. Noting Nick’s dumbfounded expression, Patrick continued. “You know, she sees things.”
“What kind of things?” Nick inquired and gave his hand a slight shake to stop the tingling.
“All kinds of things. Sometimes things that have already happened, sometimes what will happen. Thankfully, she never sees anything really bad, at least that’s what she says, but who knows.
Anyway, I better go, we’ll talk later.” Patrick gave Nick a slap on the back and headed out the door whistling.
“Welcome to my world,” Maggie laughed as she propelled Nick forward with a hand to his back.
The house itself was much as he remembered, gleaming hardwood floors and wide doorways with hand carved molding. The dining room had been redone in yellows, creams and gold. The massive table was already set with china and silver he’d seen a hundred times.
Dinners like this had never happened at his house. He and Mason had to pretty much fend for themselves, and he’d always felt like a bull in a china shop on Sundays and holidays at the O’Malley’s.
A huge antique mirror hung along the wall over the sideboard and the china cabinet still held treasures untold, even with the table already set. Nick could hear the women of the family chattering in the kitchen, and although he allowed Maggie to steer him in that direction, he had his misgivings.
The minute they walked through the door, Maeve hurried over to embrace her daughter.
“I’m so glad you could make it after all, darlin’. It’s been too long you’ve been sittin’ home alone. You’re too young and pretty to waste away in that big house all by yourself,” she continued, glancing meaningfully at Nick.
Next it was his turn, and Maeve pulled on his shirt, bringing him down for a kiss on the cheek.
“We’re glad to have you back too, Nicky, darlin’. You’ve certainly grown into a handsome man. Of course we always knew you’d make somethin’ of yourself despite that wastrel father of yours.”
“Mother!” Maggie gasped, her hand going to her throat.
“It’s all right, Maggie,” Nick told her. “Any illusions I had about my father died long ago.”
“I’m sorry if I offended you, Nicky. Sean and I could see right off that you and that strappin’ brother of yours would not turn out like your Da.
’Tis glad we are to see you back home where you belong.
Maggie, why don’t you take Nicky out to the back porch and get him a cold drink.
I’m sure your Da will be wantin’ a word with him.
Oh, and Rory wanted to see you, Maggie. I don’t know what ‘tis about—Lord knows I’m the last to find out any—”
“I’m right here, Ma,” Rory stated, cutting her off as he came up behind Maggie.
Towering over her, he slipped his strong arm around her shoulders.
“Come on, Cupcake, this won’t take long,” he continued as his eyes met Nick’s with a wink.
A silent communication passed between the two men as Rory guided Maggie from the room.
Colleen and Bridget went on instant alert.
Trying not to draw attention her way, Bridget, who had been peeling potatoes, grabbed the peels and headed to the trash can.
With a quick nod to Colleen, she quietly moved toward the door intending to follow them.
Unfortunately, Noah came through that same door first and marched the curious young lady back into the kitchen.