by Megan Ryder
He shook his head. “I can get it. You have other houses you’re paid to manage. I’ll probably be staying here the next few days anyway. I’ll make sure its secure.”
She stepped closer, something shining in her eyes. “I could come back and hang out with you. Storms are pretty awesome at this part of the island. It could be fun.”
Her tone implied what version of fun she was thinking and it had nothing to do with storm chasing and more to do with adult activities. Ruefully, he wished he could get a certain redhead out of his mind and accept Janine’s implied offer. But his heart and other parts of his anatomy were not in it, not now. Damn, it would be so much easier if it he could just get over Brigid.
“Thanks, Janine. You’re a beautiful woman but I’m just not ready.”
She nodded, regret in her eyes. “I figured but I had to take a shot. Call me if you change your mind. She’s a lucky girl.”
“If only she thought so,” he muttered without thinking.
Her gaze sharpened. “Is it the red-haired woman who came with you Sunday? Brigid? I don’t know what she’s telling you but I read her body language loud and clear and she was not happy with my presence here.”
He shook his head. “You’re mistaken. We broke up before we came here.”
“Are you sure?”
He barked a laugh. “Yeah, I’m damn sure, not that we had much of a relationship before now.”
“Well, I don’t know her or your relationship but she is not indifferent and has not yet let go of you. Whatever the issues are, she’s still tangled up with you, in my opinion.”
Hope flared. “You think so?”
“If I didn’t like you so much, I’d lie and say no. But, yeah, that woman has feelings for you. Maybe she doesn’t know it yet but she does.”
He grabbed her in a quick hug. “Thanks, Janine. And thanks for all your work here.”
She stepped back and patted her hair, slightly flushed. “Well, I’ll be done today, unless you need some final touches later this week. I’ll be available depending on the storm damage. Give me a call sometime.”
“Thanks!” He called out and headed out the door, a renewed perspective and hope motivating him.
Maybe he did have a chance.
Chapter Eighteen
Grady came downstairs after a quick shower washing off the grime from the day. He had gotten a lot done on the cottage and shored up a lot of the wedding venue for Caroline. His muscles were pleasantly achy and tired, and he was ready for a cold drink and a relaxing night by the fire pit. Most of the group was already outside but Matthew waited in the kitchen for him, a beer in hand. He jutted his chin to Grady and handed him a bottle.
“You got a minute?”
Grady shrugged. “Since I’m here at your invitation for your wedding, I think all my minutes are yours. What’s up?”
He jerked his head to the front of the house, away from the group and they headed out the front door. Matthew sat on the step and took a long swallow of his beer. After a considering look, Grady also sat down and sipped his beer.
“I didn’t know you drank beer. I thought it was wine or scotch or whatever you lawyer types drank,” Grady commented.
Matthew shrugged. “I like the occasional beer, especially when I want to get drunk.”
Grady’s eyebrows shot up. “Everything okay?”
“Depends on what you consider okay.” Matthew took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “I’m sorry Dad can’t be here for the wedding.”
Grady froze in the act of taking a sip, the subject completely unexpected, then took a deep swallow, sensing he was going to need the fortification. “Dad can’t leave the home anymore, you know that. He barely knows me most days, in fact, the days where he knows me are few and far between now. The dementia has taken hold of him. And with the Parkinson’s, we could never manage him for the wedding.”
Matthew nodded, still not looking at Grady. “But that’s not what you wanted to talk about, was it Matthew?”
Matthew sighed. “No. Mom will be there Saturday. With Richard, her husband.”
A familiar anger spurted within Grady but he tamped it down, trying not to show the emotion, knowing how Matthew felt about their mother and stepfather, two people Grady didn’t know. He sucked at his beer and then let the bottle dangle between his legs. “Spit it out, Matthew. Say what’s on your mind. Don’t use your lawyer words for us simpletons.”
Mathew whirled around and glared at him. “I never treated you as less. Never.”
Grady held up a hand and laughed. “I was only trying to lighten the moment. Chill out, man. Seriously, what’s on your mind?”
Matthew settled for staring out at the driveway again, lost in his thoughts. Grady sat next to him, resolved to wait. He was patient, used to taking his time. Finally, Matthew spoke.
“Divorce sucks, you know? That’s why I waited so long with Caroline. I wanted to be absolutely sure about this marriage, not wanting to subject our kids to what our parents did to us.” He looked at Grady. “Mom wants to see you. Saturday. She wants to talk to you, not just wave at you from a distance.”
The words fell between them like a hammer on a finger, hard, brutal, and swift, bringing with it the same pain and intense reaction that he always felt when that happened. Blood roared in his ears and Matthews words continued as if from a distance.
“I know you don’t want to see her. I saw you Friday night at the reception, how you left the room to avoid talking to her. This is my wedding. You can’t leave, Grady. You’re my brother. I need you there.”
“And she’s your mother.” The words came out thickly, as if past a swollen tongue.
“Our mother,” Matthew corrected him.
Grady shook his head. “She stopped being my mother twenty years ago when she walked out of my life. I can’t, Matthew. I can’t forgive her.”
Matthew gripped his arm. “I’m not asking you to forgive her. I’m asking that you give her ten minutes of your time to talk to her. To listen to her, truly listen. Then, if you want to walk away, I’ll support it. But you have to remain civil during the wedding. No walking out or avoiding.”
Grady stared at him. “I would never walk out on your wedding. What kind of a brother do you think I am?”
“Just do this for me. As a groomsman gift. That’s all I ask.”
“Did Caroline put you up to this? I thought I was giving you a week of my time,” Grady grumbled.
Matthew smiled, as if knowing he had won. “This is a bonus, for being my brother.”
“And you’ll never ask it of me again. No more dinners, surprise family meetings, picnics? This is it?”
Matthew held up his beer bottle. “I swear on this bottle of alcohol I hold in my hands. This is the only time and the last time I ask this of you.”
Grady studied him for a long moment, desperately wanting to say no but knowing he could never say no to the big brother who had reentered Grady’s life and brought him a family again. “Fine, I’ll talk to her. Ten minutes. But I’m not promising anything. Nothing.”
A relieved grin broke out on Matthew’s face. “Thank you. Now, let’s head to the back for dinner and another game.”
Grady scrambled to his feet with a groan. “Why do we have to play these stupid games? Can’t we just drink like regular adults until we fall down drunk?”
Matthew clapped him on the back. “Just think, it might get you laid tonight.”
From his lips to God’s ears, not that Grady was a praying man or that Brigid ever would sleep with him.
*
Dinner was casual, consisting of homemade pizza, beer, and wine. The spicy food irritated Brigid’s stomach but she was so hungry, she didn’t care. She had barely touched her burger at lunch, thoughts of work and Grady twisting up inside of her. The evening was nonnegotiable and, honestly, she couldn’t deal with work any longer.
And wasn’t that a surprise to a woman who spent most of her waking hours focused on the office.
Now she sat around the bonfire waiting for the next fun activity, wondering if she could have her brows waxed or something else equally painful. It had to be more fun than this. Judging by the tense exchanges by the other couples, they weren’t enjoying the matchmaking any more than she was.
Caroline stood. “Okay, next challenge, and last one. An oldie but goodie. Truth or dare.”
Delaney popped up faster than Brigid would have expected. “Hell no.”
Ethan reclined on the stone wall against the house and smirked at her. “Something to hide, Laney?”
Delaney whirled and glared at him. “We all have stuff to hide. I’m not playing a stupid game of truth or dare where I’m the target. Absolutely not.”
Anna stood, a smug smile on her face. “So, you forfeit the challenge and give up your chance to win? The lamp will look great in your apartment.”
Brigid smothered a grin. No one wanted that damn lamp and it was clear it was going somewhere between Delaney and Anna. She and Caroline were safe, not that anyone would dump it on Caroline. Brigid might as well not even be there for all the attention anyone paid her. And she was grateful. She had no interest getting in between a cat fight. She had enough arguments in her day job.
Delaney narrowed her gaze at Anna who smiled innocently back. “What are the rules?” She spoke through gritted teeth.
Caroline nodded. “Similar rules as before. We tally points by team. You accept and complete the truth or dare and you get a point. You fail, you lose a point. Final tally by team, couples. Whoever has the most points, wins the money and designates who gets the cup.”
Brigid, thought through the guidelines, looking for any loopholes. “So, nothing life threatening or insulting, right?”
Caroline nodded. “Correct. Nothing too outrageous. Matthew and I will act as judges.”
Immediately, the whole group protested.
Delaney spoke for everyone. “No, you paid in. You have to participate.”
Matthew stood. “We never even finished the scavenger hunt. There’s no way to win.”
Brigid shrugged. “So what? Grady and I have no shot either but I’m not complaining.”
Matthew shot her a sour look but settled on a chair, arms folded in front of him. “Fine.”
One by one, everyone agreed and paired up. The game started innocently enough. Easy questions. Nothing serious. Nothing to rock the boat until the final round. The sun had set long ago and the moon was high in the sky and the night had grown chilly. Brigid wrapped a blanket around her and sipped the wine, feeling more than a little buzzed and reckless, but nervous at the same time.
Midnight. The witching hour. Nothing good ever happened after midnight.
“Okay, it’s getting late and we’re all tired. This is the final round. Let’s roll to see who goes first.”
And as usual, it was Brigid’s dumb luck. Feeling pretty confident and not having anything to hide and not liking risks, she took the truth option and waited to see who was on deck to ask the question.
When Grady stood, a chill ran down her spine. She didn’t know he was up for the question option. Maybe she should have taken the dare, but she had a feeling she knew what his dare would be. Chills raced up her spine, a shiver that had nothing to do with the cold breeze coming off the ocean, a prelude to the storm that was aiming directly for them. She stood, patience a worn thread, much like an old, used up blanket that had been tossed in the corner. Grady considered her slowly, a deep pensive look on his face.
For once, no one in the circle pushed for speed. This game had turned much more serious, a way to reconnect and to figure out what went wrong five years ago. More than Ethan and Delaney had split five years ago. The whole group, with the exception of Grady, had fractured into a thousand pieces, split from their ideals, hopes, dreams, and goals.
Graduating from college was a significant life transition as how one planned their life never quite met up with the reality of what their life was. Delaney had planned on marrying Ethan, who would work with his father in the investment firm. Anna was going to be a big Hollywood star. Wyatt had his eyes set on a professional football career until his knee injury. Only Matthew and Caroline had achieved their goal, or would in the next few days. And Brigid thought she was still on track for her own goals, having never deviated from her laser focus on law firm partnership at a prestigious law firm in Houston.
Then Grady came along and blew that whole image to shit with his questions about a relationship, making her want things she had no business wanting, not now in her career trajectory.
She shifted impatiently. “Any time, Grady.”
He blinked as if waking up from a dream then leveled a firm stare on her. “Truth, right?”
“Yes, truth. It’s always truth.” Anna broke in. “She’s predictably boring. Get on with it.”
A ghost of a smile crossed Grady’s face but it wasn’t from amusement. “Fine. Brigid, do you love your job?”
Brigid heard the words, soft but powerful. “Of course I do.”
He arched an eye brow. “Remember the consequences of lying.”
“Who says I’m lying?” She challenged him, hands firmly planted on her hips, anger boiling up to hide one simple fact.
She was lying and Grady knew it.
*
Grady watched the play of emotions cross Brigid’s face. She was always a horrible liar, especially about things that were important to her. She might have been an awesome lawyer but he doubted she loved her job as much as she wanted her parent’s approval.
He had come close to asking her why she wouldn’t take their relationship to the next level but she had really answered that last night, as far as she could. He didn’t think she even knew she was afraid of the commitment, of him leaving her and not loving her enough, especially if she failed, as she saw it. To her, love had conditions and she wasn’t ready to see that. He was tired of having the same argument over and over. So, he switched the conversation.
And Brigid had no idea what to do next.
He buried his smile and tried his best to be impassive, as if this was a poker hand to win the whole pot. “Brigid? Your answer?”
Anger. Confusion. Frustration. Doubt. Thoughtfulness. All played across her face as the group watched her expectantly. Her mouth opened and closed several times, as if choosing words then discarding them.
Finally, she said, “I switch to dare.”
Before Caroline could step in and tell her she couldn’t switch, Grady intervened. “Fine, you admit you were lying for the truth. Now, I dare you…”
“I wasn’t lying.” Brigid straightened to her full five foot eight height, body fairly quivering with indignation.
“Really? The only way to switch after the question was asked is to admit you were lying.”
She wrinkled her nose. “You’ve got that tied up in a neat little bow, don’t you? I’ll bet you were just waiting for this chance to embarrass me.”
He took a step forward, which forced her to tilt her head to look up at him. He gently grasped her shoulders. “It was never my intention to embarrass you. Believe me, there are a dozen of other ways I could do that, especially with a dare. Come on, Brigid. It’s not a difficult question.”
She lowered her voice so that only he could hear. “One of my bosses is sitting right there. Do you really think I’m going to admit anything about work in front of him?”
Without turning his head and keeping his eyes focused on hers, he said, “Matthew, nothing said here goes any further, right?”
“Of course not. Vegas rules.”
“Answer the question, sweetheart.”
She looked down at the buttons on his shirt, staring as if they were the most fascinating things she had ever seen. A small shudder ran through her, so faint he would have never noticed if he hadn’t been holding her. He resisted the urge to pull her to him, but the answer was important to more than the game. He had to know. She had to know. Then they could move on from there.
&nb
sp; For once, the group was silent. In fact, they had receded from Grady’s consciousness so he and Brigid seemed isolated in the circle, alone and intimate, the only sound being the dull roar of a churning ocean ahead of the storm coming up the coast.
Finally, in a voice almost too low for anyone to hear, she said, “No.”
Just one simple word. No elaboration or explanation. Just no.
He wanted to roar in triumph and hug her and drag her out of there. Instead, he settled for a brief gentle hug, a kiss on the top of her head, and simple words. “Thank you.”
He stepped away from her, despite his body screaming at him to pull her close. He walked to his spot by Matthew and sat. Brigid stood silent for a moment or two longer, lost in her own thoughts, unaware that she was alone. When she looked up, the expression on her face almost destroyed him.
She looked lost.
Chapter Nineteen
Brigid slowly settled back in her seat, mind still whirling from the implications of her admission. Honestly, she had no idea that was her answer but now that she had admitted it, she felt relieved. Yet another emotion she hadn’t anticipated.
Damn, she hated games.
She sipped her wine and stared into the flames, playing the game with only half her attention. Fortunately, only a couple of rounds remained and it ended with only a minimum of bloodshed. She escaped soon after to her bedroom and waited for Grady, lights off. She had already removed the sheets and pillow from the couch, leaving him no option but to come up to the room. Caroline had played willing conspirator and informed him that his stuff had been moved upstairs.
Brigid had always been good at plans.
She had to wait a long time. Her eyes were drooping and her head nodding when he finally slipped in the door, closing it quietly behind him. She watched him silently, feigning sleep, as he undressed and headed for his pallet on the floor.
“Shit. Brigid?” He hissed.
She flicked on the light and sat up in bed. “Yes?” She settled back against the pillows with her hands folded in front of her.
