“I saw them,” Rob said. “I didn’t know you had anything to do with it.”
“Hey, remember our pact? I saved his career, and he finally recognizes it.”
“Does he know the reason?” Chills prickled Rob’s scalp. He’d kept Elaine’s secret long enough. Sure, it’d felt like a big deal ten years ago.
Elaine walked to the kitchen and turned on the coffeemaker. Rob followed her, waiting. After all, even if Connor knew, it didn’t give him carte blanche to tell Melisa.
And frankly, it didn’t make any difference one way or another. He’d lied to Melisa and misled her, knowing that Elaine’s betrayal was a sore point. Of course, now he’d only succeeded in adding himself as another betrayer, this time of Melisa’s trust.
“Connor knows.” Elaine’s answer jolted Rob from his thoughts.
“He does? Since when?”
“I told him when I set him up with Sheila.”
“So, what was his reaction?”
Elaine tilted her head and gave him a sidelong glance. “Why do you care so much?”
“I want to be friends with him again. Do you think it’s possible?”
“Put it this way, Connor’s angry, but mostly at me. He thinks you’re an idiot for playing along.”
“You can say that again.”
“I’ve accepted it.” Elaine poured a cup of coffee for Rob. “I was really depressed when I was diagnosed. I always dreamed of having children, and look at me now. I’m old before my time.”
Elaine had been diagnosed with premature menopause, a death sentence to biological motherhood, at an age when most college women were more concerned about birth control.
“You and Connor could have squeezed in a child had you married back then, while your hormone levels were still borderline.” Rob took a sip of the bitter coffee.
“Except it wouldn’t have been right. I never told him why I needed to conceive so quickly and make him a father. I was the one who talked him into eloping. The whole nine yards, and then he jumped at it and said he’d quit the Fire Academy.” She shook her head, shuddering. “Of course you knew all this.”
“Yes, but if I had to do it over again, now that I’ve gained ten years in the school of hard knocks, I would have told you to tell him so he could make an informed decision. By doing what we did, lying, we took the decision out of his hands. That was plain wrong.”
“It felt right, because I wanted to stay at Harvard. Can you imagine my parents if I eloped and got pregnant at nineteen? Besides, I had feelings for you, too.” She ran her hand down his arm. “Which was also why I didn’t contact you when I got this position at UCSF.”
Rob’s throat tightened and his stomach twisted into a knot. “We tried dating in med school.”
“Bad timing. Med school.” She laughed. “You know, Rob, it is significant that I felt more comfortable telling you the entire truth than Connor.”
“That’s because I was also pre-med. You knew I’d look it up and understand.” Rob’s tongue felt rubbery, and his heart alighted with panic. “I don’t think we should revisit our relationship again. We agreed it wouldn’t work.”
“Nothing would have worked in med school.” Elaine encircled her arms around his waist. “We barely had time to sleep, and all we did was act like rabbits. Need I remind you how good in bed we were?”
“Sure.” Rob disengaged from her hug. “It’s good to see you again, but I need to keep looking for Melisa’s bird.”
“You sure the bird is so special, or is it Melisa?”
Rob’s entire face heated and he stammered, “You know me too well. I was waiting for her to turn eighteen, and then I lost the chance. She showed up in my ER last week, but I screwed up again. I didn’t tell her about us dating in med school until it was too late.”
“Oh, Rob. Finding her bird isn’t going to make up for not telling her the truth.”
“I know. I’m always one step behind. By the time I told her, she accused me of not always having a crush on her from the day I met her.”
“Ha, ha, ha.” Elaine grabbed her stomach and laughed until she blinked back tears, which was all rather annoying.
Rob drained his coffee. “I’m glad you find my predicament so hilarious. Anyway, if you happen to see Cassie, the flyer has information on how to lure her into your apartment.”
“Okay, it’s good to see you, too.” Elaine wiped her eyes, still chuckling. “Oh, Rob. Instead of finding her bird, go find her and tell her everything. I have no more secrets, and she’s Connor’s sister. She’ll understand.”
“I wish it were so easy. She slammed the door in my face. I’m not so pathetic that I’m going to beg someone who doesn’t want me. I’m a man, after all.” Rob walked toward the door of Elaine’s penthouse.
“That’s why you’re so dense. If her biggest complaint was that you didn’t have this continuous crush, because it was broken by our dating, or should I say, our sex-capades, then I know two things. One, she’s never experienced you in bed, because otherwise she wouldn’t be slamming the door, and two, she’s in love with you and jealous as spit.”
“Well, jealous or not, I’m respecting her wishes. I’m not like Connor or his buddies who bulldoze their way around women. Mine. Mine. Mine. How like a two-year-old.”
“I’m with you there,” Elaine said. “But sometimes, a woman wants that fire, because it tells her she’s so important that her man would never give up.”
“I’m not giving up,” Rob said. “I’m going to find her bird, and then I’m going after her.”
“Good, then Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, and Auld Lang Syne.” Elaine pushed him out the door, still chuckling to herself.
Chapter Seventeen
Hundreds of phone calls, emails, and leads turned out to be nothing. Apparently, there were flocks of wild parrots all over San Francisco: the Presidio, the Financial District, Golden Gate Park, Telegraph Hill, Russian Hill, the waterfront, everywhere. People were calling and texting with sightings, even sending digital pictures. Unfortunately, none were Cassie.
Melisa’s shoulders were sore, her eyes watered continually, and her heartbeat limped like a bird with a broken wing. “Cassie, where are you? Please be okay.”
She and her sisters had been in their father’s office all morning and into the afternoon working the phones and email.
Jenna rubbed her shoulders and stood behind her, staring into her laptop screen. “It says they can survive temperatures as low as twenty-eight degrees.”
“I know, but Cassie’s a pet. She’s not wild, and she can barely fly. All I picture is her hungry and cold, begging for food, probably perched on someone’s windowsill.”
Cait looked up from her laptop. “She’s out there somewhere. We’ve got the men going door to door. I just had an update from Larry. He’s covering the entire area all the way to the zoo, and Rob is handing out leaflets in Golden Gate Park.”
“I know, and I love you all.” Melisa turned and hugged her sister. “I’m afraid I’m ruining Christmas for everyone.”
“Hush,” Mother said, placing a tray of chicken soup and sourdough bread on the table between them. “We’ll still go to midnight Mass after dinner. Eat, then take a rest and pray. God takes care of the sparrows, certainly He’s watching over Cassie, too.”
“I know. I’ve been praying all day,” Melisa said. “The entire city’s been wonderful, all the people looking for Cassie.”
“There were reporters at the front door, but I gave a statement for you,” Cait said, squeezing her shoulder. “Hang in there. My bet’s on Rob to find her.”
“Why?” Jenna asked. “Is something going on that you haven’t told me?”
Melisa hunched her shoulders and bit into a crust of sourdough. “Go ahead. Make fun of me.”
“Oh, sweetie, we wouldn’t make fun of you, would we?” Cait’s voice held laughter, despite her words.
“Can someone clue me in?” Jenna whined. She was the absent sister, wrapped up in her fashi
on designs even while growing up.
“Melisa had a fling with Rob,” Cait said. “But the Elaine thing came up.”
“Oh, you mean Connor and Elaine?” Jenna said. “I thought that was ancient history.”
“Not that.” Cait had a superior knowing tone. “The Elaine and Rob thing, not so ancient. Rob admitted he’d dated Elaine during medical school.”
“Medical school. But that had to be at least four years ago, they’re both done with their residency and training programs.” Jenna shrugged. “I don’t see what the big deal is.”
“The big deal is he’s a liar.” Melisa shoved away from the table. “He said he’d always cared about me, ever since I was a baby, and it was a lie.”
“Whoa, wait a minute,” Jenna said. “He might have cared about you, but that doesn’t make him a monk. As I recall, our entire family turned against him, including you.”
“I didn’t do anything.” Melisa threw her hands up. “It wasn’t like anyone asked me. I was just the little sister. What was I supposed to do? Keep in touch?”
“You were the one with the big crush.”
“Teenage crush. It’s over now.” She couldn’t keep her voice from wobbling. “He’s a liar and a sneak.”
“He’s helping you find Cassie.” Jenna pointed out. “He canceled his ski vacation, and you know how it is with doctors. They don’t get that much free time. Christmas, especially.”
“I didn’t ask him to. He lied to me.” A tear slipped down Melisa’s cheek. She’d never get over Rob, even if he were a silver-tongued charmer. “You know our family. We value truth and honesty above everything else. Not being able to trust someone is a nonstarter.”
No matter how much it hurt.
Both sisters were quiet. Of course. They also believed in complete trust and honesty.
“Well, let’s check our messages.” Cait grabbed a bowl of soup. “Have you contacted the local parrot forum? Maybe someone found her and sent her to a rescue shelter.”
“I’ve been on the lost and found forum,” Melisa said. “Let me check my messages.”
Everyone went back to their stations. Jenna got on the phone, and Cait went to the door to speak to the volunteers. Thank God for sisters, and brothers, and the volunteers, Larry for organizing the search, and Rob.
Rob. She should let him know she appreciated what he was doing. Of course. She’d been rude to him, slamming the door.
She picked up her phone and texted. Hey, I heard you’ve been looking for Cassie. I truly appreciate what you’re doing for me. I’m sorry I was rude.
Seconds later, he messaged her back. I’m doing as much as I can. We’ll find her. I hope you’re holding up.
She texted. As well as possible. Thanks.
One. Two. Three. She counted. Would he try and meet with her? Ask to speak to her? Four. Five. Six. Seven.
Guess not.
Melisa scrolled to her private messages at the Parrot Forum. Cripes. Her box was flooded with hundreds of leads. She’d been slacking off.
The first message was from Lovebone. Right. Lovebone, the elderly gentleman with the lovebird. He’d probably heard by now. She’d save his for last.
An hour or so later, her eyes were aching as she checked each message and replied to them. Finally, she got to Lovebone’s note.
She clicked on it, and her mouth fell open.
Melisa, I have a confession to make. I’m Rob Reed, aka Lovebone on the Parrot Forum.
Rob was Lovebone? Rob again? And he hadn’t fessed up. Oh, Rob. You sneak.
She continued to read. No, no, Rob, you’re not a phony. You’re just different. She read the rest of the message.
Today, when you contacted me, I should have told you again who I am. You probably would have stopped writing me had you known.
Well, now you know. I still wish to meet with our birds at The Love Bean, but I understand if you no longer want to chat.
Love, Rob
Love, Rob. She blinked at those words and the ones before. He was so self-effacing, had always been in the background while Connor had hogged the glory and the attention.
He was shy as a kid. That Fourth of July when her father put him in the cab of a firetruck, he must have been twelve or so, that awkward age when he was more gangly than ever. Even the fireman’s hat had hung off him, kept falling off. But the smile on his face, sitting up there in the parade, no, it hadn’t been a proud smile like Connor’s. But it was a secret grin that only she’d seen.
And oh, how jealous his redheaded brother had been. Declan had thrown a fit from the sidelines and both his father and stepmom were practically kissing his feet, promising him a horse, just because Rob got to ride in a firetruck on Fourth of July.
“Maybe Rob hid himself because he was afraid I would reject him.”
“What was that?” Jenna cupped the cell phone. “Rob was afraid?”
“No, not afraid. He’s respectful. I guess he didn’t want to intrude.”
“What are you talking about?” Jenna scooted to her side.
“See?” She pointed to the message. “He’s been messaging me on the Parrot Forum and didn’t reveal he was Lovebone.”
“Lovebone?” Jenna chortled. “Uh, have you looked up the definition of ‘lovebone?’”
“No, I thought it was a lonely old man with a bird talking to me.”
“Uhm, scroll back. Are you making a date with a lonely old man and not telling Rob?”
“It was after we broke up.” Melisa’s face broiled.
“Touché.” Jenna stabbed her with a long nail extension. “So, Rob sleeping with Elaine shouldn’t be a big deal.”
“Except it is. He told me he hadn’t, and that it was a lie. Well, at least he hadn’t back ten years ago, but then it turns out in medical school he did.”
“So? People explore and they make mistakes.” Jenna looked up at Cait who’d come back from the front door. “Come here, look at this message.”
“No, really. It’s nothing.” What would she ever do without her nosy, bossy older sisters?
“Nothing?” Cait was looking over her shoulder in a flash. Surprising how fast her eldest sister could move when gossip was in the air. “You two are totally in love. He wants to meet you at The Love Bean. OMG, his screenname is ‘Lovebone?’ You should be ‘Lovebean.’ Ha, ha, ha, get it? Lovebone and Lovebean. Ha, ha.”
Cait bent over clutching her stomach as Jenna’s giggles spilled all over the floor.
“Whatever are you girls laughing about?” Mom appeared at the office door. “Someone sent you a large gift. The delivery man was just here.”
“For me?” Jenna fanned herself and primped. She was the glamorous one and always had a slew of beaus vying for her attention.
“No, for Melisa. Anonymous.” Mom had a twinkle in her eye. “It looks like a canvas of some sort, at least the shape of it. I could feel a frame around it.”
“Oh, Mom, stop squeezing the gifts.” Cait power-walked toward the front door, followed by everyone else.
A large, wrapped rectangle leaned on the wall near the entry. Melisa opened the attached note.
Dear Melisa, I know this is not a replacement for your dear Cassie. Have no fear. We’ll find her.
Love, your admirer
“I bet it’s Rob,” Cait said.
“But it could be Larry,” Mother countered.
“It’s Rob.” Jenna gave Melisa a squeeze. “Who do you think?”
“Rob. Larry, always refers to Cassie as the bird.” Melisa’s heart fluttered in her chest. “But I can’t take it. I can’t encourage him.”
“Why?” the entire chorus of sisters and one mother asked in unison.
“We’re too different. He doesn’t come out with the truth unless he’s forced to.”
“Who?” Connor stepped through the door, coming off his shift.
“Look what Rob sent Melisa,” Mom pointed to the canvas. “Can’t you forgive him now that he’s come clean?”
“Me? Forgiv
e Rob? Why?” Connor swiped his hand across his sweaty forehead. “I can’t get used to this weather. Cold one day, hot the next. Where’s Dad and Dale? They still out there looking for your bird?”
“Yes, and so are Rob and Larry,” Mom said. “I’ve invited them all for dinner.”
“Even Rob?” Melisa’s heart didn’t know whether to shout Hallelujah or shrivel up and die. “How could you? Without asking me?”
“It seemed only fair.” Mother wrung her hands. “He’s also helping with Cassie.”
“That’s because he’s trying to weasel his way into the family.” Connor exploded. “Damn effing weasel. First he screws Elaine, oh, he got that one over me, then he messes with my baby sister, and now, the bird? I wouldn’t be surprised if he were the one who let the bird fly away.”
“Uh, Connor,” Melisa said. “Rob wasn’t anywhere near my apartment when Cassie flew away.”
Connor stomped his boots and kicked them off near the door. “Whatever. That guy has no respect. He should stop trespassing where he isn’t wanted. Elaine was my girlfriend. Mine. Got it? And you’re my sister.”
“I’ve got news for you, Con,” Jenna chortled, rolling her eyes. “Elaine hasn’t been yours for ten years.”
“She’s still mine.”
“Oh yeah? Then what were you doing tongue-hockeying with Sheila?” Cait jutted her face up to his chest. Yes, she was that short compared to six-foot-five Connor.
“Elaine couldn’t go, so she told me to take Sheila. Anyway, it’s not your business, and you, Melisa.” He pointed a grubby finger at her. “You’re my sister, so you’re my business.”
“Hold it.” Melisa stomped her foot and crossed her arms. “I don’t belong to you. People don’t belong to people. Elaine doesn’t belong to you, and neither do I.”
“Fine. Whatever, but you can’t stop me from caring about you. Rob betrayed you. He lied to you. How can you trust him?” Connor’s voice boomed so loud the reporters would probably overhear.
Sure enough, the doorbell rang.
Christmas Lovebirds Page 10
