The Pairing

by Katie Ashley

  Emma grinned. “Good, I guess. I mean, I don’t have a lot of experience with baptisms.”

  Megan laughed and motioned to the towel and Noah. “It looks like you’re taking all the proper precautions—nothing like spit-up on your dress or his.”

  With a nod, Emma replied, “Tell me about it. Especially since his gown is so old.” Megan eyed the lacy baptismal gown hanging on the closet door. She recognized it from pictures of Ankle’s baptism. He had worn it, and now it was being passed down to his son.

  Casey snorted. “I’m sure Aidan wouldn’t appreciate you alluding to the fact his gown is an antique, thus in turn saying he’s old.”

  Emma laughed. “No, I’m sure he wouldn’t. Of course, he’d probably argue that while the gown might not have held up, he still looks fabulous and much younger than his age.”

  Megan smiled. “That sounds just like him.” She bent over Emma to rub one of Noah’s hands. He grabbed her thumb in his fist and held on for dear life.

  “Aw, you love your godmother, don’t you Noah?” Emma asked.

  Noah momentarily stopped sucking on the bottle to flash a quick smile, which warmed Megan’s heart. “He’s such a sweet boy,” she mused.

  “And a charmer, just like his old man,” Casey mused.

  “That too,” Megan agreed. Thinking about her position, she cocked her head at Casey. “Are you sure you’re fine with me being the godmother?”

  Casey waved her hand dismissively. “Honey, the last thing I need is the responsibility. I plan on spoiling Noah rotten and corrupting him as only a good auntie can do!”

  Emma rolled her eyes. “I’m very satisfied with both my choices, Megan. You don’t have to worry.”

  “So who is the godfather again? I know he’s not part of the family.”

  Casey gasped as her hand flew to her chest dramatically. “You mean, you’ve never met Dr. McDreamy Bollywood?”

  Megan shrugged. “No, I haven’t. I mean, I’ve heard about him and how he flew Aidan home in time for Noah’s birth.” She noticed the pleading look that Emma exchanged with Casey. “Why? What should I know about him?”

  Casey tapped her chin with her index finger. “Hmm, what should you know about the good godfather?” She winked at Megan. “First off, he is seriously delectable. I mean, the man is like sex on a stick. Tall, jet-black hair, dark eyes, and he’s built like a brick shithouse.”

  Megan suddenly felt her interest piquing. She hadn’t imagined that the godfather would be good-looking. It had been such a long time since she had dated anyone. Scratch that—it had been a long time since she’d had sex with anyone. She’d spent the last two years completely dateless since she and Davis broke up. She could practically join one of the local parishes as a nun with how long she had abstained. “Really?”

  “Mmm, hmm. He reminds me of that Bollywood actor John Abraham,” Casey said.

  Emma snorted. “Since when do you watch Bollywood movies?”

  “Since one of Nate’s friends asked us to an Indian film festival.” Casey grinned at Megan. “Besides the fact that he’s a serious looker, he’s also kind, compassionate, and caring—an overall wonderful man.”

  “Really now?” Megan questioned.

  “And he’s loaded because he’s a doctor.”

  This man was sounding better and better by the minute. “Is he single?”

  Emma made a strangled noise before Casey replied, “Oh, yeah, he’s single. He’s a widower actually.”

  Megan pursed her lips at the prospect. Widowers usually fell into two categories—those who were still devastated by their wives’ deaths or those who were ready to have fun and live a little. She certainly hoped this Pesh guy fell into the second category. More than anything, she wanted to have a little fun herself.

  “Do you really think you might be interested in dating Pesh?” Emma asked, as she moved Noah to her shoulder to burp him.

  With a shrug, Megan replied, “Dating him or just having some fun with him. Sounds like he could use some.”

  Emma grimaced as she wiped Noah’s face off. “This is exactly why I told Aidan not to try and fix you two up.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Pesh needs a relationship, not a hook-up after all he’s been through. Besides his wife’s death, he hasn’t had it easy on the dating front.”

  “What happened?”

  When Casey snorted, Emma shot her a death glare. “Nothing. It’s just he doesn’t need to get involved with someone who isn’t interested in a long-term relationship.”

  “Em, you might as well tell her,” Casey urged.

  Megan glanced between the two of them. “Tell me what?”

  “Fine,” Emma huffed resignedly. She handed Noah to Casey. “Make yourself useful by changing his diaper.”

  As Casey got busy cleaning up Noah, Emma turned to Megan. “When Aidan and I broke up—”

  “What you meant to say is, after you left Aidan when he didn’t show up for Noah’s gender ultrasound because he was cheating on you?” Casey interrupted, waving around the wet wipe in her hand.

  Emma closed her eyes for a moment before shaking her head. “Yes, that’s right. Thank you so very much for bringing up that aspect of our break-up on today of all days.”

  Casey gripped Noah’s ankles and hoisted up his little butt to slide on the new diaper. “You’re welcome.”

  “Anyway, as you were saying,” Megan pressed.

  “Right. So it was when Aidan and I were broken up that I met Pesh. I was with your Papa Fitzgerald the day of his heart attack at the VFW, and Pesh was the doctor who treated him.”

  “So…you both struck up a friendship then?” Megan asked.

  Emma grimaced. “Not exactly. You see, Patrick wanted to force Aidan to really fight for me, and he felt the best way to do it would be for him to have some competition.”

  Megan felt her eyes widening in surprise. “Papa wanted Pesh to date you?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Did you?”

  Emma was momentarily distracted by Casey blowing raspberries on Noah’s stomach. A smile spread across her face as Noah kicked his legs and giggled at Casey. “Want me to get him in his dress?” Casey asked, as she glanced up.

  “If you don’t mind.”

  Bringing her hand to her hip, Megan huffed out an exasperated breath. “Um, could you please focus for just a minute considering the bomb you just dropped on me?”

  “I’m sorry. I didn’t want to tell you at all. I mean, whatever was between us is all in the past. Neither one of us really cared for each other like we thought we did.”

  “Did you…” Megan said. At Emma’s confused expression, she wiggled her eyebrows suggestively.

  Emma’s face flushed. “No, of course not!”

  Casey eyed Emma as she took the baptism gown off the hanger. “You did make out with him though.”

  “One time. And he certainly didn’t get to second base,” Emma argued.

  With a wicked grin, Casey added, “Pity. Wish you could inform us on what he has going on below the waist.”

  Emma rolled her eyes. “You’re impossible.” She snatched the gown away from Casey and then started wrestling Noah into the yards of fabric. “It wasn’t like we were in a relationship. We didn’t really even go out together. He came to the house once to bring me dinner and check on me when I was on bed rest, and then he took me to the opera. That was it.”

  “Was there no chemistry between you two?” Megan asked.

  Without responding, Emma pulled Noah up into a sitting position and started fastening the row of buttons down the back of the gown. “Em?” Megan pressed.

  She gave a heavy sigh before picking Noah up. She stared into his face before she responded. “We had great chemistry together. He was an amazing kisser who got all my senses up and running in all the right ways. Besides the physical part, he is smart, kind, and intelligent—any woman’s dream.” She shook her head. “But it didn’t matter because he wasn’t Aidan. I could
never, ever love another man like I do him.” Giving Noah a kiss on the cheek, she added, “Neither one of us were really in a good place—I was trying to make sure that Aidan really was the one, and after being pressured by family and friends, he was trying to date for the first time after his wife’s death.”

  Megan crossed her arms over her chest. “I get that he doesn’t need to be hurt, but who is to say that having a fling is going to hurt him? Maybe it could give him the confidence he needs to go out and find the real woman of his dreams?”

  Casey snorted. “How could a man that looks like that have any self-confidence issues?”

  Megan shrugged. “You never know. If he was married a long time before his wife died, he might find it hard to get back into the dating world. Especially if the last woman he cared about loved someone else.”

  Emma shook her head. “Trust me, he isn’t the fling kind of guy. He wants a wife and children.”

  Although Megan had a son, she wasn’t quite ready for marriage. Maybe in a few years but right now she just wanted to date and have fun. She’d willingly sacrificed so much to ensure that Mason could have all of her attention since he was short a father. After all, he was the greatest hurdle in her having a committed relationship. She didn’t want to open her son up to any hurt that might come from him getting attached to a man she dated only to have them disappear when they broke up.

  “Ankle really wants to fix us up?” Megan questioned.

  Emma nodded. “Regardless of what happened with Pesh when we were broken up, Aidan does respect and admire him. He wants Pesh to be happy.” She gave Megan a pointed look. “Most of all, he wants that for you, too.”

  Megan wrinkled her nose. “But I’m really not ready for all of that yet.”

  “Then think long and hard before you agree to do anything about Pesh. He is unknowingly very persuasive, and in the moment, you might forget your resolve only to have it come back later to hurt you…or him.”

  Megan held up her hands in defeat. “Okay, okay, I promise.”

  Emma smiled. “Nothing would make me happier than if you were to fall in love with Pesh.”

  With a laugh, Megan said, “Did you just hear anything that I said? I’m anti-love.”

  “So was Aidan.”

  Just as Megan opened her mouth to protest, Aidan waltzed into the room. “Everything okay?”

  “Fine. Just finished feeding and dressing him,” Emma replied

  “Good. The natives are getting restless to see the little man of the hour before the baptism.” He strode over to them and took his son into his arms. “You ready to go work the crowd, Noah?” Noah’s response was to grunt and reach for Aidan’s tie. With a laugh, Aidan announced, “I’ll take that as a yes.” He then leaned in to kiss Emma’s cheek. “Ready Mrs. Fitzgerald?”

  She smiled before linking her arm through his. “Yes, Mr. Fitzgerald, I am.”

  Megan and Casey followed them out the door and down the hallway. They entered a noisy room crammed with family and friends. She left Aidan and Emma’s side to seek out her parents to check on Mason. She found her parents, but their arms were empty. In a panic, she demanded, “Where’s Mason?”

  Her father smiled and pointed over to where a pile of her younger cousins were. Mason was on the lap of her Aunt Becky’s oldest son, John. Mason was mesmerized with what whatever John was doing on his phone. Megan smiled as she walked up to them. “Everything okay?”

  Without taking his eyes off the screen, John replied, “We’re fine.”

  “Are you sure he’s not bothering you?” What she wasn’t asking was if John was actually keeping an eye on Mason between playing on his phone.

  John glanced up. “Considering I have two younger brothers, I think I can handle him. Besides, he’s really into this game.”

  “Okay then,” Megan replied.

  She spoke to John’s brothers, Percy and Georgie, before making her way around the room. All her relatives were interested to hear how her schooling was going and how Mason was. She had just turned away from talking to her great aunt and uncle when someone pressed up against her back.

  “Don’t look now, but there’s Dr. McDreamy Bollywood now,” Casey whispered into her ear. Without hesitation, her eyes scanned the crowd. And then she saw him. Ankle was taking him around and making introductions.

  Pesh was impossibly tall and wearing a tailor-made black suit. Even beneath the lines of the clothing, she could make out his large biceps and thick thighs. He obviously spent his downtime between hospital shifts working out. His wavy, jet-black hair was cut short, and his dark eyes took in all that Ankle was saying.

  And while she may have been in a church about to stand up as a godmother, she couldn’t help the nipples tightening and panties moistening reaction of seeing him. He was all the way across the room, but he had the same effect as if he were standing by her side, rubbing against her.

  “See what I mean?” Casey questioned.

  Megan licked her lips. “Oh my,” she finally managed.

  “Sure you don’t want to give him a chance?”

  Fighting the urge to fan herself, Megan quickly replied, “I’d like to give him many, many chances.” Chances at ripping off my clothes, chances at kissing and licking me all over my body, chances at allowing his hands, fingers, and the promising bulge in his pants to stroke me until I orgasm…yep, many, many chances.

  As if she could read Megan’s mind, Casey laughed. “Oh girl, this has trouble written all over it.”

  Pesh paced nervously around the back of the cathedral. The fact he was in a Catholic church wasn’t the only reason he felt out of his element. As he eyed the massive statue of Jesus, he fidgeted absently with his tie. Although Emma had sworn Aidan was fine with the idea of him as godfather, he was still a little apprehensive about seeing Aidan again. The last time they’d been together, Pesh was the hero flying Aidan from North Carolina to Atlanta just in time for Noah’s unexpected birth. But that was six months ago. The euphoria of the moment now had time to fade, and to Aidan, Pesh could still be the man who almost stole Emma away.

  A side door opened, and Aidan stepped out. He immediately met Pesh’s anxious gaze. When his lips curved into a wide smile, Pesh exhaled the nervous breath he’d been holding. “Well, there you are,” Aidan said, as he strode up. He bypassed throwing out his hand, and instead, he pulled Pesh to him for a bear hug. “Emma was worried about you.”

  “She was?”

  “Yeah, she asked me to come out and see if I could find you.”

  “I’m sorry. I wasn’t sure where to go, and no one was out here.”

  “Don’t worry about it.” Aidan pulled away. “So how the hell are you?”

  Pesh couldn’t help laughing at Aidan’s choice of words, especially in a church. “I’m good, thank you.” He cocked his head at Aidan. “And what about you? Is fatherhood agreeing with you?”

  A beaming smile lit Aidan’s face. “I’m absolutely fantastic. I never could have imagined that being a father would be this…amazing.”

  Pesh nodded. “I want you to know what an honor it is for me to be Noah’s godfather.”

  “We’re glad to have you.” Aidan patted Pesh’s back. “And I do mean that.”

  “I hope you do. I have had my concerns…”

  Aidan shook his head. “Well, don’t. I’ll admit I wasn’t too thrilled with the prospect at first, but Em was able to make me see the light. You were there for us when we really needed you. I mean, besides my wedding day, I would’ve missed the most important days of my life—my son’s birth. I can never thank you enough. So when it comes down to it, I don’t think I could ask for a better godfather for my son.”

  Aidan’s words touched Pesh. “Thank you. That means a lot. You have my word that I will always do what is right by Noah.”

  After giving him a hearty thump on the shoulder, Aidan said, “Come on back with me. I want to introduce you to everyone.”

  “Do they…” Pesh wasn’t sure how to ask if Aida
n’s family knew the story of how he and Emma truly knew each other.

  Aidan chuckled. “Let’s just say that Pop’s the only one who knows the truth. The others just think you met us when Pop had his heart attack.”

  Pesh couldn’t help the relieved breath that whooshed out of him. It would have been a nightmare to have most of Aidan’s family hating him for trying to steal Emma away. “I see.”

  He followed Aidan back into a large room filled with chattering people. As he craned his neck, he saw Emma in the corner with Noah in her arms. She looked radiant as ever in an emerald suit. Noah, however, didn’t seem too thrilled to be outfitted in the lacy gown that flowed over Emma’s arms and stopped mid-thigh. His tiny brows wrinkled as he waved his fists back and forth as if any moment he might let loose with a scream.

  Taking him by the elbow, Aidan guided him over to a group of men and women. Aidan introduced him to his four sisters and their husbands. Pesh smiled, nodded, and shook their hands before being bombarded by a hoard of Aidan’s nieces and nephews.

  “Now I want you to meet my niece, Megan. She’s the godmother.”

  “It would be my pleasure.”

  Aidan surprised Pesh by leaning in and whispering in his ear. “I’m pretty sure over half of the people here are gunning for you two to get together. You know, a real romantic story to tell future kids about how you two met being the godmother and godfather of this sweet and adorable kid.”

  Pesh gulped. Why was everyone he knew hell-bent on setting him up? Had Emma harbored some secret, ulterior motive in asking him to be Noah’s godfather? “I’m flattered, but I don’t know if that’s such a good idea.”

  Pulling back, Aidan surmised him before winking. “Normally I would agree because she is, after all, my niece—my favorite one if I’m being honest. But as much as it pisses me off to admit it, you two would make a great couple.”

  “We would?”

  “Hell yeah.” Aidan swept his hand over his chin. “Megan needs someone strong and stable like you are, and then you need someone who is so full of life like she is. I can guaran-damn-tee you that you’ve never been out with a woman like her before. Emma is like, one tenths the sassiness that Megan is.”