Patrick's Promise (Cloverleaf #3)

by Gloria Herrmann

Patrick

  His arm was nearly numb as he spooned with Amber, but he didn’t want to remove it. He inhaled the smell of her hair; it was light and fruity, simple and clean.

  Their lovemaking had been intense, and they both were deeply exhausted. One thing that confused Patrick, as he basked in the afterglow, was how connected he had felt with her. It had been four years, four awful long years, without any type of intimacy. He wasn’t sure if it was the lapse of time, or if there were anything real between him and Amber, but he couldn’t help the waves of emotions that were surfacing. His brain was too busy trying to figure out how to handle this situation, because now he didn’t know quite what to make of whatever their relationship was. Patrick wasn’t all that sure he wanted to be in a relationship. The carnal need had been fulfilled, and he couldn’t deny his attraction to her, but to try and love again, he wasn’t so sure he could handle that.

  He listened to the rhythm of her breathing; it was hypnotic and peaceful, and it stirred bits of leftover desire. He moved closer to her, wanting to steal more skin-to-skin contact. He gingerly kissed her exposed neck. As his eyes grew heavy and his brain finally tired, he let himself fall victim to sleep. But before he was completely gone, Patrick knew one thing for sure: he wanted more of Amber.

  His eyes shot open in the dark room. Everything was black, and Patrick felt disoriented. His arm was wrapped securely over a body. Beth? His brain was confused and his thoughts muddy, as he whispered, “Beth?” There was silence, no response, then came the stirring of the figure next to him. Patrick switched on the small lamp on the nightstand next to his side of the bed and turned back to the body that was sharing his bed. His heart squeezed when he saw the dark tresses sprawled out on the pillow. His stomach dropped as he started to recall the events from earlier in the night. He was hit with a sudden sadness and guilt. For a brief second, he was certain it was Beth, that the last four years had merely been a nightmare. Reality burrowed into his mind and heart. No, Beth was still gone. The figure next to him turned over, looking up at him, and he saw eyes that didn’t belong to Beth.

  She smiled, but her brow twisted into confusion as she stared at him. “Patrick, are you okay?”

  He was anything but. He felt hot tears pooling up in his eyes, and a hard lump formed in the back of his throat as he tried to swallow.

  “Oh, Patrick.” Amber sat up in the bed, letting the crisp white sheet fall from her nude body and pulled him to her. He resisted at first, but she tugged a little harder, and finally he allowed her to hold him.

  The instant he nestled his head on her chest, breathing in her scent, he began to feel at ease. She rubbed his back tenderly, whispering soothing words, reassuring him that everything was going to be fine. But was it? Patrick wasn’t so sure.

  ***

  Amber

  She held Patrick, smoothing her palm across his back in soft circles. Her heart broke for him. Amber was confused by this sudden outburst of emotion but then quickly realized he hadn’t shared a bed with anyone since Beth’s death. Not that Amber had either, but the toll it was taking on Patrick sent off warning signals in her brain. She knew they had moved too fast. It was one thing to kiss and share dinners; it was a whole different matter when sex was involved. When you share so much of yourself, you completely left yourself open and vulnerable. Maybe Patrick wasn’t aware of that risk; maybe he didn’t take in account the side effects of making love. Neither had shared any kind of love since they both were robbed of their soulmates, their lovers.

  Amber closed her eyes. She felt lips moving along her collarbone, and then those kisses trailed down to her breasts, along with his large hands. Apparently Patrick had his own way of figuring things out. She just hoped they could figure this out together, that maybe he could acquire some sort of peace. Hell, Amber was still in shock herself. Once that passed and reality set in, who knew how she was going to react? She knew that, since the moment they’d met again, she felt herself drawn to him. She hated even daring to think that she might feel more deeply connected with Patrick than Peter, but it was almost cosmic, the way they’d found each other. Maybe she was just being swept away with all these new feelings that had been dormant for so long. Amber sighed, and she tried steering her mind away from overanalyzing things. Her body was too busy enjoying other sensations.

  Gathering what bit of sense she still had, she pulled away from Patrick and stared into his shining, emerald eyes. “Patrick, we don’t have to do this.”

  He lowered his mouth on hers, causing a deep warmth to spread through her. “Yes, we do.”

  Chapter Eleven

  Rachel

  Rachel could feel her tears threatening to spill over as she stared into the full-length mirror. She wasn’t the only one. She stared at her reflection and could see Maggie, Mary, and Chelsea sitting behind her, each holding a tissue and dabbing their eyes, but the smiles that were plastered on their faces told her that the memory being made was a happy one. Her only regret was that her mother wasn’t here to share in this. Rachel took a deep breath and saw the bride looking back at her in the mirror. The white gown she wore was classy, yet simple and understated—it was perfect.

  She smoothed her hands over the fabric and turned around carefully to face Mary, Maggie, and Chelsea. “What do you guys think?”

  This was Rachel’s final fitting before the wedding that coming weekend. She was taking the week to get everything ready and was thankful that school was out for the summer so she could spare the time and attention to all the last-minute details.

  “Rachel, love, you’re beautiful,” Mary said as she rose from her seat and came to the bride-to-be. She touched the dress and gathered Rachel into her arms. “My boy is so lucky.”

  “It’s me who is lucky, Mary. Liam is the best thing in my life.”

  Maggie and Chelsea sat together. Neither one of them had spoken much to the other throughout the day; they were polite but hardly friendly. It bothered Rachel to see them at odds; she really had hoped the two could get along and actually become friends. Rachel loved Chelsea but knew that she could come off as a tad too much, but she had a heart of gold. As for Maggie, Rachel had felt an instant connection with her after they shared that impromptu cooking lesson with Mary. Now with them both pregnant and Rachel marrying Liam, they were more than friends; they were family.

  “It’s gorgeous,” Maggie commented and rose from her spot and came over to Rachel, standing next to Mary. Chelsea stood up, looking slightly pouty as she went to stand on the opposite side of Rachel.

  Rachel could see them all in mirror, smiling at her. Her brain was taking mental snapshots of the occasion. Again, she couldn’t help but wish her mother had been there. Not that she was terribly close with Evelyn; it was more the principle of the matter—the fact that this moment should be shared between a mother and daughter.

  “You are a vision, dear. This dress couldn’t be more perfect,” Mary commented as she stepped aside to let the saleswoman place a veil on Rachel’s head.

  “Veil or no veil?” Rachel asked the ladies. She wasn’t so sure she liked it; she worried it made the dress more formal.

  “I think it’s lovely,” Mary quickly replied.

  Maggie and Chelsea both looked hard at Rachel and said in unison, “No veil.” That’s why she was happy to have them here, not that Mary’s opinion wasn’t great, but she was far more traditional, whereas Chelsea and Maggie were younger, more modern, and they knew what type of look Rachel was aiming for.

  “Really, girls?” Mary asked as she fluffed the veil, spreading the thin, delicate white material out. “I think it makes her look like an angel.”

  “Well, that’s pretty much a given, and we all know Rachel, don’t we? Hardly an angel,” Chelsea teased. Rachel playfully turned to slap at her. “See what I mean?” Everyone laughed and crowded around the bride-to-be.

  “Thanks, guys, it means so much to have you here with me.” Rachel developed tears in her eyes again, this time from laughing and being surr
ounded by people who loved her. Mary, Maggie, and Chelsea gathered her into a hug. How was she going to handle her wedding day? She now knew she was going to be a blubbering mess.

  ***

  Rachel had a piece of ranch-covered lettuce in her mouth and almost choked on her salad when Chelsea asked, “So are we going to have a bridal shower for Rachel? I mean, what about wedding night lingerie?”

  Maggie winked and said, “I think whatever she wore last time worked.”

  “Oh God, stop you two!” Rachel cried in utter embarrassment. She could feel her cheeks grow warm. Mary gave her a knowing look that said it all.

  “Well, Maggie actually has a point,” Chelsea replied as she forked a small bite of salad into her mouth.

  “I’m just teasing.” Maggie patted Rachel’s hand across the table.

  They’d gone to eat at a gorgeous Italian place in downtown Spokane, which was only a few miles from the bridal shop. They were seated outside, enjoying the warmth and sunshine of the midafternoon sun. Chelsea was enjoying a glass of wine, which made both Rachel, and probably Maggie, a little jealous.

  “Well, I’m not,” Chelsea said firmly. She took a long sip of her wine, looking a little too hard at Rachel, which made her shift uncomfortably in her seat. “If you were in Newport, you know what kind of bridal shower we would’ve had.” Rachel sighed. She knew it would be some grand affair, but if she had been in Newport, she wouldn’t be marrying Liam.

  Rachel sent Chelsea a warning glare as she felt both Mary’s and Maggie’s eyes on her. “I guess we can have a little wedding shower, but honestly, I would much rather save it for the baby shower.”

  “Babies,” Mary corrected with a happy smile.

  Rachel nodded and started to rub her belly under the table. It was still semi-flat, but she knew there was not one, but two lives growing in there. “Exactly, it’s not like Liam and I need anything for our wedding.”

  Chelsea rolled her eyes. “A wedding is a big deal, Rachel.”

  “So is having a baby, let alone twins,” Maggie added with a little more attitude than necessary.

  Rachel watched as tempers started to flare. Mary looked over at her, her eyes pleading.

  Chelsea snarled back, “Well, being a bride is something that a little girl plans for and dreams of about her whole life. So this is really the more important day.”

  “Really? Because why do you suppose those same little girls play with baby dolls? Because we all dream of being a mommy,” Maggie shot back.

  Chelsea huffed. “I’m just saying that Rachel deserves to have a bridal shower and that if she lived back home, she would’ve had one. A fabulous one.”

  “Yes, that might be so, but she’s not back home, she’s here.”

  Rachel felt her nerves tightening. She didn’t like them fighting over her like this. This game of tug-of-war made her feel lousy. “Guys, please just stop.” Rachel turned to Chelsea, who wore an irritated scowl on her otherwise smooth and perfectly made-up face. “Chelsea, I know you mean well. Honestly, this whole marriage and motherhood thing has happened so fast, I hadn’t even thought about either shower. I have been so focused on just finishing up the school year, not throwing up, and planning this wedding before everyone sees this baby bump. It sort of slipped my mind.” She then turned her focus on Maggie. “Mags, we’re lucky, we get to both be pregnant at the same time, but I think Chelsea was just looking out for me and making sure that we celebrate me being a bride too. We did always talk about our wedding plans as kids.”

  Maggie looked over at her mother and then focused on the distance, pretending to be distracted by it. Rachel could see the anger rising in her green eyes; she had seen that same anger in Liam’s before. The O’Brien shade of green would grow dark and piercing. The O’Briens all wore their emotions in the eyes, whether it be happiness, anger, sadness, or desire.

  “You’re right, Rachel. This is supposed to be about you, and you just need to tell us what you want or need,” Maggie finally uttered, still not making eye contact.

  “Oh, dear, you girls just need to knock off all this silliness. Chelsea, we all know that you miss your best friend, and for you, love, I’m sorry. As for my daughter, Rachel has become her friend too, so it’s hard when the first friend comes along and has different ideas or plans. But we must bear in mind that it’s Rachel who you both care for. So, let’s compromise. Rachel, how about a fun bridal shower brunch?” Mary offered.

  “Oh, Mary, I’m getting married in a week. That’s not enough time to plan for that.”

  Mary’s tone was sugary sweet but almost intimidating. “Rachel, my sweet, do you not recall when you moved up and took Mr. Anderson’s place at the school? Did you forget how quickly Karen and I, and even you, got that cafeteria looking like one of the best retirement parties in all of Birch Valley? Don’t worry about time to plan, dear. You leave that to us.”

  ***

  Liam

  “What do you mean her mom and dad aren’t coming? You can’t be serious,” Daniel exclaimed loudly. Liam and his brothers were sitting out by his lake, fishing. None of them had caught anything, except for a light buzz from the partially warm beer they had been drinking in the sun for several hours.

  “I know, right?” Liam responded as he cast his line out into the water. “I think it will just be nice when this whole wedding business is over and done with.”

  Patrick shook his head. He was now seated in a forest green, canvas camp chair, his fishing pole tucked loosely in his hand. He had just put the twins down for a nap, and things were finally quiet. He could enjoy some down time with Liam and Daniel.

  It had been a guys’ day, but with two little boys added to the mix, that made things interesting. More talk about dinosaurs and trains than women. Now that Finn and Connor were sleeping, Patrick and the others could talk about women, and Daniel had wasted no time. Just moments ago he had pestered Patrick about dating, saying that they should see if the Belsky sisters might be up for going out.

  “Yeah, what’s the deal with her family? Are you sure this is something you want to get roped into?” Patrick asked as he stared out at the water. The lake had the look of dark glass today, and it mirrored the cloudless, bright sky, as well as the pines and tamaracks. When they cast their fishing lines out, gentle circles rippled on the surface of the water, but there was no other activity.

  “Well, to be completely honest with you guys, her parents sound kind of snotty and more concerned with their own lives. But her brother is coming up in a couple days, so he can’t be that bad. At least he’ll be here for her. As for getting roped in, yes, Patrick, I’m ready to be hog-tied.”

  “Not the least bit surprised.” Patrick grinned at him and went back to viewing the water.

  The whole thing pissed Liam off. He hated seeing Rachel upset and stressed out. The wedding was meant to be a ceremony of love. He was thankful that his family had pretty much adopted Rachel, and so she felt loved by everyone, especially his mother. She had become fast friends with his sister, and now with both of them pregnant, they were always hanging out. Even today, she had taken his mother and sister with her and Chelsea to pick up her wedding dress. Liam and his brothers had taken the opportunity to spend some quality time together. Unfortunately, Michael was busy with a small case he had agreed to take on, and Melanie was feeling a bit under the weather, so Michael had stayed home to work and take care of his daughter. But it was great when all of them were hanging out. He couldn’t ask for a better group of guys to have in his corner.

  “It just seems a little weird, like imagine if our mom and dad refused to go. So what’s her brother like?” Daniel sent his line out into the water again. It was obvious he was growing frustrated.

  “Yeah, we know her taste in friends isn’t so great,” Patrick commented snidely as he took another swig from his bottle.

  “Chelsea’s not that bad,” Liam said, defending her as he took a sip out of his own bottle and tried to hide the smirk on his lips.

 
“She kind of is. A real snob,” Daniel added.

  Liam sighed. They were right. Chelsea wasn’t his favorite person. His sister had her own soiled opinion of Chelsea, and that didn’t help matters. Liam tended to side with Maggie on a lot of issues. It had even been a sore spot between him and Rachel a couple of times. But Maggie was his baby sister, and he was used to protecting her. Now, with Rachel in the picture, he found he had to learn to balance it out a bit more.

  Daniel turned toward Patrick and Liam and said, “But, Patrick, you actually went out with her.”

  “Uh, no, forced to go to dinner is more like it,” Patrick quickly replied and raised his bottle.

  “I didn’t get asked to go. How come, Liam?” Daniel pretended to pout and bat his eyelashes.

  “Really, Daniel. That’s why right there, you goofball.” All three brothers started to laugh.

  The air was a little too warm, the fish weren’t interested in any of their bait, and now that the beer was gone, they were finally tired of fighting the mosquitoes.

  “Time to call it in,” Liam announced as he started to grab some of the gear.

  “Yeah, I need to get the boys home,” Patrick said. He folded up his chair.

  “Hey, Liam, do you think after you’re married…we can still hang out like this?” Daniel asked. Liam looked at him. His brother seemed so young and almost sad. Liam sometimes forgot that his brother didn’t have a girlfriend or someone to spend his time with. He relied on his brothers for company and friendship.

  “Of course, it’s not like I’m moving or going anywhere. Besides this is the best lake in the area for fishing,” Liam reassured him.

  “Yeah, you can tell by our haul today, real plentiful,” Patrick teased as he grabbed Daniel’s shoulder and gave it a squeeze. Liam could see that Patrick also sensed their brother’s loneliness.

  Liam loved being able to spend time with his family, especially his brothers. He couldn’t imagine ever moving away. He often wondered how Rachel had been able to. To leave your family and set off in an unknown area, not knowing a soul—that took some guts. Thinking more about her family, he felt the nagging irritation rising inside of him again. He hoped that her brother, Ethan, was a cool guy. At least he was willing to come up and support Rachel. Liam knew that Ethan was less than thrilled that his sister had left, gotten pregnant, and now was getting married. He knew that if Maggie had pulled that same stunt, he’d be a little mad. Oh, that’s right, Maggie had done the same exact thing. Maybe that’s what little sisters did.