“But what will you do?”
He grinned. “Did I tell you Duncan offered me a job?”
“You’d do that?” she said in astonishment.
“Like I told him, when hell freezes over. But the idea of local law enforcement appeals to me.” His mouth trailed along her jaw. “I want to come home every night.”
“You won’t be bored?”
He lifted his head, taking her question seriously. “I don’t think so. I used to get a charge out of what I did. I loved drug buys, walking that tightrope, knowing each time that you have to act like you’ve never acted before, otherwise you’re dead. I liked busts. I liked danger, I liked winning.” He gave a short laugh. “Truth is it was like a grown-up version of a video game, me at the controls yelling, ‘Yee haw.’”
A frown puckered between Lia’s eyebrows. “When I asked, you said you liked the adrenaline.”
“I did. Past tense. I’ve been struggling with that for a while. Maybe as much as a couple of years. Discovering I didn’t get so much of a charge out of the same things anymore. Planning, strategy had gotten more interesting than being one of the players. I told myself I needed higher stakes, bigger busts.” He paused. “I was wrong. I needed something, but that wasn’t it.”
Her eyes were so dark, he couldn’t see the green at all. “What did you need, then?”
“You. The boys. A home. The first week here I told myself I was a stranger in a strange land, but at some point I knew I’d found heaven. Except I had a hard time making myself believe it could be real. It was pretend.” His arms contracted, probably squeezing her too tight but he couldn’t help himself. “I have hated every minute since I drove away.”
If he was hurting her, she didn’t let on. Instead she burrowed even closer. “I’ve hated every minute since then, too. Oh, Conall.”
They kissed slowly, tenderly, then passionately. He’d dreamed damn near every night about this—the two of them out here on the porch on a warm summer night, the front door open so that they’d know if one of the kids needed them, that fat braid flopping against his chest as if asking to be unraveled.
“I love you,” he whispered.
It was quite a while before she said, “If you won’t work for Duncan, what will you do?”
“I’ve already had a phone interview with the county sheriff’s department. They have an opening for a detective. I figure I’d like that.” He found himself smiling. “As Niall once put it, I’ll be arresting neighbors and friends instead of strangers.”
“You’ve already arrested our neighbors.”
That sobered him. “Killed one of them, too.”
“Things like that surely don’t happen often around here.”
He shrugged. “Niall has shot and killed two men on the job. And, yeah, that’s unusual. Duncan has only drawn his gun a few times, but it happens.”
“Twice?” She gaped.
He told her the story of Niall saving Jane’s life when a crazy stalker had a knife at her throat, and then about the bank robber who shot up the parking lot when he spotted a cop.
“All Niall wanted was to deposit a check.”
“Oh, no.” She hugged him. “I think I’d rather you never had to shoot anyone again. Unless—” She hesitated. “Well, I don’t want you to change too much.”
Conall threw back his head and laughed. “So if I get bored, it’s okay if I shoot someone?”
Lia giggled. “If it’ll make you happy.”
Voice low and husky, he said, “This makes me happy. You. Knowing your bedroom door will be open tonight.” He pulled back slightly. “It will be, won’t it?”
“Yes.” Her voice came out husky, too, the effect being sultry. “Do you think we need to keep pretending for the boys’ sake that you have the bedroom across the hall?”
“Maybe until we get married. Unless it’s okay to live in sin these days when you’re under scrutiny by an adoption agency.”
He loved the way her nose crinkled. “Oh, fine,” she muttered.
“I want to get married soon.” He didn’t like to say this, but had to. “I’m only here for two days, Lia. I have to give a month’s notice and finish out an operation I’m involved in. I kinda thought, though, that maybe you and the boys would come visit me for a few days or a week somewhere in there. We could take a boat out, do some snorkeling, maybe some fishing—”
“That sounds wonderful. Of course we’ll come.”
“So.” He smiled at her. “You ready for bed yet?”
* * *
UPSTAIRS SHE STOOD in the doorway to the boys’ bedroom and watched when Conall went in and stood silently looking at them. Their covers were rumpled; Walker had kicked his off entirely. After a minute Conall stepped forward and gently ran his knuckles over Walker’s cheek, then did the same to Brendan. Who stirred restlessly, then opened his eyes.
“Conall?” he whispered.
“Yeah.” He cleared his throat. “I’m here.”
“I’m not dreaming?”
“No.” Conall sat on the edge of the bed; Lia couldn’t see his face anymore.
But she heard the aching hope in Brendan’s voice. “Are you…are you staying?”
“Yeah. I have to go back to Miami for a few weeks, but then I’m here for good. Lia and I are getting married.”
“Oh.” He sounded heartbreakingly wistful.
“You’ll be staying, too.” Conall bent and enfolded the boy in a fierce hug. Brendan’s arms came up and wrapped around his hero’s neck. “We want to adopt you two. If that’s okay with you.”
Lia hadn’t told them she’d applied to adopt them. She’d been afraid she would be denied and thought it was better if they never knew it had been a possibility. But now…of course they’d be approved. Of course they would.
“Yeah! We want that more than anything.” She thought maybe Brendan was crying then. Finally he sniffed. “Walker’s still asleep. Nothing ever wakes him up.”
“That’s okay. I’ll surprise him in the morning.”
“Yeah!” Brendan exclaimed again.
Conall said something to him, so softly she couldn’t hear. Brendan whispered something in return. Lia backed into the hall, tears streaming down her cheeks. She hurried to the bathroom, where she brushed her teeth and scrubbed her face until her cheeks were pink. When she came out, she saw that Conall had picked up his duffel bag and gone on to his bedroom with the narrow twin bed.
Smiling, she went into her own room, stripped to her panties and camisole and got into bed, leaving the bedside lamp on.
And her bedroom door open.
EPILOGUE
A STIR AT the head of the aisle turned heads in the church. Seizing the moment when no one was looking toward him, Duncan gently rubbed the heel of his hand against his breastbone. Too much was going on inside him, and it was pressing for release.
He’d never expected to see Conall get married. Duncan suppressed a grunt of near-amusement. He’d resigned himself to never seeing his youngest brother again at all. Hearing his voice on the phone had been miracle enough. But this…
His gaze touched on Jane, who sat holding Fiona in the front pew. His beautiful wife and their child. Fiona met her daddy’s eyes and grinned, her face lighting with delight. She bounced on Jane’s lap, arms flapping, causing his wife to look at him, too. Her smile was warm, accepting, knowing. She guessed what he was feeling, even though he hadn’t said much.
He hadn’t had to say much. Jane knew him.
The organ music swelled and shy Anna started down the aisle, carrying her basket and strewing rose petals as she went, concentrating and careful not to look at the audience. Duncan smiled at the sight of her solemnity, her shiny patent leather shoes, skinny legs and the wide frilly skirt of her dress. She’d been thrilled to be invited
to be in the wedding.
Jane craned her neck to see, as did Niall and Rowan beside her. Desmond, sitting on the end, grinned encouragement at his sister. Niall had a seemingly casual hand on his back, which was probably all that kept the kid’s mouth shut. Des and Anna were MacLachlans now, officially having been adopted by Niall.
By all of us. They’re family. My family.
The single attendant, a friend of Lia’s, appeared and started her turn down the aisle.
Chest still aching, Duncan turned his head to look at his little brother standing beside him, all grown up. Conall was almost handsome in a tuxedo, but Duncan could feel his tension. Was he half afraid Lia would chicken out at the last second? Duncan had had a chill himself in the same spot; trust didn’t come easily to any of the MacLachlan brothers.
But there Lia was, an extraordinarily beautiful woman who never took her eyes off Conall from the moment she began the slow walk down the aisle escorted by two skinny, big-eyed boys in suits and ties. Duncan had the passing hope the getups weren’t left from their mother’s funeral, but he immediately relaxed. Lia would have made sure Walker and Brendan had something new.
Her parents were here today, in the front pew opposite the one that held the MacLachlan family. She’d made the decision to have the boys give her away, though, and Duncan suspected they’d felt about it the way he had when Conall asked him to be his best man. He’d been stunned speechless, so choked up he couldn’t get a word out for a good minute.
“Not Niall?” he’d finally managed to ask.
Conall had given him a wry grin. “Come on, we’ve always known you’re the best man. I’m bowing to reality.”
“You’re sure?”
“Yeah.” Conall had had to clear his throat. “I’m sure.”
Of course neither of their parents were here today. Duncan felt something unexpected: pity. It was their loss.
Gaze moving from the awe and love on Conall’s face to Niall as he wrapped an arm around Anna and then lifted her onto his lap, Duncan remembered that long-ago day when their mother had walked out after Dad was sentenced to ten years in the pen. Duncan had come home from his summer job hoping for dinner and found Mom packed.
“You’re…leaving?” His voice had cracked.
“Yes,” she’d said with so little emotion, he knew she was already gone in all but body. “You should, too.”
If he’d left for college the way he had planned, Niall would have survived. Maybe. “But…Conall,” Duncan had croaked in protest. No, begged.
“There’s nothing either of us can do for him, or Niall either. Face it.” And somewhere in there, she’d said, “Conall’s not your responsibility.”
Duncan had made a decision that day. He’d given up his dreams because he’d believed she was wrong.
He’d known for a long time that he had done the right thing. He’d even figured out that he felt a hell of a lot more than responsibility for his brothers.
Today, watching Conall hold out his hand for the woman who had taught him to love again, then smile at the two boys and murmur something to them before they stepped awkwardly aside and retreated to the pew with their adoptive grandparents, Duncan felt his eyes burning.
His brothers hadn’t only survived, they’d become good men who had responded in their turn the same way Duncan had that day. When they were needed, they’d stepped up to the plate.
Have I ever told them how proud I am of them?
He wondered what expression was on his face right now. Am I going to cry?
Yeah, he thought in astonishment and some embarrassment, maybe.
He met his wife’s eyes again and felt as if his chest might split open. All he could think was, how rare was it in a lifetime that a man had the chance to know how lucky he was? To have everyone he loved in one place? All well and happy and surrounded in their turn by people who loved them?
Conall and Lia, hand in hand, had turned to face the pastor, who smiled at them with warmth and wisdom. His voice filled the church with a natural resonance. “We are gathered here today to witness the joining of this man and this woman in the bonds of holy matrimony.”
Duncan swallowed the lump in his throat.
My family.
* * * * *
ISBN: 9781459226449
Copyright © 2012 by Janice Kay Johnson
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