There was never a doubt in Owen’s mind about going home to be with his family to celebrate the birth of its newest member. However, all of that was currently complicated by logistics.
They had gone with Darcy to get her bags—just in case Jimmy decided to come around and make trouble—and then quickly took a cab back to the hotel to grab their own. Beside him, Brooke was quiet. As a matter of fact, she hadn’t said much since Darcy’s announcement about the baby.
“C’mon, you guys!” Darcy said excitedly. “The cab is waiting to get us to the airport. I’ve already checked flights, and we can get on the seven fifteen to North Carolina. It’s direct, but we’ll get in late. Once we confirm, we can call Dad to let him know, and hopefully someone will come and meet us, so we won’t have to rent a car.”
Bell services brought their luggage, and then they were all piling back into the cab and heading the short distance to the airport.
And still, Brooke was silent. But to be fair, Darcy had been talking nonstop about how this time she was finally going to be there when a Shaughnessy baby was born and how her bosses would have to deal with it because she wasn’t going to miss out. Owen held Brooke’s hand and silently willed her to look at him and say something, but she didn’t hear it over his sister’s incessant chatter.
At the airport, they started to walk toward the ticket counter when Owen had finally had enough. “Darce, give us a minute, okay?”
She nodded and pulled her phone back out to see if there were any updates on Anna.
“Hey,” he said softly, cupping Brooke’s chin. “You’ve been quiet. Are you okay?”
She nodded. “I…I didn’t want to interfere. You know…family stuff. You and Darcy seemed to have a lot to figure out, so I didn’t want to complicate things with my two cents.”
He couldn’t help but smile. “And what’s your two cents?”
“Well… I was going to say you didn’t have to worry about me. Our flights will be leaving around the same time, and I hoped you’d call me when the baby arrived.” She smiled, but Owen could tell there was something else bothering her.
Rather than question her or pressure her to answer, he leaned in and kissed her softly on the lips. When he raised his head, he did what he always did—he said exactly what was on his mind. “Come with me.”
“What?”
He nodded. “Come with me. Come meet my family. We’re big and loud and overwhelming—especially when we’re celebrating something like this—but…it would mean a lot to me if you were there.”
“Owen…this is a family thing. I’m not so sure this is the right time…or maybe it’s too soon for me to meet everyone.”
With a chuckle, he motioned over his shoulder to where his sister stood. “She’s the scariest of the bunch, and you’ve already hit it off with her. Compared to Darcy, my father and brothers are like a day at the beach.”
“She’s not so bad,” Brooke said. “I think we just caught her at an awkward moment.”
“No,” he said, shaking his head. “She’s scary and intimidating. And even though she’s the baby of the family, we’re all a little scared of her, and she knows it.”
Brooke didn’t look like she believed him. “But…she’s…she’s—”
“Exactly,” Owen said and chuckled again. “Trust me. She’s had to put up with five overprotective brothers. She’s learned how to stand up for herself, but we—well, mostly my brothers—still find her to be scary at times.”
“Not you?”
He shrugged. “She was different with me. I didn’t bother her, and she stayed out of my way. I guess I was lucky.”
“Hey, you guys!” Darcy called out. “We need to get moving if we hope to get on this flight!”
Owen looked back at Brooke with hope. “So? What do you say? Will you come home with me?”
Her shoulders sagged slightly. “Owen, we’ve already been gone for several days. I’m out of clean clothes, and—”
“We’re about the same size,” Darcy said as she popped up beside them. “Sorry. I was eavesdropping.”
“Um—”
“Plus, you know…we will have access to a washer and dryer at Dad’s,” she added helpfully. “But I totally have clothes you can borrow. And with Zoe living close by, I’m sure she has stuff for you too.”
“Um—”
“Darce?” Owen said.
“Yeah?”
“Go get in line at the ticket counter. We’ll be right there.”
She gave them a thumbs-up and happily walked away.
“Problem solved.” He grinned.
“You know that wasn’t the only thing I mentioned.”
And then it hit him. He was pressuring her. Damn. Ducking his head, he shook it. “You’re right. I’m sorry.” Looking up at her, he gave her a lopsided grin. “I’m just not ready to say good-bye.”
Her expression softened. “It’s not good-bye…not really. It’s just for a few days.”
“Still not ready for it.” He took both her hands in his and tugged her close before resting his forehead against hers. “I’ll respect your wishes. If you want to head back to Chicago, I’ll promise to call you when the baby arrives.”
Then he kissed her.
Seriously kissed her.
He kissed her until it was bordering on X-rated.
When he raised his head, he liked the way Brooke’s eyes were glazed over, how breathless she was, and how wet her lips still looked. It was almost enough to make him pound on his chest with pride as he claimed, “I did that!”
Squeezing her hands one last time, he stepped back. “So…I’ll call you.”
She blinked several times, and then her gaze seemed to focus. She nibbled on her bottom lip, and he knew he had her thinking… She was considering it. He looked over at Darcy, who was almost to the front of the line.
“I better go,” he said. “Text me when you land so I know you’re home safe, okay?” Another step back, and he let go of her hands, instantly missing the contact.
“Owen?”
“Yeah?”
She let out a loud sigh. “Are you sure it’s okay for me to go with you? I don’t want to impose on a family event.”
His only response was to smile and grab her hand so they could join Darcy in line.
* * *
The flight was fairly uneventful, but they arrived late due to the time difference. Luckily for them, so far Anna’s labor had been slow, so they hadn’t missed the birth. It had been decided they would take a cab from the airport to Owen’s family home, due to the late hour. When they arrived, everything was dark, and Ian Shaughnessy had already texted that he was staying at the hospital to await the arrival of his third grandchild.
“See you guys in a couple of hours,” Darcy said as she walked to her room with a tired wave.
“It’s been a long day,” Brooke said, yawning. It was a little comforting to know that she wouldn’t have to meet any of Owen’s family until the morning. For now, she just wanted to crawl into bed and sleep.
“Dad said Hugh, Aubrey, and Connor will be here in the morning and Riley and Savannah are planning on arriving later in the morning too. So, for tonight, it’s just us and Darcy in the house.”
Relief washed over her again, and instead of saying anything, she nodded. Owen took her by the hand and led her up the stairs to one of the guest rooms.
“It still feels weird coming home sometimes.”
“How come?”
“Dad did a major renovation on the house a few years ago, and it’s completely transformed. This isn’t anything like the house I grew up in even though it is the same one.”
“It’s beautiful.”
Flipping the light switch revealed a queen-size bed and a room that was done in earth tones with a beach decor. All in all, it was very inviting. Brooke immedia
tely kicked off her shoes and sat on the bed. She looked over at Owen and noted that he was still standing by the door looking as if he wasn’t sure what to do.
Which was crazy—it seemed like the man knew exactly what to do and he did it well. And even though she was beyond exhausted, if he even hinted at wanting to make love, she would be completely on board.
She stood and made fast work of turning the bed down. Then she looked at her suitcase and frowned. “I should have asked Darcy for something to sleep in.”
Owen walked over to the dresser, pulled out a T-shirt, and handed it to her. “I keep some extra stuff here. It’ll be big on you, but…it’s something.”
Brooke closed the distance between them, wrapped her arms around him, and hugged him. “Thank you.” Then she moved away and undressed, sliding the T-shirt over her head. When she turned around, she noted that Owen was watching her intently. Reaching out her hand to him, she whispered, “Come to bed, Owen.”
Within minutes, he had stripped down to his boxers, turned out the overhead light, and turned on the small bedside lamp before sliding into the bed beside her and pulling her close. Limbs tangled together, her head rested on his shoulder, and in no time, they fell asleep.
* * *
Hours later Darcy banging on the door woke them up.
“Did you get the text? Are you up? We need to go!”
Owen opened his eyes and tried to sit up, but Brooke was wrapped all around him, and he wasn’t ready to move just yet. He cleared his throat. “I…I didn’t hear the phone. What’s up?”
“She’s finally at nine centimeters. Dad thinks the baby will be here within the hour, so come on!” she whined. “I’m going to make coffee!”
Just then Brooke lifted her head and gave him a sleepy smile. “What time is it?”
He looked over at the bedside clock. “It’s just after seven. Sorry.”
Sitting up, she yawned and stretched. “Do I have time to grab a quick shower?”
He nodded. “You do that, and I’ll go ask Darcy for something for you to wear, okay?”
Within minutes they were on the move to get ready. Owen placed the outfit his sister gave him on the bed and then went to use the bathroom downstairs to get ready. Every time he looked at Darcy, she was practically bouncing on her toes with excitement, and he couldn’t help but smile each time.
“Aren’t you missing work?” she asked him.
“I was scheduled to give my last lecture today, but I let the university know there was a family emergency, and they had someone cover for me.”
She smirked as she studied him.
“What? What’s so funny?”
Darcy shook her head. “I’m not laughing.” But she was definitely amused.
Owen sighed loudly. “Darcy—”
“All I’m saying is that Brooke is good for you.” It was said lightly and with a shrug—she was stating a fact.
“Tell me why.”
Her grin grew. “Well, it seems like this is a relatively new relationship, and yet she got you to hop on a plane to Vegas for a spur-of-the-moment trip, you gambled, and now you’re blowing off work. I love it!” She hugged him quickly and took a step back. “You’re turning into one of us—you know, normal.”
It was on the tip of his tongue to argue with her—he hated when people implied that he wasn’t normal—but he understood what she was saying, and it wasn’t an insult. So he just gave her a smile of his own and shrugged. “It’s not so bad, I guess.”
“That’s the spirit!” Darcy said. “I wish we’d get an update. The wait is killing me!”
“I’m sure as soon as they know something, they’ll text. All we can do is wait.”
Brooke came down the stairs just as Owen received another text. “They’re finally letting her push,” he read, and the next thing he knew, they were all rushing out the door and climbing in the car his father had left for them. “I don’t think I know whose car this even is,” he commented as they pulled out of the driveway.
“It’s Aidan’s,” Darcy said. “Dad mentioned it last night. He has his work truck if he needs to go anywhere, and Zoe has the SUV, so this is just a spare.”
The entire drive to the hospital was spent listening to Darcy talk about how excited she was and how she couldn’t wait to see Quinn have to change a diaper, and while Owen laughed and even made his own observations, he couldn’t help but notice Brooke had gone quiet again. It was possible she was just tired, but he had a feeling she was once again feeling overwhelmed about meeting his family.
As they pulled into the parking lot, he decided to cut his sister’s chatter short. “You’re going to love meeting everyone,” he said to Brooke. He parked the car and shut it off before turning in his seat to face her. “There are a lot of us—”
“You’re gonna meet Dad and Martha, his lady-friend,” Darcy said with a giggle, “and Aidan’s here with Zoe. I think Lily is with a sitter this morning. And Anna’s parents are here along with her brother, Bobby, and at some point you’ll meet Hugh and Aubrey and Connor—who is the cutest boy ever—and then Riley and Savannah, and of course Quinn and Anna, so that’s—”
“Fourteen people,” Owen finished for her. “But don’t let the number scare you.”
“The sheer loudness will probably scare you more than anything, but hopefully the fact that we’re in a hospital will make us keep it to a low roar,” Darcy countered and then laughed. “I’m heading in! So excited!” And then she hopped from the car and all but sprinted to the hospital entrance.
Brooke took a steadying breath and looked at him, still looking a little overwhelmed. “I still feel like I’m intruding.”
“And I’m telling you you’re not. They’re all going to love you. And if I know my family, they’re going to hug you and treat you like you’re one of us. Don’t worry.”
* * *
This must be what animals in the zoo feel like, Brooke mused to herself.
For the first time possibly ever, it would appear that Owen Shaughnessy was wrong. There was something to worry about—namely, his family.
There were no hugs; there weren’t even real smiles. There was just a whole lot of…wide-eyed curiosity.
Good thing she’d showered at least.
Brooke couldn’t ever remember a time when she’d felt this uncomfortable, and just when she was about to excuse herself to grab a cup of coffee from the cafeteria, all heads turned and then everybody stood up.
“We have a girl!”
Chaos ensued for at least fifteen minutes as everyone listened to Quinn—at least she assumed it was Quinn—talk about how amazing his wife was and how beautiful his daughter was. And even though she had never met them before, Brooke felt herself get a little emotional just listening to him talk.
Quinn ran a hand through his hair and let out a long breath. “I’m telling you, I don’t know how she did it. I mean, I always knew Anna was strong, but…damn. I was practically on my knees with exhaustion and…” He stopped talking when he caught sight of Brooke. Everyone turned to look at her, and she wished the floor would open up and swallow her whole.
“Oh, Quinn,” Owen said after a moment, “this is Brooke. Brooke, this is my brother Quinn.”
She reached out and shook Quinn’s hand and offered congratulations on the new baby, and he smiled and thanked her before everyone started talking again and asking when they were going to be able to see the newest Shaughnessy.
“The nurse told me that in about thirty minutes you’ll be able to come up and see her in the nursery. Anna may need a bit longer before she’s ready for everyone—besides her folks.” He smiled over at his in-laws.
“And does my granddaughter have a name yet?” Ian asked.
Quinn smiled broadly. “Kaitlyn Marie Shaughnessy.”
Everyone awwed and smiled. “That’s beautiful,” Ian said, hi
s voice thick with emotion. “Absolutely beautiful.”
Clapping his hands together, Quinn got ready to leave. “Okay, in about thirty minutes, you can start coming up. We’ve made friends with the nurses on the floor, and they’re prepared for all of you. Just…behave.”
There was laughter and teasing, and Quinn waved as he went back to be with his wife and new baby girl.
What must that feel like? Brooke thought. To create a new life and to hold it in your hands for the first time? She hadn’t seen Kaitlyn, and really, Brooke didn’t know Quinn and Anna. But in that moment, she was incredibly envious of them and felt a little overwhelmed with the entire thing.
Owen’s arm came around her waist, and he tucked her in close beside him, kissing the top of her head. “You okay?”
All she could do was nod.
As if sensing her mood, he took her by the hand and gently led her to a sofa in the corner, away from his family. When they sat down, he didn’t speak. He waited until she was ready to.
Sometimes she hated how considerate he was while being so in tune with her.
Dammit.
With a sigh, she looked at him. “I shouldn’t be here,” she said softly. “From what I can tell, Darcy is the only one who seems even remotely friendly.” She shook her head. “I’m sorry. I… Maybe there was another way to say that—”
Owen shook his head. “No. I understand. Everyone seemed a little…off, so I’m sorry. I guess I thought they’d at least be nice to you.”
“They have been nice,” she countered. “But…they’re looking at me like I’m some sort of… I don’t know. I’m getting a bit of a complex.” She looked around the waiting room and realized most of the Shaughnessys were looking their way. “Would it be completely rude if I went to the cafeteria to get a cup of coffee? I’ll be back before you go in to see Anna and the baby.”
He nodded but didn’t speak. Kissing him on the cheek, Brooke stood and walked away, thankful the cafeteria was straight ahead of her and she wouldn’t have to turn and see everyone watching her.
She hadn’t gone ten steps when a thought hit her—was this what it was like? For Neal? People looking at him like he was a freak? No doubt Owen had been on the receiving end of the same thing—not from his family but from schoolmates or colleagues. A sick feeling settled in the pit of her stomach, and she placed a hand there and quickly ducked into the nearby ladies’ room.
A Sky Full of Stars Page 18
