She was fairly confident that Brennan would get caught up in filing his report and all the rest of it. Because he’d discharged his gun, he was going to have to surrender the weapon to have it checked out—it was a matter of routine policy.
She doubted if there would be any problem regarding the shooting. On the contrary, this had to be a rather large feather in his cap, as the trite saying went. She was glad for him. He deserved to be recognized for his bravery.
She held Janie’s hand the entire trip in. She was still unconscious since she’d collapsed onto the floor in the mansion. Tiana knew it might be a futile endeavor, but she was determined to get through to her sister on some level, and this seemed like the easiest way.
Who knew, maybe gripping her hand like that would somehow cause Janie to maintain and reestablish her hold on life.
At least it was worth a try.
* * *
It seemed like absolute ages since her sister had looked at her. Tiana was beginning to be really concerned.
Just as she was about to go out and corner a physician, Janie’s eyelids fluttered. Planting herself right beside the bed, Tiana waited eagerly for Janie to open her eyes.
When she finally did, Tiana felt as if her heart was filled to bursting. “Welcome back,” she said to Janie, her throat suddenly clogged with tears. She forced them back, but it wasn’t without effort.
Janie stared at her. It was obvious that she was struggling to clear her head. “T?”
“Ah, good, you still know who I am,” Tiana said with a relieved smile.
“What happened?” Janie murmured. She attempted to sit up and faltered. “My head feels as if someone used it for bowling.”
“Pretty nearly,” Tiana said sympathetically. “They made you swallow some pretty potent designer drugs, the kind that knock you out. The doctor ordered an IV drip with something to counteract the effects. That’s what’s attached to you now,” she said, indicating the IV next to the bed. “Don’t ask me to repeat the name of the serum. It has more letters than the alphabet. But the doctor promised that you should be back to normal in about a day.”
Tears had filled Janie’s eyes as she looked at Tiana. “You found me.”
Tiana smiled, stroking Janie’s hair away from her forehead. “Yes, I found you. Hey, was there ever any doubt that I would? You’re my baby sister. Nobody gets to order you around but me.”
Tears were rolling down the side of her face. “But I told you—”
Taking a tissue from a dispenser near the bed, Tiana wiped away the tracks of her sister’s tears. “To go to a very warm place, yes, I know,” she said, recalling their last conversation before Janie had disappeared. “Didn’t like it there. Decided to go to wherever you were going instead.”
“Wayne...?” Janie asked hoarsely.
“Won’t be bothering you anymore,” Tiana promised stoically. “Someone decided they didn’t want to pay him in cash.”
Janie took a breath before trying to frame the question. “Is he—?”
Tiana nodded. “Yes, he is,” she said, anticipating the question and wanting to spare Janie from having to ask it. “Whenever you’re ready, we’ll go back home.” She talked faster, trying to keep Janie’s mind from dwelling on Wayne’s demise. “I’m sure the university will make allowances for what happened and let you come back into the program—”
Janie cut her off. “I don’t want to go back to school, at least, not that school. Too much has happened. Every corner of that campus will remind me what a jerk I was. Please, T, don’t make me go back.”
Tiana read between the lines and understood. “You want a fresh start?” she asked,
Janie seemed incredibly relieved. “Oh, God, yes.”
Tiana paused for a moment, thinking. “Well, we could move down here,” she said, casting about for alternatives. “I hear they have a lot of good colleges in this part of California.”
Janie looked at her, stunned. “You’d move here for me?”
Tiana didn’t want it to sound as if she was making some huge sacrifice and not getting anything out of it herself. The truth of it was, she felt that it was time for a change for both of them.
“For you, and maybe I need a change, too,” Tiana told her sister.
“Hey,” Janie began, in a voice that was beginning to sound progressively more sleepy, “I want to...”
Anticipating Janie’s unfinished thoughts, Tiana replied, “You’re welcome,” with a smile.
She wasn’t sure her sister even heard her. Janie was sound asleep again. Most likely, she would be winking in and out like that for the next twelve hours or so.
Tiana looked toward the chair she’d vacated a few minutes ago and considered hanging around, doing another round of sentry duty, until her sister woke up again. She had a statement to give, but other than that—
She sensed he was there before he ever said a single word.
Turning, she saw Brennan standing in the doorway. Though he hadn’t taken a step toward her yet, he seemed to fill up the entire room with his presence. It made her feel safe for possibly the first time in her life. She liked that.
“How long have you been standing there?” she asked, suddenly feeling a surge of emotions spiking through her.
Tiana struggled hard not to just throw her arms around his neck and show how happy she was to see him. Though they were alone for all intents and purposes, this was still a public area and a show of emotion might embarrass him, so she refrained.
“A few minutes,” he answered. “How long have you two been talking in code?” he asked, amused.
She waved her hand, dismissing his label. “It’s not code. I just happen to know what she’s thinking, and given her present condition, I wanted to save her the trouble of having to say anything extra.”
He nodded, taking in her explanation as a matter of routine. There was a more important topic he wanted to get to and clarify for his own sake. “You really going to stay down here?” he asked as he made his way into the single-care unit.
That was when she noticed that he was carrying two large containers of coffee. She thought that rather odd for a man who wasn’t a die-hard coffee drinker.
Crossing to her, he handed her the covered container of coffee he’d picked up for her on his way over to the hospital.
“After what Janie’s been through, I think a change of scenery might not be a bad idea.” Taking the lid off the container, she took an extralong, gratifying sip of her coffee, allowing it to wind its way all through her before she continued. “Besides, I really do like the weather down here.”
He set his container down on the counter beside the sink. “That the only thing you like down here?”
“I like your uncle,” she answered. “Think he might be able to get me a job down here?”
“Don’t see why not.” He assumed she was referring to the chief of Ds. “He told me the police department could always use someone who’s sharp.” Until just this minute, he hadn’t allowed himself to think past the assignment. But the assignment was over. All that remained were the reports to write.
He was staring at her. Why? Was that a good sign, or a bad one? “What?” she forced herself to ask.
He tested the words out on his tongue, as if that would give the concept shape and make it a reality. “You’re staying, huh?”
“Yes. I thought we already established that.”
“Any particular reason why you’re staying?” he asked, then added the part they were both certain of. “Other than giving your sister a change of venue?”
She felt her way around the subject very slowly, not wanting to take too much for granted just in case that was setting herself up for a fall. “Well, I like the idea that the trees stay mostly green all year-round. I’ve never been a fan of watching leaves fall.”
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His eyes remained on hers. “Oh, we’ve got deciduous trees here, too. Is weather and a different school for your sister the only reason you’re going to be relocating?” he pressed.
Was he trying to get her to admit to something—or was he hoping her reasons were as vague as she said so he wouldn’t be put on the spot? She didn’t know how to read him. “Should there be more?”
The shrug was casual, nonchalant. “Only if you think so.”
She wished he was easier to second guess. Mentally flipping a coin, she went with “tails.” “Look, if you’re worried that I might crowd you—”
The corners of his mouth curved just a little. “Crowd isn’t exactly the word I had in mind.”
“What was the word you had in mind, then?” C’mon, Brennan, give me something to work with here. How much do you really want me to admit?
He carefully placed his container down again and pulled her into his arms. “I’m going to have to think on that for a while,” he said, his expression so solemn that for a moment she thought he was actually being serious.
Okay, let’s try a safer subject. “I didn’t get a chance to thank you for saving my life. Was that a lucky shot?” she asked. Her gut told her that it wasn’t, but she wanted to hear it from him.
“Maybe from your point of view,” Brennan allowed.
There was that hint of a smile again. “But not from yours?”
“It’s the kind of shot I’m used to making.” He wouldn’t tell her that for one moment, fear had entered his heart, fear that he wasn’t as good as he thought he was. As he had once been.
“Let me guess, you’re a sniper.”
That had been his title once, before he’d gotten into undercover work for the DEA. “Not currently.”
She was determined to nail one detail down about this man. “But you were?”
“Might have been.” He smiled into her eyes. Some things were still classified. “Modesty doesn’t permit me to talk about it.”
The hell with modesty. She needed to know. “SWAT or navy SEAL?”
“Yeah,” was all he said.
She sighed. She had a feeling she was playing a losing game. “You always this secretive?”
“Guess that’ll be something you’ll have to find out on your own.” He was lightly massaging her shoulders as he spoke. “By the way, do you really want to show your gratitude to me for saving your life?”
“Yes,” she answered, never taking her eyes off his. Her knees were growing progressively weaker.
“Good, because I have just the way for you to show me just how grateful you are.”
There went her heart, she thought, into double time. “When do we start?”
The smile took over his entire face. “The second I get you home. My real home,” he specified, “not that hotel room.”
She nodded. “Sounds good to me.”
“Would you two take it outside?” Janie mumbled, surprising them both. “I need my sleep.”
Tiana quickly drew closer to her sister. “You were awake the whole time?”
“I think she’s back asleep,” Brennan said, looking closely at her sister. “Most likely, she’s going to stay that way now until tomorrow.”
He was telling her it was all right to leave Janie for a few hours. The man really did understand how her mind worked. “Where did you say you parked your vehicle?”
“I didn’t.” Grinning, he took her hand and said, “Follow me.”
“To the ends of the earth,” she told him with a laugh.
“Oh, hell, I can’t wait.” Turning on his heel, he caught her up in his arms and kissed her, long and hard—like a man who had just found his reason for living.
As she melted against him, Tiana knew in her heart that this was a preview of things to come.
Life, she decided, was very, very good.
Finally.
Epilogue
The noise level within the large rambling house and even larger backyard continued to rise. Nobody really seemed to notice. This was a festive occasion and festive occasions came with noise.
Andrew Cavanaugh, completely recovered and ready to demonstrate that happy fact by getting back into the full swing of things, was tackling one of his very favorite excuses for a party: a wedding reception.
At first glance, to the virgin attendee, it looked as if the immediate world had been invited and had decided to RSVP “Yes.”
It was only after a little more close scrutiny was applied that it became apparent that the people attending were mostly family or friends—usually both.
Finding a place to park had been a very real challenge. Tiana and Brennan had had to walk back several blocks in order to get to the center of the activities.
“Maybe I shouldn’t have let you talk me into this,” Tiana said uncertainly as they entered the house. She felt like an interloper. From the looks of it, everyone seemed to know everyone else.
Taking her arm to escort her in—and to keep her from bolting in case that crossed her mind—Brennan laughed. “As if anyone could ever talk you into anything. You wanted to come,” he pointed out knowingly.
She had because she’d never had a family, other than Janie, and the idea of a close one, albeit a very large one, intrigued her. But she’d had no idea that there were this many of them.
“I feel as if I’m invading,” she confessed. “I don’t even know the bride or groom.”
“No, you don’t,” he agreed. “But you know me, you know Duncan and Valri—and Uncle Sean. Your boss, the head of the day-shift crime lab,” he prompted when she gave no sign of recognizing his last reference.
Embarrassed and somewhat overwhelmed as she wove her way to the backyard with Brennan gently guiding her, she nodded.
“Right.” She looked at him a little uneasily. She was not going to remember half these names. “Do they come with name badges?”
“No, but you have me and I have a pretty good memory. In my former line of work, it was essential,” he reminded her. “I’ll let you in on a secret,” he said, whispering into her ear as they walked out into the backyard. Evidently, they had arrived at the reception just a beat after the newest happy couple had made their way in. “This is my first Cavanaugh wedding.”
And he sincerely hoped, slanting a glance toward her, that it wasn’t going to be his last.
“She really is a beautiful bride,” Tiana commented with sincerity as she looked at Ashley now, standing next to a beaming Shane Cavanaugh. The latter was holding a baby in his arms as naturally as if she were a part of him. They made a beautiful couple, she thought. “Is that baby theirs?”
Brennan glanced in the direction that she was looking in. “In every way possible but blood.”
Her brow furrowed as she turned her head back to look at Brennan. “You’re going to have to explain that.”
She wasn’t familiar with their background, he realized. He’d just taken the fact that she was for granted. “It’s a long story, but the short version is that the baby’s mother was killed and the infant was kidnapped. Shane and Ashley worked the case together. They finally tracked down the kidnapper, but once the baby was recovered, they found that the infant had no family. There was literally no one to take her in.
“Ashley had grown up an orphan herself—her parents were both killed in an auto accident when she was a toddler—and she couldn’t bear to have the baby they’d saved go through what she had, so she petitioned to adopt her.”
Brennan paused, glancing back at the happy couple, both of whom, in his opinion, looked absolutely radiant. Knowing what they had both been through, he still envied them their happiness.
“What’s the baby’s name?” Tiana asked.
“Ashley named her Joy because she said it felt like heaven to hold the bab
y in her arms.”
Tiana smiled. “Sounds like a really nice story.”
“Yeah,” he agreed. “Complete with a ‘happily ever after’ to it.”
“You believe in that.” It was more of a stunned comment than an out-and-out question on her part. She waited for his response, really curious to hear what he had to say.
“Hey, how can’t I?” he asked. “All the Cavanaughs have a hundred percent batting average when it comes to marriages.”
Something else she hadn’t been aware of. She looked around again. This time, things like a passing caress, a quick kiss or affectionate laughter, caught her attention. “Really?”
“Really,” he confirmed.
Tiana sighed. “Must be nice.” She wasn’t even aware of saying the words out loud until she heard them.
“Must be,” he agreed. Then, gathering his courage to him—why going ahead to broach what he was about to ask seemed to require more nerve than risking his life by going undercover he had no idea, but he could feel his nerves all standing at attention—he asked her, “Would you like to find out firsthand?”
Tiana wasn’t sure where he was going with this and she wasn’t going to allow herself to speculate because she didn’t like coming face-to-face with disappointment if she could possibly help it. She’d had enough to last a lifetime. Two lifetimes.
“You mean by talking to one of the couples?” she asked him.
He watched her carefully. She understood perfectly well what he meant, he thought, but he could understand her being cautious. “No, by becoming one of the couples.”
Her eyes widened. “Wait, slow down,” she cried.
“If I slowed down any more, I’d be going backward,” Brennan patiently pointed out.
“Are you asking me to marry you?” she asked in a hushed, disbelieving whisper.
“Yes. By the way,” he prompted, “that is the operative word here. Yes in case you missed it.” He knew he had to give her a way out, so he added, “Unless you don’t want to, in which case don’t say anything, just change the subject and let me nurse my wounds quietly in some corner.”
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