Many of his childhood friends came back for this party every year. They always had. In college, it had been a way to reconnect with high school buddies. Now they came with families of their own, and Kevin felt out of place in the crowd. Even his own damn brothers were falling in love and getting married.
He hefted the bags of groceries from the back of his SUV and walked around the corner. He glanced over at the O’Leary house. He’d spent his entire childhood jealous of that family. They were much like his, six children to the O’Malley five, but Kevin had no doubt that had his mother, Siobhan, lived, she would’ve had more children.
The lack of a mother was what separated the families.
Jimmy and Liam had remained best friends and Kevin and Moira had been in the same elementary school class every year. But once Siobhan had been killed, the O’Learys had stayed away. Climbing the concrete steps to the house, Kevin admitted that it had probably been the occupants of this house that had kept the O’Learys away. His dad had become distant, and Jimmy took care of everyone in his stead. The O’Malley boys had always been a little out of control.
He set a bag down and shoved the ancient door open. Whenever he got around to buying a house, he wanted a door like this one. It had taken a beating from all of the O’Malleys. It had been slammed countless times, had hockey pucks smashed into it, had baseballs thrown against it, and it still functioned. Scarred and battered, but working.
A lot like the man sitting on the couch.
“Hey, Dad,” Kevin called as he took the groceries into the kitchen.
“You bring burgers?”
“I brought meat to make burgers.”
Seamus huffed.
“What are you moaning about? All I have to do is plop that meat in front of Liam O’Leary and he works his magic. Best burgers you’ve ever had and you know it.” Kevin unloaded the food into the refrigerator, which had actually been stocked. Weird, since Norah had moved out last month.
Then Kevin remembered Tommy’s new wife, Deirdre. Another O’Leary. “Tommy and Sean around?”
“Tommy’s upstairs. Make sure you call out. Deirdre’s home.”
Kevin paused before getting to the steps. His dad not only gave a thoughtful warning, but something in his voice sounded odd. He looked at his dad, whose focus remained on the TV screen. “Yo, Tommy. Time to get ready.”
A few minutes later, Tommy pounced down the steps wearing nothing but a pair of jeans. “Since when do you show up this early?”
“Since it shouldn’t be Jimmy’s job to get food for all of us and do all the work. He’s getting married in a couple of weeks. Don’t you think it’s time we picked up the slack?”
Tommy crossed his arms and stared. “Who are you and what have you done with my brother?”
“Funny. Go make sure the grill is clean.”
“It’s clean. We cooked dinner on it two days ago.”
“We?”
“I’m a married man, now. I have a wife who wants to eat at home.”
Tommy had just married the O’Learys’ cousin who had been visiting from Ireland. They were all still getting used to the idea that Tommy had been the first to tie the knot. And in secret. “So your wife is the reason there’s actually decent food in the house?”
“I go grocery shopping. Been doing it for a while. If you were around more, you’d know that.”
His siblings were always making little digs like that. As if he was never supposed to grow up and move out. At some point, each of them had cycled back around and moved in with Dad again. Not him. He liked having his own place.
Softer footsteps sounded on the stairs. Deirdre entered the dining room wearing shorts and one of Tommy’s old T-shirts tied at the waist. Her red hair was pulled into a high ponytail and for a moment, Kevin was struck by how much she looked like a younger version of Moira.
“Hi,” he said.
“Hi,” she replied with a small nod of her head. She turned to Tommy. “Will this do?”
“With that much skin showing, Cupcake, you better invest in some sunscreen. July in Chicago isn’t something a white girl like you can play with.”
“You speak as though you’re some golden Adonis,” she shot back playfully.
Kevin felt like an intruder even here. He cleared his throat. “When’s Jimmy getting here?”
“Probably any minute.”
Deirdre took Tommy’s hand. “What do we need to do? I’m excited for this party.”
“I brought food. It’s in the fridge. I’m going over to the O’Learys’ to see if they need help with the keg or anything.”
He grabbed the ground beef, left the house, and crossed the street. A few people called out to him, and he waved a greeting. Michael O’Leary stood at the corner of the house setting down a keg in a barrel.
“Hey, man. Good to see you,” Kevin called. “How’d you get off from the firehouse this year?”
“I worked the Fourth. Long-ass night of stupid people. I’ll take the neighborhood stupid shit over people blowing themselves up any day of the week.”
“Liam here yet?”
“Yeah. He’s in the kitchen. Door’s unlocked. Go on in.”
For as long as he’d known the O’Learys, he’d never just walked into their house. In fact, he’d only gone into the building when he’d been tagging along with Jimmy and Liam. He knocked and twisted the knob. No one was in the living room, so he walked through toward the kitchen. “Liam?”
“Yeah.”
The layout was the same as his dad’s house, but it somehow felt foreign. In the kitchen, he said, “Hey, man. Wanted to see if you needed help with anything.”
Liam turned with a confused look on his face. “Jimmy okay?”
“Don’t see why not. He’s not here yet. I brought some ground beef since we always con you into making our food.” He set the bag on the counter where Liam was making patties.
“Thanks.”
“Thank you. You feed us every year.” Kevin leaned against the counter while Liam dug his hands back into the meat. “I also wanted to make sure you’re really okay with me being best man.”
Liam lifted a shoulder. “He’s your brother. I get it. No hard feelings.” He paused, leveled a stare at Kevin, and then added, “Just don’t fuck it up.”
He’d been hearing some version of that his whole life. While it had been warranted when he was a teen, he’d had his life together for a long time; unfortunately, no one seemed to notice. “I won’t.”
Liam nodded. As much as Liam and Moira looked alike, his personality was nothing like his little sister’s. Liam was fine working in silence.
Straightening, Kevin said, “I’ll be across the street. Holler if you need anything.”
As he walked back out into the stifling air of summer heat, a motorcycle rumbled down the street. Sean and his girlfriend, Emma, rode up and parked in front of the house. They dismounted and took off helmets with a smile.
Even though he was envious of what his brothers had found—and so much earlier than he had—his heart swelled with pride. They had grown into good men. Their mom would be proud.
“Hey,” Sean yelled. “What’re you doing here so early?”
Kevin crossed the street. “Figured I’d help set up. Don’t know why everyone is so surprised. I was here early last year.”
He’d shown up early last year to help because he’d hoped Moira had invited Kathy. He was like a lovesick kid. This year, however, he knew what to do. He had an approach. If he won Moira over, Kathy would give him another chance. Their chemistry still clicked, so he only had to jump over the hurdle of his past stupid actions.
In his gut he knew that if Kathy gave him another shot, he’d have the chance to have what his brothers did.
* * *
Kathy sat in her car and stared at her phone. Moira had texted her at least three times this morning telling her she didn’t really have to come unless she wanted to. She shouldn’t feel pressured.
But Kathy did feel a
n obligation to Moira. When they had met in college, Moira had broken through all of Kathy’s carefully constructed walls and taught her how to be a friend. To be part of a real friendship with ups and downs.
It had been Moira who suggested Kathy go see a therapist. Moira had seen past the face of calm and peace Kathy projected to the world. And without that little shove from Moira, Kathy wouldn’t be in the relatively sane place she was now. Until she had started talking to a therapist, she hadn’t even really understood that her childhood had been traumatic. Not the kind laced with violence and physical abuse or addiction, but one of passive-aggressive barbs and hurled insults. The kind of place that taught her that if she could keep the peace, everything would be okay.
Except it never was.
And her learned behaviors created an obstacle for her in establishing healthy relationships.
So, yeah, she owed Moira. And spending time with Kevin wasn’t torture. She could put those walls back up to protect herself in order to help a friend.
Grabbing the container of cookies she’d bought, she tucked her phone into the pocket of her shorts and walked toward Moira’s mom’s house. From down the block she heard kids yelling and laughing. At the corner, she took in the scene in front of her. A group of adults huddled in front of the O’Leary house, so Kathy waited until she saw Moira’s red hair.
Nearing the group, she heard Moira’s brother Ryan say, “Who else is playing? We’re pretty even splitting up by family.”
Jimmy stepped forward. “Moira’s with us.”
Moira laughed. “I’m still an O’Leary, babe. For the next two weeks anyway.”
“That’s not even right,” Jimmy grumbled.
Moira caught sight of Kathy and squealed. “You made it. You’ll play, right? We get Kathy.”
Before she even knew what was happening, Kathy found herself thrust toward the crowd of O’Learys and someone took her cookies. “What am I playing?”
“Football. Annual game.”
“Well, if Moira stays with you, I guess we get Cupcake. She’s an O’Malley,” Tommy O’Malley said.
Moira lifted her chin. “Fine. But Shane’s ours.”
Kathy had no idea who Shane was, but the man was big. Then she remembered Moira talking about Maggie’s boyfriend. He moved to the O’Leary side. Definitely the kind of guy you wanted protecting you in a football game.
“We get Kai. He’s mine,” Norah said from the O’Malley camp. She held on to the arm of a man who was the size of a wall. So much for having Shane on their team.
“Hey, O’Malley,” another woman said. She was much shorter than Jimmy, who was the only O’Malley to turn to look. She pointed at the woman across from her. “You sure it’s okay for me and Carmen to play?”
“Why wouldn’t it be?”
“We’re adding a bit of color to this group. All this white is kind of blinding.”
Moira’s brother Liam started laughing. Carmen stared at the ground, a hint of pink filling her cheeks. Kathy had only met her a couple of times, but Carmen was always a little shy.
“What’s so funny?” Moira asked, giving her brother a shove.
Liam straightened. “Carmen and her cousin used to call me Wonder Bread.” He lifted his shirt. “I came by the nickname honestly.” Pointing at Moira, he added, “Like you.”
Everyone joined in the laughter because with the exception of their red hair, Liam and Moira were white enough to disappear in a snowstorm.
In truth, Kathy didn’t quite fit in the mix either, but no one called any attention to her.
“You should play on our team, Gabby,” Carmen said.
Jimmy held Gabby’s arm. “No way. For all the years Griffin Walker played, you claimed him as an O’Leary. Gabby’s my partner, she plays with the O’Malleys. Plus, she makes us even.”
With Jimmy’s comment, Kathy finally connected that Gabby was a police detective and Jimmy’s partner at work. Kathy hadn’t met her, but Moira talked about her often.
There were a few stragglers on the outskirts of the group. Kathy nudged Moira. “What about them?”
Moira smiled. “They want to watch. Everyone’s welcome to play, but the first game of the day is O’Learys versus O’Malleys. It’s the way it’s always been.”
“I’m neither.”
“Today, you’re an honorary O’Leary because you’re here as my guest.” She started walking away as did everyone else.
As a mob, they crossed the street kitty-corner to the open field behind a school. Kevin strode next to her. “Glad you made it.”
“Why?” she asked.
“I want to spend time with you. I had fun at dinner. Although I take some issue with you being on Moira’s team since I invited you first.”
“But I’m Moira’s friend.”
“We’re friends.”
Kathy looked at him from the corner of her eye. “I’m not sure what we are, but like Moira said, today my allegiance goes to the O’Learys.”
The O’Learys huddled to come up with a plan.
“Can someone explain the rules for those of us who are new to this?” Kathy asked.
Ryan looked at her. “Mostly we play tag football. Sometimes it gets a little rough, but no one gets hurt. If someone passes the ball to you, run with it. Don’t get tagged by an O’Malley.”
“Sounds easy enough.”
Moira clasped her hands. “I’ll go down field. Kath, you stay near the middle.”
“Why?” Ryan asked.
“I’ll be a distraction. I always am because they’ll assume you’ll throw to me. Get it to Kathy and she’ll score.”
Kathy shook her head. “I don’t know about that.”
“You ran track in high school. Hell, you still run because you like it. Trust me, you can outrun them. They won’t see it coming.”
“Little sister, I like the way you think,” Ryan said. He turned to the other brothers. “You guys make a path for her.”
Shane stepped closer. “And me?”
“You cover Jimmy. He’s the best they have. He played football. The rest of them are hockey all the way.”
Carmen and Maggie crossed their arms. Maggie said, “Are we just supposed to stand there and look pretty?”
Shane turned to Maggie. “You are good at that.”
She shoved his shoulder. “We can play.”
“We’ll need you after this. We’ll only be able to pull this play once. Then they’ll be all over Kathy.”
That didn’t sound fun at all.
“Let’s go.” Ryan clapped and they all spread out to their respective positions. Maggie jumped on Shane’s back, and he gave her a piggyback ride to midfield.
Kathy swallowed hard as she realized Kevin was guarding her. Knowing him, he’d volunteered for this spot.
Jimmy let out a sharp whistle and then nodded to Ryan.
Carmen snapped the ball to Ryan and all the O’Learys scrambled. If she hadn’t known their plan, she would guess they didn’t have one. Before she knew it, the ball was hurtling toward her. Conscious of Kevin standing beside her, she snatched the ball and turned.
He barely made a step in her direction when she’d taken off. She had a clear path all the way down. Kevin chased, but even with his slightly longer legs, he couldn’t catch her.
In the end zone, she spiked the ball and jumped up and down. Kevin bent over at the waist, out of breath.
“What. The. Hell. Was. That?” he huffed out.
“That was a touchdown,” she said with a broad smile.
The rest of her team came over and cheered. Jimmy grabbed the ball and shot a dirty look at Kevin.
“Like to see you catch her,” he said.
Kathy patted his shoulder. “Don’t feel bad. I ran track in high school.”
“Shit. I forgot about that.”
Had she ever told him?
“You went to state three years in a row. Fuck me. I never had a chance.” He raised a hand. “You brought in a ringer. If Jimmy can’t be qu
arterback, Kathy can’t be running back.”
“I’m not a running back. I’ve never even played football.”
“Sweetheart, you just ran harder and faster than any amateur player I’ve seen.”
“If it’s any consolation, they know we won’t be able to do that twice, so I don’t think you’ll have to worry about me.”
“That’s what they all say.”
“Then maybe you should have the big guy keep an eye on me. Or Tommy or Sean.”
“They’re all too busy looking at their girlfriends. You’re stuck with me.”
That’s what she’d been hoping he’d say. The more he focused on her, the less time he’d have to bother Moira. The problem was that his words made her almost as warm as the sun beating down on them.
* * *
Kevin was having more fun at the football game than he’d had in a long time. They played every year and the teams were slightly different each time. Although they all tried to be home for the block party, and this game in particular, there was always some shifting, especially as girlfriends and boyfriends entered the picture.
He’d planned on guarding Moira during the game, but Jimmy shot that down, so Kevin was with Kathy, not that he minded. In between plays, they chatted about work and families, mostly him filling her in on all the new players on the field.
One of the best things about the game, though, was that his dad and Mrs. O’Leary sat in lawn chairs on the sidelines and cheered for all of them. Cheering wasn’t really the right word because his dad yelled at them when things didn’t go their way, and he could almost hear Mrs. O’Leary cluck her tongue at them all. But as their kids all left the field, both parents were smiling.
Kevin wasn’t sure what had been happening with his dad, but ever since Deirdre had joined their brood as Tommy’s wife, Dad had been spending a lot of time with Mrs. O’Leary. She was good for him, though, because she forced him to get off his ass and do things. Even if it was to go to church, it was better than his permanent location on the couch.
The O’Learys won the game by a touchdown and Kevin clenched his teeth when Moira came over to gloat. He would not engage in anything that would make him feel better. He would earn a chance with Kathy by winning Moira over, even if it killed him in the process.
From Your Heart Page 5
