“Sit, I’ll get you a whisky and some lunch.” She grabbed him by the hand and dragged him toward an empty chair at a table.
“Thanks. Still can’t believe you knew my name.” Confusion still laced his voice.
Annie bit her lip. She had never asked Mack if his brother wanted to be found. Did she tell Fergal that she knew his brother? Something told her not to. Instead she asked, “What’s your name?”
“Fergal Mackinnon,” he gave her a grin that looked amazingly like Mack’s. He was a little shorter but no less handsome.
“Pleased to meet you. I’m Annie Sullivan.” She gave him what she hoped was a winning smile.
“Thanks for the private escort to my table. Do you give all your customers this kind of attention?” Annie looked back at him. Grinning like he was pleased with himself, Fergal looked and sounded just like Mack.
She arched her eyebrows and dropped her voice. “Aren’t you used to women doing nice things for you, Sugar?”
“Not ones as pretty as you.”
“Well, have a seat and let me get you something to eat. Maybe then we can talk.” She tried to keep her voice casual but she was beginning to worry. How was she going to keep him here? How was she going to keep her eyes on him so he didn’t just slip out the door? The owner had a dingy tied out front. She could take it and bring it back after she dropped Fergal off. But what if her boss noticed it was gone and called her out as a thief. At best, she would lose her job. At worst…she didn’t really want to think about that.
She doubted she could keep Fergal here until nightfall. She chewed on her lip. Just then, Mary Beth went by her down the narrow hall to the kitchen. “Fergal’s here,” she hissed. “How am I going to keep him from leaving?”
Mary Beth swore like a sailor and then said, “Get him some grub. We’ll figure something out.” The other woman headed upstairs while Annie raced to the kitchen.
She grabbed a large tray of food and started passing it out. She actually served Fergal last, as she wanted to make him wait as long as possible.
Mary Beth came up next to her. “Got any laudanum? We could put it in his drink.”
“No,” she hissed looking back at him.
Just then Tom walked through the door. He must be checking on them while he had some lunch. Annie raced for him. “It’s Fergal. Get Mack, quick!”
His eyes opened wide but he turned and sprinted back out the door.
Annie breathed a little easier. If she just gave Fergal a couple of drinks she could keep him here until Mack arrived.
She raced around feeding all the miners in record time. She and Mary Beth agreed that one of them would always be in the dining room.
She was buzzing around clearing plates when she saw Fergal toss some money on the table and get up to leave. She dropped the plates and raced over to him. “Where are you going?” she asked, anxiety filling her voice.
“Heading back out, Annie. Thanks for the grub.” He started to walk around her but she reached her hand out to grab his arm. He looked down at her hand.
She took a deep breath. “Stay,” she said in a calmer voice. “I’d like to talk to you.” She stepped a little closer, hoping she was convincing.
He gave her a long look, his eyes skimming down her. She was dressed plainly in a simple cotton gown. “Thank you kindly for the offer but I’ll hope you understand that getting to know a nice girl is not my intention here.”
“I’m not asking for anything more than a little of your time.” She moved another half step closer. “What brings you to California?”
He seemed to waver. His eyes searched her face again. She had pulled her hair back into a bun but it only accentuated her high cheekbones and full lips. “You really are a beauty, Annie. I’ve got things to take care of now but maybe…” he trailed off as she moved another half step closer.
“I can leave in a little bit. We can go somewhere and talk. Just don’t leave. Stay here. I’ll get you another drink.”
“I don’t get why you’re so interested in me….” His words died off as he looked to the door. Annie turned her head and there stood her Mackinnon.
She took a step back from Fergal and Collin crossed the room in a second. He stood by her side, his arm wrapped around her waist. “Hello, Fergal.”
“Collin?” His voice sounded stunned. Fergal looked at her. “Is this why you were trying to keep me here?”
She gave a single nod; she had deceived him a little. “Yes.”
“Then he told you that I didn’t want to see him ever again in my life.” Fergal crossed his hands over his chest. Annie looked at Mack. She had told him her entire story but apparently he had been holding back.
“Fergal, you’re the only family I have in the world. We should at least talk. Please.” Annie could hear the pleading in Mack’s voice.
Fergal gave one single nod. Mack responded with a tight smile.
Mary Beth came up next to them. “Guess what, a bunch of miners will pay us ten dollars each to have us do their laundry. Apparently they’re desperate to have a little female attention of any kind. A few also mentioned they’d be willing to pay five dollars for a pie. Can you believe that?”
“Are you saying we can quit this job and still make money?” Annie looked to Mack who nodded his approval. She untied her apron and walked over to the stairs. “Eddie, we quit. Good luck.”
A string of curses followed them up the stairs but Annie made a dash for the door. Finding Fergal was enough payment for today and tomorrow they would make it up.
Mary Beth was hot on her heels and when they stepped out, Tom was just on the other side of the door. “Is he comin’?”
“Yep,” Annie said.
“Oh good, if he’s anywhere near as strong as Mack, I was going to have a dickens of a time wrestling him into that skiff.”
Annie nodded. She was glad she didn’t have to stay at work. She wanted to find out what was going to happen between the Mackinnon brothers.
Everyone was silent as they rowed back to the ship. Annie had her hands clasped in front of her and she stared down at them. Now that she had a few moments with her thoughts, all she could think about was Jasper.
He was here and she could only hope that Mack would try to help her find him before they left. She looked over at Mack and he was staring intently at her.
She wanted to ask him if he was all right. The lines of his face looked incredibly strained. But she couldn’t ask him in front of everyone on a small boat. She turned to see Fergal in the front of the skiff. His face was equally tense.
As they pulled up to the ship, Fergal climbed up first, then Tom. The rest followed and soon they all stood on the deck. “Why don’t you come down to my quarters?” Mack asked, turning to Fergal, who nodded. “Do you mind if Annie joins us?”
“At least you’re asking me if it’s all right instead of just telling me what to do.”
Mack drew himself up. “You were a kid. I was trying my best to be a parent. I made some mistakes.”
Fergal gave a terse nod and then Mack began leading the way down to his quarters. They marched into the room in silence. Fergal looked around, then asked, “Did you sail the boat here?”
“No, I’ve been leading settlers on wagon trains and selling goods I carry. I’ve saved enough to start my own shipyard.”
“Where?” Fergal eyes pierced into Mack.
“North of Boston.”
“What about your house?” Fergal’s voice rose.
“What do you want to do with the house?” Mack’s voice was calm but Annie could see the tension in every line of his body.
“It’s your house. I just lived there. You told me what to do, where to go.” Fergal stepped closer to his brother, his fists clenching at his side.
“You were a child then, that is what a guardian does. You’re a man now and it’s half yours.” Mack’s voice was rising
“Why? So you can draw me back in? Run my life?” Fergal was yelling now.
“Yo
u were fifteen, and you wanted to join the army. I couldn’t lose you too. I was trying to protect you.” Mack’s voice rose to match his brother’s.
“I didn’t need your protection. I didn’t want it.” Fergal stepped up to his brother.
“Because you were doing so well on your own? Look at you. Your clothes are dirty. Annie was paying for your drinks. I know why a man walks out on a pretty lady. You are too down on your luck to even entertain a pretty woman. Tell me I’m wrong.” Mack’s nose was almost touching his brother’s.
“This is your big plan? Insult me?” Fergal gave his brother a small shove.
“Fergal,” Annie’s voice was soft. She stepped close so she was almost touching the two men. “Trust me, I know that Collin can drive a body mad with his meddling and his ‘I know what is best for you’ attitude.” Her hand lightly rested on each of their sleeves. They had both stopped yelling and she took a breath, praying to find the right words to help these brothers. “But under that, he is doing it because he loves you. And he will twist himself into knots to help you. If you were honest with yourself, and it took me a while to be honest with myself, you’re taking your anger out on Collin but you’re angry about something else entirely. And that’s all right because Collin is strong enough to wait for you to see the truth. I’ve never been strong in that way. I don’t understand how he can do it. But he can.”
Fergal looked at her and the angry lines of his face twisted in pain. “How do you know all of that?”
“Because I’m just like you. I’ve been hurt and I was angry. But Collin can help you, if you let him.” She lightly touched his arm. “He loves you and he will do anything for you. You might have to remind him to stop being so damn bossy all the time but you’re not a kid anymore and you can help him with that. I’ll help too.” She smiled ruefully.
Fergal nodded. “I need some time to think it all through.”
“There’s room on the boat if you want to stay here.” Mack’s voice was calm again.
“I’d like that.” Fergal seemed to deflate before their eyes. “It’s been damn hard here.”
“I know. It’s been hard for me too.”
“Has it really?” Fergal ran his hand through his hair and Annie blinked twice. That was exactly what Mack always did. “You always seem to have everything figured out.”
Mack shook his head. “I’m starting to. But for a while, I could barely take care of myself. I am sorry Fergal, if I didn’t take good enough care of you.”
Fergal paused and looked at his brother and then grabbed him up in a hug. “I’m not the easiest person to help.”
“We’ll both work on it.” Mack hugged his brother back. “Come on, I’ll show you to a room.” He headed for the door and Fergal followed.
Annie sat on the bed and waited. She twisted her hands together. Mack was a long way from solving his problems with his brother but they had started today. Now, her mind went back to Jasper.
Mack walked back into the room, crossing it without a word. One second later, Annie was on the bed and the next, she was in his arms. His lips were pressed to hers. She drank in every second of it.
“Thank you,” his hoarse whisper gasped out between kisses.
“You’re welcome,” she managed to get out. “But I need to talk to you about something else.”
“What?” he asked, but didn’t stop kissing her.
“I saw Jasper,” she mumbled into his lips.
His face pulled back. “What?”
“He walked in at the same time as Fergal. I could only focus on one of them. But I am hoping we can look―“
“You chose Fergal over Jasper?” His face scrunched up in a look Annie didn’t understand.
“Yes, I did. I…family is the future. I understand that now, and Collin,” she paused looking into his eyes. “I didn’t say it this morning but I love you too.”
In one motion, he was on top of her on the bed, his lips on hers. “Annie Sullivan, you are going to be my wife. Get ready, you are about to be Annie Mackinnon.”
“There you go again telling me what to do. That’s not how you ask a lady.” She grinned angelically at him.
He returned the smile. “I’m sorry, sweetheart. Would you do me the honor of becoming my wife? Pretty please?”
She burst out laughing, full of joy. “Yes, Collin Mackinnon. I will.”
“Will you promise to smack me upside the head if I boss Fergal around too much?”
“Absolutely.”
“Do you promise to be stubborn and hard working?”
“Both are guaranteed.”
“We’ll find Jasper and then get the hell out of here. We’ve got a life to live, Annie.” She didn’t answer because his lips crashed down on hers.
They were both panting by the time he raised his head. He pressed his forehead to hers, his hands wrapping around her tiny waist. “We had better get married soon before you’re pregnant.”
“Do you think Reverend Michaels is a real reverend?” Annie asked.
Mack kissed her quickly again. “We’ll have him perform the ceremony and then we’ll have a judge do it again back East. I won’t let you off on a technicality.” His voice rumbled with laughter.
Annie shook her head. She wasn’t going anywhere. It was almost shocking how much she wanted to be married to Mack now.
He stood. “I’m going to check on my brother and then I’m going to start collecting supplies and talk to the reverend. I’ll stop by a local camp to check on Jasper too.”
Looking up at him from the bed, Annie gave him a soft smile. “Do you want me to come with you?”
His eyes smoldered as he looked at her. “No love, I’ll never get anything done if you do.” He turned to leave and then turned back. “Could you keep an eye on Fergal? I don’t want him to leave and you seem to calm him down.”
Sitting up, she swung her feet off the bed. “Sure.”
He crossed the room and kissed her lips one more time. “You are amazing, Annie Sullivan.”
THE GOLDEN RULES OF LOVE
CHAPTER EIGHT
Mack and Rake rowed towards the shore. Mack was feeling lighter than he had in a long time. He had his brother back, just as he had nearly lost hope. Now he had Annie too. He had held back because he worried that Annie was too set on her own path but she had proven without a doubt that she would stand beside him. Now he had to help her.
The first step was to get married. Then they’d find Jasper and let Annie say her piece. Once that was done, they were going to build a future. Hopefully Fergal would be part of that. And Annie’s family too, if that’s what she wanted. He hadn’t even realized how much he missed having a family until the possibility was in front of him again.
He hit the dock and tied off his dingy. “I’ve got to go talk with Reverend Michaels.”
“I’ll wait for ya.” Rake leaned back in the boat, in a lounge position. Mack scratched his head. He knew Rake was irritated with Annie and Mary Beth’s presence but his friend usually went everywhere with him. Mack shrugged and headed off.
The walk didn’t take long and he entered the unfinished building. It didn’t look like any church he had ever been in. Random mismatched chairs littered the floor in a haphazard manner. A rudely constructed pulpit stood at the front. The reverend was speaking in hushed tones to a miner.
As he moved closer, Mack heard Reverend Michaels’ voice drift towards him, “Never liked her. I always knew she was up to something.”
“She wrapped him around her little finger and he was never the same. Now she’s here to steal what is mine. That woman ain’t no good. But I’ll need your help.”
Mack paused. Who could they be talking about? There were so few women about that he was curious.
“Don’t you worry, Jasper. I do have a request…” At that moment the reverend caught sight of him and his words died off. He looked stricken for a moment but then he pasted a smile on his face. “Mack, good to see you.”
Mack kept his face
blank but his blood surged in his veins. He realized at once that this was Jasper Conway, and they had been talking Annie. “Good to see you too, Reverend. Introduce me to your friend.” He kept his voice even but he stretched himself up to his full height. He was close to a head taller than either of these men.
Reverend Michaels was silent. Mack stepped forward and saw Jasper gulp. He could feel that the other man wanted to step back, so he moved in closer. He wanted this man to think twice before he gave Annie any trouble. “Jasper Conway?”
The other man cleared his throat. “Yes?”
Mack reached out his hand to shake, gripping Jasper’s smaller hand tightly in his own. “I’m Collin Mackinnon, Annie’s fiancé. She’s told me a lot about you.”
The man paled. “She did?”
“She’s still your fiancé?” the reverend asked.
“The purpose of my visit was to take you up on your offer to marry us.” Mack leveled his eyes at the other man. Under the circumstances, he didn’t trust the reverend at all. He had never liked the man, though it had been his job to protect him.
Now, he didn’t really want to include the reverend in his wedding but he would feel better making Annie his wife, sooner rather than later.
“You and Annie are getting married?” Jasper’s face was turning red but Mack could not figure out why.
“That’s right.” Mack swung his eyes back to other man.
“I guess looks and money will get you a new man quick.” Jasper’s lip curled.
Mack took a moment to process that. There was something going on that he wasn’t getting. “Annie doesn’t have any money. She’s working odd jobs to help pay for our return trip.”
“She’s leaving? When?” Jasper looked almost desperate.
“As soon as we can. Why?” Mack took a half step closer. He needed to understand what Jasper wanted from Annie because he didn’t like this one bit.
“I want to talk with her. She got a letter from Garrett and I―”
The Golden Rules of Love: Western Romance Page 10
