Embraceable You (Irish Hearts Series)

by Mary Tate Engels

  Siena and Roberta sailed out of the office with the nicest male Fairchild she’d ever met. Claire would be proud. And Aunt Addie, even prouder. And her mother would . . . who knew about Dana? Siena certainly had a few questions for her.

  Siena poured herself a glass of wine and picked up her phone and punched the starred number. A muffled voice answered.

  "Hi Dana."

  "Honey, I'm glad you called. I need to tell you something."

  Siena felt instant relief. For the first time in her life, Dana was going to own up to something. "Yes, you certainly do."

  "Chaz and I exchanged vows at the Grand Canyon."

  Siena sat up, nearly spilling her wine. "What? You got married? Without me?"

  "Married?" Dana laughed. "Oh, no way. We vowed to always love each other. It was a beautiful thing. And then we said ciao con amore. He drove off on the motorcycle. So unfortunately, I lost my job since I can't report about riding on a hog any more."

  Siena was silent for a long moment, trying to grasp it all. "What?"

  "Now, don’t worry about a thing, honey. We came to a mutual agreement. He wanted to go on to L.A. And I didn’t."

  "Are you saying that Chaz left you at the Grand Canyon?"

  "Honey, sometimes things just don’t work out between a man and a woman. You know that. But it’s all-good. We agreed."

  "It's good that you're stranded at the Grand Canyon? No vehicle, no job, no boyfriend?"

  "No regrets. I've had a blast. How are things with you?"

  Siena sighed. "Oh just fine. We had the reading of Aunt Addie's will. And there's something else you need to tell me."

  "Honey, you know I don't care about the money –"

  "It's about someone named… Sierra."

  Dead silence from Dana.

  "Apparently I have a sister. And you have another daughter somewhere in this world."

  After another stretch of silence, Dana began in a very shaky voice. "Yes. There were two babies. I was sixteen and had twins. My sister Liz ran away from home with me. After the babies were born, she helped me. She took care of one. I took care of the other. For about two years. Then one day, she married and moved away. And she took her baby. I never saw them again."

  Dana was crying, and so was Siena.

  "That's why I wanted to come out West. To see if I could find them."

  "Dana, I’m going to send you a ticket. I want you to come back here. With me. You have a house and car from Aunt Addie. I'll help you find them later."

  "No honey. I'm here, and I can't leave until I find them."

  "Dana, listen to me – "

  "Siena, this is something I must do. Only me. Please understand."

  Siena took a deep breath. "Dana… "

  "I have money from the blog. I'll get a car and go… "

  "Do you know where they are?"

  "I think so. Siena, I love you so much . . ."

  "I love you, too… Mom."

  Chapter Twenty Three

  With hands stuffed in his pockets, Zach walked around the bay, past the old fishery warehouse, to the wreck site. His dad’s boat wreck. It was nearly dark, but he could see the shape. There was no one around. No one to recognize him. No one to question what he was doing there.

  Thank God, because if anyone asked, he couldn’t give a reasonable answer. It had more to do with feelings than he cared to admit. Somehow, he felt closer to his dad here. And closer to feelings that he had denied for years.

  The boat was lying on its side, half-rotted as it had been for the last fifteen years. Sometime soon, during a vicious storm, it would completely break apart and float out to sea. And Zach didn’t care anymore. He hated the boat and what it represented.

  His father.

  Did that mean he hated his father? No, he couldn't say that. But . . .

  "Why did you have to die like this? So soon. Why leave us alone to struggle through life? We were so young, so distracted . . . without a father. Why do this to Mom – " Zach stopped when he realized he was speaking out loud to a wrecked boat.

  He kicked at the boat and it crumbled where his foot landed.

  "I don’t know what you wanted. For us kids. For you and Mom. Did you really care about us? Really?"

  This time, he didn't care if saying it out loud was crazy. He had to get it out. He kicked the boat again. Another piece fell away.

  "I’ve tried to make it right. Tried to make up for all the lost time, your failures, mine, to fix the town and help mom and Zoey. But nothing’s worked. So I give up. I have to let go of you. You had your own life, your chance. I have mine. I can’t fix the mess you left. I can only work on mine. On not losing Siena, the best person I've ever known, if it's not too late. And that’s all I can do."

  Suddenly, wildly, he was kicking and tearing the boat apart, hurling pieces out to sea, ripping boards from the hull and deck, destroying everything that looked like a boat, everything that reminded him of his father.

  When Zach reached the foremast, the front piece shaped like a mermaid with head up and breasts thrust outward, he halted. He realized this crudely carved piece of wood represented his father’s dreams. This out-of-the-ordinary, strange-looking, hand-carved mermaid was something he could cling to, something he could look at while he dreamed of building boats when he didn’t have family obligations. Building boats, that’s what his dad really wanted to do. But he never had the time or money.

  Zach grabbed the mermaid with bloody hands, propped her on his shoulder and headed back toward town. He looked out over the bay where he could see floating pieces of the boat, heading out to sea. In the intermittent light of a distant lighthouse, he could see some kind of movement. He stopped.

  There they were. Dolphins, playing in the mouth of the bay.

  He continued through town to find the only one who had always cared, to the only one who understood him, the only one he could trust. And love.

  Siena heard him on the high steps and knew immediately it was Zach. She hadn’t seen him in days, hadn’t heard from him since the wild town council meeting. At first, she feared he had left town. Just given up. But she clung to the distant hope . . . that they still had a chance.

  Unfortunately the damage had been done. A man like Zach, so proud and stubborn, wouldn’t take losing control lightly. She feared she’d lost him, but wanted him to know she still cared. Still loved him.

  She opened the door and gasped. He looked like he’d been in a street fight. He propped something on the little landing at the head of the stairs. "Zach, what – where – look at you, all bloody!"

  He gestured. "Here’s the mermaid from Dad’s boat. Maybe Zoey or you can paint it and use it for something since you’re so damned crazy for mermaids. It represented his dream for the future. But I don't want it."

  "Yes, yes, it's beautiful. Certainly worth keeping. Please, come on inside."

  "No. I’m a mess. I just came to say . . . " He remained in the doorway.

  She couldn’t hold back any longer. "What-the-bloody-hell-were-you-doing? Did you kill somebody?"

  "You might say that." He grinned a little. "I tore the boat apart. It’s gone. And so is my effort to repair my dad’s reputation. What’s done is done. I'm finished with the past. I just need to tell you –"

  "Shhhh." She put her fingers to his lips and grasped his hand. "Don’t say anything. Don’t explain. Just come – "

  He held her hand and pulled it to his lips and kissed her fingers. "Siena, I love you. Always have. Always will. I'm sorry about all this business mess and town mess and everything I put you through. I don't know what the hell I was thinking. Certainly not about you and me and how we belong together."

  Siena laughed crazily. She grabbed his shirt with her free hand and physically pulled him inside. "Damn it, Zach Cassidy, kiss me when you say that."

  And they came together in a kiss that removed all doubt.

  The next morning, Siena turned into Zach's arms. He’d spent the whole, entire night with her. The sun w
as coming up and soon the town would know he'd stayed. But who cared? Probably only Walt Fairchild, and she beat him fair-and-square. She would not be intimidated by him or anyone, again. She had the power of the lace behind her. And Zach's love.

  "Mornin'. I see you're still here." She greeted him with a soft morning kiss and gently traced a scratch on his cheek. "You look like hell. Your lover must be brutal."

  "You should see my back. But she’s worth the fight." He kissed her again, running his hands down her arms. "I love you so much, Siena. I never want to leave you."

  "I love you, too, Zach. More than ever."

  "Do you think we can make it?"

  She smiled and snuggled closer. "Dana always said life gives you the grit. You have to make the pearl. She's not much of a philosopher, but she's had plenty of grit. And keeps trying to make the pearl."

  "I like that."

  "If we can forgive our parents from all their misdeeds, then our love is just about us. And we can make that pearl. Together."

  "I want to do that, Siena. With you by my side."

  "So do I, Zach. With you."

  "I need to tell you that after the town meeting, I began negotiating with a company in Boston for a Mammo-Van. I got the deluxe tour, how they work, everything but the actual test. You women have my utmost admiration."

  "Thank you for that."

  "I picked the very best equipment for our women."

  "Padded?"

  He kissed her neck. "With smoothest satin. I wish." Zach took her in his arms. "Another thing… the mermaids are back."

  "Mermaids?"

  "Yeah, the real ones. Dolphins. I saw dolphins playing in the bay last night. They used to be here, years ago, when I was a kid. Then they went away. Never understood why. But now, they’re back."

  "I hear they’re good luck."

  "We need all the luck we can get."

  "Hey, we've got Amazing Lace. That's all we need." She kissed him lightly on the lips.

  "You're all I need." He kissed her deeply and then cradled her face, kissing her nose and cheeks and chin between words. "I . . . love you. . . more. . . every day."

  Then he picked her up and walked into Aunt Addie’s bedroom. "I intend to make love with you in full view of the mermaids. Forever after."

  His kiss muffled whatever response she had.

  The morning sun warmed Haven's Point, sparking hope and happiness. At long last, dolphins danced in the bay, sparking laughter and love. And everyone said it was the power of that Amazing Lace that brought them all back together.

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Claire and the magic of that amazing lace

  Everything about that amazing lace nearly tore us apart. But the magic, the power, is that it actually brought us together. If you believe.

  The new and improved Amazing Lace Lingerie Salon is truly alive online and selling well. It's like a miracle! The best part is that Siena is staying in Haven's Point. And maybe, from the looks of things between her and the mayor, there'll be a wedding by fall. Maybe that's the best part.

  Honestly, George had a lot to do our success. I invited him to dinner last night, just to thank him, of course. He brought flowers and a bottle of Montepulciano d'Abruzzo some fancy wine that came all the way from Italy. He's a very interesting man. Well-traveled. We talked about Paris. He's even been to Ireland, to my hometown of Kenmare. We had a lovely evening.

  Tonight we're going to the Cockle Burr for the Memorial Day kickoff to our summer season. Everybody in town will come out to celebrate. Tomorrow night, George is taking me to the movies. He said it's a surprise but Zoey told me to be prepared for monsters from the sea. They've made a movie of one of his books called 'Mermaid's Dance.' Isn't that the most incredible thing?

  We'll have Addie's memorial service later this summer, when Dana returns with her ashes. Right now they're traveling the West. Yes, 'they.' Dana and Addie.

  Everyone's excited that the mermaids, oh I mean the dolphins, have returned to the bay. I guess all this is proof that our Amazing Lace has some clout, if you believe.

  The end.

  Mary Tate Engels is the author of more than 32 romance/women's fiction novels and two non-fiction southwest history books. She has three sons, two granddaughters, has raised a wolf in her back yard, and has adopted two black cats for good luck.

  Discover as a part of her Irish Hearts Series, the first book of this series, Claire's Embrace and other e-Book titles by Mary Tate Engels at – http://www.marytateengels.com

  Table of Contents

  Copyright

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Chapter Twenty Three

  Chapter Twenty-Four