She was so caught up in her thoughts that she didn’t see Cole’s friends approaching the table.
“You have a lot of nerve showing your face here,” one of them said. Judging by their glassy eyes and loosened ties, they had been taking full advantage of the open bar.
She tried to calm her racing heart and kept her voice even. There were three of them, and only one of her. “Excuse me?”
“Getting Cole fired like that and then coming here. Ballsy. And stupid.”
“Cole was fired?" Surprised, she sat back as if slapped, registering what else he’d said. “I didn’t get Cole fired.”
“Yeah, right,” the one in the middle sneered. “You expect us to believe that the owner just happened by right after you did?”
“Yes, because that’s exactly what must have happened.” Tori stood up to leave, but there was nowhere to go. In the corner as she was, she was trapped. “Maybe I should just go.”
“Maybe we should just help you with that.”
“Is there a problem here?” A man’s voice, smooth and cultured spoke. Cole’s friend turned around, and Tori caught a glimpse of a handsome man in an expensive suit. She wasn’t sure who he was, but he looked important.
“No,” Tori said hurriedly, seeing her chance. “I was just leaving.”
“That won’t be necessary.”
“Who the fuck are you?” Cole’s friend asked.
“I am Aidan Harrison, and this is my place,” he answered with a cold smile. He signaled toward the door and several large men came over. “These men are going to escort you to the exit and call cabs to take you home. I suggest you go quietly or else we really will have a problem.”
They looked like they wanted to argue, but logic prevailed when the security guards flanked them on either side. They had the same kind of intense, lethal vibe as the Callaghans, suggesting former military. They weren’t quite as bulky as Cole’s gym buddies, but Tori had no doubt who would prevail if it came down to it.
“Are you all right?” the man who had introduced himself as Aidan Harrison asked. As the troublemakers were led away, Tori realized that other guests were looking over, wondering what was happening.
Well, of course they were. Aidan Harrison, the owner of the Celtic Goddess had just had three men semi-forcibly removed. From her table. For talking to (threatening) her. Tori had never wanted to crawl into a hole quite so fiercely.
She swallowed her mortification and summoned a smile. “Yes, I’m fine. Thank you. I’m really sorry about that.”
“You have nothing to be sorry for.”
“Thanks, Aidan.” That from Brian, who had suddenly reappeared. Gone was the easy, relaxed smile he’d been wearing earlier. His blue eyes had gone hard, his expression concerned.
Aidan nodded and wished them a pleasant evening, then moved away.
“I’m sorry about that,” Brian said quietly.
“Why are you sorry?”
“I shouldn’t have left you alone like that.”
“I’m not your responsibility.”
She hadn’t meant the words to come out as harshly as they had, but she was feeling shaken and defensive. She turned and grabbed her purse. “I’m sorry; you didn’t deserve that. Thanks for a lovely evening. Please tell your sister and Faith that I said goodbye, will you?”
“You’re not leaving, are you?”
“Yeah, I should go.”
“Why?”
“Besides wanting to crawl in a hole?” she blurted out.
“Those guys are idiots. Don’t let them ruin your night.”
Too late for that, she thought. “It’s getting late.”
The corner of his mouth quirked. “It’s only nine o’clock.”
“Yeah, well, they should be wrapping things up soon. Phoebe and Josh left an hour ago.”
The quirk grew into a full-fledged grin, and heavens, the man was gorgeous when he smiled. Some of that adrenaline coursing through her system grew warm and shifted course.
“Clearly you haven’t attended many Irish Catholic weddings. The party will continue well into the night. Have you even danced yet?”
She shook her head.
“You can’t attend a wedding without having at least one dance. It’s bad luck for the married couple.”
“Worse luck if I actually tried to get out there. I’m not much of a dancer. Two left feet, remember?”
“I don’t believe that for a moment. Come on.” He held out his hand. She stared at it. “Just one dance. Please. If you won’t do it for me, then do it for the sake of Phoebe and Josh’s marriage.”
She knew he was teasing, but like his sister, had this look that was nearly impossible to say no to. After a moment, she exhaled and took his hand. “All right. One dance. I hope your shoes have steel toes.”
Chapter Nine
Brian realized his mistake the moment Tori stepped into his arms. Warm and soft and fragrant, she fit perfectly. It was as if she was meant to be there.
It was too late to back out, though, so he summoned his courage and discipline and tried to concentrate on something other than the closeness of her body or the feel of her hand in his.
“I thought you said you couldn’t dance,” he chastised as she moved fluidly with him.
“I can’t. It must be you. You must have some kind of obscure dance magic powers or something.”
He laughed. “Maybe you’ve just never had the right partner.”
He ignored the warning bells going off in his head, the ones that came when stringing words like “right” and “partner” together in any sentence involving Tori. The important thing was, some of the tenseness had left her body and she no longer looked as if she was on the verge of panic tears.
“Actually, you’re the first,” she admitted.
“You’re kidding.”
“Nope. And I never had a Billy Joe to teach me.”
“Hee Haw,” he murmured. “We called him Hee Haw. How did you know he was gone?”
“It was in your eyes. In your smile when you talked about him.”
More warning bells sounded. “You’re very perceptive. You see more than most, don’t you?”
Just that quickly, she stiffened in his arms; the tension was back. “No, not at all. It was just a lucky guess.”
What had he said?
The song ended, and she pulled away. His hands flexed, wanting to pull her right back. He didn’t.
“Thanks. It’s all good now, right?”
His confusion must have shown on his face because she added, “You said not dancing at a wedding was bad luck. So if anything bad happens, it’s not because of me.”
She made a beeline for the table. He followed, wondering exactly what he’d said to get her back up like that. The others had returned to the table as well. Lacie cast him a questioning glance as Tori said her goodbyes and gathered her things. He shrugged, not having the slightest clue.
Brian didn’t bother asking Tori if he could walk her to her car; he just did. She didn’t complain, but she didn’t seem particularly happy about it, either. Gone was the easy banter they’d shared earlier. In fact, she didn’t speak until they made it all the way out to her vehicle.
“Thanks for walking me out.”
“Anytime.”
She hesitated, then took off her heels and used the hand strap to swing up into her Jeep. “Goodnight, Brian.”
He wanted to tell her not to go. To suggest they hit a coffee shop or something so he could talk to her some more. But the words got stuck somewhere along the way, and all he managed was, “Goodnight, Tori.”
He watched until her tail lights disappeared from view before he sighed, stuck his hands in his pockets, and walked back into the Goddess. Now that Tori was gone, he didn’t feel like sticking around either. He’d just go in, say his goodbyes, and take off.
“Is Tori all right?” Lacie asked the moment he made it back. “What did those guys say to her?”
“They think Tori got Cole fired,�
�� Brian explained.
Kieran’s face grew darker. “Why would they think that?”
Brian glanced over to where Cole was standing at the bar, looking triumphant and smug. He suspected Cole had been running his mouth, as usual, blaming someone else for problems he’d brought on himself. Arrogant, entitled prick.
“Maybe you should ask Cole.”
Kieran’s face darkened further. “I think I will. Excuse me.”
“That’s not going to end well,” Faith murmured, following.
Shane turned to his wife, but before he had a chance to say anything, she said, “Go. Be the voice of reason and keep things from getting ugly.”
Shane smiled and kissed her. “You know me so well.” Then he walked away, too, leaving just Brian and Lacie at the table. So much for making a quick exit, he thought.
“So,” she said, patting the seat beside her in invitation. “Tell me about Tori.
“Nothing to tell,” he said as he sat down.
“Riiigggghhht.”
“Seriously, we’re just friends. I barely know her.”
“Funny, she said the same thing when I asked her.”
“Because it’s true.” With any luck, Lacie would just let it go, but he knew better. He counted down silently in his head. Ten, nine, eight, seven...
“She’s on the quiet side.”
“So are you.”
Lacie smiled. “True. That’s probably why I like her.”
“You like everyone.”
“Not true. I only pretend to like everyone. It comes in handy when dealing with unruly kids and helicopter parents.”
He laughed.
“And I’m downright picky when it comes to family. Remember that guy Corinne was dating a few months ago? I didn’t like him at all.”
Corinne was their younger sister and the most outgoing of the McCain children. She was a good girl with a thing for bad boys, which had caused them more than a few anxious moments over the years.
“Nobody liked that guy.”
“Right? But Tori, she’s nice to talk to. I didn’t have to pretend with her.”
Again, warning bells rang in his head. Brian clamped his lips together to keep himself from agreeing. It would only encourage more discussion on a topic he didn’t want to discuss.
Seconds ticked by in silence, then Lacie said, “I don’t think she knows a lot of people in Pine Ridge.”
Brian didn’t think she did, either. In fact, he’d been a little surprised to see her at Phoebe’s bachelorette party. Then again, Phoebe was the friendly, outgoing, mothering type, much like Lacie. She’d probably taken one look at Tori and decided (as Lacie apparently had) that the woman could use a bit of help assimilating into their small community.
“That’s why I invited her to the cookout next weekend.”
“You did what?”
“Don’t scowl at me, Brian. I invited her to the cookout. I figured it would be okay since you two are friends and all.”
He exhaled. “Lacie...”
“I know, I know,” she said, her face falling. “It was a spur of the moment thing. I saw the way she looked at you, and thought that maybe...” She shook her head. “I’m sorry. Don’t be mad, okay? I just worry about you, you know?”
“I know, sis. It’s okay. I’m not mad.”
“Good. Because I think Tori could use a friend even more than you.”
Brian was spared from saying anything more when Faith returned. “They’ve taken the discussion outside,” she told them. “They said it won’t take long.”
No, Brian didn’t imagine it would. Anyone with half a brain—even Cole—wasn’t stupid enough to go up against Kieran or anyone who fell under the protective shield of the Callaghans. Apparently, that shield now covered Tori, as well.
The realization prickled. For a moment, Brian had the absurd notion that Tori was his to protect. She wasn’t.
He waited until the others returned, then said his goodnights and made a quiet getaway. He went for a drive as he so often did, except this time, his path took him down Butler Street.
Tori’s Jeep was parked in the back. A light was on in her apartment, visible as a glow through the closed curtains.
Was she, as Lacie suggested, in need of a friend?
When the light went out, Brian pulled away from the curb. Since it was still relatively early, he drove to his parents’ place. He knew they’d still be awake; his father never missed the eleven o’clock news.
By the time he fell asleep later that night, he was beginning to think Lacie was right. Maybe they could each use a friend.
Chapter Ten
By Friday, Tori had pretty much decided against going to Brian’s birthday barbecue. It wasn’t because she didn’t want to go. It sounded like a nice way to spend a Saturday afternoon. She had enjoyed talking with Lacie and Faith, and she wouldn’t mind seeing them again. Spending more time with Brian wasn’t exactly a hardship, either. In fact, she liked the idea of spending time with him a little too much.
Who could blame her? He was well-mannered, intelligent, and surprisingly funny. Easy to talk to. Comfortable to be around. Not to mention, he possessed the kind of quiet strength she found particularly appealing. Any one of those qualities would have made him attractive, but put them all together like that and he might as well have worn a flashing neon sign around his neck proclaiming him her ideal man.
Therein lay the danger. It would be very easy for her to mistake his innate chivalry and overall good-guy-ness as something more than it was.
Which, unfortunately, was nothing.
She had been battling her inner self all week, picking apart every word spoken, every gesture, every action. Her romantic, introverted side latched on to things like the way he stood when she neared, engaged in mildly flirty banter, and held her in his arms when they danced.
Her cynical, realistic side pointed out that those things were irrelevant, because Brian was nice to everyone and had acted every bit as gentlemanly to the other woman at the table, too.
In the end, she reconciled her two sides with a compromise. She would allow her romantic self to fantasize about Brian McCain, but only 1) when home alone, 2) for brief, limited amounts of time, and 3) after reciting “I understand that in reality, Brian McCain is not interested in anything more than friendship” at least three times before and after said fantasy.
Friendship would simply have to suffice.
A friend would go to the barbecue, her inner voice piped up.
Don’t start this again. We’ve already agreed that the invitation was issued as a kindness.
So? What’s wrong with a bit of kindness?
Nothing was wrong with kindness. There should be a lot more of it, in her opinion. However, this situation was more complicated than simple kindness. Lacie had invited Tori to a family-centered event for Brian. Lacie’s intentions were good and her heart was in the right place, but what if her presence made things awkward? Or worse, what if Brian didn’t actually want her there? Sure, he was nice to her, but everyone had personal boundaries. Brian’s might extend only to limited, polite interaction in public places where she was concerned.
Tori closed the cover over her Kindle, accepting the fact that she had read the same screen at least six times. Her lunch break was almost over anyway, and she’d have to leave her shady spot in the outdoor area to complete the second half of her work day inside. It was a shame they couldn’t move some of the equipment outside. The warmth of the sun and the fresh air improved her mood; she imagined it could do the same for her patients as well.
She finished up her bagged lunch (egg salad on whole wheat with an apple), then tossed the core into the nearby woods for a hungry critter to find later.
“Mind if I join you?” Facing the woods as she was, Tori hadn’t seen or heard anyone approach. Then again, Brian McCain wasn’t just anyone. He was a man trained in stealthy maneuvers.
“Brian! What are you doing here?”
“I came to see yo
u.”
Her heart skipped and her inner self sat up straight and tall. “Me? Why?”
He sat down beside her at the picnic table, placed his elbows on the top and leaned back, stretching his legs toward the woods. She tried not to stare as his arms and chest flexed and bunched with the movement. “I was hoping to catch you at BodyWorks, but you haven’t been around lately.”
Tori was surprised that he’d noticed her absence. After Cole’s friends had approached her at the wedding, she’d made up her mind to turn her temporary hiatus from the fitness center into a permanent one. Why did she need a cardio deck when she could run, bike, and hike in the scenic valley?
“Yeah. I thought it would be best. I’m not into drama.”
He frowned. “Cole got himself fired. That wasn’t your doing.”
“I know.” Whether or not she was to blame didn’t matter. She was an outsider, and one who chose to stay on the fringes. It was easier to blame her than take responsibility, no matter what Brian said.
She didn’t think Brian would accept that, though, so she shrugged and offered a partial truth instead, one he couldn’t dispute. “It’s more than I can afford now anyway. I’m almost through paying off my student loans, and after that, I was thinking of looking for a nicer place to live.”
“Does that mean you’ve decided to settle in Pine Ridge?”
“It means I’m keeping all my options open,” she said noncommittally, then changed the subject. “So, what did you want to see me about? Did I leave something behind at the wedding? Or are you finally ready to admit that I crushed a toe or two and you want me to pay for the doctor visit?”
He laughed, as she’d intended. “Hardly. I’m here because my sister told me she invited you out to the house this weekend for the cookout and she hasn’t heard from you.”
“Oh.”
“She’s worried that she scared you off. She wouldn’t tell me exactly what she said, but I can guess.”
Tori chose her words carefully. “She seemed to think something was going on between us.”
His expression was unreadable. “Lacie is quite the romantic.”
Tori didn’t know what to say to that, so she said nothing and stared at her hands.
Not Quite Broken: A Callaghan Family & Friends Romance Page 6
