Clara blinked up at me with those smoke-gray eyes that stopped my heart every single time.
I’d looked into those eyes every day for months and asked myself the same question I’d been asking since the tests came back positive. I’d looked for Finn’s brightness in them, Declan’s steadiness, and Ronan’s stillness. I’d found echoes of all threeand nothing conclusive, which was either a cosmic joke or the universe’s way of telling me it didn’t matter.
It didn’t matter. She was mine, and that was the only answer I needed.
But that brought me around to them deserving to know she existed. I’d been a coward long enough. The fire had made the decision for me, which was probably not how these things were supposed to go. When had I ever done things the way I was supposed to?.
“You’ll like them.” I lifted Clara out of her rocker and held her against my chest. Her warm weight settled into the nook she preferred the day I brought her home from the hospital. “They’re a lot, but you’re a Sullivan. You can handle them.”
36
FINN
I’d gotten a text from Declan half an hour ago stating that Bree would be at the pub soon. He said nothing more than that. Didn’t need to. I was supposed to be at the fire house at noon, but nothing short of death would keep me from being there when Bree arrived.
I’d been awake since four. Not because of the fire–I’d worked enough of them to sleep through the adrenaline crash–but because Declan had told us yesterday that Bree would be here. I’d driven out to the caves and watched the sun come up, then hoofed it to the pub to wait. She was coming back. Even if it was just for the kitchen, she was coming back.
From the outside, I couldn’t even tell that the place had been on fire yesterday. Unless I walked around back where the walls covered in soot gave it away. The regulars had been understanding–maybe even a little relieved–when Declan told them last night that the pub needed to close for a while.
Ronan had declared the whole place unfit for business. My chief and the insurance adjuster agreed. The kitchen was a hazard,even though the taps and storage room were far enough away the beer and other drinks hadn’t been compromised.
A familiar engine rumbled closer. I squeezed my eyes shut and did my best to control myself. If I didn’t, I’d rush out into the middle of the road and fling myself at Bree.
She drove Shayla’s car right up to the front of the pub and killed the engine. Her fingers flexed on the steering wheel, and maybe it was my imagination, but her shoulders lifted like she needed a deep breath as much as I did.
Everything moved in slow motion. Bree opened the door, pushed a pair of green sunglasses onto the top of her head, and climbed out. Her hair had grown out a good bit, and she’d changed the style to compensate. Gods what I wouldn’t give for the right to rush over and fold her into my arms.
Tugging at the hem of her shirt, she gave a tiny wave. “Hi.”
“Hi.” We chorused together, all of us as whispery as teenage boys on a first date.
I cleared my throat. “It’s good to see you.” I meant it.
A slow, timid smile appeared. “You too. All of you.” She smoothed her hands over her hips, hips that were a little fuller than before.
The thought forced my gaze to caress her entire body. Her breasts were heavier too. Fuller. I filed that observation away with the uncomfortable awareness that it was probably not the appropriate thing to be noticing, given that we stood on a public sidewalk, she’d been gone, and there were more pressing matters to discuss. I noticed anyway. My brain had never been cooperative about appropriate timing with Bree.
Her smile widened a tiny bit. “You look incredible. Happy.”
Her head tipped to one side. “Thanks.” She left it there. Was she happy or had she learned how to hide it better than the three of us?
Ronan pushed his spine into the pub’s brick wall like he could sink into it.
Declan folded his arms, and the constant flexing in his hands showed he struggled as much as I did with the distance between us and Bree.
Bree swallowed a few times, smoothing her shirt again, then moved to the back door. “I didn’t expect all of you to be here.”
I was pretty sure she also said, “Maybe it’s better this way” but I couldn’t be sure thanks to the creak of the rear door opening and Bree ducking inside.
Had she brought her suitcases? I took a step forward, ready to help her, when she straightened…with a carseat over her arm.
Every ounce of air rushed out of my lungs. Okay. This was a surprise, but whatever. Maybe she was babysitting for a friend. Stranger things had happened.
Ronan went impossibly still, which was a pretty miraculous achievement since he barely moved anyway.
Bree hesitated, a crinkle appearing between her eyebrows. She swung the carseat gently, a soft gurgling sound coming from it. “You all look exactly the same.” The nervousness remained in her face, but she squared her shoulders and walked toward us.
Ronan almost choked.
