Doggone Read online

  ‘‘Dougal, remember? Or ‘hey, you’ if it’s easier. Have you seen Alyssa? She should already be here.’’ Leaving an arm around my shoulders, he steered me toward the dining room. I caught the look he exchanged with Connor. Obviously a man who’d seen plenty of combat in his time. As we walked through the dining room, I was uncomfortably aware that I wore the only pair of jeans in the room.

  Connor’s mother and his sister, Siobhan, sat at a table on the deck, their eyes shielded by sunglasses. If either thought anything about the way I was dressed, they didn’t show it. Whoever said ignorance was bliss had never been clueless about the dress code in front of their in-laws and their friends.

  ‘‘Sara, we’re so glad you could make it.’’ His mother smiled easily.

  Connor held out a chair and I sat down, keeping my back to him. I didn’t think I was going to be able to keep my mood out of my expression if I looked at him. Dougal took a chair next to Alyssa, and Connor sat next to me, leaving Ryan’s chair the only empty one at the table.

  ‘‘Thank you for inviting me—I mean us.’’ I could feel myself redden. And next time would it be too much to get that invitation in writing, with a suggested form of dress? A little insight to keep me from looking like a total idiot in front of my scary mother-in-law? I took a deep breath. It wasn’t their fault. No, it was Connor’s.

  ‘‘You were right the first time,’’ Ryan said as he arrived at the table, going around to kiss his mother and tug on Siobhan’s ponytail. She swatted at him, a half smile touching her pale face. He knelt next to me, pinning me to the chair with an exuberant hug and kiss. He was like a big friendly puppy. I felt my anger cool.

  ‘‘You’re much better-looking,’’ Ryan said. ‘‘We had to invite him to get you to come, but now that you know us, feel free to leave him home.’’ He threw a punch toward Connor’s arm. ‘‘Hey, didn’t he warn you about the dress code? They’re used to button-down anal-retentive types here. A sexy pair of jeans like those are likely to cause a riot. That’s why I never wear them.’’ He grinned at me.

  Bless him. No guile, straight to the obvious. He really was charming.

  I smiled back. ‘‘A public service.’’

  His grin broadened. ‘‘Exactly. You’re smart and beautiful. Hard to imagine there are two of us in the same family. What are the odds?’’ Ryan straightened and brushed at the crease in his trousers. He pulled his chair around Connor’s, wedging himself between us. Connor glared at him, but I moved over, giving him room. He’d come to my rescue. If it were up to me, he could sit anywhere he wanted.

  Connor heaved a sigh and moved his chair.

  ‘‘There. That’s better. Where’s the food? Have you ordered yet? I’m starving.’’

  We took a couple of minutes to place our orders. When the drinks came, the interrogation began.

  ‘‘So tell us everything, and don’t leave out the good parts,’’ Ryan said.

  ‘‘What do you want to know?’’

  ‘‘Well . . .’’ Ryan leaned close and waggled his eyebrows at me. His teasing relaxed me, and I almost, but not quite, forgot that I was underdressed at this little soiree. Whatever grudge Connor might harbor about the car, he owed Ryan big-time for saving his butt at lunch.

  ‘‘How did you and Connor meet?’’ Alyssa jumped in, smiling an apology at me. Maybe she thought her youngest was being pushy, but I welcomed his directness. I tried not to flinch as her under-the-table kick to one of her offspring went wide. I assumed she hadn’t deliberately targeted me.

  ‘‘I already told you that,’’ Connor protested.

  ‘‘ ‘Las Vegas’ is hardly a complete answer, dear.’’

  Everyone looked at me.

  ‘‘We met in Las Vegas.’’

  ‘‘See?’’ Connor asked. No one so much as looked toward him. This hot seat was apparently a one-seater.

  ‘‘At the half marathon. Actually, I’m pretty sure Connor was there to run the full marathon, even though he denies it.’’

  ‘‘So he waited until you were exhausted and couldn’t get away to ask you out.’’ Ryan blew out a heavy sigh. ‘‘Typical.’’

  Ryan’s unrelenting teasing of his older brother was starting to make me feel a little sorry for Connor.

  ‘‘Pretty much, yeah,’’ I said.

  Everyone laughed. The waiter came with our lunch.

  ‘‘How did he ask you to marry him?’’ Siobhan asked. ‘‘Was it romantic?’’

  ‘‘Very.’’

  ‘‘It was?’’ Connor seemed incredulous. It wasn’t traditional, sure, but it had been romantic. Sneaky and underhanded and totally sweet.

  ‘‘I thought so.’’

  ‘‘Let me guess. He used the champagne-and-flowers approach? Probably some schmaltzy music. Some guys have no imagination.’’ Ryan shook his head, biting the head off of a piece of broccoli.

  ‘‘No champagne, no flowers. No music, either, unless you want to count the sound of the slot machines.’’

  ‘‘He proposed in a casino?’’ Alyssa sounded appalled.

  ‘‘He didn’t propose, exactly.’’

  ‘‘What did he do?’’ Siobhan asked, leaning forward.

  ‘‘He offered me half his nickels.’’

  Ryan choked on his beer. Connor pounded him on the back a little harder than he probably needed to.

  ‘‘I always knew we’d have to pay somebody to take him off our hands,’’ Ryan mocked.

  His parents laughed. Even Siobhan smiled a little. This family thing wasn’t so bad. They were nice.

  ‘‘I thought it was sweet,’’ I said, deliberately fluttering my eyelashes at him. Connor’s cheeks pinked.

  ‘‘Sweet,’’ Ryan said, rolling his eyes at me. Connor put his hand on the back of Ryan’s neck. To an undiscerning eye it might look like brotherly affection, but I had a sneaking suspicion that Connor was squeezing. Ryan’s eyes widened and he yelped.

  ‘‘Hey, sweet is good. I like sweet. I’m always saying there just aren’t enough sweet guys out there. I mean sweet he-men types. Don’t you think so?’’ Ryan squeaked, pulling away from Connor’s hand.

  ‘‘Mmmm,’’ Dougal said.

  ‘‘Sweet is fine, Connor,’’ Alyssa agreed, ganging up on him.

  ‘‘I didn’t have any left.’’ I tried to rescue him. ‘‘Nickels, I mean. I didn’t have any left. They give you these buckets to hold them in. You probably know that. Anyway, I’d been playing the slot machines and I’d run through my ten dollars. Connor was playing the machine next to me and he’d hit a jackpot. He had, like, fifty dollars’ worth. Anyway, he said he knew a way I could have half his nickels. I asked him how, and he said I could marry him.’’

  ‘‘Aw, that is sweet, you old softie.’’ Ryan punched Connor on the arm. Connor punched him back half-heartedly.

  All Ryan’s clowning had made it impossible for me to stay mad. Connor owed him big-time.

  ‘‘What did you say?’’ Siobhan asked.

  ‘‘I laughed.’’ They did, too. ‘‘And said no.’’

  ‘‘No, thank you,’’ Connor corrected. ‘‘Her rejection was very polite.’’

  ‘‘Then he said he’d bet me all the nickels that I wouldn’t have the nerve to say yes. I said he’d run screaming in the other direction if I said yes, which he denied.’’

  ‘‘He’s more a crier than a screamer,’’ Ryan suggested.

  ‘‘Sshh.’’ Siobhan waved him off. ‘‘So you said yes.’’

  ‘‘Not right away.’’

  ‘‘Tease.’’ Ryan threw an arm around me.

  ‘‘He started shaking the bucket. Taunting me. Fifty dollars in nickels makes a lot of noise. He just kept shaking the bucket, pushing it toward me, then pulling it away. I realized the people around us were listening. When they knew that I knew they were there, they started yelling. ‘Do it.’ ‘Get it in writing.’ ‘Take the money.’ ‘Marry him.’ ‘Run.’ It was crazy.’’

  ‘‘Somebody told you to run?’’ A
lyssa asked, laughing hard, leaning into the story.

  ‘‘Cynics,’’ Connor said.

  ‘‘People started tossing nickels into Connor’s bucket. Just a couple at first. Then more. A little old woman, she must have been eighty, dumped her whole bucket into Connor’s and said her contribution entitled her to Connor’s ‘service.’ ’’ I made air quotes. ‘‘Every other Tuesday.’’

  ‘‘Hey, I’m a catch.’’

  ‘‘Pretty soon he had a whole bucket of nickels. I didn’t have any. What’s a girl to do?’’

  ‘‘So you got married.’’ Siobhan sighed.

  ‘‘Less than a half hour later. I still don’t know how he arranged that.’’ I sipped at my water.

  ‘‘I had nine hundred and eighty-seven dollars and a willing woman. I was unstoppable.’’

  ‘‘Con-nor,’’ a female voice purred.

  Arms wrapped around him from behind. Ryan froze beside me.

  Siobhan went pale. Dougal stood up, glancing at Alyssa. Ryan leaned back, sliding an arm around the back of my chair. His body language screamed intrusion.

  ‘‘Lily.’’ Connor pulled her arms from around his chest, but she slid around to the front and sat on his lap, kissing him on the lips. Definitely an ex. Still possessive, too. Ryan’s arm came off the back of the chair and pulled me a little closer protectively. I didn’t move.

  Connor pulled his head back, standing up and forcing her to stand, too. He held her away from him and looked at me.

  ‘‘I didn’t know you were in town. You should have called.’’

  The invader pouted. She was dressed in a short green dress, showing long legs in high heels. Her blond hair was down and straight. She had that hot-date look that some women seemed to pull off effortlessly. So Connor’s past would never wear jeans to the club. Bully for her.

  ‘‘I’d like to call you something,’’ Ryan muttered.

  ‘‘Sara, I’d like you to meet Lily Dawson.’’ Alyssa smoothed over the moment with a page from Miss Manners. ‘‘She’s an old friend of the family. Her mother and I were at Vassar together. Lily, this is—’’ Alyssa began.

  ‘‘My wife,’’ Connor broke in.

  He said it with pride. I began to breathe again.

  ‘‘Excuse me?’’ The color drained from Lily’s face.

  ‘‘My wife.’’

  ‘‘Sara Townley,’’ Alyssa began again. ‘‘Our daughter-in-law. ’’

  ‘‘I hadn’t heard. Congratulations.’’ Lily smiled at me, her eyes glittering. ‘‘You’ll have to excuse me, Stella. I’ve been living in New York for the last couple of years and haven’t had a chance to catch up with Connor yet.’’

  The family was silent, the moment dragging awkwardly. Siobhan kept her head down, while Ryan looked resentful. Connor’s parents exchanged a long look. Everyone was waiting for me. Connor looked more resigned than fearful. I could explode or just laugh the whole thing off. I was jealous. I’d never been jealous before. About anyone. I wasn’t sure what to do. Connor’s green eyes bore into me. She was standing next to him, all polished and perfect, and he was staring at me, oblivious. He might just be putting a good face on it, but if so, it was convincing. A ghost of a smile touched his lips. Waiting for me. Either way.

  ‘‘My name is Sara.’’ I stood up and moved around Ryan’s chair, holding out my hand. ‘‘I’m happy to meet any friend of Connor’s.’’

  Lily let my hand hover while she stared at me. She used a toothpaste smile and finally offered just her fingertips. I hated people who did that. What did she think? I was going to kiss her hand?

  ‘‘How do you do?’’ Lily asked me, staring at Connor.

  ‘‘I’m very well, thank you.’’ I dropped Lily’s dead fish. Ryan stood up and moved to the back of my chair, holding it for me. Well, I knew whose side he was on. I smiled at him and he winked back.

  ‘‘Sara was just telling us about how she and Connor got married. One look and he was a goner.’’ Ryan sat down and casually draped his napkin across his knee. ‘‘Couldn’t wait to get married. Rushed right off then and there. I guess when you find the right one, nothing gets in the way.’’

  ‘‘How is your mother, Lily?’’ Alyssa asked. ‘‘I haven’t seen her since the silent auction.’’

  Dougal stepped toward the empty table to his right and took one of the chairs. He brought it over next to his and held it while Lily sat down. Connor gave him a slight shake of his head, but he just shrugged. I guessed this was going to play out. There was something off about Lily. Whatever it was, I’d rather know what was coming. Connor and his father sat down.

  ‘‘Can I see your ring?’’ Lily asked sweetly.

  I held out my hand with its plain band. Lily reached across to take my fingers, the square-cut diamond on her own left hand catching the light. For an engaged woman, she was pretty quick to fondle somebody else’s husband.

  Siobhan took an audible breath and the whole table went still. Ryan’s hand gripped my shoulder.

  ‘‘We haven’t exactly had time to go shopping yet,’’ Connor mumbled.

  What was he talking about? I loved my ring. ‘‘Connor hasn’t seen anything good enough for Sara,’’ Ryan offered. Siobhan reached out a hand and touched my arm. Alarm bells clanged in my head.

  ‘‘It’s very’’—Lily rolled wide gray eyes to me— ‘‘sweet.’’

  The energy at the table was toxic. What was going . . . the lightbulb went off. Ex with a capital E.

  ‘‘You’ll have to excuse us, Lily. We haven’t had a chance to get to know Sara yet, so we planned this family lunch to get better acquainted. I’m sure you understand. ’’ His mother tried to save him, her face grim as she looked from Lily to me.

  ‘‘You should make him buy you an engagement ring,’’ Lily said. ‘‘He’s very good at engagement rings. This one belonged to his grandmother. He insisted I keep it.’’ Lily held her hand up, admiring the ring on her own hand before batting her eyes at Connor. His face was completely blank. Yep. Dead man walking.

  There was no way I was letting this bitch have the upper hand. Even if it was wearing a diamond big enough to play baseball on.

  ‘‘No point, really,’’ I said, smiling at her. ‘‘We’re not engaged.’’

  ‘‘Of course. But you should get him to buy you one anyway. You never know.’’

  ‘‘She knows.’’ Connor tried to catch my eye, but I didn’t acknowledge it. I breathed calmly. In and out. Air was a really good tool for dealing with malevolent forces. She was deliberately provoking me. That was a mistake she’d live to regret.

  ‘‘I know the ring he bought me was a wedding ring.’’ I folded my hands on the table, the platinum band visible. ‘‘Actually, he bought me two. One when we actually got married and this one. Platinum. Sort of a this-is-really-working-out-upgrade. Guess he really meant the whole forever-and-ever thing.’’

  Connor’s shoulders relaxed a fraction. Lily’s smile never faded, but her eyes went hard. Nasty and cold. What had Connor been thinking?

  ‘‘Funny he doesn’t wear one, then.’’

  ‘‘I don’t need a ring to remind me,’’ Connor said. ‘‘I know I’m married.’’

  ‘‘I’m sure he does, Susie. Connor was always very reliable that way. Unlike some people.’’ Lily turned toward Siobhan. ‘‘I ran into Jack the other day. You should have called me, Siobhan. At the Sheraton, although I heard he put a deposit down on a new place. One of the penthouse suites near the marina. That’s terrible for you.’’

  Siobhan went deadly white. Her mouth opened, but she didn’t say anything.

  ‘‘No one wants you here,’’ Ryan threw in, his face red, his napkin jumping as his hand clenched around it.

  ‘‘I’d like you to stay,’’ I said, smiling.

  ‘‘Of course. Didn’t Connor tell you? I’m practically family, Sandra.’’

  ‘‘It’s Sara. Which I’m sure you know.’’

  My voice sounded good. Calm but not cold.
Nothing to hint that she was in dangerous territory. Hopefully my expression matched. It wouldn’t make a difference if she did suspect. I was about to toss away the Miss Manners trophy forever. It was too late for Lily to save herself.

  ‘‘I’m surprised you want to stay, since it seems like you’ve already managed to do everything you wanted to do today. You’ve made the innuendos. I get that you and Connor were an item and that he gave you the ring. I know you still wear it. You managed to hurt a very nice person for no other reason than that you could. Is there anything else on your agenda, Lily? Any other big, crawly secrets you want to fling my way just to amuse yourself?’’

  That was exactly what it had been, too: an ambush. My second in two days. Never let it be said that I didn’t learn from my experiences. I was firing back with both barrels.

  ‘‘I-I don’t know what . . .’’ Lily stammered, taken aback.

  ‘‘You know. I know. Everyone knows.’’ I leaned forward and held my left hand out for Lily. My wedding band glittered in the sun. ‘‘This one is a wedding ring. Believe me when I say no one is ever going to confuse the two.’’

  ‘‘Game, set, and match,’’ Ryan said, clapping softly.

  I touched his shoulder and shook my head. ‘‘Is there anything else you’d like to know?’’

  Lily seemed dumbstruck. Dougal kept his coffee cup near his lips to hide a smile. Alyssa looked from me to Lily and back. Siobhan stared at the table, while Ryan practically pulsed with energy. I met Connor’s gaze. He mouthed, I love you. I rolled my eyes. He was sweet.

  ‘‘Wait,’’ Connor said. ‘‘There’s one more thing.’’

  He just couldn’t resist coming in like a knight on a white charger. I knew he knew I didn’t need a rescue. That was enough. I’d let him wear the superhero suit. He didn’t owe me a fix, but I knew he’d feel better if he tried.

  ‘‘I want to apologize to my family. Especially Sara and Siobhan.’’ Connor turned to Lily. ‘‘I inflicted you on them. I won’t do it again.’’

  ‘‘Connor, I know you’re upset, but we’ve been important to each other too long—’’

  ‘‘You’re not important, Lily. Sara’s important. Siobhan’s important. Next to them, you’re so unimportant you’re invisible.’’