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Authors: Sally Clements
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New York
had done his job well.
He checked the
details again. No telephone number. Anger swelled in his breast, as it had more
than once in the years since his parents’ death. He pulled out the letter he’d
demanded from the agency when he turned eighteen. Pain stabbed at his chest
again. Rather than being alone in the world as he always thought, he had a
living relative who could have claimed him after the car crash so cruelly took
both his young parents’ lives.
Mary Byrne
is unable to offer her grandson a home . Reading the words hurt as much as
it did the first time. Now, years later, he’d found the woman who could have
given him a completely different life. He’d endured the foster homes for years,
longing for someone to come and claim him. Eventually his innocent optimism had
eroded. No one ever would. The only person in the world he could rely on was
the one person he spent all his time with, himself.
He closed the
laptop breathing heavily in the quiet darkness.
****
“He’s the one,”
Bull declared, elbows on the honey pine table’s surface. “I approve. So does
your mother.”
“Ah, Dad.
We’ve only just met.”
“Yes, you’ve
only just met, but there’s something strong between you, there’s no point
denying it. I’ve years of experience.” He slurped his coffee, swallowing his
final antibiotic for the day with it. “I’m feeling better. I’ll have the pills
finished in a couple of days.”
Annie eyed him
critically. His color was better; the sparkle, which had dimmed his eyes over
the past week, was back.
“Well, I like
him.” The words rang with truth. Jack was amusing and interesting. She
certainly found him attractive. A forest fire raced through her every time
their eyes met. He was also amazingly skilled at dealing with her parents. He’d
answered some of Maeve’s questions, and deflected others. All without causing
offence, or finding himself pinned on the spot. It was a skill she’d yet to
master. Her parent’s beady-eyed regard always immobilized her like a butterfly
pinned to a velvet board.
“He had a real
rapport with Noel McDonagh.” She showed him the page full of details. “They
just sat and chatted for ages.”
“Where were
you?”
“I sat it out
in the back of the pub.”
Bull nodded
his approval. “Some men are so shy they’re better talking to other men. That’s
just the way of it. Maybe if Jack’s around for the next couple of days he might
help out again?”
“I’m sure he
might. We want to organize a date for Noel tonight. Who do you think?”
She
successfully diverted her father from his new favorite topic, Jack Miller. Soon
they had drawn up a brief list of potential dates.
“Why don’t you
ask Jack for his opinion?” Bull asked. “After all, he spent all the time with
Noel.”
“Right.” She
climbed the stairs to the bedroom and tapped lightly on the door, wondering at
the lack of light seeping from underneath. He couldn’t have gone out, could
he?
The door
jerked open.
“Annie.” The
soft rumble of his voice turned her knees to jelly. He hauled her in, backing
her up against the wall and kissing her hungrily. Her heart thundered in her
chest at the assault of his lips on hers. His hands ran up and down her arms.
It was too fast, unexpected. She pushed against his chest, forcing him back.
“What are you
doing?”
Jack stepped
back, running a hand through his hair.
“You kissed me
in the car, I thought…”
“You thought
what?”
Blood heated
her face. She’d told him all her secrets. Had exposed her core. The balance had
shifted between them after her confession. Did he pity her? Was that what this
was about, a mercy roll in the hay?
“Did you think
I was coming in here to tumble into bed with you?” A potent mix of anger and
vulnerability rippled through her. She yearned to feel the heat of his body
against hers again, but her mind rioted at the thought. She couldn’t resist
Jack. The knowledge scared her
had done his job well.
He checked the
details again. No telephone number. Anger swelled in his breast, as it had more
than once in the years since his parents’ death. He pulled out the letter he’d
demanded from the agency when he turned eighteen. Pain stabbed at his chest
again. Rather than being alone in the world as he always thought, he had a
living relative who could have claimed him after the car crash so cruelly took
both his young parents’ lives.
Mary Byrne
is unable to offer her grandson a home . Reading the words hurt as much as
it did the first time. Now, years later, he’d found the woman who could have
given him a completely different life. He’d endured the foster homes for years,
longing for someone to come and claim him. Eventually his innocent optimism had
eroded. No one ever would. The only person in the world he could rely on was
the one person he spent all his time with, himself.
He closed the
laptop breathing heavily in the quiet darkness.
****
“He’s the one,”
Bull declared, elbows on the honey pine table’s surface. “I approve. So does
your mother.”
“Ah, Dad.
We’ve only just met.”
“Yes, you’ve
only just met, but there’s something strong between you, there’s no point
denying it. I’ve years of experience.” He slurped his coffee, swallowing his
final antibiotic for the day with it. “I’m feeling better. I’ll have the pills
finished in a couple of days.”
Annie eyed him
critically. His color was better; the sparkle, which had dimmed his eyes over
the past week, was back.
“Well, I like
him.” The words rang with truth. Jack was amusing and interesting. She
certainly found him attractive. A forest fire raced through her every time
their eyes met. He was also amazingly skilled at dealing with her parents. He’d
answered some of Maeve’s questions, and deflected others. All without causing
offence, or finding himself pinned on the spot. It was a skill she’d yet to
master. Her parent’s beady-eyed regard always immobilized her like a butterfly
pinned to a velvet board.
“He had a real
rapport with Noel McDonagh.” She showed him the page full of details. “They
just sat and chatted for ages.”
“Where were
you?”
“I sat it out
in the back of the pub.”
Bull nodded
his approval. “Some men are so shy they’re better talking to other men. That’s
just the way of it. Maybe if Jack’s around for the next couple of days he might
help out again?”
“I’m sure he
might. We want to organize a date for Noel tonight. Who do you think?”
She
successfully diverted her father from his new favorite topic, Jack Miller. Soon
they had drawn up a brief list of potential dates.
“Why don’t you
ask Jack for his opinion?” Bull asked. “After all, he spent all the time with
Noel.”
“Right.” She
climbed the stairs to the bedroom and tapped lightly on the door, wondering at
the lack of light seeping from underneath. He couldn’t have gone out, could
he?
The door
jerked open.
“Annie.” The
soft rumble of his voice turned her knees to jelly. He hauled her in, backing
her up against the wall and kissing her hungrily. Her heart thundered in her
chest at the assault of his lips on hers. His hands ran up and down her arms.
It was too fast, unexpected. She pushed against his chest, forcing him back.
“What are you
doing?”
Jack stepped
back, running a hand through his hair.
“You kissed me
in the car, I thought…”
“You thought
what?”
Blood heated
her face. She’d told him all her secrets. Had exposed her core. The balance had
shifted between them after her confession. Did he pity her? Was that what this
was about, a mercy roll in the hay?
“Did you think
I was coming in here to tumble into bed with you?” A potent mix of anger and
vulnerability rippled through her. She yearned to feel the heat of his body
against hers again, but her mind rioted at the thought. She couldn’t resist
Jack. The knowledge scared her
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