First and Only (Callaghan Brothers #2)

“Who says I brought you anything?” It was a ritual, this light bantering back and forth.

She smiled. “Because you always bring me something. You spoil me rotten, Aidan.”

“Hmm. Maybe I should stop then.” It was an idle threat, they both knew it.

“Yeah, you probably should.” Aidan waited, counting off the seconds in his head until she added, “But not tonight.” He grinned again, reaching for the bag.

The exquisite aroma hit her the moment he began opening the air-tight seal of the container. “Fresh baked cinnamon rolls?” she asked, her eyes glowing. “From Antoine’s?”

Aidan nodded as she held the rolls to her face and inhaled, her face rapturous. He’d known women who hadn’t been as pleased with multi-carat diamonds as Lexi was with the simplest things.

“Go on. There’s more in there.” Lexi squealed excitedly as she picked out the remaining items. He’d learned long ago that expensive trinkets meant little to her. But a hand-picked flower, an Abbott and Costello DVD with a bag of buttery popcorn, fresh baked rolls from Antoine’s – they made her eyes light up like a Vegas nightscape. He would do anything to see his best friend smile again.

“Aidan, you are truly a prince among men.” As always, a familiar warmth spread through him at her praise. The kiss to his cheek didn’t hurt, either.

Lexi wasted no time in taking a big bite of a decadently gooey cinnamon roll. “Are you sure I should be eating this?” she asked, even as she chewed.

“Absolutely. Why, the endorphins released by just one of Antoine’s rolls have been clinically proven to reverse the aging process.”

Lexi raised a skeptical eyebrow. “It’s true,” he insisted, taking one for himself. “Look it up if you don’t believe me. Cures scurvy, too.”

Lexi laughed, holding her hand over her mouth lest any part of the delicious roll be sacrificed. “I guess that explains why I don’t have scurvy or wrinkles.”

“Now you know.”

Two hours later, as the final images from The Time of Their Lives faded, Lexi yawned and began gathering the remnants of their little pig fest, reaching across Aidan to grab the bag to put it all in.

“Hey, what’s that?” She pointed to the plainly-wrapped brown package that sat upon the bedside table.

“It was delivered to the restaurant.” Aidan handed it over to her; it was about two inches thick and approximately the same dimensions as a stack of standard 8.5 x 11 inch paper. Lexi’s name was scrawled across the front in flowing calligraphy, the name of Aidan’s restaurant appearing in the c/o below.

Lexi turned it over curiously in her hands, her grumbling temporarily forgotten. Aidan had already inspected it. He knew that there was no return address, no post mark to identify from where it had come. Lexi shook it tentatively. “It feels like a book or something.”

“Whatever it is, someone wants to make sure you get it. One of these was hand delivered to each of the restaurants.”

“Hand-delivered?”

“Apparently.” He didn’t tell her that the hostesses at all three restaurants described the delivery man as exceptionally tall, dark, and handsome with striking blue eyes. “Open it.”

With a grin that reminded him of a child on Christmas morning, Lexi tore at the paper. “Oh.... Oh, my...”

Aidan shifted to see what she had revealed. It was a bound manuscript, with an artist’s rendering on the front, depicting a stunning woman looking remarkably like Lexi. Multi-colored layers of hair curling seductively around her gleaming white gown, realistic amber eyes. In the background, hidden in the shadows, a pair of familiar blue eyes watched over the image. By Salienne Dulcette was hand-scripted down in the lower right hand corner.

“Th-There’s a note,” Lexi said, her voice shaking nearly as much as her hands as she pulled the stationary from the clip and read it aloud:

Dear Lexi,

Enclosed is my latest manuscript, tentatively titled “Celtic Goddess”. Sorry, I know I stole the name from your restaurant, but you were my inspiration (please ask Aidan not to call the lawyers just yet for copyright infringement ?). I want you to be the first to read it and tell me what you think. Kieran drafted the cover art – didn’t he do a fabulous job?

I’m also enclosing a picture of our little guy. I’m sorry I didn’t get a chance to say goodbye before you left. I really hope we’ll meet again someday. Ian needs you, Lexi.

Hope you enjoy the book.

Love,

Stacey Connelly





A small photo was paper-clipped to the back of the note. “Holy shit,” Lexi breathed in amazement.”

Aidan leaned over to get a better look. The picture included a pretty, dark-haired woman with silvery eyes next to a large blonde man holding a tiny, swathed newborn. Both looked exhausted but extremely happy. “Do you know them?”

“Yeah... Johnny is the guy who came out to my grandmother’s house about possible renovation, and Stacey is his wife. Holy shit, Aidan. Stacey Connelly is Salienne Dulcette.”