There were no fancy dinners, although they did often share a simple meal or a snack together. It might not seem like much to some, but Kane recognized it as significant. Sometimes he would bring something; a few times she had surprised him by preparing something in the shelter kitchen after everyone else had gone. She made no secret of the fact that she was not a very good cook. Kane teased her about that, since her family owned one of the most successful chains of restaurants in the U.S., but in all honesty, he found her creations more than passable. Of course, in his opinion everything tasted better when Rebecca had a hand in preparing it.
She delighted in the little treats he would bring for her, whether it be one of the scented candles she loved so much, or a bag of jumbo Tootsie rolls. She was the only woman he knew who gleaned such pleasure from the smallest of things. It made it easy not to disappoint her. And sometimes, he’d catch her looking up every now and then as if to make sure he was still there, smiling when she found him. And when she realized he’d caught her looking she’d blush and offer a slight wave and he’d find himself smiling right back.
He’d never met anyone like her before. She was, quite simply, the kindest, quietest, most appreciative woman he’d ever known. If she had one fault, it was that she never seemed to think of herself.
Perhaps it was for exactly that reason that Kane felt compelled to do what he did at the end of October.
For the most part, Kane and Rebecca kept their private time to themselves, so he shouldn’t have been surprised to hear his sisters-in-law plotting again. To Aidan and everyone else, Rebecca seemed to be withdrawing even further. Of course Kane knew it was because she was spending more time with him, but no one else did.
At first he appreciated Rebecca’s silence on the matter. He was a private person, and he liked that she was, too, and he did find the wonderings and suppositions of his family where she was concerned mildly amusing. Although as time went on, he found himself wanting them to know that they were spending time together. That Rebecca was, in fact, quite content, and not lacking in the least despite what they thought. That she was beautiful and smart and funny and pretty much the only person he liked being with on a consistent basis.
He managed to hold his tongue until Aidan brought Rebecca to the Pub one Sunday afternoon. Kane had been more than a little surprised to see her there; she had told him only the day before that Aidan insisted on taking her to a late brunch. Judging by the pretty dress she wore, Aidan hadn’t told her about the change in plans.
The silent apology in her eyes as Aidan practically dragged her through the living room and into the kitchenette nearly did him in. That she should ever feel bad on his behalf did not sit well with him.
It didn’t take long to realize that Rebecca had been the target of a conspiracy. Within moments of parking her in the kitchen, Aidan returned to the living room with the rest of the men, opened a beer, and settled in to watch the game.
Kane watched him closely, but Aidan refused to meet his eyes, staring determinedly at the screen. The fact that none of his brothers questioned Aidan’s presence was telling, but the pieces really clicked into place as snippets of the quiet conversation in the kitchenette drifted out to him.
“Ah, come on, Rebecca,” Lexi coaxed. “It’ll be fun.”
“Yeah, and we swear, no naked men this time,” added Taryn with a wink. “Well, unless you get lucky...”
Sharp talons clawed at the inside of his chest.
Lexi spoke again. “Honest, Rebecca, it’s just dinner...”
Dinner? Rebecca was planning on making dinner tonight for the two of them, after she’d returned from her visit with her brother, said she was going to surprise him...
“And if that goes well, maybe a movie or a show...” added Maggie.
A movie? Rebecca didn’t like going to the movies. The crowds bothered her. But she had really liked when he’d brought that DVD over last week. He’d been at the gas station, saw the Redbox machine, and on a whim grabbed one he’d thought she might like. They’d watched it together that night, huddled together in the dark with microwave popcorn. She grabbed his arm every time a particularly suspenseful part came up...
“I really don’t think - ” Rebecca interjected, but she was quickly cut off.
“That’s the point, Rebecca,” Taryn said. “Don’t think. Just relax and have fun. You work too much. And Teague is a great guy, you’ll see.”
Teague? Who the fuck was Teague?
“He is a great guy,” Nicki confirmed. “Thirty-four, really smacked together. Chestnut hair, the dreamiest green eyes. Smart, too.”
“I’m sure he is wonderful but I don’t - ”
“And,” Taryn added, cutting her off again, “he spent a few years in the Middle East on tour with the Marines, so you already have something in common.”
A Marine? Not a fucking jar head. Oh, fuck no.
“Actually I spent more time in - ”
“He’s really excited about meeting you, too,” Lexi said. “Aidan told him all about the work you’re doing at the shelter, and it turns out he’s really active with the Big Brothers organization.”
Rebecca’s voice sounded so small when she spoke. “Aidan’s already spoken with him?”