“She’s lost without you, you know,” Nicki said, choosing to look into her coffee rather than meet Kane’s laser-like stare. Even she felt uncomfortable before its powerful intensity, and very little rattled her. “It’s like part of her is missing or something.”
They sat in silence until Rebecca re-emerged from the bookstore. The dog nuzzled her hand and they began walking away. Kane shifted a millimeter or so in his seat, but that was the only indication that he had seen her.
Nicki sighed. She wasn’t sure exactly what she had expected, but it was certainly not this. She’d hoped that seeing Rebecca would motivate him to do something. Maybe not jump from his seat and rush out into the street, but something.
“What do you want from me?” Kane asked quietly as if reading her thoughts.
“She needs you. I think you might need her, too.”
Kane just stared at her. Nicki drank the last of her coffee and stood up to leave. “I like Rebecca. We all do. She belongs here. With us. With you. Do something about it before it’s too late.”
And then Nicki was gone, allowing herself to breathe again as she stepped out into the street, feeling the steely blade of Kane’s eyes until she moved out of sight.
Chapter Fifteen
He wasn’t going to go to Maggie and Mick’s for Thanksgiving. He wasn’t. Really. There were plenty of other opportunities to see Rebecca. He’d learned her routine quite well, as a matter of fact. Every morning she and her beast walked to the shelter, then back in the early afternoon. On Fridays she visited the bookstore. On Wednesdays she frequented the local market. Every evening she sat home alone, reading, or, more accurately, staring off into space.
And yet somehow, despite his promises to himself, he found himself at his brother’s, sitting in his truck, parked among the trademark black vehicles of the Callaghan clan outside the two hundred year old sprawling farmhouse. There was Michael’s black Jag, Jake’s Expedition, Sean’s Shelby, Shane’s Lexus, Kieran’s Porsche, Ian’s Land Rover, Jack’s Infinity. Adding a slight variation of color was Aidan’s dark green Benz, and a tiny silver Prius that could only be Rebecca’s.
She was saving the world, even while driving.
And then, without even realizing he had moved, he was at the front door, pressing the bell, the compulsion to be close to her so strong he had no choice but to obey it.
It was Michael who opened the door. A brief look of surprise was followed immediately by a heartfelt grin. “Glad you made it,” Michael said warmly, taking his jacket. Maggie poked her head out of the kitchen and flashed him a brilliant smile before giving him a hug and welcoming him.
The women had commandeered the kitchen, so after being permitted to offer a brief hello, Kane was quickly ushered out and herded to the living room, where the males of the clan had gathered before the flat screen. He was quite sure he had never received quite so many grateful, relieved greetings. Clearly, they had already accepted Rebecca and were feeling protective of her themselves, though out of respect for Kane they would allow him to lead.
In a matter of seconds he’d acknowledged everyone, except the one he was looking for.
“She’s in the playroom,” Jake said quietly, clapping a brief hand on Kane’s shoulder as he passed by.
Kane stood silently in the shadows of the doorway. There she was. Dressed in a long brown skirt and a soft beige sweater, her honey-gold hair was partially controlled with some sort of clip. She was smiling in that gentle way she had, but there was a sadness in her eyes, too, as she followed the progress of something out of his line of sight.
Gales of childlike giggles and squeals met his ears. He leaned in a little farther and saw the source of the amusement. The huge, bear-like creature, standing nearly three feet tall at the shoulder, with a toddler on his back, laughing hysterically.
“Uncle Kane!” Patrick squealed, making a beeline for him, followed immediately by Ryan (crawling). Riley, ever the princess, leaned down and spoke into the beast’s ear. The animal lowered his rear haunches, allowing her to slide down with far too much grace for one so young. Then she, too, joined her cousins in greeting him.
Kane crouched down, accepting hugs from each of them.
When he looked up again, the great monster had positioned itself in front of Rebecca, looking at Kane with mild interest as if he was simply the next attraction to command the attention of the little ones. Sitting, the top of the dog’s massive head nearly reached her chest. Her hand stroked behind his ears affectionately.
She looked smaller, frailer somehow. Her skin was a bit paler, her cheeks a little less pink than he remembered. Her hair was shorter than the last time he had seen her, parted off center and draped silkily over the side of her face.
“Hi,” Rebecca said tentatively, almost as if she was afraid. The dog – if, indeed, you could call it that – turned his head to look at her, then back at Kane. The lolling pink tongue was drawn in, the ears grew alert, his interest greater now that someone else had captured his mistress’s attention.