“And what did you say to them?”
A hint of a smile returned to her face. “I told them to go shove their money up their arses. That I’d never allow anyone to separate me from my children. That I’d raise you and Lucy better than they ever could, even though I hadn’t a penny to my name.”
I put my arm around her shoulder. “I was always so proud of you when you told that story to Lucy and me. You were a lioness protecting her cubs, and it gave me a sense of complete belonging to know my parent loved me so much she’d live with nothing in order to keep me. Now, imagine if you hadn’t loved us like you do. Imagine if you’d taken that money and abandoned us, two little kids all on their own in the world.”
She shuddered. “It doesn’t even bear thinking about.”
“No, it doesn’t,” I said. “And that’s exactly what happened to Annie. Her mother left her on the steps of a fire station when she was six years old and was never seen again. All through her childhood she was in and out of foster homes. Just like Lucy and I might’ve been, Annie was alone in the world, only it was worse because she didn’t even have rich grandparents. She had no one, which makes it even more amazing how she’s transformed her life. She has a career, a top-class education, and a home; and, believe it or not, the woman doesn’t need a penny from me. She’s got more than enough money of her own.”
Ma stared at me, her eyes wet, and brought her hand to her mouth. In that moment, I knew I’d broken through to her. She was thinking of Annie; she was thinking of her as the little girl with no one rather than the money-hungry gold-digger she’d imagined her to be.
“God, that poor girl,” she whispered, and I reached over to wipe away a few of her tears. She swallowed and focused on me. “I’m so sorry, Ronan. This life, you know, it’s made me hard. I haven’t been the…kindest mother—to you or to Luce—I’ve had to be that way to protect you. And ever since Brona almost destroyed your career, I’ve been on the defensive, looking out for anyone who might try to take advantage of you again.”
I took her hands in mine and looked her in the eyes. “I know, and I love you for it; but you have nothing to fear with Annie. I learned my lesson with Brona, and I made a promise to myself not to put my trust in a woman again. But then Annie came along and turned my world upside down. I knew deep in my heart that I could trust her.” A long silence ensued before I added, “I’d like you to get to know her. Give her a chance. I promise, once you do, you’ll see exactly what I see.”
She shook her head sadly, “The things I said to her. God, Ronan, even if I do give her a chance, I’m not sure she’ll want to give me one.”
“She will,” I said soothingly. “Just give it time.”
***
When I finally opened the garage and was greeted by the sight of my lovingly restored 1970 red Dodge Charger, I felt like Odysseus arriving home to Ithaca after twenty years of struggle. I ran my hand over the hood, my body humming with the need to get behind the wheel. I grabbed some training gear from the house and then hopped in the car. And okay, maybe I was a little late getting back to the hotel because I took the scenic route. I needed some alone time with my baby.
Fuck, that drive was almost sexual. Driving in New York had been fun, but coming home just felt right. When I finally made it back to the suite, I found Annie sitting on the bed, her laptop open in front of her and a look of consternation on her face. She was so absorbed by what she was doing that she didn’t hear me come in. I stood in the doorway for a minute, soaking up the sight of her long hair hanging over one shoulder, the figure-hugging cream blouse she wore, and the long vintage-looking purple skirt that swept attractively over her thighs.
“Hey,” I said, throwing my keys up into the air and catching them. “You almost ready to go, love?”
Her eyes shot to me, and for a brief moment she looked like a deer caught in the headlights. I watched her swallow, scratch her wrist, and then straighten out her blouse before it hit me. The email I sent last night. She’d been reading it. She knew.
I swear I could feel my heart trying to pound its way out of my chest.
Now I was the one who felt like a deer caught in the headlights. Every feeling of doubt and insecurity I’d ever had flooded me all at once. Love me back, I begged. Please, if there’s any mercy in the world, make her love me back.
I cleared my throat and nodded to the laptop. I hardly even recognized my own voice when I spoke. “Anything interesting?”
She looked away and shut the computer down. “Oh, just the usual work stuff.”
She sounded shaky. I stood there, frozen, not knowing what to say or how to act. Then she got off the bed and walked toward me with some kind of determination.
She’s going to pull away, I thought. She’s going to run again, make up some excuse to leave and get a flight home early. And the scary thing was that I wasn’t sure I could let her go. I’d kneel at her feet and beg her to stay because I belonged to this woman heart and soul, and I needed her to belong to me, too. When she was less than a foot away from me, she stopped. Her big, bottomless eyes never left mine, both of us asking silent questions but receiving no answers.
I saw her hands trembling when she reached up and settled them on my chest.
“You’re nothing like what I expected you to be, Ronan Fitzpatrick,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper.
I drew in a breath in the exact same moment that she leaned in and pressed her lips to mine. At first I didn’t react at all; perhaps I was in too much shock. I just stood there as her lips caressed me, her soft tongue sliding into my mouth and licking along my own.
She wasn’t pushing me away.
When the realization finally sank in, I gripped her neck and slid my arm tight around her waist, pulling her body flush to mine. I kissed her back. I kissed her with everything I had inside me until she was needy and hot and whimpering. We only came up for air when my phone started ringing. I knew it was Bryan or one of the lads, wondering where I was. I was only irritated for a second before I realized it was the perfect distraction. Annie knew that I loved her now, and the hotel suite felt too small, too close. We needed to get out and let it all sink in.
“That’ll be one of the lads,” I said, smiling down at her tenderly. “We better make a move. Looks like we’re already late. It’s good to know you can hardly stand being in the same room as me without jumping my bones, though,” I teased and gave her a light pinch on the bottom. She yelped then laughed, her eyes shining brightly, and something inside me relaxed. We needed to be silly for a while. Things were turning too serious.
On the drive to Wes, I kept catching her watching me from the corner of my eye. Her body was turned to me, her cheek lying on the headrest. Her face bore a perennial blush, and there was a dreamy look in her eyes. My little distant Annie was coming closer; her icy exterior was thawing, and all because she now knew I loved her. I could have high-fived myself for having the idea to write to her Socialmedialite account. She could hold the knowledge of my love without having to admit any of her own feelings, and I didn’t mind. I wanted her to know that I was fully committed. Just like I’d told The Socialmedialite in my email, she was “it” for me.
Every time I let go of the gear stick, I put my hand back on her thigh, loving the feel of her beneath my palm. When we arrived at the pitch, I saw a couple of the wives and girlfriends hanging out on the sidelines, drinking coffees, and chatting.