It was dark when Leo finally pulled into his father’s farm. All of the lights were on in the old Victorian house, but that didn’t surprise him. When he’d told his family he was bringing someone with him, he’d known they would be more than curious. He’d never brought a woman home with him before.
And even if he had, he’d never bring an ordinary woman home with him under the current circumstances.
He pulled the truck to a stop in front of his parents’ home, not surprised that there were no cars other than ones belonging to the immediate family there. He turned off the ignition and turned in his seat to face Ruby.
She was just beginning to wake up, staring around at, to her, unfamiliar surroundings. He watched her react to the farmhouse, her eyes going wide at the sight of the large Victorian home. “We’re here.” His voice was husky with fatigue.
She turned to him, looking oh so weary. “It’s all right, Leo. They’ll find him.”
Her comfort warmed the cold place that had settled in around the pit of his stomach. When she placed one small hand against his cheek, he knew that if he hadn’t already started to fall in love with her he’d have Dare to Believe
lost his heart then and there. He turned his face into her palm and kissed it, accepting the comfort she was offering. “Thank you.”
She didn’t question what he was thanking her for. She just waited in the car while he came around to help her out with a sleepy smile that went straight to his heart.
“Leo.”
He turned to find his father standing on the porch, staring down at him with his hands on his hips, the porch light gleaming off his midnight dark hair. Blue eyes the color of a summer sky frowned down at him.
“Get her inside. It’s cold out here.”
That Irish brogue, sure and steady, washed through him, calming him just as it had when he’d been a child.
His father turned to Ruby, smiling a warm yet sad welcome. “Welcome to my home.”
His home? I thought Leo’s parents still owned the farm? Ruby watched the man, who looked to be no more than a few years older than Leo, walk down the porch steps. His long, determined stride reminded her vividly of the way Leo moved. The man walked up to them, and Leo put his arm around her shoulder and hugged her close to the warmth of his big body.
She was pulled up short when the man clasped his hand around Leo’s arm. “Welcome home, son.”
His voice held the lilt of Ireland in it, full of warmth that had been missing briefly when he’d first appeared on the porch.
Leo turned to the other man, and suddenly the two were embracing. “Wish the homecoming was under better circumstances, Dad.”
Wait. Dad?
That dark haired, walking sex advertisement was Leo’s dad?
“Dad, I’d like you to meet Ruby Halloway. Ruby, this is Sean Dunne.”
The man lifted her hand to his lips and kissed her knuckles. “Welcome, Miss Halloway. I wish we’d met under better circumstances.”
“Thank you, Mr. Dunne. I’m so sorry about your son.”
Leo’s father nodded, his expression shadowed. “Thank you.” He turned to Leo, the shadows disappearing. “Take your woman inside and introduce her properly to your mother. She’s waiting on you.”
The man took the keys from Leo and walked to the trunk of the SUV. He turned and winked at her, popped the trunk open and began to remove their bags.
“C’mon, Ruby. Let’s go introduce you to my mother.”
Ruby couldn’t drag her eyes away from the Irish hunk even though Leo was pulling her up the porch steps. “Wow.”
www.samhainpublishing.com
37
Dana Marie Bell
She didn’t even realize she’d whispered that thought out loud until Leo stopped and frowned down at her. Smiling up at him weakly, she stepped forward, ready for him to open the front door.
The door opened before she could touch it. In front of her stood the most amazingly attractive woman she’d ever seen. She wasn’t much taller or older than Ruby. The woman’s hair fell to her waist, a straight, shining curtain of glowing red-gold. Slightly tilted green eyes the color of emeralds peeked out from under the longest, most lush lashes Ruby had ever seen. Her chin was delicately pointed, her nose fine and aristocratic, her lips full and pink. She stared up at Leo, those lips trembling.
Suddenly, Ruby wasn’t feeling so good. The woman was looking at Leo with a love so deep Ruby was moved by it. If he had this woman waiting for him to come home, why had he brought Ruby?
“Welcome home, Leo.” The woman stepped into his welcoming arms, tears falling down her exquisite face.
“Hi, Mom.”