Always and Forever (11 page)

“Irene, yes, and she watches them when I’m not here. Sinead’s got his lifeguard certificate, so him being out there is enough.”

Brie felt her mother’s disapproval as she turned from the outdoors.
Still, Brie said brightly, “Can I get you something?”

“Sure, it’s martini time. I’ll fix us drinks.” Her father crossed into the living room where the liquor cabinet—and the children’s paraphernalia—was spread out on the floor.

Her mother took the big couch, and Brie sat on a wicker rocker across from her. “Why didn’t you tell me you were coming?”

“Because our trip was spur of the
moment. We got tickets to plays the next few days and thought we’d stop in on our way into the city to see our grandchildren.” She added, “We plan to stay overnight, if that’s all right.”

“That’s nice.”

Her mother frowned. “You don’t look like it is.”

“I have plans tonight, Mom. Liam and Sophie are having a barbeque. All the guys have the night off.”

“Are you taking the children?”

“No, it’s adults only. Their house is still under construction.”

Mariana Paresi cocked her head in a way that meant she’d tolerate the situation. “Then we’ll stay with the children.”

“I have Irene coming back.” Who was supposed to pick up pizza for the kids’ dinner, which Brie had not yet ordered.

Her father came in from the living room, carrying three martinis on a small tray.
“All set.” He kissed his daughter’s cheek when he gave her one. “It looks like a cyclone struck in there.”

“The kids were playing. They said they’d clean up after the pool.”

“You really should have live-in help, dear, to take care of those things.” Her parents had had nannies and maids when Brie was growing up and still had someone come in daily to cook and clean.

“Pat would hate that.”
She studied her mother, who’d been pampered all her life. At sixty, she was tall like Brie but thinner. She’d had one child and kept her figure. Her hair was tinted the same color as Brie’s natural auburn, and people always commented that they looked more like sisters than mother and daughter. By contrast, her father Joseph looked older than his years, probably because of his job as a hedge-fund
manager on Wall Street. He’d recently retired at sixty-five.

She set her drink on the table. In some ways, she missed her parents since they’d moved from Manhattan, though they were often disapproving and hard to take. “It’s so nice to see you. I wish I wasn’t going out.”

Joseph said easily, “You don’t have to. I think the O’Neils could do without you tonight.” He arched a brow. “They
see you so much more than we do.”

“Because you chose to live in the Hamptons.”

“Let’s not quibble.” Dismissing the talk, her father nodded to the table. “At least have a drink with us before you leave.”

“I can’t if I’m going to drive.”

“You could call a car. That’s what your father and I do.”

Hell, to go to Liam’s? “No, I’m meeting Patrick there. His car is in the shop.” She
checked her watch.

“Don’t let us keep you.” Her mother’s withering tone was one of Brie’s least favorites.

“It’s not that. I have to call Irene to tell her not to come back, and I’ll need to order a pizza.” At her parents’ dark looks, she said, “I’ll phone Pat, too, and tell him I’ll be late. I can spend an hour with you. I’ll have half of the drink.”

“That would be lovely.”

After
she made her calls, the kids came in from the pool.

Kathleen rushed to Brie’s father. “Grandpa. I didn’t know you were coming.” She threw her wet body at Joseph, and he hugged her tightly.

“We wanted to surprise you. Looks like we did, as Mom’s going out.”

Sean embraced his grandmother, then Sinead hugged her.

“Look at you, Sinead. You’re so grown up.” Her mother’s voice was warm.
They hadn’t seen him since he’d gotten home from college.

“I guess I am.”

“What are you doing these days, boy?”

Sinead went to sit on the floor by his grandpa. “I’m working with Mom in her business and some hours at the pub.”

Her father frowned. “At the pub?” Sinead nodded. “You’re not twenty-one.”

Brie put in, “He does busboy work and stocking when the bar isn’t open. Bailey’s
is
a restaurant, Dad.”

“Still, you should be relaxing. I want you fresh to tackle your studies next year.” He winked at the boy. “I’m hoping he follows in my footsteps. With my connections…”

Sinead glanced at his mother. “I’m taking business courses, but I’m not sure what I want to do with them.”

“We’re holding out for you to become a member of the firm, which still bears my name,
son.”

A loud babble came from the intercom and Brie stood. “I’ll get Isabella.”

“No, I will. I loved getting you up from naps.”

Geez, maybe she should stay home. One thing she knew for sure about her parents was that they loved their grandchildren. And that was worth a lot.

Mariana left, and the three kids followed her up to get changed.

“So,” her father said from the other
side of the room. “We haven’t seen you since the Inauguration. We saw the ceremony on television. How did it go?”

“Very simple. Intimate. I liked it.”

“From what I hear, the event wasn’t very…sophisticated. You’d think Clay’s advisors would have steered him into something more formal.”

Brie’s shoulders tensed. “Clay knows protocol, Dad. His family is even richer than yours. He chose
to keep it simple.”

“The gossip columns say it was Bailey’s idea. Do you think she’ll ever behave like a First Lady?”

Carrying Isabella, her mother returned and took a seat again. She gave the baby plastic keys, and Isabella sat contentedly on her lap. The boys were still upstairs, but Kathleen returned dry and dressed and went to sit by her grandfather. “Can we still have pizza tonight,
Grandpa?”

“We can have anything you want, sweetheart.”

How many times had her dad said that to Brie? She wondered briefly if he’d spoiled her, making her hard to live with. Pat never made that accusation, but maybe he felt it.

After the hour she’d promised them, she stood. “I’ve got to go.” She smiled at Kathleen and brushed down Isabella’s hair. “Take care of Grandma and Grandpa.”
She kissed her parents good-bye. “Next time, call. I’ll make sure I’m free.”

There was ice in her mother’s eyes, and Brie shivered seeing it. “I will. And maybe you can be more accommodating.”

After going up to check on the boys, Brie was out the door before she realized her parents had never even asked about Patrick.

Brie remembered one of their arguments about her mother and father.

You still haven’t forgiven my parents for supporting me when I didn’t want to get married right away.

That’s not my grudge, darlin’. It’s theirs. Against me, for knocking you up.

Suddenly, she didn’t feel so bad about leaving her unexpected company.

Pat caught a glimpse of Brie when she walked into Liam’s backyard an hour later than she’d planned. She looked cool
and pretty in a summer outfit. Crossing to her before anyone else could, he said, “Hey, there,” and brushed her cheek with his knuckles. It was silky smooth, and the scent of her lotion filled his head. “Your message said you got held up.”

“Yes. I swear, Pat, I didn’t know they were coming.”

“
A ghrá
, their interrupting our plans isn’t your fault.”

“Thanks for that.” She hugged him.

Dylan approached them, kissing Brie on the cheek. “Everything okay, Brie? Pat said your parents came to town unexpectedly.”

“I’m fine. Things are fine.”

Dylan and Pat shared a glance. There were few secrets in the family.

Pat asked, “Are they stayin’ overnight?”

She nodded.

Damn
. But he only said, “Let me get you a drink. Wine?”

“Yeah.”

As Brie headed to where his
sisters-in-law had formed a semicircle of lawn chairs, Pat wandered off to the cooler with Dylan. The night was warm, and Pat felt sweat on his skin. He’d hauled cases of beer and sacks of flour for the kitchen much of the day, exhausting him. The last thing he wanted was to deal with the Paresis tonight, but he’d put it out of his mind for now.

When Pat delivered Brie’s drink, he squeezed
her arm then went to sit with the guys. The four O’Neil men perched on the top of the picnic table under a sprawling set of oak trees and stared out. A breeze picked up and they watched it ruffle the women’s hair. The quick moment could have come out of a commercial for shampoo, and he wished Aidan had snapped a shot of them just then.

Aidan shifted in his seat. “Sorry about bringing my daughter.
I know we said no kids, but Katie’s breast-feeding, and we couldn’t leave her with anybody.”

“Age zero doesn’t count,” Liam quipped.

Pat caught Dylan watching Rachel. “Are you worried about Rachel, still?”

“No, we heard the baby’s heartbeat, so the doctor says things are going as they should.” Dylan did look better, more relaxed.

“She told Sophie and C.J. about the miscarriages
in her family,” Liam put in. “I looked it up. It’s not genetic.”

“Not technically. But the conditions that lead to miscarriages run in families.” Even though he’d told Pat the situation before, Dylan’s words were grim.

Pat clapped Dylan on the back. “What is it Liam always says?
Don’t live the trouble before it comes
.”

Liam sighed, and a familiar sadness came over his face. “I’m so
glad Kitty and I took our lives day-by-day. We had no idea we had so little time together.”

“I been thinking about that a lot lately.” Pat gripped the sweaty glass, his voice rough. “We gotta make good times happen more.”

His brothers nodded in assent. They watched Rachel take Katie from C.J. “Oh, God, look at her with that baby.” Dylan sniffed. “Hell.”

“We’ve all been there,” Aidan
announced. “I still cry when I see C.J. breastfeeding.”

Liam was silent.

“What about Sophie, Liam?” Pat asked. “You talkin’ about having more kids?”

Instead of answering, Liam climbed off the table, walked to the girls and snagged Sophie away. They spoke quietly off to the side. Then Liam called out, “Come over here by Rachel, everybody.”

When they gathered, Liam took Sophie’s
hand. “We have an announcement.”

“Another one bites the dust.” This from C.J., who stared lovingly down at her daughter.

“Sophie’s pregnant. We didn’t want to tell anybody and take away from Katie’s birth and Rachel’s new pregnancy. But Sophie can’t go back on the line as planned, and hell, I just wanted to share this with you.”

Sophie’s face glowed, and the two wore matching grins.
She added, “You’re the first to know. We’ll tell Cleary and Mikey and your parents when we pick the boys up tomorrow morning.”

“This is so great.” Patrick shook Liam’s hand. Hugged Sophie. The others followed suit.

His gaze met Brie’s. She smiled intimately at him, the smile that said they were in sync and felt the same joy. At times like these, he loved her so much he thought he might
bust open with it.

They toasted, then talk turned to motherhood, fatherhood, baby names and how the boys would take the news.

Pat, closest to the house, heard a sound inside. “Is that the doorbell?”

“Did you invite anybody else, Liam?” Aidan asked.

“No, we said we wanted a night with just us. We rarely get to do that anymore. Sophie and I discussed it at the pub today.” He started
toward the house. Pat waited and soon Gale Sullivan returned with Liam. Gale stopped short. “I interrupted a family thing! I’m sorry.”

“That’s okay, Liam said. “Did you need something from us, Gale?”

He held up a bag. “You asked me to get together books I had about preparing for the SAT exam Cleary’s taking in the fall. I went out to do errands and thought I’d drop them off.” He ran his
hand through his hair. “I should have called.”

“Don’t be foolish.” Liam took the package. “Thanks for getting these. Cleary’s only fifteen, but he’s in honors classes so he’s gonna take the test early.”

“That’s a good idea.”

Brie approached them. “Gale, how nice to see you.”

The guy’s face lit up. He took her hand in both of his. “Hello, Brie. You look beautiful.”

She did.
But why would he notice? Hell, Pat thought, why not? He was a guy, and Brie was gorgeous.

“Can we get you something?” she asked, ever the good hostess. “I think there’s coffee inside.”

“That sounds good.” As she stepped away, he called after her, “I’ll go with you,” and trailed Brie into the house, like a puppy dog.

“What’s that all about?” Liam asked.

Pat stared after them. “I
think he has a crush on Brie.”

“Who doesn’t have a crush on Brie?” This from Aidan, lazing against the table. “I have since you met her.”

“Me, too,” Dylan said. “Since then.”

He looked at Liam. “Well, as long as we’re being honest…”

The guys all laughed at Pat’s shock. “You’re shittin’ me.”

They shook heads in unison.

“Yeah, well, she’s all mine, so get any fantasies of
her you still have out of your heads.”

Dylan teased, “I’d be wantin’ some coffee right now, Paddy, if I were you.”

“If you get his meaning…” Aidan’s voice was droll.

“You know,” Pat said, setting his beer on the table. “I could use some caffeine before I drive home.”

On the Fourth of July, fireworks burst in the sky over the East River, lighting up the ten p.m.
sky. Behind Brie, Pat encircled her waist with his arms and whispered in her ear, “How many of these shows do you think we’ve seen?”

“Nearly two decades’ worth.” She leaned back into her husband and enjoyed the solid weight and familiarity of his body. The kids had wended their way with Aidan through the crowd to get a better view, and the rest of his brothers and sisters-in-law had joined
them. Pat and Brie had stayed back on the tiny hill, enjoying each other’s company. It had been like this between them for a week.

As another big pink ball exploded in the sky, Brie thought back to the past few days. On Monday, they’d played hooky from work, and she and Pat had spent the day at the beach. They’d gone swimming, walked the boardwalk and held hands while they’d sat in the warm
sunshine…