Deadly Ties (13 page)

Again he nodded. At least he was answering questions, which was more than they’d had an hour ago.

“Board games?”

This time, a shrug.

“Well,” Jesslyn said, rubbing the baby’s back, “Tori’s playing with her grandmother, something with ladders or maybe that game called,
Sorry
.” She shrugged. “I don’t know. If you want to play, I bet they would love to have you join them.”

Ryan’s gaze, Taylor noted, was drawn to the baby. Jesslyn obviously noticed, too. “Would you like to hold Alec here? Have you ever held a baby?”

Ryan shook his head back and forth. “No. Could I just … touch him? Or is it a she?”

Curiosity often overcame childhood shyness. Taylor didn’t care what it was as long as he was talking.

Jesslyn smiled. “He’s a boy, and yes you can touch him. His name is Alec.”

Hesitating for a moment, Ryan reached his hand out and gently ran his fingers over the baby’s dark hair, and down the side of his chubby cheek. Big blue eyes looked up at her. “Wow, he’s so soft.”

“Yes, he is,” Jesslyn stood and placed a kiss on the baby’s small head. “And so is his brother, Ian, so if you want to hold one of them, just let me know.”

“Okay.”

Everyone started down a hallway. Taylor didn’t pay much attention to her surroundings.

She was too worried about meeting the rest of his family.

“I won that round fair and square,” said a woman in the enormous room where they stopped.

“Please, that was so easy,” came a deep voice from a replica of Gavin. Ahhh … the twin.

“If it was so easy, Brayden, why didn’t you win?” The brunette woman glared at the man who was smirking at her.

Gavin leaned down and whispered in her ear, “That’s Christian and Brayden. Brayden’s my twin brother, in case you couldn’t tell. Christian is like a sister to us. She’s helped raise Brayden’s daughter, Tori.”

“Your twin? Never would have guessed it.”

70

A shrill whistle from Aiden cut the air. “Hey, everybody, the lost finally found his way home along with two strays.”

Taylor saw Gavin jab his brother in the ribs, even as Aiden only smiled in return.

“Well,” came a booming voice from a deep chair. “It’s about damn time.” The man, with white hair streaked with gray, stood and started to make his way to them.

“He sounds mad,” Ryan whispered.

Taylor caught both Gavin and Aiden turning to her son. Ryan didn’t like angry people and she couldn’t blame him, not after what he’d lived through.

“I don’t think he’s mad, sweetie, just worried about what was keeping Gavin for so long,”

she tried. Ryan’s look said he wasn’t buying that. “Well, even when you’re as old as Gavin, I’m going to worry about you.”

Gavin turned so that he was more in front of her and Ryan. “Oh, don’t worry about, Dad.

Jock’s like an old dog, he barks a lot.”

Her son looked up at the older man who approached them, and softly said, “Even old dogs can bite.”

Taylor sighed, and looked to Gavin.

Even as Taylor put her arm around Ryan’s shoulders, Gavin squatted down on his haunches. “Ryan?” he asked.

Ryan kept looking up at Mr. Kinncaid.

“Ryan,” Gavin tried again. Finally, her son looked at him and Gavin said, “No one here will hurt you. Or your mom.” His mouth tightened. Ryan continued to stare at Gavin, the apprehension plain on his face and in his eyes. “Do you think I’d bring you to a place where you’d get hurt?”

Ryan shook his head.

Gavin smiled. “Well, glad to see you trust me that much. Dad is just loud. He really likes little kids, just ask Tori. Neither he nor anyone here will hurt either you or your mom. Why do you think I brought you here?”

The last was a question Taylor would like answered herself, but had yet to get one from him, other than it was the
logical
thing to do.

Ryan looked from Gavin up to her. Taylor didn’t know what to tell her son, or Gavin, or Mr. Kinncaid.

“What’s this?” Mr. Kinncaid asked. “Surely the boy doesn’t think I’d hurt him.” True shock resounded in his thundering voice as his eyes turned to question his sons and her.

“Dad.…” Gavin looked up and over his shoulder before he stood, keeping himself between Ryan and his father. “Not now, okay? I’ll explain later.”

Mr. Kinncaid’s brows pulled down in a familiar frown. “Look son,” he said to Ryan on a shrug. “I’m just a grumpy old man most of the time, ask anyone. Didn’t mean to frighten you.”

Ryan just looked at him.

A strained moment passed and clearly no one knew exactly what to do.

Finally, Jesslyn snorted. Mr. Kinncaid turned a glare on her.

“I’m sorry, but I agree with Ryan.” The woman winked at Taylor’s son. “The first time I met him, he scared me too. Thought I was.… Never mind. I’m still not sure if he likes me or just tolerates me because I gave him two grandsons to dote on and play with.”

71

Taylor caught Ryan’s almost-smile.

“I don’t think you’re helping matters, Jessie girl,” Aiden whispered to his wife.

The old man hmphed and walked off a few feet, mumbling under his breath, before he stopped and turned back to the group.

Gavin watched his father’s confusion mirrored in everyone else’s expressions. How to smooth the rest of the introductions? He hadn’t thought of this.

Turning, he saw Ryan still studied his father. Taylor--well, Taylor’s thoughts he couldn’t read. It was obvious she didn’t exactly want to be here, but then he hadn’t really given her a choice.“Taylor, Ryan, the retreating bear is my father, Jock Kinncaid.” His mother walked up then and put her arm through Jock’s. “The woman by him, as you both know, is my mother, Kaitlyn.

The two who were arguing are Brayden, my brother, and Christian, who is basically, our sister.”

“Everyone,” he said, turning back and taking Taylor’s hand, “This is my friend, Taylor Reese and her son, Ryan. Sorry, we’re late.”

His mom came forward. “Don’t worry about it.”

Gavin leaned down and let his mother kiss his cheek.

Kaitlyn waved a hand absently towards Jock, before she said to Ryan, “Ignore that old man.

I’ve always told him he roars too loud.”

“I do not roar.” Jock sniffed. “I’m not that bad.”

Gavin couldn’t believe his father said that.

His mother replied, in her perfectly modulated voice, “Yes dear, you are and can, unfortunately, be even worse. However, we’ve all learned to tolerate you.”

“Kaitie lass,” his father’s voice held a slight burr. “Don’t take that high road with me.”

“Bosh!” His mother ignored her husband and turned to Taylor, leaning in to hug her. “I’m so glad Gavin brought you both back to join us this weekend. I hope you enjoy yourselves while you’re here.”

“I’m certain we will, Mrs. Kinncaid,” Taylor answered. “Thank you for your hospitality. I really hope we’re not.…”

“Imposing,” Gavin finished for her on a sigh. Lord, the woman was always worried about imposing.

His mother chuckled. “Oh, my no. It’s no imposition, none at all.”

Gavin noticed Jess and Aiden heading towards the couches in front of the big screen television. Ryan seemed a bit less wary, but not yet relaxed. Taylor was still wound tight as a bow. He caught her fingers fidgeting on her thigh.

“We were about to start a movie. It’s an old black and white,
Notorious.
But, have you eaten?”

Gavin hadn’t. Had Taylor? “Have you eaten? Ryan?” Both gave nods. “Actually, Mom, I haven’t. Things got hectic and I didn’t get time to grab a bite. I’ll just get a sandwich later, don’t worry about it.”

She arched a perfect red brow. “Mothers will always worry about their children eating.”

She turned then to Taylor and Ryan. “Would you two like anything to eat or drink? Tori is having Koolaid, but we have everything.” After she found out what everyone wanted, she said, “I’ll be right back.”

72

The three of them started walking to the couches. His father raised a questioning look at him and he mouthed, “Later.”

Brayden and Christian were still bickering about some stupid game. Gavin started to ask Ryan a question when a laughing girl came hurling into the room in a storm of giggles, squeaks and shuffles.

“Uncle Gavin!” Tori yelled and launched her self at him. “Where have you been? What took you so long? Uncle Aiden said you were bringing someone.”

The questions were fired so quickly and jumbled that he felt like he was in a whirlwind. He squeezed her until squeals of protest sounded and then he set his niece on the floor.

“Now, you little hoyden, be quiet so I can introduce you to someone.” He turned and noticed Ryan standing by Taylor just behind him. He stepped to the side. “Tori, this is my friend, Taylor Reese, and her son Ryan. I hope you can show him how friendly we Kinncaids are and how much fun we can have over the weekend.”

“Pops was right,” Tori said on a sigh.

Gavin didn’t even ask.

“Probably a woman,” his niece finished.

The four at the couches tried to unsuccessfully hide their snickers. Gavin merely raised a brow at his father who was staring out darkened window that was at least ten feet away. Gavin rested his gaze on Taylor. Both her brows rose in question, even as he caught the slight narrow of her eyes.

“Yeah, well, Pops was almost right,” Gavin clarified.

“Hi, Ryan,” Tori’s dark bob bounced as she walked to the new kid. “I’m Tori, well Victoria, but no one calls me that unless I’m in trouble. Brayden’s my dad.” She pointed out which person in the room she belonged to. “I was playing in the music room.”

Ryan’s eyes widened before he asked, “Music room? I don’t remember seeing that before.”

“Yes. It’s a room filled with instruments. I was practicing the piano.”

“You play the piano?” Ryan asked.

“Yes. I’ve taken lessons for years.”

“How old are you?” Ryan wanted to know.

Gavin saw the other adults were as interested in this child conversation as he was.

“Seven, almost eight. Why?” Tori’s tilt of head, reminded him of his mother’s when she wasn’t certain if she would like the answer.

Ryan shrugged. “I just wondered. I play the violin.”

It was Tori’s turn to look wide-eyed. “You do? I was practicing a piece I want to play for my recital. How long have you played the violin?”

“Not long.”

“What piece is that, Tori Bori?” Gavin asked her.

“Beethoven’s
Moonlight Sonata
.”

That sounded hard for her age, but he knew better than voice such a thought. Kinncaids were proud people regardless of sex or age. “Hmmm. Why that one?”

Her small shoulders shrugged. “I heard Grams playing it and wanted to learn and I did.

Well, mostly. I still have some things to work out.”

“I played that in Austin,” Ryan confided.

73

“Cool. Did you bring your violin? We could play it together if you remember. Put on our own show.” Tori’s smile was like her grandmother’s, with a single dimple in her right cheek.

Ryan shook his head and didn’t say anything else.

“That’s okay. There are a couple of violins in there. No one plays them though, so I don’t know if they work very well. Would you know?”

The boy lifted one shoulder. “Probably.”

“Well, come on then.” Tori pulled him towards the door. “Maybe we can put on a show or something. I bet.…”

His niece’s voice faded, and Gavin noticed not once did Ryan look back. Progress often came from unexpected places. He shook his head even as Taylor came up to stand with him.

“Is that all right? Him playing one of the instruments?” she asked.

“Of course. Why wouldn’t it be?”

“I don’t know. I just didn’t want....”

Gavin put his finger against her lips. “Hush. I know whatever you say will only insult me or my family and I don’t want to hear it. Imposition, uninvited, rude--whatever word you were going to use. Just don’t.”

Her brown eyes lightened with emotion, turning an amber color rich and golden with specks of moss. The shift in their depths made him want to kiss her, replace his finger resting against her mouth with his own lips. But he figured the fire burning in her eyes was not for the same reason. She’d been pissed at him all evening. Not that he cared. Stay at a hotel--absolutely not. Instead, he leaned forward and kissed her forehead.

“You’re still mad at me.”

She shook her head and he moved his hand.

“Yeah, you are.”

“Can you blame me? There I was telling Sergeant Bachal and Morris where we’d stay and you come charging in like … like….”

“Gallahad?” he supplied.

Her droll look only made him keep on.

“Lancelot?” he tried again.

This time she rolled her eyes.

“Cu Chullian?” He lilted his ‘l’s like he’d heard since childhood.

“Cu--what?”

“Cu Chullian.” Gavin sounded it out for her.
Ku cull-in
. “He was an Irish warrior, rode in a chariot.”

Taylor shook her head, and as he’d hoped, her dimples peaked out. “You’re impossible.

Irish warriors? Please.”

Something shifted again in her eyes, and he saw the worry and tension in them. “Hey, it’s going to be okay. Are you certain you’re all right?” A damn tire iron. He couldn’t get past that.

She pulled her lower lip in, he noticed she did that quite a bit this evening. Must be a worry habit. “He hasn’t called, Gavin,” she told him.