Finding Pride (Pride Series) (2 page)

Taking another look around, she could see that in fact almost no one was looking directly at her. As her eyes scanned around, something caught her gaze. A pair of the lightest silver-blue eyes she’d ever seen looked back at her through the crowd. Maybe it was because the man stood a head taller than everyone else around him, or maybe it was the fact that he was the only one who was actually staring directly at her. But for a moment, she forgot everything including blinking.

The man had dark brown wavy hair which was a little long and reached over his coat collar. What she could see of him under his leather coat, he appeared to be thin. His face could have easily been etched in marble and put on display. His jaw was strong with the smallest of clefts in his chin. His lips were full and his nose was straight, but it was his eyes that caught her attention again. He was staring at her like he wanted to say something to her from across the crowded cemetery.

Father Michael stepped in between them and broke her trance; blinking, she tried to re-focus on the short priest. He was attempting to encourage her to stop by the church for services.

“Megan, I feel like you are already part of the flock, I’m sure we’ll be seeing you next week. If there is anything we can do for you, just let us know,” the Father said while patting her left hand. “You will let us know if you need help moving in, what with your hurt arm and all.”

She looked down at her right arm encased in its large white cast. She had it tucked closely under her rain coat, which was left unzipped. The pain was a dull throb now, but that didn’t make the terrible memories go away.

“The Jordans are your nearest neighbors, they were very good friends of Matt’s. The two boys are young and strong, I’m sure they’ll be glad to come down and help you move in your things.” There was a match-making look in the man’s eyes that had her trying to take a step backwards; however her hand was still encased in his larger one. “And I’m sure their sister is looking forward to getting them out of her hair for a few hours.” He said with a slight wink.

“Thank you Father. I’ll try to stop by the church for services. I don’t have much to move in, just a few bags, but thank you anyway for offering.” It was the truth; Megan had sold what little furniture she had left. In fact she’d been living out of suitcases for the past few weeks.

“Well now, if you change your mind, just let me know.” The Father said patting her hand one more time.

Just then a stout woman walked up, she had on a very bright blue dress with large white flowers. Over it she had a slick black rain coat that covered only half of the dress and the woman. She reminded Megan of a peacock all dressed up with its feathers ruffled out.

“Well now, Father Michael, you just let go of that girl’s hand so I can shake it. It’s a great pleasure to finally meet you Megan.” The woman said while shaking her hand with a firm warm grip. “I’m Patty O’Neil; I run the local grocery store. I’ve heard lots about you from your dearly departed brother, God bless him.” The woman quickly crossed herself and continued. “I’m sure proud to finally meet you. O’Neil’s Grocery, that’s my store, it is just down on Main Street, can’t miss it.” She said. “The store has been in my family for generations. Well, if there is anything we can do…” she said trailing off as the next person approached.

And so it went, the entire town shaking her left hand and offering their help in any matter possible.

Todd Jordan silently watched Matt’s younger sister. He’d recognized her instantly from the picture Matt had kept on his desk. She was a lot thinner now and very pale. She looked lost, her broken arm held closely against her tiny body made her look even more so. And what a body it was. He’d scanned her from head to toe when she arrived at the cemetery. The rain coat she wore reached halfway down her slender body, and her heels looked very sensible as they sat halfway sunk in the mud.

He remembered Matt telling him that she was recently divorced, but couldn’t remember any details. All he knew was that his friend hadn’t been happy about the circumstances.

His thoughts were interrupted when Father Michael approached him.

“Well now young Todd.” The Father always called him “young” even though he was now in his mid thirties. “It’s a shame, yes sir. Her heart is broken. It would be your duty, as Matt’s best friend, to make sure you and your family help her settle in. Such a lovely thing too. To think she’ll be living in that old drafty house all by herself.”

Matt’s house wasn’t drafty. If anything, it was in better shape than his own. He could tell the good Father was up to some match-making scheme.

“And to think, the poor girl will be moving in all by herself, and in the state she’s in too. She could hardly shake my hand.” Here it came; he thought as his gaze once again swept over to where the object of their conversation stood. She was now being surrounded by half the town.

“You need to do the right thing by Matt and make sure his little sister gets settled in safely. God has some answers for her, coming half way across the world to bury her poor brother.” Father Michael shook his head. “I want you to promise me, that you and your family will stop by the house often, you hear me?” he said with a sad look on his face.

Todd’s gaze swept back to the Father’s. He knew the humorous look that the older man had on his face. That’s the look he and a friend had gotten for sneaking in the cemetery with the Blake girls to try to scare them on Halloween night, years ago. The father had tried to scold them, the entire time he was laughing at them.

“Yes, Father.” He murmured. Father Michael nodded his head then turned away to greet another group of people.

Todd looked back over at Megan and saw that she was even paler than before. Reaching over he grabbed his sister’s arm as she was walking past him and nodded in Megan’s direction.

“Someone needs to go save her.” He said under his breath.

“Just what do you suggest I do?” Lacey said with a stern look, placing both hands on her small hips.

“I don’t know. You’re the one that’s good at breaking things…up.” He added after his sisters eyes heated. Then he grabbed her shoulders and pointed her in Megan’s direction.

He saw Lacey’s shoulders slump a little after taking in the sight of Megan, being swamped by the whole of Pride.

“Humph.” Lacey grunted and started marching towards the growing crowd. His sister was small, but she packed the biggest punch in town.

“
I didn’t know Matt all that well, but he was a nice young man. He always had nice things to say about my bar, never once starting a brawl. Broke a couple up though.” The bar owner said with a crooked grin. Megan hadn’t quite caught his name when he’d barged to the front of the line and grabbed her hand in a death grip. “Always such a nice m-m-m.” He started to stutter.

Concerned, she quickly looked up from the man’s hand which was tightly gripping her own. Standing right beside the bar owner was a pixie. Megan didn’t believe in fairy tales, but there was no other way to describe the woman. She had a strong urge to walk around the petite creature, and see if wings were tucked under her dark purple raincoat. She was perfect, from the tip of her pixie cut black hair to the toes of her green galoshes. Galoshes, Megan noted, which didn’t have one speck of dirt on them. She was shorter than Megan and was slight of build with rounder curves. Her skin was fair and her eyes were a crystal gray blue. She had a cute nose that turned up slightly at the end and full lips that were a light shade of pink. She also had the most commanding look on her face.

The bar owner literally backed away without even finishing his sentence and quickly walked away without so much as a glance back. Within seconds, everyone who’d gathered around her had wandered off, all without a single word from the pixie.

“How-?” Her voice squeaked, so she cleared her throat and started again, “How did you do that?”

“Well, it takes years of practice.” The pixie said with a smile. “I’m Lacey Jordan;” her voice was smoky and laced with sexuality, “I was very good friends with your brother. I’m sorry he’s gone.”

The simple words touched something inside her. She could tell there was truth behind them. Lacey lightly grabbed Megan’s good arm and started leading her towards the row of parked cars.

“I’m also your neighbor. Let’s get you out of the weather and home where you belong. We’ve made some meat pie for dinner. I’m sure by the time we get there, the whole town will be right behind us. I’ll just go get my brothers and we’ll take you home.”

“Oh, please I don’t want to be a bother, I’ll be just fine.” Megan felt compelled to follow the small woman who still had a light grip on her arm and an air of command that surrounded her.

“Nonsense! It’s no bother at all. Plus, if you turn down dinner,” she said with a slight smile “my brother Iian might get his feelings hurt. It’s not everyday he makes the family’s famous dish.” She continued towards the row of cars. “Come on then, let’s get you out of this rain.”

Megan looked up at the skies, and at that moment it started raining lightly. Her mouth fell open, a big fat drop landed on her bottom lip so she quickly closed it.

Lacey still lightly held her arm and started pulling her towards the cars parked near the side of a small white church. All of a sudden she realized she was exhausted and chilled to the bone. She hadn’t eaten anything before her flight into Portland and felt her stomach growl at the thought of food. She wasn’t sure what meat pie was, but if it had meat in it, she was sure it would be tolerable.

“Oh! I’m sorry. I forgot to mention that I have a rental car over there.” She pointed slightly with her injured arm to a small white sedan that she’d hastily rented at the airport not four hours earlier.

“Give me the keys; my brother will drive it over to the house for you.” Lacey said waving towards a man who had her same color of rich black hair.

He’d been standing towards the back of the buildings in the shadows, so far back, that Megan hadn’t even known he was there.

As he stepped out, she noticed that his hair was longer than his sister’s. The man strolled over, appearing to be in no hurry. He looked like he rather enjoyed the nasty weather and his surroundings. To say that he was tall would be an understatement, he must have been six and half feet. It only took him a couple of strides to reach where they stood.

She had to crane her neck to look up into his face, and noticed that he had the same light eyes as his sister. His chin was strong with a tiny cleft, and his lips held a lazy smile that made him look rather harmless. Lacey handed him the keys to the rental car then waved her hands in a sequence of patterns in front of her.

Lacey turned back to her. “Megan, this is my brother Iian. He’s hearing impaired and uses sign language to communicate, but he can also read lips really well.” She said while continuing to sign. Then turning her face away from his she said, “He likes to eavesdrop, so be careful what you say while facing him.”

Smiling, she turned back to her brother in time to see the quick flash of humor in his eyes as he signed something to her in haste. She gestured something back to him and hit him on the shoulder in a sisterly way.

“Come on Megan, my brother will take care of your car.” They again started to walk towards the cars. At this point the rain was starting to come down harder.

Groups of people without umbrellas were quickly darting towards their vehicles. Others with umbrellas were slowly making their way.