The Mighty Quinns: Ryan (15 page)

“I think I’m going to go out and surf a few more sets,” he said. He pulled his wet suit up over his arms, then reached around for the zipper.

Serena stood behind him and pulled it up, then ran her hands over his shoulders. “I’ll make some lunch. And I’ll call Thom and tell him when we’ll arrive. You’re sure about coming along?”

He turned and slipped his arms around her waist. “Yes. I’m sure. But go through my clothes and pick out what you think I’ll need. I don’t want to look like some wally from up the boohai.”

“I have no idea what that means,” she said.

“It means I don’t want to embarrass you.”

“You’d never embarrass me. You’re a handsome, clever, fascinating man.”

“Who knows bugger all about the movies.” He frowned. “What was the name of that movie you were telling me about? The one with the princess?”

“Roman Holiday.”

He repeated the name softly. “All right. Well, I’ll be up in a bit.” Ryan brushed a quick kiss across her lips and handed her the tickets. Then he picked up his surfboard and ran out into the water. Serena watched him for a long time, her hand shading her eyes from the midday sun.

He was beautiful, the way he skimmed across the waves, his arms thrown out. He’d bend and twist until he got the last bit of speed from the wave and then he’d turn sharply and drop down onto the board, paddling out for another set.

It was as if he’d been born to live in the midst of all this natural beauty. The sun, the sky, the sea. She made a mental note to plan a day of surfing for him in Malibu. It was winter in the northern hemisphere. He’d need to bring his wet suit and a board. But at least he’d be able to do something he loved on his visit. And she’d take him to see the redwoods. Though she’d never been, Serena had heard they were lovely.

She walked back to the cottage and wandered inside, running her fingers along the edges of the ticket envelopes. She found her mobile on the counter and picked it up, searching through the directory for Thom’s office number. When she found it, she dialed the number and waited for his assistant to answer.

“Hello, Denise, it’s Serena Hightower. Could you let Mr. Perry know that I’ll be in Los Angeles tomorrow at 11:30 a.m.? Air New Zealand. Please send a car and open my house in Malibu. I’ll also want to meet with Miles to discuss the rest of the publicity tour. If he has any questions, we can discuss them then.”

They went over a few more details before Serena rang off. Then she sat down on one of the stools and cupped her chin in her hand. Once again, she felt her life shifting beneath her feet. She’d felt the same that night on the plane to Fiji. And again, on the jet to Auckland. And now she’d be flying back to where she’d begun.

So much had happened, she didn’t feel like the same person. And maybe she wasn’t. She felt more like Elly Sheridan than Serena Hightower. And now she’d have to transform herself back again. The prospect made her utterly exhausted. It was a part she almost couldn’t bear to play.

It had taken her years to discover who she really was. And she’d found herself the moment Ryan had stepped into her life. It had happened so quickly that she was afraid to believe it was real. But then she’d try to imagine life without him, and everything seemed to fall apart.

This was what love was—this crazy, frightening, exhilarating carnival ride. And she was afraid if she got off now, she’d never be able to hop on again.

L.A. would be the test. If they could survive that, they could survive anything.

* * *

“W
HAT
ARE
YOU
doing with my laptop, Ryan?”

Ryan glanced up to find Dana standing over him, her hands hitched on her waist. “I’m watching something.”

“What?”

“A film. It’s called
Roman Holiday.
”

Dana pulled up a chair. “Oh, I love that film. Audrey Hepburn. And Gregory Peck. He is so handsome in that. Did you get to the part where he puts his hand in the gargoyle’s mouth? Oh, and the end is so sad. You just know she wants to stay with him.”

“It’s already over.” Ryan closed the laptop and handed it to her.

“What did you think? Did you like it?”

“I liked the motor scooter. The Vespa. Seemed fun.”

“That’s all you got out of it? The Vespa?”

In truth, Ryan had got a lot more out of the movie than that. But he didn’t want to discuss any of it with his sister. He wasn’t going to tell her how the movie mirrored his relationship with Serena or how he felt as if the two of them were as doomed as Joe and Princess Ann. Hell, Serena even resembled Audrey Hepburn with her flawless features and new haircut.

“I came to get you. Mr. Stephens will be here in five minutes.”

“Fine,” Ryan said. He followed Dana out of the office, but as he was walking through the reception area, he saw his mother walking in. Ryan stopped short. “Mum? What are you doing here?”

“Hello, darling,” she said, crossing to his side.

Ryan kissed her cheek as she gave him a warm hug. “I understand you have a new girlfriend. A movie star. I’m not pleased that I had to hear the news secondhand from your sister. But I won’t hold it against you if we all have dinner together tonight.”

“Mum, I’m not sure I want to introduce Serena to the entire family at once. She met Dana. That’s enough for a while.”

“Why? We’re a nice lot. Is there something wrong with her?”

“No!” Ryan said. “She’s perfectly fine. All right, after our meeting, I’ll ring her up and see if she’d like to join us for dinner. But why are you here now?”

“For the meeting,” she said.

“They’re still waiting for this Ian bloke to arrive. Let me make you a cup of tea.” They walked into the kitchen, and he found a clean mug, switched the pot on to boil. She sat down at the table and pointed to the spot across from her.

“You might as well come out with it,” she said. “I can tell you want to talk about her.”

Ryan pulled out the chair. “How do you know if you’re in love, Mum? Is there some kind of sign? Because I’m pretty sure that I love her, but this is all new to me. I’m sure I have it all sorted out and then she’ll say or do something and I’ll realize that I haven’t got a clue.”

“No one really knows until they know,” Lydie said. “And sometimes they’re wrong.”

“That’s very helpful, Mum. Could you be any more obtuse?”

“Don’t insult me, Ryan. I’m your mother.”

“Sorry.”

“All I can say is that you’ll know. Trust me on this. Your brothers knew. I knew. Something will happen, and it will all become clear and you’ll realize that you can’t live without this person.” Her voice caught and she smiled. “And sometimes, you don’t have a choice in the matter.”

“Why didn’t you ever marry again, Mum? I know there were men who were interested.”

“I never met another man who caught my fancy. I had children to raise, a job to do. There just wasn’t time for another person in my life.”

“But it would have made things so much easier for you.”

“Would it? It would have taken a very special person to raise another man’s children. To love them and support them. And I didn’t want a man to come between us.”

“But we’re not living at home anymore. Why not now? You could date.”

“Who says I’m not?” Lydie asked. She stood up. “Come along, sounds like Mr. Stephens has arrived, and they’re probably waiting for us.” She made a quick cup of tea, then followed Ryan out of the kitchen.

They walked into the conference room together. Like Ryan, his siblings were surprised to see their mother there, and when she said hello to Ian Stephens as if they were old friends, the confusion grew.

“Sit down, everyone,” Ian said. “I’m sure you’re wondering what this is all about. Your mother suggested I use the ruse of being a potential client so that I could bring you together to discuss something that affects all of you.”

“What is this about?” Mal asked. “Mum, is everything all right?”

“I contacted your mother first so that I could confirm some details, which she was kind enough to do. You are all the children of Maxwell Quinn, born 1958 in Queensland, Australia. Your grandfather was Conal Quinn, born in Ireland. Your grandfather was the elder brother of my employer, Miss Aileen Quinn.”

Dana gasped. “
The
Aileen Quinn? The author?”

“Yes,” Ian said. “Miss Quinn was sent to an orphanage when she was very young and her four brothers were scattered to the winds. When she learned of their existence, she set me on the task of finding all of their heirs so that she might leave them each a portion of her estate. You have many cousins who have already been beneficiaries of Miss Quinn’s generosity, and now you will number among them.”

Mal held up his hand. “Wait a second. You’re here to give us money?”

“Yes,” Ian said. “As the children of Max Quinn you are each entitled to a share of what Miss Quinn is giving away. There are a few requirements, however. You must submit to a DNA test to prove your connection to the family. And you must agree to visit Miss Quinn at your earliest convenience so that she might meet you. She’s ninety-eight years old, so I would suggest you book a ticket sooner rather than later.”

“How much money are we talking about?” Rogan asked.

Ian Stephens opened a file folder and glanced down at a piece of paper. “Five hundred and eighty-six thousand dollars,” he said. He glanced up and looked around the table. “Each. There is an equal amount that you’ll receive after you’ve met Miss Quinn. It is her hope that you’ll use the money to follow your dreams.”

“Jaysus,” Mal said. “Is this some kind of joke? Are there hidden cameras?”

“I can assure you, Mr. Quinn, this is no joke. As soon as your relationship is confirmed by the DNA test, you’ll all be quite well-off.”

The silence in the room was deafening. Ryan was gobsmacked, unable to put a sentence together. Could this be true? If it was, then he finally had the means to step away from the family business and start his surf school. Mal had the resources to hire new guides. And Rogan would have the chance to travel the world, taking photographs.

“What about Mum?” Ryan asked.

“Since she is not a direct heir to Conal Quinn, she will not receive a share. But there is nothing to stop you from giving some of your money to her.”

“You knew about this?” Rogan asked, turning to their mother.

Lydie Quinn nodded. “I did. Mr. Stephens contacted me several months ago, but we needed to get all the paperwork in order and make certain that we were the right Quinns. And we are.”

“Aileen Quinn,” Dana sighed. “First, I meet Serena Hightower and now I’m going to meet Aileen Quinn. You can tell her that I’ll be there next week. I’m quite anxious to meet her.”

Ian smiled. “I’m sure she’ll be happy to hear that. Now, if there’s nothing else, I will leave you to discuss your great fortune.”

“Mr. Stephens, there is one thing I would like to discuss before you leave,” Lydie said. “There is another heir that you should contact. My husband had another child. Another son.”

The room went silent, and Ryan and Rogan exchanged looks. “You know about him, Mum?” Ryan asked.

Lydie stared at Ryan. “
You
know about him?”

“I do. So does Rogan. How did you find out?”

Mal cleared his throat. “What are we talking about here? How can we have another brother? Mum, where have you been hiding him?”

“He’s not mine,” Lydie said. “His mother is Annalise Montgomery. She’s an American and the boy is about twenty-seven, perhaps twenty-eight. About the same age as the twins. Now, how did you two find out about him?”

“I overheard someone gossiping about it on an expedition,” Rogan explained. “And Ryan and I met him once. Dad took us to the office in Rotorua and she showed up with him. We were about five or six.”

“Why didn’t you say anything to me?” Mal asked.

“Because it wasn’t your secret to keep,” Ryan replied.

“Well, there it is,” Lydie said. “Mr. Stephens, I’m sure you’ll do the right thing. I can’t give you much more information.”

“She’s quite a well-regarded climber,” Ryan said. “I’m sure if you do an internet search you’ll find her. I believe she lives near Seattle?”

His mother eyed him, then nodded. “Yes. Well, it’s not a secret anymore.”

“Why couldn’t I have a sister?” Dana asked. “Why another brother? I don’t want another brother.”

Ian Stephens said his goodbyes and left the family to ponder the turn that their lives had suddenly taken. Mal was obviously curious about his new half brother. “How did you find out, Mum?”

“Your father took out a life insurance policy listing Annalise Montgomery as the beneficiary. After he died, the insurance company called me to ask if I knew who she was.”

“He left money for her and nothing for you?” Mal asked.

“Your father believed that I would be covered through the company’s life insurance. He wasn’t aware that Roger hadn’t paid the premiums in a year and a half. So we might have been left with nothing, but no matter. We all survived just fine.”

“You deserve a share of Aileen’s inheritance,” Dana said. “We’ll pool our money and divide it by five.” She looked around the table. “Agreed?”

They all nodded. Lydie Quinn smiled. “I’m sure we’ll discuss this all later. If we’re finished here, I’d like to go and meet this movie star that Ryan has been dating.”

“She’s living with him,” Dana said.

“And that’s the reason we never tell Dana a secret,” Rogan teased.

“And she prefers to be called Elly now. Elly Sheridan. That’s her real name,” Dana said.

Ryan stood up and walked over to his mother. “All right. But I want you to behave yourself. There has been no marriage proposal, she is not about to become your daughter-in-law, and I would appreciate if you keep stories about my dating history to yourself.”

“Is that all?” Lydie asked.

“No,” Ryan said. He turned back to his siblings. “I’m going with her to L.A. tomorrow evening. Mal, I’ll need you to cover the prep on my Kilimanjaro trip. I hope I don’t have to remind you how many preps I’ve done for you in the past year.”

His brother nodded and Ryan walked out with his mother. “You were quite firm with them,” Lydie said.