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 otherside 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 choseto 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.
oOo
Pat caught a glimpse of Brie when she walked into Liam’s backyard an hour later than she’d planned. She looked cooland 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 hissisters-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 squeezedher 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
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 otherside 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 choseto 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.
oOo
Pat caught a glimpse of Brie when she walked into Liam’s backyard an hour later than she’d planned. She looked cooland 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 hissisters-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 squeezedher 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