Finding Pride (Pride Series) (3 page)

When she sank into the passenger seat of Lacey’s sedan, chills ran up and down her spine. Lacey got behind the wheel and started the engine; the heater was on full blast starting to warm the inside of the car. She could have just fallen asleep right there in the warming car.

They started to pull away from the the small church and the now empty cemetery. The windshield wipers were clearing the rain from her view with a soft squeak, but she still felt like she wasn’t able to see much beyond the path that the head lights were cutting through the fog.

Just then, she realized she’d gotten into a strangers car. What did she know about this small woman? She sat up a little straighter and looked over at Lacey who had her eyes on the road.

“You don’t need to worry,” Lacey said. “I’m not going to kidnap you.” She turned her head and smiled. “We’ll just get you to your brother’s house before everyone else gets there. I hope you don’t mind, but we invited a few close friends over for pot luck. It’s what he would have wanted, something small. Your brother was very well liked around town.”

By the time they pulled into the driveway the sky was dark; the sun hadn’t come back out before setting. She’d rested her head against the window with the soft hum of the engine and the gentle beat of the wipers.

“Here we are now,” Lacey parked the car so the head lights hit the house full force. “Matt spent most of the first year remodeling. I think you’ll like what he’s done with it.”

Looking through the wet car window, she saw that the place was a large white two-story house. Long green shutters sat on either side of large picture windows that lined the whole front of the house. The front door was bright red with a large brass knocker. There were stain glass windows which sat on either side of the door. They seemed to glow brightly in the night.

Following Lacey’s lead she opened her door and together they raced for the front porch through the light rain. Standing on the brightly lit large covered porch, she watched Lacey open the front door with a key from her own key chain.

Just as they crossed the threshold, Megan’s rental car pulled up in the driveway and parked next to Lacey’s sedan.

Watching from the doorway, she saw Iian step out of the car, along with the silver-blue eyed man she had seen in the cemetery. Both men looked up to the front door and nodded to her, then stepped behind the rental car and started pulling out her overnight bags from the trunk.

“They’ll get those. Come on inside out of the cold.” Lacey said. Then she walked towards the back of the house leaving Megan standing alone in her brother’s doorway.

Even though her brother had lived here for several years, she’d never visited Oregon before today.

There had been many reasons not to visit her brother. Looking down at the large cast on her arm, she realized that this was the reason she’d put off this last visit. The broken arm had just been one more thing she had hidden from her brother and she wished now that she hadn’t postponed this last trip.

Quickly turning into the house she tried to avoid thinking about her brother and her regrets.

Lacey was coming back down the hallway from the back, rubbing her hands together for warmth.

Just then both men walked onto the front porch and shook their heads like dogs to get the rain from their hair. They wiped their feet before crossing into the entryway.

Megan noted that their faces were identical, yet she could see subtle differences. Their height and weight for one. Iian was slightly taller, with a broader build than his brother’s slim frame. And although the brothers shared the same gorgeous eyes, it was the depth of the one brother’s that captured her attention again.

“Megan, this is my older brother Todd.” Lacey said.

Todd nodded his hello and just looked at her, causing warmth to spread throughout her system.

“It’s chilly in here! Can you please start a fire in the living room before the guests arrive?” Lacey asked him.

Again, he just nodded his reply, turned and went into the dark room to the right without saying a word.

“Iian,” Lacey said and signed along. “Please take those up to Matt’s room and start a fire up there.”

Lacey walked around the place turning on lights. Iian was jogging up the large curved staircase in the entryway. He had her suitcase in one arm like it weighed nothing, and had thrown her overnight bag over his shoulder. It had taken her all of her strength to drag those two bags through the airport just this morning. His hair was still dripping wet and he was humming to himself. Humming?

As everyone bustled around, starting fires, and turning on lights, Megan just stood in the main entryway. She felt useless all over again. Here she was standing in her brother’s home, her new home, letting strangers take care of her.

Hadn’t she promised herself that she would take care of herself from now on? But she was so tired she didn’t think that letting these people help her out for one night would hurt.

Lacey came back into the entry way, “Come on, let’s get you out of that wet coat.” Lacey reached for the rain jacket just as Megan flinched away. Slowly Lacey’s hands returned to her side.

“I’m sorry,” Megan said, looking down at her hands, not wanting to look Lacey in the eyes. “I’m just a bit jumpy and tired I suppose.” She tried to smile.

“No need to apologize. You must be overwhelmed, I’m sure a bit hungry by now, too. At any rate. People will start arriving any minute, and I’m sure there will be lots of food.” Just as Lacey finished those words, the doorbell rang.

“Go and have a seat by the fire and let me take care of this.” She pointed Megan in the direction of the two French doors that Todd had disappeared through.

Slowly walking towards them, she listened as Lacey greeted a group of people. Not really wanting to deal with anyone yet, she slipped inside the softly lit room.

Todd was bent over a pile of wood in the fireplace, blowing on flames that had started on crumpled paper. She saw that he’d removed his leather jacket and had a white dress shirt that stretched taut over his arms. Arms, she noted, which were very muscular. Powerful, was the word that came to mind. She was nervous around powerful, so instead of walking over to the warmth of the fire, she turned back towards the doorway and watched Lacey greet people.

She was about to walk out and find the kitchen, when she felt hands lightly placed on her shoulders. It was more reflexes than anything that had her jumping and spinning around, her hand raised in defense.

“Easy,” Todd murmured. “Here now, let me take your coat, you’re soaking wet.” He said, holding his hands out as one would to a wounded animal.

Blushing, she said, “I’m sorry, you just startled me.” She hung her head and turned around so he wouldn’t see her face turn red. Her heart was racing and her hands started shaking. It still affected her, being touched.

Gently he helped her out of the jacket. He made sure to be extra careful around her right arm. Then he walked over and hung it next to his own coat on a large oak rack. Looking over, he realized Lacey had watched the whole display from the doorway. Turning to his sister, he said. “She can eat by the fire. She’s frozen.”

Lacey agreed. “There’s a TV tray over in the corner. Go on, I’ll bring a plate of food once it’s heated.”

Todd saw that Father Michael was in the process of walking into the house and quickly ushered Megan back into the other room under watchful eyes.

Megan turned and followed him back into the living room, where the fire was going, quickly heating the whole room. Walking over she reached her hand out towards the heat. She hadn’t realized how freezing she was until the warmth hit her, causing her hand to tingle.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t realize how cold I was until now,” she said nervously to the room.
She knew he was still back there, but hadn’t wanted to turn and look at him just yet. Closing her eyes she let out the breath she felt she’d been holding since he’d touched her. She was nervous around him. When he touched her, however feather light it had been; it did something to her system. It had been like a power surge rushing through her body. Then again, she’d been avoiding getting close to anyone for so long she knew she was out of practice.

Taking a deep breath she turned to the quiet room.

“You have his eyes.” He said as he stood just inside the doors. His hands were buried deep in his pockets as he watched her.

Megan was about to say something, anything, but just then Iian came into the room. He took one look at his brother and then at her, and signed something quickly to Todd. She wasn’t sure what he said, but Todd gave his brother a frustrated look, turned and walked out without saying a word to either of them.

Iian walked over and taking her left hand up to his lips said, “Megan, I am very sorry about Matt.”

Gasping, she realized she wasn’t aware he could speak.

He smiled slightly. “I can speak, I lost my hearing in an accident when I was eighteen. I just don’t like to very often. My brother and sister say I have the most annoying voice.” He said this with a slight smile.

She could hear the little blunders he made with his voice, as if he was out of practice. But, he had a rich deep voice, much like his brother’s.

Slowly speaking back to him and making sure to keep her face directed at his, she said. “You have a very nice voice, rich and warm. Thank you for taking care of my luggage and starting a fire upstairs.”

He smiled while still holding her hand in his warm one. “You’re chilled. Come over and sit down.” He pulled her towards a dark colored couch near the fireplace.

“Lacey is still greeting people and I’m sure you’ll have a large plate of food in front of you in no time. I’ll just sit with you and keep you company until then.”

Back in the kitchen, Todd was helping his sister with the food, but his mind was back in the living room. He’d guessed by the look in her eyes that someone had hurt her. But, the instant she jumped at his light touch, he knew that someone had, and recently. The look on her face was heart breaking and he didn’t care to see it on Matt’s little sister. He was glad she’d turned away when she had, so she couldn’t see the murderous look that had come into his eyes.

His sister had seen, she always saw everything, she had just shook her head at him and discreetly signed not scare her.

He’d watched Megan when she’d gone to the fire. She had started to relax and had rolled her shoulders, showing him a hint of her long white neck. In that moment, he’d felt a flash of desire so strong he had winced. Of course that was when Iian had come in. Seeing his face; quickly signed for him not to scare her. Was he that scary of a person that both his siblings had to warn him about it in one day?

His brother and sister had a way of seeing things for what they were, it always annoyed him. He couldn’t even muster up enough strength to tell his brother off. He knew he wouldn’t get anywhere with Lacey, but he could hold his own with Iian.

Hearing people roam about the house, he could just imagine Iian and Megan in the other room talking. His brother had a way of making women feel very comfortable and at ease. Maybe he had enough strength to tell his brother off after all.

Just as he was walking towards the kitchen door to go and do just that, Lacey interrupted with a simple.

“
Don’t.”

Turning on her, he was about to spend his energy there instead. But, she just smiled at him.

Quickly, he let out the breath he’d taken to start arguing with, in a loud puff.

“How is it, that you can defuse any situation with that smile?” he said walking over and taking his sister into a hug. “You drive me nuts.”

“Give her time Todd. She’s going to need to trust us. She’s had it hard. I think we just need to give her some time.” She said into his chest with a sniffle. Taking a deep breath and a step back, she grabbed a large plate of food and handed it to him.