Brian

motoring and martinis.' She glanced at Lily and held out her hand. 'Hi, I'm Amy Aldrich Sl- I mean, I'm Amy Quinn. Brendan's wife.'

Brian quickly took up the introductions. 'Amy, this is Lily Gallagher. Lily, this is my brother, Brendan. Brendan is a writer and Amy gives away money.' He gave his sister-in-law a quick kiss on the cheek. 'I could use a few hundred if you've got some laying around.'

'Last time I checked, your wallet wasn't a registered charity,' Amy teased.

'Brendan and Amy just got married last month,' Brian explained.

'Another victim of the Quinn family curse,' Amy teased.

Lily frowned. 'The Quinn family curse?'

'I don't think Lily wants to hear about our family superstitions,' Brian said, slipping his arm around her waist and drawing her closer.

'But I do,' Lily countered.

'We'll save that story for later,' Brian said. 'You can't know all my family secrets. Or was that in the report?'

He watched the smile fade on Lily's face and he instantly regretted what he'd said. The report had become a sore spot between them and Brian should have known to avoid talking about it. Somehow, Amy sensed the shift in mood and grabbed Lily's hand. 'Come on, I'll give you the grand tour. Brian said you wanted to experience a real New England clambake.'

Lily blinked in surprise. 'I-I-'

'Don't worry. The boys are doing all the cooking. We just have to sip drinks and soak up the sun.'

Brian watched as they both disappeared into the cabin. Then he turned back to his brother, who watched him with a perceptive grin. 'She's pretty,' Brendan commented. 'Is she the one?'

'The one?'

'Yeah. Did you save her? Family rumor has it that you did.'

'Who told you?'

Brendan shrugged. 'I think Sean may have mentioned it to Li and Li told Ellie who had lunch with Amy a few days ago. You know how the Quinn family grapevine works. You sneeze in the morning and by dinnertime, we all know you have a cold. I've been thinking about starting a family newsletter so we're all sure we have the facts straight.'

'Very funny. Are we ready to go?'

Brendan nodded. 'Catch that stern line, then go up to the bow and cast off after I start the engine.'

Brian did as Brendan ordered, pushing off from the pier as the engine accelerated. Before long, they were cutting through the water and headed out into the wake left by one of the passenger ferries. It was a perfect Saturday afternoon with just a light breeze and a little chop. He crawled up the steps to where Brendan sat behind the wheel and took the seat next to him.

Brendan handed him a beer. 'It's not the Mighty Quinn,' he said staring at the wide panel of electronic gear.

'No, it's not,' Brian agreed. 'There's no boat like the Mighty Quinn.'

'I figure I'll give this back to Amy's father as soon as he knows out how to run it on his own. But for now, I'll have a little fun with it.'

'Are you going to live on the Mighty Quinn this summer?'

'I don't know,' Brendan said. 'Doesn't really matter where I live, as long as Amy's there. I know it sounds corny, but-'

'It doesn't,' Brian interrupted. He paused. 'It doesn't sound corny at all. It sounds nice. Hell, a few weeks ago, I wouldn't have understood what you meant, but I do now.'

'You do?'

'Not that I want to spend the rest of my life with Lily. Still, I can see how that might happen… how someone… how I might want to settle down. I guess you could say I'm open to the possibility.'

'There's just you and Sean left now.'

'Sean will never surrender,' Brian said. 'He's a rock.'

'Even Da is softening up. I talked to Keely last week, and she said our parents went out to dinner. Da even sent Ma flowers the morning after. I guess you can teach an old dog new tricks.'

Brian's mind flashed back to the conversation he'd had with Sean about their mother's infidelity and wondered if Brendan knew anything about that. 'Sean mentioned something the other day that surprised me. He said that Ma cheated on Da. Do you remember that?'

Brendan frowned, clearly surprised by the revelation. 'Nah. That can't be.'

'I think that's why Sean is so angry with her, why he doesn't want to talk to her. Do you think he saw something?'

'Wow.' Brendan slowly shook his head as he stared out at the horizon. 'I don't know. I suppose that would explain a lot of things. But I still don't think it's true.' He paused. 'Sometimes, I wonder what might have happened if they'd just had it a little easier, if he'd just loved her a little more. Da didn't make her life easy. I think about my marriage to Amy and I'd never even consider doing half the things Da did to Ma.'

Brian had to admit that he'd harbored the same thoughts himself. He'd always known that love wasn't supposed to be easy. Yet with his brothers, it seemed to be so natural, as if they didn't even have to think about it, never had to doubt their feelings or sacrifice who they were. But with Lily, everything was complicated and unsettled, a disaster waiting to happen. It couldn't possibly be love, so what the hell was it?

They'd shared the most incredible intimacy the night they'd met, stripping away everything but their need for each other. And though he'd known the curves and angles of her body from the start, he didn't really know her. He needed to find out more about the woman who'd made him feel such overwhelming desire. Just who was Lily Gallagher and why did he want her so much?

Today, he'd have his chance to learn. They'd spend the day and evening well chaperoned. With Brendan and Amy around, they couldn't possibly lapse into a passionate interlude they'd regret later. By the end of the day, she wouldn't be some powerful fantasy, she'd just be an ordinary woman, a woman who couldn't possibly hurt him.

Brian stared out at the tiny islands that dotted Boston's harbor. Then, maybe when she left Boston and went back home to Chicago, he could say goodbye without any doubts or regrets. He could put her in the past as he had every other woman in his life and begin again. After all, Lily couldn't be 'the one.' Could she?

6

The fire blazed in the stone pit, sending sparks up into the night sky. Lily snuggled against Brian, wrapped in a rough wool blanket. His arm draped around her shoulders as they rested their backs against a long log on the beach. She couldn't remember the last time she'd been so completely content. She felt… happy. It was such a simple word but it was the only one she could find to describe her condition.

Here, on this little island out in the middle of BostonHarbor, they seemed a million miles away from all the troubles between them. She could almost imagine living like this every day. She and Brian could get to know each other better, they could do things that normal couples did, like eat take-out Chinese and watch videos and argue about the position of the toilet seat.

'I could stay here forever,' Lily murmured.

'We could send Brendan and Amy back,' Brian suggested. 'I'll build you a little grass shack and I'll fish for food-although it's not recommended that we eat the fish from the harbor.'

'It's a fantasy,' Lily said. 'We don't need to think about that. I'll collect sea grass and I'll make plates and curtains and clothes for us.'

'Oh, hell, I thought we'd do this thing naked,' Brian teased. 'Isn't that all part of the fantasy?'

'And what are you two going to do when winter rolls in?' Brendan asked from his spot on the other side of the fire. 'When everything is covered with snow and the temperature is barely above zero.'

Amy slapped him playfully. 'Don't spoil their fantasy,' she said.