Reunited

'Hello, Seamus.'

'Hello, Fi.'

She slowly walked up to him. 'It's been a long time.'

He reached out and took her hand in a gesture so gentle that it startled Keely. She felt tears of her own burn in her eyes, the sight of her father and mother together causing a wave of emotion to wash over her. By the way they looked at each other, it was clear there was still something between them.

'We have a fine family here, wouldn't you say?' Seamus asked.

Fiona laughed softly. Keely had expected distrust or animosity or perhaps sarcasm from her mother. But Fiona looked at her husband as if they'd never been apart, as if they were still the same young couple starting out on their grand adventure to America, Seamus with his dreams and Fiona trusting him to make hers come true.

'You haven't changed a bit,' Seamus continued. 'You're still the prettiest lass I know.'

'We have a lot of things to talk about, Seamus,' Fiona said.

'That we do,' Seamus murmured. 'That we do. Can I show you the pub, Fi? I've made a bit of a success here. We serve food and drink. And there's a pool table in the back. Would you like to see the kitchen?'

'I'd like that.'

They both wandered off, leaving their seven children completely speechless. Brian shook his head. 'Look at the old man,' he said. 'You'd never know he was the same guy to tell us all those Mighty Quinn stories. After all this time, he's completely besotted.'

'Mighty Quinn stories?' Keely asked.

'Ah,' Brendan said. 'We'll have to tell Keely a few of the tales, so she'll know the perils of falling in love. According to Da, love will destroy a Quinn if he-or she-surrenders to it. As you can see, Conor is a mess and Dylan and I can barely function. And there are evil women lying in wait for Sean and Brian and Liam. You're not in love, are you, Keely?'

She shook her head. 'No. Of course not.' Though it was a bald-faced lie, Keely really didn't have the guts to explain that she was in love-with a man they all hated. She'd have to deal with that little revelation later, when and if it was necessary.

Conor clapped his hands together. 'Well, I suppose we should talk to Seamus's lawyer and let him know about our new witness. And you say our mother might know where we can find Franklin?'

Keely nodded. 'She mentioned that his wife had talked about a brother who lived down in the Florida Keys and ran a charter business. If you find him, he might know where Lee Franklin is.'

Conor reached out and slipped his arm around Keely's shoulder. 'In all those Mighty Quinn tales, our ancestors always used to ride to the rescue of a damsel in distress. There are no damsels here, but you definitely rode to our rescue. I guess you now qualify as a Mighty Quinn.'

'I'm glad I could help,' Keely said.

But would it be enough to wipe away her other sin-the sin of loving their sworn enemy? Would they look on her help as an even trade for accepting Rafe as part of her life? Or would the grudges run deep, too deep to be erased by a good deed? Keely wasn't going to know until she told them about Rafe. But, as Seamus had said, there had been enough surprises for the day.

This was one confession that would have to be revealed at exactly the right time-if she decided to reveal it at all.

THE GRAND REOPENING of Quinn's Pub was in full swing when Rafe walked in the door. He slowly approached the bar and took a spot near the end. After a quick scan of the crowd, he found Keely. She stood near the pool table talking to two women who were playing darts, women he recognized as Dylan's fiancee and Conor's wife. She wasn't wearing an apron, so Rafe assumed she wasn't working. If he could only get her alone, then maybe they'd have a chance to sort things out.

He'd heard about the grand jury. They had refused to bring charges against Seamus. At first, Rafe was sure the fix was in, that Conor had somehow managed to get his father off. But then he learned that Lee Franklin had been found in Key West. The man had sworn in an affidavit that the fight on the Mighty Quinn had actually been between a drunken Ken Yaeger and Rafe's father. Seamus had tried to break up the fight and Sam Kendrick had been caught by the pitch of the boat in the storm. Talk of Yaeger's behavior had spread through the swordfishing fleet, propelled by Seamus's outrage. After the incident, Yaeger had been unable to get another spot on a boat for years.

Rafe didn't have to guess at Yaeger's motives for implicating Seamus. It all made sense and had Rafe not been so quick to jump to conclusions, he might never have brought these problems down on Seamus Quinn-or into his relationship with Seamus's daughter.

His father's death had been an accident. Rafe had always thought that he couldn't begin a real life until he knew for sure. But now that he did, he still felt adrift…empty…as if he were still searching for something. Or someone. Until now, he'd been too scared to risk it all-to risk his heart. But there was no need to dwell on the past anymore. He could have a future with Keely and he was going to make it happen.

He watched her as she moved to the dartboard. She wore a pair of jeans that hugged her backside and a top that was cut low enough to reveal the spot he'd often kissed between her breasts. She laughed, and though the sound of her laughter was swallowed up by the crowd, Rafe found himself smiling.

'Can I get you a drink?'

Rafe glanced up. He watched the friendly expression on Liam Quinn's face slowly change.

'Christ, it's you,' Liam muttered. 'You have a helluva lot of nerve showing your face after what you've done to our family.'

'I just wanted the truth,' Rafe said. 'How was I supposed to know Yaeger was lying?'

'Hey, Sean,' Liam shouted. 'Look who dropped by. It's our old friend, Rafe Kendrick. Come to pay his respects.'

The chatter that had filled the bar slowly died down as each of the Quinn brothers made their way to the end of the bar. Rafe stood, prepared to fight them all if required. The hell if he'd back down. Six against one weren't the best odds, but he wasn't about to run away from a fight, or from Keely. They were all about equally matched in height and weight. His only problem would come if they all decided to rush him at once. Then the fight would be over before it began.

'I'm not here to cause trouble,' Rafe explained. 'I just want to talk to Keely.'

'Keely? What do you want with our sister?' Conor asked.

'I came here to tell her something.'

Dylan strode up to him and gave him a shove toward the door. Rafe fought the urge to swing around and plant his fist in Dylan's jaw. He wasn't going to be the one to throw the first punch.

'Get the hell out of here, Kendrick,' Dylan ordered. 'Nobody here wants to talk to you, especially not Keely.'

'Don't you think you ought to let her decide?'

Dylan reached out and grabbed Rafe's jacket, but Rafe brushed his hand away. The move only served to increase the level of Quinn hostility. Sean jumped over the bar and grabbed Rafe's arms from behind. And Dylan drew his fist back and hit Rafe squarely in the stomach. Another punch caught Rafe in the jaw.

'Stop it! What are you doing?' Keely pushed Dylan aside and gave Sean a look that was strong enough to make him loosen his hold.

'Do you know this guy?' Conor asked.

'Yes, I do. And I'd appreciate it if you'd quit hitting him. What are you, a bunch of bullies?'

'Keely, this is Rafe Kendrick,' Conor explained. 'He's the one who caused all this trouble for Seamus. He's the one who sent Yaeger to the cops.'

'He just wanted to know the truth,' Keely said, pressing her palm against Conor's chest and pushing him away from Rafe.

'You don't have to defend me, Keely. I'm perfectly capable of defending myself.'

Keely hitched her hands on her hips and turned to each one of her brothers, sending them a look that could peel paint. 'You shouldn't have to defend yourself. It should be enough that I ask them to leave you alone. Isn't it enough?'

'You two know each other?' Conor asked.

'They do,' Liam said, realization dawning on his face. 'I remember now. You were here together at the bar one