Kevin wasn’t sure what had been happening with his dad, but ever since Deirdre had joined their brood as Tommy’s wife, Dad had been spending a lot of time with Mrs. O’Leary. She was good for him, though, because she forced him to get off his ass and do things. Even if it was to go to church, it was better than his permanent location on the couch.
The O’Learys won the game by a touchdown and Kevin clenched his teeth when Moira came over to gloat. He would not engage in anything that would make him feel better. He would earn a chance with Kathy by winning Moira over, even if it killed him in the process.
“You had an all-star runner and a football player on your team,” he rebutted with a nod toward Shane.
“You guys had Jimmy.”
“Jimmy’s getting old. I bet Shane could take him.”
Jimmy glared. “I’m not old. The teams were evenly matched. They won.”
For the first time ever, Kevin saw that it didn’t bother Jimmy to lose. With the exception of the dirty look at Kevin, Jimmy was smiling. Moira made him deliriously happy.
Kevin looked at Kathy and wondered if she’d ever look at him like that.
“Time for water balloon toss,” Moira called.
Jimmy said, “Liam and I will start cooking. Any special requests?”
Kevin pointed at his brother. “Don’t you mean Liam will cook and you’ll stand around barking orders?”
Everyone snickered.
“We all have our talents,” Jimmy responded.
Kevin bumped Moira’s shoulder. “What the hell did you do to my big brother? He’s a big softy now. Nothing riles him up.”
“It’s amazing what the love of a good woman can do.” She froze in her tracks. “Holy crap. That’s it. You’re such an insufferable ass because you haven’t found a woman who can put up with you.”
“Are you going to fix that?”
“Hell no. I couldn’t do that to some unsuspecting woman.”
Maggie and Shane came down the steps of the house carrying buckets filled with water balloons.
“Let’s be partners,” Kevin said before Moira walked away.
“Yeah, sure. I’m gonna give you the opportunity to turn this into a wet T-shirt contest.” Then she added, “Again,” in reference to him soaking her a couple of years ago.
“I’m trying to redeem myself here. I’m not going to pull anything.”
On his side, a soft hand slipped into his. “Partners?” Kathy asked.
He looked at her hand in his, and she promptly dropped it. Damn. Now he was caught. How could he prove to Moira that he was a good guy if she wouldn’t give him a chance? Then again, maybe he just needed to prove it to Kathy.
“Sure,” he said.
They lined up and Colin, the oldest O’Leary, blew a whistle. Moira and Norah partnered up next to him and Kathy, Moira warily beside him. With every blow of the whistle, the partners each took another step apart. Moira deftly tossed the balloon and Norah caught it.
“I wasn’t playing a game by suggesting we partner up,” he said to Moira.
“Yeah, sure.”
“Seriously.”
“Wish I could believe that, but after a lifetime of misery, I know better.”
The balloon came at him and he cradled it. Moira’s words hit him hard and they rattled him as he tossed the balloon back, arching it high in the air.
Kathy squealed and ran forward to catch it, but she grabbed it too hard, and it exploded in her hands, splashing water all over her.
“I’m so sorry,” he said as he met her in the middle.
But she wasn’t mad. She was laughing as water dripped down her legs. She was absolutely beautiful with her head thrown back, the springy curls in her ponytail whipping around. “I’ll get even. That was the lamest throw ever.”
The light brown of her eyes sparked with her laughter and Kevin would’ve done anything to freeze that moment.
“Come on. I’ll buy you a beer.”
“Big spender today?”
“Of course. The O’Learys provide the kegs. Free beer.”
“That was a fun game. While it lasted anyway.”
“We’d never beat Moira. She wins every year, no matter who her partner is. I thought this year might be my chance, but she turned me down.”
Kathy wiped ineffectively at the water on her arms and followed him toward the keg at the O’Learys’.
“You want me to get you a towel?”
“Nah. I’m fine. It won’t take long to dry in the sun.” She walked at his side. “So what were you and Moira talking about?”
“I was trying to convince her that I didn’t have ulterior motives by offering to be her partner for the toss.” He cleared his throat at the twisted half-truth. “She didn’t believe me.”
“Not surprising. She’s not part of the Kevin O’Malley fan club.”
“There’s a fan club? Why didn’t anyone tell me?”
Kathy laughed again. That sound alone was enough to make him want more time with her.
At the keg, he pumped and poured drinks for both of them. Jimmy and Maggie were setting food out on the tables. Plates filled with burgers and hot dogs sat alongside bowls of salad and fruit and chips. The O’Learys might have their flaws but putting together a party wasn’t one. Years ago, Jimmy had finally given up on trying to get his siblings to do the work, and they all just chipped in and gave the O’Learys money toward the food and beer and both families ate together.
“You want to eat, or wait awhile?”
“I can wait,” she answered.
“Come on then. I’ll take you on a tour of the neighborhood.” This being-honest-and-laying-your-heart-out-there shit was tough. Kevin had never approached any relationship like this. Not that he was a constant liar or anything, but there was a customary dance between a man and a woman. It allowed for some flexibility in what he wanted to reveal at any given time. But he’d
