Being shot incessantly with a squirt gun was just another of those things she hadn’t experienced as a kid. Now she was getting ready to make s’mores. The group around the fire passed a bottle of whiskey but she stuck with her beer. Even that wouldn’t go well with chocolate and marshmallow.
Kevin sat at her side.
Moira jumped up from Jimmy’s lap and said, “Time for a game. Truth or dare.”
Jimmy groaned and stood.
Moira eyed him. “Sit. You’re playing. You survived last year.”
He moved back to his lawn chair.
“What’s that about?” Kathy asked Kevin.
“Moira always tried to trap him with this game. In case you didn’t know, Jimmy doesn’t like to be challenged.”
Kathy laughed. “And yet, he’s marrying Moira.”
“Go figure.”
“Who’s going to start?” Moira asked.
She looked around the group, the firelight making shadows dance across their faces. Kathy thought about her move. She had no idea what kind of dares they asked of each other, but she could use truth to her advantage. If she asked Kevin the right questions, she might be able to set Moira’s mind at ease.
It had nothing to do with him proving anything to her about the possibilities for them. Nope. Not at all.
Maggie stood. “I’ll go.”
Moira returned to Jimmy’s side and held his hand. Maggie lurked around the fire studying everyone. She turned to a man Kathy hadn’t been introduced to.
“Ronan.” She stopped and crossed her arms.
“Who’s that?” Kathy whispered.
“One of the Doyle boys. Ronan and I got into our share of trouble too.”
“Is there anyone in this neighborhood you haven’t gotten into trouble with?”
“Not many.”
“Truth or dare?” Maggie asked Ronan.
“Not fair,” someone called out. “Everyone knows the Doyles will do anything. A dare won’t scare him.”
“Especially a dare created by Maggie,” he said with a smirk. “But I’ll take truth.”
A few people moaned, obviously hoping for a good dare.
“Hmmm . . .” Maggie stroked her chin as if deep in thought. “What’s the worst thing you’ve ever done to anyone in this neighborhood?”
Several people laughed, including Ronan. His voice was deep and dark, fitting for a man like Kevin had described.
“Hey, Jimmy, what’s the statute of limitations on grand theft auto?” Ronan asked.
“That’s my cue to bow out. I’ll be back. Anyone need a refill?” he asked, holding up his cup.
“Where’s he going?” Kathy asked.
Kevin watched his brother leave. “If Ronan admits to breaking the law, Jimmy would arrest him. Just the way he is.”
“So he’s leaving so he won’t have to. He’s a loyal man, isn’t he?”
“Yep. The best.”
Ronan leaned his elbows on his knees and stared at Maggie and Moira. “When I was fourteen, I stole your father’s car. Crashed it into the liquor store so I could get some more beer. Needless to say, I was already drunk.”
Moira stared open-mouthed at Ronan.
“Your dad was cool about it. Pissed, but cool. Didn’t call the cops or tell my old man. He just made me work off the cost of the repairs.” He raised his cup of beer. “To Patrick O’Leary.”
After everyone took a drink for the toast, Moira asked, “Why did you steal his car?”
“The only other car that I had a chance of stealing was Seamus O’Malley’s. Even drunk, I knew it was stupid to steal a cop’s car.”
Kevin laughed. “He would’ve hauled you in for sure.”
“I don’t doubt it.”
“I can’t believe you stole my dad’s car,” Maggie said.
“I do,” Moira responded. “Your turn, Ronan.”
Leaning forward once again, he looked around at the crowd. “Chloe.”
Kathy turned to look at the cute woman she’d met down the block.
“Oh, this’ll be good,” Kevin said.
They definitely had Kathy’s rapt attention.
“Dare,” Chloe said with a steely look in her eye.
“Oooo,” rumbled through the group.
“Didn’t expect that,” Kevin said.
Based on the look on Ronan’s face, he hadn’t expected it either. He rubbed a hand over his scruffy jaw. “I dare you to let me do a body shot off you.”
“Who’s got the tequila?”
Michael O’Leary passed a bottle. Someone Kathy didn’t know ran to the curb and returned with a bowl of limes and a salt shaker. With a cocky expression, Chloe lay on the street in front of the fire. She lifted her shirt and placed a lime between her teeth. Ronan sprinkled salt on her abdomen and slowly licked it off. Then he downed the shot and sucked the lime from her mouth. Even as an outsider, Kathy knew heat when she saw it.
Before she had a chance to ask Kevin about it, Chloe turned and studied the crowd. “Kevin.”
“Truth.”
Kathy couldn’t believe it. He was a dare kind of guy.
“Why didn’t you ever ask me out when we were younger?” As Chloe asked the question, her gaze bounced from Kevin to Kathy.
“You were a good girl.”
“So?”
Ronan burst out laughing, and Kevin shot him a look. “When we were younger, I was only after one thing, and you weren’t about to give it up.”
She pursed her lips.
Kevin immediately turned to Kathy. “Kathy.”
Her heart sped. She didn’t know if she could handle a dare that Kevin dished out, but truth might be worse. She licked her lips.
“Truth or dare?” he asked quietly, like they were the only two people there.
Panic was setting in. She hated being in the spotlight and right now all eyes were on her.
* * *
Kevin saw the panic in Kathy’s eyes, but he couldn’t figure out what he’d done wrong. It was only a silly game. To try to put her at ease, he winked. He wouldn’t do anything to embarrass her.
“Truth,” she croaked out.
“Hmmm . . . What was your favorite part of this day?”
She released a breath and her shoulders relaxed. “Easy—outrunning you for the first touchdown of the game.”
A round of laughter made its way through the neighbors. “Go ahead and laugh it up. I’d like to see any of you catch her. She’s a track star.”
“Was,” Kathy corrected.
“Based on how you ran today, I’d say you still are.” His hand brushed hers. “Your
