Before Kendall could reply, his mother spoke into the microphone. “As you all know, I have the best boys. Even if they haven’t given me a grandchild yet.” Behind her, Eric cleared his throat, obviously not pleased she was using a public forum to air this particular grievance.
Neither was Rick. Difference was, he’d grown used to her complaint. His mother met his gaze and patted his cheek. “But seriously I have wonderful sons. They take care of me in my time of need.” Her hand came to rest on her chest.
And her gaze darted to a point far away—like a suspect with something to hide. But that thought didn’t make one bit of sense.
“So,” Raina continued, jarring his thoughts, “it’s a pleasure for me to pass on my favorite story about my middle son.”
“Can I leave now?” Rick asked wryly.
“Only if you want to be hauled back and shackled with your own cuffs,” someone yelled out.
Kendall smothered a laugh but a loud hiccup came out instead.
“Okay, okay. Get on with it,” Rick said.
He put an arm around his mother’s shoulder, grateful she cared enough to make his birthday something special and grateful she was still around to celebrate with him. Still around. The thought chilled him. So did the one request Raina had in life that went unfulfilled.
Grandchildren. Something he’d almost given her back when he’d married Jillian. Raina, bless her generous heart, had welcomed and planned for Jillian’s baby as if it were Chandler flesh and blood. Unlike Jillian’s parents who’d disowned her, Raina took Jillian into her heart. And just like Rick, Raina had had her heart broken. But she’d never once looked back, not even when discussing her desire for grandchildren. Never blamed him, or forced the issue when he didn’t want to talk about it. Because she was his mother and she loved him unconditionally. Yet here they were many, many years later and Raina still didn’t have the grandchild she desired. Not even from Roman, who’d married a few months ago.
Grandchildren, he thought again and his gaze drifted to Kendall.
“Well, my story dates back to when Rick was three.” Raina’s voice and his childhood memories brought a welcome respite from the thoughts stirred up by this birthday slash anniversary.
“I thought we were all the way past his high school days,” Roman said.
Like Rick, he obviously knew where their mother was headed and it wasn’t pretty. Rick shot his youngest brother a grateful look though they both knew Raina wouldn’t be deterred. They were right.
She ignored Roman and continued, twisting in her seat, facing the crowd for maximum impact. “Guess what my adorable child wanted to be for Halloween?”
“I take it it wasn’t something as basic as a ghost or goblin?” Kendall leaned into him, her breasts heavy against his arm.
He swallowed a groan, then shook his head. “Just listen.”
“Chase, Rick, and I were in the car when Rick announced he wanted to be a fairy godmother for Halloween.”
The crowd erupted in hoots of laughter and applause. That damn heat worked its way back to his cheeks. Dammit, he was getting too old for this. But he couldn’t help but laugh at the story, as did Kendall. She laughed hard, not stopping even when Rick poked an elbow lightly in her ribs.
“I’m sorry,” she said between gulps of air. “I just can’t imagine it.”
He rolled his eyes. “Me neither, but she swears it’s true.”
“Oh, yeah?” A sexy grin tipped her lips as she met his gaze and a heavy beat of sensual awareness pulsed between them. Completely inappropriate considering how much company surrounded them but altogether right just the same.
“Tell us more about the fairy,” a voice sounding like Samson called from the crowd.
Rick shook his head. There was nothing to do but grin and bear it. With Kendall keeping him hot and his thoughts occupied with taking her to bed, he could handle anything.
“Well since you asked . . .” Raina chuckled. “Rick’s grandmother had read him Cinderella and he’d taken a shine to the fairy who granted any wish. I knew darn well John would enroll him in military preschool if there were such a thing, so I swore him to complete secrecy and promised him packs of baseball cards if he never told his father.”
A round of applause followed. Rick exhaled a sigh, amazed that his younger antics amused these people and touched that they’d all shown up on his behalf.
“Okay, show’s over.” Eric took the microphone from Raina’s hands. “My . . . patient . . . needs her rest. There’s Norman’s best food on the island in the kitchen. Make yourselves at home. Eat, drink, and be merry.” He raised a glass to Rick. “Happy birthday, son.”
Rick blinked, unsure he’d heard the man correctly, thinking he’d meant son more as a warm term than a literal statement. But a glance into his eyes and Rick knew—that word held a wealth of meaning, for both his mother and for him. On the subject of Raina, Eric Fallon had nothing to worry about. Rick, like all her sons, wished Raina health and happiness. She’d found the latter with Eric. After twenty lonely years, Eric had given her something special and Rick felt he owed the man for that.
Though he didn’t have a glass, he met Eric’s gaze and gave him an approving nod. One full of man-to-man understanding. Rick hadn’t had a father in years, but if anyone deserved his mother, Eric did.
Rick stepped forward to shake the other man’s hand, then turned to Raina. “I love you, Mom.”
“I love you too. And, Rick—” Something suspiciously like moisture had pooled in her eyes.
“What is it?”
She opened her mouth, then closed it again before gesturing over to where Kendall stood. “Just that she’s waiting. And I know you care for her. That look in your eyes? You didn’t even have that around Jillian.”
“Well, at least I know the outcome ahead of time. Now don’t you have to rest?” Though she didn’t look quite as tired as
