“Maybe you’ll share it with me some time.”
She tipped her head and smiled. “Maybe.”
* * * * *
A few days later, Keara was supervising the installation of the security system on the door. Maeve had opted for a key pad, and each person who had access would have their own code. It made Keara feel better about Maeve’s safety after she was gone.
And speaking of leaving… “Keara, a call for you.”
It was Stefanie, the disability case manager, calling to see how she was doing. She’d said she’d check on her this week.
“I’m feeling pretty good,” Keara said into the phone. But the thought of going back to work still caused the tight clenching of her gut. She’d finally confessed her fears out loud to Shane. It wasn’t just post-traumatic stress disorder from the hostage taking. Maybe that had been part of it, at first—having your life threatened like that would be enough to do it—but in addition to that, facing the mistakes she’d made in her management of the bank, the way she’d treated staff and her fear that she wouldn’t be able to make sound, rational business decisions still filled her with doubts. What if she went back and she couldn’t cut it anymore? Her job was her whole life.
She gripped the telephone.
“That’s wonderful,” Stefanie said brightly. “So what do you think about going back to work next week?”
“Next week?” Keara turned in a circle and stared into space. “Well, I still don’t have a car.”
“You know, I mentioned there are other ways to get you back to Los Angeles.”
“I know. I expect to hear from the insurance company this week. I could probably go ahead with getting a new vehicle.” She had to, sometime. There just didn’t seen any big rush there in Kilkenny, where she could walk a lot of places, and truthfully, she didn’t have many places to go.
“I just…I’m not sure,” she said.
Stefanie’s voice got firmer. “Keara. Unless we have something in writing from a medical professional—Dr. Cogan, for example—saying that you can’t work, we won’t be able to keep paying your benefits.”
The disability insurance company was depositing money into her account every two weeks. She hadn’t spent much since she’d been in Kilkenny. Her rent was paid for this month. She had savings and some investments—she was a finance person after all. She was smart with money. But the prospect of no income coming in was not exactly appealing. Great.
“Well then,” she said a bit stiffly. “I guess I really don’t have much choice.”
“Of course it’s your choice,” Stefanie said, back to cheery. “But you should know that the bank is getting anxious about you coming back. This costs them money too, and they’d rather have you back at work.”
“Of course.”
Money. It all came down to money. Now she was the number. She rolled her lips in and clenched her teeth. “I understand,” she said. “I’ll see what I can do about getting a car. I don’t think I can be back next week, but how about the Monday the week after?”
“That sounds wonderful! I’ll let them know that’s the plan.”
Keara clicked off the phone and stared blindly at it. She was going home.
* * * * *
“My mom wants me to bring you for dinner tomorrow,” Shane said. They lay in his bed Friday night, wrapped around each other as usual in a haze of postcoital satisfaction.
“Me and Maeve?”
“No. Just you.”
She looked at him. “Is it a party?”
He shook his head, and his eyes shifted away. “No. They just want to have you over.”
“Why?”
“Because…we’ve been…uh…”
“Having sex?” Her dry tone grated on him and he frowned.
“No. Well yes, but…they think we’re seeing each other.”
She laughed, a short, tight laugh. “Don’t they know you’re just helping me out?”
“Uh…haven’t discussed that with them, actually. And I’m sure you don’t want me to.”
“I guess not.” She eyed him warily. “But it’s probably not a good idea for them to think there’s more between us than there is.”
Shane’s stomach tightened. He took a deep breath. “Maybe there could be.”
She blinked at him. “Like what?”
“Like…” Christ, this was hard. Sweat prickled his underarms and his heart thudded. “Keara, I…really like you.”
She smiled. “Thanks. I like you too.”
He closed his eyes, felt like he was jumping out of a speeding cop car on a high-speed chase. “Keara. I think I’m falling in love with you.”
She stared at him for a long, fraught moment. Then she rolled away from him and off the bed, reaching for his shirt on the chair and dragging it on. She wrapped it around herself, holding it with her arms. He watched her, dismay sliding through him in hot shivers.
“Don’t be ridiculous. I’m going back to LA.”
“When?” he challenged. “Why?”
“I told them I’d be back to work a week from Monday. I’ll leave next weekend.”
Shane’s breath stopped. He kept his face tight and controlled. “Next week. You’re leaving next week.”
She nodded. “The case manager called, and said I need something from a doctor if I’m going to stay off any longer. I haven’t seen a doctor, and I’m feeling better…” He saw the shadow pass over her face as she said that. “So I have to go back.”
“Oh. Jesus.” He let his head fall back down to the pillow and stared up at the ceiling. She hadn’t talked about leaving and he’d just thought maybe she was enjoying it in Kilkenny and might stay longer. Like forever.
He was a fucking idiot.
He couldn’t believe this was happening to him again.
“But I’d love to see your parents before I go.”
He lifted his head to gape at her. Was she serious? Apparently so, standing there, his shirt wrapped tight around her pretty body, emerald eyes blinking at him.
Shit. He felt like he might just puke up the meal he’d eaten earlier. And yet, he knew if he had only a week left with her, he’d spend every minute with her he could. So he’d torture himself by taking her to
