* * * * *
His parents definitely had the wrong idea. They were being so nice to her, they clearly thought she was their future daughter-in-law. And so, over dessert, she said, “I want to thank you for having me over so I could say goodbye to you before I leave.”
Fiona’s mouth opened and she paused with her fork halfway to her mouth. “Leave?”
Keara nodded and smiled brightly. “I’m going home. Next weekend.”
“You are?” Fiona said slowly. “For good?”
“Well, yes. I have to get back to work.”
“But…” Fiona glanced at Declan, who also looked…puzzled.
Damn. She was hurting them? That was crazy. They didn’t even know her.
“Well then. I should give this to you now, then.” Fiona rose from her chair and crossed to the sideboard. She picked up a small silver box and handed it to Keara.
Reluctantly, Keara took it. She paused before opening it, glancing at Shane, whose dark scowl told her he was pissed off. His parents were going to hate her for doing this to him. Despair and sorrow twisted in her as she slipped the lid off the box and saw the oval of marble, a soft glowing pink streaked and flecked with gold.
It was similar to the stone she’d admired the last time she’d been there. The one Maeve had given them. A vow of friendship between families. She tried to speak but the words stuck in her tight throat. She coughed and tried again. “It’s beautiful,” she choked out and lifted it from the box.
“Declan said you’d admired the one we have.”
Keara nodded, and replaced it in the box. “I did. But you shouldn’t have.”
“It’s nothing,” Fiona said, but Keara felt her guarded disappointment. Oh hell, she was making a huge mess of things here. She should never have gotten involved with Shane’s family. “It’s a symbol of friendship. Between families.”
“So,” Declan said briskly. “Your job must be important to you.”
“Yes. It’s very important to me. I feel bad that I’ve been gone so long. But there’s no reason not to go back.”
The hell there wasn’t. But she ignored that thought and focused on the reasons she had to go back. She picked up her fork to finish her cheesecake, then set it down, unable to eat.
“I see,” Fiona said quietly. She gave a sharp look at Shane, then laid her own fork down. “Coffee anyone?”
“I’d love some coffee,” Keara said, thankful for the change of subject.
Shane followed his mother into the kitchen, leaving Keara and Declan alone.
Declan looked at her over the top of his reading glasses. She attempted a smile but his face remained serious. Then he asked quietly, “Did Shane ever tell you about Trista?”
Keara shook her head. “No.” Who was that?
“They were going to get married,” Declan continued. “It was about two years ago. She was a very nice girl. Very pretty. Smart.”
The bitseach who’d dumped him. “Oh yes. Maeve mentioned that Shane had been engaged.”
“That’s right. But she got a job offer in Los Angeles with a big law firm. She was a lawyer.”
Oh no. She could see where this was headed, and a sick dread filled her. “She left.”
“Yes.” Declan kept his voice low, no doubt so Shane didn’t hear him talking about him. “She wanted Shane to go with her. To LA.”
Her chest squeezed. “Why didn’t he?”
“It was just after I had my stroke. To be honest, I don’t remember a lot of what happened then. I was pretty out of it. But I know he had to make a tough choice. We didn’t try to influence him. He could have left with Trista, moved to LA, and we would have survived. We just wanted him to be happy. In the end, he made his choice to stay. But I know his heart was broken.”
Keara looked down at her hands in her lap, eyes stinging. Oh Shane. And now she was doing the same thing to him.
But she had to go back. She had to. She had to prove to herself she could still do it. If she couldn’t—who was she? She was nobody. Nothing. A washed-out shell with no direction, no control. No life.
Chapter Seventeen
Stefanie called on Tuesday to let Keara know that it was all set for her to go back to work Monday. Keara had rented a car to drive home in, figuring she’d buy a new car back in LA. She’d just go back to the BMW dealership and get another one.
“Do you want to visit the bank first?” Stefanie asked. “Like last time?
Remembering the humiliating experience, Keara shook her head. “No, I’m fine. I’ll just go in to work Monday.”
“You could work half days at first, if you want.”
It sounded reasonable, but Keara was determined she was going to do this. She wasn’t going to admit that a fist of tension still squeezed her guts at the thought of going back. She could do this. She had to do this.
“No, that’s fine,” she replied.
Maeve came into the apartment just as she hung up the phone, looking upset.
“What’s wrong?
Maeve’s lips quivered. “I’ve…I’ve misplaced some money.”
“Money. What do you mean?”
“A few days ago I didn’t go to the bank to make the deposit. I put the money in a safe place upstairs.”
“And…it’s gone?”
“No. I mean, I don’t know. I can’t remember where I put it.”
“Oh, Maeve.”
“I know, I know, it was stupid.” Maeve rubbed her forehead. “I should have gone to the bank.”
“Have you looked? It has to be there somewhere.”
“Yes, I’ve looked.” Maeve’s voice took on just a slight edge. “I’ve looked everywhere.”
“Well what do you think…you don’t think it’s been stolen, do you?”
“No! Oh, Jesus and Mary, I don’t know. I’m sure it’s not been stolen, but I just can’t think where it would be.”
“Well, come on, I’ll help you look for it.” Keara fought back the panicky feeling Maeve’s latest memory problem brought on. What was going to happen
