Liz finally allowed herself a chuckle. “I’ve heard him go on and on when I’ve run into him in the bookstore. I imagine there’s a lot of football talk around the Sunday dinner table these days.”
“Especially since he’s brought Hector along with him a couple of times. I think the poor kid is a little overwhelmed by O’Brien exuberance, but last week he actually spoke up and argued with my dad. I’m not sure who was more stunned, Mick or Hector.” She grinned. “The rest of us actually gave Hector a little cheer. You should have seen Dad’s face.”
“I can imagine,” Liz said, laughing for what seemed like the first time in days.
“Now, back to Aidan,” Bree said, quickly killing Liz’s improving mood.
“Do we have to?” she begged.
“Just answer one question for me and then I swear I’ll drop it, at least for this morning,” Bree said.
“If that’s the best deal I can hope for, go ahead.”
“Is your ambivalence about getting involved with Aidan because you really, honest-to-goodness don’t want a relationship with anyone, because you’re not even remotely attracted to Aidan specifically or is it because of something the rest of us don’t know about him, something that worries you?”
Liz saw the trap. Any answer she gave was going to bring on a full-court press for more answers than she was prepared to give. She couldn’t explain why she didn’t want to risk her heart again. She could hardly say she wasn’t attracted to Aidan, because she was, way more than she wanted to be, in fact. She’d come to appreciate all of his good qualities, his caring side, his character.
But there were still the things she didn’t know. And if she brought up these vague suspicions about Aidan having some sort of past connection to Thomas, well, who knew what sort of hornet’s nest that might stir up? And if she were wrong about it, she’d have caused trouble for no reason.
“I’m waiting,” Bree said.
“Maybe it’s all of the above, or none of the above,” Liz said, hoping to be just confusing enough that Bree would conclude she really didn’t know her own mind and would give up in frustration.
Unfortunately that didn’t allow for the fact that Bree was an O’Brien. Vague replies only provoked more questions. Several more tripped off her tongue, before Liz held up her hand.
“Enough!” she commanded. “I can’t do this. My mind’s spinning. And I need a clear head if I’m going to get anything done at work today. Plus my mom called last night and announced that she and my sisters are arriving this afternoon.”
“You don’t sound excited about that,” Bree noted, studying her closely.
“I asked them to come,” Liz said, then sighed. “But I’d been hoping for a little more notice, like maybe a year.”
Bree laughed. “I get to see my family just about every day. Sometimes I’d be content with just twenty-four hours’ notice before some of them poke their noses into my business. Yours will be gone again in a few days. Mine never leaves. Try to remember that when they’re driving you crazy.”
“I’ll do my best,” Liz said.
“I’ve got a new play opening at the theater tomorrow night. Bring them. I’ll leave tickets at the box office.”
Liz’s eyes lit up. “What a great idea! Two hours of blissful silence.” She grinned. “From them, not the people on stage.”
“Good save,” Bree said. “If there’s anything else I can do to help out, let me know.”
“You have more than enough on your plate with a new production opening. The tickets are plenty. I owe you for making the suggestion and holding four seats. I know you’re usually sold out these days.”
“I always have seats for friends and family,” Bree said. “I like to stack the deck with a friendly audience, especially on opening night. Now I’d better run. We have a dress rehearsal and a last costume fitting this morning. One of the kids in the show has been growing like a weed. Unfortunately, she’s mine.”
“Emily Rose is in this?”
Bree nodded, her eyes shining with maternal pride. “She’s even singing a song. I’ve created a little diva, I’m afraid.”
“I can’t wait to see her. I promise to clap wildly.”
“All I could ask,” Bree said, leaning down to kiss her cheek. “That, and that you reconsider opening your heart just a tiny bit to let Aidan in.”
Liz sighed. “How did I know you weren’t done with that?”
“Because I’m me,” Bree said readily.
Liz watched her go, then looked around for Sally. “Could I have a large cup of coffee to go?” Something told her she was going to need all that caffeine and probably a lot more before the day was out.
15
Aidan had made the trip to Baltimore for the DNA test. Now the only thing left to do was to wait for the results. He desperately wanted to see Liz. He wanted to share all of this with her and get her take on it, but he’d promised to keep silent. On top of that, he recognized that she wasn’t exactly open to taking on his secrets, not when she was so clearly struggling with her own. That was a hurdle they’d have to face later, at least if he wanted to pursue his growing feelings for her. He hadn’t had any experience at falling in love, but what he was feeling for Liz, even without much encouragement from her, seemed like the real thing to him. He wasn’t prepared to give up on seeing where it led.
Right now, though, he hoped maybe the sight of her might prove distracting, that it might quiet his nerves or spur a different sort of restlessness entirely. Maybe she’d even agree to go out for a quick dinner or at least a drink, anything to keep his mind off that blasted test that could change everything. With results days away, he needed a distraction, and basketball with O’Brien men clearly wasn’t the best choice. There would be too
