To Promise, page 3
Logically, he knew she was right, but he was fast losing patience with the bureaucracy. “Listen, she missed the flight we were on together, and I’m worried about her. So please, just tell me if she’s on another flight. You don’t have to tell me where she’s going or which flight she’s on, I just need to know she’s safe.”
“Sir, I really can’t . . .”
“What if she’s been kidnapped? Or worse?” He didn’t normally go to the worst-case scenario, but his internal desperation couldn’t be ignored. “Can you see the headlines? Pretty Irish Citizen Kidnapped from Kalamazoo Airport, Staff Refused to Help Find Her. Because trust me, I’ll make sure every television station knows you wouldn’t help me. Now, will you please just check!”
“Okay, okay.” The woman’s fingers flew across her keyboard. After staring at her screen for several minutes, she slowly shook her head. “I’m sorry sir, but she was a no-show on flight seven fifty-four to Chicago, final destination Dublin, Ireland.”
“I told you she wasn’t on the flight.” His pulse spiked with fear. “You’re saying she isn’t on another flight?”
The woman’s gaze mirrored his concern. “She is not on another flight.”
“Will you page her again?”
This time, she didn’t argue but picked up the handset. “Will passenger Brianna Murphy please come to gate twenty-three in terminal B. Brianna Murphy, please come to gate twenty-three in terminal B.”
He turned from the desk, scanning the crowds, hoping, praying Brianna would be rushing toward him.
But after five minutes, then ten, there was nothing.
“Thank you.” Moving away from the desk, he pulled out his phone to call Brianna again. The call went to voice mail, and he resisted the urge to throw the device against the wall in frustration.
Maybe she really had dumped him. Like left the airport to go catch a flight out of Battle Creek or Lansing instead. It was the only possibility that made sense.
He turned back to the desk to ask about the next available flight to Chicago when his phone rang. Looking at the number, a wave of relief hit him hard. Bree!
“Where are you?”
“Where are you?” she countered. “Aren’t you airborne by now?”
She had ditched him on purpose. He swallowed a surge of anger. “No, I’m not. I was worried when you didn’t get on the plane. I’m standing in the middle of the terminal. Where are you?”
“Driving back to McNally Bay.” Bree’s voice didn’t sound upset or angry, which for some reason annoyed him. “Didn’t you get Jemma’s message?”
His heart jumped in his chest. “No, I had a missed call but no message. I tried her back, but she didn’t answer. Why? What happened? Is she okay? Garth? Trey?” The idea of something happening to his young nephew made him feel anxious all over again.
“She’s fine, other than a sprained or possibly broken wrist. Apparently, she tripped over Goldie.”
His heart settled back into a normal rhythm. “I’m sorry to hear that, but what does that have to do with you?”
“She asked me to come back to help cook breakfasts for her.” Brianna’s voice held a disturbing note of cheerfulness. “Can’t very well cancel the two upcoming weddings they have scheduled, can she?”
“I guess not.” The possibility that Bree had decided to stay longer in McNally Bay had never entered his mind. Although he realized now that it made sense. The guests at the B&B raved about the breakfasts and the quaint atmosphere overlooking the lake. They also enjoyed spending time in the small town.
He was one of the few who knew the truth.
“Maybe I should come back, too.” The words popped out of his mouth before he could hold them back.
There was a slight pause. “No need for that, Jemma doesn’t expect you to return.”
She only spoke the truth, but the comment stung. The conversation he’d overheard at the gas station echoed through his mind.
It doesn’t matter, we’ll be fine as long as we keep our mouths shut.
You have more to lose than I do.
“Sorry to worry you over nothing.” Bree’s light tone bugged him. “I hope you can catch another flight, Jake. In fact, if you’d like to head straight to Florence, it’s no problem for us to ship any items you have in the cottage. Would be a waste of quid to fly to Ireland for that.”
The cottage was the original home of the Murphys’ farm. Seamus Murphy, Bree’s father, grew up in the cottage, then built the new home shortly after he’d met and married Brianna’s mother, Maggie. Bree’s mother died of cancer seven years ago, so Seamus, Quinn, and Bree shared the main house now.
Seamus had confided in him that there was more than enough land on the farm to build another home, if needed. A not-so-subtle hint related to Jake’s future with Brianna. A hint that had sent icy cold water sliding down to his feet.
“Jake? Still there?”
He shook off the memories. “Yes, I’m here. How long do you think you’ll be staying in McNally Bay?”
“I don’t know, depends on Jemma’s wrist. She’s hoping the injury is only a sprain, but if it’s broken, could be a month or two.”
Again, the way she sounded, well, downright happy about the whole thing, puzzled him.
“Listen, Jake, I need to get back on the highway. I pulled over to ring you back, but I want to be back at the B and B in time to help get things ready for the morning.”
“Yeah, I know.” He couldn’t explain why he was reluctant to let her go. “I’m glad you’re okay, Bree.”
“Why wouldn’t I be?”
“No reason. I was confused, that’s all.” He didn’t want to explain the crazy panic attack he’d had while trying to figure out what had happened to cause her to miss her flight.
“Goodbye, Jake. I hope you find what you’re looking for in Florence.” She disconnected from the call, leaving him standing in the middle of the airport feeling like an idiot.
Bree was fine, he’d gotten off the plane for nothing. And she was right, it did make more sense to fly directly to Florence rather than taking the detour through Ireland. Why hadn’t he considered asking her to ship his things to Italy in the first place?
Because he’d wanted to return to the Murphys’ farm. To say goodbye in person.
There was nothing keeping him from moving on to the next phase of his life. He turned and stared at the woman still standing behind the counter.
His feet didn’t move. He couldn’t bring himself to go ahead and book another flight.
As much as he’d made it his mission to avoid McNally Bay, he knew couldn’t just leave. The voices he’d overheard had shocked him to his core. After all these years, it never really occurred to him that the two men would still be living there.
And he couldn’t seem to worry about his siblings being in possible danger. That nosy family is looking for evidence.
He didn’t like it. The town had been named for the McNallys. What other family could they have been talking about?
He only had one option. Return to McNally Bay, at least for a while.
If nothing else, he needed to be sure that the ghosts of the past stayed deeply buried, where they belonged.
3
Bree pulled into the small parking lot in front of the B&B with a strange sense of relief. Jazz came rushing out to meet with her.
“Thank you so much for helping us out, Bree.” Jemma’s twin sister, as dark as Jemma was blonde, enveloped her in a big hug. “We couldn’t do this without you.”
“Go on now, it’s fine, that’s what friends are for, isn’t it? Have you heard from Jemma?”
“Yes. No broken bones, but a bad sprain. They’ve put her wrist in a brace with instructions not to use it for at least a week. Once the swelling is down, they want her to go to Kalamazoo for an MRI scan.” Jazz’s green eyes clouded with worry. “If the tendons have been damaged, she may need surgery.”
“Surgery? I sure hope not.” Bree felt bad for what Jemma might be going through. “Best to think positive, isn’t it?”
“Yes, absolutely.” Jazz’s smile didn’t quite reach her eyes. “Come inside, we’ve set aside the master suite for you.”
“The master suite?” Bree was taken aback. “Why not the rose room?”
“The master is close to the kitchen, which makes it easier for you.” Jazz led the way inside. “Besides, all the rooms are booked this upcoming weekend for the wedding.”
That made sense. “The master will be grand. I’d like to take a look at what Jemma has in the kitchen, take a quick inventory of what I may need for the morning.”
“Sure thing. Jemma should be back soon, you may want to talk to her about what she has planned.”
“I will.” Bree looked into the fridge, took note of the fresh cranberries, wondering if Jemma had planned to use them for muffins. “I want to make a list.”
Jazz handed her a pad of paper and a pencil.
She hadn’t taken many notes when she heard the sound of the front door. Assuming Garth had brought Jemma back, she called, “I’m in the kitchen.”
“I figured as much.” Jake’s deep voice knocked her back a step.
She gaped at him, her mind whirling. She would have bet Dark Rogue’s latest winnings that Jake would have gotten on the next flight out of Kalamazoo without looking back. “What are you doing here?”
He dropped his duffel, shrugged, and slid his hands into the front pockets of his khaki slacks. “I had already missed my flight, thought it might be a good idea to check on Jemma and Trey.”
She stared at him. “But—you were supposed to be on your way to Italy.”
“Not yet.” He glanced around. “Where is Jemma anyway?”
She gripped the counter to keep her steady. “Still at the hospital. Jazz says they didn’t find any broken bones, just a bad sprain.”
“That’s good to hear.”
“Yes.” The inane conversation was driving her mad. She couldn’t believe Jake had followed her back here. “How long are you planning to stay in McNally Bay?”
“I’m not sure.”
She ground her teeth together, battling a wave of frustration. “I don’t understand why you’ve come, Jake. You’ve made it clear you don’t think of McNally Bay as your home.”
“I know, but I wanted to check on Jemma, make sure she’s all right.”
Since when? She bit her tongue and let it go, knowing there was nothing to be gained by pushing the issue. There was no doubt Jake cared about his family, especially his youngest sisters, but to return to McNally Bay just to check on Jemma seemed a flimsy excuse.
She felt certain Jake wouldn’t stay for long. A day or two at the most.
It wasn’t the end of the world to put up with him for another couple of days.
“Jake, I’m here to help her with breakfast, and I can watch Trey, too. No need to put your plans for Florence on hold.”
“I’m not.” His swift denial didn’t ring true.
“What if someone buys the villa out from underneath you?”
He shrugged. “If it’s still available, that’s fine. If not, I’ll find something else to invest in.”
Of that she had no doubt. Jake McNally had a knack for making oodles of quid wherever he went. The way he’d turned the Murphy Equestrian Farm around with Dark Rogue certainly proved it.
She wanted to scream at him to leave her alone. Couldn’t he see she didn’t want him there?
“If you don’t like it here, why did you come?” She couldn’t hold on to her patience. “I’ll be fine on my own. Your sisters are grand.”
He glanced at her. “Yes, Jemma and Jazz are great. And so are you for agreeing to help out like this.”
“Then why?” She felt a desperate need to convince him to leave.
Jake was silent for several moments. “I know I’m sending you mixed messages,” he admitted.
“Do you?”
He winced. “I’m not doing it on purpose. I was all set to fly to Florence, but I just couldn’t seem to do it.” He shot a glance at her. “When it came down to it, I couldn’t bear to leave you, Bree.”
Her heart thumped crazily in her chest, and she inwardly groaned. Jake at his most charming was difficult to ignore. “Bullocks,” she retorted. “I’m thinking you’re not used to women letting you go without a fight.”
“That’s not true,” he argued. But she noticed a flash of guilt cross his features.
“Yes, it is. Didn’t you mention coming to Ireland from Toronto? There was a woman you’d left behind, Katerina, wasn’t it? She begged you not to go, didn’t she?”
When the tips of his ears turned red, she knew she’d nailed it.
“Is that what I need to do, then? Beg you not to go to Italy? Beg you to give a relationship between us a chance?” She took a step forward, leaning in close and lowering her voice. “Is that what you need to hear from me, Jake? How much I care about you?”
It was his turn to shift from one foot to the other, but he surprised her by reaching out to capture her hand. “I’m not going to deny I like hearing those words from you.”
His fingers radiated heat, and it took all her willpower not to pull away from the scorching awareness.
“Okay, then. If you want the truth, I’ll give it to you. I care about you, Jacob McNally. And I would like nothing more than to be in a relationship with you.”
She fully expected him to let her go, pushing her away the way he had when she’d arrived at McNally Bay without an invitation.
But he gently squeezed her hand. “I should be scared, but I’m not. Because I care about you, too, Bree.”
No. NO! This was not going the way she’d planned. He was supposed to run away, hopping the first flight to Florence, or England, or Toronto, or anywhere that wasn’t McNally Bay. “What are you saying?”
“That I’m willing to give a relationship with you a try.” His response didn’t radiate confidence, yet it still managed to rock her back on her heels.
Words failed her. This wasn’t what she wanted. Well, truthfully, it was, but not like this. Not in a way that made it clear Jake wasn’t sure he had what it took to make a relationship work.
Not when she still had no idea why he didn’t consider McNally Bay to be home in the first place.
Dear heaven above, what had she done?
Jake was surprised by the lack of panic he felt when he’d agreed to be with Bree. Exploring new territory by entering a relationship with her.
Had she sprinkled him with some sort of Celtic faery magic? He didn’t believe in such things, but there was no denying that he was acting completely out of character.
Yet for the first time in what seemed like weeks, he felt a strange sense of peace. It had taken time for his mind to understand what his body was telling him.
He was growing tired of running. Of moving on. Of starting over in a new place with new people.
Yet just thinking about the voices he’d overheard at the gas station earlier that morning made his shoulders knot with tension. Memories of the past made it impossible to relax.
He needed to make sure any possible threat to him wouldn’t spill over to his family. Yet, staying in McNally Bay even for a week or two would seem like forever. Especially since he wanted to avoid Main Street. The B&B was nice, but he’d go crazy cooped up there for more than a few days.
And he’d already shown Brianna the few touristy places that he knew about.
“Jake! What on earth are you doing here?”
Jemma’s incredulous tone had Bree snatching her hand from his and stepping away, her back pressed up against the kitchen counter behind her. He turned to face Jemma, frowning at her pale skin and the brackets of pain cornering her mouth.
“Here, sit down. You look exhausted.” He drew Jemma toward the picnic-style bench seat. He wrapped his arm around her shoulder in a brief hug. “I’m sorry you’re hurt, Jem. What happened? Are you sure you’re okay?”
She cradled her splinted wrist to her stomach and offered a wan smile. “I will be. Stupid of me to trip over Goldie like that.”
The Goldendoodle puppy wasn’t very well trained, but Jake wasn’t about to point that out. “It could happen to anyone.”
“Maybe. But the worst part is the fact that Trey was far more concerned about Goldie than me.”
He tried not to smile. “He’s almost four; he still thinks you’re indestructible.”
“I’m not.” Jemma caught his gaze. “Jeremy helped me navigate through the hospital system in Kalamazoo and told me I was fortunate not to need surgery.”
“Surgery would be rough.” A flutter of panic hit his belly. Surgery would mean sticking around for six to eight weeks, maybe longer.
“Tell me about it.” Jemma sighed. “I’m grateful for Bree’s help. I couldn’t think of anyone else who could cook Irish breakfasts in my place.”
“I’m happy to lend a hand.” Bree took the teakettle off the stove and filled a mug with steaming water and handed her a couple of tea bags to choose from. “You just rest and relax, Jemma. I’ll take care of everything.”
“Jake? What are you doing here?” Jazz said as she entered the kitchen, sounding just as surprised as Jemma to see him there.
He stifled a sigh. “You think I’m completely heartless? I was worried about Jemma and Trey.”
His twin sisters exchanged a look he wasn’t able to decipher. Did they suspect that his main reason for returning was something deeper? He didn’t want to burden either of them with his problems.
“Of course, you’re always welcome here, Jake,” Jazz said. “I can put you in the green room for now, but the entire B and B is booked Friday through Sunday for a wedding.”
“The green room is fine, but what about Bree?” He glanced at Brianna who was doing her best to stay out of the family dynamics.
Not that he blamed her.
“We’ve set aside the master suite for Bree since she’ll be up early making breakfast each morning,” Jazz explained. “But don’t worry, you can always bunk with me and Dalton on Friday and Saturday night. We’ll throw together some sort of sleeping area for you.”
