Saving a Legend: A Kavanagh Legends Novel (21 page)

“That’s amazing, Clare,” he complimented her as he scooped up a spoonful of mashed potatoes from his plate and put it in his mouth.

“She’s definitely amazing.” Rory smiled with pride. “What about you, Kieran? What do you want to do now that the clinic construction is almost finished?”

Clare glanced at him, knowing he’d just said he was looking for a new job and hadn’t found his foothold yet. Kieran noticed Kane turn toward them as well, interested in his answer, he assumed.

“I’m not sure yet.” He shrugged, keeping his eyes down. “I’m still working at the youth center in the afternoons, so maybe I’ll do something with kids.”

“There are a lot of options with kids out there. You could do something at Legends,” Kane contributed, pointing a fork at him.

Kieran took another bite of his mashed potatoes. “Maybe.”

“Is being employed part of your par—” Rory started, but Kieran immediately cut him off with a glare, then glanced sideways at Fiona to see if she’d been paying attention. She was looking at him, innocently following the conversation.

“I’m still weighing all my options,” he said quickly, hoping they got the hint.

Rory narrowed his eyes at him; Clare glanced at Fiona, then looked down at her own plate. Tension hung heavily over that end of the table as everyone seemed to understand what he’d just silenced—everyone except Fiona, of course.

“Fuck, that’s messed up, K,” Quinn said, interrupting the silence, leaning into the conversation.

Kieran hadn’t even realized Quinn had also been listening. He hoped his parents were too busy talking to Casey to notice the dying mood at this end of the table.

“You don’t know what you’re talking about,” Kieran warned his brother. He wanted to tell Fiona about the last two years, but he needed to figure out the best way to do it, and now certainly wasn’t the time. He hadn’t wanted this to come up during dinner, and he mentally scolded himself for going about this entire thing so foolishly and not telling her right away.

“I’m confused. What’s wrong?” Fiona asked, putting down her fork, her brows furrowed.

“Nothing.” He squeezed her hand as he glared at his brothers.

Both of them glared back while Clare pretended to be engrossed in her meal. He didn’t need their judgment right now. It wasn’t any of their business what he did or didn’t tell her. After all, they’d known each other for only a week. Telling someone you just got out of prison isn’t really a topic for a first date. Not if you wanted a second date, that is.

And he
was
going to tell her.

“So who’s coming to my state championship in a few months?” Kane asked loudly, veering them all onto a new topic.

Kane gave him a friendly nod, and Kieran felt relieved that at least someone had his back. He knew that Kane probably disagreed with him, too, but being a twin ran deep. He’d always be there for him, no matter what.

Chapter 14

“Whoa.” Fiona’s eyebrows shot up as she glanced into Casey’s bedroom on her way to her own. There were three large racks of dresses in the center of the room. Not just any dresses, but gorgeous gowns and evening wear that looked fit for the red carpet. “What’s going on in here?”

“Fiona!” Casey’s head suddenly popped up over one of the garment racks, and she waved her over. “Come in! You still need to pick your dress, too.”

“For what?” Fiona stepped in, gravitating toward the first rack and the silk sheaths that hung from it. “How did you get all these up here?”

Two dresses on the rack Casey was standing behind pushed apart and Clare’s pretty blond head peered out. “I helped!”

Fiona laughed at her sudden appearance. Clare was shorter than the rest of them, so Fiona hadn’t seen her at first. “Hey, Clare, what are you doing here?”

“Helping you girls pick out your dresses, of course! I have some smaller sizes I think may fit Shea, too, but we’ll probably need to get them hemmed. Is she here?”

“She’s in her room reading,” Fiona told them. “Why do we need dresses? What are these for?”

“The gala, of course!” Casey and Clare said in unison, both holding up different dresses against themselves.

“You want me to wear one of these to the gala? I was just going to borrow a simple cocktail dress from Nora.”

“Cocktail dresses won’t do for this,” Clare said as she began pulling out dresses she liked and laying them across the bed. “It’s a big family event, especially for Rory, so if I’ve got to be dressed up for it, so do you. After all, you and I are both part of the Kavanagh family now, thanks to our taste in men.”

“Listen to Clare—you’re one of us now,” Casey said. “I’m going to go get Dee. I’ll be right back. Try something on!”

“Fair enough.” Fiona laughed and began scanning through the closest rack of dresses as she and Clare were left alone. As she browsed, she realized that each and every one of these was by a major designer. “Where did you get these dresses? They’re…” Words failed her as she looked down at the soft fabric and sparkling gems making up the dress in her hand.

“Crazy, right?” Clare grinned. “Dee has really great taste. Don’t look at the price tags—they’ll only make you dizzy.”

Fiona responded quietly, still taking in the scene. “I knew they had money, but this…”

“I thought the same thing when I was first hanging out with Rory. You tend to forget how rich the Kavanaghs actually are, since they don’t really live lavish lifestyles.”

“Why don’t they?” Fiona asked, sliding her fingers through the fabric of several dresses that probably cost more than she used to pay in rent.

“I couldn’t figure that out until I moved in with Rory and our finances merged. They’re just not interested in it. He gives more money away to charities and people in need each month than he spends on us. His parents are the same way, and from what I hear, so are all his brothers.” Clare looked so proud that Fiona couldn’t help but feel it, too. “They were raised to live on what they need, and then give the rest away. They splurge like this only for special occasions, because Dee will do anything to support her kids. She really wants the clinic to be a success.”

“That’s so wonderful.”

Fiona knew the Kavanaghs were an amazing group of people, but to hear all they did for others solidified her adoration of the family. They were so quiet about how much they helped the community, yet so loud about their love for one another. She couldn’t help but feel more drawn to Kieran, wanting to know more about him.

“It definitely is, but I still like to enjoy the splurges when they happen!” Clare joked as Casey walked back in, followed by both Dee and Seamus.

“Dress night already?” Seamus asked. “Guess that means I have to go get my tux fitted.”

Dee gasped audibly and turned to her husband. “Seamus, you said you did that last week! The gala is only a few days away.”

“It’s on my list.” He grinned, kissing Dee on the top of her head and then walking back out of the room.

“That’s tomorrow’s problem.” Dee sighed and shook her head. “Have you ladies selected some dresses yet? There should be plenty here for all of you to have your pick. I had every designer I know send us samples, and we’ll just send back the ones we don’t use.”

“Not yet,” Casey replied, and Fiona just shook her head.

Clare stepped out from where she had been hidden behind a row of clothes, her arms at odd angles behind her back as she attempted to close the zipper. Despite being unfastened, Clare looked like a miniature supermodel in the dark green gown with black accents that trailed behind her and hugged her curves.

Dee spotted her and went to help. “My goodness, Clare, that dress is perfect!”

“It’s amazing, isn’t it?” Clare gushed as Dee finished zipping up the back. “I think I’m in love.”

Fiona beamed at her, adding her agreement about how beautiful the dress was. Casey followed suit, picking a blush-colored gown that perfectly complimented her dark red hair and bright blue eyes. Dee fawned over each of them, reminding them of how beautiful they were in such a way that each woman’s confidence visibly grew. Casey stood taller, Clare smiled wider…it was infectious in the best possible way.

Fiona joined the women in their lively discussion and complimented both Casey and Clare on the dresses they had selected. She loved all the smiling faces around her, and how they made her feel like a true part of the Kavanagh family. It was effortless; it wasn’t as if they were being nice and trying to include her. It was as if she’d been there all along.

The affection among them was like that of a mother with her daughters, and memories of Fiona’s own mother, of the connection they once had, flitted through her mind. But, as always, the happy moments were quickly overshadowed by the last day. Guilt ripped through her as she thought of how these women had all been so caring, so loving, and so accepting of her.

They wouldn’t be that way if they knew what she’d done. Or whom she’d killed.

“Fiona?”

She looked up to see everyone staring at her.

“Are you okay?” Dee asked, concern etching her face.

Fiona exhaled quickly and put on a smile. “Yes, I’m fine. Why?”

“All the color drained from your face,” Casey said, the same concern Dee was expressing reflected in her face.

Clare bit her lip and nodded in agreement. “You don’t look good.”

“Must be low blood sugar or something,” Fiona told them, pushing away every negative thought in her head. Now was not the time or place to dwell on her past.

“Let’s go get you something sweet to drink, then we’ll try on dresses.” Dee took her arm and led her out of the room and down to the kitchen. Fiona sat on a chair at the breakfast bar as Dee poured her a glass of juice.

Fiona gulped it down. “Thank you.”

“Are you feeling better?” Dee asked, taking the now-empty glass from her.

Fiona nodded that she was.

Dee’s face returned to its normal smile. “Good. I can’t have anything happening to you, I need you!”

Fiona tilted her head. “You need me? You’re the one who’s helping
me.
I can’t even begin to thank you for everything you’ve done for Shea and me. Even the little things, like catering to the way Shea likes the food arranged on her plate…you do it all for us. It means so much to me.”

Dee wrapped an arm around her shoulders. “My son’s been lost for years, Fiona. For the first time, it feels as if he’s really home, not just because he’s been gone and I’ve missed him terribly, but because the Kieran I raised is back as well. He’s calmed down. He’s being responsible, looking out for someone besides himself. He’s no longer just my boy; he’s a man. And I think I have you to thank for a good part of that.”

Fiona smiled at the thought but quickly shook her head. “I can’t take the credit for that. He’s a good man, and I don’t deserve him.”

Dee laughed and rolled her eyes. “Well, as his mother, I have to agree. But as a realist, I think he’s the lucky one to have found you. If your mother was still alive, I promise she’d say the same thing.”

Fiona warmed at her words and nodded. “You’re probably right. Despite her many faults, she was at least very loving and supportive of both Shea and me. We were on our own a lot, expected to take care of ourselves, because she’d always had to do that herself. She believed we could do anything, even Shea. Learning how to work at such an early age is what made me able to start a business so young as well. I started waitressing at a local place when I was thirteen, being paid cash under the table.”

“That’s too young, even if it was a good learning experience.” Dee frowned, clucking her tongue. “What did your dad say about that?”

“My real dad wasn’t around much after Shea was born. He had never been very interested in being a parent anyway—add to that the responsibility of a special-needs child, and we just never saw him again.”

Dee exhaled loudly in frustration. “Fecking men.”

Fiona stopped trying to filter the thoughts in her head, the flood of memories. She wasn’t sure how this had started, or why she suddenly felt like spilling her past, but she was going to choose to trust Dee. Dee wanted to connect, and Fiona wanted to let her.

“My mom dated someone later when I was in high school, but he was horrible. He knocked her around, but she was desperate to have a man in her life again, so she married him.”

“Oh, honey, is that what’s holding you back with my son?” Dee asked, leaning against the counter.

Fiona fiddled with her fingers in her lap. “What do you mean?”

“From what I’ve seen—and feel free to ignore me if I’m putting my nose where I shouldn’t, but I’m going to say it anyway—Kieran really likes you. I can tell you feel the same way, but you’ve got him at arm’s length. I’ve been wondering why, but if the only two father figures in your life were negligent, selfish asses, then it makes more sense. You don’t trust Kieran not to hurt you, too.”

Fiona blinked slowly, looking at the older woman carefully. The words were raw and cut straight through her. Not because they were mean but because they described exactly what was happening in her heart. She had been telling herself she was pushing Kieran away because he deserved better, but maybe that wasn’t the truth.
Maybe it’s fear.

“I never thought of it like that,” she admitted. “He is a really wonderful man, but I think I worry that it’s too much, too fast. I’ve got Shea to think about, to be a positive role model for.”

“All of my sons have commanding personalities, which I’m sure you’ve noticed with all the head butting that goes on between them.”

Fiona giggled at the reminder.

“That’s just the way they are. When a man like that meets the woman he wants to be with for the rest of his life, he knows right away. It’s instant. There’s no question for him, and no one else can turn his eye. They’re stubborn and overbearing sometimes, but they’re also protective and loyal to a fault, which is the best role model you can have. It’s the way their daddy was when he met me, and it’s the way Rory was when he met Clare.”

“What about Rory and me?” Clare asked, walking into the kitchen, having changed back into her regular clothes.

“You two are perfect soulmates,” Dee said, giving Clare’s arm a squeeze.