“We could do this another time if you’re uninterested, Eric,” Natalie said, her mouth settling into a grim line that didn’t at all match her lovely, delicate features. Looking at Eric, Colleen realized his expression had turned cold. Hard. As she glanced back and forth between their stubborn faces, Colleen realized just how much brother and sister resembled one another. Two identical pairs of eyes shot sparks back and forth.
What the heck? Colleen thought. She’d only really gotten to know Natalie over the last several months, but she’d never once seen her any way but even-tempered and pleasant. Leave it to Eric to be the one to instigate this unlikely reaction in a paragon of virtue like Natalie. Still…why had Natalie’s suggestion about their meeting turned Eric into a glaring block of ice?
“I didn’t say I was uninterested,” Eric said.
“Fine,” Natalie replied, her eyebrows still arched in a challenge.
Colleen didn’t get what was going on here, but she had a long history with brothers. Marc and Liam were fantastic, but she and her sister, Deidre, had learned long ago the importance of banding together in the face of male arrogance. Eric remained turned in profile to her, but she could almost feel his disapproval like a cold breeze. Yes, this was the Eric Reyes she knew—the man who had turned brooding into an art form.
“Anybody want a soda?” Liam asked, standing.
“What did you want to talk to us about?” Colleen asked Liam immediately once he’d handed them their drinks and sat down again.
“We were going to take you two to lunch separately—someplace nice—to break the news, but then Brendan got admitted into the hospital and our plans had to be changed. I suggested we get in the squad car, turn on the sirens and use the bullhorn to spread the news to everyone in Harbor Town, but Natalie wouldn’t let me. Spoilsport.”
“Liam,” Natalie remonstrated with a smile and a slap on his arm that turned into a caress. They both were glowing. Liam stared at Natalie, grinning, and suddenly they were kissing.
“Wait,” Colleen said, the truth slowly dawning. “You two aren’t… You’re not…”
“We’re getting married,” Liam said in a perfunctory manner before he leaned down to kiss Natalie again.
Natalie’s laugh before she was silenced by Liam’s kiss was clear and musical, the very sound of happiness. Colleen just sat there holding her unopened can of soda, dumbfounded.
“But you haven’t even known each other for four months now,” she said, even though Liam and Natalie looked far too busy to be listening.
“Not even three,” Eric corrected morosely from beside her.
Colleen did give him a quelling glance that time. He lifted one raven-dark brow and levelly returned her sardonic stare. The fact that he could look as handsome as the devil when he was being such a jerk really steamed her.
In truth, she felt torn. The last thing she wanted to do was agree with Eric on something—anything—but she did feel that Liam and Natalie were being rash. Surely it was too soon in their relationship to decide on marriage. She and Darin had engaged in a whirlwind love affair before they’d married. They’d been young and foolish, and wild to be together before he was deployed to the Persian Gulf for his first tour of duty. Colleen wouldn’t have changed that decision for anything, given the way things had turned out, but at this point in her life, she recognized they hadn’t exactly behaved wisely.
Then there was the news of what she’d learned about her own parents several months ago. She’d always assumed her parents were the ideal couple. She’d considered their marriage inviolate. Recent events had proved her wrong.
In a gut-punching type of way.
Brigit and Derry Kavanaugh had each engaged in an extramarital affair in the early stages of their marriage. Colleen’s sister, Deidre, was in truth her half sister. Finding out that Deidre wasn’t his biological daughter was what had instigated Derry’s extreme distress and intoxication on the night of the crash that had changed their lives forever.
Yes, Colleen was a bit jaded on the concept of marriage at the moment.
“So, you plan on a long engagement, Liam?” Colleen asked. “The two of you should have plenty of time to be sure about—”
Liam lifted his head and spoke, interrupting her. “We’re getting married December 14. We’ve already booked the date at Holy Name. We took the first day we could get.” He gave Natalie one last kiss, this one quick and tender, before he leaned back and took a swig of his soda. Both of them were grinning from ear to ear.
“It’ll be a Christmas wedding,” Natalie said to Colleen.
Since Natalie had started seeing Liam, she didn’t hide as much behind the dark glasses that helped to protect her light-sensitive eye. The glasses also covered the scars on her left temple—scars she’d received in the accident as a child. At the moment, the lighting in the waiting room was dim enough that Natalie wasn’t wearing her glasses. There might never have been a devastating car wreck sixteen years ago if Natalie’s shining eyes and joyous expression were any indication.
“Christmas. But it’s already almost Halloween,” Colleen exclaimed.
“We can’t wait a day longer,” Liam said.
Natalie leaned forward, looking concerned. “I know it’s probably a bit of a surprise. But Liam and I could really use both of your support and help in this. We don’t want a large wedding, but there will be a great deal to organize, I suppose.”
“I’ll do whatever I can do to help, of course,” Colleen said, all the while feeling guilty about the fact that she was harboring reservations about the quickness of this decision. Liam was courageous—true—but his boldness bordered on impulsivity at times. He’d been known to volunteer for the most dangerous assignments when he’d been a Chicago police detective. Not that marrying Natalie was the same as a risky assignment, but still…
“Are you sure?” Liam asked her. “You knocked yourself out with the planning for Mari and Marc’s wedding, Colleen. Ours won’t be as fancy. We just want family and good friends.” He grinned. “And a great party, of course.”
Natalie was studying her brother. “You haven’t said anything, Eric.”