See Megan Run (14 page)

"Correct. I don’t remember being cornered
like this when we were younger. Well, except for Jane."

Considering Jane was the only one who’d paid
attention to her back then, Megan had to agree. "Mother actually
gave me a lecture."

"About?" He handed her a sandwich wrapped in
cellophane.

Megan shook her head, not wanting to go into
detail. Aiden nodded. "Let me guess: my one-eyed snake and how my
brain doesn’t know the difference between sex and love. Basically,
I’m bound to ask for your hand in marriage."

Her brows rose in surprise. "Close." She met
his gaze. "Are you?" She had to ask, because too much of what her
mother said made sense.

Aiden cracked open his soda before he
answered. "You’re not the marrying kind." She punched him lightly
on the shoulder. "Not to say it as an insult. Can’t imagine you
barefoot and pregnant, chained to the stove."

"
You’d
 look incredible, swollen
with child, making omelettes and watching soaps to fill your days
until the baby comes," Megan joked.

Aiden smiled and leaned back. "If it were
possible, I might. I’d get to eat like a horse and no one would say
anything. I don’t see the downside to pregnancy."

Megan noticed he never answered her question.
"You’re okay with this?"

Aiden should have known she wouldn’t let the
subject drop. Yes, he wanted more from the girl who left him. He’d
always wanted more than she was willing to give him, but the woman
sitting beside him, who had one eyebrow slightly raised, who was
incredibly sensual, would end up taking more from him than the girl
had ever thought she could.

"I know you’re leaving. I’m not going to
stand in your way. We are having a good time." Aiden shrugged,
though it hurt to be so nonchalant. "What else can I ask for?"

Everything
.

Almost as if she read the quiet answer in his
eyes, Megan frowned. "Sounds simple."

"What, you don’t trust simple?"

"Only because most things aren’t simple." She
shrugged and bit into her sandwich. She groaned, then said, "You
make great sandwiches."

"I’m the ultimate bachelor. I better learn
how to cook something, or I’d starve to death."

"Lynne would love you."

"Who?"

"My general manager." She smiled. "My best
friend."

"Tell me about her." Aiden stretched his legs
out, relaxing. The more he watched her talk, the more he realized
doing this felt just as good as Megan being in his arms or him
inside her. He was doomed before he even touched her. He kept it to
himself, because Shep had been right—he wanted her to stay, and a
small part of him would do anything to convince her to.

"What?" she asked.

"Surprised, is all."

"About?"

"How grown we are."

She balled the cellophane in her hands.
"Hadn’t really thought about it. You went from bad boy to cop."

"And you?" He crossed his arms to keep from
touching her.

He watched her consider his question before
answering. "I don’t know. I was thrown into adulthood. I’ve never
thought about who I used to be." She looked into his eyes, and his
pulse picked up. "Who am I?"

"Intelligent, sarcastic, and beautiful."
Aiden shook his head. "Haven’t changed much."

Megan’s laughter subsided. "You never talk
about your dad."

He scrubbed a hand over his face. "Because he
wasn’t one. He came and went as he pleased in our lives. You really
can’t grieve for a person you don’t know." Aiden shrugged. "Shep
was my father if you go by the definition of one."

"I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to kill the
mood."

He understood why she had brought it up. She
never talked about her father, but for different reasons. He leaned
back again, a smile pulling at his lips. "As I said, you haven’t
changed one bit."

This time her laugh was quick. "I should
punch you for that one."

"That’s what your mouth says. You know you
want me."

"I notice you’ve been watching my mouth. You
know you want me."

"I can be convinced into doing something with
my mouth."

"Oh?" She moved toward him with the promise
of much more. She was stopped short by the sound of footsteps.
Aiden leaned forward to see Shep and Nicole hand in hand.

"We were just out for a stroll," Nicole
said.

"Hi, Lady." Sarcasm filled Megan’s voice. "We
have our clothes on."

Aiden chuckled, then said, "We do, don’t we?
Matter of fact, you guys can join us. I brought extra sandwiches
and sodas, just in case." Megan turned to him, appreciation filling
her eyes.

"Aren’t you smart."

"No, I’ve lived in this town long enough to
set my watch by what’s going to happen next."

Nicole climbed without help into the back of
the truck. Shep stuck his hands in his pockets and stood at the end
of the truck bed, staring hard at Aiden.

"Well." Nicole reached for a soda. "At least
you can say there is never a dull moment."

Chapter 13

Family. Might as well be a cuss word, Megan
thought. She had nowhere to hide, waiting in the living room for
her aunts, uncles, and cousins to descend. It was no wonder her
mother had kept the house. Ten bedrooms were barely enough to fit
them all in, when they decided to visit, and that included putting
two in every room.

Why was she here again? Ah, yes, to have the
house that could keep two to a room. Being sentimental wasn’t
looking so good at the moment, especially when Aunt Chandi
enveloped her in a hug smelling like Bacardi and White Diamonds.
"Look at you, all grown up."

Before the smart comment fell out of Megan’s
mouth Jane gave her a look that said to swallow it and like the
taste. "It’s good to see you, too."

Where was her mother? Ah, yes. Hiding, like
she herself wanted to do.

"How’s that Aiden boy doing?"

"Fine, I guess."

"You guess?" Chandi said. Megan leaned
forward to comment. Jane placed the tray down harder than
necessary. "Do you need help with that, dear?"

"The arthritis."

Chandi’s wrinkled face softened. For some
strange reason, Megan thought of a wet ball of cotton. "You should
see me on the days my knees are acting up."

"The price of living past your expiration
date."

Chandi picked up a cup of tea from the
tray.

"Thank you, Jane. You know, I’m surprised
you’re still here. I mean, after Megan left."

Chandi left the comment open in the air.
Megan settled her teeth in her tongue, figuring a hole in it
wouldn’t be too bad, especially from the way Jane was eyeing her.
The look said a wooden spoon would be involved—and not for Megan to
lick icing—if she acted up.

"Nicole still needed me," Jane replied.

"Oh, I almost forgot. The poor thing can’t
cook worth a lick."

Jane straightened, brushing her apron
straight. "She probably wouldn’t have eaten." She met Megan’s eyes.
"And she’d have been fine with that, too, if I hadn’t been here.
You two have a good talk."

Chandi nodded at Jane and turned her
attention to Megan. "I forgot about the depression. When she broke
things off with Taylor, you’d already left for college. It was such
a bad time for your mother." Chandi sank her false teeth into a
crumpet.

"Really." Megan wasn’t sure whether she was
more surprised by the comment or by the fact her aunt’s teeth
didn’t fall out.

"I don’t think she was ever over Dan’s death.
That time period—it hit her hard." Another bite, and still her
teeth stayed. "I don’t see why she missed him. Every bone in his
body was sarcastic. When my nephew was younger, we nicknamed him
the Comeback Kid. Everything you said to him, he had something
smart to say." Chandi smiled when she said it.

Megan’s chest tightened at the mention of her
father. His death had been so long ago no one said his name out
loud anymore. "I don’t remember him very well. At least not the
details."

"Just go look in the mirror. When you wake up
in the morning, talk real deep. You’ll probably sound just like
him. Scary, if you ask me." Chandi frowned.

Not a good look for the woman. "I wonder if
she put butter in these."

"I’m sure she did," Megan murmured.

She pushed down the urge to touch the walls
to feel close to her father. He’d spent the last years of his life
here, before cancer took him. She remembered being shipped off
repeatedly to Jocelyn’s house. She remembered hating her mother for
separating them and only letting her see him that one last time.
His hand had been so small, no longer resembling the ones that
threw her in the air when she was a child. Most recently she
remembered talking to a grave. Megan’s breath shuddered out at the
memory. She wanted the house but not the residual grief. When would
that go away?

"I don’t know why I was surprised to hear
Shep had proposed. The man had a thing for your mother in high
school. He went off to college, and when he came back your mother
was married and you weren’t far behind." Chandi snorted.

A ladylike snort, of course
, Megan
thought, trying to pull herself out of the dark thoughts. "Can I
ask you a nosy question?"

"Nope, but I’m sure you’re going to
anyway."

Megan smiled at her aunt. "Why are you here?
My dad’s gone."

Chandi frowned at her. "Nicole’s family."
From the expression on her face, Chandi was wondering why Megan
didn’t understand it.

"Just curious."

The doorbell rang and Jane shouted from the
kitchen that she’d get it. Megan settled farther onto the couch
when she heard Uncle Willie’s baritone voice. Chandi rolled her
eyes. Megan remembered what her mother frequently said about
family: At least you can say there is never a dull moment.

*****

Aiden stretched his legs out in front of him
and watched Shep get wrestled into a monkey suit. "And you talk
about me," he said.

Shep scowled at him in the mirror. "This is
different."

"Explain to me what’s different between what
I’m doing and you getting into a suit—mind you, something you
haven’t worn since Dan’s funeral. Who’s the smartest out of the
bunch?"

"Neither one of you," his Uncle Butch said
from the corner. He talked around the unlit cigar in his mouth.
Until the wedding and Butch’s departure, Aiden had to give up the
ultimate bachelor title to his uncle.

"From what I hear, you won’t learn, and you,"
he pointed a finger at Shep, "Just lost all rational thought. It’s
not like Nicole’s pregnant and you have to get married."

"That’s an ugly image. Thanks, Unc."

Butch rolled the cigar to the other side of
his mouth. "Don’t get me started on you, boy. The thrill should
have been long gone for you with that girl."

"Her name is Megan," Aiden said softly.

Butch puffed his chest. "Excuse me."

Shep sighed. "Maybe he’ll take some pointers
from you."

Only if Aiden planned to never have Megan
talk to him again. He scowled at Shep’s back but spoke to his
uncle. "What are you doing here, anyway? It’s not like you need a
suit."

"I’m trying to talk some sense into my
brother. If that doesn’t work, at least we’ll make him look decent
when he walks down the aisle."

"I know how to dress myself." Shep turned to
the side, frowning at his reflection.

"Judging from the plaid shirt you had on
earlier, I’d disagree. Ain’t thinking with your head, if you ask
me."

Aiden bit back the chuckle. He saw where Shep
got his bickering, heavy-handed, advising ways. This could only get
more interesting. Knowing his uncle, Aiden asked, "What’s wrong
with marriage?"

"It’s death for any man." A pained expression
crossed Butch’s face. "Why do you think women live longer?"

He pulled the cigar out of his mouth, on a
roll now. "Because the moment the man signs his marriage
certificate, he’s signed his own death warrant. I’m sure there have
been studies."

"Butch." Shep met his brother’s eyes in the
mirror. "That’s absurd." Aiden thought Shep might as well have
added, "You’re absurd." Aiden crossed his arms, waiting for the
argument. It never failed.

"I’ll be at your funeral in ten years."

"What’s to say you’re going to live any
longer?" The gloves were off now, as Shep turned to Butch. "You
smoke, you drink, you’ve gone through all the women at your living
facility. One of them is bound to shoot you, any day now." Shep
shook his head as he tried to tie the bow.

"Nonsense. I haven’t gone through all the
women. New ones come in every day." Butch replied, as if he hadn’t
heard the rest. Aiden figured his uncle probably hadn’t.

"Good living," Butch added.

Aiden grinned. The heat was off him, finally,
and because it was, he asked, "When is Uncle Bobby going to make
it?"

"That fool." Butch didn’t hold back his venom
for his other brother. "He’s the best example of what marriage can
do to a man. Marriage-addled brain, I tell you. The man can’t go to
the bathroom without his wife’s permission." He pointed his finger,
this time at Aiden. "Don’t do it. It’s death."

"Shut up, Butch, and help me with this
tie."

"Be fitting if it chokes you," Butch said but
went over to his brother to help him. "Think a grown man would have
more sense than this. Marriage!" His uncle shuddered as if he had a
bad taste in his mouth.

"See, son, this is a bachelor-addled brain."
Shep lifted his head higher. "I’m not saying do anything. Matter of
fact, you better not do anything. I’m just pointing out what can
happen."

Aiden bit back the laughter. "Duly
noted."

"Don’t chastise the boy for dipping. It’s
natural at his age."

"The dipping isn’t what I have a problem
with, and must we be so crude?"

Butch stared at him, then shook his head
slowly. "Addled. Marriage. Save yourself from it. Dip and dip
only."