They’d kissed once as children, and he remembered that same feeling of wholeness even back then. She’d just turned nine years old, and they’d been soaring back and forth on the swings at the local park when she’d hopped off hers and walked over to him. She’d pushed up on her little toes and smacked her lips against his. He’d been so shocked at his very first kiss that he’d frozen on the spot. She’d then shrugged and said she’d been curious what it would be like to kiss someone she loved.
It had seemed as though she’d forgotten all about it by the next day, but he never had. He’d tried to…he told himself he had. He’d moved on, he’d been with other women, dated other women, even tried to love other women. And he’d told himself that was enough, that that made him happy. He’d pushed thoughts of Kiera out of his mind for years.
He was realizing tonight that the spark had never died down. If anything, it had grown, and was still growing. And that it wasn’t just him.
Excluding their one night together six years ago, she’d never shown a single sign that she felt the same way…until today. Today, she’d wanted him. She’d pursued him. She’d kissed him, and he’d given in to it…if only for a little bit.
She wanted him. There’s no way he could say no to that.
Dropping his head to his hands, he ran his fingers through his thick black hair with a loud groan. He didn’t want the spark back. At least he didn’t think he did. He’d ignored it for so long and moved on with his life…or he’d tried to.
Quinn’s pocket vibrated, startling him from his confused thoughts. He pulled out his still-muted cellphone and glanced at the screen to see his mother’s name and picture pop up.
“Hi, Mom,” he greeted her with a sigh, lifting the phone to his ear.
“Quinny! I need you to come to Rory’s house immediately.” Dee barely even greeted him before barreling into conversation, a habit he was used to with her.
“What? Now?” Quinn asked, furrowing his brows in confusion.
“Yes, can you take a taxi or find a ride? I’m already here,” Dee confirmed. “Do you have the address?”
“I do.” Quinn glanced toward the door, wondering if Kiera was still outside since it had been less than a minute since she’d walked out. “I can find a ride, but is everything okay?”
“No.” Sniffling came from the other end of the call. Is she crying? “It’s Ace, Quinny.”
“Oh, God.” Quinn’s stomach lurched, adrenaline shooting through him. Pushing up to his feet with the help of his cane, he shoved his keys in his pocket and headed for the door. “Ma, I’m on my way.”
Stepping into the bright sun, he pulled the garage door down behind him and locked it. Seconds later, he made it to the driveway, spotting Kiera’s car. Kiera, however, was nowhere to be seen.
“Kiera?” he called out, circling her car.
“Ow!” A metallic bang sounded just as he reached the driver’s side and saw Kiera’s shapely legs sticking out from underneath her car.
Quinn couldn’t help but chuckle at the sight of her shimmying backward, trying to get out. The weight on his chest lightened just a bit, and he welcomed the distraction of Kiera’s backside sticking up in the air. “I have so many questions,” he said.
“Because of course you’d catch me like this five seconds after I just humiliated myself inside,” she replied, standing and dusting the gravel from her jeans. “Just freaking perfect.”
He cocked his head to the side. “What were you even doing?”
She held up a set of car keys, dangling them slightly. “I dropped these then accidentally kicked them under.”
“Wow.” He tried to keep his expression straight, so as not to laugh at her, but…okay, he was laughing.
“Hush, it’s not that odd.” Kiera huffed, unlocking the driver’s-side door. She paused for a minute, leaning her forearms on the top of the open door and staring at him. “Why are you out here anyway?”
There was something hopeful, wistful, wanting in her expression that made him nervous. He wanted to tell her that he was kicking himself inside for stopping what had just happened between them, that their kiss had been everything he’d dreamed of for years. He wanted to tell her what it meant to him and what he’d felt all this time…
He wasn’t even sure he was that person anymore. And if he was, he wasn’t about to dive into the topic now with his family waiting for him. Instead, he exhaled fully and pleaded his case. “Actually, I was hoping you’d give me a ride.”
Kiera tossed her hands up in the air, rolling her eyes. “Sure, why not? Be the taxi driver for the man who just rejected me. All my feminist ancestors just rolled over in their graves.” She motioned toward the passenger side. “Hop in. I mean, don’t actually hop. I’m still your doctor, and hopping is not advised.”
Quinn snorted slightly at her rambling, then headed for the passenger side. “Thanks, Keeks.”
“Where to?” she asked once they were both seated and buckled inside.
He pulled up the address on his phone to show her, displaying the screen to her. “Rory’s house.”
“Oh.” Kiera lifted one brow. “That’s it?”
Quinn nodded. “My mom just called about Ace—”
“I love Ace. He’s such a good dog,” she mused, interrupting Quinn as she turned the ignition and backed out of the driveway. “How’s he doing?”
Quinn shook his head, not answering her question. He couldn’t—he didn’t know what to say. He hadn’t gotten the full story from his mother, though he could guess since most of them knew this day was coming. That dog was a damn hero to his family, to everyone who ever met him. An ex–bait dog in a dog-fighting ring, Ace had been rescued by Rory, who then built an entire business around his love for that dog. Ace had already been pretty old back when Rory’d adopted him, so they were lucky to have had him for so long already.
“Oh…” Kiera glanced sideways at him, probably reading his expression before turning her attention back to the road. Silence enveloped the car for a minute or two before Kiera’s hand found his. Slowly, her soft skin slid over his palm until their fingers were intertwined.
He didn’t say anything, and neither did she. They just held hands for the next few minutes until Quinn pointed out Rory’s street. “This right, then it’s the third house down. The big brick one with the dark green door.”
Kiera followed his instructions. The driveway was already at capacity with cars he recognized as belonging to his family, so she found a spot on the street instead.
“Thanks for the ride, Keeks,” Quinn said, pulling off his seatbelt.
“No problem,” she said. “And I’m also sorry for the feminist joke earlier. Feminists love dogs.”
Laughter shot out of him, the tension of moments earlier melting away. Kiera had always had a way with words, with humor, with injecting a smile into the saddest moments. It was one of the things that had always drawn him to her, and, man, was he glad she still had that spark.
“I’ve missed you, Keeks.”
“No need to miss me because I’m coming in,” she said, unbuckling her seatbelt as well.
He wasn’t sure what was awaiting him in the house, but he knew it wouldn’t be sunshine and rainbows. There was no way he’d want to subject her to that. “You don’t need to go in with me,” he assured her as they both stepped out of the car and onto the sidewalk. “I’ll be fine.”
“I know.” She slipped her hand in his free hand, his cane in the other. “Come on. Everyone’s waiting.”
Chapter 8
“Oh, Quinn!” Dee rushed over to Quinn the moment he walked through Rory’s front door, flinging her arms around his waist. “I’m so glad you came.”
“Ma, where’s Rory?” Quinn asked, hugging her. “What happened?”
“Oh, honey, he’s here. Most of the family is here, or on their way. We’re saying our goodbyes,” Dee told him, tears streaming down her face.
Goodbye. Quinn didn’t want to believe it.
?
??Oh, no!” Kiera gasped, apparently overhearing what Dee had just said.
Dee seemed to see her standing beside him for the first time, and a sad smile spread over her face. She embraced her next. “Oh, sweet girl. You’re a saint for coming.”
“I just gave Quinn a ride and thought I’d see if you guys were okay…” Kiera trailed off as Dee squeezed her a little too tightly.
“Thanks for bringing him,” Dee said, letting go of her while choking back a sob. “Poor Ace.”
“Is he…” Quinn paused, unsure what to say. Kiera squeezed his hand.
Dee pulled a handkerchief from her pocket and dabbed her nose with it. “Murphy went down for his nap, and Ace lay in front of the crib like he always did. Such a good protector, that dog. When Clare went in to get Murphy up, Ace…” A sob ripped through her and she held the handkerchief tighter. “Ace didn’t wake up.”
Quinn’s jaw tightened as he absorbed the news. A sob came from beside him, and he lifted his arm to wrap around Kiera. “God, Ma…” Quinn said, shaking his head. “Where is he?”
“In the baby’s room,” she told him, her voice raspy. “Everyone else is in the living room. I need to brew a pot of tea.”
“Go see him,” Kiera said, her voice barely above a whisper. “I’ll stay with your mother.” She gave him a small smile, then put an arm around Dee and walked her down the hall toward the kitchen.
Quinn watched them go, realizing in that moment that despite their years apart, Kiera was still everything he’d ever fallen for. She was kind, loving, compassionate, and selflessly devoting her time to a situation that most people would have readily avoided. She was the kind of woman who’d walk into the fire with him, even knowing she’d be burned. He’d written her loyalty off when she’d rejected him, but he’d been wrong.
She was here, and she was his friend. That part of her had never left.
Quinn moved to the base of the stairs and slowly made his way up. The hall at the top of the stairs was dark, but he’d been to his brother’s enough times to know his way around. When he reached the door of the nursery, it was slightly ajar and he tapped on it as he pushed it open wider.
“Come in,” his oldest brother’s deep voice rang out.
Quinn pushed the door open wider, seeing Rory sitting in the rocking chair, his elbows on his knees, his long, brown locks pulled into a messy bun. Quinn felt unnerved at the sight of one of the strongest men he’d ever known, in more ways than one, looking so drained, so defeated. “Hey.”
Rory lifted his eyes to him slowly. “Hey, Q.”
Stepping through the doorway, Quinn now saw Clare sitting cross-legged on the floor next to the crib. Ace’s giant black-and-white head took up her entire lap, the rest of his old body stretched out on his side in front of her. Clare’s top half was tilted forward over him, her hands gently caressing his fur as her blond curls fell around her face. Baby Murphy was nowhere to be seen, and Quinn guessed he was probably with one of his aunts downstairs.
It’d been only a few days since Quinn had last seen the dog, but Ace looked as if he’d lost half his body weight in that time. Mostly skin and bones, his fur was still as thinned out and patchy as Quinn remembered, but there was a stillness to him now that made Quinn’s stomach sink.
Rory pushed up from the chair and walked over to him. “Can you stay here with her for a minute? I need to check on Murphy.”
“Yeah, of course. Go,” Quinn told his brother. There were no tears on Rory’s face, but Quinn could see his grief nonetheless and his heart broke for him.
Rory stepped past him and into the hall. “Thanks, Q.”
Turning to his sister-in-law, Quinn moved farther into the room. “Hey, Clare.”
“Hi,” she replied, though she didn’t lift her head to look at him.
Quinn lowered himself carefully onto the floor next to her, laying his cane flat on the floor by his side. Reaching out, he gently petted Ace’s long body like he always had. He wasn’t cold or stiff, like Quinn had expected, but it was clear he was gone.
“You’re a good boy, Ace,” Quinn said softly, even though the dog couldn’t hear him.
“He was the best,” Clare added, her fingers slowly tracing an old, gnarly scar on Ace’s side. “He saved my life.”
“I remember.” Quinn recalled the story from when Rory and Clare were still dating. “He lived a good life, and it’s thanks to you and Rory.”
“And you. And this whole family, really,” Clare added with a sniff. “Everyone’s down there because of how much they loved him.”
Quinn didn’t respond but found himself wondering how Shea was doing with the news. She had such a special relationship with Ace.
“I just need a few more minutes with him, you know? He only just passed…” Clare said, continuing to pet Ace’s body. “I’m not ready.”
“Take all the time you need, Clare,” he assured her. “I don’t know if I’m ready, either.” He didn’t want her to feel alone or judge her for taking the time she needed to mourn, but there was a lot of truth to his words, too. Quinn had loved Ace dearly, and it broke his heart to see his powerful frame so disheveled, so empty.
“Can I tell you a secret?” Clare asked after a quiet moment, wiping her cheek with the back of her hand.
He nodded. “Of course. You know I’m always here for you, Clare.”
Clare had become like a sister to him the moment she’d entered their lives. She was the same age as Quinn, and the two had bonded easily as they both had spunky personalities and loved to joke around. It had been an easy friendship, and one that mattered a lot to him.
Clare sniffed again, leaning sideways to place her head on Quinn’s shoulder. “I’m pregnant.”
Quinn gasped. “What?”
Clare nodded, keeping her eyes on Ace’s body. She continued to stroke his head. “Yep. Baby number two.”
“That’s amazing, Clare.” Quinn kissed the top of her head and wrapped his arm around her back. “You’re an amazing mom to Murphy. I know you’ll be the same for this baby, too.”
“Thanks, Q,” she replied.
“What did Rory say?”
Clare shook her head. “He doesn’t know yet. I just took the test this morning, then Ace…I can’t tell Rory right now, not when he’s in so much pain. But I needed to tell someone. I needed someone to know.”
Quinn squeezed her a little tighter, then returned to petting Ace. “It might be nice to get some good news during such a sad time, though. Rory’s obsessed with Murphy. There’s no doubt he’ll love this baby just as much.”
“Oh, he definitely will. He’s such an amazing father,” Clare agreed. “But this is Ace’s moment. After everything Ace did for us, it’s his turn to be in the spotlight.”
Silence enveloped them for a few minutes as Quinn let Ace’s fur slide through his fingers, savoring the moment and trying to memorize exactly how it felt beneath his hand. She certainly had a point—this dog had done so much for the Kavanaghs, especially Rory and Clare.
“Tell me something I don’t know,” Clare said, breaking the silence. “Something to distract me.”
Quinn thought about it for a second. “Kiera’s here.”
“Really? That’s sweet. I’ve missed her since she’s been in school on the West Coast.” Clare’s focus shifted to him. “Did she come with you?”
Quinn nodded. “Yeah, she drove me here.”
Clare dropped her head to his shoulder again. “Oh, Quinn.”
“What?”
“You know exactly what,” Clare replied with a huff. “Don’t you remember how heartbroken you were after just seeing her once a few years ago?”
Quinn didn’t respond immediately, because Clare was right. She had seen him frustrated and hurt after seeing Kiera at Kieran and Fiona’s wedding. Nothing had happened, but seeing her had been enough to drive him crazy. He’d still wanted her, and she’d barely paid him any mind. It was awkward and uncomfortable, and the first time he’d realized that not only was
she never going to date him, but they weren’t even friends anymore, either.
“What are you doing, Quinn?” Clare pried further.
“I don’t even know.” He groaned. “About anything. Everyone around me is so sure of themselves, so set on a path in their lives. And I’m just…I don’t know. Left behind, I guess.”
He wasn’t even sure he knew who he was anymore, let alone what he wanted out of life. He was reconsidering everything—his love life, his job at Legends, his plans for the future. The accident had changed everything. Kiera was changing everything.
“People only get left behind when they refuse to move forward, Quinn. You’re strong. You have an inner strength most people never have. You’re a fighter—even if it’s not in the ring.” Clare reached out and squeezed his hand gently, her green eyes sad, yet confident, as she fixed them on him. “You’ve got a bright future, Quinn. All you have to do is decide which one you want.”
Quinn slowly absorbed her words. He knew he needed to hear everything she’d just said to him, and yet fear still pulled at him. “I’m not sure the one I want…wants me.”
The ache in his chest that had been there since the moment Kiera had kissed him deepened as he realized what he was most afraid of. She was the future he wanted. Kiera was it for him—she always had been. Despite his fear that history would repeat itself, how badly he wanted her had never changed. The rejection still stung, but she was here now.
She wanted him now. Maybe that had to be enough.
“Ace?” A tiny voice caught his attention.
Quinn and Clare both lifted their heads to see Shea standing in the doorway of the nursery. Big, pink earmuffs on her head, a book held tight to her chest, the twelve-year-old stared down at her best friend.
“Can I talk to Ace, please?” she asked politely, stepping into the room.
“Oh, honey.” Clare’s voice broke as she lifted a hand to beckon Shea to her. “Of course you can. Come. Sit.”
Shea plodded over, and Quinn spied Fiona in the doorway behind her. She leaned a shoulder against the frame, one hand across her waist, the other over her mouth. Tears streaked her face, but she didn’t come any closer.