Page 61 of Feel Me

Wren motions to her mother’s drink. “You enjoying your iced tea there, Ma?” she asks, winking my way.

“I would be, me darlin’,” she tells her in a very sweet and thick Irish accent. “If my only daughter would give me the grandchildren I deserve.”

“Ma, Evan and I are engaged. What more do you want?”

“Grandchildren,” she says, as if Wren didn’t hear her the first time.

“Christ,” Wren grumbles, making a quick exit out of the kitchen.

On my best day, I don’t I think I’d be prepared to meet Declan’s mother. And this for certain isn’t my best day. She’s tiny, perhaps five feet tall and maybe ninety pounds, at best. Yet the strength she carries in her blue eyes reminds me of Declan’s, and so does her smile. Despite her kindly disposition, however, I don’t doubt this woman could take me to the ground.

“Hi, Mama,” Declan says. He bends practically in half to kiss her cheek. “I’d like you to meet Melissa.”

I try to step forward, but stop, given that Declan isn’t exactly motioning me forward. He seems far away despite that only mere feet separate us.

I do my best to smile and offer her my hand. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mrs. O’Brien,” I say.

She returns my smile, nodding in way that I think she approves of me. “Please call me, Mama,” she says.

I swear it’s like I can feel my heart fill. I place my hand over my chest. “Thank you. I’d like that.”

My smile dissolves when I realize Declan isn’t smiling. He lowers his head, his expression tight.

“Her father is in the next room,” he says quietly. “I’ll introduce you, Ma.”

He presses his hand against her small back, leading her in the direction of the family room. She cocks her head as if confused by his actions. I am too, unsure what’s bothering him. He glances back at me. The motion is brief, and not reassuring, even though I need it to be then.

I should follow them and use the opportunity to become better acquainted with her. After all, it is my father she’s meeting. But Declan’s response makes me feel like he needs a moment.

The timer goes off over the stove, giving me an excuse to turn away. I open the oven door. Tiny quiches line a cooking sheet, the edges already browning and close to burning. I reach for a towel placed on the counter and lift them out of the oven.

I’m searching for a plate to serve them on when Tess, Sofia, Wren, and Molly return to the kitchen. “Oh, crap,” Tess says. “I forgot all about these. Thank you, Melissa.”

“Of course,” I say.

I force a smile, making small talk with the women as I try to dismiss Declan’s behavior. I suppose he’s nervous, but I was rather taken aback by how he acted. He seems so different lately, especially today, and very unlike the man who I’ve slept beside these past two months.

He’s just nervous, I reason yet again. I don’t want to believe there’s more going on. We depend on each other so much, and we’ve grown close. Or so I thought . . .

“Where’s Evan?” I ask Wren, realizing she appears as alone as I am.

The women look back at her, appearing sad. Wren smiles, regardless that she seems sad enough for all of them. “On a business trip, meeting with some big shots in Europe.” She laughs. “They don’t celebrate Thanksgiving so this was another week for them and another great opportunity for Evan.” She shrugs as her good humor fades. “He told me he’d do his best to make it back today, but everyone else is trying to make it back too.”

“I’m sorry,” I say.

“Yeah. Me, too,” she replies. “But he promised me this is the last Thanksgiving I’ll spend without him.” She grins, and points at me with her bottle. “I’m holding him to that.”

I don’t know Evan. But something in her voice assures me he’ll keep that promise.

I busy myself peeling potatoes and helping Wren set the table because, and I quote, “I don’t fucking cook.”

We spend our time running in and out of the kitchen with plates of appetizers. But as we finish lining the table with casserole dishes, I find myself with nothing to do.

I turn to Tess as she walks in with her little daughter perched on her hip. “What’s left?” I ask.

“Nothing,” she says, sounding relieved. “Just to carve the turkey, but Curran has another twenty minutes before it’s time.”

The noise level grows with the escalating action of the football game. My attention wanders to Declan only to squint when everyone yells at once. “All right, I’ll be outside if you need me.”

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