Page 77 of A Very Un-Shakespeare Romance
“You bet.” Sheila pulled her phone out of her yoga top, making Robbie cringe, as Tara got up to take a look.
Tara whistled. “Okay, you weren’t overselling. Nothing is photoshopped?”
“No, ma’am. That’s all Tyler. Sometimes I wonder how he gets his reports in and finds the time to stay that ripped. Because there’s ripped—”
“And then there’s ripped.” Tara made another one of those sounds Robbie wished he could unhear. “Scotty is going to lose his shit when he sees me sipping a Mai Tai off this honey’s washboard abs.”
“Tara, for the love of—”
Tim elbowed him. “She’s getting into character. Let her be.”
Sheila glared at him as well. “What he said. Tara, Tyler and I have done dozens assignments together, and I can promise you…you’re about to have some serious fun, girl.”
Fun?Were they insane?
“Sheila is trying to assure Tara—”
“I know,” he told Lily, holding up his hand. “It’s just a little jarring.”
She crossed and sat down next to him on the couch, more serious than he’d ever seen her. “I say this with the greatest care and respect for you. You’re going to have to forget you’re related to Tara and just be a cop right now. I need Lieutenant Robbie O’Connor by my side, not Robbie, the concerned cousin.”
He bit the inside of his jaw, glad for the reminder. “You have him. Once I get rid of Billie and Shakespeare here. Ah…by the way, Tim. What exactly did you tell Billie about why you’ve been over here? I can’t imagine he was thrilled to be babysitting the girls alone.”
Tim turned sheepish. “About that…I kinda told him Sheila was preparing a big surprise for him with our help, so he needed to stay out of the way.”
“Well, it’s kinda true,” Sheila said with a wince.
“And he bought that?”
“Dude likes Clarice.” Tim lifted a shoulder. “He bought it hook, line, and sinker.”
Robbie pinched the bridge of his nose, wondering how Billie was going to take the news. He hoped he’d simply laugh it off with hiseasy come, easy gogrin. Because they had enough balls in the air. “Your lying is starting to worry me, Tim.”
“Except the storyistrue,” Tim followed up with glee dancing in his eyes. “And handcuffing you and Lily together so you’d listen to her wasn’t lying exactly—”
“What?”Tara interrupted. “You two were handcuffed?”
Robbie squirmed, and Lily gave a humorless laugh. “Tim has become very theatrical all of a sudden.”
“Tim’s plan helped these two lovebirds come together for real,” Sheila said, making loud kissing noises.
“Tim came up with the idea?” Tara lifted a hand for Tim to high-five, which he did, rising and putting his arm around their cousin. “Way to go. Respect, man.”
He broke free to give one of his new regal bows, to which she responded with a curtsy. They’d created a monster.
“Tim has grown quite a bit on this trip,” Robbie said diplomatically. “We might keep the handcuff thing in this room.”
“No way, cousin!” Tara gave a bawdy laugh. “This story is going to be told again and again at O’Connor’s Pub.”
“Don’t forget about BBQs and family reunions,” Tim said, giving Tara another high five.
Lily was looking down in her lap, a slight flush on her cheeks. “Do you see what you’ve gotten yourself into?” he asked. “Think you can take it?”
She lifted her head, her green eyes filled with that all too sexy challenge he loved. “You bet I can, Grandpa. Can you take this plan I’ve cooked up?”
He laid his hand close to her leg. “You’re right. It’s brilliant. But I’ll need you to add something to your equipment list.”
She gave a beaming smile, looking very much like the girl next door. “Anything.”
