It didn’t take much more than a couple of kisses and a little touching to coax her into seeing things his way. She soon found herself n**ed and locked in the arms of her lover. For a good half hour, he concentrated on studying her body in a way that brought both of them to shuddering satisfaction followed by soft kissing.

A little breathless, Patrick suggested, “We can call in a no-show. Just say the word.”

She shook her head. “It’s fun to be together with our families. And it distracts me from the inevitable.”

The visit to Patrick’s cabin for his change of clothes was much more efficient, and soon they were joining the others at the Victorian. They were too many for a sit-down dinner—Shelby’s family had joined them, as well as Walt Booth and his lady friend, Muriel, Walt’s daughter and her husband and children and, of course, Jilly’s sister, Kelly, and her family. Kelly did the basic cooking—a large prime rib roast and a turkey—but everyone brought something to eat so it was a very full house and heavy table. It shaped up like an old-fashioned town party, and the only person missing was Preacher—someone had to run the bar for all the out-of-towners. In fact, Jack recruited a couple of guys in town to serve so he could sneak away for a few hours.

Desserts were laid out and everything was starting to quiet down when Aiden put a hand on Patrick’s shoulder. “Let’s check out a cigar.”

“It’s cold out there!” Patrick said.

Aiden laughed. “I’ll keep you warm.” With his hand on Paddy’s shoulder, Aiden directed him to the back door and they grabbed their jackets off the hook on the way out. Aiden pulled a couple of cigars and a lighter out of his pocket, clipped the ends and handed one off to Patrick. When a few puffs had them going, Aiden asked, “How are the nightmares?”

Patrick’s eyes shot to Aiden’s. “What nightmares?”

“Don’t kid a kidder, Paddy. You went through a traumatic event. The life of your closest friend was lost. I was a Navy physician for years—I know how it goes.”

“An OB! You’re an OB!”

“Yes, I was a women’s doctor. And also the doctor on a ship. Oh, wait, that’s right—women don’t have combat issues.” He shook his head.

“I didn’t mean that. Of course they do. But…”

“But I made referrals and had to know what I was dealing with. Even if I hadn’t had medical training in this, between Luke and Colin and their disasters, I’d be up to speed. So? Nightmares? Depression? Anger? Denial? Anything?”

Patrick studied his cigar. “I had some bad dreams. It’s better.”

“Yeah, good. Colin says you’re headed for Oklahoma. Jake’s widow lives there.”

Patrick gave a humorless laugh. “Bunch of old women…”

They were quiet for a moment. Finally Aiden said, “I like your girl. Sweet.”

“Not my girl…”

“You doing her for fun? Does she know that?”

He looked at Aiden with barely concealed rage. “She’s a good woman. It’s just a thing, all right? Totally consensual.”

“Look, I know you came here for a break, a chance to take stock of your life. Have you had a chance to do that?”

“Until all of you showed up, that’s exactly what I was doing!”

“Really, Paddy?” Aiden asked, his voice quiet. “Make any progress on that? Because last I heard, you still weren’t sure what you wanted. You used to be sure.”

I used to have a best friend, Patrick thought miserably.

“I only met Jake once,” Aiden said. “He was a lot like you, though. And if you’d gone down, you wouldn’t have wanted him to rethink his whole life trying to compensate for losing him. Know what I mean? There’s nothing you can do to bring him back, Paddy. You have to grieve the loss, but you’ll never change the course of events. He’s gone now. I’ve said this before but I’ll say it again—I’m really sorry, man.”

“Yeah, thanks,” Paddy said.

The back door opened and Sean came outside.

“Oh, brother,” Paddy said.

Sean just smiled. “Franci hates cigars. Got one more?”

Aiden supplied him, handing him the clip and lighter. Once he got the cigar going, Sean said, “Paddy, you’re not really going to give up that sweet little beauty, are you? She’s crazy about you.”

“It’s really none of your business,” Patrick returned.

“When has that stopped anyone?”

The door opened again and Luke came out. Before the door could close on him, Colin held it and joined him. Without a word, Aiden supplied two more cigars. “That’s it. I brought five. If anyone else shows up out here, they’re on their own.”

“If anyone else shows up out here, just shoot me,” Patrick said.

No sooner had he said that than Walt Booth and Sam Sheridan came outside.

“Sorry, man—my brothers ran through all the cigars,” Aiden said.

Walt pulled a couple out of his pocket. “Not to worry, son. I’m always packing.”

A minute later, Jack and Paul came outside. “General,” Paul said. “What are the chances…?”

Walt supplied a couple more.

A minute later brought Bob, Angie’s dad. Walt pulled a cigar out of his pocket and Bob put up his hands. “No, thanks. I don’t feel like putting up with Donna tonight.”

Mike V came outside. “You left me alone with all those women!” He accepted the cigar that Bob had declined.

“Yeah, this is my idea of a Christmas party,” Jack said, puffing. “Forest ranger might get a little excited, but that’s okay. So,” he continued, turning to Patrick, “rumor is, you’re still leaving day after tomorrow.” He shook his head. “I’ll believe it when I see it.”

“I made a commitment. Not something I take lightly. And before anyone asks—Angie has been completely aware of this since the very first day we met. She understands. She approves. And she has plans of her own—she’s headed back to med school. She’s very motivated. More now than when she got here. So you see? We both have our plans. I’m not saying it’s all that easy, but it’s decided and accepted.”

It was quiet for a long stretched-out moment.

“I have ten bucks that says he never gets out of town,” Walt Booth said.

“I go with Walt,” Sean said. “For twenty.”

“Twenty says he gets as far as the airport,” said Jack. “Trust me, I’ve watched this place over the years—men hardly ever get away. They try, though.”

“Put me down for a hundred that takes him all the way to Charleston before he figures it out,” Luke said. “My little brother is book smart, but that’s where his smarts end.”

“Gentlemen, as much as I enjoy your humor, I’m out of here,” Patrick said, then he stalked back into the house.

Chapter Sixteen

Patrick didn’t have the heart to tell Angie they were wagering on whether he’d actually leave town, leave her, as planned. If it weren’t for the fact that his brothers didn’t actually start it, he’d be feeling pretty unforgiving toward them. In fact, if not for his mother, he might not even offer them a goodbye. But there was his mother. And though she was a tough old broad, when her boys were unhappy with one another, it tore a little at her heart.

Patrick wanted to make his departure as easy on Angie as possible. Though she put on the strong, resilient act, he knew it was going to be hard for her to say goodbye. He knew because it was killing him. So he went through the details of how his last day would be spent. He was just about packed up—a bachelor never completely unpacks and tends to travel light—and he was going to make a run over to Luke’s to tell his mother goodbye and not to worry. It was an important ritual—mothers liked to worry. He’d favor Luke with a handshake if they crossed paths.

After bidding his family farewell, Angie could have anything she wanted from him until he had to leave. As it turned out, all she asked for was his chili, a beer and a quiet night in, which suited him just fine. They opted for her cabin. He would leave first thing in the morning, run by his own cabin to get his things and then head for Oklahoma.

The first order of business was visiting his mother. She’d sent all her sons to war at one time or another; she’d tried to pull each one of them through a laundry list of crises. “Just remember that I love you, Paddy,” she said. “Take care of yourself.”

He had to give his brothers credit—the joking was over. “If there’s ever anything you need, you know how to reach me,” Luke said. “Don’t hesitate.”

“Thanks.”

“Keep the greasy side down, man.”

“Aw, that’s not the fun flying,” Paddy said.

At the Victorian, as predicted, he found the rest of them. “No partying or playing tonight, gentlemen. I’m making Angie a pot of chili and we’re going to play a little Scrabble. Then I’m out of here. Aiden, thanks for the cabin. It almost feels like home.”

“My pleasure. And listen, if you need more time, let the Navy know. They’d really rather have you washing battleships than messing up one of their pretty F-18s if you’re not ready for that duty.”

Patrick laughed.

“If you need something, call me first,” Colin said, putting out his hand. “I think I owe you big. I owe all of you big, but if I remember…”

“I remember,” Patrick said, taking his hand in a firm shake. “I came to your rescue when you were strung out on Oxy and you threw me out. Threw my clothes on the lawn.”

“Did I apologize for that?” Colin asked with a grin.

“Not that I can recall.”

“Good. It’s better to just return the favor.”

And then there was Sean. “Listen, Paddy—I know we butt heads sometimes. Okay, Riordans butt heads regularly. But you know we’ve got your back. Right?”

“Right,” he said, shaking Sean’s hand.

“You lost a good friend—I can’t say anything that will make that better. But your brothers are always there for you. Sometimes even when you’d rather we’d just go away.”

“Considering the number of times you losers have had me on the other side of this equation, I’m just going to say thank you. And move on.”

Then it was time for the really hard part. His last night with Angie.

Patrick was ready to call on every ounce of courage and compassion he could muster to get her through the night and his early-morning departure. But he’d been woefully unprepared for the fact that Angie would prove to be the really strong one.

“You know how there are people in your life that change everything?” she asked. “The kind of friend without whom you can’t make a paradigm leap into a new realm, into unchartered territory and new possibilities? The kind of friend who you’re always your very best self with? Was Jake that kind of friend?”

“He was.”

“Before you go, I want you to know you’ve been that kind of friend to me,” she said. “I came up here to get away, struggling to know myself better, working on where I’d go next, trying so damn hard to change. And you encouraged me every step of the way.”

“Ange, you had all that, you were all that without me around—it was just time....”

She shook her head. “With you on my team I felt so much was possible. You backed me in everything. You’re a wonderful partner. Paddy, you showed me a whole new world. I’ll never settle again.”

“Never, ever settle, babe,” he said. “You’re too good.”

“If Jake meant as much to you, I can sure understand why you have to head to Oklahoma. If you owe him as much as I feel I owe you, you’re doing the right thing.”