Нора Робертс - Chasing Fire

“That’s your uncle,” Ella whispered. “That’s Uncle Matt. It’s okay now.”

Leo turned his back, moved as far away as the narrow confines of the room allowed, folded his arms over his chest.

Ella stepped to Matt. “Would you hold her? I’d like to take Irene out for a minute or two, get her some fresh air.”

“I’d be pleased.” Matt’s eyes watered up when the baby reached a chubby hand to his face.

“She favors Jim a little.” Lynn spoke quietly. “Don’t you think, Matt? She favors Jim?”

Matt’s throat worked as he nodded, as he bent his head to press his cheek to Shiloh’s.

“Come on with us, Irene.” With Marg’s help, Ella got Irene to her feet. “Come on with us for a bit.”

As they led the sobbing woman out, Ella heard Meece’s gentle voice coat over the ugly tension in the room.

Rowan licked her strawberry swirl, enjoying the buzz of pedestrian and street traffic as she strolled with Gull.

“That’s not really ice cream,” she told him.

“Maple walnut is not only really ice cream, it’s macho ice cream.”

“Maple’s for syrup. It’s like a condiment. It’s like mustard. Would you eat mustard ice cream?”

“I’m open to all flavors, even your girlie strawberry parfait.”

“This is refreshing.” As the drive had been, she thought. A long, aimless drive on winding roads, and now a slow, purposeless stroll along the green shade of boulevard trees toward one of the city’s parks.

With two of the four-hour breaks ahead of them, she could let go, relax. Unless the phones in their pockets signaled a call back to base.

For now she’d just appreciate the respite, the ice cream, the company and the blissful rarity of a free summer afternoon.

“I’ll ignore your syrup ice cream because you had a really good idea. Twenty-four hours ago, we’re in the belly of the beast, and here we are poking along like a couple of tourists.”

“One makes the other all the more worthwhile.”

“You know what, if we’re not catching fire, we should complete our tequila shot competition tonight. We can pick up a bottle of the good stuff before we head back.”

“You just want to get me drunk and take advantage of me.”

“I don’t have to get you drunk for that.”

“Suddenly I feel cheap and easy. I like it.”

“Maybe we can get Cards into it. He could use the distraction.”

She’d told Gull the situation on the drive in. “The letter’s a good idea. He should follow through.”

“Maybe you could help him.”

“Me?”

“You’ve got good words.”

“I don’t think Cards wants me playing Cyrano for his Roxanne.”

“See?” She drilled a finger into his arm, and put on a bumpkin accent. “You got all that there book-larning.”

“Rowan?”

She glanced over at the sound of her name. Feeling awkward, mildly annoyed and uncertain what came next, Rowan lowered her ice cream. “Ah, yeah. Hi.”

Ella stayed seated on the bench. “It’s nice to see you. I heard you got back this morning.” Ella mustered up a smile for Gull. “I’m Ella Frazier, a friend of Rowan’s father.”

“Gulliver Curry.” He stepped over, offered his free hand. “How’re you doing?”

“Honestly? Not very well. I’ve just come from Dolly’s funeral, which was as bad as you can imagine. I wanted to walk it off, then I thought I could sit it off. It’s so pretty here. But it’s not working.”

“Why were you... Mrs. Brakeman works at your school,” Rowan remembered.

“Yes. We’ve gotten to be friends the last year or so.”

“How is she... It’s stupid to ask how she’s doing, if she’s okay. She couldn’t be okay.”

“She’s not, and I think it may be worse yet. The police were there, too, and took Leo in for questioning after the service. Irene’s in the middle of a nightmare. It’s hard to watch a friend going through all this, knowing there’s little to nothing you can do to help. And I’m sorry.” She caught herself, shook her head. “Here you are on what I’m sure is very rare and precious free time, and I’m full of gloom.”

“You need ice cream,” Gull decided. “What flavor?”

“Oh, no, I—”

“Ice cream,” he repeated, “is guaranteed to cut the gloom. What would you like?”

“You might as well pick something,” Rowan told her. “He’ll just keep at you otherwise.”

“Mint chocolate chip. Thank you.”

“I’ll be back in a minute.”

Only more awkward now, Rowan thought as Gull jogged back in the direction of the ice-cream parlor. “I guess you saw the group from the base.”

“Yes. Leo started to cause a scene, which might have escalated. But between Matt, then the police coming in, it died off into awful tension, resentment, grief, smothered rage. And, enough.” She closed her eyes. “Just enough of all that. Will you sit? You know your delightful man took off not only to get me ice cream but to give us a few minutes on our own.”

“Probably. He likes to put things in motion.”

“He’s gorgeous, and strikes me as tough and sweet. That’s an appealing blend in a man.” Ella angled on the bench, putting them face-to-face. “You’re uncomfortable with me, with my relationship with your father.”

“I don’t know you.”

“No, you don’t. I feel like I know you, at least a little, because Lucas talks about you all the time. He loves you so much, is so proud of you. You have to know there’s nothing he wouldn’t do for you.”

“It’s mutual.”

“I know it. Just as I know if you made it a choice between you and me, I wouldn’t stand a chance.”

“I’m not going to—”

“Just let me finish, because you don’t know me and, at this point, don’t particularly like me. Why should you? But since we have this opportunity I’m going to tell you your father is the most wonderful, the most endearing, the most exciting man I’ve ever known. I made the first move, he was so shy. Oh, God.” She pressed a hand to her heart, her face lighting up in the dappled sunlight. “I’d hoped we’d get to know each other, date, enjoy each other’s company. And we did. What I never expected was I’d fall in love with him.”

Battling a dozen conflicting emotions, Rowan stared at her melting ice cream.

“You’re so young. And I know you don’t think you are. But you’re so young, and it has to be impossible to understand how someone my age can fall just as hard, as deep and terrifyingly as someone yours. But I have, and I know where the power is, Rowan. I hope you’ll give me a chance.”

“He’s never... He hasn’t been involved with anyone since my mother.”

“I know. That makes me very, very lucky. Here comes Gull. From where I’m sitting, we’re both very lucky.”

Gull skimmed his gaze over Rowan’s face before shifting to Ella. “Here you go.”

“That was quick.”

“We call him Fast Feet.” Not sure what to think, Rowan attacked the drips running down her cone.

“Thank you.” After the first taste, Ella smiled, tasted again. “You were right, this cuts the gloom. Take my seat,” she said as she got up. “I think I can walk this off now. It was nice to talk to you, Rowan.”

“Yeah. You too.” Sort of, Rowan thought, as Ella walked away.

Gull sat, looked after her. “She’s hot.”

“Jesus Christ. She’s old enough to be your mother.”

“My aunt’s also hot. A guy doesn’t have to want to sleep with a woman to acknowledge the hotness.”

“She said she’s in love with my father. What am I supposed to say to that? Do about that? Feel about that?”

“Maybe that she has good taste in men.” He patted her thigh. “You’ve got to let these crazy kids work these things out on their own. Anyway, my first—if brief—impression. I liked her.”