Trish Wylie - Project - Parenthood

Just that simple. Nothing more. Just kissed. By Brendan, in a makeshift tent on her living room floor.

One afternoon of messing about with three kids and Brendan in a faux family scene and the part of her that was so commitmentphobic seemed to have taken a momentary hike.

She knew there would be consequences to a kiss. But it didn’t stop her from wanting it….

Dear Reader,

One of the nicest experiences a writer can have while working on a story is when characters take you by the hand and lead you through their journey. In Project: Parenthood Teagan and Brendan did exactly that.

These two could be any of us—people who live their everyday lives on a learning curve that can often be steep. Something I’ve learned myself as I’ve got older and supposedly more “mature.” Brendan is one of the lucky few who knows what he wants from his life fairly early on, but takes a longer road than planned to get there. I know how that goes. And Teagan is convinced she knows what she wants from life when she’s really not being honest with herself. I know how that one goes, too.

In this story it just takes one little twist of fate to lead them to a place where they can see things clearly and end up where they’re supposed to be. I know I love it when things like that happen, and I hope you’ll love taking the journey with them as much as I did. All I’ve done is tell the story they told me to tell you.

Hugs and kisses,

Trish

www.millsandboon.co.uk

Trish Wylie tried various careers before eventually fulfilling her dream of writing. Years spent working in the music industry, in promotions and teaching little kids about ponies gave her plenty of opportunity to study life and the people around her. Which, in Trish’s opinion, is a pretty good study course for writing! Living in Ireland, Trish balances her time between writing and horses. If you get to spend your days doing things you love, then she thinks that’s not doing too badly. You can contact Trish at www.trishwylie.com

For J.H. my editor.

For encouragement and belief in me above

and beyond the call of duty….

PROLOGUE

CHAPTER ONE

CHAPTER TWO

CHAPTER THREE

CHAPTER FOUR

CHAPTER FIVE

CHAPTER SIX

CHAPTER SEVEN

CHAPTER EIGHT

CHAPTER NINE

CHAPTER TEN

CHAPTER ELEVEN

CHAPTER TWELVE

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

EPILOGUE

‘YOU look amazing. Wow. Almost like a princess.’

Teagan Delaney smiled at her younger sister’s gasp of awe from the bedroom doorway. ‘Why, thank you. It’s amazing what you can do with three hours’ preparation time. Did you get Dad’s dinner done?’

Eimear nodded, her ponytail bobbing furiously before she sprawled across the cover of Teagan’s bed. ‘Uh-huh. I’m going to do some course revision in my room ’til you come home, though.’

It was a pretty normal thing for a seventeen-year-old to do. But Teagan knew it was also a way of hiding, ‘You could watch some TV downstairs with Dad for a little while when you take a break. I’m sure he won’t mind.’

Eyes the same shade of green as her own rolled towards the ceiling. ‘He’ll make me watch some dumb documentary. I’ll just wait in my room and then you can tell me everything later.’ She propped her head on an elbow. ‘And you’d better. Even if I’m asleep you have to promise to wake me up.’

‘I can tell you in the morning.’

‘I won’t sleep ‘til I hear tonight!’ She pouted.

Teagan raised a dark eyebrow. ‘I thought you just said to wake you up?’

‘I won’t sleep proper.’

‘Properly.’

She scowled. ‘Well, I won’t. You have to come tell me. I never get to go to proper dress-up parties.’

Teagan turned back to the mirror and examined her reflection. It was perfect, thanks to Eimear. Without her fashion-conscious sister she wouldn’t have looked half so glamorous. Nicer jeans than normal and possibly a tad more make-up would have done the tomboy Teagan just fine. But Eimear had been more ambitious. And it had certainly paid off.

Stopping to hand out a hug of appreciation before she left the room, she felt her heart beat a little louder in her chest at the thought of what other people might think of the transformation. Hell. There was only one person she would like to impress. One person whose opinion really mattered.

She’d been spending more and more time with Brendan McNamara since he’d split up with his girlfriend at the start of the new university year.

He was the most amazing person she knew. It would be nice if he could look at her and think she was amazing too. Even if it was just for the one night.

With a promise thrown to Eimear that she would wake her, no matter how late it was, she lifted her wrap and made her way towards the stairs. As she balanced carefully on her highest ever heels, her mind turned to the only other male in her life. Who would be in the living room with his dinner on a tray and a documentary of some kind on the television.

She felt hope bubble in her chest. Surely, dressed like she was, he would take the time to tell her she looked beautiful? Just a couple of minutes to look her way and notice how much she’d grown up. That she was a woman now, and not the tomboy she’d been for most of her life.

Words of love or even a hug would be too much to hope for. But something, even a small something, would do.

He didn’t even look up from his food when she made her entrance.

‘I’m off now, Dad.’

‘Right, then. Back by twelve.’

‘Dad, it’s a ball. I’ll not be back ’til after one.’ She tried to keep a note of pleading from her voice. ‘But I’ll come straight home. I promise.’

‘Make sure you do.’

She waited. Willed him to look at her, just for a moment. But he kept on eating. ‘You got money?’

‘Yes.’

‘Don’t spend it all well.’

‘I won’t.’ With a small sigh she scowled down at her feet and then turned to leave the room. ‘I’ll see you in the morning.’

‘None of that bran nonsense at breakfast.’

‘Fine.’

Swallowing down the lump in her throat, she turned and walked away from him. She should have known better than to even hope, shouldn’t she? Years of disappointment should have taught her not to believe in any form of magic from her father. Or even from the mother who was gone.

It was just a shame she wasn’t as thick-skinned as the years should have taught her to be.

Thank heavens she had a friend like Brendan. He gave her hope in the rest of the world.

Within a few hours he had put the smile back onto her face, with his easy banter, teasing tones and quiet confidence.

He was truly amazing. Around him she actually found herself feeling happy and carefree, even if reality was always in the background to remind her that life wasn’t carefree and happy.

Brendan had been her flatmate’s boyfriend when she’d met him. Which had technically made him ‘safe’ to get to know. There had been no danger in being friends with him because the three young women who shared the flat had had an unwritten rule about stealing guys. Not that Teagan would even have thought about it. She had more important goals than some guy’s arm to dangle from.

So they’d become friends. Had almost been forced to during the times when Shannon had been late back from her part-time job, or spending longer than usual getting ready to go out for the night.