The O’Connells Books 10 - 12

Chapter 14

Chapter Fourteen

“I don’t understand something. Do the kids get together every night?” Raymond said.

Iris was standing outside Marcus’s place after getting out of her Subaru, which Raymond had driven, though she still didn’t know why she’d let him take her keys. She took in Ryan across the street, walking their way with Alison and Jenny. “We are close,” she said. “Yes, many times during the week, we get together. We take turns on houses, mine, or Marcus’s, or Ryan’s. One of the kids brings beer, and Owen barbecues more times than not. Anything else?”

She didn’t know why she felt defensive. Maybe she was still unsettled by what had happened at that news conference, which she still couldn’t believe Marcus had arranged for him. Why was he going along with all of this for his dad? Raymond seemed less than forthcoming about everything, and maybe that was what bothered her more than anything. She knew he’d soon be gone again.

She wasn’t sure what he was thinking as he strode around the Subaru and pocketed her keys. He filled out his dark jacket well in the cool fall air. Brady was riding with Karen, whose BMW she could see coming now.

As Ryan started over to her, she could see the open question on his face, likely about his dad, so she just lifted her hand and nodded as he called out, “Everything okay?”

“Yes, fine. We’ll be right in,” she said.

She wasn’t sure what to make of the way Raymond was looking at Ryan, and vice versa, but then Alison, Jenny, and Ryan kept on walking into the house.

Raymond gave everything to her again. “Not something I expected, I guess. It’s unusual. Families usually drift apart. They’re not little kids anymore, and they have their own lives, but you all seem to center each other. I’m not saying it’s a bad thing. I’m just saying it’s unusual, is all.” He stood right in front of her, and the way he looked down at her made her so uneasy.

“Well, we should go in, I guess…” she said, not knowing why she felt so damn nervous. Her hands were sweating where they were shoved in her jacket pockets.

“Look, I know I haven’t handled any of this well, but you did a great job with the kids,” he said. At the way he smiled, she could feel her anger coming out of nowhere again.

“Seriously?” she snapped. “I didn’t have a choice, Raymond. I did the best I could, and just so you know, you get none of the credit. I had to hold them together. Don’t think I’ve missed how Karen and Suzanne seemed to have given you a pass, but hear me: They’re still in the honeymoon phase, full of nostalgia. Suddenly you’re here, acting like some kind of hero, but you’re not. I won’t forget how you lied to me, Raymond.”

He knit his brows. “I’m trying here, Iris…”

“What are you trying? You seem to forget that you invaded my house after you created a lie and forced two kids to figure it out on their own, and you’re still in my house, and now it seems you have no intention of leaving.” She held up the flat of her hand when he went to cut in. “No, Raymond, let me finish. This is turning into something that isn’t right. Yes, thank you for that public show today, but I guarantee you it will resolve squat, because the O’Connells are once again in the spotlight, front and center. You won’t be staked publicly and humiliated the way the kids and I were, maybe because you’re a man, and people give men a pass, especially when they look like you—”

“Iris,” Jack called out from behind her, and she turned her head sharply. She hadn’t realized anyone was there or how loud she was. Her heart raced, and she had to pull in a breath.

Brady was standing with Karen at her BMW, staring at her in a way that made her wish she could go back in time by two minutes and shut her damn mouth.

Jack was walking toward her, bearing down on her, and then he was there. “I want to talk to you,” he said, then turned to Raymond. “Could you give us a minute?”

“Of course,” Raymond said, though Iris knew Jack wouldn’t have given him a choice. He glanced only a second at Iris before resting his hand on her shoulder and then walking around her. It was intimate and personal, and she knew Jack had picked up on all of it.

“Sorry, I’m just…” she started.

He settled his gaze on her, his icy blue eyes so different from Raymond’s. “Don’t apologize, seriously,” he said. “I wanted to check in and touch base. Do you know what you’re getting yourself into, having Raymond in your life, in your house?”

Karen and Brady were walking to the house, giving her and Jack space. Evidently, her daughter knew this talk was not to be interrupted.

“It’s not as if I had a choice here, Jack. I didn’t want him in my house, but he insisted because he won’t leave without Brady. He’s playing the overprotective papa, is all. He’ll be gone sooner rather than later, I assume.” She lifted her hands.

Her son-in-law, who’d basically saved all of them just days earlier, didn’t pull his gaze from her. “You know, Iris, he may have planned on leaving, but I can tell you, from where I’m standing, I doubt that’s on the table now. He basically put a spotlight on where he is, and that news conference today will have his people realizing that touching him now would raise questions no one wants. He’s still a hunted man, Iris, and him being here puts a target on everyone, but I think you know that. I know Karen doesn’t want to hear it because she’s stuck on the idea of her dad being back. I can see how much she wants some type of fairy tale with you and Raymond being together, or at least her dad being back for good. She doesn’t want to see the danger he brings, even though she stood there at that news conference and heard everything. He may have been the one to see to it that those charges against you were dropped, but I want to be sure you’re not seeing the situation for anything other than it is.”

This wasn’t what she’d expected from Jack. “I can assure you I’m no longer starry eyed, and I don’t believe in fairy tales, considering mine turned into a nightmare,” she said. “It’s only a matter of time before he leaves, Jack. His priority is Brady. I see that. I don’t want any of my children thinking that Raymond came back and is here for them. Karen was his favorite, even though he loved all of them. When he left, she took it hardest, and I got the brunt of it, because she’s a mini me. That’s Raymond’s quote, but he’s right. Out of all my kids, Karen is most like me in so many ways. I hear you loud and clear, everything you’re saying.” She let out a sigh and wasn’t sure what to make of the way Jack was watching her. Then he reached over and rubbed her shoulder.

“You know, you’re wrong about one thing. Raymond may be here for Brady, but everything he’s doing and has done has been for you, for all of you. Now, by no means am I in his corner or happy he’s here. I just want to be sure you’re seeing everything clearly, is all, because the direction this is headed could end up with you and Karen being hurt—or all of you. Me, I have no emotional attachment to the man, but I see each of you is terrified of being hurt, and you’re angry, and, even though I doubt any of you will admit you want something more, there’s also a flicker of hope. I wonder if any of you have any idea it’s there or that you secretly want something you know you can’t have. You know the kind of danger I’m talking about, as your lawyer. No one else saw that letter. I’m well aware of the mother’s fear you operated under to protect your children.”

Why was it that talking to Jack only added to what she already knew?

“I’m under no illusion that a happily ever after could happen here,” she said. “But what about Brady? Raymond won’t leave without his son. I’ve asked him to go, but…”

Jack dragged his gaze up to the house. “You know, Brady can come and stay with one of us. Then Raymond will have no reason to stay, if that’s what you’re looking for.”

She pulled in a breath, seeing Luke’s old pickup approaching from down the street. “Yeah, we should go in,” she said instead of answering, aware that it was an option. Then Raymond would be gone, and that was something she didn’t want to think of right now.

Jack nodded, then shook his head. “Fine, but think about what I said. Ask yourself what you really want out of this.”

Then he started to the house, and she took in Luke, who pulled up and parked. Voices drifted out from Marcus’s house behind her, and she pulled in another breath, feeling that constant unsettled feeling that just didn’t want to go away.