Fierce-Gabe (Fierce Matchmaking Book

12) Natalie Ann

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 FIERCE-GABE

NATALIE ANN
Copyright 2024 Natalie Ann

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 CONTENTS
Author’s Note
Also by Natalie Ann
About the Author
Blurb
Prologue
1. On Principle
2. Smart Ass Replies And Responses
3. Glowing Personality
4. Just A Homebody
5. Hiding At Home
6. The Perfect Timing
7. This Place In Life
8. Go With His Gut
9. Challenging Her
10. Nothing Is Simple
11. Playing Matchmaker
12. Life Of Luxury
13. Past This Night
14. Means Something
15. Play The Martyr
16. Swallow Your Pride
17. Truthful Statement
18. Had Some Hope
19. Taking It Slow
20. Playing Cupid
21. Seductive Move
22. The Right Time
23. This Was now
24. People Will See Us
25. Not Changing
26. The Bigger Person
27. This Was Personal
28. Keep Me There
29. A Big Step
30. Big Sign Of Comfort
31. Dirty Little Habits
32. First Step
33. No Reason To Rush
34. Afraid To Say
35. Smoke Signal
36. Her Relationship
37. Profound Words
38. None Of That Matters
39. Set Against Me
40. Expect No Less
41. Gifts Of Bribery
Epilogue

About the Author

Also by Natalie Ann
 AUTHOR’S NOTE

Author’s Note
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, events and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or are used
fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
ALSO BY NATALIE ANN
The Road Series-See where it all started!!

Lucas and Brooke’s Story- Road to Recovery

Jack and Cori’s Story – Road to Redemption
Mac and Beth’s Story- Road to Reality
Ryan and Kaitlin’s Story- Road to Reason

The All Series

William and Isabel’s Story — All for Love

Ben and Presley’s Story – All or Nothing
Phil and Sophia’s Story – All of Me
Alec and Brynn’s Story – All the Way
Sean and Carly’s Story — All I Want
Drew and Jordyn’s Story— All My Love
Finn and Olivia’s Story—All About You
Landon Barber and Kristen Reid- All Of Us

The Lake Placid Series

Nick Buchanan and Mallory Denning – Second Chance

Max Hamilton and Quinn Baker – Give Me A Chance
Caleb Ryder and Celeste McGuire – Our Chance
Cole McGuire and Rene Buchanan – Take A Chance
Zach Monroe and Amber Deacon- Deserve A Chance
Trevor Miles and Riley Hamilton – Last Chance
Matt Winters and Dena Hall- Another Chance
Logan Taylor and Kennedy Miles- It’s My Chance
Justin Cambridge and Taryn Miles – One More Chance

The Fierce Five Series

Gavin Fierce and Jolene O’Malley- How Gavin Stole Christmas

Brody Fierce and Aimee Reed - Brody
Aiden Fierce and Nic Moretti- Aiden
Mason Fierce and Jessica Corning- Mason
Cade Fierce and Alex Marshall - Cade
Ella Fierce and Travis McKinley- Ella

Fierce Family

Sam Fierce and Dani Rhodes- Sam

Bryce Fierce and Payton Davies - Bryce
Drake Fierce and Kara Winslow – Drake
Noah Fierce and Paige Parker - Noah
Wyatt Fierce and Adriana Lopez – Wyatt
Jade Fierce and Brock James – Jade
Ryder Fierce and Marissa McMillan – Ryder

Fierce Matchmaking

Devin Andrews and Hope Hall- Devin

Mick McNamara and Lindsey White- Mick
Cody McMillian and Raina Davenport – Cody
 Liam O’Malley and Margo West- Liam
Walker Olson and Stella White – Walker
Flynn Slater and Julia McNamara – Flynn
Ivan Andrews & Kendra Key- Ivan
Jonah Davenport & Megan Harrington- Jonah
Royce Kennedy & Chloe Grey- Royce
Sawyer Brennan & Faith O’Malley- Sawyer
Trent Davenport & Roni Hollister- Trent
Gabe McCarthy & Elise Kennedy – Gabe

Paradise Place

Josh Turner and Ruby Gentile – Cupid’s Quest

Harris Walker and Kaelyn Butler – Change Up
Philip Aire and Blair McKay- Starting Over
Nathan Randal and Brina Shepard – Eternal
Ryan Butler and Shannon Wilder – Falling Into Love
Brian Dawson and Robin Masters – Mistletoe Magic
Caden Finley and Sarah Walker- Believe In Me
Evan Butler and Parker Reed – Unexpected Delivery
Trey Bridges and Whitney Butler – Forever Mine
Dylan Randal and Zoe Milton- Because Of You
Cash Fielding and Hannah Shepard – Letting Go
Brent Elliot and Vivian Getman – No More Hiding
Marcus Reid and Addison Fielding- Made For Me
Rick Masters and Gillian Bridges – The One
Cooper Winslow and Morgan Finely- Back To Me
Jeremy Reid and McKenna Preston- Saving Me
Christian Butler and Liz Carter- Begin Again
Cal Perkins and Mia Finley- Angels Above

Amore Island

Family Bonds- Hunter and Kayla

Family Bonds- Drew and Amanda
Family Bonds – Mac and Sidney
Family Bonds- Emily & Crew
Family Bonds- Ava & Seth
Family Bonds- Eli & Bella
Family Bonds- Hailey & Rex
Family Bonds- Penelope & Griffin
Family Bonds- Bode & Samantha
Family Bonds- Hudson & Delaney
Family Bonds- Alex & Jennie
Family Bonds- Roark & Chelsea
Family Bonds- Duke & Hadley
Family Bonds – Carter & Avery
Family Bonds- Egan & Blake
Family Bonds- Carson & Laine

Blossoms

A Love for Lily – Zane Wolfe and Lily Bloom

A Playboy For Poppy- Reese McGill and Poppy Bloom
A Romantic For Rose – Thomas Klein and Rose Bloom
A Return For Ren – Ren Whitney and Zara Wolfe
A Journey For Jasmine- Wesley Wright and Jasmine Greene
A Vacationer for Violet – Violet Soren And Trace Mancini
A Hero For Heather- Heather Davis and Luke Remington
A Doctor For Daisy- Daisy Jones And Theo James
An Investigator For Ivy- Ivy Greene and Brooks Scarsdale
A Date For Dahlia- Dahlia Greene and Hugh Crosby

Looking For Love

Learning To Love – West Carlisle and Abby Sherman

Love Collection

Vin Steele and Piper Fielding – Secret Love

Jared Hawk and Shelby McDonald – True Love
Erik McMann and Sheldon Case – Finding Love
Connor Landers and Melissa Mahoney- Beach Love
Ian Price and Cam Mason- Intense Love
Liam Sullivan and Ali Rogers - Autumn Love
Owen Taylor and Jill Duncan - Holiday Love
Chase Martin and Noelle Bennett - Christmas Love
Zeke Collins and Kendall Hendricks - Winter Love
Troy Walker and Meena Dawson – Chasing Love
Jace Stratton and Lauren Towne - First Love
Gabe Richards and Leah Morrison - Forever Love
Blake Wilson and Gemma Anderson – Simply Love
Brendan St. Nicholas and Holly Lane – Gifts of Love
 ABOUT THE AUTHOR

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 BLURB

Elise Kennedy doesn’t have the best relationship with her mother, the woman that tried to fit her into a mold, and she’s sworn
never to conform. After a careless spontaneous decision in her youth to prove her mother wrong, she promises herself to never
let that woman influence any decision again. Only history seems to repeat itself when she is around Gabe McCarthy and she
wonders if she’ll ever get a chance to make it right.
Gabe McCarthy can’t get Elise Kennedy out of his mind. One night and many regrets still haunt him. Now, every time he sees
her, he does his best to put on a happy face knowing it only riles her up more. Probably wrong on his part, but he can’t seem to
get the reaction he wants out of her. When he finds out the Fierces have put them together as their next matchmaking project, he
makes the bold decision to take matters into his own hands. Elise would rebel against anyone planning out her life and he isn’t
about to let another obstacle stand in his way.
 PROLOGUE

“H ow was the test?”

Elise Kennedy looked at her college roommate. They got along just fine, but Sandra was not someone she felt she
could get close with. Not someone she’d completely confide in.
Heck, she realized there wasn’t anyone other than her father and brother she could ever feel comfortable enough to confide
in.
She put one foot up on the stool, her hands on the mattress, lifted and plopped her ass on the top bunk of her bed. Under it
was a desk where she did her schoolwork.
“It was fine,” she said.
“I’ve got that class in two hours,” Sandra said. “Want to give me your notes?”
“Sure,” she said. She didn’t care. It was only a social studies elective. She was a business major. Sandra was an English
major and offered to help her with those classes.
Her phone was ringing yet again. Then it stopped after a minute and started to buzz with texts.
“Someone wants to reach you,” Sandra said.
“My mother. She’s being a pain as always.”
There was no lost love between her and her mother. Not when her mother tried to turn her into a girlie girl that she’d
rebelled against.
Nope, she was a Daddy’s girl and liked it that way!
Give her jeans and sneakers, work boots too, and she was happy as a pig rolling in the dirt.
She’d gotten dirty helping her father on the construction site enough as a kid. But that wasn’t what she wanted to do with
her life.
Not what her mother wanted either when Becky Kennedy left her father and decided she didn’t want her kids dragging her
down.
“Are you going to answer it?” Sandra asked.
“Why not,” she said sarcastically. “Might as well start my weekend off right.”
She was done with classes for the day. She loved her early Fridays, but Sandra had a two o’clock class and would be done
by three thirty.
“Can I witness this or do you want me to leave?” Sandra asked, grinning.
“I’m here for the entertainment factor,” she said, shrugging.
Sandra laughed and sat on her bed on the opposite side of their small room to face Elise.
She hit the button to call her mother back. She’d had a peaceful month at college not having to talk to her mother and she
knew it wasn’t going to last forever.
“Why don’t you ever answer my calls, Elise?” her mother asked before she even said hello. No surprise there.
“Because I’m in college and busy,” she said. “I know you don’t work, so you don’t understand the rest of us have things
going on during the day.”
 “Steve is home at night,” her mother said. “I spend time with him.”
Because Becky Kennedy-Vern’s kids always fell to the bottom of the priority list. Her mother couldn’t take ten minutes out
of her night to call her kids when they might not be in class if it was an inconvenience to her marriage. Steve would probably
welcome the few minutes of solace.
“Good for you,” she said. “What is going on?”
“I can’t call to see how you’re doing in college?”
“I’m doing fine,” she said. “Just like I have for years in high school. You’d know that if you ever reached out. Or reached
out at a reasonable time when a kid might be available.”
There was silence on the other end. “You didn’t want to move with me,” her mother snapped.
“You didn’t want me and you know it. You only wanted me because it looked bad that Dad got custody. No way was Dad
going to let us be split up and you didn’t want Royce.”
Her mother snorted. “Your brother was better off with your father. He was taking over the business anyway. But you won’t
have anything to do with it.”
This was where her mother never listened to her.
Ever.
And just because she was feeling extra ornery, she said, “Mom, if you took the time to talk to me, you’d know I’m going for
a business degree and am going to run Kennedy Construction with Dad and Royce.”
Her mother sighed heavily. “I had such high hopes for you. Your father is a horrible example in your life. Maybe I should
have fought harder to have you come live with me.”
“You’re only deluding yourself,” she said, almost growling. No one spoke poorly of her father or brother to her. Her mother
never would have done what she’d just threatened anyway and Elise would have fought harder than her father would have.
Everything was lip service with her mother.
The only reason she had a normal childhood was because of her father. Never her mother.
“At least tell me you’re wearing more than jeans and sneakers to class.”
She looked at the jeans shorts she had on. She didn’t know if that counted and could have cared less. “It’s too hot for
jeans,” she said.
“Shorts aren’t that much better,” her mother said. “I’m not sure why you couldn’t be a little bit more feminine. You’re going
to be alone for a long time. No guy wants to be with a woman that acts like a man.”
“That’s your opinion,” she argued.
Though it was the truth since she didn’t date much in high school. Even in college she just kept to herself.
But one month into her freshman year and no guy had talked to her much unless it had to do with a classroom assignment.
Maybe her mother was right.
“You know, Elise. If you weren’t so argumentative and standoffish, that would go a long way too.”
She ground her teeth. She felt she was that way because of her mother. Or she got it from her mother and it wasn’t a good
trait.
“Thanks for the motherly advice,” she said. “I’ll take it into consideration when I’m searching for my future husband in his
three piece suit in class. Was there anything else you wanted to critique me on?”
“No,” her mother said sarcastically. “It’s not like you ever listen to me anyway.”
“Nope,” she said, matching her mother’s tone. “So if you don’t have anything else to say, I’ve got work to do.”
She hung up after that and wanted to throw her phone across the room.
“That was pretty entertaining,” Sandra said. “Your mother is so loud I could hear everything over on my bunk. Her tone of
voice included, which I have to say was pretty sharp and nasty. And I don’t think you dress badly, don’t let it get to you.”
“Thanks,” she said drily.
“I just meant that you don’t dress up. But you’re not a guy or anything. You aren’t trying to look like one. You’ve got long
hair. You’ve got a great body and big tits that I wish I had a fraction of.”
She laughed. “You only know they are big because you see me in T-shirts without a sports bra strapping them down.”
Elise hated that her breasts always seemed to get in the way when she was playing sports.
“Can I be honest about something else?” Sandra asked.
“Why not?” she said. “It’s that kind of day.”
“You are argumentative and standoffish to those that don’t know you. I guess I understand more knowing what I do about
your mom and witnessing another of those conversations.”
“I’m only standoffish,” she said, “because I’m not into all the petty girl fighting and things.”
“You’ve got a point,” Sandra said. “A really good one. I’ve been dragged into more drama than I want to be. I supposed
when we first met it was more guarded, but you loosened up in a day or so.”
“You were a stranger to me. I had no idea how you were going to be at first. I’ve got enough drama with my mother alone,”
she said and slid off her bunk.
 Sandra nodded. “Why don’t we go to a party tonight?” Sandra said. “You don’t get out much. I heard there is one a dorm
over. We can have fun and put all this crap with your mother behind you.”
“It will never be behind me completely,” she said quietly.
“Then you need to learn to ignore it and what better way than to go out? Come on,” Sandra said. “Be my wingwoman.”
Sandra’s laughter and waving her arms around on the bed were getting to her. “You’re right,” she said. “I think I will.”
“Sweet,” Sandra said, jumping down. “And I’m going to get some lunch and go to class.”
Sandra left after that and Elise went through her drawers looking for something that was a bit more feminine. Maybe she’d
do her hair too. Put some makeup on.
Tonight she was going to prove how shallow her mother was.
She was going to look the part her mother always wanted. She was going to drink and act that way too.
She just hoped she didn’t have too many regrets.
But wasn’t life just full of them anyway?
 1

ON PRINCIPLE

ixteen Years Later

S
“I DON ’ T KNOW why I’ve got to go with you,” Elise complained to her father.
“Because we need two votes on a business proposition like this,” he said. “Royce had an emergency and you’re the one
that always says two votes.”
She wanted to growl at her father but wouldn’t when he wasn’t saying anything she didn’t know or hadn’t said for years.
Not since her father had his heart attack years ago and she and Royce thought they were going to lose him.
She’d been heartbroken.
The only parent who cared about her in her life and he was too young to leave this earth.
He worked too hard. He stressed himself out. He spread himself too thin.
All the things her mother bitched about for years and part of the reason her parents were divorced.
After the heart attack, her father put half of the business in her and Royce’s names. She ran the office end of everything now.
Her brother, Royce, ran the construction end.
Her father, he had his finger in all the parts, but he didn’t do a ton of physical work like he used to.
They’d had another scare when her father’s pacemaker had to be replaced months ago. All it did was reinforce the fact she
was going to do whatever he asked...within reason.
“But this is the second building the Fierces want to go in on. The first one is going well. You know Royce and I will agree
to it.”
Sometimes she gave him a hard time on principle. It was a game they played and both enjoyed.
Her father grinned. “And you didn’t want to do it.”
She rolled her eyes and it made her father laugh. “Fine. You were right. I was wrong. But it is a lot more work. And it will
be more on Royce too. With the baby coming he wanted to take time off. We don’t want you doing any more.”
This part wasn’t a game to her. She did care about them and her biggest complaint was the amount of work it had put on
everyone’s shoulders for the past almost two years since this started with the Fierces. She felt like there was a light at the end
of the tunnel and should have realized that wouldn’t happen.
They’d looked at other buildings previously that didn’t pan out.
“Not a worry,” her father said. “Royce and I will work it out. We are just looking. Nothing is being finalized as of yet. I
don’t need Royce with me to check the building over structurally. McCarthy’s will be there along with Grant and Garrett.”
Grant and Garrett being the lead on this, and their engineering firm would look over the structure with McCarthy
Construction. Her family business did all the inside work.
And knowing that McCarthy’s was going to be there, meant a really good chance Gabe would be there too.
The reason she didn’t want to go and kept her distance from any of these business meetings, putting up more of a fuss than
normal.
“Which means you don’t need me,” she argued. “We trust you and you know it.”
“Stop,” her father said. “I’ll treat you to lunch. You pick the place. If you behave, you can have ice cream after.”
She laughed and angled her head at him. He could always calm her down and cool her off. In her life she needed it more
often than she ever let anyone see.
“You’ve got a deal.”
Elise had to get over this.
She was going to see Gabe just like she had for the past year. Like she had for years.
 Their two companies did business together. Just because no one knew why she wanted to avoid Gabe didn’t mean she had
to be rude.
Though she was. Just not around her father half the time. She didn’t need that lecture.
“If you need help in the office, we’ll look into doing that,” her father said.
“We’re fine,” she said.
“Talk to me, Elise.”
“You know I do, Dad.”
“Sit down and do it now,” her father said firmly.
She knew not to argue.
“Things are good. Busy is good. We got through the last project just fine. I mean it’s been well over a year of actual work
and the rest of the spaces are close to being under contract on this building. The Fierces having Roni there managing the site
helps a ton. The work on my end is just dealing with the renters when it comes time to pick out their finishes.”
Even then Roni Hollister had been taking a hand in that and helping her out when needed. But there were still other projects
going on with their business that didn’t have to do with this commercial building.
She never thought they’d consider a second building when the first wasn’t completed.
“That’s right,” her father said. “And like the last property, if we decide we like it, we won’t probably buy it until close to
the end of the year. Then McCarthy’s has to do the bulk of the work to the structure itself.”
McCarthy’s focused more on commercial buildings. Steel structures, the roofs and the windows, the flooring, etc. Exterior
work there too. They had more and bigger equipment.
“So most likely the summer then,” she said, thinking of things in her mind. That was when the rest of their business picked
up too.
“If we decide to go ahead with this, I’d say that is about the time things will pick up for you. But I do want to consider
getting you some help. You can’t do it all.”
“Sure, I can,” she said, laughing.
“If anyone can, it’s you. But I don’t want you burning out. One of these days you’re going to find someone that you want to
spend time with.”
“Nope,” she said. “I’m married to my job.”
“Elise. Your brother said the same thing and look at him now.”
“That’s because he knocked up Chloe,” she said, giggling.
Her father shook his head. “I know you’re joking and you love Chloe.”
“Of course I do. And it’s not a joke but a fact. He knocked her up, but he loves her as much as we do. And I’m going to
have a niece to play with and spoil, so yeah, I’d like to have some time to help out.”
Her father smiled. “You’re a good kid, Elise. You don’t show it to many that you’ve got a heart of gold, but it’s there.”
“And I’m keeping it locked up in a safe too,” she said, wiggling her eyebrows. “It’s my only treasured possession.”
He picked his keys up on his desk. “Why don’t we go now?”
“It’s too early,” she complained. If they got there too soon she’d be stuck standing around making small talk with people.
With Gabe.
If he was there.
He was bound to be there. Not his younger brother, Jayce, who didn’t work for the company or his sister, Jocelyn, who did.
Jocelyn did the finances and kept to herself.
Elise only knew these things because her father was always bringing up the McCarthys lately.
She supposed it had to do with the fact of the close relationship the four businesses had.
Fierce Engineering. Kennedy Construction. McCarthy Construction. Olsen Law.
They did make a great team if she did say so herself.
Didn’t mean she had to play nice with Gabe though.
“How about I let you get ice cream before lunch?” her father asked.
Her head went side to side. “That could work. I’ll just get a cone. That’s easy to travel with.”
“Get whatever you want,” her father said. His phone went off and he reached for it on his desk. “Why don’t you give me ten
minutes, then we’ll go. I’ve got to make a call.”
She left her father’s office and went back to compose herself in her office. She could play nice. She’d been doing it for
years.
But why did it seem to keep getting harder and harder?
“HI , GRANT ,” Richard Kennedy said when Grant picked up his phone. He shut his door the minute his daughter was in her
office. He didn’t want her to hear this.
“Are you coming alone or with Elise?” Grant asked.
“Elise is coming with me. I had to bribe her. Do you know if Gabe is going to be there?”
“Jim said yes,” Grant said.
“My daughter is in a mood,” he said. “I’m not sure this is a good idea. She really doesn’t care for Gabe for some reason.”
“Sparks,” Grant said. “Lots of sparks. It won’t take much to start a flame.”
“Some flames burn out fast or burn out so hot they create a backdraft.”
Grant laughed. “I doubt it’d come to that.”
“You don’t know my daughter,” he said, laughing. “When she has her mind made up about someone or something, there is
no talking her out of it. We could be caught in the fire with no help in sight.”
He knew it came from his ex-wife.
Elise was neglected by her mother. She’d had no good role model either and he wasn’t so sure he did that great of a job
parenting the way he could have.
He tried and he knew Elise appreciated it.
“You have no idea why she seems to have an issue with Gabe?” Grant asked. “I find him extremely laid back and likable.”
“Me too,” he said. “He gets along great with Royce also. I’m not sure what the deal is. Maybe he’s too pretty for her.”
Grant laughed. “I thought that too, but I’d never say it to Jim. I think Gabe would be embarrassed.”
“I’m sure Gabe enjoys the way he looks more than most,” Richard said. He did worry if Gabe might have a reputation as a
ladies man, but he’d never heard that.
Just because the guy had some model looks and had women looking at him when he walked down the street didn’t mean
Gabe did anything with them. At least he hoped not.
He was putting his faith in the Fierces that they knew what they were doing with his daughter since they did so well with
his son.
“That’s between him and his conscience,” he said.
Grant laughed. “Trust me, I get it. Not that I’ve got a daughter, but I’ve got two nieces. Jade and Ella are strong women
capable of handling those things. From what I know of Elise, she’s one of those strong women too.”
“Very much so,” he said. “Maybe too strong at times. Which I’m sure is why she’s still single.”
He knew Elise just wanted to do her own thing in life.
She liked to call the shots. She liked to come and go when she wanted.
She didn’t like anyone to tell her what to do.
Most likely because Elise’s mother tried to put his daughter in a mold that got broken one too many times.
He’d never do that to Elise. Ever.
He let her have more freedom than maybe he should have, but she was a good kid. More misunderstood than anything, but
she knew right from wrong and was respectful when it called for it.
Elise could stand her ground and hold her own and there wasn’t much more a man could want out of his daughter. At least
what he could want.
“And that is what we are going to try to help you with,” Grant said. “We just have to figure this out on the down low.”
“Elise will be onto you in a hurry,” he said. “She knows everything that happened with Royce and everyone else. I actually
thought you were working on Roni and Trent right now.”
“We are,” Grant said. “Not sure we are making much progress, but no one says we can’t start trying to throw a few chums
in the water with your daughter.”
“Good lord, that is the best analogy because I’m positive Elise is going to come out like a shark and someone is going to
end up bleeding. I just hope it’s not me.”
 2

SMART ASS REPLIES AND RESPONSES

abe pulled his truck to a stop in the parking lot of the building his father told him about.
G Just another project to add to his list of things to do.
But he couldn’t complain because the last one they had going with the Fierces was working out well.
Rather than go in and meet with his father, whose SUV he’d just parked next to, he decided to walk around the building
some. He had time yet; he was fifteen minutes early and there were only two other cars here. He was guessing the realtor and
maybe one of the Fierces.
This building was much bigger than the other one about a mile away. The parking lot needed to be redone and he was
positive the one in the back had the same issues. He’d looked up everything he could find before he got here. Even on Google
Maps for a satellite view.
He had his iPad out and was making notes on the outside of the foundation that was exposed. Definitely needed to be
reinforced in some parts.
He made his way back to the front as Elise Kennedy was getting out of a truck with her father.
Damn, it was going to be his lucky day. It’d been a while since he’d seen her and rarely at something like this.
“Richard,” he said. “Elise. Good to see you. Got one for me?”
She stopped licking the ice cream cone in her hand. “Sorry. It’s only for good girls. I’m here so I got one.”
He loved the sarcasm in her voice and wasn’t put off by it. “I’m a good guy,” he said.
“You are,” Richard said. “Maybe we should have brought some for everyone. I told Elise to eat it faster so she wasn’t
eating in front of everyone.”
“If you eat it too fast you get brain freeze,” he said, grinning.
“That’s what I said,” she said.
“Guess you two have that in common,” Richard said.
Elise snorted. He didn’t expect any differently.
He enjoyed it. Maybe there was something perverse about him, but he found that he looked forward to her snarky smart ass
replies and responses.
“I’m sure Elise would say that isn’t the case even though it was just shown to her otherwise.”
“You seem to know my daughter pretty well,” Richard said.
He looked at Elise. Her face flushed. His might have too, but he kept his grin in place. “We’ve had our moments.”
When her face got even redder, he laughed and they went into the building. He had to admit he loved one-upping her.
Elise started to finish the cone now that the ice cream was gone. When she pinched the bridge of her nose he held back a
laugh. “Damn it,” she said.
He moved closer. “Press your thumb to the roof of your mouth. Right now, fast. It works.”
He blocked her so no one could see. Richard had moved ahead to talk to Gabe’s father and the realtor.
“Phew,” she said. “That worked.”
“I’m good for a few things,” he said quietly by her ear.
He heard the growl but didn’t get a chance to say anything before Grant and Garrett came in. “Gentlemen and Elise. We are
just waiting for Robert or Walker to come in. Not sure which one is coming or both,” Garrett said.
Olsen Law firm. Normally Robert depending on who was in court.
“We’ve got time yet,” the realtor said. “I’m Abigail Brownwell. I can answer any questions you’ve got on the building
while we wait.”
“I’ve got all the public documents on it,” Gabe said. “I was walking around checking out the foundation. I’ll need to see the
basement because I noticed repairs have to be done. Not sure if they are structural or cosmetic just yet.”
“I can bring you down there,” Abigail said. “Anyone else want to go with us right now?”
“I’ll go down with Gabe and Jim,” Grant said. “Garrett can stay here and wait for the others if he wants.”
Grant was a civil engineer just like Gabe. Garrett was mechanical so this would be more of Grant’s domain. Gabe and his
father would be dealing with this and everyone else would just take their word on it.
They moved to the basement of the building while he and his father crawled around in some spaces to get a better look at
things. They had flashlights with them, they felt around and snapped a bunch of pictures.
He made notes and twenty minutes later they were walking back to where everyone else was on the first floor.
“Sorry I’m late,” Walker said. “My father is in court and I got behind this morning.”
“Walker was just saying that Stella was feeling a little under the weather,” Garrett said.
“Is Stella pregnant?” Grant asked. “We need to know these things.”
Gabe had heard all about how Grant and Garrett set Walker and Stella up. How they set up Royce and Chloe too. Even all
of Grant and Garrett’s kids. And more couples that he heard of but didn’t know personally.
He found it all funny and couldn’t believe people were stupid enough to fall for it.
“Stella is pregnant,” Walker said. “We told all the parents last night. I figured that it’d get to Carolyn fairly fast.”
“You mean I know before my wife?” Garrett asked, puffing his chest out some.
“We love knowing things before our wives,” Grant said.
“Well, not sure you know before them or not. I think Stella told her mother she could start telling people today.”
He watched as both Grant’s and Garrett’s shoulders dropped down. It was pretty hilarious if he did say so himself.
“That means they’ve got to know,” Garrett said.
“Why don’t we check out the rest of the building,” Gabe said. He could see Elise seemed to be antsy and he wasn’t sure
why.
Probably because he was here. Not much he could do about the fact he made her uncomfortable.
She did the same to him but in a completely different way he was sure.
“Royce had an emergency to take care of this morning,” Richard said. “Which is why I dragged Elise with me. You know,
they own half of the business and my daughter has pointed out more than once that we vote on things and majority rules.”
“I told my father I trust him on this.”
“Now,” Richard said.
“Because the first one has been so successful,” she said, smiling. “Everyone has done a great job.”
“My daughter included,” Richard said.
Elise blushed some more. He thought he’d throw her a bone right now. “You do have more work with these builds than the
rest of us so I could see where it might be concerning.”
“I can handle my job,” she said firmly.
He sighed. So much for an olive branch and complimenting her. He should have known better. “I never thought otherwise.”
“I’d be lost without Elise,” Richard said. “She does get the bulk of the work when it comes to getting the spaces ready and
dealing with the renters. Then it’s on Royce and me to manage the work.”
“Roni has been a huge help,” Elise said. “I appreciate it.”
“We are glad to hear that,” Grant said. “If this goes through we’ll make sure she is available for everyone too.”
“I’m sure she’s got her own job to do,” she said.
“Roni is a go-getter. She loves doing new things. You know that. Please, don’t worry about asking her for help.”
They didn’t ask Roni to do too much other than be the go-between for the renters and any issues that might need McCarthy’s
attention. Which wasn’t much. It did fall on Kennedy Construction more than anyone else.
He supposed he should be cutting Elise some slack rather than picking on her.
The more he thought of it, he kind of felt like an ass.
But he couldn’t help that when he saw her he just wanted to bring back the girl he’d seen at that college party so many years
ago.
The one that came in a skirt with her hair done, some makeup on her face. She didn’t look like he’d ever seen her before
and he had been blown away.
He’d always been wary of going up to talk to her for some reason. She was very unapproachable.
But that night, she wasn’t.
And maybe the two of them had a little more to drink than they should have, but it was a night he’d remember forever.
Just like he couldn’t forget what happened the next day either. Or the years later.
Talk about shitty luck on his part.
“Just like Gabe said,” Walker said. “Why don’t we check out the rest of the building.”
An hour later everyone was leaving. It’d taken time to walk the seventy-thousand-square-foot space. They’d have to come
back again for a thorough inspection if they decided to put an offer in and it was accepted.
 In his mind it was a good purchase. Elise had been taking notes on her phone, but he wasn’t sure what of. She and her father
were talking quietly and he assumed it had to do with things they’d bring back to Royce.
Everyone was talking but not loudly to not interrupt others’ thoughts. He knew most of the partners were relying on him and
his father before they moved further.
When the realtor left, Grant asked, “Well? What does everyone think?”
“The building is pretty solid,” Gabe said. “There are cracks in the foundation, but I think they can be fixed easily. An
inspection will tell us more, but we got a good look at things.”
“Windows all need to come out,” Richard said. “Not sure any of them are worth salvaging and that is going to be a massive
expense.”
“We can take care of a bunch of them,” his father said. “Depends if we need to move windows for renters or not.”
“The roof is in good shape,” Gabe said.
He and Grant had gone up on it when the rest of them were on the sixth floor walking around. Six floors and a basement that
they could rent out. About ten thousand square feet on each floor, give or take. It’d keep them busy for a while.
“That’s good to hear,” Walker said. “If you guys want to reach out to us when you get an idea of the cost for what has to be
done before we can even get to finding renters then we can figure out if it’s worth making an offer. I’m sorry, but I’ve got to
run.”
Gabe looked at his watch. “I’ll walk out with Walker. I need to get going too. Dad, I’ll catch up with you later and we’ll get
this all to Jocelyn and get it worked up. Bye, everyone. Bye, Elise,” he said when she didn’t say anything.
She looked up from her phone. “Bye,” she said and then dipped her head back down with a slight blush.
He was positive she didn’t catch his grin.

“OKAY YOU TWO ,” Jim McCarthy said. “Lay it on me. No way, right? I think you’re both nuts.”
“Just like I told Richard earlier,” Grant said. “There is smoke.”
“Smoke signals,” he said. “One of them might be asking for help to get away from the other.”
“Please,” Garrett said, waving his hand. “We are good at this. We know what we are doing. Do you have any idea why
Elise seems so cool toward Gabe? It doesn’t seem like he’s that way toward her.”
“No idea,” Jim said. “They went to the same college. She was a year behind him.”
He watched as the brothers looked at each other and laughed. “No one thought to mention that to us?”
“I don’t know if they even knew each other then,” he said.
“You’ve been doing business with Kennedy Construction for years,” Garrett said.
“I have been. I knew Richard and Royce. Gabe did too. But it’s not like Elise was around much on sites. Just working in the
offices more than anything. I don’t know one way or another. To be honest, I’m not sure when I even found out they were both at
Clemson.”
He never paid too much attention to those things.
His son was an outgoing kid and had a lot of friends. He dated on and off that he and Stacy were aware of but nothing really
serious.
Not to the point that Gabe brought a girl home until his junior year and that relationship hadn’t lasted long either.
He always thought his boy had a great personality, but he wondered if he got taken advantage of by the girls.
Then he’d been told a few times that Gabe had complained that women had said he was too nice.
Not sure where in the world being a nice person was a bad thing but guess in this day and age it was.
“There has to be a reason the two of them don’t talk,” Grant said.
“It’s more Elise than Gabe,” Garrett said. “I noticed when we walked in Gabe was leaning down and talking to Elise
quietly.”
“Really?” he asked. “I wonder what that was about.”
“I noticed some blushes too,” Garrett said. “Maybe Elise has a crush on Gabe.”
“No,” he said. “I’ve talked to Richard about this recently. He and I both have no idea what is going on, but he knows his
daughter and she isn’t the type to have a crush on someone and be shy about it. I don’t think Elise Kennedy has a shy bone in
her body.”
When the Fierce men first broached this idea, Jim and Richard had thought they were nuts, but it was funny how fathers
could agree to anything when they were desperate for their children to find some happiness.
He just hoped he was doing the right thing and his son didn’t come out of this missing some skin. Because he knew if that
happened, Gabe would be taking some off of him and his wife in the process for even considering trying to set him up.
 3

GLOWING PERSONALITY

lise saw her phone ringing two months later right before she was getting ready to leave for her father’s house for
E Thanksgiving.
It was her mother and she let out a loud growl but decided if she didn’t answer it, it might be worse. She’d been
avoiding her mother’s calls for over a month and just sticking to texts.
“Hello,” she said.
“Happy Thanksgiving,” her mother said.
“Same to you,” she said. Maybe her mother was going to be nice today. It’d be a first. So she’d try if her mother was.
“I’m assuming you’re going to your father’s?”
“I am,” she said. It’s not like her mother invited her. She hadn’t in years. Her mother would normally decide last minute to
invite her and Royce to some holiday dinner and then only want them there for a short period of time before she kicked them
out.
Like last Christmas. They drove the ninety minutes there to have brunch and then had to leave so that they could be gone
before Steve’s kids came.
Elise didn’t talk to or spend any time with her stepsiblings and had no issue with it. She didn’t think Steve’s kids did either.
It’s not like her mother promoted any kind of relationship there and as far as she knew, her stepsiblings could barely tolerate
her mother. They only sucked it up for their father.
“I don’t understand why your brother couldn’t come with the baby,” her mother said. Snotty tone of voice as always. Guess
the peaceful conversation didn’t last long and her back got up wanting to defend Royce.
“Did you invite him?” she asked. Which would be news to her. Royce would have told her because they always stuck
together when it came to their mother.
“I shouldn’t have to invite my kids to come to my house,” her mother said sarcastically.
She snorted. “Actually you do,” she said. “We never know what you’re doing and half the time you don’t want to mix and
mingle families. No invitation, no visitation.”
“I still wanted to see the baby,” her mother said. It didn’t get past her that her mother ignored the comment about not being
invited. “He could have brought Willow here at any point and hasn’t.”
Elise ground her teeth. “First off, the baby is only a few weeks old. No way Royce is bringing her out and prancing her
around. That’s the responsible thing to do. Second of all, Chloe is still recovering and the trip there and back might be a lot.”
“I’m the grandmother,” her mother said. “This is my first grandchild. Royce could have brought Willow without Chloe.”
“No,” she said. “He wouldn’t do that. If you talked to him at all or even Chloe, you’d know the baby needs to eat every few
hours and Chloe is either breastfeeding or pumping. If you want to meet your new grandchild you can drive your butt here to do
it.”
Her mother had only met Chloe once and she thought it was generous of Royce to take a Saturday out of his hectic life and
drive to introduce his fiancée to their mother when their mother could never be bothered to put any effort into anything other
than driving them nuts.
“I’ve been busy,” her mother said.
“Aren’t we all,” she said. Though she couldn’t imagine what was so busy in her mother’s life.
“Maybe if you cut back on the work you could have a social life. I’m sure you’re not dating just like always. The last time I
saw you you were still in jeans, your hair wasn’t styled and you had no makeup on. If you don’t put a little effort into your
appearance no man is going to notice you.”
Same song and dance and she was sick of getting her toes stepped on.
 “Mom. I don’t need advice from you. If a guy doesn’t like me for how I look or my glowing personality, then I don’t need
him in my life.”
“You’re a beautiful woman,” her mother said. “You need to show it more.”
“I’m late now,” she said. “Have a great holiday.”
She hung up the phone and took a few deep breaths. The last thing she needed was to show up at her father’s worked up.
But thirty minutes later, all those deep breaths hadn’t helped any when she pulled into her father’s driveway and was the
last one there.
She was always early to help him with dinner.
He was the best dad ever. Doing everything to fill gaps in their lives when their mother decided she wanted something
more in life.
Yep, she knew her father worked a lot, but she was right there by his side. She never felt alone or like he wasn’t there for
her. It was her mother that had the issues in her book.
“Sorry I’m late,” she said all but running into the back of the house.
“You’re early for dinner yet,” her father said. “No worries. I’m just getting some snacks to put out.”
“I’ve got the rest right here,” she said. She’d put together some dips with bread and chips and veggies. Her father would
slap some meats and cheeses on a tray. She told him not to even do that since he was cooking, but he insisted it was in the
house anyway.
Chloe had made dessert even though she’d offered to do that too, but her future sister-in-law said it wasn’t a big deal and
she was feeling fine.
“You look frazzled,” Royce said. “Everything okay?”
“Just an early morning call,” she said sarcastically.
“Mom?” Royce asked. “Hope she didn’t give you crap over not being there. It’s not like we were invited.”
“Ding, ding, ding,” she said. “Actually it wasn’t giving me crap.”
Royce laughed. “She thought I’d just show up with the baby without an invite?”
“You know, we are mind readers,” she said.
“Kids,” her father said. “I know things aren’t good with your mother, but she is your mother.”
“Please,” Elise said, waving her hand. “You know how she treated us. How she treated you and I’m sure we don’t even
know half of what she did or said to you.”
“Nor will you ever,” her father said. “That’s between a husband and a wife. But I don’t want my holiday ruined talking
about that. It’s in the past. Your mother made her choices and if she’s happy, then so be it. She is the one missing out on things
in life not you.”
Her father always took the higher road. At times she worried she was too much like her mother and it bothered her.
Could be why she went to such great lengths to be the opposite. At least in appearance and actions.
“If Mom has an issue with me or wants to meet her first grandchild then she can either call me or drive here. She doesn’t
need to pull you in and I’m sorry for that.”
“Don’t be sorry,” she said. “It’s Mom. I told her that. She could drive here and she says she’s busy. In my mind, you went
out of your way to go there and introduce Chloe and you didn’t need to.”
“I wanted to meet her,” Chloe said. “It was the right thing to do. Maybe it was the nesting instinct in me. I’m not sure.
Royce and I are trying to decide when is a good time to have Emily meet Willow.”
Emily was Chloe’s birth mother who’d given her up for adoption. Emily had been a teen and Chloe had just recently
connected with her.
She found Chloe to be refreshing and upfront with her decisions in life. The way Elise tried to be too.
“I told Chloe that is her choice,” Royce said. “She was clear with Emily that she wasn’t looking for another family right
now.”
“How did Emily take it?” she asked.
“She was good with it,” Chloe said. “I did let her know when I had the baby. I sent her a few pictures, but we haven’t
talked much more. I don’t want to hurt my mother either.”
“Your parents seem so good about it all,” she said. Though she knew Chloe had butted heads with her adoptive mother at
times, they were still close.
“They are. They’ve been open about everything. The truth is, we know I like my me time,” Chloe said. “I love the family
I’ve got and the new one I’m marrying into. I’m busy with Willow and work is going to be nuts when I go back too with the next
commercial building.”
Chloe was an engineer with Fierce Engineering. That was how Royce and she had met. They’d worked with Fierce for
years, but it wasn’t until the last year that her brother and future sister-in-law started to get close.
Yep, the Fierces tried setting them up with her father playing a part in it. She’d never expected her father to do that and
already told him to not even consider breathing her name around them.
 Chloe had caught on first and informed Royce and the two of them got to where they are on their own terms. They even got
engaged a few months ago, but Elise expected that to happen with the baby coming.
Not that she felt like people should get married because they had a child, but her brother and Chloe were so much in love.
She was happy for him.
“Don’t remind me,” she said of the commercial building. The first one had been a lot of work, but most of it was trial and
error. They’d gotten a rhythm going by the time they were under contract with the last few of the renters. There wasn’t much
space left available and what was were small areas.
“What are you complaining about?” Royce said. “I’m the one on site daily and doing most of the work.”
“You’ve got Colt now to help,” she said. “I don’t have any help.”
Colton Abrams was hired last month as a project manager to take the load off of her brother’s shoulders.
“Colt is dealing with everything else,” Royce said. “All the home builds and everything not connected to the commercial
builds.”
“He still has to know what is going on,” her father said. “He has to fill in for you when you’re out.”
“Like Royce takes that much time off,” she said.
“I’ve been off a few weeks with Chloe,” Royce argued.
“Still taking calls but not going in much,” Chloe said. “I appreciate it, but you can get out from under my feet too.”
“That a girl,” Elise said, grinning at Chloe’s smirk. “You tell him you need your space.”
There was some laughter in the room. “I told you months ago that we will look into getting you some help in the office,” her
father said. “That is on you for not telling me what you need. Remember I said that when we met with Grant, Garrett, Walker,
Jim and Gabe?”
“I remember,” she said. She put her head down. She’d been setting up the food on the island while everyone was in the
living room talking.
The last thing she wanted was the name Gabe said around her.
It’d been two months since she’d seen him again and every time his name came up she felt shivers down her spine like she
had when he leaned in with his sexy voice and pretty looks to talk quietly to her.
She hated herself for how he made her feel now. Just like he had when they were in college that one night.
The night she’d made a complete fool out of herself and would never be able to erase that from her memory.
It drove her insane Gabe couldn’t pretend it never happened and it was almost as if he poked at her to get a rise out of her
now.
She just wanted to be away from him because she couldn’t control her body and she wondered if he knew that.
“Then do what Dad said,” Royce said. “There is no reason for you to work your butt off on this. We are making money hand
over fist on these projects.”
“What happens when the building is done and I’m not as busy?” she asked. “Then we might have someone on staff we don’t
need.”
“Please,” her father said, waving his hand. “You and I both know that isn’t the case. Knowing Grant and Garrett, they’ll
probably find a third building or some other venture. If that is what is holding you back then stop. You know as well as I do we
are growing like crazy. You don’t need to be working as much as you are. You said you wanted time to spend with Willow.”
“I do,” she said. “I’ll put some things together. The work won’t hit us for a few months, right?”
She knew the McCarthys had to get into the building and do their things first. Last she heard that wasn’t going to start until
the first of the year.
“We’ve got a few months,” Royce said. “But that doesn’t mean renters aren’t already looking for space. You know Grant
and Garrett. They find people fast.”
“Okay,” she said. “I’ll work on it and maybe we can start interviewing soon.”
“That’s my girl,” her father said. “And maybe you’ll have time to go on a date now and again.”
She narrowed her eyes. “Don’t even think about throwing my name around to the Fierces, Dad. I thought I was very clear
about this.”
Chloe and Royce started to laugh. “You might be able to stop your father, but you can’t stop my bosses,” Chloe said.
“We’ll see about that,” she said.
 4

JUST A HOMEBODY

“I ’m starving,” Gabe said when he walked into his parents’ house on Thanksgiving afternoon with his younger brother,
Jayce.
“Me too,” Jayce said. “Gabe has shit for food in his house. Not sure how he can stand it.”
“No one says you couldn’t have made breakfast this morning,” he argued. “Or gone out and bought it.”
Jayce lived in Charlotte about ninety minutes away. His brother was the only one that didn’t work for the family business.
Sometimes he thought his brother was the smart one. Other times, he thought his brother was an idiot and ran from something
that no one knew about.
“And what could I make for breakfast when all you’ve got is bread and sandwich meat in the house?” Jayce asked. “You
didn’t even have eggs. No oatmeal, nothing but sugary cereal and milk.”
Gabe laughed. He’d have to say he was the good-natured one of the kids. “Those are easy things and I don’t have a lot of
time in the morning.”
“You’d have more time if you got up earlier,” Jocelyn said.
His brother and sister were three years younger than him and twins. He didn’t know why Jayce couldn’t stay with Jocelyn
when he came to town, but his brother always wanted to be with him.
He supposed, being the older brother, that was normal. It’s just as Jayce said, there wasn’t a lot of food in his house and he
didn’t plan much for company.
Not that he felt his brother was company. He was lucky Jayce got clean sheets on his bed. Which Gabe had to do when
Jayce showed up because the spare bed hadn’t been made since his brother had been there over the summer.
He barely remembered to strip the sheets back then and wash them. It’s just he didn’t make the bed after.
“Not everyone needs to get up at the crack of dawn to plan their day,” he said.
“I don’t get up that early,” Jocelyn argued.
“Early enough,” his mother said. “You always did.”
Jocelyn shrugged. She’d been the planner of the family. Not him. He got up and figured out his day as it happened.
He wanted to say that was what he did with his life too. Why bother to plan things when they didn’t turn out the way you
wanted?
Not that he had a lot to complain about. At least he didn’t think he did.
“What works for me doesn’t for other people,” he said. “I bought donuts. That doesn’t count?”
“I don’t eat donuts,” Jayce said. “That shit clogs your arteries.”
“Not mine,” he said. “I burn it off. But then again, I don’t wear nice fancy clothing and sit at a desk all day long either.”
“I don’t spend that much time at a desk,” Jayce said.
“More than your brother does,” his father said. “Gabe barely sits his butt down to eat lunch half the time. Not sure how he
does it.”
Jayce did promotions or something for the Charlotte Hornets. He was on the road at games and traveling too. It wasn’t the
life that Gabe would want. Not the traveling.
There’d been a time he thought he could do it. Or give it a try. Then he realized he was just a homebody.
You can’t have one dream when there were major parts to it that you didn’t want to do. He couldn’t get enough people to
understand that.
When his mother got cancer early in his senior year of high school, he was home to help out as much as he could.
That was when he realized that he couldn’t leave it all to his father.
His dad was running the business and taking his mother to chemo and other appointments. His mother worked for the
business too, but she didn’t at that time. Or what she did, she’d done from home.
He was driving his siblings around and doing things in the house to help out along with everyone else.
Going to college four hours away had been a hard decision for him. He’d known where he wanted to go but almost backed
out to stay local at Duke. He’d been accepted in both places.
His mother pushed him to go and live his life. That she’d be fine.
She finished her treatment. She’d been in remission for over eighteen years now.
She’d been right, he’d gone away. But he’d come home every chance he could for a long weekend.
He didn’t have one regret and he couldn’t get people to understand that.
At least in his career. Maybe in other areas of his life he had regrets, but there was only so much he could do about it now.
“It’s part of the job,” he said. “But I get to lay my head on my own pillow at night. For a guy that hates to order out or get
fast food, you have to eat a ton of it being on the road.”
“Nope,” Jayce said. “The team has chefs. A lot of the players follow strict diets. I get to eat with them.”
“You stay in hotels though,” he argued. “How the hell do you get food like that?”
“Most hotels have restaurants,” Jayce said. “Geez, Gabe. Get out of your bubble. Arrangements are made for them to
prepare certain foods. I eat healthy. How do you think I stay in shape?”
“Got to be the food because it can’t be anything physical with your ass in a chair.”
Jocelyn laughed. “I sit in a chair all day and I’m in good shape. I’d say it’s more about good genetics.”
His sister was a bit of a health freak like Jayce was. Maybe it was something the twins just shared.
“I don’t have time to exercise like you do, Jocelyn. But if you want to bring me in some healthy food at times I’ll eat it.”
“All you have to do is ask,” Jocelyn said. “I make extra and will bring it in and put it in the fridge in your office.”
“Thank you,” he said nicely. “I appreciate it.”
“Look at you two kissing up to each other,” Jayce said. “What do you want, Joce?”
“Nothing,” Jocelyn said. Jayce always shortened his sister’s name. Gabe did at times too. Whatever came out of his mouth.
“Just being supportive is all.”
Gabe caught the look between his sister and his parents. Something was going on and he had to get to the bottom of it.
“What am I missing?”
“Nothing,” his father said quickly. A little too quickly.
“I’ll get the snacks out,” his mother said as she got up and moved to the kitchen in almost a dash.
“What?” he asked, looking at his sister.
“You guys aren’t going to tell him?” Jocelyn said. “If you don’t, I will. I don’t believe in any of this and I don’t want it
happening to me.”
“Is someone going to clue me in here?”
“I caught Dad talking to Grant and Garrett last week.”
“So?” he said. “We talk to them all the time. We’ve got to start working on the new building soon.”
“Not talking about work,” Jocelyn said.
“Huh?”
“Jim, do you want to come help me in the kitchen?” his mother yelled.
Oh boy, his mother was trying to save his father. “Are you guys asking them for help in setting me up? Am I next on their
target list or whatever they call it?”
His jaw dropped. He’d known this was going on with other people, but he didn’t think it would come around to him. Or at
least that his parents would get involved.
When his father got up and ran into the kitchen faster than if someone yelled fire in the hole for the demo of a building
coming down, he knew he had his answer.
“They think they are being sneaky,” Jocelyn said. “But I know what I heard.”
“So they didn’t acknowledge it when you brought it up?”
“I’m just bringing it up now,” Jocelyn said. “I wanted to catch them unaware and have brotherly support.”
Everyone thought his sister was quiet, but she was the sneaky one.
“Guess all that planning comes in handy with you.”
“You’re welcome,” Jocelyn said, grinning.
His parents couldn’t hide in the kitchen forever, but he had a feeling that might be the case when they finally came out ten
minutes later.
There were hushed voices in there too.
“Well,” he said. “You didn’t answer me. Am I the next one on their list?”
His parents looked at each other. “Your name might have come up.”
“So who is it they think is perfect for me?” he asked, laughing.
“You don’t want to know,” his mother said.
 “Oh, I do,” he said. “Might as well air all the dirty laundry out.”
“Gabe knows something about dirty laundry,” Jayce said. “His laundry room has piles of clothes on the floor.”
“What are you doing in my laundry room?” he asked. “You’re here for three days. Did you bring laundry to do here because
you don’t want to go into the laundry room in your complex?”
“I have my own laundry room in my condo,” Jayce said. “You’d know that if you looked.”
“I haven’t been there in a few years,” he said. “I wasn’t snooping around at your place. I stayed in the spare room and used
the bathroom.”
It’s not like he had time to go visit him in Charlotte. He’d gone to a game a few years ago. Two games actually. A time he
could take a few days off of work and stayed with his brother and got the VIP treatment. It’d been great, he did have to admit.
“I’m more interested in who they think would be a good fit for Gabe,” Jayce said.
“Yeah,” he said. “They have to have a name and you know it.”
More looks between his parents. “Fine,” his father said. “They seem to think it’s Elise Kennedy. I’ve told them no. They
are wrong. You two mix like oil and water.”
He laughed. Hard. This couldn’t have worked out any better in his mind.
Not that he’d admit it to anyone in this room.
He figured that he’d hear who it was the Fierces had lined up and then just ignore it or tell them to forget it.
But not now. Now he’d have to think of this. It could be he could work it in his favor once he figured it out more.
“See,” his mother said. “You’re laughing.”
“Gabe laughs at everything,” Jocelyn said. “But even I know that one won’t work. Why do you two have such a beef with
each other?”
“I don’t have a beef with her,” he said. “But she seems to have one with me.”
“It’s probably because you’re prettier than her,” Jayce said. “Women don’t like that.”
“Asshole,” he said.
He’d heard it more than once when he was a kid. That he had soft features.
His skin was nice. Smooth. Soft.
Almost feminine.
No teenage boy wanted to hear those words.
The only thing he could be thankful for was the fact that he was over six foot by thirteen years old. Facial hair started to
come in around fifteen, but it was in patches and he had to keep it shaved to not look silly.
He was big and tough to go with his laid back personality.
The girls loved it.
He had his fair share but then learned they wanted it all for the wrong reasons.
What he wanted was someone that was a straight shooter.
That said it like it was.
That didn’t worry if they stepped on toes.
He’d found it.
After he’d made a major misstep with her. They’d gotten off on the wrong foot.
He’d tried to apologize and done everything else he could to get Elise to talk to him.
She’d walked away angry.
Since then, he did everything he could to just poke at her in a happy way. It drove her nuts and gave him a smile and a
glimpse at the side of her he wanted to know more of.
Elise Kennedy was made of concrete tough enough that dynamite wasn’t blowing through it.
The thought that maybe he had some extra firepower in his corner might be the help he needed.
“Why do you two have a problem?” his father asked. “I always found Elise a pleasure to talk to. She’s not fake. You know
how much I hate fake people.”
“She’s not,” Gabe said. “And to be honest, I don’t know the problem. Guess I just rub her the wrong way.”
No way he was telling his parents what he knew that could be the problem. It wasn’t their business.
“Now that you know,” his mother asked. “Do you want the Fierces to know you’re aware?”
“Not sure it’s going to make a difference,” he said. “Might as well just keep it quiet for now and let it play out. Could be
interesting to see what they think they can do.”
“You’re not going to fight it?” Jocelyn asked. His sister looked confused.
“Nothing to fight,” he said. “It is what it is. You can’t make someone like you, even if the Fierces think they can.”
Trust me, he knew. He tried.
Someone else could do it now.
 5

HIDING AT HOME

he last place Elise wanted to be a month later was the Fierce Christmas Eve get-together.
T But now that they were working so closely with the Fierces, she really couldn’t avoid these events.
Besides, Royce was here with Chloe so with any luck she wouldn’t get ganged up on by the Fierces. And she knew
enough other people here too.
“You’re doing the right thing coming,” her father said to her. He’d been here when she arrived. She made her way to him
right away.
“It’s fine. I don’t do much anyway.”
“It’s nice for you to get out of the house,” her father said. “Remember that.”
“I know Royce and Chloe are going to her parents’ after here to celebrate and I guess there was part of me that didn’t want
to sit around and be the only anti-social one of the family.”
“That’s the spirit,” her father said.
The only problem was, she knew beyond a doubt she’d probably run into Gabe McCarthy and wanted to avoid that.
“Elise,” Carolyn said, rushing over to her. “We are so glad you could come this year. We don’t normally see you at these
events. I heard you are coming to the New Year’s Eve party too.”
“I am,” she said. “My father told me I have to stop hiding at home. Though last year I was at a friend’s house on New
Year’s Eve.”
Carolyn smiled. “I love that you say it like it is. Whatever the reason is, we are so thrilled you could make it. I know you
know plenty of people here.”
“I do,” she said. “And thank you for the invitation.”
Carolyn was almost bouncing in place. “Any time. As I said, we are just thrilled you’re here.”
She watched Carolyn get pulled away. “I know why she’s so excited,” she said quietly to her father.
“Why?” her father asked. She could see the nervousness on his face.
“She seems to think they are going to set me up with someone. It’s not happening. I hope you told them that.”
“I’ve said it,” her father said. “I have no control over them though.”
“So you’ve said before,” she said. “I don’t buy it.”
Her eyes were moving around the house at all the people. She was trying to see who they might have in store for her, but
there wasn’t anyone that she could see.
Most were the Fierce family and they were all married. There were employees here she was sure but no one that was
catching her eye.
She shifted some more and saw Gabe McCarthy come in and then turned her back and took a deep breath.
She looked at her watch and told herself one hour. That was it and she was out of here.
She could suck anything up for that amount of time.
“What’s wrong?” her father asked.
“What?” she asked.
“You just tensed.”
She should have figured her father would have witnessed that. “I think you’re imagining it. I’m going to go by Royce and
Chloe.”
Her father nodded and then took his beer to go talk with other people. He was probably relieved so that he could go
mingle.
Elise was leaning down and watching Willow sleeping in her brother’s arms. She wanted to take the baby, but she knew
Royce wasn’t one to give his daughter up early on.
She’d been introduced to Jonah and Trent Davenport. She knew Trent as a renter in the first building as they had to do work
on the place. She’d talked to him a few times but hadn’t met him in person until today. Trent’s brother, Jonah, was engaged to
Megan Harrington, who she already knew. Megan dealt with all the finances of the joint business venture for Fierce and was
also good friends with Chloe.
“Good move. Come meet Jonah,” she heard Megan say as she was walking over with a woman she didn’t know. “Jonah,
this is Roni Hollister. I’ve told you about her. Roni, my fiancé.”
She’d talked to Roni multiple times too but hadn’t met her in person either. Just another reason she needed to come to these
functions.
“Nice to meet you,” Roni said.
“You know Royce and Chloe,” Megan said.
“I do,” Roni said to both of them. “Willow is so cute. And so tiny. Or at least looks it in your arms, Royce.”
Her brother grinned. “Chloe says I never put her down, but Willow settles down faster with me.”
“More room to move in your arms. I’m Elise Kennedy.” She put her hand out. “We haven’t met yet. I’ve been to that
building a few times, but I don’t think you were available for me to stop in and introduce myself.”
“It’s nice to meet you in person,” Roni said. “I’ve met all the players now as the owners.”
“Yes,” she said. “You won’t talk too much to me unless Royce has you call me to order something. It will be him or my
father for our business, as you know.”
Though Roni had been doing a lot of work she normally did and helping out, Roni still talked to Royce more.
“I’m learning as I go,” Roni said. “But I do see Royce the most. He and Gabe it seems. Other than the Fierces.”
“Lucky you with Gabe,” Elise said and stepped back a few feet. Not only couldn’t she get away from him but his name had
to come up.
He’d made eye contact with her twice since she’d seen him come in. Both times he smiled. Once he winked. She wanted to
grind her teeth. She knew he was doing it on purpose.
She nodded back because it was polite. She wouldn’t be rude with so many witnesses.
“Did I miss something there?” Roni asked.
Chloe laughed. “They rub each other the wrong way it seems.”
“Elise can be outspoken.” She turned to see her father moving over. She’d seen him talking to Jim McCarthy over by the
food. Jim was a good guy but where there was Jim, there would be Gabe. Seemed like Gabe and his father were close like her
father and brother. “My daughter is the one that probably rubs people the wrong way more than anything.”
She shut one eye at her father to give him the look that would tell him she was kidding but then not really. “You never had a
problem with it, Dad. I believe you and Royce are the ones that taught me to stand up for myself. It’s a male-dominated field
too.”
“We did,” her father said. “And you can be respected and be a little softer too.”
Elise laughed, her face relaxed and she winked at Roni. Just because she was annoyed Gabe was here didn’t mean she was
going to be a bitch to anyone else. It wasn’t who she was. Or tried not to be.
“I’ve never been soft a day in my life and you know it. I’ll take my niece now and walk her over to bond with the other
children.”
She snatched Willow out of her brother’s arms and left after that.

“S HE SEEMS soft with a baby in her arms,” Roni said. Richard watched his daughter leave cradling her niece and rubbing her
nose softly against the baby’s cheek.
“My father likes to pick on her,” Royce said. “And here comes the cavalry. Good luck.”
He turned his head and saw Grant and Garrett making their way over too. There was a lot of laughter at his son’s statement.
He knew Roni and Trent were the big targets right now and he’d get to witness some of the work in person.
“Roni,” Grant said. “We are so glad you could make it. I’m sure you know most of the people here. We’d be happy to
introduce you around.”
“I was doing it,” Megan said. “You know, trying to be a friendly face. But she got sidetracked here.”
Grant looked at Megan and Jonah and then over to Garrett. “That’s great, Megan. Such a good girl stepping up like that. Did
you know Megan’s fiancé is Trent’s brother?”
That wasn’t smooth at all, Richard thought. Elise would see that coming a mile away. “I do know that,” Roni said. “It’s all
in my flowchart.”
Garrett elbowed Grant. “We told her that back in July when Trent was moving in. Remember?”
 “Oh yeah,” Grant said. “I forgot.”
Wow. Now these two guys were playing up the bad memory card. How the heck did anyone fall for this? Elise was going to
have a field day with this.
Then he realized he tried the same tactics with Royce and he didn’t get anywhere. Royce caught on faster than his daughter
did.
“Looks like age is catching up with you, Uncle Grant,” Drake said, moving over. “Why don’t you two go bother someone
else? I think Roni is in good hands here. It’s not as if she’s a stranger to the name Fierce at this point.”
Roni grinned at Drake, who smirked at her. Something was going on here and Grant and Garrett didn’t seem to catch it, but
Richard did.
“If you say so,” Garrett said.
Grant and Garrett moved away and he followed them.
“Guys,” he said. “I could see that coming. Is that how you get it to work? Playing dumb?”
Grant laughed. “Of course. They think we are old and forgetful.”
“No, they don’t,” he said. “I tried that, remember? My kids didn’t fall for it.”
“They aren’t supposed to fall for it,” Garrett said. “They know what we are doing as much as we do. It’s all part of it.”
“If you say so,” he said. “But Elise doesn’t play games like that. Just hearing Gabe’s name, she tenses or moves away. If
you guys can pull off a miracle, this is going to be it.”
“Just let us do our work,” Grant said. “We’ve got this, right, Garrett?”
“My brother says we do, so I guess we do,” Garrett said.
Richard wasn’t so sure of it though.
 6

THE PERFECT TIMING

“E lise“Iis see
here.”
that,” Gabe said to his father.
It’s like his eyes were radars when he walked in if he knew she’d be around. He’d find her and lock in and not be
able to pull away.
Not that he knew she’d be here today, but he’d hoped.
“She just looked away,” his father said.
“Again,” he said. “I saw it.”
His father was pushing this.
“Are you going to go talk to her?”
“Dad,” he said. “Just because I found out last week what you have planned—”
“Not me,” his father interrupted him.
“Doesn’t matter who. My point is, just because I know doesn’t mean I’m going to change anything. As you can tell, she
doesn’t even want to look at me. Why would I talk to her?”
“Because that is who you are,” his father said.
His father was laughing. Yeah, he’d go talk to Elise because he wouldn’t be able to help himself. But he wasn’t going to
rush her either.
He had to play this out with the perfect timing.
For the moment though, he’d just appreciate the view since she wasn’t looking his way.
From her dark jeans that fit her curves well. She didn’t have those curves in college. It’s not like she had a lot now but
more than when she was eighteen. They looked good on her. Really good.
Her brown hair was down and straight, falling across the back of her black sweater. She’d never been one that wore
anything flashy or bright. Not that he could remember.
She had black ankle boots on her feet. Just a small wide heel. Nothing sexy there but not like it was work boots.
It didn’t appear to him she had a lot of makeup on but more than the last time he’d seen her. He’d guess she didn’t wear
much at all on a daily bases, but he did notice a little shine to her lips. Like gloss or something.
Enough that he wanted to walk over and see if it was flavored like the kind she had on years ago. He remembered it was
orange. Every time he smelled fresh oranges he thought of his mouth on Elise’s.
Pretty sad for his age and the time that passed, but he couldn’t get that memory out of his head or what happened after that
first kiss. Or what happened days and weeks after to where they were today.
He said he didn’t have regrets in life, but that was one.
Too bad he didn’t know if there was anything he could have done to make the results different.
“Gabe,” Diane Fierce said, moving over to him. “We are so glad you were able to come. I just saw your mother. She was
saying how Jayce is coming home today.”
“Yeah,” he said. “He was supposed to be here yesterday but got held up doing something. He’ll be here this afternoon I’m
sure. Early enough to spend time with my parents.”
His parents would leave before his brother showed up. He’d leave too. Jayce was going to text when he was leaving his
house so then Gabe would know he had time to get home and let his brother in.
“It’s always great when the kids are home. My youngest, Ryder, went to Greenville with Marissa and her family and Cody
and Raina. They will be back tomorrow though. It’s hard when they’ve got to split their time with other families that don’t live
close by.”
 “I’m sure,” he said. It was nothing he’d dealt with. When he’d been in relationships it didn’t seem as if he was serious
enough around the holidays to worry about those things.
“I know you know almost everyone here,” Diane said. “I’ll let you go mingle.” Diane’s eyes were moving around the room
and landed on Elise’s. She was waiting for him to comment, but he wasn’t going to.
“I think I’ll go check out the food,” he said.
“We’ve got plenty there,” Diane said. “Help yourself and have a Merry Christmas if I don’t get to talk to you again today.”
“You too,” he said.
All the food was set up in a room off the side. He bypassed it and got a beer instead. He didn’t want to take his eyes off of
Elise and she’d just moved out of his view.
He shifted around and saw her over by her brother and Chloe. He could be ornery and go there but why put her in a mood
when he saw her smiling. It was better to just see her relaxed from here.
When her eyes lifted to his, he winked and he thought she was going to scowl. He laughed and moved away.
There had to be something twisted in him that he found enjoyment in that.
He hated to think that he was just so weak that the sight of that smile brought back memories and he caught himself winking
like he had that fateful night years ago.
Thirty minutes went by and he decided to get some food. Jayce had just texted he was leaving so he had ninety minutes or
so to get home for his brother.
“Jayce is on the way,” he said to his mother as he passed her.
“Oh,” his mother said. “When did he leave?”
“A few minutes ago,” he said. “You’ve got time. Relax. You know he’s going to my house first and Jocelyn said she was
cooking tonight.”
His sister enjoyed cooking and told his mother to enjoy herself here.
“She is. I hate she is doing most of it, but I did put together a few things before I came here.”
“Of course you did,” he said. “I’m going to get a few snacks now, but I’ll save room for Jocelyn’s food.”
“I hear she’s been feeding you at work more,” his mother said.
“Staying on my good side and having my back,” he said, smirking.
When he got to the room off to the side with the food, he saw Elise standing there with a baby in her arms. She was holding
a plate with the same arm that had the baby.
“Need a hand?” he said, moving closer to her.
“I’ve got it,” she said.
“I’d offer to hold the baby, but I’m afraid I’d break her. I’ll just grab your plate.”
He pulled it out of her hand before she could say no to him. He could see she wanted to argue but didn’t. “Thanks.”
He put a few things on his plate quickly while she was making up her mind. He was going to comment on her being fussy
but then she just picked up a few pieces of cheese and crackers with the utensils and placed them on the plate he was holding,
did the same with some other hot snacks, then she grabbed the plate out of his hand and moved off quickly.
So much for talking to her. He supposed that interaction was better than some of the other ones they’d had in the past.
After another forty minutes of chatting with more people than he wanted to, he had his fill and took off. He saw his mother
dragging his father away from Grant and Garrett when he waved to them.
If Grant and Garrett thought they had this with him and Elise, it was going to be news to him because right now, even being
nice wasn’t going very far with her.

“THAT WAS A SUCCESS ,” Garrett said to his brother, wife, and sister-in-law.
“These parties are always a success,” Carolyn said. “Diane and I put a lot of work into them.”
“Of course you do,” he said. “And you two do a wonderful job. I loved seeing all the kids today. It was a shame to not have
Ryder and his family and Cody and Raina here.”
“It’s only a shame because you would try to see if Raina was talking to Roni at all,” Carolyn said. “Be honest. You two
men zoomed right in on Roni next to Megan and had to hear what was going on. You were way too obvious.”
“It was Grant,” he argued. “He put it right out there on the first thing he said.”
“Who ratted me out?” his brother asked.
“Drake,” Diane said. “He came over and told me that you two were getting sloppy.”
He looked at his brother and they both dropped their shoulders. It did seem to get harder and harder lately.
“I thought we were doing well,” he said. “We keep bringing their names up around each other, but no one was biting. That
she was talking to Megan helped and you know it. I just wanted to see if we could catch anything being said.”
 “Everyone is too good to slip,” Carolyn said. “But the fact that Roni was with Megan for a good portion is saying
something. Not only that, Drake came over to tell on you. Don’t you think there is a reason for that?”
“No,” he said.
“You don’t know your kids as well as you think you do,” his wife said.
“Do you think something is going on and they are keeping it from us?” Grant asked.
“It’s possible,” Diane said. “I watched Roni more than talking to her. She was pretty comfortable with Megan. If Raina was
here, that would have said more. I’d expected Roni to be talking more with Chloe or a few other people here.”
“I guess I didn’t think of it that way,” he said. “Roni wouldn’t have a lot of reason to talk to Megan unless it’s a question
about rent in the building for someone. So they do talk.”
“They do,” Carolyn said. “Again, you have to watch more rather than push. We let you guys take the reins at times, but you
get careless.”
Garrett didn’t think he was careless, but if they could get help from their wives, more power to them. “Fine, there might be
something going on with Trent and Roni. What’s your opinion on Elise and Gabe?”
“That one is rough,” Diane said. “I can say that Elise was avoiding Gabe at all costs. She was keeping her distance and he
wasn’t even trying to get near her.”
Garrett wasn’t so sure of that and wanted to mention to everyone that he saw Gabe talking to Elise around the food, but the
more he thought of it, maybe they were only in the same room together. He caught Elise nodding her head to Gabe and walking
out. That wasn’t much progress in his eyes.
“I’m not sure who Elise was trying to get away from more,” Grant said. “Gabe or the four of us.”
“Well,” he said. “She is onto us. Richard did warn us. She means business. I’m not sure if she knows it’s Gabe we have
lined up or not, but something is going on there between them that no one can seem to figure out.”
“Let it play out,” Diane said. “Where there is smoke, there is fire. Remember, Ella and Travis were like this too. Look at
how well that turned out. It was the very first setup for the family that Gavin did.”
“And it took the longest of the kids,” he pointed out. “I hope Richard is patient.”
“He’s got Royce settled and a granddaughter. He’s happy for now,” Grant said.
“Then let’s just bask in our successes as I said. Looking around today, you can say we do good work. Next week is Julia
and Flynn’s wedding and another one that gets a check on the box.”
“You two men have to pump yourselves up to keep going,” his wife said, smirking. “Diane and I, we just keep plugging
along knowing we’ve got this. Stay positive, boys, it always works out.”
He hoped so. Trying to do two at once was more than he bargained for. More so when he didn’t get to see Gabe or Elise
much and would have to try to see if their parents were willing to step up some more or not.
It hurt his pride to say they needed help, but if it got the end results that was all that mattered.
 7

THIS PLACE IN LIFE

lise rolled over in bed first thing Christmas morning with a raging headache.
E She wasn’t sure if it was the wine she drank alone when she got home or the crying jag she had that she’d never let
anyone know about.
Sometimes life was just so unfair.
She threw the covers back with more force than necessary and made her way into the bathroom hoping a hot shower would
wipe away memories from over a decade ago along with the few minutes she spent next to Gabe McCarthy last night.
After almost drawing blood from her scalp washing her hair, she got out and dried off, dressed and blow-dried her hair.
She put her moisturizer on her face and some foundation to cover up the puffy eyes and circles that normally weren’t there.
That was about the extent of her daily routine.
Coffee was the first order of business and she went right to it to get her first cup of the day and then dropped a piece of
bread in the toaster. She’d be leaving for her father’s soon enough.
As she nibbled on her toast she read the news on her computer and hated the depression she felt right now.
How could she be thirty-four years old and still alone?
Did she have so much of her mother in her that she was pushing a man away?
She didn’t think so but she wasn’t going to be someone she wasn’t either. Never again.
Did it one night and in her mind that was how she got to this place in life.
She just hated that she couldn’t escape Gabe no matter how much she tried.
For years she’d hear his name but never had to worry about seeing him much. They’d always done business, prior to the
commercial building, but not enough that she got involved or had to talk to him.
Now it just felt like there was no escape from him or her demons.
No man should be as good looking as him. It was a sin in her eyes.
His body, his voice that she remembered so clearly as he sang that night. The guitar in front of him and the smile on his
face.
A few beers and she was the low hanging fruit ready to be plucked by greedy horny hands.
He’d been singing a mixture of country and rock. Old songs. Popular songs.
His voice…it was like a vacuum at a car wash sucking her in harder than anything else in her life.
He sang a song. She’d never forget it. A ballad. “Remember When” by Alan Jackson. She’d brought him a beer at Sandra’s
urging, handed it over and he’d told her to sing with him. She did.
They laughed and they drank and they ended up in his room.
“Fuck me!” she said, more tears rolling down her eyes.
Why couldn’t she forget this? Why was it so hard?
She dumped her coffee in the sink, then threw out the half-eaten piece of toast. No reason to try to force food down her
throat.
Since she overslept, it wasn’t so early that she couldn’t go to her father’s, so she gathered the gifts in a corner, found her
shoes, put her jacket on and drove over to her childhood home.
You’d think there’d be bad memories here, but there weren’t. Her father made sure of that even with all the fighting that had
gone on.
“Merry Christmas,” her father said when she walked into the house. He must have heard because he came to the front of the
house to help with the gifts.
“Merry Christmas to you too. I smell cinnamon buns.”
 “I made them for you. I know they are your favorite. I just took them out of the oven. I knew you’d be here early.”
“You did?” she said. She followed him in the back and they put all the gifts under the tree. Looked as if her father might
have gone overboard for Willow this year too.
“Just a hunch,” her father said. “You seem a little down lately. Everything okay?”
“I’m fine,” she said. She went for coffee since she didn’t finish her cup at home.
“I know when you’re lying, Elise.”
“I feel like a bitch saying it so I’d rather not.”
“It’s okay to be jealous that your brother found someone and has a family,” her father said softly.
“I shouldn’t be surprised you figured it out.”
“I know you well, even when you don’t want people to know anything about you.”
“Daddy’s little girl,” she said. “It drove Mom nuts that you knew me better than her. That I would talk to you more.” She
held her hand up. “I know. We don’t need to bring the holiday down by talking about Mom. I’m just glad she didn’t call me.”
“I’m sure she will later,” her father said.
“Or not. I haven’t talked to her since Thanksgiving. She doesn’t even try. I sent her gifts and I got hers in the mail the other
day.”
It was pretty sad, but she was used to this. She and Royce went last year and she got to drink while Royce was driving.
She’d needed it. It felt like her mother had a bigger beef with her than Royce because she didn’t want to move and leave her
father, her brother, and her friends.
It wasn’t even as if her mother had fought all that hard.
Maybe if her mother acted like she wanted her daughter with her because she loved her, that would be different. It wasn’t
the case. Her mother wanted her there because it looked bad that she wasn’t.
Not her problem.
“Then maybe it’s for the best that you have some space,” her father said.
“That’s my thought on it.”
“You know, if you open yourself up a little, you will find someone.”
“Don’t go there, Dad. Don’t even suggest that I let the Fierces set me up either.”
“I’m not going to,” her father said.
“You know, I was looking around at the party yesterday trying to figure out who they had picked out for me.”
Her father looked up at her. It felt almost like he was a deer in the headlights. “Did you see anyone that caught your eye?”
“Nope,” she said. “I knew everyone there and those I didn’t, didn’t interest me. You can pass that back to them if you want.
That way if someone is on their list from yesterday they can take him off.”
Her father laughed. “I’ll do that. Are you ready for some food?”
“I need the sugar,” she said. “To go with my aspirin this morning.”
“You look tired,” her father said. “Do you feel okay?”
“I might have had one too many glasses of wine last night,” she said. “Maybe I had a pity party. I’m good.”
She saw her father start to say something and then stop. Instead, he got her a plate and she put a big bun on it and fixed
another coffee.
She needed the silence right now and was glad her father realized that.

RICHARD WASN ’ T SHOCKED that he’d gotten a text at the end of the day from Garrett asking if they could talk. He said sure and
called his friend and business partner.
“Merry Christmas,” he said to Garrett.
“Same to you,” Garrett said. “I’ve got Carolyn in here with me. Don’t suppose you got anywhere with your daughter?”
“Nothing,” he said. “I tried. She knows what you guys are doing. She said she looked around at the party yesterday trying to
see if she could figure out who you might have in mind for her.”
“That’s great,” Carolyn said. “She’s open to it?”
“Not likely. She told me to pass on that there was no one there that caught her eye and to move on past her to someone
else.”
There was laughter on the other end. He was glad they found this funny and maybe they were getting a better understanding
of his daughter.
His headstrong daughter that he loved with every breath he had but sometimes wished he could knock some sense into her.
He’d seen the sadness in her eyes yesterday and his heart broke for it, but he couldn’t push her. Elise had never been one
that did well when pressured.
 “I wanted to let you know that I did see Elise by Gabe. I thought they might be talking, but when I moved in she was
walking away,” Garrett said.
“My guess is she was probably telling him to get lost,” he said. “In her sarcastic way that she does under her breath.”
“The one where she says it to your face so you think she’s kidding but you know she’s not?” Carolyn asked.
His smile dropped. “She didn’t behave that way with you, did she? I’ll talk to her.” His daughter knew better.
“God no,” Carolyn said. “But remember, if she did, we are used to it. Jade is just as headstrong. No worries there.”
“Good,” he said. “I’d apologize for her if she did.”
“Never apologize for your kids,” Garrett said. “They are adults and make their own choices in life.”
“They do,” he said. “I’m not so sure this is going to help you any, but I really would like to see Elise settled down. I think
she needs it. I think she wants it but is afraid for some reason. But I firmly believe Gabe is not the one. Maybe think of someone
else?”
“We’ll keep that in mind,” Garrett said. “This isn’t an exact science. She’s going to the New Year’s Eve party next week,
you said, right?”
“She is,” he said.
“Let’s see what happens then and we’ll go from there.”
“Sounds like a plan. Enjoy your night,” he said.
Richard hung up after that and tried to think if he could come up with anyone that could handle his daughter.
Nope, he couldn’t.
The sad part was, he was positive Gabe could, but it wouldn’t matter if his daughter didn’t want anything to do with the
guy.
 8

GO WITH HIS GUT

h my God,” Carolyn said, slapping her husband’s arm on New Year’s Eve. “What is wrong with you guys? Why didn’t
“O you tell us?”
“Tell you what?” Garrett said, glancing around and finding his wife looking at Roni and Trent, who appeared all
cozy. “What the hell?”
“You didn’t know?” Diane asked. The four of them had been standing together at the party and greeting people as they came
in.
“No,” he said and looked at his brother. “Did you?”
“Does it look like I knew?” Grant asked. “I thought you two women had an inside source. Janine hasn’t said a word to
you?” Janine worked for Trent and their wives told them they had this one covered. Guess they got fooled too.
“No,” Diane said. “I was just over there talking to them about twenty minutes ago. They were in the same group and I joked
about knowing each other well. Or Trent said he knew Roni well, but I didn’t get what he was saying.”
“Let’s go find out what is going on,” Carolyn said. “I’m not standing here gawking at them.”
The four of them moved over quickly and the minute they stopped in front of Trent and his siblings, there was a round of
laughter.
“You guys are slower than I thought you’d be,” Chloe said. “I made it over before you.”
“You didn’t know either?” Garrett asked Chloe, who was one of his engineers. At least he didn’t feel so bad this one was
slipping by him.
“Nope,” she said. “But I’m not surprised by it. When are you all going to realize everyone is just yanking you along?”
“I guess so,” Diane said. “Are you doing it now or are you two a couple?”
Roni looked at Trent, then got on her toes and kissed him on the lips. Yeah, that wiped out any doubt.
“We are a couple,” Roni said.
“How long has this been going on?” Garrett asked, frowning.
“How long do you think?” Trent asked. “Is there a problem with it? I thought this is what you wanted all along.”
“It is,” Grant said.
Diane pinched his arm. “Shhh.”
“What?” Grant said. “They know. Looks like they’ve always known. Unless it’s new?”
“I don’t think it’s new,” he said. “Come on now, give it up.”
Trent laughed and looked at Roni. She shrugged. “We’ve been dating since the middle of September.”
There was a loud laugh when that was said and he turned to see his daughter Jade standing there. “You guys are getting
sloppy in your old age.”
Listening to his daughter, Jade, just now reminded him of what he’d said to Richard last week in terms of Elise. He was
used to straightforward women. He could handle them well.
“No we aren’t,” he said to her. “But we don’t see them as much. It’s easy for them to pull this off.”
“Three months to pull it off with your sources?” Brock said, standing next to Jade. His son-in-law liked to bust their asses
just as much as everyone else.
“Hey,” Grant said. “Everyone is busy.”
“Do your parents know?” Diane asked Trent.
“They found out last week,” Trent said. “If it makes you feel any better, they were sworn to secrecy too.”
“That’s something at least,” Carolyn said. “What about you, Raina, and Megan?”
“We’ve known for a while. It’s fun to watch everyone spin their wheels.”
 “Very funny,” Diane said. “You guys are all thanking us now though.”
“We are,” Megan said.
Garrett was at least holding onto that when they continued with their matchmaking plans. That everyone thanked them in the
end.
“You can let Janine know you’re aware now,” Trent said.
“When did she find out?” Carolyn asked.
Trent grinned. “I know she was doing your dirty work for you. I told her on Friday and then said if she said a word she was
fired.”
“You didn’t tell me that,” Roni said to Trent.
“Because he doesn’t mean it,” Raina said.
“I can’t believe this has been going on and not once have we had a clue,” Garrett said, shaking his head.
“Now you get to go figure out what to do with my sister,” Royce said. Royce was just adding salt to the wound with that
comment. “She’ll be here soon. I saw you putting your head together with my father and Jim McCarthy. Barking up the wrong
tree there with Gabe, but I don’t think you want to believe me.”
Royce and Elise were close. Really close and there was another person telling them to move on from Gabe and Elise. He
was starting to have doubts.
“I don’t think so,” Diane said.
“Those two don’t even like to be in the same room together,” Royce said.
“Do you know why?” Grant asked.
“Sorry,” Royce said. “I know you asked my father, but I’m not playing along. Whether I know or not, I’m not saying. Have
fun with that one.”
Garrett knew enough to let this drop. They not only made progress today but also checked one off their list.
His wife and Diane were called away and he and Grant went to greet some more people but stopped before they reached
them. “At least we can focus on Elise and Gabe tonight,” he said.
“No,” Grant said. “Too many people. We can talk and take notes and figure that one out later. No way we are getting
anywhere tonight. I’ll tell our wives to keep their eyes open, but that is about it at this point.”
“Well,” he said, “remember, Royce and Chloe got their start at this party. Raina and Cody too. There could be something
about it that helps us along.”
“You tell yourself that,” Grant said. “But tonight, I’m just going to relax because tomorrow we get to see more of our good
work when Flynn and Julia tie the knot.”
“You’ve got a point there,” he said. Then they moved off to talk to more people while his eyes searched out Gabe. He knew
Gabe was here but hadn’t seen Elise yet.
He wasn’t sure if it helped or hurt their case that those closest to Elise knew who they had planned and kept warning them
off.
But when he spotted Gabe an hour later and his eyes were on Elise watching her without Elise knowing, he had to go with
his gut on this one.
At least one side of the couple seemed to be interested so maybe it could work.

“WE HAVE to stop meeting like this,” Gabe said to Elise at the food table. He’d been looking for her as he’d heard she’d be
here. He should have figured she’d come in late.
It was close to nine at this point.
“I’m going to start thinking that you are following me,” she said, turning to look at him. He caught her eyes looking him over
the same as he’d been doing earlier.
From the tips of her black pumps that he wasn’t sure he’d ever seen her in to the black pants and red sweater. It might be
the most festive top he’d seen on her too. Not that she stood out by any means other than she always would to him.
“Just getting something to eat,” he said. “And before you bite my head off, people are watching. Lots of eyes.”
She lifted her head from the food and looked around, then went back to trying to make a selection.
“Doesn’t make a difference to me,” she said. “It’s a party. Lots of people watchers. It’s most likely they are looking at your
pretty face.”
He laughed. It was the first time she’d commented on his looks. “Most might think that is a compliment, but coming from
you, I think it’s an insult.”
She let out a sigh and her shoulders dropped. He hadn’t realized she was so tense and maybe this was a mistake to seek her
out and try to get a rise out of her.
 But if he didn’t talk to her he wasn’t going to get anywhere.
He glanced over and saw Grant Fierce catch them next to each other. He wasn’t sure if he wanted those eyes on him but
knew they were being watched by the Fierces.
They’d see how hard this was.
“You can take it any way you want,” she said. “I’m sure a lot of women love it.”
He’d had a bit of a reputation in college. He knew it. But that wasn’t until after Elise. He wondered if he was so upset by
what happened with her that he just didn’t give a fuck for years.
He knew he shouldn’t place the blame on her and wasn’t going to. It was nothing more than a period of time in his life.
“It’s been said before,” he said. “Might have been a night you did too.”
He was pushing his luck with those words but sitting back wasn’t getting him anywhere either.
“Really?” she said. “Here? You’re going to bring that up for the first time in all these years now?”
Yep, he fucked up. “It was meant as a joke.”
“It’s not funny,” she said and walked away.
For the life of him he couldn’t figure out why Elise Kennedy hated him so much.
 9

CHALLENGING HER

y eleven, Elise was wishing she hadn’t come.

B She’d put it off as long as possible to the point it was late enough that she could give the excuse not to show up.
But her father texted and wanted to know where she was at eight thirty and that told her she wasn’t going to get away
with not showing up unless she lied and said she was sick.
She’d replied she was getting ready and on the way.
Which meant she had to do what she said.
She was dressed and just sitting around her house. She’d changed her clothes three times. She was going to wear something
better than jeans, but she didn’t want to be someone she wasn’t.
Then she told herself that her clothing shouldn’t determine that.
So she kept on the nice pants and sweater, slipped her heels on, made sure her hair was brushed and put a thin layer of
makeup on that she rarely bothered with. No more than what she had on at the Christmas Eve party the week before.
Foundation, eyeliner and lip gloss. Good enough.
When she’d shown up a little after nine, she’d found her brother and talked to him for a bit. She’d felt eyes on her a few
times and looked around. Once she caught Gabe’s and he just smiled and looked away.
She didn’t know why he was always looking at her unless it was the one that got away.
How much clearer did she have to be with him at times?
It was hot and stuffy in here and she just wanted some air. Maybe she’d leave.
She got her jacket just in case. She didn’t even have a purse with her; she’d left it in the car and had the key to her car in
her jacket. Everything was safe here.
She went down to the main level of the building and out a back door to a fenced-in area where employees and tenants could
sit for lunch or breaks when the weather was nice.
She found a chair and sat by herself in the corner while she tried to figure out if she should leave. No one would even know
she was sure.
“Hiding?”
Seriously?! The reason she was out here was because of him. “Are you following me?”
“Maybe,” Gabe said and took a seat. “I wanted to apologize.”
“Why?” she asked.
“Are you going to make me spell it out?”
“Yep,” she said.
He laughed. “Fine. I shouldn’t have said what I did earlier. It wasn’t the right place or time. You’re here minding your own
business and enjoying the party and I put you in a mood.”
“Many would say I was born in a mood.”
“No,” he said. “I’ve seen you relax and smile before.”
“You just can’t stop bringing up the past, can you?”
“I meant recently,” he said. “I wasn’t thinking of that night. Makes me think you do though?”
It was the way he lifted an eyebrow at her. Like he was challenging her.
“What’s that they say? You never forget your first?”
“I didn’t know at that time,” he said.
“No reason you should have,” she said. “And it’s never been about that.”
They’d had a few drinks. They’d gone back to his room. She’d told him she was a virgin. He offered to stop.
 She didn’t want to.
She was out trying to make a point that being the way her mother wanted her to be got her the wrong attention.
She wasn’t placing the blame on anyone other than her own actions.
And those actions were why they were here now. Because she’d acted like someone she’d never been before and hated
herself for it.
That any chance she could have had with Gabe was gone because she was pretending to be someone else.
He’d even called her out on it.
He wasn’t wrong either.
“I shouldn’t have said those things to you the next time I saw you,” he said. “But you were so mad when you found out I
knew you. How was I supposed to know you didn’t know who I was?”
Just another embarrassment to her night.
They hadn’t exchanged names. She didn’t want to. It was all part of her game and he got sucked into it.
After they’d had sex, she told herself there was no way she was going to regret the wonderful feelings she’d had with him.
Until he called her by her name. She hadn’t given it to him.
“Again, not the place,” she said.
“When will be the time and place?” he asked softly. “We have a working relationship. Our fathers had one before. That is
how I knew who you were. I’d seen your picture in his office one summer. I wasn’t even sure it was you when you walked in
that night.”
“I felt like you had me at a disadvantage.”
“Again,” he said, “not my fault. You freaked that I knew you for some reason and never told me why.”
She shrugged.
She’d made a fool of herself acting that way. The last thing she wanted was it to ever get back to her father what she’d
done. She didn’t want her father to think she was a slut. That she was sleeping with random men. None of those things.
But when Gabe said his name to her, she recognized it right away. She’d been working with her father in the offices for a
few years. Though the McCarthys didn’t have their business in Durham, it wasn’t that far away in Raleigh. Gabe grew up in
Morrisville, which was in between Durham and Raleigh. It’s not like they went to school together. She’d have no idea who he
was if she never met him. Or heard his name.
“And then when you sought me out the next day, you’re the one that freaked.”
“I sought you out because I wanted to see if you were okay,” he said.
“And you saw me in jeans and a T-shirt and no makeup on. You heard my roommate laughing that she had to all but beg me
to dress up and wished I did it more.”
She was glad she didn’t talk to Sandra anymore. She never thought she’d fall for peer pressure, but she had that night.
In her mind everyone was to blame, including herself.
“What do you want from me?” he said. “I didn’t even think much of it until your roommate said you always were casual. I
thought you were just out playing games that night.”
Which she had been, but he didn’t know and wouldn’t understand. It wasn’t anything against him. Or even aimed at him.
It could have been any guy with a sexy voice singing and paying attention to her.
But it happened to be him.
“And then you accused me of all sorts of things,” she said. “You made me feel about an inch tall.”
“I apologized multiple times. Do you know how many girls I’ve had throwing themselves at me between my looks, my
family name and my singing?”
“Now you’re just bragging,” she said. Her lips curled into a smirk. She wanted to laugh but tried to hold it back.
He held his finger and thumb up in a pinch. “Maybe a little. But it’s the truth. I told you that.”
“I get it,” she said. “I’ve got a name and family money too.”
“I know you do. I think that was part of why I felt I could relax around you,” he said. “You brought me a beer. You sang
with me. I was positive you knew who I was.”
“Well, I didn’t,” she said. “And it’s in the past. We both went our own way. Nothing was going to come out of that night
other than what had.”
He snorted. “You made it so,” he said and stood up.
“What does that mean?” she asked.
“It means a guy can only take so much of being knocked down. I tried back then to make amends. I’ve tried for a few years.
I get it. We got off on the wrong foot and there is no catching our balance. Maybe rather than hating me for something stupid we
did in our youth, you can put it behind you and be mature so that we can at least do business together.”
Her jaw dropped when he said those words.
She’d never seen him lose his temper or patience with her since the next day when he sought her out. That was it.
She nodded her head, glad she was in the shadow because she was positive her eyes were filling with tears.
He was one hundred percent correct, but she couldn’t find her voice to say it.
 10

NOTHING IS SIMPLE

abe was watching football on New Year’s Day alone.

G For a guy that never got mad at much he had the urge to put his fist through the wall.
It felt like he always tried to make the first move with Elise and then walked away feeling like an asshole after.
Even sitting in the shadows last night, he’d seen her eyes get glossy.
But damn it all, it had to be said.
There was no way in the world they could be around each other without setting the other off. He got it now. Why he was
thinking he could get her to soften toward him was beyond him.
He wasn’t even sure why he was trying so hard other than what he’d said last night.
He really thought she wanted him and not who he was or what someone wanted him to be back then.
Around three he heard his phone go off with a text and picked it up. He didn’t recognize the number, but he read the text and
his jaw dropped.
I’m sorry. You bring the worst out of me and I’m not sure why. It’s not even your fault. I heard what you said and you’re
right. We’ve got to be adults and work together. Truce? Elise.
He had to read it a few more times before he could comprehend that she, one, reached out to him. Two, apologized. Three,
wanted to call a truce.
Gabe hadn’t even been aware she had his number but then realized how stupid that was. He could get hers easily too if he
wanted. Maybe not as easily as she could get his, but it was somewhere he could find without having to ask someone.
He wanted to reply back right away but decided to sit on it. It seemed to him he couldn’t say anything right to her.
But after twenty minutes, since he couldn’t say anything right, he texted her back and asked if they could talk. That there
was no way he wanted any misunderstanding through texts.
It took her ten minutes before his phone rang.
“I could almost hear your sigh when you read my text,” he said. He wasn’t smiling or joking. Just making a statement.
“I’m sure you could. I didn’t think it’d be easy enough to send that text and you’d say sure, let’s try that.”
“Why now do you want a truce?” he asked.
He heard the sigh loud and clear now. “It’s what I said. You’re right. We are adults. You’re trying. I’m not. It’s that simple.”
“Nothing is simple when it comes to us.”
“No,” she said. “Again, that is on me.”
“And you’re not going to say why that is?”
“No,” she said again. “I’m sorry to bother you on your holiday.”
“I’m just sitting here alone watching football.”
“The same,” she said.
He found it funny they were doing the same thing.
“I’ve got a beer in front of me.”
She laughed. “Wine. I’m not a big beer drinker. I’m only having one glass. Call it my glass that I missed out on last night.”
He felt bad about that. He was positive she left after they fought.
“Sorry about that,” he said.
“Not your fault,” she said. “I should have gotten it when I arrived.”
“It was still poor timing on my part.” He was shocked they were having a conversation right now.
“Seems like that is the story of our lives,” she said.
He wanted to ask her what she meant by that. The fact she said it so quietly. As if she didn’t want him to know or hear it.
 There was so much to Elise that confused the shit out of him, but if he asked or questioned her, she either came out swinging
or locked up tighter than the last human trying to hide from the Zombie Apocalypse.
“I take it you’ve got no plans today,” he said. If he could keep her on the phone for a few minutes longer, he would.
“Nope. You? It’s kind of late in the day.”
“I’m partied out from the holidays. Sort of sick of people too.”
She laughed and the sound sent heat through his body as if he’d gotten hit with a blowtorch. He hadn’t heard that sound in
over a decade and it amazed him it still had the same effect.
“I’m normally sick of people,” she said. “I put myself out there more than I have before. Not sure how I got talked into it.”
“It’s good for business,” he said.
“I’ve heard that a lot. Since I own some of the business I should make more of an effort. I can’t always leave it to my
father.”
He knew Royce and Elise owned half of Kennedy Construction now. His father had told him that when Richard had his
heart attack years ago.
McCarthy’s would come to him and his siblings someday. Jayce would probably just want to be bought out and he and
Jocelyn would take over. He was fine with it, but his father was healthy and more than willing to continue to work.
Though he’d been hearing for years that his father wanted to cut back.
That life was too short and he wanted to start to travel with his mother. His mother still worked in the offices too but part
time now.
Maybe he’d talk to his siblings and see if they could get his parents to take more time off.
Though once the weather warmed up, they’d get busier which was why they were going to try to get as much as they could
done on this commercial project in the next month or two.
“I know that feeling,” he said.
“Sorry to bother you again,” she said. He knew he was losing her. He was lucky to keep her on the phone this long.
“You’re not,” he said. “As I said, I’m just sitting here alone.”
“You just sounded as if you wanted that.”
“I did,” he said.
“Okay, then,” she said. “Truce?”
He couldn’t draw this out anymore if he wanted to. “Truce,” he said.
“Bye, Gabe.”
“See you around, Elise.” No way he was saying bye to her. He just couldn’t bring himself to do it.
When he heard the phone disconnect he was going to toss his phone down but decided to call his sister instead.
“Hi, Gabe,” Jocelyn said. “What’s going on? Putting a request in for food this week?”
He hadn’t done that yet. “Can I?”
She laughed on the other end. “Maybe. Depends if it’s healthy. If you say you want some tater tot casserole or something
you’re not getting it.”
“Tater tots are the shit,” he said. He was the only one in the family that loved them. He begged his mother for them all the
time and she gladly made them.
Comfort food for him whenever he came home from college too.
“Only you think that,” Jocelyn said.
“I know better than to ask,” he said. “I just appreciate finding the food in my fridge and not having to run out and buy
something.” Which reminded him to get her a gift card somewhere too. It’d be the least he could do.
“You know I cook all the time. Sometimes I get sick of eating it for days on end, so you’re getting a day’s worth of it. It
saves me from throwing out a serving.”
“Don’t throw food out,” he said. “That’s appalling when you’ve got a brother to eat it.”
“I know that,” she said. “I’m just stating a fact. If you weren’t calling about food, what were you calling about?”
“Mom and Dad,” he said.
“What about them?”
“I think they need to go on a vacation, don’t you?”
“I’ve been saying it for a while. I know Mom would like to go somewhere warm before the work starts in a few weeks.
The holidays were hard.”
“Do you think we can talk them into it? Maybe we can get Dad to surprise Mom and take her away in a few weeks?”
“Do you know how hard it will be to find a place warm to go in a week? Or how expensive it might be to fly there last
minute?”
“Money isn’t an issue.”
“No,” Jocelyn said. “But Mom will argue it is.”
“Then how about we pay for the hotel and they just have to book their own flights? I’m sure Jayce will do it.”
 His siblings had no financial issues that he was aware of. He’d pay for it if they did, but he knew they’d get all pissy if he
did it on his own. It’d happened in the past.
“I’m for it,” Jocelyn said. “But how do we do this? And why are you thinking of it now?”
“I had an epiphany,” he said.
“I doubt that but whatever works. Do you want me to talk to Mom or you to Dad?”
“I’m going to call Mom,” he said. “I’m her favorite.”
“You always have to rub that in,” his sister said.
“It’s a fact.”
“You keep telling yourself that.”
He hung up with his sister and sent a text to Jayce. His brother was on board so he called his mother. In his eyes his parents
owed him for trying to set him up. He was going to use that to his advantage.
“What’s going on, Gabe?” his mother asked when she answered.
“We want you to go away somewhere nice. No arguments. The holidays are over. You worked yourself too hard like you
always do and we love and appreciate it and now it’s your turn to go sit on a beach.”
His mother laughed on the other end. “That’s a nice thought, but you know your father isn’t always keen on vacations.”
“Jayce, Jocelyn and I are going to pay for your hotel. All you need to do is get the flights. Go in the next three weeks before
we really get busy. You know once we start on the new building there will be no breaks. Take advantage now.”
There was a ten second period of silence. “Seriously?”
“Yes,” he said. “Check with Jayce and Jocelyn if you want, but I talked to them.”
“You don’t need to tell me twice. Jim,” she yelled. “The kids are sending us on vacation next week. You’ve got twenty
minutes to tell me where you want to go or they are just booking it.”
“Mom,” he said. “That’s a lie.”
“I know how to get your father to agree. Thanks, Gabe. I know this was your doing. You’re a good kid.”
“I am a good kid,” he agreed.
He hung up after and felt like it was a good day’s work.
Maybe even the start to a good year.
 11

PLAYING MATCHMAKER

“I sa Royce available?” Gabe asked two weeks later when he walked into Kennedy Construction. His parents left for Hawaii
few days ago and then his father sent him an email last night saying he forgot to drop off plans at Kennedy’s before they
started work. He’d promised them this week and it slipped his mind.
He knew what his father was doing. Playing matchmaker.
But since he was okay with it, he gladly accepted the errand hoping to get a glimpse at Elise.
They’d called it a truce yet hadn’t had any contact since.
“Sorry, he and Richard just ran out. I’m not sure when they will be back,” the woman at the front desk said.
“How about Elise?” he asked suddenly.
The shocked look on the woman’s face made him wonder if she knew who he was and if Elise had said negative things
about him.
“You want to see Elise?” the woman asked.
He found the woman’s eyes on the tube he was holding with the plans. That must be the reason. She wouldn’t get those
things.
“Yep,” he said. “She’s part owner on this. She can hand it off to her brother or father.”
“Oh. She’s on the phone, if you’d like to take a seat. Can I get your name?”
“How about I just walk down and drop it on her desk?” he said with a big grin. He pointed to the name on his jacket pocket
saying where he was from and it worked like it always did. He hated to charm his way around women, but at times you just
used what you had.
The woman nodded her head and he moved past her down the hall. He had no idea which office was Elise’s, but he’d been
down here before and knew where Royce’s and Richard’s were. They were side by side. He took a guess that Elise would be
closer to the front.
He got two doors down and heard her voice on the phone, stopped in her doorway and sent her a little wave when she
looked up.
She stopped talking mid-sentence.
“I’m sorry,” she said. “I got distracted by someone stopping in my office. Yes, we can make that change. Let me call and
find out the cost and if it’s available or not for when we need it. I’ll get back to you soon.”
“Sorry,” he said. “Didn’t mean to interrupt. Your brother and father just stepped out. I went to the first commercial building
and didn’t see their vehicles in the lot. I figured I’d catch at least one of them there.”
“No,” she said. “They went to meet a client for a new home build. They are on the property with them talking about the
layout of the house.” Her eyes dropped to his hand and what he was holding. “You can put that on one of their desks if you
want. You know where their offices are, right?”
“I do,” he said. “I was going to drop it off with you.”
“You can, but I’ll just walk it over to their office.”
He stepped into her office and handed it over with a grin. She stood up and grabbed it, then walked past him.
He held his laugh in. He’d wanted to get a good view of her ass and did in her jeans.
He stayed in the doorway of her office, just moving back to let her return.
“Thanks,” he said.
“You could have left it with Kayla out front,” she said.
“I could have,” he said. “But then I wouldn’t have been able to come back and see if we still had our truce going or not.”
She squinted one eye at him. No snarky comment, which was a plus. She’d been acting...normal.
 “I wouldn’t go back on my word,” she said. “There is no reason to be at odds. It might start to draw suspicion.”
“I’m pretty sure everyone knows how you feel about me,” he said.
She smirked at him. “They see what I want them to see.”
Which told him everyone did know that they mixed like oil and water. But he wondered if under it all they could mix more
like water and soap. Coming together and foaming up, making something slippery on contact.
They’d done it once before. He had high hopes that maybe they could again.
Unless he was just a glutton for punishment.
Most likely that.
“You know them best,” he said.
She moved past to sit at her desk. He stayed in the doorway. “Was there something else I could help you with?”
He grinned. “How about lunch?”
“You’re joking, right?”
“Truce? I thought that might be a good first step.”
He was pushing his luck in the worst way possible, but he didn’t know when he’d have an opportunity to talk to her again
with no one around.
Not that they were alone. He heard other voices in the office, but he was talking quietly.
He saw she wanted to snarl but then caught herself. “There are a bunch of food trucks around the corner.”
So not a sit-down type of lunch, but at least he was getting her out of the building.
It was cold out, but not windy. They were tough enough to eat their lunch outside.
“Sounds perfect to me,” he said. “And it’s almost noon.”
She stood up again, his eyes looking over her body while she grabbed her purse and jacket. She couldn’t see what he was
doing.
He remembered a girl with large breasts, but it didn’t seem it now. He wondered if she got a reduction or if his mind was
exaggerating things in his youth. Probably the second.
“We can meet there,” she said.
He figured there would be no way she’d ride with him, but it was worth a shot.
He followed her out the door. She didn’t even say where she was going to Kayla, but it’s not like he did when he left his
office either. Everyone knew how to reach him if they needed something.
They pulled up to the lot where the food trucks were lined up.
“What do you want?” he asked.
She looked around at the trucks. He got the feeling she might come here often. He would have come daily if it was this
close.
“I’m in the mood for tacos. They are fast and easy.”
“Lead the way to the truck. Works for me. I’d be living here if I had something this close. I don’t cook much.”
“I don’t come that often. Only if I’m in the mood. Royce used to come here more often. Like you, he didn’t cook much. Now
he’s got Chloe taking care of the food.”
“Lucky bastard,” he said. They got in line. “My sister has been feeding me lately.”
“Jocelyn, right?” she asked.
“So you do know a little about me.”
“Hard not to lately. My father seems rather chatty in the past year or so. Twins with Jayce and they are younger than you?”
“They are,” he said. “Jayce is living his best life on the road. Jocelyn is a homebody like me.”
She turned to look at him in line. “I didn’t know that about you.”
“You never asked.”
They got to the line. “Number three,” she said.
He should have been paying attention to what was on the menu and glanced quickly to see she got the triple tacos. One each
of steak, chicken and pork.
“I’ll have the same,” he said before Elise could pay. He pulled his wallet out and handed over the cash for both and gave
his name.
They moved to the side while their order was prepared and more were taken.
“Thanks,” she said. “Normally your father comes over for things.”
“They are in Hawaii enjoying the sun.”
“Good for them,” she said. “I’m surprised my father never said a word about it. If he did I would have told him to take a
vacation too, but he won’t go alone.”
“My mother has been wanting to go on vacation for a while. She can’t get my father away. Would you be surprised that
when you and I talked it got me thinking that life is too short and I called Jocelyn to see if we could convince them to go? My
mother jumped at it once all three kids were pushing. Of course I’m her favorite and she listens to me.”
Another random document with
no related content on Scribd:
 Täll’aikaa oli tullut sanansaattaja talonpoikain sotajoukosta.
Hänellä oli muassaan kirje Grötrik Finckelle. Kirje oli ruotsiksi kyhätty
ja siinä sanottiin, että kapinoitsijat olivat tulleet etsimään linnaleirin
ratsumiehiä ja muita, jotka olivat olleet yksissä neuvoin Klaus
Flemingin kanssa ja pitäneet vihaa talonpojille ”eikä muuta tehneet
kuin ryöstäneet, raastaneet ja väkisin vieneet, mitä ovat käsiinsä
saaneet”, sekä että talonpojat pyysivät Finckeltä vastausta, tahtoiko
hän linnoineen antautua saman herran alaiseksi kuin he, nimittäin
Kaarlo herttuan. Kirje, päivämäärältään Joroisista, loppui sanoihin:
"Thet ähr Gemene Mans villie", se on yhteisen kansan tahto.

— Vai niin, huusi Fincke vihoissaan sanansaattajalle, ainoalla

kädellään kirjeen hitaisesti avattuansa ja sen ääneensä luettuaan.
Vai niin, tahtovat opettaa minua tuntemaan kansan tahtoa. On
olemassa ainoastaan yksi tahto Ruotsin valtakunnassa, ja se on
armollisen kuninkaamme tahto, ja Ruotsin vanhan lain nojassa
käskee se, että jokainen kavaltaja on rangaistava. Mene ja sano
tovereillesi se, sinä kirottu koira.

— Herra Götrik, lausui Olavi Sverkerinpoika nyt, ettehän aio

päästää tuota lurjusta pois kurittamatta. Hän on ansainnut läksyn,
joka voi opettaa hänelle ja muille talonpojille, mikä siitä seuraa, kun
kehoitetaan Götrik Finckeä kavaltamaan kuningastansa ja
valtakuntaa. Jumal’avita, minä hakkauttaisin poikki ne kädet, jotka
tuovat mulle moisia kirjeitä.

— Niin, te olette oikeassa! Viekää hänet pois ja hakatkaa poikki

hänen kavaltavat kätensä, komensi Fincke, jonka viha oli yltynyt
ylimmilleen Olavi Sverkerinpojan ivallisella äänellä lausumista
sanoista. Viekää hänet pois! Heti paikalla!
 Sotamiehet veivät kuolon-kalpean talonpojan pois. Hetken päästä
kuului kauhea valitushuuto linnapihalta.

Ebba ja Niilo kuulivat huudon, riensivät ikkunalle ja katsahtivat

alaspäin. He näkivät silloin jotakin, joka saattoi semmoisiin
näytelmiin tottumattoman Ebban veren jähmettymään
kauhistuksesta ja raa’alla julmuudellaan kovasti kuohutti Niiloakin.
Kaksi sotamiestä piti talonpoikaa kiinni, kolmas piti hänen vasenta
kättänsä nostettuna muuria vasten, samalla kun yksi kohoitti
tapparakirvestään, jonka leveä terä valui verta. Talonpojan oikea
käsivarsi venyi hervotonna hänen sivullaan, ja veri parskui virtana
pitkin poikkihakattua kättä, joka vielä kapeasta liuskaleesta riippui
kiinni käsivarren tyngässä. Nyt heilahutti sotamies tapparaansa.
Toinen käsi putosi, kokonaan katkaistuna käsivarresta, linnapihan
kivitykselle, ja kauttaaltansa verissään vaipui talonpoika, pää
löyhänä riippuen, alas pyöveliensä väliin.

Väristen ja kalpeana kuin lumi linnan-katolla, puristihe Ebba kiinni

Niilon käsivarteen. Yhtäkkiä huutaa parkaisi hän kovasti. Peljästyen
seurasi Niilo hänen katsettansa, joka ikääskuin kangistuneena ja
kauhistuksen valtaamana oli kiintynyt vastapäätä olevan linnasalin
ikkunaan.

Ikkunasta näkyi Olavi Sverkerinpojan punainen pää, suurelta

veripilkulta näyttäen, ja noista vaanivista kasvoista heijasti ilkeys ja
katkera verenhimo, niinkuin myöskin hekkumallinen nautinto tuon
hirveän näytelmän katsomisesta. Ken nyt olisi ollut hänen lähellään,
olisi kuullut hänen mumisevan: "tuo vasta oikein on ärsyttävä
moukkia".

Hän hieroi tyytyväisenä käsiään. Jos, kuten hän otaksui, sotaväki

liian aikaisin lähtisi ulos ja vihastuneet talonpojat sen voittaisivat, niin
linna epäilemättä joutuisi heidän haltuunsa, ja silloin ei kapina enää
olisi helppo kukistaa. Hän itse anastaisi sitten, nojautuen salaisiin
valtakirjoihinsa, komennon linnassa ja pitäisi tätä herttualle
saatavissa, Kapina pääsisi tämän menestyksen kautta uuteen
vauhtiin, ja valloitus-armeija tulisi sen vaaran alttiiksi, että
kapinoitsijat piirittäisivät heidät kaikilta puolin. Ja sitten — —. Hän
heitti himoavan silmäyksen vastapäätä olevaan ikkunaan, jossa hän
oli nähnyt Ebban haamun.

Heti hänen Olavinlinnaan tullessaan oli kiihkoinen intohimo tuohon

kauniisen tyttöön hänet vallannut. Että Ebba oli kihloissa Niilo
Iivarinpojan kanssa, se ei häntä suuresti huolettanut.

Semmoisen kilpailijan saattoi helposti sysätä pois tieltään, tavalla

tai toisella. Ja kunhan vain linna kerran olisi hänen, niin kyllä hän
sitten tietäisi pitää huolen muusta.

Hetkisen kuluttua siitä käskettiin linnan varustusväki lähtemään

liikkeelle. Fincke oli noudattanut Olavi Sverkerinpojan yhä
uudistamia kehoituksia ja sotaväen, sekä miehistön että päällikköjen,
hartaita toivomuksia saada marssia talonpoikia vastaan, olletikkin
koska osasto näiden sotajoukkoa läheni pohjosesta päin, ja tuo
vaara, että talonpojat sulkisivat heidät välillensä joka haaralta,
kasvamistaan kasvoi. Fincke antoi sentähden koko pienen
miesvoimansa lähteä liikkeelle, pitäen luonaan ainoastaan
muutaman kymmenkunnan sotamiehiä vartioimassa linnaa.

Kun Niilo, — sanottuaan jäähyväiset morsiamellensa, joka oli

kauhistuneena ja täynnään pahoja aavistuksia, — kävi alas talliin
käskeäksensä Pekkaa valmistamaan hänen hevosensa, putosi
harmaanvalkoinen esine hänen jalkoihinsa. Niilo katsahti ylöspäin ja
näki eräässä ikkunassa pään, joka heti vetäytyi takaisin. Oliko tämä
harhanäköä? Hän luuli tuntevansa Gretchenin, tuon tytön Turun
markkinoilta. Miten oli hän voinut tulla tänne ja mitä oli hänellä täällä
tekemistä?

Niilo kumartui alas ja otti tuon esineen, jonka hän huomasi kiven
ympärille käärityksi paperiksi. Hän levitti sen auki ja näki että siihen
oli jotakin kirjoitettu. Käsi-ala oli melkein mahdoton lukea, mutta
hänen onnistui saada siitä selkoa. Paperissa oli ainoastaan pari
sanaa: olkaa tarkasti varoillanne.

Silloin juolahti hänelle mieleen tuo Olavin kanssa tullut

nuorukainen. Hänelle ei kuitenkaan jäänyt aikaa aprikoida tätä
kaksinkertaista ongelmaa, sillä linnapiha rupesi tulemaan täyteen
sotaväkeä, ja hetkisen mentyä oli kaikki valmiina lähtöön.

Olavi Sverkerinpoika, jolle hyökkäyksen johto oli uskottu, vei

tahallansa joukon päin vastoin sitä suuntaa, jossa hän arveli
nuijajoukon päävoiman olevan ko’olla. Muutamia päiviä kuljettuansa,
sai hän tietää että parvi nuijamiehiä oleskeli eräässä läheisessä
talon pojan-talossa. Hän komensi silloin Niilon kahdenkymmenen
miehen kanssa ajamaan heidät ulos sieltä. Itse tulisi hän apuun, niin
pian kun hän nopealla marssilla pohjoseen päin olisi pahoittanut
erään, parin penikulman päässä siitä mellastelevan pienemmän
nuijaparven vetäytymään takaisin, jotta hänellä olisi selkä selvänä,
sanoi hän.

Kahdenkymmenen ratsumiehensä kanssa saapuessaan

talonpojan-talolle, huomasi Niilo että nuijamiehet, jotka vakojiensa
kautta olivat saaneet tietoja hänen yrityksestään, olivat varustetut
puolustukseen. Kukkulalla oleva kartano, joka aikakauden
rakennustavan mukaan oli täydellisesti umpinainen, muodosti
suljetun, vahvoista hongista valmistetun linnoituksen, joka tosin oli
matala ja pieni, mutta kuitenkin hyvänä suojana puolustajilleen, jotka
voivat käyttää pirtin kapeita ikkuna-aukkoja ampumareikinä.

Niilo ryhtyi heti rynnäkköön, mutta tämä; torjuttiin, ja kolme

ratsumiestä kaatui, talonpoikain nuolet nahassaan. Kaksi tuntia kesti
sitten tappelua, mutta mitään vahinkoa ei puolustajille saatu. Silloin
Niilo ryhtyi uuteen väkirynnäkköön. Laukaistuaan väkipyssynsä pirtin
ikkuna-aukkoihin, ryntäsivät sotamiehet esiin musertaakseen
tapparoillaan ja kirveillään lujasti teljetyn portin. Niilo, joka juoksi
väkensä etupäässä, sai vähäisen haavan päähänsä nuolesta, mutta
hyökkäsi kuitenkin hillitsemättömänä eteenpäin. Kumisten kolahtivat
kirveeniskut porttiin, ja nuo puoleksi läpihakatut lankut alkoivat jo
ryskyä saumoissaan.

— Vielä pari rivakkaa sivallusta, pojat, niin ovat he hallussamme!

huusi Niilo, nostaen miekkaansa iskeäksensä viimeistä kertaa
irtautuvaan lankkuun. Silloin kaatui hän suinpäin, saatuaan
selkäänsä nuolen, joka tunkesi haarniskan halki. Monta sotamiestä
kaatui niinikään, ja joukko nuolia lensi vingahtaen porttiin. Silloin
kauhistus valtasi piirittävät, ja he syöksivät nurin niskoin tiehensä.
Joukko nuijamiehiä, jotka olivat hiipineet ulos pienen takaportin
kautta ja läheisen aidan suojassa uskaltaneet kappaleen matkaa
poispäin ahdistaakseen piirittäjiä takaa, hyökkäsi nyt päälle ja otti
haavoitetut haltuunsa.

Sill’aikaa oli Olavi Sverkerinpoika kulkenut eteenpäin pari

penikulmaa, tapaamatta mitään vihollista. Hän ei kuitenkaan
palannut takaisin eikä myöskään lähettänyt mitään miesosastoa
Niiloa auttamaan.

Silloin saavuttivat hänet nuo tappiosta paenneet ratsumiehet, ja

hän näki ilokseen ett’ei Niiloa ollutkaan heissä. Ainoa, joka ehkä
häntä epäili, oli nyt poissa, eikä hänen tarkoituksiinsa Ebbaankaan
nyt enää ollut mikään paha pulma estelemässä. Kun pakolaiset,
saadaksensa veruketta paolleen, ilmoittivat muka törmänneensä
yhteen erään nuijamiesten pää-osaston kanssa, oli Olavi sitä
uskovanansa ja retkeili kiirekulkua eteenpäin.

Kaikki oli siis tähän saakka käynyt tuon juonikkaan miehen

laskujen mukaan. Arvattavasti olikin nyt, luuli hän, talonpoikien
sotajoukko koo’lla Olavinlinnan tienoilla, ja tuo puolustajia puuttuva
linnoitus oli sanottavaa vastarintaa tekemättä joutuva kapinamiesten
käsiin.

Mutta Olavin, ilo petollisten juoniensa onnistumisesta ei jäänyt

pitkälliseksi. Lentosana Finckeltä saavutti hänet, ilmoittaen että
kaikki kävi hyvin, että linna oli saanut väkeä ja tykkiä lisäksi, että
kapina Hämeessä oli kukistettu, että Fleming koko sotajoukkonsa
kanssa jo oli Hollolassa sekä että talonpoikain sotajoukon kaikki
osastot olivat pakosalla.

Olavi Sverkerinpoika, nähdessään siten tämän osan tuumistaan

rauenneeksi ja koko kapinan turhaksi, raivosi vihoissaan, kiroten
talonpoikia sydämensä pohjasta. Seuraavana päivänä kohtasi hän
kuusikymmentä miestä pitävän nuijajoukon, jotka olivat varustauneet
erääsen taloon. Hän sytytti, kun sytyttikin, ilman pitemmittä mutkitta
nurkat palamaan, paistaen nuijamiehet eläviltä ynnä talonväen
kanssa: miehet, naiset ja lapset. Jotka koettivat tunkea ulos, ne
sysäsi sotamiehet tapparoillaan takaisin liekkeihin. Olavin punainen
naama naurahteli tyytyväisyydestä tuon kauhean näytelmän
kestäessä Ainoastaan kolme miestä pääsi tulisaunasta pois ja
otettiin vangiksi.
 Juuri valkean ehtiessä rakennuksen viimeiseen loukkoon, vingahti
jousen-ampuma ilmassa, laukaistuna reiästä palavan talon katossa.
Ampuma kävi Olavin vasempaan käsivarteen. Se oli puukko, jota oli
käytetty viimeistä laukausta varten, kun jo kaikki nuolet oli ammuttu.

Olavi veti puukon ulos kirveltävästä haavasta, joka kuitenkaan ei

ollut vaarallinen, katseli sitä vihasta säkenöivin silmin ja komensi
lyhyesti:

— Hirttäkää vangit!

Nuoraa sovitettaessa viimeisen vangin kaulaan, kysyi tämä:

— Kuka on tuo armollinen herra?

— Olavi Sverkerinpoika, vastasivat sotamiehet.

Silloin huusi vanki:

— Olavi Perkeleenpoika, kerran kysytään sinunkin niskaasi!

Samassa hetkessä tuli muuan vanha vaimo juosten palavasta

talosta. Hartioilla venyvät siirohiukset olivat puoleksi palaneet, ja
vaatteet viruivat suitsuvina repaleina hänen ruumiillaan. Hän kiersi
kuolemaan-tuomitun miehen käsivarsiinsa, ja kun sotamiehet
tahtoivat temmata hänet pois, huusi hän kimakalla äänellä:

— Olkaa minuun koskematta!

Vaimon ulkonäössä ja äänessä oli jotakin niin kolkkoa, että

sotamiehet väistyivät.

— Ken on tuo kirottu akka? Viekää hänet pois! huusi Olavi

Sverkerinpoika.
 — Se on hänen äitinsä. Älkää häneen koskeko, hän on noita-akka!
vastasi ääniä joukosta.

— Miksi vankia ei hirtetä? huusi Olavi vihasta kalpeana. Ylös

ilmaan!
Jos ei akka hellitä, niin nouskoon hän samassa.

Sotamiehet vetivät nuorasta. Se kohosi kappaleen matkaa

kaksinkertaisine taakkoineen, mutta katkesi sitten näiden painosta.

— Hän on vapaa! huusivat selvästi huojeten ympärillä seisovat

sotamiehet, jotka olivat ruvenneet säälimään uhriansa.

Yleisen maan-tavan mukaan arveltiin hirteentuomittu, jolta nuora

sattui katkeamaan, täydellisesti kärsineen rangaistuksensa. Tähän
tuli nyt lisäksi että nuoran katkeamisen oli vaikuttanut tuon vanhan
vaimon noitumus, ja sotamiehet heittivät peloissaan nuoranpätkän
menemään.

Tuo ilkeä hymy hilasteli taasen Olavi Sverkerinpojan huulilla ja

silmissä.

— No niin, sanoi hän, pääsköön mies. Mutta vangitkaa akka.

Nähdessään poikansa vapaaksi, antoi vanha vaimo, sanaakaan

lausumatta ja yrittämättäkään mitään vastarintaa, sitoa itsensä.

— Ehkä häntä tarvitsen, mumisi Olavi Sverkerinpoika

hampaistansa.
NOITA-AKAN JUOMA

Olavinlinnaan oli sanoma tullut Niilon ja hänen miestensä kärsimästä

tappiosta ja Niilon kuolemasta.

Götrik Fincke vanhus oli suruun vaipunut. Hän tosin oli tottunut
sodan vaaroihin eikä suureksi arvostellut sotilaan henkeä, ei
omaansa eikä muiden; mutta kovasti häntä kuitenkin pahoitti, että
hänen nuori sukulaisensa ja vastainen vävynsä oli joutunut omien,
kapinoitsevain talonpoikien raivon uhriksi, hän, joka niin monessa
jalossa tappelussa kuninkaan ja isänmaan puolesta oli iloisena
pannut henkensä alttiiksi, kuoleman häntä saavuttamatta. Tuo
harmaantunut soturi vuodatti vuolaat kyyneleet, istuessaan tuossa
linnasalin leimuavan lieden edessä, ainoalla kädellään hellästi
hyväillen tyttärensä päätä, joka posket kalpeina ja itkeentyneet
silmät suljettuina lepäsi hänen polveansa vasten.

Semmoisena sanattoman tuskan hetkenä Olavi Sverkerinpoika

palatessaan astui sisään linnasaliin. Hän seisahtui hetkeksi oven-
pieleen, noita kahta ihmistä katsellen. Hänen nähdessään Ebban,
joka surussaan oli kahta kauniimpi entistänsä, vilkkui tuo julmuuden
ja hekkuman sekainen väre hänen huulillaan, joka teki hänen
kasvonsa niin inhottaviksi. Samassa aukaisi Ebba silmänsä ja
kohtasi Olavin katseen. Häntä kauhisti sen kavala hehku.
Kerrassaan selveni hänelle, ettei Olavi ollut aivan erillänsä Niilo
Iivarinpojan kuolemasta. Hänen silmänsä mustenivat, ja huutaa
parkaisten vaipui hän alas lattialle isänsä jalkoihin.

Olavi Sverkerinpoika näki tästä hetkestä lähtien päivä päivältä

selvemmin että ainoa tunne, jonka hän herätti Ebbassa, oli inho.
Ebba koki kyllä osoittaa ulkonaista malttia ja arvokkuutta, hänen
tuossa liikkuessaan isänsä läheisyydessä, mustassa
surupuvussaan, ylpeänä ja kylmänä kuin kuningatar. Mutta milloin
ikinänsä Olavi yritti häntä puhuttelemaan taikka suuntasi silmänsä
hänen silmiinsä päin, kohtasi niitä jäädyttävä kylmyys. Sitä paitse
huomasi Olavi hänen katseessaan ja olennossaan jotakin, jonka
oikeaa tarkoitusta hän ei voinut ymmärtää, mutta joka hänelle sanoi
heidän välillään olevan juovan, jonka yli ei koskaan voinut päästä.
Hän oli kuitenkin tätä kaikkea odottanut ja tiesi keinoja sitä vastaan.

Hitaisesti kuluivat päivät tuossa laajojen erämaiden keskellä

olevassa linnassa. Olavi Sverkerinpoika hiipi hiljoilleen rehellisen
Fincken täydelliseen luottamukseen, ja eräänä päivänä otti hän
puheeksi Ebban tulevaisuuden. Ajatellessaan tytärtänsä oli Fincke
huolissaan; olihan hän itse vanha, ja levottomana laskisi hän
harmaan päänsä hautaan, jos hän tietäisi jättävänsä tyttärensä
tänne ilman turvallista tulevaisuutta. Kun sentähden Olavi hänelle
ehdoitti saajaksensa sopivan suru-ajan perästä viedä Ebban
puolisonansa kotiin, ilostui Fincken sydän.

— Jumala teitä siunatkoon, sanoi hän liikutettuna. Teidän

tarjouksenne poistaa raskaan taakan vanhoilta hartioiltani. Että
Ebbakin kiitollisuudella siihen suostuisi, sitä en epäile. Mutta vielä on
liian aikaista puhua hänelle siitä. Emme saa häiritä häntä hänen
surussaan.

He kättelivät, ja asia oli päätetty.

Vanha vaimo, jonka Olavi oli tuonut muassaan vankina, oli pantu
erääsen luolaan linnan alle. Paljaat kiviseinät heruivat kosteutta,
luolan loukossa oli olkiläjä, pantuna siihen häntä varten, ja
hevosloimi oli hänellä peitteenä. Kapeasta aukosta seinässä kuului
ulkopuolelta rajun virran pauhu.

Ruosteinen lukko kitisi, ovi aukeni, ja siitä vuotavassa päivän

valossa näki hän Olavi Sverkerinpojan astuvan sisään vankeuteen.
Se oli ikääskuin harhanäky, sillä oven mentyä kiinni jälleen hänen
päivänvalosta sokaistu silmänsä ei voinut mitään eroittaa vankiluolan
pimeydessä. Ei Olavikaan ens'aluksi voinut mitään nähdä. Viimein
eroitti hän hämärästi vaimon haahmoviivat. Tämä istui
oikivuoteellaan kädet ristissä polvillaan ja harmaat hiukset siirollaan
kasvoilla.

Hämärässä näytti hän enemmän aaveelta kuin ihmisolennolta, ja

aremman miehen kuin Olavi Sverkerinpojan olisi tuntunut täällä
kamalalta. Mutta hän kävi lähemmäksi tuota kolkkoa olentoa ja
ärjäsi:

— Sinäkö siinä olet, velho?

Liikahtamatta vastasi haahmo vihaisella, melkein sähisevällä

äänellä:

— Sinäkö siinä olet, Olavi Perkeleenpoika?

— Minä tulen tarjoomaan sinulle vapautta, sanoi Olavi.

 — Vai niin! Mitä rikosta pitää minun sitten: auttaa sinua tekemää?
vastasi ivallisesti vaimo, ja hänen silmänsä, jotka yhtä mittaa Olavia
tähtäsivät, melkein säikkyivät.

Huolimatta muusta kuin siitä asiasta, jota varten hän oli tullut,
jatkoi Olavi:!

— Sinun pitää valmistaa minulle juoma, jolla voin saada sen

naisen rakkauden, jota haluan.

— Vai niin! Minun pitää hankkia sulle nuorten naisten rakkautta.

Niinkö? Minkähän tähden pitää minun niin? Sentähden että sinä,
senkin punainen perkele, olet niin inhoittava, ett'ei kenenkään tytön
huulet tahdo hyvällä suudella sinun huuliasi. Mutta ell’en sitä tee,
herra ritari, ell’en sitä tee?

— Ell’et sitä tee, niin et koskaan pääse tästä luolasta ulos, sanoi
Olavi.

— Mitä se minuun tulee! Taloni olet polttanut, kolme poikaani

vaimoineen ja lapsineen, joista kaksi vielä makasi kehdossa, olet
hukuttanut liekkeihin, ja neljännen poikani tahdoit hirtättää. Mitä se
minuun tulee, vaikka annatkin mun kuolla tähän luolaan!

— Minä annan sinun kuolla nälkään, ja pyöveli tulee luoksesi joka

päivä ja ruoskii viheliäisen ruumiisi verille, kunnes henki sinusta
lähtee, ell’et tee niinkuin sanon.

— Mitä se minuun tulee? sähisi vaimo. Luuletko sitä tuskaksi? Ei,

laupeutta ja sääliä se olisi. Ehk’en silloin näkisi mitä nyt näen enkä
kuulisi mitä nyt kuulen: tupa täynnä säkeniä ja savua, liekkien
räiskyä, lasten itkua ja parkua, sotamiesten rähinää. Ooh — se ei
mene koskaan muististani, ei koskaan. Näen sen ja kuulen sen yöt ja
päivät. Ja sinä se olet, sinä, joka olet syypäänä näihin murhiin ja
tähän kauheaan paloon, sinä, Olavi Perkeleenpoika.

Vaimo ojensi raivoissaan nyrkkinsä häntä vastaan, nousten

polvilleen oljissa. Mutta Olavi kysyi kerta vielä, lyhyesti ja kylmästi:

— Tahdotko!

— Tahdon, huusi vaimo pudistellen nyrkkiänsä, tahdon. Se on

kokoova tuskia pääsi päälle ja kipua rintaasi. Sillä kykenenpä
antamaan sinulle sen, jota himoot, mutta vaikka hän on nöyrtyvä
tahtosi alle, on hän aina sinua vihaava ja inhova. Ja hän itse on
äärettömästi kärsivä, kun hänen täytyy olla sinun omanasi. Mutta
sitäpä juuri tahdonkin. Kärsimisiä, tuskaa ja kuolemaa teille, teille
kaikille, jotka poljette ja murhaatte kansaa, eläen sen hiestä ja
verestä.

— Mitä tarvitset sinä juomaasi? kysyi Olavi.

— Etkö luule minulla olevan muassani mitä tarvitsen? — Hän otti

povestaan pienen pussin. — Kas tässä, jatkoi hän, tämmöistä ei voi
hankkia milloin hyvänsä. Kiukkujuurta ja hulluruohoa, jota on ko’ottu
täysikuulla kirkkomaalta, rasvaa kuolleista lapsista, joita on kaivettu
maasta uusikuulla, yölepakon siipiä — mistä ottaisit täällä
semmoista? Laita mulle puita saadakseni tulta takkaan, pata ja pullo
ja tule huomenna juomaasi noutamaan.

Tullessaan seuraavana päivänä tuota juomaa hakemaan, sai Olavi

pullon, täynnä ruskeaa nestettä.
 — Hyvä, sanoi hän, en päästä sinua vielä ulos. Hyvin luultavaa on
että sinä minut petät. Tahdonpa sentähden ensiksi koetella juomaa
toiseen.

— Tee se, sanoi vaimo, ja ellet täysin siihen tyydy, niin teen sen
väkevämmäksi, niin et voi enää valittaa.

Olavin mentyä ja kun ovi jälleen suljettiin lukolla ja salvalla, nauroi

vaimo kimakasti, huutaen hänen perästään:

— Se kyllä vaikuttaa. Helvettiin hän menee, juoman juotuansa, ja

pirua hän on rakastava eikä sinua.

Tullessaan tornikamariinsa, lukitsi Olavi oven ja otti avaimen

suulta. Lyhyt talvipäivä alkoi jo hämärtää. Takassa paloi tuli.
Jakkaralla lieden edessä istui hänen palvelijansa, ulkonäöltään
poika, ei vielä täysikasvuinenkaan.

— Gretchen! sanoi Olavi.

Palvelija kääntyi. Hän se todellakin oli.

— Gretchen, toisti hän, lempeällä äänellä puhuen. Tuoppa viiniä.

Ollaan iloiset tän'iltana. Ho on ollut tiukalla näinä huolen päivinä.

Gretchen istui istumistaan jakkaralla, nojaten päätänsä käsiin.

— Mikä sinua vaivaa? kysyi Olavi tuikeasti.

— Ajattelen niitä aikoja, jolloin olin vapaana kuin lintu. Se oli

elämää!

— Maankuleksijan elämää, niin! Nälissäsi ja kiusaajasi lyömänä

kiitit minua polvillasi maaten, kun Turun markkinoilla ostin sinut
vapaaksi häneltä.

— Olen katunut sitä sittemmin, katunut katkerasti. Vihoissani ja

epätoivossani en silloin tiennyt mitä tein. Mutta mihin elämään olen
joutunutkin?

— Olikohan sinun parempi olla maankuleksijana? kysyi Olavi

ivaten.

— Oli, olipa niinkin. Kulkea kaupungista kaupunkiin, ehtimiseen

olla ulkona Jumalan vapaassa maailmassa ja nähdä uusia ihmisiä,
tehdä työtä elatuksekseen, vaikka usein olikin niukkaa, olla toverien
parissa, joiden kanssa jaoin ilot ja huolet, niinkuin leivänkin — se oli
jotain toista kuin istua täällä vankina ahtaitten, harmaitten muurien
takana.

— Olenko sinua siihen pakoittanut? sanoi välittämättä Olavi.

— Ette, mutta te olette viekoitelleet minua kauniilla puheilla ja

kullalla.

— Ja sinä noudatit viekoitusta.

— Koska tahdoin päästä kiusaajistani.

— Kas niin, sanoi Olavi ystävällisesti, pian palaamme takaisin

Turkuun, ja sieltä saat tulla muassani Tukholmaan. Siiloin tulee toista
elämää. Tuo nyt viiniä, ja ollaan iloiset.

Gretchen toi esille viinikannun ja kaksi pikaria kaapista ja asetti ne

pöydälle. Olavi tyhjensi pikarin toisensa perästä tuota tulista viiniä,
mutta Gretchen vain maisteli vähäsen. Valkea oli palanut pois, ja
huoneessa oli hämärää.
 Tule tänne ja istu sylissäni, näenhän sinut tuskin, sanoi Olavi,
ojentaen käsivartensa kietoaksensa siihen Gretchenin solakan
vartalon.

— Jättäkää minut rauhaan, sanoi Gretchen, kaartuen syrjään.

— Pane sitten pari halkoa takkaan, että saamme valoa. Mieli käy
raskaaksi istuessa tällä lailla pimeässä juoden. Tiedäthän mielelläni
katsovani mustia silmiäsi ja pulskia poskiasi.

— Niin on ehkä ollut, mutta ei ole enää niin, vastasi Gretchen

jurosti, käydessään takalle ja paiskatessaan siihen pari vahvaa
halkoa. Siitä lähtein kun tulimme tähän linnaan, ette ole olleet
entisillänne. Äreä ja kärtyinen olette olleet minulle, aivan suotta, ja
ellei tuima talvi ja tuo ääretön erämaa olisi minua kamoittanut, niin
olisin paennut tästä pesästä.

Gretchenin puuhatessa takan edessä kaasi Olavi puolet vangitulta

vaimolta saamastaan pullosta hänen pikariinsa.

— Ole iloinen nyt, sanoi Olavi, tytön palattua paikalleen. Pian

lähdemme Turkuun ja Tukholmaan taas, ja silloin alkaa sinulle
isoisempi elämä.

Olavi joi ja käski Gretchenin juoda. Gretchen teki niin. Se neste,

jonka Olavi oli kaatanut hänen pikariinsa, vaikutti tuossa paikassa.
Tytön silmät väljenivät, posket hehkuivat, huulet hymyilivät, ja
sanomattoman autuaallisuuden hymy levisi hänen kasvoilleen. Hän
puhui sekaisia, katkonaisia sanoja, nauroi, heitteli käsiänsä ja
kallistihe taaksepäin tuolilla. Sitten nousi hän istumasta ja rupesi
kävelemään edes takaisin lattialla.
 — Voi kuinka on ihanaa, sanoi hän. Kuinka lämmin ja hyvä on olla!
Ooh!

Hän päästi mustasamettisen puhkaröijynsä napeista ja heitti sen

seinäpenkille. Hänen kaunis tyttömuotonsa, nuo täyteläiset olkapäät
ja pyöreät käsivarret, joita monipoimuinen puku oli kokonaan
peittänyt, vapisivat ja värisivät juoman tuottaman huumehduksen
vaikuttaessa.

Olavi katseli häntä ahnailla silmillä, hänen tuossa seisoessaan

takkavalkean punaisessa, välähtelevässä valossa.

— Ritari, sanoi tyttö ikääskuin puoleksi hänelle, puoleksi itselleen,

te olette kaunis. Minä seuraan teitä ja palvelen teitä kaiken ikääni,
mutta miten pääsen teidän luoksenne — — — enhän minä pääse —
—

Olavi lähestyi häntä ja sulki hänet syliinsä. Tytön silmät

ummistuivat, ja pelkoa osoittaen lankesi hän polvilleen Olavin eteen,
Mutta tämä nosti hänet ylös.

— Ei niin, sanoi Olavi Sverkerinpoika, ei, tule minun syliini.

Hän vei hänet penkille ja pani polvilleen. Silmät ammoillaan tuijotti

tyttö häneen silloin, ojensi sitten, torjuen häntä pois ja
kauhistuksesta väristen, kätensä eteenpäin ja käänsi silmänsä
toisaalle. Olavi painui hänen ylitsensä ja suuteli intohimon
kuumentamilla huulilla hänen alastomia hartioitansa.

— Ai, miksi puritte minua! kuiskasi tyttö, pyyhkäisten kädellään

tuon suudelman sijaa. Se on merkki, perkeleen merkki. Tunnen
miten se polttaa. Näen hampaitten punaiset arvet. Olen nyt
ruumiinani sieluineni teidän.

Tytön pää painui hänen olkapäätänsä vasten, silmät menivät

umpeen ja povi kuohuili. Oli kuin olisi hän sikeästi nukkunut. Mutta
hänen kasvoissaan oli sama hehkuja autuaallisuuden ilmaus kuin
äskenkin, suu liikkui ja katkonaisia lauseita tulvaili hänen huuliltaan.
Olavi ei ollut koskaan nähnyt häntä niin kauniina, ja hänen silmänsä
hehkuivat himoa.

— Ylös, ylös! puhui hän katkonaisesti kuin unennäkijä. Niin on

kepeä kiitää ilman halki — hengähtäkäämme hetkinen kirkontornissa
— — tahdonpa vääntää vaskea kelloista ja viskata ilmaan — ettei
sieluni tule lähemmälle Jumalan valtakuntaa — kuin vaski kelloa —
— ooh — kuinka menee — kauvas pois maiden ja metsien poikki —
oi kuinka täällä on paljon ihmisiä — soittoa ja tanssia — — — hyi
noita hirveitä noita-akkoja — — minä pelkään — — niin, herra
mestari, minä luovun Kristuksesta — — — ja kasteesta — ei
koskaan rukoilla — kyllä, kyllä, kyllä minä tanssin — näin — selkä
selkää vasten — mestari istuu pöydän alla — hän pelaa pitkällä
hännällään — kaikki kimaltaa kullalta ja jalokiviltä — kaikki hyppii ja
heiluu ———ah! —

Tyttö vaikeni. Hänen jäsenensä kangistuivat, posket kalpenivat ja

vaahtoa valui umpeen-pusertuneilta, sinisiltä huulilta. Kuin kuolleena
makasi hän Olavin sylissä; raskas hengitys vain ilmaisi hänen
elävän.

Olavi kantoi hänet hänen vuoteellensa, koettaen sitten häntä

herättää. Mutta se oli mahdotonta. Hän nosti hänen käsivarttansa; se
vaipui raskaana alas. Ikääskuin lyijypaino oli laskeutunut hänen
jäsenilleen ja aistimilleen.
 Kun Olavi ei saanut häntä hereille, heitti hän peitteen hänen
päällensä.

Juoma oli liian heikko, sanoi hän, hornan hymyllä katsellessaan

tainnoksissa makaavaa tyttöä; se vaikutti voimakkaasti, mutta liian
vähäksi aikaa.

Seuraavana päivänä sai hän tuolta vanhalta vaimolta pullon

uudelleen täytettynä.

— Nyt on juoma voimakkaampaa, lausui vaimo turmiollisesti

hymyillen.

— Hyvä, sanoi Olavi lyhyesti, pisti pullon taskuunsa ja oli

lähtemäisillään.

— Milloin päästät minut pois? kysyi vaimo.

Olavi oli tullut ovelle.

— En koskaan!

— Mutta lupasithan?

— Lupaus noita-akalle, sanoi pilkallisesti Olavi.

Tuossa paikassa oli hän poissa.

Vaimo vanhus ryntäsi ovelle ja löi nyrkkiänsä siihen. Raudoitetut

lankut tuskin kajahtivat hänen iskuistaan. Ulko-elämästä ei tunkenut
ääntäkään vankiluolan sisään, joka oli pitkän, puoleksi maanalaisen
käytävän päässä. Virran alituinen kohina vain kuului tähän haudan
hiljaisuuteen.
 Vaimo huutaa kirkaisi.

— Niin ollos kirottu, Olavi Perkeleenpoika, perheinesi päivinesi!

Onnettomuus on vainova sinua niinkuin susi vainoo saalistansa, ja
kuolonhetkesi on tuleva sinun vähimmin sitä luullessasi. Ha, ha, ha,
luulit pettäneesi minut, mutta itseppä petyit. Juoma, jota nyt sait, oli
myrkkyä. Kun himosi hurmaamana syleilet naista, jota mielesi tekee,
niin pidätpä, kuin pidätkin, käsissäsi kuollutta ruumista.