Before Sunrise (41 page)

“
No, daddy. Liam stays.
Answer me. Will you…will you help us?”

“
Leave!” he yelled at
Liam.

Kennedy stepped back at the sound of her
father’s angry voice. Her father rarely raised his voice. He was a
gentle man. He looked at Liam as if he wanted to murder him.

“
It wasn’t Liam, daddy. Look
at me. I went after him. I did. He thought I was nineteen when I
met him. I lied to him, to you, to everybody. I wanted to run away
with him. He didn’t force me.”

“
Why? Kennedy, why would you
throw away your life, our family, for this!” Andrew asked, with
repulsion in his eyes over the crumpled bed sheets, stained walls
and carpeting, and the roaches scurrying across the
nightstand.

“
I don’t know why. I didn’t
think….”

“
That’s right, you didn’t.
You’re a child and you act like one. Now you want to do the grown
up thing and marry him? You think I would stand by and let that
happen? Do you!”

“
Daddy, I’m sorry. I love
him. That’s why I did it. I don’t have any reason other than that.
I love him so much. Please, try to understand. He’s what I want.
Liam is smart. He’s a good man, he’s like you daddy. He can fix
cars and stuff—”

“
I can’t let you throw away
your future. I can’t do that to you, Kennedy. Get your things.
We’re leaving.”

“
It’s not your choice,
daddy. I’ll be eighteen in three months. We’ll get married and I’ll
leave with Liam. I don’t want to, but I will. I won’t let Liam
go.”

Andrew sat on the bed. He dropped his huge
shoulders and hung his head. Kennedy had never seen her father so
lost, so upset. This was all her fault. She was killing him and she
couldn’t stop it. She couldn’t make him understand. She walked over
and sat next to him. Her hand went to his back. “Daddy, I need you
to help us. Help mama understand. Please.”

Andrew began to cry. He pulled her under his
arm and cried. Kennedy nearly lost it at the sight of her father’s
tears. It was the first time she’d ever hesitated, ever thought
that maybe she should return home. Why did it all have to be so
hard? After her father let go his frustration, he let go of
her.

“
Okay. I’ll help you. Get
dressed, pack your things…the both of you.”

“
Sir, I can’t return to
Connecticut. I—”

“
I don’t want my daughter
staying in some flea-infested motel. I’ll get you separate rooms at
my hotel and get you fed. We’ll talk about this marriage thing a
little more. I have questions. And conditions.”

“
Daddy….” Kennedy stopped
him from rising. “Don’t tell mama. She won’t understand, you know
she won’t. Please. I’ll talk to her after we figure it all
out.”

The pain etched on Andrew’s face aged him
another ten years. He kissed her brow and rose. “Get dressed. Let
me worry about your mother.”

***

“
Do you, Kennedy Michelle
Washington, take Liam Edward Flanagan to be your lawfully wedded
husband?”

“
I do.” Kennedy
grinned.

“
Then by the power vested in
me by the state of Texas, I pronounce you husband and
wife.”

Kennedy, shrieking, leaped on Liam’s chest
and covered his face with kisses. He laughed and spun her around in
front of the judge. He tried to move them aside for the next couple
to stand before the justice of the peace, but she had to have her
kiss, their first kiss as husband and wife. “I love you, Mr.
Flanagan.”

“
I love you, Mrs. Flanagan.”
Liam smiled.

“
Where’s daddy?” She turned
to see her father walking out of the courtroom. “Liam, I’ll be
back.” She hurried for the doors. “Daddy!”

Andrew stopped, but didn’t turn. Kennedy ran
over to him. “Daddy, are you leaving?”

“
I called your mother this
morning and told her what we’d done. I need to get home. You call
her tonight to talk her,” he said softly.

“
Thank you, daddy. For
everything. Thank you. I’m sorry for hurting you and mama. But I’m
so happy with Liam. You’ll see, he’s going to do great things and
so am I. We both will make you so proud of us.”

Andrew smiled. “I want you to be happy. Liam
seems, well I think he’s a good man. You just know that if you want
to come home, anytime, no questions asked baby girl. You call
daddy, okay?”

“
Okay,” she said, swallowing
her tears.

“
I was going to leave this
at the hotel for you. Here.” He reached in his pocket and pulled
out an envelope.

“
What’s this?”

“
Your wedding gift. Remember
my conditions. You and he have both given me your word that you
will honor my wishes.”

“
Yes, daddy, we
will.”

“
I want you to call me and
let me know where you will be. This should hold you
over.”

Andrew looked up at Liam approaching. This
time, he extended his hand. Liam eagerly shook it.

“
Thank you, sir. For
everything.”

Andrew tightened his grip on Liam’s hand.
Kennedy could see her husband flush. “You take care of her. You
keep your promise to me.”

“
Yes, sir. Yes.”

Andrew smiled. “My baby girl is a married
woman.” He gave a sad sigh. “I love you, sweetness.”

“
I love you too, daddy.” She
embraced him. Andrew nodded and then walked off. Liam dropped his
arm around Kennedy. She watched her father until he disappeared
through the crowd. Liam asked for what was in her hand. She passed
it over, not bothering to look.

“
Holy shit,” Liam
gasped.

Wiping tears, she looked up at him
curiously. “What is it?”

“
Ten thousand dollars. He
gave us a cashier’s check for ten thousand dollars. Why would he do
that?”

“
He’s my daddy. He did it
because he loves me.”

Chapter Eighteen

Kennedy wiped her tears. She went to her
jewelry box. The wedding ring didn’t come until three months after
Liam enlisted and enrolled in school. In order for him to get
accepted into the SEAL program he had to finish college. She feared
the separation, but her father’s wishes were that she go to school
as well. So reluctantly, she agreed. Liam received a forty thousand
dollar bonus when he finished school and training and they paid her
father back every dime.

Kennedy smiled. She slipped the ring back on
her finger. She’d told Angelina to go home to her husband and sons.
That she didn’t want to talk. She asked everyone to leave her
alone. She just wanted space. There was so much pain between all of
them. How was she ever going to heal her family?

There were several knocks to her door, and
then it opened. “Hey there, beautiful.”

Kennedy looked up to see Eric smiling. He
wore dark slacks and a thick black leather jacket. He had on his
gloves so that meant he was on his motorcycle today. She went to
him and gave him a hug. From the first day Liam brought Eric home
with him, they’d connected. She always believed he would protect
her husband in the field. She wasn’t surprised to see Harper
staring up at him with that look in her eyes. She knew that look.
It was the same dreamy look she gave Liam the day she gave him her
heart.

“
Liam and Mackenzie should
be on their way back. I planned to cook something. You gonna stay?”
Kennedy sniffled.

“
No. Can’t. Hey, are you
okay?” Eric touched her cheek.

“
Mama’s gone, Kennedy. Daddy
took her and left. Just me and Sally downstairs now,” Harper
said.

“
I’m okay.” Kennedy walked
away. She tried to dry her eyes with the backs of her hands. Eric
wouldn’t let her escape that easy. He took her hand and turned her
around. She smiled up at him. “I’m okay. I am.”

“
Good. I have to leave.
Something came up. I need you to do me a favor. I got all
Mackenzie’s gifts at one of my places in Spring Lake. You know I
got some rental homes out there.”

“
Yeah, I remember. Phil
wanted to buy one.”

“
Here’s the address.” He put
a small paper in her hand and a silver key. “Can you go over and
get them?”

Kennedy smiled. “Sure, I’ll go
tomorrow.”

“
NO!” Harper
yelped.

Kennedy frowned. “No?”

Eric flashed his handsome smile. “I got some
exterminators coming to tent the place. You should go tonight if
you can. I hate to ask….”

“
Kennedy, go now. Get out of
the house. Cool off. Let everybody cool off before Liam and
Mackenzie get here. I’ll wait with Sally for them.”

Kennedy did need a chance to escape. She
felt like she was suffocating. “Um, okay, yeah. I think I will
go.”

“
I’ll call to check on you
and my boy,” Eric said. Kennedy lifted on her toes and kissed his
cheek. She smiled at him. “Make sure you do.”

***

“
Eric, wait!”

Harper was out of breath. She made it in
time to catch him, closing the door gently behind her. He was
headed for his motorcycle, about to put his helmet on. She loved
that bike. It was a sleek, black BMW. He’d taken her for a ride
once, two years ago. The way the leather seat felt between her
legs, and his hard body in her arms, gave her so many wet dreams.
She couldn’t concentrate for a week straight. Everything about him
made her flush with excitement and want to touch herself. Freaky,
yes, but damn, there was no way a woman could turn down such a nice
drink of chocolate. She had it bad. And he had the nerve to roll up
on this bike on a night like tonight, smelling like the wind and
spicy aftershave. Umph!

“
What’s up?” he
asked.

He was headed her way with a
predator’s walk, the kind that a male lion gave when he stalked his
lioness.
Cut it out, Harper. You’re losing
it, girl.
His deep voice wrapped around her
warmly. Harper re-focused and put on a cute smile.

“
I um, hey…you just ran out
of here without saying bye to me. Are you leaving um, tonight?
Secret mission or something?” She shivered under the porch
light.

“
No. But it’s cool to let
Kennedy believe I am. I think we did good tonight.”

“
Yeah right, me too. Gotta
get those crazy kids back together, right?” She punched his arm
playfully.

Eric frowned. “Aren’t you cold?”

Yes! Warm a sister up! Start with your
tongue!

Harper waved his question off “Nah, not
really. So what you getting into tonight?”

Eric chuckled. Was her cover blown? Damn. Of
course it was. He could read through her. Kennedy always said she
walked around like a neon sign broadcasting her feelings. Nothing
worked with him. That was until her eighteenth birthday. She’d
caught him looking at her ass. He became so uncomfortable when she
winked at him that he left the room. That’s when she knew. He
wanted her too. He could fake it all he wanted, but she knew. “Come
inside, let me get you a beer. We can catch up.”

“
Got some stuff to take care
of on base.”

“
This time of
night?”

“
Have a good evening,
sweetie.” He winked, but turned away.

Harper grabbed his arm. Her touch revealed
pure steel under his jacket. Was the rest of him that way? Her
ex-boyfriend David had been sort of a beefcake jock. He had muscles
in his toes. But his dick was so small she never knew if he was
pushing it in or taking it out. Eric didn’t have that problem, she
just knew it. Harper bit down on the inside of her jaw not to
reveal how excited he made her. “Wait a second, will you? I’m not
done talking to you. Maybe we can do dinner. My treat?”

“
Your treat?” Eric asked,
and the corner of his mouth curled as if he found her
amusing.

“
Or I could, um, cook for
you at your place. I can make some gumbo. You liked it at the
cookout last year. Remember?” she stood closer. His tall frame
blocked the chill, and his warm gaze made her forget the plummeting
temperature. She noticed his eyes were on her lips when she spoke.
They’d drop past her face a few times, landing on her
cleavage.
The miracle of a good Wonderbra
really can make a guy yours
. She sucked in
her diaphragm and made sure to lift her chest as best as she could
without being obvious.

“
Harper, we talked about
this. We’re family, okay?”

“
No. We’re not family, Eric.
You’re best friends with my brother in-law. That doesn’t make us
family. Why do you keep saying that? It’s so damn aggravating. I
thought we were friends. Do I make you that
uncomfortable?”

Eric heaved a deep sigh. Maybe she had
pushed too hard. She was pushy like her mama, and Kennedy was
easygoing like their dad. She just didn’t know when to shut up some
times. “Hey, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to sound bratty. It’s just, I
like you okay? There’s nothing wrong with that, right?” Harper
smiled, and wondered what the hard stare he gave her meant. Then
his face softened. He had to be softening to her the idea of them.
Or so she thought. Then he did the worst thing ever. He kissed her
brow and patted her arm.

“
Have a good night, kid,” he
said.

Kid! He called her a
kid
. He turned and walked off without
another glance. Harper fumed. She watched him put on his helmet and
fire up his bike. It crushed her deeply.