Her Mother's Daughter (26 page)

Tansy passed Bob the keys. “Take it for a run.”

“Don't mind if I do. Would it be okay if I went as far as Sydney?”

“Fine.”

“We'll be back in an hour.” The two men got in the car, started it up, and left the garage behind.

“Do you think he'll pay that kind of money?”

Dermot shrugged. “It's hard to say. Are you willing to compromise?”

She gave him a look. “That's all I ever do.”

There was an awkward silence before Dermot jerked his thumb behind him. “Do you want a coffee while we wait?”

“Sure.”

They headed for the garage. Dermot led the way into his office and while Tansy made herself comfortable, he busied himself with the coffee.

“Bay wants me to tell you she'll be over at your place on Friday around six.”

“Right. Thanks.”

“Apparently you're making her dinner.”

Dermot kept his face turned away and watched the coffee drip. “That's right.”

“Have fun.”

Dermot didn't answer her so Tansy stayed quiet. He broke the silence by asking her if she took her coffee black.

“Yes, please.”

He poured the coffee into two mugs and brought one over to her.

“Thanks.”

He sat behind the desk, facing her. They both took a sip of their coffee. Neither one said anything. Finally Dermot blurted, “This is uncomfortable. Maybe it would be better if I drove you home.”

“Why? Don't you want me here?”

“It's not that. I'm thinking of you.”

Tansy took another sip of coffee. “You don't trust me, do you?”

He looked away.

That's when it dawned on her. She put down the coffee mug. “You don't trust yourself.”

“Stop it.”

“I assumed when you took Bay out the other night, and made plans for dinner, that you were truly over me. Don't you dare get Bay's hopes up if you can't give her your whole heart.”

“Why can't you leave me alone?”

“I
am
leaving you alone. And that's what you can't stand.” Tansy got out of her chair. “Go to my sister. Be with her if that's what you want. Just make sure when you're kissing her you're not wishing it was me!”

He came from behind the desk and took her in his arms. “But I do wish it was you, Tansy.” Dermot reached up and held her face in his hands before he kissed her. Tansy was out of breath when she whispered against his lips, “Stop. You have to stop.”

“I don't want to stop. Be with me. Stay with me.” His mouth travelled down the length of her throat before he pushed back her hair and kissed her earlobe. “Please.”

“We can't. It's not right.”

“Tell me this doesn't feel right.” He softly bit her bottom lip and pulled on it before covering her mouth once more with his own. He murmured, “I do want you, more than anything.”

She couldn't do it. Tansy pressed against his chest with her open hands. “Is this what you did to my sister?”

Dermot lifted his head and looked at her with hurt in his eyes. “Don't.”

“I'm sorry. I wish I'd never come back to this place. It's only ever caused me pain.”

“What am I going to do? How am I supposed to be with Bay and not be with you?”

She wouldn't look at him.

His arms were still around her. “I love you, Tansy.”

“You don't know me. If you knew me, you wouldn't love me.”

“What's that supposed to mean?”

“I have to go.” She pushed against him. “We'll pretend this never happened. And once Ashley's baby is here, I'll leave this place and you and Bay can be together. Because you're a good man, Dermot, and Bay needs a good man to love her.”

“And what about you? Why do you think you don't deserve to be loved?”

“I gave away that right a long time ago.” She started for the door. “Get me the best deal you can for the car. I'll leave it up to you.”

“Wait!”

Tansy ran until she was out of sight.

CHAPTER TWELVE

Bay couldn't wait for the end of her shift on Friday. She'd been looking forward to seeing Dermot all week. It was nice to be happy about something for a change. Life was beginning to feel more normal, due in no small way to the medication she was on. Her mood had been changing slowly, but she was aware of her progress and the small glimmer of hope it provided.

She made a real effort to look pretty before she left for the evening. Ashley whistled at her when she came down the stairs.

“Wow, Mom. You look great.”

“Thank you.”

“Doesn't she look great, Tansy?”

Tansy looked up from the television screen. “Great. Bay, will you ask Dermot if that man is still interested in my car?”

“Sure. I'll see you two later.” Out the door she went. It only took five minutes to drive over to Dermot's house. She was nervous as she walked up the porch steps, more nervous than she cared to admit.

Bay knocked on the door, waited about fifteen seconds, and knocked again. She tried to see into the kitchen through the curtains, but there was no sign of life. She wasn't sure what to do. She started down the steps and hurried over to the car. That's when the door opened and Dermot stepped outside.

“Bay! Sorry, I didn't hear you.”

“I thought I had the wrong day.”

“Please, come in.”

She followed him into the kitchen. He'd taken the trouble to set the table and had a casserole in the oven. It smelled good.

“What's for dinner?”

“Shepherd's pie, I'm afraid. It's the only thing I know how to cook.”

“Sounds great.”

Dermot stood there and looked down at her shoes. He said in a rush, “Would you like a beer? Or I have a couple of coolers if you'd prefer. I meant to buy some wine today, but it got busy at work.”

“A cooler would be nice.”

Dermot hurried over to the fridge and took out a bottle. “Would you like a glass?”

“Nah, it's only us.”

He passed her the bottle and grabbed a beer for himself. “Please, sit down.”

Bay sat at the table and took a swig of her drink. “Before I forget, Tansy wanted to know if that man is still interested in the car.”

Dermot rubbed his thumbnail over the beer label. “I should've called her. He said he needed some time to sort out his financial affairs, but that was a while ago. I'll give him a shout tomorrow and see where he stands.”

“Thanks. So how's everything going with you?”

“Fine.”

“What have you been up to?”

“Not much. You?”

“Ashley and I have started to clean out the bedrooms upstairs. We're trying to figure out which room we can use as a nursery and how the sleeping arrangements are going to work.”

Dermot shook his head. “I still can't believe you're going to be a grandmother.”

“I can't believe it either. This is not the way I imagined her teen years. I try not to let her know how frightened I am.”

“Frightened of what?”

Bay shrugged. “Everything. I know what it's like to be a single mother. I never could have done it without my mother, and I'll be there for Ashley, but it's still a struggle.”

Dermot took another swallow of beer. “But at least Matt is in the picture.”

“He is for now, but will he stay in the baby's life? Who knows? Not if his mother has anything to do with it.”

Dermot nodded. When he didn't say anything else, Bay searched for something to say. “Maybe you should check your shepherd's pie.”

“Good idea.”

He leapt out of his chair as if relieved to have something to do. As it turned out, it was a good thing he took their dinner out of the oven when he did—it already looked burnt around the edges. Bay told him not to worry about it. They busied themselves getting the food on the table. Once they started to eat, the conversation flowed more easily. Unfortunately, when the tea was poured, they were back to looking at each other across the table without a lot to say.

“Why don't we go into the living room?” she suggested. “It's more comfortable.”

“Oh. Sure.”

Dermot didn't move until she rose from the table, as if he was reluctant to leave his chair. When she sat down at one end of the sofa, he sat at the other end until she patted the cushion in the middle.

“Why don't you sit here?”

He hesitated.

Bay put down her tea. “Dermot, I thought you wanted me to come here tonight. You're acting as if we just met.”

“It's been a crummy day, that's all.”

“Anything I can do to help?”

He smiled at her. “Yeah, don't get mad at me.”

She smiled back. “Okay.”

“Bay, I need to—”

Bay's cellphone rang. “Sorry, I'd better get that.”

“Leave it,” Dermot pleaded. “I need to talk to you.”

Bay was tempted to ignore it, but she couldn't. “It might be Ashley. I'll make sure she's all right.” Bay got up from the couch and went to her purse. She took out her cell and flipped it open.

“Hello?”

“Bay, I need your help!”

“Gertie?”

“You have to get over here right now. I think Peter's hurt himself but he won't let me call an ambulance.”

“What happened?”

“Never mind, just get over here!”

“I'll bring Dermot.”

Bay hung up and looked at Dermot.

“Gertie's in trouble. She needs our help.”

“Let's go.”

They jumped into Bay's car and were at Gertie's in a matter of minutes. She greeted them at the door, dressed in a satin robe. Bay had never seen Gertie in anything but flannel.

“He's in the bedroom.”

Gertie dashed up the hall ahead of them. The three of them ran into the bedroom. Peter writhed on the floor in a pair of boxers with red hearts all over them. His leg was at a funny angle.

“I'll be all right,” he moaned. “Help me up.”

Dermot reached down and tried to hold Peter up by the shoulders, but Peter moaned, sweat pouring off his face. He eased him down again.

“He's broken something. We need to call an ambulance.”

“No ambulance. I'm fine.”

“Peter, please listen to him,” Gertie wailed. “You need help. Oh my God, I can't believe this happened.”

Dermot pointed at Bay. “Call 911.” When Bay left the room, he turned back to Peter. “I'm sorry, but we have no other choice.”

Gertie flapped her arms around. “What should I do?”

“Get me a blanket and a pillow. He's shivering. He's in shock.”

She raced around and gathered up the duvet from the bed, throwing a pillow to Dermot who placed it under Peter's head. Bay ran back into the room.

“They're coming.”

“What should I do now?!” Gertie panicked.

“Get dressed,” Bay said. “We'll follow the ambulance to the hospital.”

Gertie ran around and collected her things before heading to the bathroom to get dressed. Bay knelt beside Dermot. She touched Peter's arm. “You're going to be okay, Peter.”

Peter, his teeth chattering, whispered, “Take care of Gertie. I don't want her to be upset.”

Bay reassured him she would take care of her friend.

The ambulance came and the paramedics had to enlist Dermot's help to manoeuvre such a giant of a man onto the gurney and out the door. They closed the doors of the ambulance and set off for the hospital.

“You two go,” Dermot said. “I'll walk back to the house.”

Gertie was tearful. “Thank you for your help, Dermot. I don't know what we'd have done without you.”

“No problem.”

Gertie rushed over to Bay's car, as Bay fumbled in her pockets looking for the car keys. “I'm sorry about our evening, Dermot.”

“Don't worry. Take care of Gertie.”

Bay gave Dermot a hug. “You're a wonderful friend. I don't know what we'd do without you.”

Dermot watched as their car drove away. If he'd been allowed to finish his conversation with her back at his place, she wouldn't think he was wonderful. He'd come to the realization that if he wanted to remain sane, he had to leave this place for good.