See Me in Your Dreams (30 page)

"You
always know how to make me feel better."

He slipped an
arm around her shoulders and gave them a squeeze. “You really shouldn't worry
about old scandals, honey."

"But I am
worried," she admitted, her smile fading.
“Thanks to
Skelly McKenna."

He was the one
who'd dredged up the past.

Therefore,
Rosalind decided,
he
was the one who
would have to fix things.

SKELLY
LEANED BACK IN HIS CHAIR, feet up on his black-lacquer desk.
He was
editing copy for the next day's show, wishing for a story to end all stories
that he could personally bring home. His network had a new prime time magazine
format show in the works, and he was under consideration for a promotion. The
other candidates had one up on him because they were all part of
legitimate
news teams.

Prime
time.

Respect.

His
father's approval.

Skelly was
wondering what they would feel like when his office door opened to reveal a
welcome visitor – his cousin, Keelin McKenna.

"Hey,
cous
, do all brides-to-be look as beautiful as you
do?" He set his feet on the floor and rose to greet her with a big hug.

"You're
full o' the blarney, Skelly McKenna," Keelin said, her lilt more
pronounced than usual.

"Not this
time."

In truth, his
Irish cousin looked radiant. Soft color flooded her cheeks. Her gray eyes
sparkled. And her cloud of auburn hair appeared positively fiery against the
yellow of the gauzy dress that floated around her, its long skirts brushing the
tops of her ankle boots.

"
Tyler
sends you his
greetings."

Tyler Leighton
being
Keelin's
fiancé. He held out a chair for her
opposite his own. “So how are things with Cheryl?" he asked of
Tyler
's daughter,
who had gone through a terrible ordeal the week before.

"She acts
as though the kidnapping was nothing. But
Tyler
's taking no
chances. The two have already started family therapy sessions together."

"She's
okay with the wedding? I mean, considering how fast it's all happening."

Keelin was
determined to stick to the schedule defined by what Skelly thought of as The
McKenna Legacy – Moira's bequest to her grandchildren being lifelong happiness
to be achieved by the thirty-third day after their thirty-third birthday. Not
that Skelly believed in such prophecies.

"It seems
Cheryl has accepted me," Keelin was saying. “She's a very loving
fourteen-year-old. And she's needed a woman in her life for a very long
time."

"She
couldn't get a better
stepmom
,
cous
."

"I shall
try my best."

Skelly shook
his head. What a delightful surprise his sweet, soft cousin had turned out to
be. She'd certainly taken his heart by storm. He hadn't even known her two
weeks before, and now he felt as if they'd been fast friends forever.

"So how
are the plans for the wedding coming?"

"Your
sister is a wonder. She's helped me arrange everything."

Skelly
laughed. “Aileen does get things done when she sets her mind to it."

"The only
thing we still need is a best man."

"I
suppose Brock Olander is out of the question."

Keelin heaved
a sigh. “
Tyler
's business partnership with
Brock is being dissolved even as we speak...or he would be here to ask you
himself."

"Ask me
what?"

"To
be his best man, of course."

Skelly
started.
“No
of course
about it.
I was under the distinct impression that
Tyler
's got a
pretty low opinion of tabloid journalists."

"He
considers you an exception after the restrained way you handled the follow-up
story about Cheryl's kidnapping."

"Listen,
about that story – the network execs were pretty impressed. I'm being
considered for a huge promotion.
An anchor desk on a prime
time magazine.
Your
cous
may go legit
yet."

Keelin's smile
lit the room.
“Skelly, congratulations.
If that's what
you want."

He'd never
planned on working in tabloid news – the fates had merely pushed him in that
direction. Not that he was ashamed of what he did, but he was ready for a
change, and he had neither the guts nor the heart to resurrect old dreams.

"It's the
best opportunity I've ever had. You bet I want the job."

"Then
I'll pray you succeed."

"Thanks.
Now, about the best man thing.
Are you sure you didn't
coerce
Tyler
into the invitation?"

"Oh,
Skelly,
Tyler
will never forget all the help
you gave me in trying to find his daughter. Asking you to be his best man comes
directly from his heart.
From both our hearts."

"Then how
can I refuse?"

The cousins
grinned at each other.

"Good,"
Keelin said. “That's settled, then."

"So who's
going to give the bride away?"

Skelly assumed
Keelin hadn't yet informed her family in
Ireland
that she was
about to be married. Their aunt's rebellious marriage to a man who wasn't
Catholic had caused the beginning of a thirty-some-year rift in the family – a
rift Keelin was determined to heal. Skelly knew Keelin feared her father's
reaction when he learned that she, too, chose true love above the religious
strictures of her church. Not that she herself would ever be anything but
Catholic.

"I called
them, Skelly. It took a great deal of courage, but I could not marry without
them knowing."

"And?"

A small cloud
passed over her visage. “Da didn't take it well. And even if he did, he's in no
shape to be traveling. My mother will stay to take care of him, but she wants
what's best for me. Curran's most valuable horse is racing next weekend, so he
cannot come, either. Flanna will be here, though, as my maid of honor."

His sweet
cousin certainly had the courage of a giant. “So you're giving yourself
away?"

"Truth
be
told...I've asked Uncle Raymond to escort me. I thought
him the appropriate choice to stand in for Da."

Especially
since his father and hers and Aunt Rose were triplets. “Good. Maybe giving you
away will soften him up for the reunion idea."

Keelin grinned
again. “What better thing to ask as my wedding gift?"

"What a
clever con artist," he said admiringly.

She sobered.
“Only because I want our families to be reunited, for Da and Uncle
Raymond and Aunt Rose to forgive one another and be truly happy."

Skelly knew
the impetus for Keelin's quest had been his Uncle James's heart attack. Keelin
had told him her father had asked for Raymond and Rose on what he'd thought was
his deathbed. The man must be as stubborn as his own parent, though, for once
he knew he would survive, James had denied wanting any such thing. Healer of the
spirit as well as the body, Keelin had been compelled to act, in secret, of
course. She'd told her family she was coming to the
United
States
on business when really she'd come to
see Raymond and Rose.

Skelly
suspected Keelin would have a lot to account for to her father, her judgment
day being not too far off. He only hoped her life didn't blow up in her face.
If history were to repeat itself...the consequences didn't bear considering.

Besides, she
would at least have
Tyler
, Skelly
reminded himself. “I'm happy for you,
cous
."

"Thank
you, Skelly. Now I must go. I promised to take Cheryl shopping. She insists I
need a new look, though I cannot for the life of me fathom what is wrong with
the one I have." Still smiling, she shrugged and stood. “
Tyler
will ring you
with the details about the wedding. And Skelly...about Moira's legacy...”

"What
about it?"

"Believe
in it, Skelly. You cannot have much time, either. If I remember correctly, your
birthday didn't fall far behind mine."

Though he had
recently turned thirty-three himself, Skelly merely laughed.
As
if he had time to worry about romance when a career opportunity was on the
line.
“I'll keep my antennae out for Ms. Right."

"You do
that. You deserve a woman who can make you happy."

Giving him a
swift kiss on his cheek, Keelin swept out the door, leaving Skelly staring
after her. What an innocent his cousin was. What a wishful thinker. Her meeting
Tyler right now had been sheer luck, nothing more. No hocus-pocus. No magic.
Just dumb luck that it had happened within their grandmother's time
frame.

Even as he
stared at the copy he was supposed to be editing, Skelly couldn't quite put
Keelin's admonishment from his mind. He'd never put much thought into finding
Ms. Right. He'd been too busy working, building a career. He'd assumed it would
happen to him some day, though he'd never put a timetable to starting a family
life. But suddenly he wondered if he were missing something.

Keelin's
happiness made him feel...empty.

Another knock
at the door made him think she'd forgotten something.
“That
you,
cous
?
C'mon in."

When the door
opened to reveal the most beautiful woman he'd ever laid eyes on, Skelly went
slack-jawed with a sense of dèjá vú.

"Skelly
McKenna?"
No uncertainty in her husky-voiced query.

"That'd
be me."

"Good."
She stepped inside and closed the door behind her.

Silver-blond
hair pulled back in a soft twist revealed perfect features, sky blue eyes
dusted by dark lashes, and a tiny mole punctuating the left corner of her
luscious mouth. Dressed in a powder blue business suit, the skirt short enough
to reveal the extraordinary length of her legs, she was a knockout.

And too
incredibly familiar for her appearance to be coincidence...

When she held
out her perfectly manicured hand and said, “Rosalind Van Straaten," he
wasn't in the least surprised.

"Lily
Lang's granddaughter," he mused. “What can I do for you?"

"Retract
your story."

She was
certainly direct, he'd give her that. “Retract the truth. Hmm, now there's an
interesting concept."

With a placid
smile, she said, “I'm not certain you would know the truth if it bit you."

Smothering a
laugh, Skelly sat and indicated Rosalind should do the same. She stood where
she was, feet seeming rooted to the spot, and crossed her arms over her chest.
Those baby-blues were glaring at him.

"All
right, what do you take issue with?" he asked.
“My
calling your grandmother
The Blonde
Temptress
?
Documenting the troubles between her and your
grandfather? Or recapping the murder, her conviction and subsequent
flight?"

"Yes."

Skelly threw
up his hands. “But all of the above is true."

"Tarnished
truth," she argued. “And you didn't have to rehash any of it. Besides, you
don't really know what happened in the
Galena
house that
night."

"I do my
research."

"No one
ever proved my grandmother killed anyone."

"They
didn't have to. She voluntarily confessed."

"That's
not the same as the authorities looking into Sullivan's death. They took her at
her word."

"Sounds
reasonable to me.
Why should they have turned elsewhere? And what motive
would Lily Lang have had to lie when her freedom was on the line?"

"I don't
know." The husky voice was tight with emotion. “We all have our own
motivations for doing what we do. Yours is money, isn't it?"

Skelly
suspected he should be insulted, but he couldn't quite work up the steam. He
was too intrigued by Rosalind Van Straaten. “I get paid for what I do."

"Doing
another piece on my grandmother...one more favorable than the last...at least
offering reasonable doubt as to her guilt...how much would that take?"

His eyebrows
shot up. “You're trying to bribe me! “
he
said with
mock-indignation.

She made an
impatient sound. “I'm simply offering to pay you for what you do. What do you
care what copy you read as long as someone writes the check?"