O'Neil Brothers: High Stakes Part 5

Shed been right about that, though hed never admit it to her. But he wouldnt think about her. Instead, hed take joy in his kid. The plane had landed a half hour ago. So, where was he? Hogan could find his way through the exit gates to meet him here.

"Dad! Dad!" He heard the boy before he saw him. By G.o.d, it seemed as if hed grown taller in two weeks. And hed cut his hair. When hed left New York, it was down to his shoulders. Though Dylans parents didnt like it, Dylan did. Hed spent some time in his youth with long locks, too.

Rushing to Hogan as soon as he came through the gate, Dylan grabbed the boy and drew him close. Hogan held on, too. "I missed you, buddy."

"Man, I missed you, too, Dad."

When they drew apart, Hogan self-consciously touched his head. And Dylan could read what was in his navy blue eyes. "Look at it," was all he said.

"I see." Though he knew the answer, he said, cheerfully, "How come?"

"She made me do it." She referred to Stephanie, his glamorous ex-wife.

"How?" Staying outwardly calm, Dylan was furious inside. As was his son. They both knew how to put up fronts for what the woman did to both their lives.

"She said a hundred times in the first few days she hated it. She wore me down."

"I know the feeling." Eventually after the divorce, Dylan had to be honest with his son when he saw Stephanie pulling the same s.h.i.t on Hogan as she had on him. "Im sorry."

Hogan shrugged. "Itll grow back."

"And meanwhile, youre still a handsome dude."

Hogan grinned and suddenly all Dylans problems with Rachel Scott disappeared. They began threading their way through the throngs to exit. Since Hogan left clothes at both Stephanies apartments in New York and Paris, he had only a carry-on.

They started down the walkway. Hogan asked, "How was the wedding?"

"Great. I sent you pictures."

"Yeah. Im b.u.mmed I missed it."

He headlocked Hogan. "Me too."

"Wanna get something to eat?"

"Uh-huh, something besides lettuce and tofu."

"Dont tell me."

"Yep, shes vegan now."

They walked outside, and Hogan shivered. "Geez, its cold here."

"Lets hurry to short-term parking." When they reached the car and slid inside, he turned to his son. "Where to?"

"The pub. I wanna see my family."

Dylan felt bad that Hogan didnt see Stephanie as his family. But there was nothing he could do about the fact, because, although she had joint custody, Stephanie had never been a real mother to him.

"Ah, theres my boy." As soon as Dylan and Hogan came through the pub door, Pat ducked under the bar opening and strode to his G.o.dson. They hugged. "Ive missed you, lad."

Hogan hung on. "I missed you, too, Uncle Pat."

When Pat drew back, he scanned Hogan. "Mary Kate ONeil is gonna be mighty pleased to see that hair." At Hogans frown, and at Dylans gesture of disgust, Pat added, "But I miss the curls."

"I know. Im starved."

"Thats what I like to hear." Liam came out of the back, carrying a dish that smelled like Irish heaven. "Made your favorite, kiddo." He set the tray on a table. "But a proper greeting first."

As natural as day turning into night, Hogan went to Dylan and gave him the same kind of greeting as hed given Pat. The ONeil siblings had been blessed with affectionate natures and pa.s.sed that on to their kids. "Hi, Uncle Liam."

They all sat around the table while Hogan devoured his Irish stew. "This meat is"-his eyes sparkled-"vraiment bon ."

Everybodys jaws dropped. "Speaking French now, kid?" Pat asked.

"Not much else to do while mom worked. She, um, set me up with a tutor."

The three brothers exchanged looks that mirrored each others. On a school break?

"Good," Liam put in. "Maybe you can teach the rest of our kids."

"Oh, yeah, Cleary and Sean"-Liams teenager and Pats twelve-year-old-"would rag on me for weeks." Though the boys were all great kids, they often tangled, because of adolescent hormones, Pat guessed.

Patrick had a quick flash of meeting Brie when those hormones were raging inside of him. Sometimes, in their good periods, they still did.

"So, whats new?" Hogan looked to Liam. "You married yet?"

"Nope. You?"

Laughter.

"Not quite, kid. But soon." Liam took a bead on Pat, then Dylan. "And its going to be a quiet one. We might elope."

"No way in h.e.l.l," Dylan blurted out.

Hogan added, "Sounds cool to me."

And Pat warmed inside. He loved the camaraderie in his family. In truth, he didnt care whether or not Liam and Sophie eloped. He and Brie had.

After Hogan finished two bowls, he said, "Are Grandma and Grandpa upstairs?"

Liam winked at Hogan. "With your favorite dessert."

"Can I go see them?"

"Sure," Liam said. The brothers often made decisions for all the kids. It worked for them.

When Hogan disappeared into the back, Pat drew them all beers and sat back down. "What the f.u.c.k, his hair? He loved it long."

"I can hardly contain myself. Every time he visits her, she pulls this s.h.i.t."

Liam sighed. He hated bad-mouthing anybody. "Its such a shame, but I admire you for encouraging him to go with her. Hes old enough to decide no."

"He has to have a mother."

"Far as Im concerned," Pat bit out, "hes got three good women to fill that role right in our family."

"Besides," Liam added, "maybe youll find somebody. We still dont know where you went after the wedding. Is there another lady on the horizon?" Dylans eyes flashed with something like hurt, female-caused hurt. Pat knew all about that and recognized it in his brother.

Scowling when his phone rang, Dylan checked the ID. "I have to take this."

Both guys sat back. "Go ahead."

With a quick shake of his head, Dylan stood and headed to the end of the bar. Liam watched him go. "Think thats from her?"

"Her who?"

"The one he saw after the wedding."

"I dont know, but I wish hed find somebody permanent. I worry about him."

Liam socked Pat in the arm. "I worry about you worrying about all of us."

"My New Years resolution was not to."

"Yeah, big brother, hows that going for you?"

Not good, he thought as he watched Dylan frown. Though he spoke in low tones, Pat could tell this wasnt an easy conversation. Huh. Maybe it was a woman.

The indoor race car track on the outskirts of the city was small, well kept and, best of all, warm on this snowy February day. Dylan and Hogan stood on the edge of the track, before the festivities began. The familiar sounds of purring motors and the smell of gasoline filled the air.

Beside him, his son smiled broadly. Dressed like every other teenager here, in jeans, a sweater and light coat, Hogan was happy. "This is off the chain, Dad."

"What?"

"You know, cool. We havent been here in a while."

Dylan had raced in his twenties on a much smaller scale, though there were no indoor tracks then. Hed taken Hogan out to this one a half dozen times. His son had inherited the gene for cars and speed.

"I like the outdoor speedways better, but they do a good job here." Though there had been some scandal a.s.sociated with the tracks finances, new owners had taken the arena over, and to all appearances, it was now legit. Huh! Dylan wondered if Rachel Scott was doing some investigative reporting, too, not just covering the Kids Day shed called him about yesterday.

"Who we meeting?"

"A reporter friend of mine. Im working with her." Translated, Im investigating her.

"Im glad she told you about today."

It had been part of the deal, that shed let him know what new projects she was working on. At first, he hadnt been happy yesterday when she interrupted his time with his family.

"Do I really get to come down here"-he nodded to the track in front of them-"and sit in the cars, talk to the pit bosses?"

"After the race, you do."

"Lets get some good seats."

"I think shes saving them for us."

Ive got a private box. Room enough for you and your son.

Though he hadnt planned to introduce Rachel to Hogan ever, this event was too good to pa.s.s up. Anything that put that sparkle in Hogans eyes was.

"Its up those stairs to the left of the bleachers." Hogans gaze tracked his gesture to the sky booths, though again they were on a smaller scale than larger tracks.

"h.e.l.l, Dad, shes got a box?"

"Watch the language." At fourteen, Hogan swore, he knew, and so did he and his brothers kids, but theyd agreed to contain it as long as they could.

"Yeah, okay."

Hogan took off to the set of stairs, ahead of Dylan, who followed at a slower pace. Rachel had told him she was in the third booth over. He was smiling, too, as he climbed up and reached the box. When they were okayed to enter, he spotted Rachel right away. Jesus, did she have to wear those tight jeans, which gloved her a.s.s? And that hair tumbled around her shoulders, curlier than usual. He scowled. Right now, she was head-to-head with a man who was tall, wide-shouldered, with dark blond hair. Did she prefer blondes? Bigger men? Dylan was six feet, with nice shoulders, but he was lean, like a runner.

Hogan nudged him. "Where is she, Dad?"

"Over by the window. Lets go." They crossed the room and came up behind the duo.

"Yes, I see that, Joe. The kids are going to love it. Thanks for the heads-up. And Ill be sure to send in that donation."

"Anything for you, babe."

Babe ? Christ, was she sleeping with the guy? For the first time since the night of the wedding, Dylan entertained the fact that Rachel probably had other lovers. And he was chagrined at how much he didnt like the notion.

"Rachel?" he said in a voice that came out gravelly.

She pivoted.

He was stunned by the expression on her face when she saw him. Her green eyes lit with pleasure, and her whole visage brightened. "Dylan, Im so glad you could come."

Briefly, he took in her black spandex beneath a dark green, quilted vest and swallowed hard. "Thanks for having us." He angled his head. "This is my son, Hogan."

Rachel focused all that magnetism on his kid. "Hi, Hogan. Glad you could come."

When Dylan glanced at Hogan, he saw that the boy was speechless and his Adams apple bobbed. Finally he got out, "Me, too. Um, thanks."

She put her hand on the other mans arm. "This is Joe Mancusi. He works for the racetrack and is in charge of today."