The Language Of Sisters Part 15

I grinned halfheartedly. "Not really." I reached up, tucked my hair behind my ears.

We were quiet for a moment until his gaze drifted to the floor and he asked, "How does Shane feel about the whole adoption?"

I ducked my chin to my chest. "I haven't exactly told him yet."

Garret lifted his eyes from the floor and raised his dark eyebrows in genuine surprise.

"I know, I know. I'm a wimp. Let's just leave it at that." I didn't know how to explain all that was spinning in my mind. I wasn't sure I was ready to tell him just how heavily my feelings for him were weighing in my decision process about Shane. I didn't want to scare him out of his wits.

"Whatever you say." He sounded doubtful, but then continued in a lighter tone, glancing toward the kitchen. "Hey. Want some coconut ice cream? The cook whipped up some this afternoon. It should be frozen by now."

I shook my head. "I think I reached my cream limit tasting that sauce."

"Are you sure? It's yummy."

"Yummy?" I poked his stomach gently with my foot. "You are such a dad. No childless man would ever use the word 'yummy.'"

"So? 'Yummy' happens to be a good word. Very descriptive of this particular ice cream. But if you're sure you don't want any ... " He batted his eyelashes at me in an exaggerated fashion.

"Oh, what the h.e.l.l," I said, pulling my feet from his lap and slapping my palms against the tops of my thighs. "It's two in the morning, right? Perfect time for ice cream."

Garret jumped up and rubbed his hands together conspiratorially. "All right! I knew you'd give in." He made a stop sign with an outstretched palm. "Stay right here. I'll go get it."

My heart jumped in my chest as I watched him basically skip into the kitchen, marveling over how ridiculously happy I felt. Shane would rather be dead than caught skipping. The thought of him washed over me in a waterfall of guilt, and I glanced around as though he might be standing in a corner, watching me. I shouldn't be here, I thought. But that kiss. Oh, my. I stood up just as Garret returned from the kitchen, two bowls in hand.

"I'm really sorry," I said, "but I should probably get going."

He stopped, set the bowls down on the table next to him. "Everything okay?"

"Yeah, I think so. Just feeling the guilt thing, you know?"

He moved over to me, took my hands in his. "Shane?"

I nodded, my eyes glued to his face. "I need to make some decisions. Take care of a few things before ... Well, just before."

"Did I step over the line, kissing you? I thought you wanted me to."

I squeezed his hands. "Oh, yeah. I wanted you to. That's not all I wanted, which is probably why I should get the h.e.l.l out of here." I paused, tried to read his expression. "Are you angry?"

He smiled. "Just at myself."

"What for?"

He pulled at my arm playfully. "You know exactly what for."

I shook my head. "No, I don't."

He leaned forward again, his lips against mine before I realized it was happening. My breath caught in my chest when he pulled away.

"Feel that?" he whispered.

"Oh, yeah," I exhaled.

"That's why I'm angry. That I might lose my chance at this. Having it happen with you."

Tears tickled the corners of my eyes, and I smiled at him. "Take a girl's breath away, why don't you?"

Garret took my hands, held them against his lips as he spoke. "Just give me the chance, Nicole. You won't know what hit you."

As Jenny napped late the next afternoon, I decided I'd better do the same. My birthday was later in the week, but since it was Sat.u.r.day, Nova had a small party planned for that evening. I wanted to appear well-rested. I knew Garret would be there, and the simple thought of him curled my lips into an indulgent smile. Burrowing under a light blanket and pushing away the guilty feelings that nipped at my heels, I basked in the memory of the kiss we'd shared. Just as I was about to drift off, a sharp, insistent rap at the front door woke me.

"Mom?" I called out. She knew I was tired; she had still been awake when I got home the night before and had gotten an edited version of my time with Garret. Mom had met him at Nova's barbecue, and though I hadn't told her of the feelings I had for him, I was pretty sure she suspected they existed. "Mom?" I said again, hopeful she would answer the door so I wouldn't have to get up.

When she didn't answer me, I a.s.sumed she hadn't heard the door, so I rolled reluctantly from bed and pulled on a green b.u.t.ton-down blouse and my favorite jeans. As I entered the kitchen, I saw Shane coming in from the living room at the same time. Mom was right behind him. "Surprise!" he said as he strode over to kiss me. "Happy birthday!" I stood frozen.

"Shane," I started, finding my voice. "What are you doing here?"

"He came all the way from San Francisco just to surprise you," my mother piped up. She went to sit at the table, a half-eaten chef's salad in front of her. "I told him you were sleeping because you were up with Jenny all night." Her eyes were bright, trying to communicate something to me. She must have suspected my feelings for Garret; otherwise, she wouldn't be making such a point of not telling Shane the real reason I was so tired. I felt a twinge of kinship with her.

"You picked the wrong afternoon to nap," Shane remarked, his hand on the small of my back. Despite the warm weather, he was dressed in a typically impeccable blue suit, a yellow-striped tie knotted perfectly at his neck. "It's gorgeous out. I thought Seattle was perpetually wet."

"It's our best-kept secret, the summers here," Mom said. "Right, Nicole?"

"Uh, yeah. It's not bad during the summers. It's the winters you have to watch out for all the rain."

"Well, thanks for the weather update," Shane joked. His hand rubbed up and down my spine.

I moved from his touch, unnerved by the sensation. I gripped my hands on the back of a chair, locking my arms straight, bracing myself. "So! What a nice surprise! I thought you were swamped at work." He stepped over to hug me, and I felt stiff in his arms, a circle trying to fit into a square hole.

"I am," he said. "But I've felt so guilty about not coming, and I wanted to make sure you knew everything was okay with us. Plus it's your birthday."

I sank into a chair, resting my elbows on the kitchen table, just as Jenny began to groan from her bedroom.

"I'll get her," Mom volunteered, pushing back her chair and stepping down the hallway.

"Thanks, Mom," I said, for the first time wishing she wasn't helping me with Jenny so I could've had a moment to gather my senses.

Shane sat down as well. "Aren't you happy I came?"

"Of course. Just surprised. And a little tired."

"Well, you'd better get some caffeine in you, because I'm taking you out to dinner tonight."

"Uh," I said, the only witty response I could pull together on such short notice.

"'Uh' what?" he inquired. "You don't want me to take you out for your birthday?"

"Well," I started, "Nova's planned sort of a party for me tonight-"

"Even better!" Shane boomed. "Now I'll get to meet all these people you talk my ear off about." Me? Talk his ear off? "What did you say her husband does?"

"He's a fisherman," I said weakly.

Shane paused, his manicured hands pressed flat against the table. "Ah. Well, I suppose we'll find something to talk about. Anybody interesting going to be there?" My stomach turned. Had I never noticed how truly arrogant he was?

"They're all interesting," I a.s.serted in my friends' defense. "They might not all be lawyers, but they're wonderful people." I thought of Garret. Oh, G.o.d, Garret. What was he going to think when he saw Shane?

Mom chose this moment to lead Jenny through the entry-way. Shane rose from his seat and turned to look at her; a nervous, overacted smile played on his lips. "So! I finally get to meet the infamous Jenny."

My sister deliberately looked away from Shane, groaning lightly. She twisted her hands together in front of her belly, then slammed them hard into her mouth. Her distaste was obvious.

"h.e.l.lo!" Shane boomed again. "I'm Shane!"

I looked at him, perplexed. "She's not deaf."

He reddened beneath his tan and sat back down. "I know that. I'm just happy to meet her."

Mom looked at me pointedly and maneuvered Jenny toward the living room. "We should get ready to leave soon." She paused, glancing at Shane. "That is, if we're still going to Nova's."

"Of course we're going," I said, with what I hoped sounded like enthusiasm. "I just have to shower." I stood and nodded after my mother, who had stepped into the living room with Jenny. "They'll keep you company, all right?"

Shane looked at me with a suggestive spark in his blue eyes, grabbing my hands and kissing them in the same manner that Garret had only hours before. "I'd rather come keep you company." Something in me reacted to his touch, though I wasn't exactly sure what feeling was behind it.

I laughed nervously and pulled away. "Not here, okay?" I said. I stepped into the hallway and headed to the bathroom, pulling the phone in with me. Sitting on the closed toilet lid, I dialed Nova's house.

"h.e.l.lo?" Ryan answered, a tinge of impatience in his voice.

"Hi, Ryan, it's Nicole. Can I speak with Nova, please?" I heard the screech of children in the background, followed by a loud thump and a high-pitched wail. Next, Nova's muted yell: "That's it, young man! No TV for a week! And if you hit her again, your Game Boy is fish food!"

"s.h.i.t," Ryan swore under his breath.

"Troops restless today?" I inquired sympathetically.

"To say the least," he affirmed.

An idea struck. "Maybe we should postpone the party," I suggested, standing up to look in the mirror above the sink. With my crazy red curls and the smudged makeup I hadn't removed from the night before, I didn't look like a woman who'd have two men wanting to be with her.

"No way," Ryan said emphatically. "Nova's been cooking and cleaning like a wild woman. She'd go ballistic if it didn't come off as planned." He called for her, telling her who it was, and she picked up the extension in the kitchen.

"Nova's Discount Baby House, one five-year-old boy, going cheap," she said, joking.

I laughed. "Oh, that's nice. Selling off your children now, are you?"

"Some days, I tell you, it wouldn't be the worst idea." She paused. "You know I'm kidding, right? I adore them."

"Of course." I sat back down on the toilet lid, crossing my legs.

She sighed. "So what's up, birthday girl?"

"Shane's here."

"What?" she gasped.

I wiggled the phone cord and watched it dance. "He just showed up. He wanted to take me out for dinner but I told him about the party and now he's coming with us." The words rushed out of me in one breath. I paused for a moment before continuing. "He still doesn't know I'm adopting the baby."

"Oh boy. This should be fun." Nova knew without my saying that I was also worried about what Garret might think.

"I know." I reached to turn on the hot water valve for a shower. "What am I going to do?"

"Well, there's not much you can do. I would kick your b.u.t.t if you didn't come, and Garret would think something was hinky if I told him not to come, so I guess you're stuck riding the wave, chick."

"Let's just hope I don't drown," I said sadly, and I hung up the phone to get ready for my birthday celebration.

When we got to Nova's house, Star and Orion had already arrived and were playing with Ryan and the kids downstairs in the family room. Mom settled with Jenny on the living room couch, and I took Shane into the kitchen to meet my friend. The room smelled of roasted meat and various spices; the table was loaded with platters of food, over which hung a large poster, obviously painted by the kids, that proclaimed HAPPY BIRTHDAY, AUNTIE NICOLE!

Nova was standing in front of the sink, washing dishes. She wore a sage green batik-print dress and, as usual, no shoes. Her blond hair was held back from her face with a dark green ribbon. The running water muted her hearing, and she didn't seem to notice that we were there. "Hey," I said to get her attention.

She turned to us in surprise, dropping the frying pan she had been washing into the sink with a loud clang. "Jeez! You scared me!" She turned off the water. Her eyes went immediately to Shane, sizing him up. She stepped forward and shook his hand. "Good to meet you, Shane. I've heard a lot about you."

"Likewise," Shane returned, flashing his most charming smile. "Nice place you have here," he went on politely, though I could tell from his tone he thought otherwise. Nova had definitely straightened up, but her house didn't come close to matching the cutting-edge luxury Shane was accustomed to. I was suddenly embarra.s.sed for having brought him.

"Thanks." Her tone insinuated that she knew exactly what he thought of her home. She gestured to the table. "There are appetizers on the table and beer in the fridge. Help yourself." She turned her attention to me. "Nicole, can I show you something in the bedroom?"

I looked at Shane. "You'll be all right?"

He was already reaching into the refrigerator for a beer and nodded his head. "Sure, go on."

I followed Nova to her room and shut the door behind me. "What's up?"

She frowned. "I just wanted to tell you that I tried to call Garret and warn him Shane was going to be here, but he wasn't home, and I couldn't get through to him at the restaurant."

I nodded. "I left a message on his cell phone to call me, but he never did. I didn't know how to explain it on voice mail." I ran my fingers into my loose curls, dropping to the bed, elbows on my knees. "G.o.d, this is going to be horrible."

Nova patted and rubbed my back. "I know."

I laughed. "Thanks for the encouragement. I feel so much better now."

"Well, at least you look good," she offered.

"You think?" I stood and examined myself in the full-length mirror on the back of the door. I was wearing a chocolate-hued silk blouse and a matching bias-cut skirt. My red curls were loose, my face lightly made up. "We should get back out there," I said, tasting dread on my tongue like sour milk.

"I have to pee first," Nova said. "I'll be right behind you." She paused before stepping into the bath that adjoined the room, considering something. "And don't worry. I told everyone else that Shane doesn't know about your taking the baby. They won't say anything."

"Thanks," I said, breathing a small sigh of relief. I moved down the hall to the living room, stopped dead in my tracks by the sight of Garret shaking hands with Shane in the entryway. My heart froze, and it took Nova's hand on my back a moment later, urging me along, to get it started again. Garret's mouth was in a thin, dark line across his face as he pulled his hand away from Shane's and looked at me with a tight expression. Mom and Jenny were no longer on the couch; I a.s.sumed they had gone downstairs to join Nova's family. Lucy stood next to her father and ran over to greet me with an enthusiastic hug. She wore a lacy, hot pink party dress, complete with a matching vinyl purse.