Author: Jaci Burton

Women were tougher. They bore down on her with their steely gazes, and there was no way out. Dizziness made her breathing quicken, and she sucked in air faster and faster, which only made it hotter in there.

“I don’t feel very good,” she said, raising a shaky hand to her sweaty brow.

“Oh, shit, Mom, she looks kind of white,” Jenna said. “I don’t know, but it looks like she’s going to pass out.”

“Someone get her head down. I’ll get a cold cloth.” Tara’s voice sounded like it was far away, as if she was talking from a tunnel. The room had started to turn, and Elizabeth’s fingers felt numb. She tried to suck in air faster because she couldn’t breathe.

“Jenna, close the door. Elizabeth, bend over and put your head between your knees.”

“I can’t breathe.” She wrapped her arms around her stomach, feeling sick.

“Elizabeth. Pay attention.”

She tried to lift her head, but all she could think about was breathing. All she could think about was gasping for air. And she might just fall out of the chair.

Cool hands pressed onto the back of her neck and shoved her forward. She felt something icy cold and wet on her neck.

“Breathe slow and easy honey. Not so fast. That’s what’s making you dizzy.”

Kathleen’s calm voice penetrated. Elizabeth did as requested, and it helped. The pins and needles feeling in her hands and feet started to subside, and eventually the numbness in her face started to go away.

“That’s it. Focus on each breath. Not so fast. Keep it slow.”

She did, keeping her eyes shut so the room would stop spinning.

“Now lift your head. Think you can do that without feeling dizzy?”

“I have no idea.”

“Try. Just try. If you still feel dizzy, we’ll lay you down on the bed.”

She opened her eyes and looked down at her feet, then slowly lifted her head. Still a little dizzy, but not the roller-coaster ride she was on a few minutes ago.

Tara swiped her hair away from Elizabeth’s face. “Better now?”

Elizabeth nodded. “Yes.”

“Here,” Kathleen said, holding a glass of water in front of her. “Take a couple of sips.”

She took the glass, but Kathleen held it for her while she sipped the water. She tilted her head back and tried for a smile. “Thank you.”

Elizabeth directed her gaze to Tara, then to Jenna, who kneeled in front of her. “Thank you both, too. I’m so embarrassed.”

Tara grinned. “Nothing like a good old panic attack, is there?”

“Is that what it was? I’ve never had one before.” She blew out a breath, then inhaled again, this time not doing it like she was running a breathing race. “Scared the hell out of me.”

“So the topic of my son brings out panic in you?”

She looked over at Kathleen. “Oh. No, not at all. Yes. Maybe. I don’t know. I wasn’t prepared to answer questions about how I feel about him.”

“Obviously,” Jenna said with a smirk. “Who knew my brother incited such panic in women?”

Elizabeth managed a laugh. “No, really, it’s not him. It’s me.”

“I’m sorry,” Tara said. “I didn’t mean to back you into a corner about Gavin.”

Elizabeth leaned back in the chair. “You have nothing to be sorry about. I’m the one who should be apologizing to you. Until the day I die, probably.”

“It’s okay, really.”

Elizabeth wasn’t sure it would ever be okay with Tara. “I really am sorry, Tara. I was so wrong, so focused on my career and Mick’s career that I was blinded. I hurt you and Nathan without thought. I would never use a child like that. I don’t know what I was thinking, and there’s no excuse for what I did.”

Tara leaned forward and grabbed her hands. “Apology accepted. Let it go, Liz. I have. And Nathan holds no grudge.”

She shuddered out a sigh. “Thank you. You’re very generous and much nicer than I probably would be.”

Tara laughed. “Well, don’t go fainting on me every time you see me. That would be a start.”

Elizabeth managed a smile. “It’s a bit disconcerting that you knew how I felt all along.”

“Well, you were kind of obvious. Your feelings for Gavin are written all over your face.”

She put her palms over her cheeks, the flame of embarrassment heating her. “They are?”

Tara gave her a sympathetic smile. “Yes, they are.”

“So, you’re in love with Gavin. Wow. I didn’t see it,” Jenna said. “You two have known each other for years. So is this a recent thing or have you been carrying a torch for a while?”

“For a long time, is my guess,” Tara said.

“Is she right?” Kathleen asked.

Elizabeth nodded.

“Does Gavin know?”

Elizabeth shook her head. “No. God, no. And I don’t want him to know.”

Kathleen frowned. “Why not?”

She looked down at her hands. “This is hard to explain.”

“Because a guy has to fall in love with you because it’s what he wants, not out of obligation.”

Elizabeth lifted her head and nodded at Tara. “Yes.”

“Which means, Mom, that we need to butt out and let Elizabeth and Gavin handle their relationship the way they see fit,” Jenna said.

“All right. But I have to tell you, Lizzie, that I love you and I love my son. And I don’t want either of you hurt.”

Elizabeth reached for Kathleen’s hand. “I love you, too. And I don’t want to hurt him. I just don’t know how this is going to play out. I don’t know what we are to each other yet. So I’m asking you to give us some time to figure it all out.”

She turned to Tara. “And give Mick some space, too. He’s still mad at me, and he has a right to be. And he and Gavin are at odds over it. I’m strong and I can take it. I just don’t want them fighting because of me.”

Tara shrugged. “I’ve already decided to step away from that battle.”

Kathleen nodded. “Probably a good choice. Sometimes brothers need to find their own solutions to their problems. And when a woman—or women—are involved, it’s best to steer clear. They’ll find a way through this. They always have before.”

Elizabeth hoped that was true. She’d walk away from Gavin before she drove a wedge in his relationship with Mick.

She just hoped it wouldn’t come to that.

SIXTEEN

GAVIN SEARCHED THE WHOLE DAMN HOUSE FOR ELIZABETH, wondering if maybe Mick had found her and stuffed her in the trunk of a car.

Okay, he wouldn’t do that. Or at least he didn’t think his brother would go that far.

As he made his third pass through the house, he saw Elizabeth coming down the stairs with his mother and Jenna—and Tara, of all people.

They were all smiling, chatting away, seemingly at ease with each other.

That he hadn’t expected.

“Hey, I’ve been looking everywhere for you,” he said as she reached the bottom of the steps. “What have you been doing?”

“It’s a secret women’s society. We’re plotting the demise of the male species,” Jenna said.

“Smart-ass.” He kissed the cheek Jenna presented to him, then she walked away.

Tara came up to him and hugged him. “Girl talk. You don’t have to monopolize all of Elizabeth’s time, do you?”

He looked to Elizabeth, who seemed just fine. “I guess not.”

“Then I suppose you can have her back. Your mother and Jenna and I have to go get Mick’s cake ready. Did you and your dad grill the meat?”

“Yeah,” he said, unable to take his eyes off Elizabeth, wanting to make sure she was all right. “It’s on the counter in the kitchen.”

Elizabeth looked at Gavin’s mother. “Do you need help?”

“No,” Kathleen said. “You catch up with Gavin. We have it under control.”

They walked off, and Gavin led her out the front door so they could have some privacy.

“What’s going on? Why were you upstairs with Jenna, Tara, and my mom?”

She shrugged. “Nothing. We were just talking.”

“Did Tara grill you or give you a hard time?”

Her lips quirked. “No. We talked. It was good. It cleared the air. We’re fine now.” She laid her hand on his arm. “Really, it’s okay.”

“You sure?”

“Positive.”

“Okay.”

“So can we go inside and help out instead of skulking around avoiding everyone?”

He put his arm around her shoulder. “I guess so.”

She slid her arm around his waist. “Really, Gavin. I can take care of myself. Even with Mick.”

Who was at the front door with Tara when they opened it. Elizabeth gave him her biggest smile.

“Happy birthday, Mick.”

Gavin could tell Tara had talked to him. “Thanks. Glad you could make it.”

Elizabeth’s lips curled. “No, you’re not, but thanks for being civil about it. I’ll try to stay out of your way.” She let go of Gavin. “I’m going into the kitchen to help your mom.”

“Me, too.” Tara leaned up and kissed Mick. “Behave.”

“When have I not behaved?”

Tara rolled her eyes, then switched her gaze at Gavin. “You, too.”

Tara left and Gavin stood there with Mick. “Thanks for not jumping on Elizabeth.”

Mick shrugged. “I don’t have anything to say to her as long as she doesn’t fuck with my family. She’s already done enough of that.”

There was a lot Gavin wanted to say in reply, but it was Mick’s birthday, and his mother would probably smack him on the head if he punched the birthday boy. Which was probably why Mick figured he could get away with saying whatever he wanted.

The free pass would only last so long. Like today was the only day.

“I think we should see what Dad’s up to,” Gavin suggested, swallowing his anger.

“That’s probably a good idea.”

Dad was neutral territory. He was outside, surrounded by the smoke of the barbecue pit and a handful of Gavin and Mick’s uncles. Gavin heard the tail end of a story about this year’s Super Bowl game, about one of Mick’s outstanding plays and how there was standing room only at the bar that Sunday.

Mick groaned. “Like Uncle Robert and Uncle Matt haven’t heard that story a hundred times already.”

“Heard? Hell, they were at the bar that night. We all were. Doesn’t mean Dad isn’t going to tell it over and over again.”

There were a handful of neighbors surrounding Dad, and they’d all been at the bar that night, too. So had Gavin, who’d seen all the plays, heard all the cheers, and still had to listen to the replay.

Not that he was jealous. Winning the Super Bowl had been a damn big deal for his brother. He didn’t begrudge him the glory at all. If the shoe had been on the other foot, Gavin would be reveling in the glory and milking it for as long as he could.

“Mick, my boy, come on over and tell the guys about the winning touchdown pass.”

“Again,” Gavin murmured.

Mick rolled his eyes. “They don’t want to hear it.”

“Probably not, but Dad wants you to tell them. Maybe if you’re lucky, they’ll take up a collection for you not to tell it.”

Mick snorted and headed into the throng. Gavin stayed back and sipped his beer, listening to the story he’d heard many times before.

“Your season is looking good so far.”

Gavin hadn’t heard Tara’s son, Nathan, come up behind him. The kid was always so quiet. Of course a fifteen-year-old amidst the boisterous Riley clan could get swallowed up like a small fish in a shark tank.