“And what if I simply tell my daughter she can’t date you?”
I snorted a soft laugh.
“You have a strange idea of humor, son.”
“No, sir. And I’m sorry. I’m not laughing at you. I apologize if it sounded like it.”
“Then what were you laughing at, if not me?”
“Something my grandfather said.” I paused to remember his exact words.
“He was a Naval officer. Academy, like you. He never made Admiral, but he still commanded men.”
Harold nodded.
“He told me never give an order you know won’t be obeyed.”
“He did, did he?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Wise man, your grandfather.”
“I think so too.”
“And you think—?”
A knock interrupted him. The pocket doors slid open and Christy’s mother entered with a tray.
“We thought you’d like dessert,” she said.
If her husband was annoyed, he didn’t show it.
Christy stood in the entry foyer and looked in nervously.
“Christine, dear,” her mother said, “will you bring us fresh glasses and
the bottle of 18-year-old.”
Christy jumped like she’d been scalded, but went to the liquor cabinet and joined us a moment later.
Anne asked her husband, “Will you do the honors while I serve dessert?”
“My pleasure.” He poured four generous portions of the good stuff.
Christy sat beside me, upright and poised on the edge of her seat. She accepted her glass mechanically and glanced from me to her father.
Anne set plates of cake in front of us. She sat down and accepted a glass of whiskey. “Thank you, dear.” She looked as innocent as a lamb. “So,” she said lightly, “what were you gentlemen talking about?”
“Young Paul here was quoting Hemingway and Napoleon to me,” Harold said.
Christy looked at me.
“We were discussing the nature of courage,” he added.
Anne nodded judiciously. “And what did you decide?” She wasn’t talking about courage.
“Too soon to tell.”
“Surely you both know courage when you see it.”
“Oh, I know it,” he said. “I just don’t know how to respond to it.”
“That’s all right. Paul and Christine can decide for themselves.”
Never give an order you know won’t be obeyed. All of a sudden I had no doubt that Mrs. Carmichael understood that adage better than I did. I couldn’t help but admire her display of soft power.
“What? Oh, of course,” Harold said. He smiled fondly at his daughter.
“Birdy has a good head on her shoulders. Besides, we only want her to be happy.” He looked at me. “You understand that, I’m sure.”
“Yes, sir, I do.”
Anne cleared her throat quietly.
“Just Harold,” he said, almost absently. Then his mood changed and he decided to make the most of the situation. “So, what should we drink to?”
“Happy beginnings?” Anne suggested.
“Happy beginnings it is. Sláinte.”
We raised our glasses and echoed the toast.
Before we drank I glanced at Harold with a raised eyebrow.
Christy and her mother watched us.
His bright blue eyes narrowed with amusement. “Drink up, son. Your wits can stand down. They’ve earned it.”
“Thank you… Harold.”
He nodded at the unspoken “sir.”
Even Anne smiled at my delivery. She gave me a slight nod and then took a sip of whiskey. “Mmm, that’s nice.”
I glanced at Harold again and raised my glass.
We drank at the same time, and I made sure to lower my glass a fraction of a second before he did. He didn’t miss the gesture. He even smiled.
Christy drew our attention as she drained her glass and set it on the table.
Then she uncorked the bottle and poured herself another healthy splash. She lifted the glass with a shaking hand and drank it straight away.
“Oh, Harold,” Anne said with an affectionate laugh, “she’s your daughter.”
“That she is.”
We picked up our plates of cake and chatted about the weather. Well, the older Carmichaels and I did. Christy was silent. Harold was pleasant and even funny once the inquisition was over. He might not like me, but I hoped I’d earned a bit of respect. Still, I wasn’t ready to let down my guard yet.
We returned to the kitchen after we finished the cake and drinks. Danny and Sabrina were there, along with two other men. They stood as soon as Harold entered the room. Habit, I decided.
“Paul,” Harold said, “this is my son Rich.”
“Paul Hughes.” I extended my hand.
“Rich Carmichael.” He took it and squeezed. His grip didn’t let up.
I squeezed back.
He was strong, but so was I, and I matched him until our knuckles turned white from the effort.
I studied him as we vied for top dog. He was shorter than his father and brothers, and wider as well, with dark hair and his father’s baby blue eyes.
The rest of him was hard and angular, the first Carmichael I’d met who wasn’t Hollywood good-looking. He wasn’t ugly, but his expression didn’t do him any favors.
I stepped in and clasped my left hand over his. I bore down hard and stared him in the eye.
“I’ve heard a lot about you.” I barely kept the strain out of my voice.
“Nice to meet you.”
“Likewise.” He squeezed back, and I felt bones grind.
Harold seemed content to watch the whole thing, but Anne cleared her
throat softly.
“Paul,” she said, “this is Rich’s friend, Terry.” She waited several heartbeats and then said, “Boys…?”
Neither of us were willing to let go first.
She cleared her throat again, louder. “Boys!”
Rich released first. Or maybe I did. It was too close to call, and we both knew it.
I gave him a steady, unapologetic look before I turned to the other man like nothing had happened. “Nice to meet you. Paul Hughes.”
“Terry Aguilar.” His handshake was firm and mercifully brief.
I dropped my hand to my side and flexed my fingers to get the blood flowing again. Rich saw and abruptly stopped doing the same thing. Part of me wanted to laugh, but the rest of me was too preoccupied trying to get my heart rate and breathing under control.
“Well, that was interesting,” Danny said. “Who won?”
“Daniel,” Anne warned.
“Yes, Mother. I’ll behave.” He glanced at me. “I dunno ’bout you, but I’ve had a long day. You ready to hit the rack?”
I looked at my watch. It was almost one in the morning as far as my body was concerned.
“James and Lynne and the boys went to bed a while ago,” Sabrina said to Anne as the mood in the kitchen turned domestic. “Harry’s girls are still up, but they were getting settled when we checked on them. Grace is already out like a light.”
“Thank you, dear,” Anne said.
“I think I’m ready for bed too,” Sabrina said. She kissed Danny on the cheek. “See you in the morning. Sweet dreams.”
“You too.”
I glanced at Christy and wondered if I was ready to kiss her in front of her family. I decided I was and almost laughed at her look of relief. I kept it to a chaste kiss on the cheek, though.
“Sweet dreams,” I said softly.
Her eyes flashed at what I’d left unspoken.
“See you in the morning,” I told her with a grin. Then I smiled at her parents. “Thanks again for inviting me.”
“Our pleasure,” Harold said, and even sounded like he meant it.
I glanced at Rich and Terry. “Nice to meet you guys.”
“You too,” Rich said, but his voice was flat.
Terry nodded but seemed to dislike me on Rich’s behalf. I couldn’t really blame him, though. I would’ve followed Trip’s lead in a similar situation.
The girls smiled at Danny and me and headed toward Christy’s bedroom.
Danny and I waved to the others and went out to the porch.
“Well, that went better than I expected,” he said once we were alone.