Headstrong (17 page)

“That’s better.” She slid onto a stool across from him and leaned on the bar.

He cocked an eyebrow at her. “Can I give you a word of advice?”

“Sure.”

He tapped her wrist with his index finger as he assembled his thoughts. “You be careful with that sort of talk. About money. Around Reece, I mean.
And
around me. A bloke doesn’t like having it implied that he can’t take care of his family.”

Libby started. “I wasn’t trying to—”

“Just be careful,” Colin repeated, seeming ready to drop the subject. After a few moments he smiled again and sang hammily along to Libby for the remainder of the song.

Reece arrived just as “The Longest Time” started, and he too looked surprised by who was tending bar. Libby’s heart gave a familiar jolt as he joined them.

“Gidday, guys?” He set his gym bag down and took a seat on the stool next to Libby, bringing with him the faint and pleasurable scent of his perspiration. He nodded at his brother. “You’re a wreck, Col.”

“Got doored.”

“Again? Well, you’ve got me beat.” He tilted his chin up to show a bruise of his own, red now but promising to turn nastier. “Yellow belt got me in the face with a
very
poor back-fist.”

“Cute. I’ll trade you.” Colin sounded tired again.

Reece turned to Libby. “Ready to go?”

She nodded and stood, zipping up her jacket.

“You coming back later?” Colin asked her.

She glanced at Reece. Earlier resistance aside, she felt her chances at another kissing session were looking good—Reece was softening by the day. Whoever said that thing about familiarity breeding contempt had it wrong, and Libby would happily settle for the tolerance she seemed to be earning.

“Yeah,” she said, practically tasting his mouth already. “Plus I was going to beg to do my laundry here tomorrow.”

“I’m around in the morning, so feel free,” Colin said.

“Cool, thanks.” She rode a little wave of relief. Another night here, another chance to be with Reece. Time to turn on the old charm and sincerity again. She hoped her face was up to the strain.

As the door swung shut behind Libby and his brother, Colin rolled his eyes so hard it hurt. It wasn’t directed at them, but himself. He blew out a long breath and shook his head, jaw protesting the motion.

It was going to be a long shift. Thirteen hours was bad enough on its own, to say nothing of facing it after watching Reece leave with…her. Goddamn it, what did he care that Reece was lucky enough to be on the receiving end of Libby’s attention? Hell, he should be happy for him. It was his brother, for heaven’s sake, and they’d never been competitive like that.

Christ, why
her
though? Why did it have to be
that
woman? The look she’d shot Reece shortly before they left hurt way worse than plowing into an open taxi door at full speed.

The front door swung back in, admitting his sister and niece along with a waft of good-smelling autumn air. Colin tried to perk up or at least fake it convincingly. “Ladies.”

“Hey, Uncle Colin.” Annie waved the baby’s chubby hand at him from the car seat. “Where’s Mum? Is everything okay?”

“I’m working a double.” He held up his bandaged arm.

“Oh, Col, not again. You keep me up nights, you know.” She frowned, setting the baby down on the bar between them. She grabbed his wrist to take a look at the scrape that had stripped half the skin off his forearm, making no attempt to be gentle. “Oh
God
. What is wrong with you?”

“Got doored. Couldn’t be helped.”

“Jesus, that’s gross.” She let his arm go. “I’ll be happy when you finally give that ridiculous job up. I’d crack your skull myself if I didn’t reckon you’d manage to work around it.”

“I’ll bet you would.” Colin turned to his niece, wiggling away in her seat. “What brings you two by?”

“Thought I’d see if Mum wanted me to get her some lunch before I take this one to her checkup. What’s up with you, anyway? You look terrible and it’s not on account of your arm.”

“How do you mean?”

“I’ve been staring at your mug for nearly thirty years. And you know…” Annie took Colin’s chin in her hand and swiveled it painfully from side to side. “I haven’t seen this
particular
sour face in about a decade.”

“Oh?” He pulled his head back and crossed his arms over his chest, challenging her smug airs of sisterly wisdom.

“Mmm-hmm. This is teenage Colin pouting over a girl who wouldn’t give him the time of day.”

“Oh come
off
it.”

“Yes, that’s exactly it. Twenty-eight and you can’t handle a little snub?”

“I most certainly can, thanks very much. And I don’t pout…unlike some.” He launched into his finest Annie impression. “Oh, Colin, I can’t believe I slept with that lanky ginger bloke—”

She swatted him. “Shut up, you. Not in front of the baby.”

He unstrapped his niece and lifted her out, the pain of holding her against his bad arm wholly worth it. “Coleen, you don’t mind that your mummy and daddy had a sordid little one-nighter in the pub’s stock room, do you? No, you don’t. And then another one, and another, and then four years later they got married and had you? No, you don’t mind.”

“Knock it off. She’s very smart, you know. She can probably understand you.”

“I’ll give it a rest if you will.” He handed the baby over.

“Maybe. I saw Reece getting into the Laser with a certain mile-high blonde. Is that what’s wrong?”

“No, I’m all in favor of that,” Colin said, and it wasn’t a lie, at least not in spirit.

“Well, that’s good. The last thing this family needs is more complications.”

“Agreed.”

Annie frowned. “I’m surprised though, mind you. I didn’t get the impression Reece much cared for her.”

“She’s used to getting her way, that one.”

“Well, good luck to her. She’ll need it.”

Colin smirked. “Don’t try and tease Reece about it, incidentally.”

“Don’t tell me how to do my job,” she replied, giving Colin a hard poke on his bandaged arm.

“Ow, Jesus.”

“I’ll see you tomorrow at ten, eh? And you better not be scowling then.”

He gave her a ludicrously cheerful smile until she’d turned away, refastening the baby’s straps.

“My best to Mark,” Colin said. “Tell him to tip you retroactively, by the way, for all the ‘exceptional service’ you used to give him when you were working.”

“Clever.”

“Yeah, well my foul mood’s got nothing to do with a girl,” he said. “We’re in goddamned trouble, you know. I got a call from another supplier this afternoon, threatening to cut us off. We’ve got no credit left with anyone in this town.”

“Reece said he’s got a plan.”

“I know all about his
plan
. It’s madness.”

“Reece doesn’t do ‘mad’. Give him the benefit of the doubt, why don’t you?”

Colin sighed, leaning into the bar. “He missed his own father passing away, Annie. So sue me if I’ve lost a little faith in his dependability.”

“You’re off-base, Col. And you know it.” Annie’s look told him she’d heard everything she cared to.

“Just don’t forget who’s been busting his arse for this family since long before the shit hit the fan.”

“Why are you saying this to me? Like I don’t know?” She shook her head. “This doesn’t even
sound
like you.” The door behind Annie jingled open, cutting the conversation short. “Hi, Graham,” she said to the arriving customer on her way out the door. “I’ll see you, Col.”

Colin slapped a smile on his face. “Gidday, Graham? Half a lager, is it?”

Chapter Nine

“Is this how you get your rocks off, then? Sitting on washing machines in innocent people’s basements?”

Colin had entered the laundry room with his niece propped on his arm, clearly surprised to have found Libby perched on the washer’s lid, perusing the instruction manual.

“It’s not broken, is it?” he asked.

“No, I just came all the way down and my clothes’ve still got a couple minutes left in the dryer. And this one’s not even on, incidentally.” She kicked the washer with her heel in defense of her spurious honor.

“If you say so.” He leaned in close to examine her face. “But you do have that certain dewy flush about you.”

Libby rolled her eyes and hopped down, remembering what Sara had said at karaoke. “Yes, I’m sure you’d know all about.”

Colin shrugged, nonchalant. “I have been given certain privileges by certain parties.”

“I’ll bet. And you know you have to put children in on the gentle cycle, right?” she said, eyeing the drooling infant.

“Would you take her, actually? I’ve got baby sick all down the front of my best jumper.”

Libby felt her eyes widen as Colin made to pass her his niece. “I don’t know how to hold a baby.”

“You’ve never held a baby? Crikey, what do they teach you Harvard? Nanny management? It’s the easiest thing in the world. Just pretend she’s a sack of flour.”

Libby reluctantly took the proffered bundle, holding her under the armpits like a grenade apt to explode at any moment. Colin tugged his soiled sweater off and tossed it in the washer. He studied Libby’s baby-handling technique and gave her a pitying look.

“You can take her back now,” she said, fighting a mounting panic.

Colin rearranged Libby’s arms so she held Coleen against her chest, propping the baby’s head on her shoulder and shifting Libby’s hand to cradle her little diapered backside. Libby sucked her breath in and held it.

Colin nodded his approval. “There, now you’re a vision of maternal competence.”

Her arms trembled. “Hurry up… I’m going to drop her or something.” Libby’s throat tightened and the buzz of the dryer timer made her yelp.

“You’re doing fine.” Colin tossed a measure of washing powder into the machine. After closing the lid he brushed past Libby and pulled her dry clothes out, piling them in the basket for her.

“Take the baby,” she pleaded.

“I’ll take your washing. I’d hate to interrupt the exemplary job you’re doing, there.” He grabbed the basket and made to head back upstairs until—

“Colin, stop! Take the baby!” Her voice was loud and hysterical, limbs trembling. Tears welled in her eyes and the baby began to fuss.

Colin’s own eyes widened. Once his niece was nestled back in his arms he looked Libby in the face. “God, you all right?”

She shook her head, wanting to hide.

“Shit, I’m sorry. I was just trying to tease you.” He slid her laundry toward her with his foot. “Go on, I’ll follow you up.”

Libby fumbled her way back up the two flights to the flat and began folding her small pile of clothes on the couch, eager to avoid Colin’s attention. She heard him behind her, walking to the car seat and murmuring to the baby as he set her down. His footsteps drew near, stopping just behind Libby.

“Hey.”

She didn’t turn but offered a cheerful, “Hey,” in return.

“Would you look at me?”

Obediently she turned and stared at Colin’s worried face.

“Is everything okay?”

“Yeah, fine. I’m just not so good with babies, I guess.”

“You’re white as a sheet. Can I do anything?”

She shook her head but didn’t try to escape when Colin took a step closer, then another, and pulled her into a hug. His strong arms snaked around her middle, practically giving her no choice but to wrap hers around his neck. She felt her shoulders shake in surrender as a tearless, cathartic sob racked her body.

Colin’s breath heated the space behind her ear. “God, I’m so sorry.”

“’S’okay,” she choked back, already calming.

Warm, broad hands stroked her back and the soothing effect was instantaneous. She could smell him, that scent of shaving cream or soap already so familiar from all those nights spent camped out on the couch or seated across the bar from him. It was a strange sensation, having her body pressed against Colin’s. Any man’s touch should have felt foreign and unwelcome. Even Reece’s, though extremely pleasant, was new and intimidating. But not Colin. His body was just an extension of her own. Unlike his brother, there was no aura of self-possession hovering around Colin like invisible armor. Libby felt herself melting into him, his hard, strong frame feeling oddly like a feather pillow or a hot bath. She could have stayed in that hug for several more minutes quite happily, fascinated by her success in connecting with another person in such a genuine fashion. Then Colin pulled away, leaving her simultaneously warm and cold in the wake of the hug.

“Thanks,” she said, her voice already back to normal.

“Well, sure.” His eyebrow rose. “Are you afraid of babies?”

“No, not exactly. I’ve just never held one before. It was sort of freaky, I guess.”

“Well, don’t let it put you off them. They’re all right.”

“I’m sure they are. I’m sure she is,” Libby added, pointing to Colin’s niece wriggling in her seat. “Just not for me.”

“You say that now, but who knows—your days of holding my nieces and nephews may be far from over.”

“What do you mean? Are you looking to hire me as an au pair? Mind you, I wouldn’t turn down the residence visa.”

He smiled. “No, genius. I mean if your evil plan succeeds. You and Reece. Libby Nolan, matriarch of a fine brood of strapping Kiwi ankle-biters.”

Libby laughed. “Oh
God
, that’s a terrible thought! No, thank you.” Fumbling her way through a half-baked seduction with Reece was one thing, but the idea of having his children was quite another.

“No designs on my brother’s genetic materials, then?”

“I would
not
have your brother’s kid, although thank you very much for offering him up so freely. Oh God, no way.” Libby shook her head. “He’s so…he’s just too much like my father. And I’m not putting any kid of mine through
that
childhood, thanks. I’d sooner have yours—at least you’d be a fun dad.”

Colin didn’t seem to know precisely what to do with this statement. The corners of his mouth tucked down in a thoughtful frown, and he looked almost relieved when Coleen began to sputter and fuss, demanding his attention.

Libby watched him pick up the baby and sit with her on the couch, rubbing her tiny back much the same way he’d just done for Libby.