Wait for the Wind (4 page)

Skye broke the link before Liv could read the rest of his thoughts.

Jack had settled in well with the rest of their family, but he was a man used to his own space. He needed an office, or so he and Skye had told Liv. The new room was a huge nursery, but she wasn’t supposed to know about that yet.

Skye had never seen a man as big a fool over a baby as Jackson Roarke. He scowled down at the brush. The sun was getting low in the sky. Soon the light would be gone and he’d need to be down at the pub. His sainted mother’s doing, of course.

“Mr. O’Malley isn’t doing well. Mary Katherine has ordered him to take things easy. Who will they find to help run the pub I wonder? Maggie is overwrought what with taking care of her husband. Rhiannon can’t do it alone, though she is a bright, hardworking girl. Her mother’s such a dear friend to me. She did so much for me after your father died.”

Skye grumbled at the memory. His mother was a champion at laying on the guilt trips. He gathered his canvas, easel and paintbrushes and carried them inside the house. How long had he been sitting outside staring at the sea? An hour? Three? He couldn’t remember what time he’d gone out, but a quick glance at his watch told him Rhiannon would be calling soon reminding him he’d promised to take the afternoon shift for Mrs. O’Malley.

He didn’t mind lending a friendly hand at the pub, whether it was carrying drinks or manning the kitchen. The extra money was nice, but unnecessary. Only once had he tried to refuse pay. Rhia had escorted him out of the place stating she didn’t need charity. If he was of a mind to work, she’d sign his check just like everyone else. He hadn’t argued with her after that. She was so proud, so stubborn. Was it a sin to need help? To take it when offered as long as she was working just as hard to help herself? Rhia just didn’t see the matter that way. So, he banked the extra money in a savings account for his soon-to-be-born niece. He made more than he needed with his paintings and sculptures. That was, when he could actually paint something. Not like today. And days like today were more common of late. The visions were stronger than ever before. So was his second sight.

Since her father had been steadily getting weaker, Rhia had taken over more of the family business. She spent most of her time there now. He wondered how long it would be before she moved into the little apartment above the kitchen.

The telephone shrilled on the hook. Drying his hands on a dish towel as he went, Skye lifted the receiver.

“Hello.”

“I’ve a great many hungry customers. What I don’t have is a cook. It’s after five. You promised me this evening’s shift.”

Hell. It was later than he’d thought. “I lost track of time, Rhia. I’m sorry.”

“Your apologies won’t feed my customers. Will you be coming in, or do I need to call back Ma?”

Skye closed his eyes. He could almost see her tapping her foot behind the old mahogany bar, one hand resting on a lusciously curved hip. Just because he was dating Meagan didn’t mean he hadn’t noticed what a lovely woman Rhia had grown into.

“Twenty minutes, darling.”

“I’m no one’s darling, certainly not yours. I can’t be stopping constantly to remind you to come to work. You’ve a mama for that, and an alarm clock. Set it next time.”

Skye smiled, wishing he could see Rhia in person just then. She was a pretty thing in any case. Not classically beautiful, but soft of face. Getting riled up changed her appearance. Her eyes would grow hot, making the green seem neon bright, her skin would flush and she’d look as if she were– Not that he’d know about that, since he’d–

“Are you even listening to me?” Her voice chimed into his thoughts.

“Yes. It won’t happen again.”

Her frustrated sigh sounded in his ear. “Pervert. Get your mind out of the gutter.”

“Ah, but that’s where I like it, so much fun to be had there. Join me in my naughty little world, Rhiannon. I promise you’ll enjoy it.”

He heard her smoky laugh, so subtle it was barely there.

“You need a keeper.”

“Volunteering for the position?”

“No. Go to hell, but come to work first.” She hung up on him.

Rhia was still too much a girl to run a business, barely twenty-six. He’d worked for her and around her for months now. A genius at running the bar and the books, she did all the ordering, stocking, and watched the barmaids like a mother hawk. All he ever need do was cook and help with drinks if she called for him.

Gathering up the blank canvas and easel, Skye took them into his studio. As he stored them, he felt a sudden wrenching sadness. His chest hurt with a pain that wouldn’t ease. It tore at his soul and brought tears to his eyes. The feeling, the emotion, wasn’t his. He heard a deep sobbing on the wind, calling out for someone or something to ease the ache.

He went to the window and looked out toward Liv’s, thinking his sister might be in trouble, but what he saw surprised him. On a small spot of shore he’d never noticed before sat Kate. Her pain was so tangible that Skye had picked it up with his empathic gifts. Immediately he rushed down the path from his house to Liv’s. The only way to stop his suffering was to ease hers.

* * * *

Kate topped the rise. She was acutely aware of Ryan’s eyes watching her every step. She hoped she’d given him something to think about, but she had ripped open her soul to do it. No one would see her if she ran it out, cried through the pain.

Her tears streamed like rivers now. Shoes pounded through the grass still soggy from this morning’s rain. Each step became harder to take until it felt like her memories and life itself were holding her back. She ran headfirst into an unyielding form and looked up into lightning blue eyes.

“Now then, Katie, my girl, what’s got you so blue?”

Skye. She could trust him. “Your brother is the champion of all jackasses.”

“Ah, well. I’ve known him to be no different. Here, now.” Skye plopped down in the grass and patted a spot beside him.

Kate sat down, letting him fold her into his shoulder while she cried.

“Why do you hurt so badly? It’s killing you, not to mention what it’s doing to me.”

Skye was as much a brother to her as Liv was a sister. She’d spent more time at their home than hers growing up. His empathic gifts had made it easy to confide in him then. Why should now be any different? “Ryan is home. We had words over the baby.”

“Allie?”

“No. He didn’t give me the chance to say anything about her. Allie was a twin, Skye. I miscarried the other child.”

“I’m so sorry. I didn’t know.”

“No one does except Molly, and now you.”

“He can’t blame you for that, Kate.”

“He’s thought all these years I had an abortion. He believes I killed our baby.”

“You wouldn’t. You are the most loving, honest person I know.” Skye waggled his eyebrows at her. “You’re the reason my quest for a wife will never be complete. I strive to find a woman like you.”

His huge grin made her giggle.

“Oh, you’re awful.” Kate laughed and her heartache eased a little.

“Yes. I am. So what did happen? You can trust me with it.”

Kate took a deep breath. “My father beat the hell out of me. I came home from a date with Ryan with an engagement ring on my finger. He was drunk. I was leaving, packing up my things when he came into my room. I was so scared and he saw me cover my stomach. He hit me there, Skye. Broke one of my hands because I was trying to protect my baby.”

“Oh, honey. I’m so sorry.” Skye tightened his arms around her. It helped knowing he cried with her.

“I felt something tear inside. I knew I was bleeding, that I would lose the baby. I tried to fight him. I kicked him, hit him with my broken hand, but it didn’t stop him from raping me.”

“God. Kate. Why didn’t Ryan kill the bastard?”

“When Mick passed out, I crawled off the bed and out the window. God, it hurt to move, just to breathe. I thought maybe if I could get help, I could still save the baby. Ryan’s house–well, your house now–was closest. I was so weak, hurt. I didn’t want to tell anyone what horror I’d gone through, I just wanted the baby to live. I made it halfway there. Molly found me. She was too late to save the baby.”

* * * *

“Ma knew, all this time.” And she’d kept it a secret from all of them.

“She took care of me. It was three days before I was strong enough to go see Ryan. I felt like I’d failed him. When I told him there was no baby, he told me he never wanted to see me again. A week later, he’d sold his house to you and left for the US.”

“Yeah. We wanted to keep Ryan’s house in the family because it had belonged to Da’s brother who had willed it to Ryan. He needed money to leave, so Ma and I bought it from him.”

“Anyway, today was the first time I have seen him in almost thirteen years.” Kate rose to her feet and dusted off, then offered a hand to him.

Skye caught it and pulled himself up as well.

“I have to get back. Allaina will be home soon, and I have a patient scheduled.”

“I’ll walk with you. I’m on my way to work.” Skye felt sadness rolling off her in waves, along with a sense of duty that forced her to put her needs aside. “He’ll come around.”

“I’m pathetic. How can you still love someone who has ignored all contact with you for almost thirteen years, Skye? What are you doing here, anyway?” Kate took a tissue out of her pocket and dried her eyes.

“I looked across the way. You hurt, so do I. The curse of the empathic.”

“How do you kill the pain? I think I’d break with it, if not for Allie.”

She was as close to him as his own sister. He loved her as such. His gifts had gotten strong of late. He couldn’t control the visions anymore, like the one he saw now.

“You have to stay strong, Kate. You–” Skye trailed off in mid-sentence, unable to say the words that matched the images in his mind. For once, he wished he couldn’t see into the future.

“I know. Thanks for trying to cheer me up.”

“Anytime. I mean that. Now I’m off to work.” Skye kissed her cheek and left her standing in front of the clinic.

Chapter 5

Pressing the stethoscope to the elderly man’s chest, Kate listened carefully. Anything to put off the inevitable. Mr. O’Malley’s condition seemed worse every time he came to see her and now she knew why. The last test results had come back with news Kate wished she could ignore. “Take a deep breath and let it out slowly.”

She listened for a few more seconds and then placed the stethoscope around her neck and wrote on his chart. He was sixty, but his frailty made him seem much older. Years of hard work had taken its toll on him. She’d never had to give this kind of news before. How could she tell this sweet man his days were numbered?

“Your test results came back yesterday. That’s why I asked you to come into the office. Did Mrs. O’Malley come with you?”

“No. Her heart’s bad. I don’t want her upset.”

“Maybe it would be best if we waited until your wife or daughter can come in…”

“I can tell it’s bad news, girlie. Let’s have it then.”

“All right. I’m sorry. You have lung cancer.”

“Cancer?” His breath caught on the word, and she felt her heart hitch with sympathy for his wife and daughter.

“I’ll set you up with an oncologist. You can discuss your surgical options, if any.”

“And what can he do for me? Chemotherapy?”

“No. The growth is too advanced.”

“I don’t have long left. Do I? That’s what you’re trying to tell me. How long?”

“Only God knows that, Mr. O’Malley.”

His wise eyes glared at her. “That’s a non-answer.”

“A few weeks, maybe a month. I’m sorry. Can I call someone for you?”

“No. I won’t spend what time I have tied to machines surrounded by strangers. I can stay at home, can’t I? I don’t have to go to a hospital.”

“No. You can stay at home, but I don’t recommend it.” Kate scribbled on a small pad of paper and then handed him a prescription for strong narcotic. “That’s your choice. I’ll keep you as comfortable as I’m able, but I wish you’d reconsider.”