Cock and is friends with Bill, another firefighter. That’s how I found out she was with you when she broke her arm.”
Harper was drinking at the pub? She was with a firefighter? She told someone I was the reason her arm was broken?
“You broke someone’s arm?” Erin asked, finally joining the conversation.
“I did not break her arm.” Unable to keep the growl from his voice, he glared at Rory.
“Well, why don’t you tell us about Harper?” Colm encouraged. “Sounds like a tale I’d like to hear.”
By now, Sharon had served the cake and plopped back down in her seat, her eyes never leaving Sean’s face. “She broke her arm? With you?”
Sighing, he squeezed his eyes shut, pinching the bridge of his nose with his forefinger and thumb. With a last glare toward a still-grinning Rory, he said, “I was at an arson site and might have called out too loudly. Anyway, she fell backward and injured herself. I felt bad and drove her to the ER. It turns out that she’s a fire evidence collector for an insurance company and that’s why she was there.”
Glancing around the table, he caught Erin’s wide-eyed stare, his father’s grin, Rory’s smirk, and his mother’s hopeful expression. “I can’t believe she told you that I broke her arm,” he said, his gaze back on Rory.
“Oh, she didn’t. In fact, she was singing your praises. Said the accident was her fault and that you had taken care of her.”
“Are you going to see her again?” Sharon asked. His mother was practically vibrating as she bounced in her seat.
“Other than professionally, probably not—”
“She’s hot,” Rory interrupted.
“Why not?” Sharon asked. “You at least want to find out how she is.”
“I called her today to check on her—”
Erin jumped in, saying, “So you are still in contact with her?”
Swinging his head around, he wondered when his sister had decided to join the conversation. “I wanted to make sure she was okay.”
“And is she?” Sharon asked.
The Inquisition had nothing on his family for wearing someone down. “She was back at work today, and obviously,” shooting another glare at Rory, “she was out with friends tonight, so she must be fine.”
“Well, I think—” Sharon began.
“Sweetheart,” Colm interrupted. “I think Sean can handle himself.”
Dessert finished as their conversation finally moved off Sean and Harper. Once the dishes were rinsed and put away, goodbyes began. He hugged Erin and whispered, “Let’s do lunch sometime soon. Just the two of us.” He felt her nod against his chest and gave an extra little squeeze. Releasing her, he hugged his dad and then moved to his mom.
She lifted a hand and cupped his cheek. “I know you don’t want to hear this, but there was a look on your face when you talked about Harper. Check on her again.”
“I will, Mom. I promise.”
Rory had said his own goodbyes, and the two brothers walked out to their vehicles at the same time. Rory said, “Didn’t mean for Mom to go all crazy on you in there when I mentioned Harper. I just thought it was funny how you two met.”
“I know, Bro. It’s all good.”
After hugs and backslaps, Rory held his gaze. “I was serious about her defending you, though. You should call her and not just to check on her.”
“You said she was there with one of the firefighters.” He tried to make his voice casual but was surprised at the touch of jealous interest that snaked through him.
“Oh, they were just friends. You could tell that was all. Seriously, Sean. Call her.”
Once home, he poured two fingers of whiskey, then sank into the soft leather of his sofa, stretching out his legs and putting his socked feet on the coffee table. Pulling out his phone, he called Tara. “Hey, Sis. How are you and Colleen?”
“We’re good, Sean. She’s got a bit of a cold, but other than that, life’s moving along. When she’s better, we’ll make it to the next family dinner.”
He was always impressed with Tara. In many ways, she was like him, perhaps because she was the oldest girl in the family. She was a natural mother, and he only wished she had chosen a more deserving husband. But then Colleen was a doll, so it was hard to imagine life without her.
“Listen, I know it’s late, but I wanted to see if you could find time to talk to Erin.”
There was a slight hesitation. “Sure, but what’s up?”
“Honestly, I don’t know, Tara. She just seems... sad.”