Ryan's Place - By Sherryl Woods Page 0,43
your parents?”
Ryan ground his teeth. “Jamal, of course,” he said tightly.
“Ryan—”
“Don’t,” he said, shooting to his feet and walking away from the lecture so evidently on the tip of her tongue. He didn’t need anyone, not even Maggie, telling him that there could be any possible justification for what his parents had done to him and his brothers. He certainly wasn’t going to entertain the notion of forgiving them for dumping three boys into the foster care system before taking off to who-knew-where.
He moved to the window and stared outside, only halfway aware that snow was falling, leaving a coating of white on the ground. Christmas was fast approaching, and it was his second most hated holiday of the year, right after Thanksgiving. He never failed to spend the day trying to imagine where his brothers might be, what they might have endured. If their holidays had been anything like his, they must hate the season, as well.
“I take it Maggie dared to say something about your parents,” Father Francis said, coming to stand beside him.
“What makes you think that?” Ryan asked.
“Little else puts such a scowl on your face,” the priest replied. “Besides, it’s natural for you to think of them on a day like this. Seeing Lamar reunited with his father must make you wonder a little about your own father.”
“I am not thinking of my parents,” Ryan insisted. “Or at least I wasn’t until the two of you decided to pester me about them.”
Father Francis waited until Ryan eventually turned to face him, then said, “Are you going to allow two people you claim to have no feelings for, at all, control the way you live the rest of your life?”
“What the devil are you talking about? They control nothing!” Ryan declared.
“Oh, really? Have you given one second’s thought to a future with Maggie?” The priest held up a silencing hand when Ryan would have responded. “And don’t waste your breath telling me you’re not attracted to her, because anyone with eyes can see that you are. Yet you do nothing about it, because in your heart you know it would have to lead somewhere, to a place you won’t allow yourself to go.”
“Shouldn’t you be praying for Lamar, instead of giving me advice on my love life?” he inquired sourly.
“I’m a modern man. I’ve learned to multitask,” Father Francis said.
Despite his irritation, Ryan bit back a laugh. “And who taught you that term? Maggie, I imagine.”
“The girl’s an inspiration, to be sure,” Father Francis said cheerfully. “But then, even you can see that, can’t you?”
Ryan sighed as the priest retreated to sit with Letitia and Jamal, apparently satisfied that he’d gotten his message across. Ryan glanced over at Maggie, saw the worry in her eyes as she watched the door, then the lingering flicker of hurt when she caught him staring at her. Resigned, he went back to her side.
“I’m sorry for snapping your head off before,” he said. “And I’m sorry I keep doing things that necessitate so many apologies.”
“It’s okay,” she said with another display of that ready forgiveness she seemed willing to dispense, no matter how unreasonable he’d been. “We’re all under a lot of stress this morning.”
“That’s no excuse.” He noted the dark circles under her eyes, the strain around her mouth. “Maggie, you must be exhausted. Why not let me drive you home?”
She shook her head. “Not until we hear something.”
“Okay then, at least rest for a bit.” He sat beside her and slipped an arm around her shoulders, giving her a gentle tug. After a moment’s resistance, she gingerly put her head on his shoulder. “That’s better. Now close your eyes. If the doctor comes, I promise I’ll wake you.”
She didn’t respond, and moments later he felt the tension in her shoulders ease. Soon after, her breathing deepened, and something inside him eased, as well. He had only the dimmest memory of feeling this protective toward anyone, quite likely because he hadn’t wanted to remember that, when it was truly important, he hadn’t been able to protect his brothers from the worst hurt of all.
Maggie couldn’t recall when she’d ever felt so safe. In her dream, she was in a house that was being buffeted by a powerful northeast wind, but she was safe and warm, tucked in Ryan’s arms in front of a cozy fire. She had the sense that as long as she was in his embrace, nothing could ever harm her.
She shifted sleepily, cuddling closer to all