Ryan's Place - By Sherryl Woods Page 0,69

She drove there with her heart in her throat. When she found the block, even though it was after ten o’clock, she spotted Ryan sitting in his car, his shoulders slumped, his gaze locked on the building where his brother lived.

She crossed the street and tapped on his window. “Want some company?”

He rolled the window down, even as he shook his head. “Too late.”

“You’ve already seen him?”

“Nope. I’ve decided this is a bad idea.”

Maggie walked around to the passenger side and slid in. “You’ll never forgive yourself if you get this close and don’t follow through.”

“I’m used to it. There are a lot of things I’ve never forgiven myself for.”

“Such as?”

“I should have stopped them from leaving.”

“Who? Your parents?” she asked incredulously. “You think you could have changed their minds?”

“I should have tried.”

“Did you even know what they were planning?”

“No.”

“Well then, how were you supposed to stop it?”

“I was the oldest. I should have figured out what was going on.”

“You were nine!”

He turned a bleak expression on her. “What if Sean can’t forgive me?”

“First you have to give him a chance. If he doesn’t, then at least you’ve tried.”

He studied her face, then finally drew in a ragged breath, and nodded. “Okay, let’s do it.”

The walk up that sidewalk and into the building was the longest Maggie had ever taken, because Ryan’s tension was palpable. When he knocked on the door, it was opened by a man who was almost his spitting image. His hair was shorter. He didn’t have the scar on his mouth. But there was no mistaking the fact that these two men were brothers.

Maggie held her breath as they stared at each other, sizing each other up, maintaining a reserve that no brothers should ever feel.

“Sean?”

The younger man nodded.

Ryan swallowed hard, then said in a voice barely above a whisper. “I’m Ryan. Your brother.”

For what seemed like an eternity, Sean didn’t reply, but finally, when Maggie was about to give up hope, he opened his arms. “Ah, man, what the hell took you so long?”

Chapter Fifteen

Ryan clung to his brother, fighting tears of relief and surprising joy. Never in a million years had he expected to feel this way. He’d anticipated looking into the face of a stranger, feeling no more than a faint twinge of recognition perhaps. Instead, it was as if they’d never been apart, as if on some level the deep connection between them as children had never been broken.

Finally Ryan stood back and surveyed his brother, noting that Sean’s hair was shorter but still had a defiant tendency to curl, just as his did. The eyes were the same as well, though perhaps the blue was a shade deeper.

“I guess you’ve never been in my pub after all,” he said at last. “I’d have known you anywhere. You look like Dad.”

“I look like you,” Sean said, making no attempt at all to hide his bitterness at the mention of their father. “Come on in. The place isn’t fancy, but it’s clean—though only because I’ve been straightening up ever since I got your message last night.” He shrugged. “Couldn’t sleep.”

Ryan grinned. “I didn’t get much myself.”

“That must be why you’ve been sitting out there in your car for the past half hour,” Sean said with a touch of wit as wry as Ryan’s. “Did you fall asleep?”

“You knew I was there?” Ryan asked, startled.

“I’ve been watching out the window all morning. I saw you drive up.”

“Why didn’t you come out?”

“Stubbornness mainly,” Sean admitted. “I was still mad at you.”

“Past tense?” Ryan asked.

Sean turned his gaze to Maggie, then said, “Only if you introduce me to this beautiful woman who’s been waiting patiently for you to remember her.”

Ryan reached out and clasped Maggie’s hand, pulling her forward. “Sean, this is Maggie O’Brien. She’s the reason I’m here.”

Sean started to shake her hand, then pulled her into a hug instead. “Thank you. I owe you for turning up and getting him out of that car.”

“It went beyond that,” Ryan told him. “But, yes, she did persuade me I’d come too far to turn back this morning.”

“I’m so glad it worked out,” Maggie said, swiping at a tear tracking down her cheek. “I should let you two spend some time alone. You have a lot of catching up to do.”

“No,” Ryan said at once. “Please stay.” He wanted her there as a buffer…and because she deserved to be a part of this reunion.

She glanced from him to Sean. “Is that okay with you?”

“Absolutely. I’ve made a