Keenan’s sister Briana fixed her messy bun on top of her head and said, “I’d like to join your self-defense class sometime.”
“Oh, me too.” Deirdre waved a hand in the air.
Ryleigh smiled at the Mills sisters and said, “Ah, that’s cool of you. Maybe next week? Give me some time to get into the groove of things before I mess things up with you.”
Keenan’s siblings joined her laugh, but she couldn’t help noticing Liam examining her, like she was some kind of puzzle. She shifted in her seat, feeling uncomfortable.
Liam closed his eyes when Aiden slapped the back of his head. “Sorry. I was staring, wasn’t I?”
Aiden said, “Yeah. Not a good move, bro. Don’t think Keen is going to like this. Or your friend Kieran.”
It reminded her that she needed to talk to her cousin Kieran and ask him about Liam. She wanted to know how she never heard of Liam before.
“It’s nothing like that. I was just trying to figure out some things.”
Aiden crossed his arms, and Ryleigh held her breath. She didn’t like to be talked about, like she wasn’t even in the room. But she didn’t feel confident enough in this group to speak up for herself.
“Like what?” Aiden said.
“Well, Ryleigh is so different from Evangeline and—”
The back of Aiden’s chair clanged on the ground when he shot out of it. Keenan’s sisters gasped, and Ryleigh held a hand to her chest. Where was Keenan when she needed him? She wanted to go home.
As if it wasn’t enough to live with the ghost of Evangeline in Keenan’s home, she now had to sit here and be compared to her by Keenan’s brother?
Aiden stood toe-to-toe with Liam and clenched his fists. He raised his voice and said, “You’re damn straight she doesn’t look anythin’ like that good for nothin’ snake. That stuck-up witch has nothin’ on Ryleigh.”
She wanted to thank Aiden for sticking up for her, but she couldn’t find the words. That Liam would even go there stunned her.
Liam took a step back and said, “I know—”
Before Liam could bring another word in, Aiden continued, “She’s been gone for years. Left Blondie without a goodbye. Left our brother heartbroken.”
Of course, she’d figured that Keenan had been heartbroken after Tommy’s mother had left them. But it didn’t mean she’d enjoyed hearing any of that. In an ideal world Tommy was hers and Keenan had never loved another woman.
“I didn’t mean it like that, I swear Ryleigh.”
She nodded at Liam, hoping he would leave well enough alone.
“We’re all just so stunned to see our brother this happy. I never thought he would ever laugh like that again. And I know we have you to thank for that. I wanted to get to know you better tonight. I’ve been hoping to talk to you… Fuck. I’m messing this all up.”
She walked up from her side of the table, stopping in front of Aiden and Liam. When Liam hung his head, she cleared her throat so he would meet her eyes.
“It’s okay, Liam. I guess now I see why you and my cousin are best buds. You’re both absolute fuck-ups.”
Keenan’s siblings busted out in laughter, and a laugh rippled through Liam before he took her in his arms for a hug. Stiff at first, she then hugged him back. “Shit. You’re one of a kind. And I mean that, Ry. I had no business in comparing you to her. I hope you can forgive me and my big mouth?”
“It’s okay. We’re fine.”
“What’s going on here? I leave for a moment and you’re already in my brother’s arms?” The smile in Keenan’s voice calmed her racing heart. She turned around and let Keenan’s outstretched arms engulf her.
Tommy came inside and eyed his father as he hugged her. She gave Tommy a smile and for the first time tonight; he smiled back at her. She let out the breath she’d been holding. The ghost of Evangeline was still very much alive. Not only with Keenan’s family, but it also hung like a thundercloud above her relationship with Tommy.
Hopefully she could find a way to chase that wretched ghost away.