Secret Admirer

Fiona laughed good-naturedly. “Even if you didn’t, it’s true. Not much you can change about this mop and all these freckles. Speaking of which, what happened to yours?”

Eve shrugged. “They’ve faded somewhat. I don’t get out in the sun much these days.”

“Whatever you’re doing is working,” Fiona said graciously. “You look great. No wonder Tony couldn’t keep his eyes off you.”

“I doubt it’s for the reason you think.” Eve turned back to the mirror to redo her lipstick even though she’d just applied it. When she couldn’t get it quite right, she gave up and dropped the gold tube back into her purse. “He’s not exactly wild to have me as a partner.”

Fiona sighed. “Don’t let him get to you. Sometimes I think he tries to see how far away he can push people, including his own family. It’s just a defense mechanism, though. A way to keep from getting hurt again.” For a moment, she looked as if she might have said more than she meant to. Then she shrugged. “He’s had some tough blows.”

Eve said quickly, “I know about Ashley. I remember how close they were.”

“It’ll soon be eight years since she died. Every year I keep thinking it’ll get better for Tony, but when the anniversary rolls around…” Fiona trailed off, then added softly, “Maybe one of these days the right person will come along and make him realize Ashley wasn’t the only woman in the world for him. Maybe she wasn’t even the right woman.”

“Maybe,” Eve said doubtfully.

“And maybe I talk too much,” Fiona acknowledged ruefully. “So come on.” She took Eve’s hand. “I’ll introduce you to the new man in my life. He’s pretty yummy, if I do say so myself.”

Eve gave her reflection one last glance as Fiona’s words echoed inside her head. Maybe she wasn’t even the right woman.

Right, Eve thought. And the winters in Chicago were always balmy.

TONY SAW FIONA COME OUT of the bathroom with Eve firmly in tow. Eve looked a little disconcerted, as if she didn’t quite know what had hit her. But that was Fiona’s MO all right. A regular little bulldozer when she had something up her sleeve.

She dragged Eve over to David, who was chalking his pool cue. “David MacKenzie, I’d like you to meet Eve Barrett. Tony’s new partner.”

David’s brows shot up as he glanced from Eve to Tony and then back again. “Nice to meet you, Eve. And my condolences.”

“Those were Nick’s words exactly,” Eve told him.

“Which goes to show how well we both know Tony.” David flashed her a charming grin, and Eve could immediately see why Fiona was so taken with him. David MacKenzie was indeed yummy. And he smelled wonderful. Expensive.

“Look, you two let someone else have the pool table, and let’s all grab a table,” Fiona instructed them. “I’m dying to catch up with Eve.”

“Catch up?” David gamely handed his cue to the next person in line.

“We all grew up in the same neighborhood,” Fiona explained. “Eve’s dad still lives only a few blocks over from Mom and Gram.”

Tony didn’t say a word until Fiona had laid claim to a table. “I think I left my drink at the bar.”

“I’ll get a fresh round,” David said magnanimously. “What’ll you ladies have?”

“Boilermaker.” Fiona shot Tony a defiant glance.

“She’ll have a beer,” Tony said darkly. When his sister started to protest, he snapped, “I’m not carrying you out of here again, Fiona.”

Instead of a retort, she actually blushed. “Make it a Guinness,” she told David.

He winked at her. “Don’t worry. I’d be happy to carry you out of here. Have a boilermaker if you like. Have two.”

“Are you trying to get her drunk, MacKenzie?” Tony asked grimly. “Because if you are—”

Fiona rolled her eyes. “For God’s sake, Tony, lighten up. David’s your best friend. If you can’t trust him with your sister, who can you trust?”

“Yeah, Tony, if you can’t trust me with your sister, who can you trust?” David taunted with a grin as he turned to get the drinks.

“What the hell are you trying to do?” Fiona demanded the minute David was out of earshot. “Scare him off? I finally get him to notice me after all these years, and you pull that overprotective big brother routine on me? Just for that, I ought to get hammered,” she grumbled. “I ought to get falling down, sloppy, puking drunk so that you have to baby-sit me all night. It’d serve you right.”

Tony gave Eve a long-suffering look. “See what you got yourself into tonight?”

Eve shrugged. “Beats staying home.”

“I’m not so sure about that,” he muttered.

Vic D’Angelo ambled over with two mugs of beer. He sat one before Eve and the other in front of Tony. “Compliments of the lieutenant.”

Eve glanced toward the bar. “Where is she?”

“Had to make an early night of it.” D’Angelo clapped a hand on Tony’s shoulder. “To tell you the truth, this place is not exactly Clare’s style these days. She likes a little more class.”

Eve half expected Tony to knock D’Angelo’s hand off his shoulder, but instead he picked up the beer, took a long swallow, then wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. He lifted the half-empty mug to D’Angelo. “Have a drink, D’Angelo. You don’t strike me as the type of guy who minds leftovers.”

D’Angelo’s face contorted with anger. For a moment, Eve thought he might do something stupid, like start a fight, but then he pulled off a cocky grin and raked Eve with a smoldering glare. “We’ll see who ends up with the leftovers, Cowboy.”

Eve shivered and Fiona gasped. “The nerve of him! Did you see the way he looked at Eve?”

Tony said, very deliberately, “Excuse me.”

Fiona grabbed his hand. “Where do you think you’re going?”

He lifted a brow. “To the bathroom. Is that okay with you?”

“Just…don’t start any trouble.”

“A nice guy like me?” He gave Eve a glance before he disappeared.

David brought the drinks right after Tony left. “Where’s he off to?”

“Don’t ask,” Fiona mumbled.

“Here,” David said, handing her a shot glass and a mug. “I brought you a boilermaker. Kill it quick, before he comes back.”

Fiona giggled. “There’s nothing I like better than pulling one over on Tony.”

“You and me both,” David agreed, distributing the remaining drinks. “How about you, Eve? Sure you don’t want something stronger than beer? Might make working with Tony a little easier on the nerves.”

David was a nice guy, and Fiona was a lot of fun, but Eve suddenly felt uncomfortable sitting at the same table with them. It wasn’t just because the makings of a romance were stirring, either. Like Clare and D’Angelo, Fiona and David were sending off unmistakable vibes, but that wasn’t the source of Eve’s uneasiness. It was her urge to defend Tony that worried her. Her desire to plant herself firmly and squarely in his corner.

And considering her assignment, that wouldn’t do. That wouldn’t do at all.