“Sonora.” Kat stood. “Come in. Would you like some tea?”
“No, thank you.” She gave Kat a slight bow. “I came for Maximilian. He and I have to talk.”
Max stood. “After you.”
Alicia watched them leave. “So now he’s going to tell her how to live her life without any input from anyone else here? Is everyone here crazy? Max is a Neanderthal with no clue how to get his point across the right way. He’ll just piss her off with his demands and just make matters worse.”
“That is my brother.” Kat sat back down. “More tea?”
She couldn’t sit there. Max would make a mess if he was left to his own devices. No matter what they all thought of Sonora she needed to be treated with dignity. “I’ve got to stop him.”
“I wouldn’t recommend that.”
“It’s a good thing I never listen to anyone.” She stood up and grabbed the coat she wore earlier. Dashing down the steps she hoped to catch them close to the house, but luck wasn’t with her. “Where did they go?”
She looked up and down the paths near the house. “Nothing. Damn.”
“So where should I go?” She shook her head. “I’ll never find them.”
Alicia headed back into the house. “That was a lost cause. I have no clue where they went.”
“More tea?”
“It will keep me up all night.” She sat back down.
“It’s herbal.” Kat picked up the teapot and hesitated over Alicia’s cup.
“Fill it up.” Alicia unbuttoned her coat and shrugged it off her shoulders. “Will Max come back here or head back to Patrick’s house?”
“I don’t know for sure, but I think he would come back here to say good night to you first.” Kat sat the pot down on the handmade cozy. “Guess it depends on how late you plan on waiting for him.”
“I’m not going to wait up for him.”
“Ha.” Kat took a quick sip. “You might not admit it but you’re in love with him. I can tell by the way you act. The way you look at him. It’s beautiful.”
“Beautiful? I’m thinking a little pathetic, personally.” She sighed. “Is it that obvious?”
“You don’t seem happy about it.”
“Max isn’t the type of man I’m normally attracted to. In fact, I despised him when I first met him.” She pulled herself up to the edge of the couch. “He drove me crazy. Pushy, obnoxious, crabby. He’s just like me at times. The worst was how he invaded my space. Now I feel lonely without him.”
“Which is why he drives you crazy. He’s in your face all the time because he needs to be near you. The loneliness is too much without you.”
“How do you know this?” Alicia didn’t mean to sound demanding, but the tone of her voice gave her away. It seemed incredulous to her.
“Because he’s my brother.” Kat smiled. “You’re the first woman he ever mentioned in any conversation we’ve had. He brought you to his ancestral home. Doesn’t that make you wonder?”
“What?”
“Why he brought you here.”
Alicia’s brow crinkled. He brought her there to find the something a Mr. O’Conner had thrown. Or was that the perfect excuse to get her here without a fight? “I’m doing research for him.”
“And how much research have you done? Our island has always been protected from prying eyes. Max didn’t need to bring you here, but he wanted to.”
That made her pause. She mumbled to herself. “According to the legend the Tears are drawn to me.”
“The legend.” Kat sat back. “So Maxi suddenly believes in it?”
Damn, she had really good hearing too. Alicia didn’t mean to say anything, but obviously she knew about it. “I’m not getting you.”
“Maxi never believed in the legend before. He didn’t believe in the Tears until he found the first one accidentally.”
“Yes, well. I read the legend.”
“And?”
Alicia hesitated. Should she open up? Kat sure seemed to know a lot about the legend. “It was amazing. It seemed to be written about me.” Alicia felt the flush of a blush. Saying it out loud made it sound so silly.
“Hmm. I’d say you didn’t read the whole thing.” Kat stood up. “I’ll be right back.”
“What? You have a copy of the legend in a drawer in your bedroom?”
“Actually, it’s in a trunk.” Kat winked at her before walking to her bedroom. In moments she was back with a small hand-bound book. “My mother wrote the legend in this book as she heard it. There are several versions out there but this is the real thing.”
“Your mother?”
“Yes.” She handed the book to Alicia then sat down. “After our first leader died, Mom started to have dreams about the Tears. The poem had been around for hundreds of years, but the dreams made her work hard to find all the pieces of it.”
Alicia opened the book and started reading. The first two stanzas she had read in the book Max gave her. The next two were the standard ones she had found on just about every website. The next two she found every once in a while on the more obscure sites. The last two came from Max’s book too. So far she hadn’t read anything she hadn’t before. Turning the page she found three more stanzas.
She will fear the truth she learns but her heart will lead her true.
To the tree of life to save the broken to open the heart of the one closed.
Her life forever different the choice will be upon her to be changed could mean real freedom or it could mean death.
Only her faith can help her no one can make the decision she must make let the tears guide her Only the tears can help.
“There is a tree of life?” Alicia reread the last three stanzas again.
“Yes. In the woods. I can take you to it tomorrow if you like.”
“Okay.” She looked over the lines once more. “This is about me, isn’t it? And some choice I am supposed to make?”
“I don’t know. That won’t come to light until the moment is on you.”
“Great.” She stared at the words on the page. “I can’t believe this.”
“There’s more.”
“More of this?” Alicia rubbed her temples. “You guys keep telling me I’ve seen it all then you say there is more to the legend.”
“Not the legend.”
“What?”
Kat fiddled with the cuff of her sleeve. Something Alicia didn’t like. She acted like it was something big.
“Why don’t you go on to bed and we’ll talk some more about it in the morning.” Kat picked up their cups and headed to the kitchen.
“Why not now?” Alicia followed her. “You started this conversation and now you want to end it? That’s not fair.”
“I know, but it’s my prerogative. Promise. First thing tomorrow morning.”
Alicia wanted to demand they talk right then, but there was something about Kat that made her hesitate. She didn’t want to wait, but confronting Kat without Max might not be the smartest thing to do. She sat back on the couch. Knowing it would be a long night. Max might not be back for hours.
***
The heady aroma filtered into Alicia’s room, filling her nostrils and causing one eye to open. When did she make it back to her room? She stretched like a cat on the bed before getting up and padding into the kitchen. “Coffee?”
“Yes. I have learned you Americans need this drink in the morning or you are totally worthless.” Kat pointed to the stove before taking a seat at her kitchen table.
“Your brother.” Alicia grabbed an empty cup from the drain and crossed to the stove. After picking up a potholder, she lifted the old fashioned pot off the stove and poured herself a drink. “He is quite a bear in the morning without coffee.”
“Know that for yourself, do you?” She took a sip of her tea.
Alicia felt the heat of a blush to her toes. Max had told her she was a bit old-fashioned, perhaps she should try to save this so she won’t upset his sister. “He’s been in my office first thing every day since he hired my company.”
“Good save.” Kat gave her a quick wink. “He’s your mate. There’s nothing wrong with your relationship.”
“Mate?” Good Lord, did Max tell these people about what happened between them?
“It’s the truth, you just won’t face it.”
“Excuse me?” Alicia’s back stiffened. The heck with waiting to see Kat doing it, she was going to beat Max with the broom herself the next time she saw him.
“Now, don’t get yourself upset. It’s obvious you two have a special bond.” Kat stood and went to the stove. “The sooner you accept it the better you’ll be. There’s a lot to learn about us.”
She had heard enough. “I think I’ll take my coffee and go for a walk.”
“It’s a beautiful morning.” Kat didn’t seem to be bothered by her reaction, she filled Alicia’s cup with more coffee like nothing had been said.
Alicia mumbled to herself as she grabbed her coat and walked onto the porch. “Mated. I can’t believe he blabbed like that.”
Max leaned against the rail of the porch. “You talk to yourself a lot?”
Alicia jumped and spilled hot coffee on her hand. “Damn it! Max, what are you doing here?”
“It’s my sister’s house. It’s not unusual for me to be here.” He ran his fingers through his hair. “But I came to see you. I did leave a bit abruptly last night, but if you want me to I’ll leave.”
“No.” Alicia shook her wet hand to try to calm the burning sensation. “But why did you tell her we were mated? I thought that was something we were going to keep to ourselves?”
“I didn’t tell her anything, but she’s very observant. Not a lot gets by her.” He took her burned hand and led her to the chairs that lined the porch, checking to see how badly she hurt herself. “Want me to speak to her?”
“No.” That heat started again. Every time he touched her it ignited something deep inside. “I’m just not used to someone being so direct and being on the receiving end of it.”
“Your hand will be fine. Kat has a wonderful salve if it’s bothering you.”
“It stings a little.”
“I’ll be right back.” Max went into the house to return a few moments later with a small jar in his hand. Taking her hand back, he smoothed the salve on her fingers. “I’d like to show you around some more. Maybe look for that Tear?”
“Okay, but not in my jammies.” She took a sip of her drink. “I’d also like to enjoy what is left of this.”
“How about I refresh your drink while you change and we’ll both enjoy a cup.”
“Deal.” Alicia pushed herself to her feet and dashed to her room. She didn’t want to run the risk of facing Kat right now. It didn’t take long for her to climb into her clothes. She reached the door just as Max came out of the kitchen with two mugs in his hand.
“Thanks,” he said after she held the door open for him. “Wasn’t sure how I was going to handle that with these two things.”
“Thanks for getting the coffee.” She took her seat and accepted the cup he offered. Flexing her hand she was amazed at how quickly the pain disappeared once he had spread the stuff on her fingers. It had a nice aroma too.
“How’s your hand?”
“Much better, thanks.” She brought her cup up to her face and blew on the hot brew. “About your sister.”
“My sister is mostly bark, but she is known for getting in people’s faces. She’s normally right, but it can get annoying.”
“So you agree with her?”
“What did you two talk about?
“She feels I need to accept the fact we belong to each other. She said there was a lot I had to learn about your people and made it sound like time is of the essence.”
“Just how long was this conversation?”
“Maybe a minute or two.”
“Boy, she was direct.” Max leaned his head back against the high-back rocking chair. “How do you feel about us now that time has passed?”
Alicia looked at his profile, burning it into her mind. The more time she spent with him the deeper her feelings went. Feelings she refused to acknowledge. She wasn’t sure if she was ready to accept this mating thing, but she had come to realize she wanted him in her life. As obnoxious as he was, her life had been a lot more fun with him in it.
“I don’t know. You make me crazy at times, but I’ve learned I feel empty when you’re not at my side. I’ve never considered myself the marrying type. As each of my friends married and had families I always felt smarter for not going that route.”
“And now?” He hadn’t moved his head. It was almost like he was afraid to look at her.
“You’re not giving up, are you?” She sighed. “I’m still not sure about the mating thing, but you’re the first man who has me contemplating a lifelong relationship.”
He turned to her and gave her one of his bone melting smiles. “We can do the mating ritual again, this time we’ll do it right.”
“Maybe.”
“I’ll take that as a yes?”
Her whole being wanted to scream yes, but instead she stuck her tongue out at him before lifting the cup to her lips. It had cooled enough for her to down the contents quickly.
“Ready?” Max did the same thing before standing.
“Sure.” She stood as well.
“Let me pop these back into the house for a moment.”
She tilted her head. Max’s thoughtfulness surprised her. It only took him a few seconds to drop off the cups and step back outside.
“Let’s go.” He wrapped his arm around her and steered her toward the center of the village. “I miss this.”
“What? Showing off your newest bauble?” She looked at his arm.
“What?” He glanced down before grinning. “No. I do believe you are paranoid. Besides, I showed the bauble off last night.”
He winked at her and she punched him. “That’s just not fair.”
“You started this conversation.” He gave her a big toothy smile.
“Never mind.” She looked around the jumble of buildings. It looked like a postcard image. Something you’d send home to someone you wanted to make jealous. “Ever let photographers here?”
“No. Why?”
“You could make a lot of money on this image. Picture perfect Ireland. I can see it as the bestselling postcard.” Alicia wished she had a camera. It was the one thing she had forgotten.
“I’ll make sure we get the perfect one for you then.” He slid his arm down her back and linked fingers with hers. His voice boomed through the area. “My little town has the most amazing view of the whole island. I’d love to show it to you and we can talk.”
She allowed him to pull her with him. He behaved differently here. More relaxed, and much happier. At home he was rigid, standoffish with most people. The people here relied on him so much more than anyone did at home and he loved it. “I found myself in my bed this morning. Did you have anything to do with it?”
“I got back a little too late and found you sound asleep on the couch. You didn’t look comfortable so I moved you.”
“Thanks.”
They headed up a small path, weaving their way between knotted gnarly trees.
“So, did you put on that performance back there just for me or the whole group?” She couldn’t stop the question from slipping from her lips. She had to know.
“A little hokey, huh?” He shrugged. “If I hadn’t made it sound like we wanted to be alone half of them would have followed us. I can’t see us looking for the Tear with half the town on our heels.”
He led the way up the path as the trees grew closer together and stood so tall they blocked most of the sun. “I am taking you to my favorite place though. I used to come up here when my mom was mad at me.”
“Know the place well do you?”
“Now you’re sounding like my sister.” He stopped and pulled her up against his body. “Be careful. We’re all alone and I might have my way with you.”
“You have to catch me first.” She wiggled her eyebrows at him.
“Is that a challenge?” His voice deepened.
“Not if you’re going to keep me this close. I at least need a head start.”
He dropped his hands like they were on fire. “I’ll give you one minute.”
“Five.” She inched away from him.
“Three.” He gave her a wink and a smile. “And I promise to keep my word.”
A thrill raced through her. “Deal.” She dashed back down the path to a smaller one that veered to the right. It was far enough away Max shouldn’t be able to find her too easily.
She hoped.