He has never proclaimed that they are officially ‘dating’ either. Romance words are not in his vocabulary. But it’s OK. She is willing to go with the flow right now. Why push something that is going so wonderfully, right?
So many relationships are tripped up at the inopportune moment because of this kind of thing. She does not want to be the kind of girl who demands commitments from someone who isn’t used to doling them out.
Besides, she isn’t sure she wants a commitment herself right now.
So the ‘L’ word doesn’t creep out from either of them. Neither does the ‘C’ word.
Not saying it isn’t at the back of her mind every second.
*
It is only a matter of time before Kirk Fitzpatrick finds out who she is dating.
It happens when she and Lucien are at a café one Sunday morning. They are having a lazy Sunday brunch of gourmet cereal with milk when Kirk walks in alone.
He stops when he sees them.
Shannon is seated facing the entrance and she is the first to see Kirk.
Uh oh.
Keep calm, she tells herself. You’ve done nothing wrong. And really, she hasn’t.
Lucien turns.
“Great,” he mutters. “What have I done to deserve this?”
Kirk pauses at the doorway. Everyone in the café looks up. Conversations immediately stop, and Shannon realizes that more people in town probably know about the Walker-Fitzpatrick feud than either Lucien or Kirk gave them credit for. Either that, or the presence of two antagonistic and very handsome men in the room gives everyone pause.
It is very clear that they are antagonistic. Kirk’s shoulders are drawn back and he proudly strides into the room like a gunslinger. Lucien is as still as a statue. The air between them crackles with electricity, and not of a good sort.
Instead of going up to the pastry display like she expected him to, Kirk walks to their table.
“Hi, Shannon.” He smiles broadly. “Fancy meeting you here.”
She doesn’t quite know what to say.
“Hi, Kirk.” She stands up. After all, he is her boss.
He holds up a hand. “No, no, please don’t stand on my occasion. I didn’t mean to interrupt your breakfast.”
Everyone around them, including the waitresses and the cashier, is watching them with undisguised interest.
Lucien says, “Then don’t.”
Kirk tenses.
Uh oh, Shannon thinks. She doesn’t know whether to stand or sit.
“Don’t what?” Kirk demands.
“Don’t interrupt our breakfast.”
“Lucien,” Shannon begins, but he wards her off. He does not get up but glares at Kirk balefully from his seated vantage.
Shannon doesn’t know what to do but to look from one to the other fretfully.
“I haven’t forgotten what your family did to my brother, Walker.”
Now Lucien stands up. “My family didn’t do anything to your brother. I am very sorry for your loss.”
“Maybe we should take this outside.”
“Yeah, maybe.”
“Please, don’t!” Shannon cries. She is afraid that if they do take this argument outside, it would escalate into a fight. At least in the café, in the presence of so many people, they are forced to maintain a semblance of civility. Or so she hopes.
“You may not be personally responsible for his death, Walker,” Kirk continues, his entire stance in fight readiness, “but I won’t rule out the rest of your clan. Everyone in town knows what you people are.”
“What my ancestors were has nothing to do with who I am or what my family is today. So don’t you go accusing people of witchcraft. I can land you with a lawsuit so fast that you’d be forced to close your clinic down.”
“You want to sue me? Go ahead. Let’s see what secrets my lawyers will dredge up from you.”
“I’m not the only one with secrets, Fitzpatrick. Let’s see what this town will think of you when they finally understand what you and your family really are.”
The two men become suddenly aware of everyone listening in.
“Please,” Shannon says again. “Don’t do this here. I’ll leave.”
Kirk looks at her. “No, I’ll leave. Sorry for interrupting your breakfast. But I’ll have to say this, Shannon. If you’re dating this guy, be very careful.”
“Who are you to tell her who she can and cannot date?” Lucien bridles.
OK, this is not going anywhere good. Shannon picks her purse up.
“I’m sorry both of you can’t be civil in a public place, so I’ll just go.”
“No!” Lucien says.
“You don’t have to go, Shannon.”
But she walks out of the café, her heart thudding painfully against her ribcage. Behind her, she hears Lucien say to Kirk, “Now look what you did.”