Project: Parenthood

She wanted to be kissed.

Just that simple. Nothing more. Just kissed. By Brendan, in a makeshift tent on her living room floor.

One afternoon of messing about with three kids and Brendan in a faux family scene and the part of her that was so commitmentphobic seemed to have taken a momentary hike.

She knew there would be consequences to a kiss. But it didn’t stop her from wanting it….

Dear Reader,

One of the nicest experiences a writer can have while working on a story is when characters take you by the hand and lead you through their journey. In Project: Parenthood Teagan and Brendan did exactly that.

These two could be any of us—people who live their everyday lives on a learning curve that can often be steep. Something I’ve learned myself as I’ve got older and supposedly more “mature.” Brendan is one of the lucky few who knows what he wants from his life fairly early on, but takes a longer road than planned to get there. I know how that goes. And Teagan is convinced she knows what she wants from life when she’s really not being honest with herself. I know how that one goes, too.

In this story it just takes one little twist of fate to lead them to a place where they can see things clearly and end up where they’re supposed to be. I know I love it when things like that happen, and I hope you’ll love taking the journey with them as much as I did. All I’ve done is tell the story they told me to tell you.

Hugs and kisses,

Trish

Project: Parenthood
Trish Wylie

www.millsandboon.co.uk

Trish Wylie tried various careers before eventually fulfilling her dream of writing. Years spent working in the music industry, in promotions and teaching little kids about ponies gave her plenty of opportunity to study life and the people around her. Which, in Trish’s opinion, is a pretty good study course for writing! Living in Ireland, Trish balances her time between writing and horses. If you get to spend your days doing things you love, then she thinks that’s not doing too badly. You can contact Trish at www.trishwylie.com

For J.H. my editor.

For encouragement and belief in me above

and beyond the call of duty….

CONTENTS

PROLOGUE

CHAPTER ONE

CHAPTER TWO

CHAPTER THREE

CHAPTER FOUR

CHAPTER FIVE

CHAPTER SIX

CHAPTER SEVEN

CHAPTER EIGHT

CHAPTER NINE

CHAPTER TEN

CHAPTER ELEVEN

CHAPTER TWELVE

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

EPILOGUE

PROLOGUE

‘YOU look amazing. Wow. Almost like a princess.’

Teagan Delaney smiled at her younger sister’s gasp of awe from the bedroom doorway. ‘Why, thank you. It’s amazing what you can do with three hours’ preparation time. Did you get Dad’s dinner done?’

Eimear nodded, her ponytail bobbing furiously before she sprawled across the cover of Teagan’s bed. ‘Uh-huh. I’m going to do some course revision in my room ’til you come home, though.’

It was a pretty normal thing for a seventeen-year-old to do. But Teagan knew it was also a way of hiding, ‘You could watch some TV downstairs with Dad for a little while when you take a break. I’m sure he won’t mind.’

Eyes the same shade of green as her own rolled towards the ceiling. ‘He’ll make me watch some dumb documentary. I’ll just wait in my room and then you can tell me everything later.’ She propped her head on an elbow. ‘And you’d better. Even if I’m asleep you have to promise to wake me up.’

‘I can tell you in the morning.’

‘I won’t sleep ‘til I hear tonight!’ She pouted.

Teagan raised a dark eyebrow. ‘I thought you just said to wake you up?’

‘I won’t sleep proper.’

‘Properly.’

She scowled. ‘Well, I won’t. You have to come tell me. I never get to go to proper dress-up parties.’

Teagan turned back to the mirror and examined her reflection. It was perfect, thanks to Eimear. Without her fashion-conscious sister she wouldn’t have looked half so glamorous. Nicer jeans than normal and possibly a tad more make-up would have done the tomboy Teagan just fine. But Eimear had been more ambitious. And it had certainly paid off.

Stopping to hand out a hug of appreciation before she left the room, she felt her heart beat a little louder in her chest at the thought of what other people might think of the transformation. Hell. There was only one person she would like to impress. One person whose opinion really mattered.

She’d been spending more and more time with Brendan McNamara since he’d split up with his girlfriend at the start of the new university year.

He was the most amazing person she knew. It would be nice if he could look at her and think she was amazing too. Even if it was just for the one night.

With a promise thrown to Eimear that she would wake her, no matter how late it was, she lifted her wrap and made her way towards the stairs. As she balanced carefully on her highest ever heels, her mind turned to the only other male in her life. Who would be in the living room with his dinner on a tray and a documentary of some kind on the television.

She felt hope bubble in her chest. Surely, dressed like she was, he would take the time to tell her she looked beautiful? Just a couple of minutes to look her way and notice how much she’d grown up. That she was a woman now, and not the tomboy she’d been for most of her life.

Words of love or even a hug would be too much to hope for. But something, even a small something, would do.

He didn’t even look up from his food when she made her entrance.

‘I’m off now, Dad.’

‘Right, then. Back by twelve.’

‘Dad, it’s a ball. I’ll not be back ’til after one.’ She tried to keep a note of pleading from her voice. ‘But I’ll come straight home. I promise.’

‘Make sure you do.’

She waited. Willed him to look at her, just for a moment. But he kept on eating. ‘You got money?’

‘Yes.’

‘Don’t spend it all well.’

‘I won’t.’ With a small sigh she scowled down at her feet and then turned to leave the room. ‘I’ll see you in the morning.’

‘None of that bran nonsense at breakfast.’

‘Fine.’

Swallowing down the lump in her throat, she turned and walked away from him. She should have known better than to even hope, shouldn’t she? Years of disappointment should have taught her not to believe in any form of magic from her father. Or even from the mother who was gone.

It was just a shame she wasn’t as thick-skinned as the years should have taught her to be.

Thank heavens she had a friend like Brendan. He gave her hope in the rest of the world.

Within a few hours he had put the smile back onto her face, with his easy banter, teasing tones and quiet confidence.

He was truly amazing. Around him she actually found herself feeling happy and carefree, even if reality was always in the background to remind her that life wasn’t carefree and happy.

Brendan had been her flatmate’s boyfriend when she’d met him. Which had technically made him ‘safe’ to get to know. There had been no danger in being friends with him because the three young women who shared the flat had had an unwritten rule about stealing guys. Not that Teagan would even have thought about it. She had more important goals than some guy’s arm to dangle from.

So they’d become friends. Had almost been forced to during the times when Shannon had been late back from her part-time job, or spending longer than usual getting ready to go out for the night.

Teagan knew everything about Brendan McNamara. She knew he was determined about what he wanted from life, that one day it would definitely involve a home, with a wife and a family. He was warm and open, enthusiastic and optimistic, successful in everything he ever put his hand to. And to add to all that he was disgustingly good-looking.

Truly amazing. If almost a little too perfect.

He was not what Teagan would ever allow herself to fall for. Because he was a long-term, serious commitment.

And, truth be told, she had no intention of looking for anyone that serious. Not anyone who was seeking a happily ever after anyway. She’d seen up close and personal what a deep and ‘meaningful’ relationship could do to two people. Especially when along the line they got married, had kids and discovered that they really weren’t that suited after all. Then things fell apart at the seams. And the children were the ones who paid for the mistake.

Teagan had sworn she would never allow that to happen to her. She never wanted any child to go through the upbringing she had.

Being friends with Brendan was absolutely the safest option. And their friendship mattered to her. She trusted him. Felt that he knew her well enough not to cross any line. And she needed to know the latter most of all, because he was testing her theories for life more than anyone else ever had.

The thing was, being with Brendan made her forget a lot of the things she had her future focused around. He made her wish she could believe in things like happily ever after.

So now, for one night, she was allowing herself to walk in a fairy tale. Dressed as a princess, dancing in the arms of a handsome prince. At Christmas. It really didn’t get any better than that.

‘You having fun?’

She smiled up at him. ‘Yes. I don’t think I’ve ever had more fun.’

He grinned a grin that made his dark blue eyes sparkle. ‘You really need to get out more, you know. Too much studying makes Teagan a dull girl.’

‘Oooh, go on—compliment me some more. I can take it.’

‘I already told you twice that you look stunning tonight.’ He swung her around in a circle that swooshed her long skirts against her ankles. ‘I don’t want to swell your head too much.’

She felt herself glow beneath his underhanded praise. Though the look on his face when he had first set eyes on her had been compliment enough already.

Looking down on her face, a low grumble of laughter escaped his lips as they swung closer to the edge of the dance-floor. ‘I know. I’m a keeper, really.’

Yes, he was. For a brief moment she allowed herself to wonder at the kind of girl who would be lucky enough to keep him. And the slice of jealousy that tore through her made her feet falter for a second.

Oh, no. He was a friend. He could only ever be a friend.

‘Watch the toes, kiddo.’

‘Mmm, ’cos they’re hard to miss.’ Teagan quirked a brow at him, her eyes shining. ‘You know what they say about men with large feet…’

His dark eyes widened slightly and then he leaned his head closer, dropping his voice so only she could hear. ‘Large shoes?’

Laughing, they swung closer to the edge, and stopped below an archway. Then, as their gentle swaying stilled, something in Brendan’s eyes changed. He examined her face for a long moment, his gaze seeming to memorise her before he spoke in the same low tone. ‘You really are stunning tonight, Teagan.’

Looking back years later, Teagan would see what happened next as being one of those ‘oh, no’ moments. Everyone, at some point in their life, experienced at least one. She would find that out herself with time.

It was a kind of mental danger alert. The moment when a person knew that they shouldn’t have allowed a particular thing to happen. It was a voice in the back of the mind yelling Uh-oh—this could be trouble moment. And for Teagan it came seconds too late.

While he looked at her with so much warmth in his eyes she temporarily forgot the small matter of all the goals she had set for herself in the not too distant future. And the pledge she’d made to avoid guys like him, who might touch her heart where it had never been touched before.

She just allowed herself to get caught up in the magic of the moment.

And as he smiled down at her with every spark of charm at his disposal, then let an upward glance direct her eyes to the mistletoe above them, she even forgot to breathe.

What she should have done was crack a joke or step away. She most certainly shouldn’t have stood rooted to the one spot and watched while his head descended.

She knew how big a mistake it was the minute his mouth touched hers.

Oh, no.

In that first touch of lips it was as if something she hadn’t even known existed inside her woke up. It started with warmth where their mouths met, a sensual awareness of connecting with another person. Then the warmth moved from her mouth to her chest, causing her breath to catch and her heart to beat louder. Then there was the spiralling, tightening sensation low in her abdomen. All in one kiss. All in the space of a few minutes.

It frightened the life clean out of her. This was exactly what she had sworn she would never allow to happen to her. For a few brief moments she was losing control, was stepping into the abyss. But, unlike so many people who had no idea of what there could be at the bottom of that abyss, Teagan knew. She knew.

Heartbreak, agony, self-doubt, sacrifice. Pain.

She was twenty-one years old, with no experience of physical attraction on such a level. But she knew what the emotional cost was. And she wouldn’t do that to either of them.

‘No.’ The word came out on a tortured whisper. ‘You shouldn’t have done that. We can’t—’

‘Yes, we can.’ He squeezed his arms tighter around her waist. ‘You had to know this was going to happen.’

She tugged back against his arms. ‘I knew no such thing! We’re supposed to be friends.’

‘That’s a good place to start.’

‘No, it’s a good way of gaining ammunition, is what it is. You have no idea what you’d be getting into.’

He obviously had no idea what she meant. The look on his face told her that. And in that second she knew she was right to do what she was doing. He didn’t know her as well as he thought he did. That wasn’t his fault. Because with Brendan she’d had her first chance to live in a land of make-believe. Someone who had led as charmed a life as he had could only believe that everyone else’s life had been as easy. So it had been simple to play along.

But the very fact that it was hurting her so much to reject him only proved that she was right to do it. If she got any more involved than she already was then she might not survive. She might end up exactly like her parents.

‘I can’t believe you did this.’ She finally managed to get free from his hold, her eyes flashing up at him as she did her best not to cry. ‘You’ve ruined everything.’

‘With one wee kiss? How have I ruined everything?’ He shook his head and stepped towards her again, his eyes flickering around to see who could hear their argument, ‘You’re acting like some hysterical female, Teagan. Stop it.’

The condescending tone was like a slap in the face, ‘How dare you?’

‘Teagan—’ His tone became more warning.

‘Don’t you Teagan me! Try finding someone who wants you to kiss them, Brendan. There are loads of women here who might want that from you. But I’m not one of them.’ She raised her chin a very visibly stubborn inch and glared at him. ‘Get over yourself.’

Without waiting for a response she turned and, like Cinderella running from the ball, fled across the room, the sound of her name in his deep voice echoing behind her.

She swore there and then that she would never see him again. Ever. He could think that was immature or stupid if he wanted to. In fact he could think whatever the hell he liked.

All he had done was show her that the path she’d chosen for herself was the right one. She would never let anyone get to her like he just had. She would only ever have herself to look out for, pure and simple.

And they’d be selling ice cream in hell before she changed her mind again.

CHAPTER ONE

‘YOU can’t do this to me now!’

Eimear lowered her voice and blinked shimmering eyes at her. ‘Teagan, I wouldn’t ask if this wasn’t really important. It could be make or break for us. I need this time with Mac to sort it out or we could be through.’

‘I get that, Eimear. I do. But I can’t look after them now.’ She glanced over at the three small faces blinking at her from the doorway, guilt rising up in her throat like bile that they were having to hear her turn them away, rejecting them. ‘Maybe next weekend some time. I have this massive deal in work and—’

‘This is my life we’re talking about! I can’t lose him, Teagan. I really can’t.’

And now she was crying. Teagan couldn’t take it when Eimear cried. And she especially couldn’t take it when it was happening in front of her nephew and nieces. Even though technically their mother’s back was to them. Teagan really couldn’t put them through any of the stuff she remembered from her own childhood. It would be too cruel.

But surely it wasn’t unreasonable to have asked for a little warning? A phone call to discuss it? A text message to say they were on their way over? Not a carload of them outside of her house when she got home from work…

‘Eimear—’

‘Please. I’m begging you.’

It had been a long time since Teagan had really felt that Eimear needed her. Things just hadn’t been the same between them over the years since Eimear’s first marriage. A marriage that Teagan had felt never should have happened to begin with. She’d said so. Loudly and at length, in fact. And Eimear had never really forgiven her for it, so their relationship had changed.

But seeing Eimear so desperate now was like looking back in time. And it brought out Teagan’s old need to soothe and to make things better.

Her eyes moved again to the three children. The eldest, Johnnie, was looking at her with eyes the same colour as his mother’s. He almost looked as if he was examining her, sizing her up. And even while she stood contemplating how to get out of looking after them she felt as if she was falling short of his expectations.

She took a long breath. ‘How long for?’

‘Thank you!’ Eimear engulfed her in a swift, tight hug, her tears gone. ‘I knew I could rely on you.’

Teagan scowled, suddenly feeling she’d just been hoodwinked. ‘They’ll need—’

‘They have everything they need right there. It’s all pretty self-explanatory. And Meggie is potty trained now, so she just needs a nappy on at night. It’s a pull-on, so you’ll be grand.’

She was still scowling while her sister became a hurricane around the room, hugging and kissing the children and moving towards the door. ‘We’ll only be a few days. Mac has booked some lovely country hideaway for us.’

‘How will I—?’

‘Thanks, Teagan. You really are a star.’

And she was gone.

Teagan blinked at the closed door. What had just happened? Not half an hour ago she’d had a bubble bath, scented candles and a glass of good Chardonnay planned for her evening. Now she was staring at three small faces that looked as bewildered as she felt.

She pinned a bright smile on her face as she approached them. But it took about thirty seconds for the smallest one to crumple.

‘Oh, no, honey. Don’t do that.’

And then the second one began to sniffle. Only Johnnie remained impassive.

It was Teagan’s worst nightmare.

Brendan hated moving days. This time would definitely be the last one for a few dozen years if he had his way.

He lugged a box from his rental van and made his sixth trip into the house before rolling up his sleeves and heading out to repeat the trip.

At least his life wasn’t as chaotic as it looked for the poor woman across the street.

She was making her third trip from the house to the car. This time with a screaming toddler in her arms. And from the way she was moving he could tell she wasn’t having much fun. No sign of a dad to help out either. Maybe he’d had sense enough to head out for work earlier, before the chaos kicked in.

If it had been Brendan, he’d have relished that kind of chaos.

He shook his head. He should have bought a damn apartment in some new complex filled with single people. People who didn’t make up perfect little family units in a hive of houses filled with similar perfect family units.

Hell, he’d have been better off with a paper cut and some nice lemon juice to pour on it.

But the house was a good investment.

The woman leaned in through the car door and soothed the screaming child until there was silence. Then, running her hands back through her dark hair to tame it, she closed the door and started around to the driver’s side. But halfway around the car she stopped, and there was a frustrated scream and a stamp of one high heel. Her hands rose for a moment and then dropped to her sides. ‘No, not this morning! Don’t do this to me!’

He stepped away from the van and looked where she was looking. A flat tyre. That sucked.

Well, he shrugged to himself, that was one way to get to meet the neighbours. And Lord knew she looked as if she could do with being rescued.

So he did the decent thing and jogged across the street. ‘Hi. Do you need a hand?’

She jumped when he spoke, and swung to face him, her hair swinging across her face. ‘I have a flat tyre.’

Brendan looked down at the offending object and nodded wisely. ‘Yep, I’d say you do, all right.’

‘I can’t fix a flat tyre in this outfit.’ There was a brief pause while she joined him in looking at the tyre. Then she took a breath and her voice changed. ‘I don’t suppose I could possibly ask you—?’

The male in him noted the shift in her vocal tone immediately. How it had changed from annoyed to beguiling in the space of one sentence. She was trying to flirt with him to get him to change the tyre. Typical woman. Obviously some ditzy housewife who had never learned how to change a tyre because her husband always did it for her.

He smiled and looked at her as she brushed her hair back from her face. And his breath caught.

‘Teagan.’

Her eyes flickered up to meet his, then widened. ‘Brendan.’

Blond brows quirked at the guarded way she said his name. He tried a wider smile. ‘Well, this is a surprise.’

‘What are you doing here?’

‘I’m moving in across the road.’

‘You bought the house across from me?’ Her eyes moved to look at the half-unloaded van. ‘When did that happen?’

‘Got the keys the day before yesterday. I have to say if I’d been given a list of people I might bump into when I got here—’

‘Mine would have been the last?’ Her chin rose as she looked back at him, a small, tight smile on her lips. ‘That’s nice.’

Her cool stare brought his back up. Okay, so she was having a bad morning—obviously—but that really was no excuse to be rude. After all, he’d come over to help.

‘Well, it’s been a while.’ He folded his arms across his broad chest and nodded.

‘Yes, it has.’

He made another attempt at lightening the mood. Not that she really deserved it. One long finger pointed towards the car, where at least the crying hadn’t started up again. ‘About three of those ago, apparently.’

Teagan snorted out a brief laugh. ‘Oh, they’re not mine. They’re my sister’s kids.’

‘You stole them?’

The smile she gave him was a little more relaxed. ‘Nope. Why would a person do that, exactly?’

‘Well, they’re cute.’ He waved through the window.

‘Yes, they are that.’ She waved herself, and was rewarded by three smiles. ‘But they’re also really hard work.’

‘I’d heard that rumour.’

She glanced at him in the reflection of the glass, seemed to take a moment or two to think and then asked, ‘Look, I’m sorry to ask you this, but is there any chance you could give me a hand with the tyre? I’m going to be really late to work at this rate.’

‘You’re taking them with you to work?’

‘No.’ She laughed again. ‘There’s a daycare centre nearby, and they’ve said they can take them today for me to help out. After that I’m on my own.’

Brendan took a breath as he turned to look at her. He blinked as he thought, his eyes moving over her profile while his mind remembered what she’d looked like the last time he had seen her. Nine years hadn’t done her any harm. She looked great, if a little on the harassed side.

When she turned her face to his she blinked up at him with her large green eyes and he remembered more about the last time he had seen her. The night he had kissed her and she’d told him to get over himself before she ran. He’d never had a chance to see her again, to talk it out. She’d given him no choice.

And now she was his neighbour. Well…

He cleared his throat. ‘I’ll help with the tyre. No problem. It’s what I came over here to do.’

There was a brief pause, then, ‘Thanks.’

Another smile was attempted. ‘You’re welcome.’

Teagan hesitated for a brief moment. Then she answered the smile with one of her own. After all, he was being helpful.

She followed him around as he pulled the spare wheel from the boot and gathered the tools he needed. It gave her a few moments to think of some conversation to make. After all, a big part of her work every day was talking to people. It shouldn’t be so difficult.

But all she could think of was, Well, hell—of all the people!

‘So.’ His voice sounded out from her knee height. ‘No kids of your own, then?’

‘No, no kids of my own.’ For some completely unknown reason she felt she had to justify that. ‘I’m too busy with my career.’

‘Not for as long as you have these three, you’re not.’

Well, thank you, Brendan, for stating the obvious. She scowled at his back as he finished jacking up the car and reached for the wrench. ‘No, the busy part is still there. This wasn’t a booked visit.’

His voice came out with a slight grunt as he worked on the first wheelnut. ‘How are you going to manage, then? Will your husband help?’

Subtle one.

‘I’m too busy with my career for a husband.’

‘You must be doing great in work, then.’

‘As a matter of fact I am. Thanks.’ Her scowl promoted itself to a frown.

He nodded as he freed the last nut and wrenched the tyre off. ‘Well, good for you.’

If she’d been a dog she’d have growled at him. In the space of a few sentences he’d made her feel as if the years since she’d parted company with him had been achievement-free. Just because his goals were different from hers, it didn’t mean hers were any less fulfilling!

After all, she owned her house—along with the bank. She almost completely owned her car. Her bank balance was healthy enough to allow a shopping spree at least once a month, and she paid every one of her bills before the ink turned red. She thought she was doing pretty well for someone her age.

Who was he to waltz in and criticise?

‘I suppose you’re moving a nice wee wife and twelve kids in across the road, then?’

He rose and turned round, lifting the spare tyre with one hand as he grinned at her. ‘Nope. Just me.’

Damn it, he’d caught her, hadn’t he? He hadn’t been trying to criticise her life; he’d been fishing for information. And he’d got it. And now he was grinning at her with a sparkle in his eyes that said, Gotcha.

Teagan shook her head with a small smile of resignation. She should have remembered how smart he was. Lord alone knew she was remembering plenty of other things while he kept on looking at her like that.

Still grinning, he turned round and popped the tyre into place, then reached a large hand out for the nuts. ‘I could help if you’re stuck.’

Like hell. ‘I can manage. Thanks.’

‘Well, if you’re stuck.’ He tightened the last nuts and then stood up, wiping his hands carelessly along the sides of his jeans before he lifted the flat. As he walked past her he glanced from the corner of his eye. ‘I’m great with kids. I have dozens of nieces and nephews, so I’ve had loads of practice.’

Well, bully for him. Though for the briefest moment she allowed herself to wonder why he hadn’t had any of his own. What had happened to his great plan for life? But she couldn’t wonder about that kind of thing. Because wondering would lead to questioning. And questioning would lead to a friendship of some kind. Which would be a massive mistake.

She was mature enough to know that now.

‘Thanks.’ She straightened her hair again, then glanced at her watch as he stowed away the tyre. ‘But, really, we’ll be fine.’

Brendan closed the boot and studied her for a long time, his dark blond lashes blinking slowly. Then he merely shrugged his broad shoulders and pushed his hands into his pockets. ‘Well, you know where I am.’

Indeed she did. But she would need to be in critical condition before she’d follow the broad shoulders that swayed as he walked back across the road.

C-r-i-t-i-c-a-l.