A Splash of Vanilla (Three Sisters Catering Book 3) Read online

  Her voice was low, sultry, sexy, but I pushed that knowledge aside and kept my tone all-business.

  “That’s me, what can I help you with?” I asked as I settled into my seat.

  “Oh, well, I’d like to hire you . . . to find my father.” I heard her take a deep breath. “But, you see, my sisters, Millie and Tasha . . . Millie’s the one engaged to Jackson . . . well, they don’t want to find him, so I’d kind of like to keep this between us.”

  “It’ll be confidential, that’s no problem,” I replied, searching my memory to see if I’d ever met either of Millie’s sisters.

  I didn’t think I had.

  “Great, thank you,” she breathed, obviously relieved. “What do you need from me to get started?”

  “Can you come by my office tomorrow morning?” I asked, wishing I had my calendar in front of me. I wasn’t one of those people who believed in keeping everything digital. I liked having a good old-fashioned paper calendar on my desk.

  I was old school like that.

  “I have a nine o’clock meeting with a client, but could squeeze it in during lunch. Does twelve-thirty work for you?”

  “Yup, you get the address from Jackson, or do you need it?”

  “He gave me one of your cards, so I have it.”

  “Perfect, see you then, Dru.”

  “Thank you,” she said again.

  I nodded, hung up the phone, and headed to the office. As I drove, I wondered if Dru would look as sexy as her voice, then pushed that thought to the back of my mind where it belonged.

  Dru

  IT HAD BEEN A FEW months since my birthday party. I’d woken up the next day with a killer hangover and had laughed when I’d seen the notes I’d written about my father.

  I’d tried to forget about my silly idea to find him, telling myself that we were all better off without him. But, when Millie had come back from her Graceland trip engaged, and Tasha finally got the courage to talk to her ex Jericho and apologized for the things she’d done in their past, I realized that I still yearned to find him.

  Even if it was just to ask him why he’d left, how he could go from being a father to three daughters to totally disappearing from their lives, and maybe to tell him that his name was the last on my mother’s lips before she died . . . how much I hated him for that.

  I decided I had to do it.

  So, I’d gotten Michael O’Donnelly’s card from Jackson, sworn him to secrecy, and made the call.

  Michael’s . . . Mick’s voice had been deeper than I’d expected. Low and rough, bringing the picture of a cop, fighter, or dock worker to mind. You know, a man’s man, someone burly and rough, the kind of guy who wore a T-shirt and jeans and would rather die than put product in his hair.

  That voice intrigued me, did funny things to my insides, but I’d pushed those thoughts away.

  He’d agreed to meet me. Tomorrow at his office. And I was part excited, part terrified, and part little girl lost at the mere idea of going through with it.

  “Dru, you ready?”

  I blew out a calming breath and shot my sister, Tasha, a smile.

  “Yes, I’ve got your back, promise,” I assured her.

  We were heading to the bar for Millie and Jackson’s pre-engagement party. It was just going to be us and their closest friends, with a more formal engagement party for everyone else they know happening next week at Jericho’s restaurant, Prime Beef.

  Since this was the first time since Tasha and Jericho had cleared the air that they’d be in the same room, I’d promised to stick to her like glue and not let anything awkward, embarrassing, or untoward happen.

  Still, I could tell she was nervous.

  Tasha wouldn’t admit it, but I could tell she was still in love with him. But, since the only times I’d been around him they’d been avoiding each other, I was reserving the right to form my own opinion on the guy and decide whether or not he was good enough for my little sister.

  As we walked inside, I spotted our group at a long table. Rob, Ty, and Rebecca were all teachers with Jackson. Rob’s wife, Jan was there as well, but there was no sign of Jackson, Millie, or Jericho.

  I could see Tasha relax as we grabbed seats at the table.

  “The happy couple not here yet?” Tasha asked.

  “No, not yet,” Ty replied. “They were dropping Kayla off with Jackson’s parents, and should be here soon. Rebecca’s putting in an order of appetizers and getting a couple pitchers.”

  Kayla was Jackson’s daughter. She’d been a bit of a turd when Mills and Jackson first started dating, but now she was a sweet potato. I was already working diligently to get favorite aunt status.

  I felt a presence behind me and turned slowly. The hair on my arms rose and I felt a tingle at the base of my skull. I knew something important was about to happen.

  Holy shit.

  A man was approaching our table. He was tall and built like a cage fighter, with dark hair and a ruggedly handsome face. And his eyes, holy Toledo, his eyes, they were the palest, most striking green eyes I’d ever seen.

  “What’s up?” he said in greeting, his voice deep and rough, and I knew.

  That’s him. Mick. The PI I hired to help me find my father.

  Suddenly, Tasha kicked me under the table. I snapped my mouth closed and cried, “Hey, that hurt.”

  She bugged her eyes out at me and since my shin still throbbed from her kick, I punched her in the arm.

  “Ow!” she muttered with a glare, then leaned in and whispered, “I was trying to help you out before drool started dripping down your chin.”

  I felt my cheeks flush.

  “Shut up, I was not drooling.”

  “You sure as hell were staring at him like he’s a medium-rare steak and you haven’t eaten in weeks,” Tasha hissed.

  I rolled my eyes, my gaze snagging on him again before I turned quickly back to my sister.

  “Did you see his eyes?” I asked, because seriously, they were that amazing.

  Before I could stop her, Tasha lifted her hand and waved her fingers at him.

  Kill me now.

  “Hi, I’m Natasha, you can call me Tasha, and this is Dru. We’re Millie’s sisters.”

  I felt his eyes on mine and shifted toward him.

  “Hi,” I managed, but it came out like a squeak.

  Mick moved toward us, and I felt myself still as I watched him.

  For a big guy, he sure can move.

  “Michael O’Donnelly, you can call me Mick,” he said in that voice, his hand outstretched.

  I looked down at his hand. His large, capable, manly hand. I watched Natasha shake it, then kept staring when he offered it to me.

  Tasha kicked me again.

  “Ouch . . . stop doing that,” I said with a glare, thinking if she kept this up she could deal with Jericho on her own. Then I placed my hand in Mick’s and said, “Hi.”

  I don’t know how long we stayed like that . . . my hand enveloped by his, my eyes captured in his pale green gaze. But it was more than a few seconds, and I felt my body grow warm and my hand begin to tingle in his.

  Finally, he let my hand go and turned away, effectively breaking off our connection.

  I let out a deep breath as I watched his broad back walk toward the bar.

  “What was that?” Tasha asked, but I was saved from answering by the arrival of Jericho, Millie, and Jackson.

  A few minutes later, Natasha excused herself to go speak with Jericho, like a grownup, and I moved to see how Millie was doing.

  “So, was Jackson’s family excited?” I asked my sister.

  She was practically beaming when she replied, “Yes, so excited . . . Who are you staring at?”

  I blinked and turned from my perusal of Mick to look innocently at my twin.

  “What? No one. Just checking out the bar . . .”

  Millie narrowed her eyes at me, looked to the bar where Mick was drinking what looked like whiskey, then back at me. Her expression turned sly.
r />   “Mick? Where you just eyeing Mick like he was a Kate Spade bag on sale?”

  “No,” I protested. “I just met the guy, why would I be staring at him?”

  “Uh, cause he’s hot? I mean, have you seen those eyes?” She looked between the two of us again and clapped her hands.

  “Stop that,” I whispered, slapping her hands.

  “I like this. You two would actually be perfect together, in a weird way.”

  This time I narrowed my eyes at her.

  “It’s settled, I’m gonna hook you two up,” Millie said, and before I could tell her no way, she walked away.

  Crap.

  MICK

  MY DAILY ROUTINE WAS PRETTY simple.

  Get up at four thirty in the morning, be at the gym by five. Work out, spar, then shower. Grab some breakfast or a protein shake, then head to the office to do some paperwork. Check the email and phone for messages/new clients, do any casework I can do, and pick up anything I need for Ma.

  After my stop in at the assisted living joint, I usually work cases, and if I’m not taken out of town by business, I either meet the guys at the bar for dinner and drinks, pick up a poker game, meet one of my casual lady friends, or just chill at home.

  I was a pretty simple and predictable guy.

  My routine didn’t change much, even if I was out of town on a case.

  So, after finishing my workout and showering, I was driving into the office, my protein shake almost finished.

  I shook my head as I thought of Jackson and Millie’s engagement party the night before. It had been low-key, with the lot of us having drinks and food as we shot the shit and occasionally broke off to play pool.

  That wasn’t the issue, low-key was definitely my thing, the problem came when Jackson’s pretty fiancée, Millie, pulled me aside as I was about to leave.

  “Mick . . .” I stopped by the door and turned to see her walking toward me with a tentative smile.

  I searched my memory, sure I’d already told her congratulations, but worried I’d somehow forgot, and waited for her to get to me.

  “Hey, Millie . . . Uh, congrats again on the engagement. Heeler’s one of the good ones,” I said, just in case.

  She looked at me strangely for a minute, and I knew I had already congratulated her, but like the class act she was, Millie just put on a sweet smile and said, “Thanks, Mick. He really is.”

  “You need something?” I asked, not trying to be rude, but it was getting late and four thirty came pretty early.

  “Not exactly, I was just thinking . . . We’d love to have you over for dinner one night, maybe invite my sister Dru along . . .”

  Subtle she was not.

  I glanced over to where Dru was laughing with Ty and Rob.

  There was no denying her sister was hot. Hotter than I’d initially thought when I’d heard her voice. All dark hair and sultry eyes, with tanned skin, a fantastic body, and an even better laugh. Dru would definitely fall into the category of someone I’d get to know better.

  But one, I didn’t do blind dates. And two, I didn’t mess with clients.

  Unfortunately, Dru had asked me not to say anything about finding her father to Millie or Natasha, so I couldn’t tell Millie my no client rule. And, she was a nice woman, and I didn’t feel comfortable telling her I was more into fucking women than dating them.

  “Yeah, uh, Millie, dinner’d be great . . . You won’t see me turning down a home-cooked meal, but I don’t think I’m the kind of guy you want setting up with your sister. Dinner as friends, sure, but that’s about all I got,” I said, hoping I didn’t come off as too much of an ass.

  Millie’s smile dimmed a bit, but she nodded swiftly and said, “Great. I’ll let you know when.”

  And as I watched her walk away with a spring in her step and smile over her shoulder, I knew she wasn’t going to give up that easily.

  Millie was still planning to hook me up with her sister, whether I agreed to it or not.

  The sound of a car honking behind me pulled me out of my head and back to the present. I waved in apology to the driver, then continued on the way to my office. I parked my Jeep in my spot and unlocked the door, turning on the lights as I walked through the space I’d worked hard to call my own.

  I was proud of what I’d accomplished, and loved the fact that my office looked more like a man cave than a place of business. Sure, there was a room in the back with my desk and files, which looked legit, but the common area had plush seating, a big-screen TV, and shelves lining the walls.

  I walked over to those shelves, carefully chose a record, and placed it on the player.

  Once the room was filled with the sounds of Bob Seger, I grabbed a water out of the fridge in the corner and made my way to my desk.

  An hour later, I heard the front door open and looked up to see Dru walk in.

  She was all decked out in a pencil skirt and white blouse, her heels tapping on the floor as she looked around my space.

  “Come on back,” I called, ignoring the way my pulse jumped at the sight of her.

  When Dru walked into the back office, I said, “Take a seat,” indicating the chair across from my desk.

  She did so with a welcoming smile on her face, crossing her legs as she settled down into the chair.

  “Turn the Page,” Dru said softly, and it took me a minute to realize she was talking about the song that was playing.

  Shit, she looked like that and knew classic rock? For the first time ever, my no-client rule was looking like a pain in my ass.

  “Yeah,” I agreed, too caught up in her to say more.

  “And, on vinyl, too, huh?”

  I bit back a groan and nodded.

  “My dad had an extensive record collection and every Saturday morning, he’d wake us up by playing his music loudly. I hated it as a kid, cause I wanted to sleep, but I learned to appreciate the kind of music he listened to, and the sound of a record playing over a digital recording, as I got older.”

  The woman was God-damned perfect.

  Dru looked at me in surprise, and I realized I’d been scowling at her, so I fixed my face and said, “Cool. Your dad at least sounds like he had good taste in music, even if he was a dead-beat in every other area. Tell me everything you can about him.”

  I picked up my pen and began jotting notes in my notebook as she told me what she remembered about him and the circumstances of his leaving.

  “The last time I saw him, Millie and I were eight. He cheated on our mom and when the other woman gave him an ultimatum, he chose her and left us. There was no warning, no clue that there was anything wrong, he was there one minute, and vanished the next. My mom and Millie had a really hard time, while Tasha and I did our best to be strong for them and act like nothing was wrong.”

  “Do you know her name?” I asked, noting the way Dru wrung her hands in her lap while she spoke. She may say his leaving meant nothing, but she was obviously more distressed over it than she let on.

  “Yeah, uh, Susan . . . Susan Riley. He met her on a business trip to Chicago. I always assumed that’s where he went.”

  “And your mother never heard from him again?”

  Dru shook her said. Her eyes started to well, but it was like she pushed back the tears through sheer will.

  “What else? What was his job? His last known employer? Stats like height, weight, eye and hair color?”

  Dru answered my questions dispassionately. I could tell she was closing herself off from the emotion talking about her father had unintentionally brought out.

  When I walked her out, I was left with the impression that not only was she a sexy, intelligent, motivated business woman, she was also strong, a little sad, and had fantastic freakin’ legs.

  Dru

  THE MEETING WITH MICK HAD drained me more emotionally than I’d thought it would.

  I’d walked in with the intention of showing the buff, sexy Irishman with the unusual eyes just how confident, articulate, and intriguing I was. Afte
r our initial meeting at the bar the night before, I was afraid I hadn’t made a very good impression and wanted to make up for it.

  After talking with Jackson, I knew Mick was single, and although I didn’t know him well, everyone else had great things to say about him. He was funny, loyal, and protective, which made sense, considering his job.

  I was interested in getting to know him better.

  So, I’d gone in ready to put out feelers, to see if maybe he’d be interested in learning more about me as well, then I’d gone and gotten all freaked out about his questions about my dad.

  What had I been thinking? I was hiring him to find our father, of course he was going to want to know more about him, about our past. I just hadn’t expected to feel so much when I answered those questions.

  I’d left without making any sort of move at all. In fact, I’d been the opposite of sexy and alluring, I’d been emotionally stunted and morose.

  Decidedly unsexy.

  I shook it off as I entered Three Sisters. Neither Mick nor I were going anywhere, so I knew I’d get another chance to show him the real me.

  Until then, I had a full load of work to focus on, of which I was already behind, due to my appointment at Mick’s.

  “Hey, how was lunch?” Natasha asked as I walked into the office.

  I felt a twinge of guilt.

  I’d lied about going to lunch, since I didn’t want my sisters to know I was meeting with Mick. Now the drive-thru burger I’d scarfed down on the drive back was sitting in my stomach like a lead weight.

  “All right,” I mumbled, sitting down at my cluttered desk and turning on the computer. “I probably should have just grabbed something here.”

  Tasha chuckled and said, “Millie would have killed you if you’d tried. She’s in a bit of a tizzy in the kitchen right now.”

  “Really? Is everything okay?” I asked, putting my hands on my desk to get back up if need be.

  “Yeah, she’s good now. They had a little trouble with a late delivery, and Mills was panicking about the event tonight, but Claire came in early and they’re back on track now.”