“Thank you, Miss O’Rourke. That’s kind of you,” Alex said formally, in a tone that announced he had no intention of asking for anything.
She cocked her head. “Please call me Shannon. Nobody uses Miss O’Rourke unless they want to annoy me. Even reporters aren’t that formal during a press conference.”
“Do you talk to reporters very often?”
Shannon shrugged. “It’s part of my job. I’m the Public Relations Director for O’Rourke Enterprises.”
“Of course,” he said. “You’re one of the O’Rourkes.”
Her nose wrinkled.
Terrific, she was one of the O’Rourkes. Her oldest brother was a talented businessman who’d made truck-loads of money. As one of the richest men in the country, Kane had gotten more press than most movie stars, so people tended to recognize the name. Especially in the Seattle area.
“Sorry,” Alex murmured, his lazy, comfortable grin sending her pulse skidding. It didn’t make sense; he wasn’t the type of man she usually dated. “You must get tired of people saying things like that.”
“Now and then.”
He cleared his throat and motioned to the line that had moved away from them. Shannon strolled forward, making sure that Mr. Tibbles remained within Jeremy’s sight now that he’d rejoined them. The boy was so young. She wondered if he remembered his mother, or if it was the sense of abandonment that still haunted him. It was hard for a child to understand that their mommy or daddy hadn’t wanted to die. But death wasn’t a concept children understood very well.
Nor did some adults, Shannon reflected wryly.
There were times she heard her father’s voice in her subconscious and turned around, half expecting to see him standing there.
She let out a breath and looked up at Alex. “I understand you teach engineering. My brother Kane wanted to be an engineer, but he had to quit school.”
“Instead he became a billionaire,” Alex said dryly. “It must be rough.”
Shannon’s eyes narrowed. She might complain about her atavistic brothers, but nobody criticized Kane except her. He’d done everything for the family, giving up his own plans for the future. The fact that he’d made a fortune in the process just proved his intelligence and determination.
“Kane is brilliant,” she said in a cool tone. “Until he got married he worked fourteen hours a day, so he was hardly living a life of ease and luxury. Money was just his way of taking care of the family after we lost our father. He would have been a wonderful engineer, but he never got the chance.”
The corners of Alex’s mouth twitched. He’d never have believed the vibrant redhead was capable of looking so frosty. She might be fashion-model beautiful, but when it came to her precious brother, she was pure pit bull.
“I wasn’t criticizing,” he said.
“Of course you weren’t.”
She turned her back to him, and he sighed. Women like Shannon O’Rourke were too volatile for a down-to-earth guy like him. And too unpredictable. He liked engineering schematics and formulas, things you could count on. Life was uncertain enough without inviting chaos into the mix.
The line had moved and they finally reached the front, where a postal clerk waited expectantly.
“Our turn,” Jeremy said to Shannon.
She nodded. “You’re such a big help. Let’s put the packages on the counter, so your daddy can mail them.” She cast a glance toward Alex. “And I’ll mail my Christmas cards.”
“Okay.”
Jeremy handed up the packages, which Shannon piled on the counter along with the ones she’d carried. Almost as an afterthought, she added her bundle of Christmas cards, which Alex noticed were already stamped. She hadn’t needed to wait in line with them.
“Well, Jeremy, I’d better return Mr. Tibbles to you, and then get going.”
Shannon took the stuffed rabbit out of her purse and passed it to Jeremy, who didn’t seem to hold it quite as fiercely as before. Alex rubbed his chin as he watched Shannon walk away. His son had never accepted someone so quickly. Hell, she’d gotten Mr. Tibbles away from him with just a smile—he hadn’t managed that feat and he was Jeremy’s father.
“It all goes first-class mail. I’ll be back in a minute,” he muttered to the postal clerk, shoving his credit card in her direction. Muffled groans of protest came from the waiting customers, but Alex ignored them. “Miss O’Rourke,” he said, catching Shannon at the exit. “That is… Shannon.”
“Ever the gentleman, Dr. McKenzie,” she murmured. “But I can manage this door on my own.”
“That wasn’t what I meant.”
“You mean you don’t want to hold the door for me?” Shannon sounded offended and he groaned.
“No, that is, yes, of course I do, but…”
Too late he saw the faint humor lurking in her green eyes.
He’d been had, yet he wanted to laugh as well. There weren’t many women who could forgive a supposed insult that quickly. Especially one concerning family. Whatever faults Shannon O’Rourke might have, holding a grudge didn’t appear to be one of them.
“So, what did you want?” she asked.
Alex hesitated. He didn’t want anything, but for Jeremy’s sake he should keep things cordial between them. “It’s just… I’m sorry I upset you. And I want you to know that I appreciated the way you handled Jeremy. That’s all.”
“Oh.” Confusion filled her eyes.
A woman as beautiful as Shannon O’Rourke probably expected to be asked for a date, but he had no intention of getting involved with anyone, much less someone like Shannon. His friends and colleagues, everyone, kept saying it was just a matter of time, that if you’ve had one good marriage, you’re more likely to have a second good one.
But he didn’t buy it.
With Kim he’d gotten lucky, because he sure wasn’t good husband material, not with his family background of domestic warfare and divorce. God, he’d hated all the screaming and fighting.
“Sir,” called the postal clerk with an edge of irritation in her voice. “There are a lot of people waiting.”
“Better go.” Shannon flipped her hand and pushed through the double glass doors.
Alex released a harsh breath as he watched the gentle sway of her hips as she headed for her car. Kim had been gone for almost a year. There wasn’t any reason to feel guilty for enjoying a woman’s legs.
Except he did feel guilty.
The rustle of restless feet and throat-clearing dragged his attention back to the post office. He returned to the counter and signed the credit slip, accompanied by applause from the line of postal customers. He walked outside with Jeremy while Shannon was still waiting to pull into the busy street, and his son dragged his feet, watching sadly as her sleek sports car finally merged into traffic.
“Come along, son.”
“I like her, Daddy.”
“I know. I’m sure you’ll see her again. Shannon is our next-door neighbor.”
Jeremy let out a very adult sigh. “But you made her mad.”
It was undeniably true, even though she’d appeared to forgive what he’d jokingly implied about her brother. Yes,