Murphy's Law

“Garrett's on his way to Providence,” Elise said. The woman hesitated for a beat before adding, “He left about an hour ago. He should be at your place in about an hour or two.”

“What?!” If Murphy hadn't been gripping the phone so tightly, she would have dropped it. It was a good thing she'd gone with her instincts and decided to sit; her knees felt abruptly weak at the thought of seeing Garrett Thayer again.

“That's exactly the reaction I thought you'd have. It's also why I called. The girls and I—er, my sisters and I, I mean—were talking about it after he left. The four of us agreed that it would be pretty damn inconsiderate of him to just show up on your doorstep without warning.”

Murphy's mind raced. Garrett was on his way here. Now. She was torn between excitement, and being scared to death. It had been three weeks since she'd seen him, and even then he'd been in a good deal of pain the entire time they were together, which might have shaded his character. What if…?

“We told him to call first, but of course he's as stubborn as our Gramma used to be; he wouldn't listen to a word. He said he wanted to surprise you,” Elise confided with a long-suffering, sisterly sigh. “Common sense, as you've probably already guessed, doesn't run in our family. When Garrett's set his mind on something, trying to talk him out of it is like talking to a stone. You know Garrett!”

“Yes,” Murphy said, a soft smile curving over her lips as she raked her fingers through Moonshine's silky fur, “I know Garrett.”

“Anyway, that's why I called. I wanted to warn you that he's on his way. Now you can, oh, I don't know, hide out at a movie or go grocery shopping or something until he gives up like a good boy and comes home.”

Murphy laughed. “I wouldn't do that, Elise.”

“I know. Garrett told us all about you, too. Still, going to the movies is an option you should consider.”

“I'll keep it in mind…as a last resort,” Murphy said. “Thank you for warning me. I appreciate it.”

“You're welcome. It's the least I can do to thank you for saving my brother's life.”

“I didn't—”

Elise chuckled, cutting Murphy short. “Garrett said you'd say that.”

“Did he?” A wave of contentment washed warmly over Murphy. Garrett had told his family a lot about her? Now why did that thought please her ever so much? “What else did he tell you about me?”

“Oh, lots of stuff. You can ask him all about it when he gets there. Unless you take my advise about catching a matinee, which would be no more than the rat deserves for not calling you first.” In the background, Murphy heard the sound of children's voices rising to fighting pitch. “Uh-oh, that's my cue. Gotta go. Toodles!”

With a sharp click, the line went dead.

Murphy pulled the receiver away from her ear, and frowned down at it. “Toodles?” she echoed as she hung up the phone.

“Who was that?” Tom asked from the doorway separating the living room from the kitchen. “As if I didn't know. That grin is perfectly Cheshire, Murph.”

Cheshire or not, Murphy couldn't have wiped the smile off her face if she tried. And trying wasn't an option.

Garrett Thayer was on his way here.

Now!

Hugging a purring Moonshine to her chest, Murphy stood and approached her brother. They were almost on eye-level, so there was no need to stand on tip-toe to kiss his cheek.

“Tom?” she asked as, still cuddling the cat close, she stepped back and returned her brother's gaze.

“Yeeeeees?” he asked warily.

“I need a favor.”

He'd carried a handful of cashews out of the kitchen with him—he now tossed a few in his mouth. “Don't tell me, let me guess. You want me to scram. Am I right?”

Murphy nodded.

“Because the bank robber's coming over?”

She chose to ignore that crack; she was suddenly in much too good a mood to argue. “Garrett's on his way here, yes.”

“And I'd be a third wheel.”