The Unsung Hero

Enormous repercussions.

Her tiny smile might have been hesitant but it was enough for that unspoken question to vanish. For Rick’s face to soften a fraction in that split second before they both looked away.

‘I, Eleanor Peters, take thee, Maxwell McAdam, to be my husband. To have and to hold…’

The first kiss as husband and wife was a moment that would be etched on Rick’s brain for ever. The way Max and Ellie looked at each other. The soft intensity in the way their lips touched to seal their commitment. The way the kiss went on…and on.

Impossible not to feel the power of the link between this newly married couple and it was strong enough to give Rick an odd twisting sensation in his gut. A combination of recognition and…loss?

Recognition was automatic. He’d known Max since high school. Since, along with Jet and Matt, they’d formed a brotherhood that had become true family for all of them. Labelled the ‘bad boys’, they’d had the kind of bond that meant you’d put your life on the line for them in a heartbeat and life without the strength and power of that support crew was unimaginable.

Loss came from the uneasy feeling that the order of his universe was changing because one of the ‘bad boys’ was no longer a single entity. He had a ready-made family, in fact, what with Ellie’s baby Mattie. Fast bike rides and nights out with fabulous women were a thing of the past. Max was now committed to sharing his life with a woman and the bond between them was clearly cemented with the same kind of soul-deep glue that Rick had only known with the brotherhood.

Was it really possible to feel that way about a woman?

The guests were clapping and cheering. A whistle or two could be heard. Rick glanced sideways to where Jet was seated in the front row. The third ‘bad boy’ had been given the responsibility of caring for baby Mattie during the ceremony and he was still holding her with the kind of expression that made Rick think of a bomb-disposal expert in the middle of a dangerous mission. A focused scowl that suggested appreciation of both the significance of the mission and its less-than-desirable potential.

Noticing the direction of Rick’s gaze, Jet rolled his eyes as the kiss finally wound up. It took him back to the conversation they’d had only last night, over a few beers. To them both vowing to avoid the kind of commitment Max had chosen. They’d keep their bikes, thanks very much. They’d work hard and play hard and take all the fun life had to offer because they knew damn well how short it could be.

The boy beside Jet was making a disgusted face but then he grinned repentantly at Sarah, who had also looked away from the couple. It was inevitable that their gazes brushed as they turned back to their duties. With the image of that kiss still burning itself into Rick’s memory cells, along with the reminder of that vow to play hard and get the most out of life, it was just as inevitable that his gaze dropped from Sarah’s eyes to her mouth.

Such a soft-looking, deliciously kissable kind of mouth.

He felt his breath leave his lungs in a soft sigh as he wondered…

No, make that anticipated. And, knowing he could trust that very pleasant curl in his gut, he knew that kissing Sarah was something he had very good reason to look forward to. All he needed now was a smooth opening line and that shouldn’t be a problem given the amount of practice he’d had over the last decade or more.

First, there were the congratulations to be given to the newly married couple. Rick thumped Max on the back to accentuate his hug and then kissed Ellie, whose eyes were shining with joyous tears.

‘Thanks, Rick.’ She turned from him to receive Sarah’s hug. ‘‘Bout time we introduced you two,’ she said. ‘Rick, this is—’

‘Sarah,’ he cut in, smiling. ‘I’ve heard all about you.’

She looked disconcerted, turning back to Ellie, but the bride was being taken to a small table on one side of the flower-covered gazebo to deal with the paperwork.

‘W-what have you heard?’

‘You’re an old friend of Ellie’s.’

‘We were flatmates in Auckland.’

‘And didn’t you sublet your apartment here to Max?’

‘Yes. I was away in the States for a while.’

Rick nodded. ‘So, really, you’re responsible for this wedding happening. If Ellie hadn’t come looking for you, she would never have met Max.’

And he would never have met Sarah. Now, that could have been a smooth opening gambit except that he didn’t have time to deliver it. The signatures of the witnesses were now required and both Rick and Sarah had duties to perform. After that, group photographs were taken with the lovely backdrop of this garden that Max and Ellie’s new property boasted, the photographer’s attention focused on the bride and groom. Rick had more time to think but, annoyingly, inspiration wouldn’t strike.

Maybe that had something to do with the munchkins. Mattie was back in her mother’s arms now, much to Jet’s obvious relief, and the boy was glued to Sarah’s side as they watched some family shots being taken. Ellie held Mattie and Max held Ellie and nobody who saw those photographs in years to come would ever guess that Max wasn’t Mattie’s biological father.

It didn’t even seem that crazy any more, though Rick certainly couldn’t see himself putting his hand up to adopt an infant. He took another glance at the boy standing beside Sarah. Weird that her living accessory wasn’t the deal-breaker it would have been even a few months ago but this was a kid, not a baby, and, anyway, he was a special enough case to make allowances for.

‘Let’s get a photo of all the boys in their suits,’ Ellie suggested. ‘Josh, come and stand with Max and Rick.’

‘Do I have to?’

‘Yes.’ Sarah gave him a stern look but then smiled winningly. ‘Please? For me? And Ellie?’

Oh, man…That was a real smile. One that no man could possibly resist. Even a half-grown one.

‘All right. I s’pose,’ Josh grumbled.

He was soon standing between the groom and the best man, a miniature version of the two tall men in his small suit and bow-tie. He had dark hair, too. What was left of it. Rick could see the pale skin of the boy’s scalp and knew it wouldn’t be long before he was completely bald. He could also see that Sarah was watching him watch Josh and she had an odd look on her face.

Did she know that he knew the history? Was she worried that it might colour the way he talked to the boy? She needn’t worry. Rick dealt with a lot of seriously ill children and he wasn’t about to talk down to the lad or exude sympathy. The smile he gave Sarah was intended to reassure her but, strangely, she looked distinctly uncomfortable.

If it hadn’t been too weird a thought to entertain, he might have even interpreted her expression as vaguely guilty.

Did she think he was directing sympathy at her, maybe? As if. He had enough sensitivity to know that she wouldn’t appreciate that. She was clearly a strong and capable woman. Someone who’d taken on the responsibility of a child who wasn’t her own. Who was having to cope with the disaster of that child becoming gravely ill and who was doing everything she possibly could to put things right.

He respected that. Good grief, she’d gone to the other side of the world to try and track down the boy’s dad and when she’d discovered he wasn’t the one, she’d headed back to chase up another lead. Hopefully, that had proved successful. What with all the drama of Max and Ellie in recent months and then getting them shifted to this house and the wedding being planned, Rick hadn’t caught up on any further news about that. He had heard that Josh had been in hospital again in Auckland, which was why Sarah had only just made it to Dunedin in time to be Ellie’s bridesmaid. Maybe that had been for the transplant.

‘Hey, buddy.’ He winked at Josh as they positioned themselves near an old sundial in a corner of the garden. ‘How’s it going?’

Josh eyed him warily.

‘I’m Rick.’

‘I know. You’re Max’s friend.’

‘Yep.’ Both men spoke together and then Max put his arm over Josh’s shoulders as cameras whirred. ‘Rick’s got a Ducati too. Just like mine.’ He raised an eyebrow at Rick. ‘Josh was looking at that photo of us last night. With the bikes.’

‘Max said he might give me a ride one day.’

‘Cool.’ Rick had no trouble smiling for the camera. Maybe this was it. His ticket for getting to know Sarah. Max was going to be very busy settling into married life. He could offer to give Josh that ride.

‘I don’t think so.’

Sarah held out her hand to accept the glass of juice she had requested at the drinks table, congratulating herself on being so restrained.

Had Rick been waiting for a moment when she was away from everybody else to make his unwelcome offer to give Josh a ride on his motorbike?

Over my dead body had been the words that first sprang to mind but she had managed—with difficulty—to stop them emerging. She didn’t want to antagonise this man. OK, maybe this was a long shot but it was the only shot she had left and she couldn’t afford to throw it away. And maybe she should have been as prepared for something like this as for the way Rick was making no secret of finding her attractive.

He was totally irresponsible. The kind of good-looking—well, OK, make that great-looking guy who skated through life getting everything he wanted and to hell with any less than pleasant consequences. How old was he? Thirty-five or-six? High time he woke up and smelled the coffee, that’s for sure, but what was she going to do if he simply refused?

‘I’m not suggesting anything remotely dangerous.’ Rick pulled a can of lager from the nest of ice in a big silver tub. ‘Just a slow crawl around the block, or something.’