Total pages in book: 93
Estimated words: 89145 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 446(@200wpm)___ 357(@250wpm)___ 297(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 89145 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 446(@200wpm)___ 357(@250wpm)___ 297(@300wpm)
“Yet you find every goddamn opportunity to bring it up.” Liam shot him a quick glare before he went back to fixing his sons’ hot dogs.
Kellan’s shoulders trembled with silent laughter. “It’s a touchy subject.”
Evidently.
“Anyway, they’re not together and never have been,” he added quietly. “Long story short, Liam and CJ bonded over a holiday, and somehow, my sister ended up pregnant shortly after, resulting in Eddie.”
Somehow ended up pregnant?
It wasn’t a mystery.
Interesting that CJ wasn’t Liam’s biological kid, though. I’d been under the impression that blood meant everything to the Sons.
When the young girls, Autumn and Nessa, came over, Finn literally bribed them with two hundred bucks to help the nanny with the kids so the grown-ups could sit down for a moment. I wasn’t sure the girls were in need of money, considering the brands displayed on their bikini designs, but they agreed.
“That’s four hundred you owe me now, Dad,” Autumn reminded in a singsong voice.
“Well, fuck.” Finn hauled out his wallet. “Let’s get that sorted.”
“The fuck’s wrong with you, cousin?” Liam asked. “You know they babysit for free.”
“We’ve already told him! Don’t remind him,” Nessa warned.
I grinned.
She shifted her gaze to me, still visibly curious, but made no move to introduce herself.
“I believe in fair pay for hard labor,” was Finn’s response. “Reagan’s got the runs, so…”
Oh Christ.
“Daddy, I’m eating lots!” one twin declared happily. It had to be Reagan. Cory was back to clinging to Finn’s leg, all while clutching his burger tightly enough to make a mess.
“That’s good. You gotta grow up and be big and strong like Daddy,” Finn said with a nod. He handed over the money to the girls, because who didn’t walk around with nearly a grand of cash in their wallet? “Boys, you listen to your sister and Nessa now.”
I guessed I was free to go too. Ellie was busy eating a burger and chatting with Ryan and CJ, and Trip had two hot dogs and one juice box in his hands and was aiming for a pool chair. Because, uh, he didn’t need tickets to this shitshow.
Fuck, I was gonna start using that one.
As if sensing my stare, Trip sat down on the foot of the lounger and looked over to me, and he smiled and half waved with one hot dog.
I smiled back. He knew the drill. He could come to me if anything was wrong—and I knew the drill too. I’d learned from countless occasions of fussing that he preferred solitude. Until he didn’t. He had his social moments too, and he had no issues making friends.
Chances were I wouldn’t see either of my kids for quite a while. Ellie had her bathing suit on underneath her dress, and Trip’s shorts were his trunks. Well, he might come to me for his goggles.
A minute or so later, we’d disentangled ourselves from the children, and we headed over to the table on the patio where Shannon was reading a book and drinking a glass of wine.
“No more peacefulness for you, hon.” Kellan popped a kiss to Shannon’s temple before sitting down next to him.
“As if I ever expected peace out here.” Shannon just smiled. “We get peace at home.”
“Peace and no funny business,” Finn stated.
Kellan laughed, and Shannon rolled his eyes.
I dropped my bag next to a chair and set my beer on the table.
“Anyway, now we can get formal introductions outta the way.” Finn took charge. “Alfie, this is my old man, Shannon O’Shea. Dad, Alfie O’Dwyer. Secret spawn of John.”
O’Dwyer.
“We’ve met,” Shannon said with a polite smile.
I returned it and shook the his hand over the table. “Nice to see you again, sir.”
“You too, Alfie. Call me Shan. I’m glad you’re no longer a secret.”
“Me too.” I was honest, even though I had no clue where things would end up ultimately. But they appeared to be welcoming, and Finn mentioned the word family a whole lot. I liked that.
I noticed Liam had hung back a few paces, waiting for the man I didn’t recognize, and they exchanged a few words quietly before they made their way over.
Finn clapped a hand on my back. “That’s Eric. He’s our tech genius and needs to be bribed in order to leave his fourteen computer screens at work.”
Oh, so that was Eric. I knew so many names and so few faces.
We shook hands too.
“Good to have you on board,” he said.
“Thanks.” I nodded.
That left Liam, who was smirking faintly. We really did share some features, didn’t we? We had similar builds, with him being a little taller, and he had more copper in his hair. But the shape of his nose, eyes, lips, jaw… One could tell we were related.
“Last but not least, meet your big brother,” Finn chuckled.
For a quick second, nerves wreaked havoc on my stomach, because it was that word. Brother. I had a big brother? Fucking crazy! Actually, downright surreal. And I wasn’t sure of the meaning. Family terms didn’t lock shit in place. Chemistry and relationships did.