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Excuse me I’m late for my playdate.
She hit send and shoved her phone in her bag. Victory consumed her for about two seconds, but that word kept flashing in her mind.Child.
Miles away and broken up, Daniel still managed to bring out her insecurities.
***
It’d been three days since Shane rolled into town, and he had yet to meet his grandfather. He wasn’t delusional; he didn’t expect the man to meet him at the train station with wide open arms, but he at least expected him to make an effort to meet the grandson he’d never met. He felt like an idiot every time he glanced toward the pub door, as if the man would pop in.
He didn’t want to care, but the lack of interest ate at him. It made him question what sort of relationship his father must’ve had with the man. He’d accepted that he didn’t have a father, and that was okay. He didn’t know the man, so it’s not like he ever had to feel the loss. Now, being in his father’s hometown, he couldn’t ignore the ache in his heart for a relationship that never was. And maybe that’s why he was so disappointed. Maybe a part of him was hoping to bridge a gap in his life he didn’t even know was there.
Connor reappeared from the kitchen and dropped a plate of nachos off at a table of older women who all held a copy of the same book in one hand and margaritas in the other. According to Connor, they met every Monday for book club, but their book club was really an excuse to day drink.
He made his way back and leaned against the bar. Humor lit the strong angles of Connor’s face and glowed in his green eyes. “Make sure you keep the margaritas flowing for that group, or they’ll get rowdy.”
“Will do.”
Shane glanced toward the door then at Connor. “Does our grandfather ever stop in?”
“Here?” Connor barked out a laugh and shook his head. “Even if pigs took flight down Main Street, he wouldn’t come in here.”
“I just thought…”
“That we were a close-knit family? No. We all just live in the same town. To be honest, if it wasn’t for Mimi, we probably wouldn’t even see each other.”
“Oh.” A strange disappointment settled in his stomach.
“Grandfather spends most of his time at his Manhattan office. He comes home Thursday night then heads out Sunday. Unless it’s summer. Then he spends most of his days in his office at Bayview. Mimi can coax him out for a family dinner or an event.”
“Are you two close?”
“Depends on your definition of close. I see him on occasion, and we talk about the Yankees. He has season tickets on the front baseline. He usually uses them to schmooze clients, but every now and again he’ll offer me a ticket.” Connor tapped Shane’s shoulder. “Hey, maybe we’ll get to go this summer. Watch a few innings, throw back a few beers.”
“Sounds great.” Shane had only been to one baseball game his whole life—the Angels vs the Mariners. His mom had gotten them tickets when she’d gotten a raise because he had always wanted to go. She’d always been selfless like that—always doing everything for him and nothing for herself. She was so busy taking care of him she didn’t even realize when her own health had declined.
Visions of her emaciated in a hospital bed filtered into his mind. He swallowed hard and shook his head. He wasn’t going back there. Not now.
“So, does that mean you might be sticking around for a while?”
Shane didn’t want to commit, but he also didn’t want to let Connor down. “It’s a possibility. Not like I have anywhere else to go.”
“I know you said it was just you and your mom, but do you not have any other family?”
Shane shook his head. “Nope.”
“Our family might be a bit dysfunctional, and we might not be the family you dreamed about, but we’re yours now.”
It was more than Shane had, and though he was hesitant to step into and accept this new family as his own, he was grateful to Connor for welcoming him so easily. “I appreciate that.”
“We don’t have to hug now or anything, right?” Connor asked.
Shane’s eyebrow arched, and he leaned back. “I sure as hell hope not.”
Connor gave him a knowing smile. “You’ll fit in just fine.”
The door opened, and out of habit, Shane’s attention went to the entrance. Olivia appeared, the sunlight encircling her as if she were a walking beam of light. His gaze immediately dropped to the long curve of her bare legs before roaming up and settling on her deep brown eyes.
“Looks like family’s not the only reason for you to stay.” Connor patted Shane’s back and disappeared into the kitchen. He was about to make a joke when he saw the array of emotions fighting for the spotlight on Olivia’s face.
