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“Very funny. You wait and see. I know what I’m talking about.”
As he swaggered closer, I could tell I was about ready to get schooled. “Might I offer one small suggestion?”
“As if I could stop you.”
He placed his hand on my shoulder, and it suddenly felt as if he was getting into one of his ‘Ted Talk’ moments. “Try and extend a kinda romantic olive branch. You know like bring a bottle of wine. Maybe some flowers. You know, stuff girls like. Whatever you do, please for the love of God don’t bring beer.”
“Who do you think I am?”
As he backed away, he threw up his hands. “I’m just saying.”
Frowning, I looked away and he noticed I still had my mind wrapped around some of the shit my father had said.
“What else is going on?”
“My dad is gonna sell the rig in Alaska.”
“So what? You don’t want it. You’ve told me and Jack that a hundred times.”
I rubbed my jaw. “Yeah, I know, but I have a bad feeling about it. Not sure why other than the timing.”
“You think there’s a connection with Sean?”
That’s exactly what I was thinking. Why would my dad up and suddenly return a favor to a man he hadn’t seen or heard from in a couple of decades? “I just don’t know but I will have another and much more frank conversation with my dad. First things first. I should be back later tonight, but if you get a chance, put your eyes on the financials and last production runs. I have a feeling a lot of shit is being pushed under the table.”
“You’re the oil sniffer, dude,” he teased.
“Yeah, but you have a good eye at seeing something that’s out of place.”
“Okay. I’ll take some time with them. We’re headed to the rig tomorrow?”
“Yeah, now I need to make certain the feisty woman was made aware and won’t drop our asses into the ocean.”
He grinned. “Just don’t forget the flowers. And grovel. I’m serious. There isn’t a woman who is not a sucker for a man who grovels.”
“I’m not a goddamn groveler.”
“Learn. It might do you some good.”
I shook my head. Now I was rolling my eyes. The last time I brought a woman flowers, I’d been crushed into a million pieces. Maybe he was right. Except about groveling. Perhaps it was time to come out of my comfort zone.
Whatever the fuck that meant.
I’d never felt so anxious in my entire life. I’d been through shit and then some, not only with my ex but with life in general. But I was sick inside while climbing out of the vehicle, the darkness not comforting in the least. I grabbed the wine, the box of pizza that had taken me driving all over Cork to find, and the dozen roses I’d gotten. Although they had seen better days.
After taking a deep breath and shoring my shoulders, I headed to the door. I had to put the wine bottle between my legs, cradling the flowers under my arm so I could ring the doorbell. For a few seconds, I heard nothing.
Then there was the pounding of feet as someone raced toward the door.
After that, I heard her voice.
“Aiden. Slow down. Let Mommy open the door.”
Whoa. Mommy? I was so taken aback my mouth must have been hanging open when a little pint-sized boy answered the door, peering up at me with the same green eyes his… mother had.
Oh, shit.
No wonder she was so guarded, so angry with the world. Whatever had happened with her husband had left her a single mother. Had the bastard run off with some chick? I could kill the dude and I didn’t even know him.
