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“Would it upset you if we did?” I’d expected this question earlier, if I was being honest.
“No. She never really stopped loving you anyway. It’ll be nice to see her happy.” He narrowed his eyes on me. “You will make her happy, won’t you?”
“I’ll try. That’s all I can offer.”
“You’ve seen how good of a shot I am.”
Snickering, I said, “I did. And I meant it. I’ll try. Nothing is ever simple. Not where love is concerned.”
“You love her?”
“Always did. Never stopped.”
“You didn’t look for her.”
I heard the accusation. “I didn’t.”
“Why not?”
“Because I got mixed up in things I shouldn’t have, and… she lied to me.”
“What about?”
Uneasy with the direction this conversation had taken, I looked away and stared at the Merc beside him.
“Ah.”
My gaze darted back to him. “What?”
“She lied about me.”
“That’s one way to phrase it.” I grunted. “If I’d known the truth about you, I’d have left no stone unturned, Seamus.”
His eyes gleamed at that, but all he said was, “She’s very protective.”
“She is. She has every right to be. It’s a mean world out there. Every kid should have a mom who protects them.”
Shay studied me with the zeal of a scientist, and the cold, hard reasoning of a calculator. It was weird to feel flayed open, but this was my kid. Looking out for my woman. I wasn’t going to fault him for it.
Expecting another question, he surprised me by declaring, “I’m ready for that burger now.”
Assuming I’d passed whatever test he’d set me, I muttered, “I was ready five minutes ago.” And with that, I set off, somehow feeling like we’d cleared the air and had set the stage for the next few acts of our life.
I wanted him to know I was here for him, that I’d fight for him,andfor Aela. It would take more than one session at a gun range and a chat before a burger to make him realize I meant exactly what I said, but we had time.
And I was more than grateful for that.
But, as we pulled into a drive-thru, after we checked the menu, and just before I could order, he told me, “You can tell Mom to stop sneaking in and out of her bedroom every night.”
My lips curved into a sheepish grin, and when the intercom squeaked, I gave our order, and we never spoke about Aela’s nightly escapades again.
Just like a real father and son wouldn’t.
