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“Aw… you’re so nice.” I smiled, and suddenly all the bullshit no longer mattered. “I love you, Carson.”
“See you, gorgeous.”
I wondered if he’d ever tell me he loved me again. Despite that one time at Lochridge, since returning home, those words had not left his lips.
Ethan joined me and tossed the ball to Freddie. Cian ran along with the tenacious pooch. As we watched on and chuckled at how determined that little chubby-legged boy was, I recounted how I’d heard Crisp reminding our mother of his ownership.
Ethan shook his head. “Declan overhead something along those lines a while back.”
“We have to bring in the police to stop Ma Chérie. Mother’s got Carson casing it. He told me how some girls looked quite young.”
His brow pinched. “Shit. That’s appalling. And now with Rosie, I can’t have this filth around here.”
“He’s calling it a burlesque bar.”
He sniffed. “Euphemism for a sleaze bar more like it. An insult to the art form. I used to enjoy the odd show in London. Very artistic. And Mirabel is doing this whole burlesque act in her new video.” His eyes lit up with wonder.
“I’m dying to see it. I love her new song. She’s so amazing.” I smiled.
Freddie dropped the ball at Ethan’s feet, and he picked it up. With both dog and Cian standing in readiness, he tossed it, and off they ran, child and dog.
We laughed.
“Cian hasn’t worked out he can never get that ball where Freddie’s involved.”
I laughed. Thanks to my cute nephew, I almost forgot about dirty-old men's bars and regrettable sex videos.
Chapter 26
Carson
EthanandMirabelhosteda garden party to christen their daughter on a perfect sunny day at Merivale, with an abundance of quality food and drink, as always, delivered on gleaming silver trays.
The garden felt surreal with its fluttering butterflies and fluorescent-winged insects playing in its rainbow of flowers, making me question whether those were standard or magic mushrooms in the omelette I’d eaten for breakfast.
Like the other functions I’d attended, I listened to all kinds of discussions about money, or how someone’s kid’s excesses would send them bankrupt, and whispers about who was bonking who, and so on. Everyone seemed to love a good scandal. Their eyes would light up. But then, from my experience, people didn’t have to be rich to get off on gossip.
I preferred chatting with some of the older guests. I was particularly taken with ninety-year-old Gerald, who’d grown up in London during the Second World War. He talked in great detail about the blitz and the Battle of Britain. He might have been talking aboutStar Warsin the way he described the bombings over London and the eye-watering bravado of young, inexperienced pilots and how they saved London from the Nazi scourge.
Having met him at the other Lovechilde functions, I always said hello, and then we’d get lost in conversation. Fascinated by my experience with the SAS, he asked all kinds of questions about modern armaments and technology’s role in modern-day defence systems, an area I was well-versed in.
Savanah rocked Rose, Ethan, and Mirabel’s beautiful baby girl, in her arms. She must have sensed me watching because she peered up and smiled.
I excused myself from a couple who’d been chatting about the sad state of Man U. now that their coach had departed. Not one for football talk, I just nodded. I think they assumed I was like most people from the suburbs since I didn’t dress in designer, despite Savanah’s best efforts to drag me shopping. I had to stop her in her well-intentioned tracks by reminding her I was a cargo pants or jeans man, and that would always be me.
“But you look hot in a tux,” she argued.
I laughed. “For a swanky affair, but not day-to-day wear.”
“I guess that would be hilarious seeing you at Reboot training all those randy cougars in a bespoke suit.”
“Randy cougars?” I frowned.
“They’re a little older, from what I saw.”
“They’re mainly there for Drake,” I informed her as I shook my head at the floral shirt she dangled before me.
“You’re so safe,” she lamented.
