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“Why is he in magazines?” Kat inquired.
“He’s a hockey player.”
Her eyes rounded. “He’s famous?” She cut Savannah a look. “More famous than Camden?”
“Camden who?” Paddy queried.
“You don’t know who Camden is?!” she shrieked.
Savannah chuckled. “He’s a singer, Paddy.”
“Oh. I never heard of him. Liam’s popular.”
“You don’t know him well?”
Even Kat quieted at Jennifer’s question.
Maybe she’d overheard more of our conversations than I’d anticipated, but none of us spoke as Paddy rumbled, “Been blessed with two kids but was never blessed with the sense to be a good father. Not sure if it’s something that’s a case of ‘better late than never’ but…”
When his words waned, Jennifer didn’t rush in, just mumbled, “You shouldn’t have children unless you know you can bring them into the world with love.” She pressed a kiss to her daughter’s forehead.
“That’s a very wise sentiment,” Paddy rasped, twisting to study her over his shoulder. “I wish I’d been so wise when I was your age.”
“I do too,” she agreed.
He cleared his throat. “That’s a beautiful baby you’ve got there.”
“Her name’s Saverina.”
“I-I heard you say that she’s spoken her first word?”
Jennifer’s smile was more open this time, warmer. “She did.”
“What was it?” I asked when no one else seemed brave enough to broach the topic.
The smile turned lopsided as she cut her sperm donor a quick look before staring down at the floor. “Dada.”
Savannah broke the ice by covering Saverina in kisses, which the baby received with happy giggles. I just took in Padraig’s pink cheeks, wondered how deep his regret was at that moment, and vowed to myself that I’d never, ever let Katina down by disappearing on her.
She’d forgiven me because I’d somehow managed to raise her to have faith in me, but if I did it again, that fragile balance would be forever ruptured.
Nothing was more important than family. That was a core value Conor and I shared, even if it was only now that I registered how much of a priority it was to me too.
32
CONOR
COVER ME IN SUNSHINE - P!NK, WILLOW SAGE HART
“Maverick!” Katina screeched.
She seemed to do things at three volume levels—shouting, screeching, and shrieking. Sometimes, she broke shit up by mumbling, but that was only before bed and after waking up.
What surprised me was that I didn’t mind it. Had it made me jump at first? Sure. I was a bachelor who lived alone. Having a kid racing around that made more noise than a jumbo jet was definitely a change of pace. But after ten days of living together, I was adapting.
I was also acclimating to my sofa being used as a scratching post, my decorative tree doubling up as a coat stand, and the second bathroom down the hall smelling of weird perfume thanks to the litter boxes we stored there.
Maverick winced at the screech, but when Katina approached him, she slowed, and her hug was gentle, as if she thought he was fragile. My experiences with the man said he was anything but, and when I neared, I waited for him to stick out his hand first.
