himself, in turn forcing Kevin to face the proverbial music alone. “At least that explains your initial reaction when I delivered the news. You didn’t blink an eye.”
“Your old da can keep a secret. And now I have a secret for you.”
Kevin wasn’t sure he could handle any more secrets. But out of respect, he said, “Go ahead.”
Dermot’s expression turned suddenly somber. “Onenight, when you were in the hospital and they were feeding you that poison before you had the blood transplant, your ma had gone out for some coffee. She left me to sit with you, and you were so bloody sick it made my old heart hurt.”
Kevin didn’t care to relive the chemo process, although he still had occasional nightmares about being surrounded by masked faces while he was shackled to a bed with no means of escape. “I’m okay now, Dad.”
“I know that, son. Now let me finish.”
Kevin sat back and accepted his fate—more fatherly commentary. “All right.”
“You were blatherin’ words I couldn’t understand,” Dermot continued. “Then you opened your eyes and clear as a summer morn, you said, ‘I’m sorry, Leah. I love you.’ I knew right then you’d made a hames out of a relationship with some woman.”
Yeah, he’d definitely made a mess out of the relationship. But he had to question the truth in his father’s claim about the sick-bed confession. Not once had he told Leah he loved her, even though sometimes he thought he did feel that way about her. Correction. He was fairly sure he had. “I was talking out of my head, Dad.”
“You were pining for her, son. I saw it in your eyes.” His dad shifted Carly around to where she was facing Kevin. “Do you still have more than a fondness for this baby’s mother?”
If he issued a denial, he’d be handing his father one major lie. “Yes, but—”
“Is she promised in marriage to the man she is seeing?”
Apparently his father knew the entire story, thanks to Kieran. “Not that I’m aware of.”
“Then it’s not too late for you to win back her heart, laddie.”
At one time, Kevin might have considered doing that very thing, boyfriend or no boyfriend. That was before he’d made a concerted effort to change his ways instead of disregarding other people’s feelings. “I’m surprised at you, Dad, suggesting I try to steal another man’s woman.”
Dermot raised an eyebrow. “Where is this man, Kevin? If your ma told me she was going to move in with some ape, there’d be wigs on the green. I’d be poundin’ on his door, demanding my love leave his house. Then I would cold-cock him, I would.”
“I’m not sure Leah’s told her boyfriend about the living arrangement.” In fact, the guy had never even called the house, which meant he was probably calling her cell phone. Or not calling at all. Purely wishful thinking on his part.
Dermot handed Carly over to Kevin, stretched his legs out before him and clasped his hands atop his belly. “If she has told the man, then he’s a bollocks for not doin’ a thing about it. And you would be a fool not to woo her. If her heart isn’t ripe for the pickin’, you will not be able to steal it. But if it is, you will know soon enough.”
“I appreciate the suggestion, Dad.” Even if he had no immediate goal that entailed putting any moves on Leah. At least that’s what he’d planned.
“Just one more bit of advice, son.” Dermot leanedover and covered Carly’s ears. “Keep your langer in your cacks and let the lass take the lead. She just might surprise you.”
Kevin had to admit his father’s advice was dead-on. He wasn’t going to do anything to compromise his arrangement with Leah. But he greatly doubted she was going to surprise him, either.
L EAH ARRIVED HOME four hours late, completely exhausted, with aching feet and the beginnings of a headache. But her spirits lifted when she walked into the great room to discover Kevin lying on his back, eyes closed, with Carly resting atop
“Your old da can keep a secret. And now I have a secret for you.”
Kevin wasn’t sure he could handle any more secrets. But out of respect, he said, “Go ahead.”
Dermot’s expression turned suddenly somber. “Onenight, when you were in the hospital and they were feeding you that poison before you had the blood transplant, your ma had gone out for some coffee. She left me to sit with you, and you were so bloody sick it made my old heart hurt.”
Kevin didn’t care to relive the chemo process, although he still had occasional nightmares about being surrounded by masked faces while he was shackled to a bed with no means of escape. “I’m okay now, Dad.”
“I know that, son. Now let me finish.”
Kevin sat back and accepted his fate—more fatherly commentary. “All right.”
“You were blatherin’ words I couldn’t understand,” Dermot continued. “Then you opened your eyes and clear as a summer morn, you said, ‘I’m sorry, Leah. I love you.’ I knew right then you’d made a hames out of a relationship with some woman.”
Yeah, he’d definitely made a mess out of the relationship. But he had to question the truth in his father’s claim about the sick-bed confession. Not once had he told Leah he loved her, even though sometimes he thought he did feel that way about her. Correction. He was fairly sure he had. “I was talking out of my head, Dad.”
“You were pining for her, son. I saw it in your eyes.” His dad shifted Carly around to where she was facing Kevin. “Do you still have more than a fondness for this baby’s mother?”
If he issued a denial, he’d be handing his father one major lie. “Yes, but—”
“Is she promised in marriage to the man she is seeing?”
Apparently his father knew the entire story, thanks to Kieran. “Not that I’m aware of.”
“Then it’s not too late for you to win back her heart, laddie.”
At one time, Kevin might have considered doing that very thing, boyfriend or no boyfriend. That was before he’d made a concerted effort to change his ways instead of disregarding other people’s feelings. “I’m surprised at you, Dad, suggesting I try to steal another man’s woman.”
Dermot raised an eyebrow. “Where is this man, Kevin? If your ma told me she was going to move in with some ape, there’d be wigs on the green. I’d be poundin’ on his door, demanding my love leave his house. Then I would cold-cock him, I would.”
“I’m not sure Leah’s told her boyfriend about the living arrangement.” In fact, the guy had never even called the house, which meant he was probably calling her cell phone. Or not calling at all. Purely wishful thinking on his part.
Dermot handed Carly over to Kevin, stretched his legs out before him and clasped his hands atop his belly. “If she has told the man, then he’s a bollocks for not doin’ a thing about it. And you would be a fool not to woo her. If her heart isn’t ripe for the pickin’, you will not be able to steal it. But if it is, you will know soon enough.”
“I appreciate the suggestion, Dad.” Even if he had no immediate goal that entailed putting any moves on Leah. At least that’s what he’d planned.
“Just one more bit of advice, son.” Dermot leanedover and covered Carly’s ears. “Keep your langer in your cacks and let the lass take the lead. She just might surprise you.”
Kevin had to admit his father’s advice was dead-on. He wasn’t going to do anything to compromise his arrangement with Leah. But he greatly doubted she was going to surprise him, either.
L EAH ARRIVED HOME four hours late, completely exhausted, with aching feet and the beginnings of a headache. But her spirits lifted when she walked into the great room to discover Kevin lying on his back, eyes closed, with Carly resting atop
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