Page 79 of Everlasting Love

“Yeah. Gosh, it’s such a small world.”

Fiona wraps her arm around me. “Oh, I’m just so happy to see you again. I was so impressed with how calmly you helped me, and you were so caring and lovely.” She looks up at Shane. “She was so wonderful and kind to me.” She steps away from me and holds her arm out toward the front door. “Come inside, William will be so happy to see you.”

I doubt it. William didn’t seem like the happy-to-see-anyone type. He was an asshole if my memory is correct, but maybe it was because of what happened—everyone has a bad day. We step inside Fiona’s tidy home and I spot William sitting in a recliner watching some sort of war movie with the volume at an obnoxious level. On the table beside his chair, there are several empty beer bottles and Fiona rushes forward, collecting them, then disappears around the corner. I hear the clanking of glass, and then she returns to the living room.

“William. Look who’s here,” Fiona says brightly. William glances up at us, then drops his eyes back to the screen in front of him. “Shane brought his lady friend and her daughter.” He grunts but doesn’t tear his eyes away from the TV. “You might remember her, she’s the young woman who helped me that day in the park. Remember, when I was hit by the cyclists?” His head snaps up, and he studies me more closely with narrowed eyes.

Obviously, he’s still an asshole. I give him an awkward smile. “Hi, William. This is my daughter, Jasmine.” I lay my hand on Jas’s back. “Jas, say, hi.”

She steps forward and gives him her best smile. “Hello, Shane’s daddy.”

He drops his eyes to her and grunts, then turns back to his TV show. When I look up at Shane, the tic in his jaw is in full swing, and his eyes are as hard as flint as he looks down at his father. He places his hand on Jas’s shoulder and turns her away from his dad. “Come on, let’s head into the kitchen.” Shane doesn’t acknowledge his father in any way as he directs us away from the man and the negative dynamic between them makes my heart break for him.

Fiona smiles awkwardly at me. “He sometimes forgets his manners when he’s in the middle of watching one of his favorite movies.”

I nod and return her awkward smile as we step into the kitchen. When I look up, balloons are tied to the backs of the chairs, there’s a birthday cake on the counter with two candles—two and nine—a happy birthday banner across the window, and other birthday treats already on the table which is set for three people. I’m pretty sure she said it wasn’t her birthday, or maybe she said itwasher birthday. I was so nervous, I probably got mixed up. But the two and the nine …

She spins and holds her hands up with a huge grin. “Happy birthday, Shane!”

What?

It’s his birthday and he never said a single word.

Jas jumps up and down excitedly. “I love birthdays. Happy birthday, Shane.” Then she freezes and her face drops. “I didn’t get you a present.”

He crouches in front of her. “I don’t need a present, Angel. I have you and your mom, and that’s perfectly enough for me.”

My daughter wraps her little arms around his neck and hugs him tight, landing a kiss on his cheek. “I’ll give you this big hug as your present.”

He wraps his arms around her, accepting her hug, his eyes closed as a smile touches his lips. “Thank you. It’s the only thing I need because you give the best hugs.”

She pulls away and smiles at him. “You’re welcome.”

I’m frozen and I don’t know whether to be pissed that he didn’t share this information with us or happy that he brought us here to celebrate his birthday. I peer around the room, at the decorations and the food, and I decide to be happy. This is Shane opening up to me little by little. He’s let Jas and me into his world and shared a piece of himself with us. I take the few steps I need to close the distance and place my hands on his pecs, the only part of him he allows me to touch. “Happy birthday.”

He leans down and kisses my forehead. “It’s tomorrow but thank you.”

Hmm. Tomorrow. That means I have time to organize something.

Fiona busies herself, adding two more settings to the table, grinning like a Cheshire Cat. “I wasn’t expecting anyone else. This is just wonderful.”

“Can I help with anything?” I offer but she waves me off.

“Now what can I get you both to drink?” She looks between me and Jas.

“We can just have water.”

“Nonsense. It’s a party. Coffee, juice, maybe?”

“Violet drinks tea, Mom.”

“Of course. I have tea.” She looks at Jasmine. “What about you, young lady?”

Jas chuckles. “Can I please have juice?”

“Absolutely.” Fiona bustles back to the kitchen and fixes our drinks.

Shane pulls out a chair next to his and gestures for me to sit, then pulls out the chair beside mine for Jas. “Thank you.”

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