Page 55 of Back in the Saddle

“Yes.”

“There will be so many good times it will be like a party.”

My dick would be dancing for joy.

She let go of my hand, her eyes wide. “Party. Shit. Do you know what Isabelle has planned?”

“No bloody idea. But as her mother, I think you should figure that out.”

“Nice play, Irish Boy.”

“Do I get rewarded with a kiss?”

“You’ll have to come and get it.”

I rounded the desk and pulled her up out of her chair. As soon as my lips met hers, they opened and moved in unison. Her tongue stroked mine and my whole body remembered our first kiss and everything that had followed.

But that everything hadn’t all been good, at least in the last twelve months. And deep, deep down, the reminder nipped at me. I shoved it away like I would a naughty horse. It didn’t need to be here when we were both trying so hard communicating and opening up to each other in a way we hadn’t done in so long.

20

Taylor

It was dark by the time Ciaron and I got home. When we walked in together, the kids were cooking with Mary. Isabelle did not give me her usual irritated look because I was late. Funny that. It seemed like it was OK for me to be late if I was with Ciaron, but not if it was me alone.

“Ciaron, can you swap with Isabelle, please? We need to get some birthday stuff organised,” I said.

Isabelle’s eyes widened. She washed her hands and dried them hesitantly. Then she joined me in the lounge room.

“What plans do you have for your party?” I asked her.

She glanced at Callum, who was too busy to notice.

“It must be something special seeing you have both grandmothers here.”

She clasped her hands in her lap. “I didn’t really plan anything beyond that.”

“So your grand plan was to get them here in the hope of what, getting your dad and I back together?”

She pursed her lips. “Yeah.”

Why would she think Mary would help with that plan? Because there was no way Mary would ever help put us together if she knew she could tear us apart. How could I ask Isabelle without sounding rude?

“What was Mamo’s part to play in this?”

“Dad can only stand her in short bursts. Remember what it was like when we visited Ireland a few years ago?”

I nodded, although I was surprised she could recall what it was like. She was ten at the time and I’d tried to shelter her from any negativity. We’d stayed with one of Ciaron’s brothers under the premise that it would be good for the kids to spend time with their cousins. And we didn’t spend an extended amount of time with Mary. One of many incidents came to mind. One where she managed to have a go at me yet again. One of the many times I should have stood up to her over the years.

We sataround the table eating lunch at Ronan’s house. Seamus’s girlfriend was clearing the table and loading the dishwasher. I went to help her, but Ciaron told me he wanted to do it. He wanted to have a quiet talk to her about Seamus. He had a feeling he was getting into trouble. And he wanted to use his brotherly powers to determine if she was leading him astray.

Mary watched the exchange between us with interest. My skin crawled. I ignored her the best I could. Seamus was her son. She should have been the one checking in on him. But we knew she wasn’t. When Ciaron walked off, she said to Ronan’s wife, “Ciaron was always the best out of my boys. Then he went off to Australia and left us all to fend for ourselves.”

Ciaron’s steps faltered, and his head dropped. I shifted in my seat. Imagine saying that in front of your other children. A parent shouldn’t have favourites and even if they did, theyshouldn’t pronounce it like that. And it wasn’t Ciaron’s job to fend for all of them. He was also her child.

The boys all had different reactions, from shaking heads to swearing under their breath. They were like horses chomping at the bit. Ciaron wouldn’t have said anything if it was just about himself, but it wasn’t.

Ciaron faced Mary. “I wouldn’t say I was the best. Tommy got top marks in school. Ronan was best and fairest year after year in football. Seamus always made us laugh. And Billy was the first of us to buy a house.”

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