Page 36 of Alfie: Part Two

It felt good, though. Incredibly good. Not only because of how much I enjoyed that club but because I would never have to set foot at my old country club again. I’d cancel my membership first thing on Monday.

“Pop!” someone hollered. “Is Ryan in there with you?”

“Daddy, I’m here!” Ryan yelled.

Finn soon poked his head in and grinned. “You hidin’ out, son?”

Ryan shrugged and placed his hands on the armrests, which he had to reach for. “I’m too popular.”

Finn laughed and walked farther in. “My poor boy. I guess Kian can take the heat for a while now. They’re getting ready for baby karaoke.”

Ryan snorted. “I ain’t doin’ that.”

Christ, he was such a little gangster.

“Me either,” Finn admitted. He walked over to the coffee table and stuck a cracker into one of the softer cheeses. “It’s some bullshit that the grown-ups don’t get food until five. I’m fucking starving.”

“Didn’t you eat the hors d’oeuvres?” Shan wondered. “The crab cakes were fantastic.”

Finn snapped his fingers, crammed the cracker into his mouth, and headed for the entrance again. “I’ll be right back.I’mma steal one of those trays. Then I wanna hear all about this little bromance of yours.” He gestured to Shan and me before he ducked out.

“Because I was so bitter!” I chuckled. “That same night, I went online and ordered the best ice cream machine I could find. A donut maker for Ellie too. But Trip hasn’t mentioned it since that barbecue, so they’re still in their packaging—I hid them under the stairs for another day.”

Shan shook his head in amusement. “And you wondered how I knew you’d get back together. Jesus Christ. Alfie was just as miserable—and it showed.”

“Amen.” Finn grinned and took a swig of his drink.

I finished my own drink before setting the glass on the table. A part of me knew it was time to go track down Alfie, but I was just so comfortable here, and I was enjoying talking to Finn and Shan.

I might have to get one of these chairs too.

Finn checked his watch. “Ten more minutes. It’s only a matter of time before the wife tracks me down.”

“So, hiding at birthday parties runs in the family,” I noted.

We’d lost Ryan some ten minutes ago; he’d run out to get ice cream, but three generations of O’Sheas had still sought solitude in here today.

Finn huffed, sounding much like his son. “Look, I proposed balloons and catering—and I hinted we could invite the inner circle. Before I know it, Emilia’s sent out fifty evites to anyone in the syndicate with children.”

Shan laughed under his breath. “Basically, everyone who shows up at church.”

Oh hell. Was that something I should make time for now? Alfie had started attending Mass, I knew that much. Trip and Ellie had gone with him too. And I remembered one time, they’d met up with Liam afterward. Ellie really liked her new “Uncle Liam.” He was apparently funny.

“I see the wheels turning, West.” Finn had his eyes on me, and he smirked faintly.

I smiled and cleared my throat. I had to be careful around this bunch, especially Finn. I’d caught him observing me more than once in the past hour. He was extremely nice, funny, and full of charisma. But I was under no illusions. Alfie and me getting back together wasn’t the end of it. Finn, for some reason, wanted us solid because it made things more stable, and he could relax when there was no bad blood between a Son and his spouse. His care didn’t come from an altriustic place, so to speak. Even though Alfie had told me he wanted everyone married and producing children. And hopefully attending church every Sunday.

Finnegan O’Shea was the type of man who could welcome you into his family with open arms, all while maintaining a finger on the trigger in case you stepped out of line.

It also went without saying that he wouldn’t be forthcoming about the Sons when I was around.

I was, and always would be, an outsider in that regard.

“Well, I was thinking Sunday mornings are usually the perfect tee time,” I said as half a joke.

I wasn’t particularly religious, though I attended church with Alfie on holidays. Or I had, back when we’d been married. And I’d actually enjoyed it, partly because I adored my mother-in-law.

“Oh, I’ll drink to that,” Shan said.

---