Page 359 of Lodestar

“Did she stab her grandfather?”

“She did.”

“Did he deserve it?”

I pulled a face because the jury was still out in my mind. “Star thought so.”

“She’s strong, son. Very strong. That’s a weakness in itself sometimes.”

Curious at her insight, I pressed a kiss to her cheek. “We’re working on it.”

“Your father didn’t rely on me until it was too late and our paths were set, Conor. Even then, he didn’t trust me with his illness, didn’t trust me with his plans. Start as you mean to go on or it’ll taint what you build together.” She swallowed. “I think your grandmother would approve that she’s the one wearing her cameo. Maybe she knew, right from the beginning, that I wasn’t good enough for it.”

My brow furrowed at that. “I’m sure that’s not true.”

“And I’m sure it is,” she quipped. “You go on now. Declan let it slip earlier that you’re traveling to England?”

“I am. Tomorrow. For a funeral.”

She sighed. “I’m so tired of death.”

“You should go on that cruise you were talking about at Thanksgiving.”

“Maybe I will.” She angled her head to the side. “What did Paddy want to talk to you about?”

“Are you sure you want to know?”

“I’m sure.”

“Liam, his son?—”

“I know who he is, Conor,” she clucked.

“Someone’s blackmailing him to throw a match.”

She blinked. “Funny how your father never got into that racket. I never understood why he didn’t. I used to watch my brothers gambling on the horses and thought it was a fool’s game.”

“We have bookies,” I countered.

Ma hitched a shoulder. “Shay’s been talking to me about his plans for the future.”

I leaned against the door and folded my arms across my chest, well aware that Savannah and Star were arguing in thedriveway about TikTok so were occupied for the moment. “He’s still having nightmares?”

“Of course he is. It helps, him talking to me. Aela might not like it, but I failed as a mother and I won’t as a grandmother.”

“You didn’t fail us,” I rasped uneasily.

“I did. I let Aidan whip you into shape because that was all I knew. That was what my da did, what my grandfather did. But I should have been the instrument of change. I should—” She swallowed. “Less of that. The past is done. I can’t change what I did but I can make sure I’m better with the next generation.

"As for Shay, he’s told me his father’s been speaking to him about his grades, making noise about him applying for Harvard?”

I shrugged. “So?”

“So… you think I’m deaf to what Seamus has been spouting? About wanting to be a politician?”

“Where are you going with this, Ma?”

She shrugged but patted my chest. “Food and sports—no truer way to get to an American’s heart.”

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