Page 471 of Lodestar

“Then try again.” I thought about her strange obsession with Our Lady and mused, “If you made it about religion, Ma, then no wonder she freaked. Instead of making it about the church, you need to make it about her. About the woman you love like a daughter.

“I think that’s the only option you have open to you if you don’t want to live likethis.”

Her eyes rounded and she released a shaky breath. “She won’t let me near her, though. Neither will Finn. You know, ten years ago, I would have said that Finn not speaking to me would have broken my heart, but losing thembothis what’s broken me.

“I’m not saying I don’t deserve it, but I wish…” She sighed and then shot me a lopsided smile. “Wishes don’t come true for people who’ve done what I have.”

“It’s not about wishing. It’s about working for Aoife’s forgiveness.” I rolled my eyes as she shook her head in disagreement. “Anyway, how’s it feel to be back in the city?”

“Good. I think it will be better for me than being all the way upstate for the time being.”

“You don’t want to sell the estate?”

“No. I might spend summers there. The winters are too lonely.”

I pressed a kiss to her cheek. “Whatever you need, whatever makes you happy, we’ll figure out a way.”

“You’re a good boy, Conor.”

I winked at her. “That’s not what Star says.”

47

CONOR

With a bored tone,Eoghan drawled, “Why am I here again?”

“Because if I have to suffer, then you two dipshits can as well.”

My lips twitched. “It’s not that bad when they aren’t playing.”

Eoghan frowned. “That makes no sense.”

“You haven’t seen them play,” I retorted.

“They’re atrocious,” Declan confirmed, shoving his hands into his pockets as he stared at the stadium around him. “I can’t believe you’re making me do this.”

“Hey, I’m not making you do anything,” I retorted.

“Technically, that’s a lie,” Eoghan demurred. “Aren’t you the one who told Aidan about PSN?”

“I still think that sounds like a treatment for erectile dysfunction.”

“Maybe if it was PNS,” I said with a chuckle. “Otherwise, that’s a Freudian slip if ever I heard one. You need to talk about some bedroom problems, little bro?”

“Fuck off. The only problem I have are you fuckers trying to mess with my life. How the hell is it that the only brother whodoesn’t like sports, the only one of us who was relieved not to have to fake it anymore now that Da’s dead, is the one who has to talk about goddamn soccer on a sports network?!”

“Life isn’t fair,” Eoghan concurred.

“He’s right. Your life is so hard, Dec.”

He scowled at us both. “I’d prefer it if you sounded more genuine.”

I grinned. “Have you heard yourself?”

“Whining like a little bitch,” Eoghan agreed as he scanned his notifications.

Declan huffed. “You’re not the ones on the brink of making complete asses of themselves while discussing shit you have zero interest in to people who actually know what they’re talking about!”

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